Distinguished by their typical headgear - uncut beard, robust health and enterprising spirit - the Sikhs are a virile and colourful small community. Though mainly concentrated in Panjab after the Partition of India in 1947, they are found in almost all parts of the country, and in different parts of the world.
Distinguished by their typical headgear - uncut beard, robust health and enterprising spirit - the Sikhs are a virile and colourful small community. Though mainly concentrated in Panjab after the Partition of India in 1947, they are found in almost all parts of the country, and in different parts of the world.
They have done very well for themselves both at home and abroad and have proven to be an adventurous and hard working migrant group. Their anxiety to maintain forms and symbols of their religious and cultural heritage in foreign lands has often resulted in serious debates and occasional conflicts with the host cultures. With the support of some friendly groups in the host countries, they have fought and won battles for preserving their symbols through peaceful and legal means. The issue of preserving hair and other symbols became a matter of serious concern when a Sikh friend from the United States addressed
a letter to the Sikh intelligentsia in India.
They responded with their scholarly essays which along with some later articles on the subject have been published in this volume
for the benefit of the Sikh diaspora. It is a matter of happiness that the history of Sikh immigrants to North America has taken a full circle - from being disallowed to land on the Canadian soil in 1914, a century later they have become partners in running the government with their forms and symbols intact.
List of Illustrations 9
Foreword
J.S. Neki 11
Editor's Note 13
1. Letter from a Sikh Friend in America 17
2. The Sikh Symbols - Teja Singh 22
3. Baptism and Symbols in Sikhism - Bhai Jodh Singh 28
4. Importance of Kesh - Bawa Harkishan Singh 30
5. The Sikh Symbols - Gurmukh Nihal Singh 32
6. The Battle of Life - Sardul Singh Caveeshar 39
7. Importance of Hair and Turban - Ganda Singh 42
8. Turban and Sword of the Sikhs - Trilochan Singh 49
9. The Sikh Symbols - Bhagat Singh 62
10. The Five Symbols of Sikhism - J.P.S. Uberoi 71
11. Spiritual Meaning of Amrit - P.M. Wylam 85
12. The Five Sikh Symbols - J.S. Neki 93
13. The Symbols of a Heritage - I.J. Singh 97
14. Sikhs and the Turban - W.H. McLeod 103
15. Sikh Kirpan in California Schools - Vinay Lal 117
16. These are not Symbols 162
17. A Letter from a Son to His Father 186
List of Contributors 191
Index 193
Mohinder Singh is currently a Professor-Director of National Institute of Panjab Studies, Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, New Delhi, earlier served as the Director, Guru Nanak Foundation; Member, National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions, Government of India.
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