Sikhs Image Spoiled By A Fish In The Pond

By Surjit Singh Flora

‘Brampton Kirpan Case” the public perception of the kirpan was that it was a potentially dangerous ‘weapon’. Sikhs do not perceive the kirpan as a weapon, and the translation into ‘dagger’ is inappropriate, given the pejorative association between a dagger and violence. However, no English term captures the true cultural meaning of the kirpan.

The kirpan has both a physical function, as a defensive weapon, as well as a symbolic function. Physically it is an instrument of "Ahimsa" or non-violence. The principle of ahimsa is to actively prevent violence, not to simply stand by idly whilst violence is being done. To that end, the kirpan is a tool to be used to prevent violence from being done to a defenseless person when all other means to do so have failed. Symbolically, the kirpan represents the power of truth to cut through untruth. It is the cutting edge of the enlightened mind. "

In the next few weeks, Sikhs would organize the Khalsa day parade, when Panj Pyare (five Sikhs) will hold unshielded and shining big kirpans in hands and lead the Sikh parade from CNE to the City hall. Just before that, Kirpan issue has been highlighted by GTA newspaper following a fight at the Sikh Lehar temple in Brampton where kirpan was alleged to have been used in the attack on a Sikh guy.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/30004-sikhs-image-spoiled-by-fish-pond.html

Undoubtedly, that was wrong. With this particular incident, Sikh community’s image is not better than a pond. A very few people are out to spoil our image like one rotten fish spoils the whole pond. They never follow what Tenth master told us to do. Yes, it’s a known fact that kirpan is a weapon but when Sikhs were baptised by the tenth master, He made some rules for them to follow.

After the fight at Sikh temple where kirpan was used in the attack and subsequent reports in the mainstream newspapers, the image of Sikh community has been dented in the eyes of Canadians. Sikh community should learn a lesson from this unfortunate happening. In every country, the Sikhs fight for five “k”s for practical and symbolic purposes.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=30004

Sikhism, baptised Sikhs are bound to wear the Five Ks, or articles of faith, at all times. The tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, ordered these Five Ks to be worn. The five items are: kes (uncut hair), kangha (small comb), kara (circular iron bracelet), kirpan (dagger), and kaccherra (special undergarment). The Five Ks have both practical and symbolic purposes.

But these five iterms, due to every countries different laws and regulations, Sikhs can not carry with then all the times, so they fight for there rights, but on other hand, They use the Kirpan, prove that it’s still a weapon, if any media, or the repoter try to highlight the issue, they are blamed for targeting the Sikh, Punjabi community, but they never relizing they giving them chance to write chance to target Sikh community and spolied the Image of there own community. like one rotten fish spoils the whole pond , same one anger person , make the whole community to pay the price, now time will tell if Kirpan gets banned in Canada or not ?

http://www.emgonline.co.uk/news.php?news=9281

 
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So it takes one or just a few to misuse a symbolic but potential weapon. Let us make it truly symbolic.

Received in email: Comments courtesy sikh-diaspora@yahoogroups.com by member Raja Singh Ji

WJKK WJKF

I would not comment on the controversy around Dasam Granth but would like to focus on a particular incident in Toronto surrounding that controversy that has shaken the community badly and pinched us where it hurts the most. Tireless campaigns to maintain our identity and be allowed to wear our 5K's in public places besides the turban have come to a naught due to the foolishness of one single individual. He would be tried as per the law of the land and might get convicted but what happens to the harsher punishment that the entire community has to undergo because of him? Would the honorable Akal Takht issue a Hukamnama declaring him a Tankhiyah and issue an edict that all future similar acts of misuse of the Siri Sahib would viewed in similar tone by the Takht?
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=30004

The level of illiteracy that prevails in the Sikh community is appalling. The reference is NOT to academically illiterate preachers/granthis/raagis, toys in the hands of vote-hungry political masters, who have come to rule the roost. NEITHER is it to the feeble understanding of Guru Granth Sahib (AGGS), its essence and significance amongst most (if not all) of us. Since Sikhs do not prescribe to a priestly class like hindus or (a more regularized) Christians, per se, every Sikh is a priest and based on whatever little knowledge we all have, we all make feeble attempts at being preachers at some point in our life, which is not bad until we decide to brandish kirpans to have our point heard. To me, not creating a priestly class, was a very wise decision of the Guru Sahiban to protect us from the stereotypic wisdom of a few that society in those times had to bear with.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=30004

My reference is to our inability to understand how the world reacts to every single small step we take. All public places where security is an issue and allowing kirpan is being debated are now going to be out of bounds. Our children are going to suffer in schools where they may even be asked to remove their karas. Forget about kirpans, now we may have to start fighting to retain our karas on airplanes and in court rooms. The fallout of all this would be our future generations gradually moving away from the 5Ks and partaking amrit.

Individually, we have done well but as a group, we have failed miserably to perceive ourselves as global leaders in whatever communities/countries we live in. We have further allowed ourselves to denigrate into a castiest society where a ramgarhia or jat would take pride in the achievements of a fellow caste mate. We love to rant about how AGGS has a universal appeal and can become a unifying factor for all religions but have failed miserably ourselves to unite under the auspices of the same.

`We reap what we sow'. Those who are intellectually / academically well endowed to understand well the essence (and message contained in) of AGGS either shy away from intellectual discourse fearing hooliganism and violence or have relegated themselves to debating - is turban required, does amrit make us a better Sikh or why should I let my 7 year old choose if he wishes to maintain his unshorn hair and not make him like myself from the day he is born instead?

Unfortunately, we have allowed hooliganism and violence to impinge upon intellectual discourse and allowed menial vested interests to hold center-stage. Now we have to live with what is served to us. This Vaisakhi will pass into history like many others before it unless we awaken to our intellectual responsibilities like we did in 1699. Fortunately, the Guru lives in the "saad sangat" and like the phoenix, we can rise from ashes and I am sure the Guru will protect us and show us the way.

myrw siqguru rKvwlw hoAw ]
Dwir ik®pw pRB hwQ dy rwiKAw hir goivdu nvw inroAw ]1] rhwau ]

Gurfateh

Raja B. Singh
Winnipeg, Canada

WELL SAID Raja Singh Ji. One ROTTEN APPLE spoils the entire barrel.
ONLY the DETRACTORS of SIKHI have anything to gain form such incidents...so the question is..why are the Authorites in Amritsar SILENT ?? A very STRONG signal should have ben sent already..but the silence is deafening indeed.