Turbaned Sikh men take their fashion to the streets

The Singh Street Style blog aims to put Sikh chic on the map and show that wearing a turban doesn't stop people from being creative and individual with their fashion sense

'I wanted to show that Sikh turbaned men can be just as fashionable as anyone else' Photograph: Single Style Blog

Growing up as a teenager in Essex, Pardeep Singh Bahra often found he attracted the wrong kind of attention on the streets. "I found it quite difficult wearing the turban, especially in an area where there weren't many Sikhs," the 22-year-old explains. As Bahra grew older, and developed a love of style, he noticed that it wasn't just on the streets of Essex that his turban was an anomaly.

"I quickly realised that none of the fashion sites I looked at ever featured a turbaned Sikh man," he says. "I wanted to give the turbaned Sikh man a fair representation within the fashion world, and also show the blend of British and Sikh identities together. I wanted to show that Sikh turbaned men can be just as fashionable as anyone else." Three months ago, Bahra launched Singh Street Style.

Bahra started the blog by taking photos of people he happened to walk past in central London who stood out not just because their sense of personal style but also the way they wore their turban. "I just stop and go up to them and tell them about my blog. I tell them I like their style, and ask if they wouldn't mind having their photo taken for the site," he explains. "Most people are up for it."

He also takes photos of his friends, and often blog followers email him suggesting people whose style they think will fit in with the site to photograph too. Bahra has since photographed Jatinder Singh, a Sikh model who has done work for Topman and GQ wearing elaborate turbans; and Madhu Singh, from the dance duo Signature (known for their Michael Jackson bhangra dance routines for Britain's Got Talent).

Mostly, he relies on social media to reach out and keep finding stylish Sikh men to keep the blog going (he has more than 4,200 "likes" on his Facebook page and nearly 9,000 followers on Instagram).

Hakam, a 20-year-old optometry student, as photographed by Pardeep Singh Bahra Photograph: Pardeep Singh Bahra

Hakam, a 20-year-old optometry student, was one of the first people Bahra photographed – he wears ankle-skimming, skinny black jeans with lime green socks, brown brogues and a purple parka with a white turban. Elsewhere, Gurj, a 25-year-old accountant, wears a fitted grey blazer and white shirt with Sikh prayer beads around his neck.

with thanks : Guardian : LINK : for detailed news story.

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee sets up panel to seek cancellation of new DU norm

AMRITSAR: The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has constituted an 11-member joint action committee (JAC) for cancellation of a provision by Delhi University, introduced from this academic session, by which many students will lose the opportunity to study their mother tongue.

Talking to TOI on Wednesday, DSGMC president Manjit Singh GK said student representatives of different colleges affiliated to DU, a number of social organisations and NGOs working for development of regional languages -- termed as modern Indian languages (MILs) -- met him, urging his intervention for cancellation of the provision.

As per the new provision for four-year graduation course of DU, being implemented from this session, it shifts Punjabi, Urdu and other MILs, to the second year (third semester). Earlier, these languages were introduced from the first semester.

He said the committee comprising professors of Urdu, Punjabi and other languages would jointly work to restore the pride of regional languages.

Manjit said he would lead a delegation of DSGMC to meet Vice President Hamid Ansari, who is also the chancellor of DU, for cancellation of the new provision.

MILs had the status of second language in many states of India. Even Urdu and Punjabi had the status of second language of Delhi. Like Urdu and Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali and Sindhi carry great literary and cultural traditions, which truly represent the Indian ethos and a picture of unity in diversity, Manjit stated.

with thanks : Times of India : LINK

Sikhs of halhalia

resp vir jee guru fateh ,sending article on sikhs of halhalia published in Gurmat Parkash (march 2013) and jagbani published on 2nd april 2013 ,regards jagmohan singh gill . phone no 09831059675 , kolkata

IndiBlogger meet !

Sikh Man Brutally Stabbed After Fender Bender

Manteca resident Gulwinder Singh was driving to work at 7 am near Highway 99 in Stockton, California when his car was hit. He stopped his car and got out to exchange information with the other driver. That’s when the situation went from bad to worse.

The assailant asked Singh to leave when he got out of his car following the collision. However, Singh insisted on exchanging driving licence information. It was then that the assailant pulled out a small back revolver. He pointed it at the victim and pulled the trigger, but the gun did not go off.

“I asked him for his license and he pulled a gun on me. And I said, ‘O.K., O.K., it’s cool, I’m leaving,’” Singh told reporters at FOX40.

Walking back to his car, the other driver attacked Singh – first hitting him in the back of the head with a rock and then pulling a knife and stabbing him repeatedly in the face.

