It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Halifax police say no evidence of foul play in death of employee at Walmart bakery
Warning: This story contains distressing details
CBC News · Posted: Nov 18, 2024
Gursimran Kaur was remembered as a 'gentle spirit' at a vigil earlier this month. (Maritime Sikh Society Executive/GoFundMe)
Halifax police say the death of a 19-year-old woman found dead last month inside a large oven at a Walmart in the city's west end is not suspicious and there is no evidence of foul play.
The body of Gursimran Kaur, a Walmart employee, was found in a commercial oven in the store bakery on Oct. 19.
Halifax Regional Police offered a short update in a news release on the case Monday, but did not say how Kaur died, only that the death was not suspicious.
Const. Martin Cromwell said police conducted interviews and reviewed video footage to determine if there was any criminality.
"We do not believe anyone else was involved in the circumstances surrounding the woman's death," he said in a video message posted Monday afternoon.
He said he didn't expect the police force to release any further updates.
"We acknowledge the public's interest in this case and that there are questions that may never have answers," said Cromwell. "Please be mindful of the damage public speculation can cause. This woman's loved ones are grieving."
The Walmart on Mumford Road remained closed on Nov. 18. (Emma Davie/CBC)
Kaur immigrated to Canada with her mother about two years ago. She was described as a "young beautiful girl who came to Canada with big dreams," in an online fundraising page organized by the Maritime Sikh Society.
Nova Scotia's Department of Labour lifted a stop-work order for the store's bakery and a piece of equipment on Oct. 28. Walmart said last week the bakery oven was being removed from the store. Removing the oven had always been part of a standard remodel program being implemented across the country, the company said.
‘What’s happening in Canada?’: clashes between Hindus and Sikhs spark fears of growing divisions
Misinformation drives tensions in Ontario’s south Asian community amid rise of Hindu nationalism
Olivia Bowden in Brampton
THE GUARDIAN
Sun 17 Nov 2024
The Hindu Sabha Mandir temple in the Canadian city of Brampton lies beside a busy road in a suburb where many homes are still strung with lights left over from Diwali. Standing over the parking lot, a 17-meter-tall statue of the monkey god Lord Hanuman gazes out over the traffic as worshippers come and go.
A couple of minutes down the road, the Gurdwara Dasmesh Darbar Sikh temple sits near a strip mall with sari shops, Indian restaurants and other businesses indicative of the city’s large south Asian population.
Save for a few security guards at the Hindu temple, it would be hard to tell that this quiet residential neighbourhood was recently the site of violent clashes between Sikh activists and nationalist counterprotesters.
The confrontation drew condemnation from the city’s mayor, the premier of Ontario and Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau – and also from India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, who described the incident as an attack on the Hindu temple.
View image in fullscreenThe Hindu Sabha Mandir temple in Brampton, Ontario. Photograph: Nick Lachance/Toronto Star/Getty Images
So far, local police have made five arrests and say more may come.
But as the dust settles, members of the local community say they fear further violence between Sikh separatist activists and Modi supporters, some of whom espouse Hindu nationalist ideologies.
Videos of the overnight clashes on 3 November show men throwing bricks, kicking cars and striking each other with sticks or flagpoles – including some flying the Indian tricolour and others the bright yellow emblem adopted by advocates of an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan.
The protests were prompted by a visit to the temple by Indian government officials who have been holding consular sessions at places of worship across Ontario, including Sikh temples.
Inderjeet Singh Gosal, a leader of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) who helped organize the demonstration, said the protest was specifically against the Indian government, not the Hindu religion, and that he had liaised with police to ensure it would not disrupt worship.
The Khalistan movement is banned in India, where officials describe Sikh separatists as “terrorists” and a threat to national security.
View image in fullscreenSikh demonstrators outside the Indian consulate in Toronto on 25 September 2023, after the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Photograph: Cole Burston/AFP/Getty Images
Gosal claimed that it was pro-Modi counterprotesters who instigated the violence, alleging that one of them had looked him in the face and told him in Hindi: “We’re going to kill you.”
