Festival celebrates Punjabi culture

Kirk Barron/Appeal-Democrat

Bright colors swirled across the stage to the vibrant, up-tempo rhythms of Bhangra music at the 21st annual Punjabi American Festival.

The celebration of Punjabi culture began with Bhangra and Giddha teams from around the North State and closed with international music acts as an estimated 12,000 people attended the event on Sunday at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds.

Headlined by Miss Pooja, one of the best-selling female Bhangra artists in the world, and fast-rising singer Ammy Virk, the festival aims to have something for everybody, said Tej Maan, Chairman of the Punjabi American Heritage Society.

"Everyone has a different reason for being here," Maan said. "Some come for the music, food, shopping or because they know somebody performing."

Another big draw this year is a visit from Brian Murphy, a police officer who was shot 15 times defending a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisc., in 2012. A documentary about the shooting, which left three worshipers dead, was shown at the festival.

Through his interactions with the Sikh community after the shooting, Murphy began raising awareness for a faith many Americans know little about. That message goes hand-in-hand with the purpose of the Punjabi festival, Maan said.

"When we started the festival, we had two purposes in mind," Maan said. "To pass the culture on to the youth and to bridge the gap in the mainstream community."

with thanks : appeal-democrat : LINK : for detailed report

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Sikh breaks religious protocol to help injured child

Wellington: A young Sikh did not hesitate to break religious protocol by removing his turban to help an injured child bleeding profusely after an accident in New Zealand`s largest city of Auckland, media reports said on Saturday.

Harman Singh, 22, did not think twice before removing his turban to help the five-year-old who was hit by a car on way to school, New Zealand Herald reported. 

"I wasn`t thinking about the turban. I was thinking about the accident and I just thought, `He needs something on his head because he`s bleeding.` That`s my job -- to help," the daily quoted him as saying.

with thanks : zee news : LINK : for details

Violence erupts at Wolverhampton Sikh temple meeting

Trouble flared at Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Sedgley Road, Blakenhall, Wolverhampton. It happened during the selection of the committee to run the temple.

Witnesses said the vice president had his turban torn off - a grossly disrespectful move - during the fracas and two people were hurt. One needed hospital treatment.

It was said that trouble flared in the prayer room as the names of those chosen to sit on the 25-strong committee were disclosed to a congregation estimated at more than 1000-strong.

Hecklers interrupted proceedings with shouts of protest at the proposed make up of the powerful group, the membership of which is changed every two years.

The disturbance reportedly got worse as it spilled downstairs into the office used by senior officials of the temple. Witnesses said too many people tried to cram into the room and a fight broke out during which a man allegedly drew a knife.

Punches were also reportedly thrown as groups representing rival factions clashed on Sunday afternoon.

with thanks : expressandstar : LINK : for details.

New Army Rule Eliminates A Hurdle To Sikh Service

WASHINGTON DC (TIP): In April 2015, the U.S. Army released new rules that will make it easier for observant Sikhs to request religious accommodations for their articles of faith. The prior procedures forced turbaned and bearded Sikh recruits to violate their religion while asking for a religious exception to serve – a Catch-22. Now observant Sikh recruits can continue to practice their religion while the Army decides whether to accommodate their religious articles of faith. The new process allows observant Sikh recruits to first contract with the U.S. Army and then submit a request for a religious accommodation. While the request is pending, the Sikh recruit will not be sent to training or receive any official U.S. Army assignments. If the religious accommodation request is granted, the Sikh recruit may serve without compromising his/her articles of faith; if it is denied, the Sikh recruit may then request a departure from the Army without penalty in order to avoid violating religious beliefs. It is the Sikh Coalition’s understanding that this rule change only applies to the U.S. army at this time. Despite these changes, the presumptive ban on Sikh articles of faith still remains and accommodation requests are still being decided on a rarely-granted case-by-case basis. In other words, while it is now easier to request a religious accommodation within the U.S. Army, it is still difficult to actually obtain one.

with thanks : TheIndianPanorama : LINK : for details.

Chicago Sikhs Raise $34,000 for National Sikh Campaign

CHICAGO — Last week 200 Sikhs attended the first major fundraising event for the National Sikh Campaign, raising a total of $34,000. The NSC aims to promote national awareness of Sikhism and Sikh identity through the media, said a press release.

At the event, NSC representatives presented their media plan to place specially crafted ads about Sikhs on national and local TV channels and websites. “This will help to educate Americans on the Sikh community and identity of wearing a turban and beard,” explained the organizers.

with thanks : indiawest : LINK : for details

Australian Sikh community outraged over smoking cartoon

Canberra: Sikhs in Australia have expressed outrage after a daily published a cartoon of a Sikh man smoking a cigar, a media report said on Friday. 