Bloodied and confused, Singh got up off the asphalt and that’s when other drivers stepped in and his attacker took off. The suspect tried to flee in his car but crashed into a tree. The assailant then fled on foot.

Singh was taken to San Joaquin General Hospital and received 40 stitches in his ear, above his eye and on the bridge of his nose. Singh says he has no idea why the other driver snapped. “Maybe he already did something and wanted to escape,” Singh said.

Singh has been a San Joaquin county business owner for 13 years and says he never expected to be attacked like this. “I drove taxi for nine years in San Francisco and this never happened to me,” he said.

Stockton Police Lieutenant James Chraska described the suspect as a 5 foot 6 or 8 inch, 21 or 22-year-old black or Hispanic male with medium length hair and a beard.

with thanks : thelinkpaper : LINK

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee to adopt 4 villages near Hemkunt Sahib

AMRITSAR: After cooperating with army and state government machinery in evacuation and distribution of relief material to the Uttarakhand natural calamity victims, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) is all set to adopt 4 disaster hit villages near Hemkunt Sahib to rehabilitate the lives of their residents and provide them with basic living infrastructure that have been washed away in recent flash floods.

DSGMC president Manjit Singh GK told TOI on Thursday that DSGMC had in principal decided to adopt Pandukeshwar and Gobind Ghat villages besides two more villages on way to Hemkunt Sahib. He said local MLA from Badrinath Rajinder Singh Bhandari was taking keen interest in DSGMC adopting villages falling in his constituency.

"We are sending a high powered team that would assess the damage in these villages following which a detailed plan would be chalked out with the help of subject experts" said president of DSGMC that evacuated 75 local residents of Badrinath and airlifted them to Joshi Math on Wednesday when army had officially called off its evacuation mission.

He said he had received reports that residents of these villages had lost their homes, farms and livestock and have to begin their life from scratch.

"We can help them in building their homes, helping them to purchase livestock or set up small vacations as par their desires " he said.

He said he had also convened a meeting of executive body of DSGMC to discuss the issue before sending the high level team to assess the damage in these villages.

Manjit said they were not restricted in adopting just 4 villages but were open and the final decision on the number of villages would be taken after receiving the report of the team who would soon visit the spot. Hailing the efforts and interest shown by local Badrinath MLA , GK said the DSGMC would be able to reach up to every affected person with local support and logistics.

with thanks : Times of India : LINK

Sikh intellectuals back Sidhu on his religious utterings

AMRITSAR: Sikh intellectuals have appealed to Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh to examine the whole context in which BJP MP from Amritsar Navjot Singh Sidhu had used the religious song Naam Khumari Nanaka Charri Rahe Din Raat in a satirical form before taking any action against him. 

Sikh intellectual and a senior professor of Guru Nanak Dev University Professor Balwant Singh said that though the verse was not a part of Gurbani but Jathedar should examine the whole context in which it was used - may be in satirical form. Going through the reported verse uttered by Sidhu he said "It appears as if he has only praised the name of Nanak". Sidhu's uttering of Sikh religious song in humorous way had earned the wrath of Akal Takht jathedar. 

Gurbachan Singh said that Akal Takht secretariat had not received any complaint against Sidhu but the Sikh clergy would definitely contemplate so as to dispel the confusions among Panth with respect to mocking of Sikh religious songs. Another Sikh scholar Baljinder Singh said "One has to be cautious while using Sikh religious names but it should be examined by Sikh clergy before reaching at any decision". Despite several attempts Sidhu who is reportedly in Mumbai, couldn't be contacted for comments. 

with thanks : Times of India : LINK : for detailed news.

Sidhu hurts Sikh sentiments, evokes Akal Takht ire

AMRITSAR: Sitting BJP MP Navjot Sidhu is set to face ire of Akal Takht once again.

The former cricketer who is seen engaging in a funny banter with comedian Kapil Sharma on a TV show telecasted on Colors channel on Sunday allegedly used name of first master of Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev saying the lines were in gurbani (Sikh hymns).

Sidhu during the show said: Bura nasha sharab ka, uttar jaye prabhat. Naam khumari Nanaka, chadi rahe din raat.

Akal Takht Jathedar Gurbachan Singh though there is no such line in gurbani but still Sidhu has no right to use name of Guru Nanak Dev in such lines mentioning ‘liquor’.

The Sikh community has been deeply hurt by this act of Sidhu.

The Jathedar said he himself is looking into the matter and appropriate action will be taken against Sidhu.

Seeing the anger amongst the Sikhs, the video showing Sidhu speaking the lines has been removed from various social networking sites.

Navjot Sidhu is no new to controversy.

Earlier in 2009, he was accused of hurting Sikh sentiments by taking part in ‘yagna’ and wear a thread across his body.

with thanks : Punjab Newsline : LINK

Sikh Couple Forced to Leave Theater for Wearing Articles of Faith

Image: Ikman and Manjot Singh, shown here with their children, were forced to leave an AMC theater in Emeryville, Calif., after security guards accused the couple of carrying weapons.

In a broad-ranging move affecting all Sikh Americans who wear their articles of faith, AMC Theaters has stated it will vigorously enforce its “no weapons” policy after a Sikh couple wearing kirpans (a ceremonial dagger carried by Sikhs) were asked to leave a theater in Emeryville, California.

On June 22, Manjot and Ikman Singh were preparing to watch the new Superman movie, “Man of Steel,” at AMC’s Bay 16 theater in Emeryville. After finding seats, Manjot Singh went to the concession stand, where he was confronted by security guards who said he was carrying a weapon. Singh and his wife Ikman both wear kirpans under their clothing; both were asked to leave the theater.

AMC communications director Andy DiOrio told India-West the company has banned weapons of any sort in its 347 theaters across the U.S. and Canada. “We vigorously enforce our no weapons policy for all patrons,” he asserted.

DiOrio referred to the kirpan – a blunt, ceremonial blade carried by Sikh men and women – as a knife, and added that knives were prohibited at AMC theaters. Asked if this effectively barred all observant Sikhs from attending AMC theaters, DiOrio repeated his earlier comment and characterized the kirpan involved in the incident as a “5 ½ inch unsheathed knife.”

AMC has issued a corporate statement, saying: “Our no weapons policy prohibits guests from carrying weapons of any kind into our theaters. This national policy is for the safety and security of our guests and staff.” 

“The person in question was approached when our security team noticed the guest was wearing an approximately 5-1/2 inch unsheathed knife, in clear violation of our rules. We stand by our policy, as this matter is about the weapon alone and not at all about religious freedoms. The safety and security of all our guests and associates is our duty and responsibility, and we take it very seriously.”

In an interview with India-West, Manjot and Ikman Singh both stated they were humiliated by the incident. Manjot Singh said he could see at least three security guards eyeing him as he approached the concession stand. As he prepared to head back into the theater, allegedly tailed by the guards, Manjot Singh said one of the guards approached him and asked him to step aside.

The guard allegedly told Singh he believed he was carrying a weapon. Singh replied he was not carrying a weapon, but was wearing his kirpan under his shirt. The security guard allegedly said, “I know all about Sikhs and we have a zero tolerance policy towards weapons,” according to Singh, who replied that he did not have a weapon.

The security guard reportedly asked Singh to remove his kirpan, saying he would keep it for him until after the movie was over. Singh explained it was an article of faith that could not be removed. The security guard then allegedly asked Singh to leave. Singh mentioned that his wife – who was inside the theater – also was wearing a kirpan. A security guard went inside the theater to find Ikman and brought her out.

“I saw my husband standing there and I asked what happened and he said, ‘they’re kicking us out.’ I was just in shock as to how someone could even do that,” Ikman Singh told India-West. She added that a kirpan is a religious requirement for Sikh women, who are considered equal to men according to the tenets of their faith.

Manjot Singh said he was interrogated by theater security for about 20 minutes, in full view of other patrons. “A few people were staring and looking at us like we were crazy. Looking the way we do, you can’t help but feel people must think we did something wrong for this to happen,” he said. Singh said he and his wife were looking for an apology from AMC as well as a “kirpan policy” at the theaters.

“It is not acceptable to racially profile and pick someone out of a line because you think they look scary. (AMC) needs to educate their employees on Sikhs and on how to deal with different people in general. This level of bias, insensitivity and discrimination is illegal and unacceptable in 21st century California,” stated Manjot Singh.

United Sikhs has taken up the Singhs’ complaint and has launched a campaign to get AMC to define its policy regarding kirpans at its theaters. Manmeet Singh, a staff attorney with the organization, told India-West he had contacted AMC on the couple’s behalf, but has not yet received a response.

“The kirpan Manjot was carrying has the bluntness of a butter knife,” said Manmeet Singh, adding that it was inaccurate for the AMC to characterize it as a knife or a weapon. Manmeet Singh noted that Manjot and Ikman daily wear their kirpans to their workplaces and other venues, including courthouses, without incident.

with thanks : newamericamedia : LINK : for detailed news.

Waheguru, sab te mehar karna jiyo !

Sikh Jailor in Australia