"You would never see a person of Sikh faith smoking -- not even a cigarette, let alone a cigar, so it just seems out of context," Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) quoted the executive producer of its Punjabi programme Manpreet K Singh as saying.

"Obviously people who follow the religion feel outraged about it," she added.

The cartoon was published in the Herald Sun on Thursday.

with thanks : Zee News : LINK : for details

SGPC to Sikh boys: Wear turban if you want to be Mr Singh

Wearing a dastaar or a turban has its uses. That distinct Sikh identity, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is telling young Sikhs in schools across the state, will help them stay away from drugs, earn them “respect” in society every time they are addressed as “Mr Singh”, increase their height and keep them away from “infectious diseases” that spread through visits to the hairdresser.

Since December 2014, more than 100 preachers of the Amritsar-headquartered SGPC, the apex representative body of Sikhs that is dominated by the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), have visited at least 1,000 schools across the state, “counselling” the patit or “fallen” Sikhs to start following Sikhism’s tenets and stop cutting their hair. As part of an ongoing drive called Sikhi Saroop Mera Asli Roop (Being Sikh is my real identity), SGPC preachers say they have identified 14,000 Sikh youths in Punjab who have cut their hair and who, they believe, need to be counselled against this deviation from faith.

with thanks : Indian Express : LINK : for detailed news.

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Sewa of Whitewash of Shri Anandpur Sahib begins on 9th May 2015

To commemorate 350^th years of setting up of the holy city of Shri Anandpur Sahib, the work for its white washing would begin on May 9. The president of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara management committee (DSGMC) Manjit Singh GK who held a meeting with the religious organisations, representatives of prominent Sikh organisations, Sant Samaj, and prominent Sikh personalities to perform the sewa today announced the decision of beginning of sewa on May 9.

GK reiterated that the DSGMC would once again lead the Sikh organisations in performing the sewa which it did in year 1999 to commemorate tercentenary of the Khalsa panth. Speaking on the occasion, GK said that it is a matter of pride for the Sikh sangat of Delhi to perform sewa on the land of birth of Khalsa and DSGMC and the Sikhs of Delhi would perform the sewa whole heartedly.  

Sant Samaj and the panthic organisations assured all support to the DSGMC to carry out sewa at Shri Anandpur Sahib.

General Secretary of DSGMC Manjinder Singh Sirsa on the occasion announced of taking out a Nagar kirtan from Gurdwara Shri Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi to Shri Anandpur Sahib on June 14. Sirsa said that after stopover during night at Shri Fatehgarh Sahib the Nagar Kirtan would reach Shri Anandpur Sahib on June 15.

Former Jathedar of Shri Akal Takht Jasbir Singh Rode, Baba Lakha Singh represented Baba Sewa Singh of Khadoor Sahib, Baba Satnam Singh representing Kar Sewa Baba Bachan Singh, Sant harvidner Singh of Goniana mandi, and Bhai  Gurmeet Singh form Namdhari Samparday were also resent in the meeting who assured to take active part in the sewa. Sant Amritpal Singh of Gurdwara Tikana Sahib in Delhi, and Baba Bhuriwalae has also assured support to this endeavour. Former president of DSGMC Avtar Singh Hit, and members Kulmohan Singh, Kulwant Singh Bath and Paramjeet Singh Rana were also present. 

With Thanks : Media DSGMC

Sikhs should explain meaning of turban to Americans, says US lawmaker

Sikhs need to explain to Americans the significance of the turban, the most visible sign of their identity, an influential US lawmaker has said, amid reports that a majority of children wearing turbans are bullied in schools.

Congresswoman Judy Chu, founder and vice-chair of the Congressional American Sikh Caucus, said despite the fact that Sikhs have been woven into the fabric of American culture for more than a century, there is a need to educate Americans about it, PTI reported.

Chu was speaking at the Capitol Hill this week after receiving a report on Sikhs in America from the National Sikh Campaign (NSC). The report has been prepared by Geoff Garin, head of the Hart Research Associates. The most significant finding here is that most Americans do not know much about the Sikh community, Chu said.

Chu said that though it is disappointing, it can also be a positive because it can be a way to educate people about Sikhs. It's an opportunity to tell your neighbours about why Sikhs wear turbans and have long beards and that these are articles of a loving and peaceful faith.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/sikhs-america-turban-congress-lawmaker-judy-chu/1/43