“I went forward to him and said, ‘Look, I’m sorry you feel that way.’ But before I could say anything they moved up and punched [me],” he said.
Peel regional police have since charged Gosal with assault with a weapon; he accepts he has been charged and has not yet entered a plea.
The clashes escalated and later that night crowds waving Indian flags blocked traffic outside the temple. Video posted online shows a man with a megaphone drawing cheers from the group as he called for the Indian army to “storm” Sikh temples in Canada, which he says are “promoting terrorism”.
Peel police confirmed the man had been charged with public incitement of hatred.
Jaskaran Sandhu, a board member of the World Sikh Organization advocacy group, said such scenes were unprecedented in Canada, home to the largest Sikh population outside India. This type of Hindu nationalist rhetoric is very normal in India, but not in Canada. That’s very disturbingJaskaran Sandhu of the World Sikh Organization
“This type of Hindu nationalist rhetoric is very normal in India, where minorities are targeted in this manner, but not in Canada. That’s very disturbing,” he said.
Sandhu said that the unrest did not reflect tensions between Sikhs and Hindus, who have historically lived alongside each other in Brampton.
“What’s different here is you have violent, pro-India, Hindu nationalist actors in this country,” he said.
Paritosh Kumar, an adjunct assistant professor of political science at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, said Hindu nationalists around the world have been emboldened by Modi’s government – and that this has become an increasing concern in Canada.
But he also said the ideology was attractive to some members of the diaspora who encountered racism in western countries.
Kumar said academics in Canada have previously been harassed after denouncing Hindu nationalism, but the recent violence marked a serious escalation.
“That seems like a very dangerous transition that is taking place,” he said.
Modi’s framing of the protest as an attack on a Hindu temple by Sikhs may also further inflame the situation, he said.
“It’s a trend that will probably manifest in more street violence,” Kumar said. View image in fullscreenA Sikh protester holds up an effigy of the Indian prime minister outside the Indian consulate in Vancouver, British Columbia, on 18 October. Photograph: Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters
That worries Chinnaiah Jangam, an associate professor of history at Ottawa’s Carleton University who focuses on Dalit peoples, considered the lowest rung of India’s caste system.
Jangam is a practicing Hindu and identifies as Dalit. After the protests in Brampton, relatives in India called him to see if he was safe – an indication of how successful Modi’s supporters had been in casting the protests as an attack on Hindus.
“They are playing into this idea of victimhood. It’s a false narrative … and this is a part of a larger narrative to discredit [the Canadian government],” Jangam said.
Brampton city councillor Gurpartap Singh Toor said misinformation published in the Indian media or shared on WhatsApp had framed the unrest as a violent attack on the Hindu temple, fanning fear and hatred in both Canada and India.
“It’s sad to see it happening here in our city. And then to pitch it as the Sikh community versus the Hindu community – it’s just a gross injustice,” he said.
Roopnauth Sharma, the pandit at the Ram Mandir Hindu temple in the nearby city of Mississauga, said the unrest in Brampton did not reflect any broader sectarian tensions.
“This is not a Hindu-Sikh issue … It is a group of people who have a certain opinion, and they’re allowed to [express it],” he said.
Sharma, who is also the president of the Hindu Federation, said he had been working with local officials to create restrictions on demonstrations near places of worship.
“We want to make sure people still have the right to protest … but we want to make sure there’s a safe distance,” he said.
View image in fullscreenPandit Vasudev Joshi at the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple in Brampton, Ontario.
Photograph: Nick Lachance/Toronto Star/Getty Images
Leaders of the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple did not respond to a request for comment, but Vasudev Joshi, a pandit at the temple, told the Toronto Star that the protest should have been held outside the Indian consulate.
Such sentiments were echoed by political leaders: Brampton’s mayor, Patrick Brown, pushed for a bylaw that would ban protests at places of worship, while Trudeau said last week that acts of violence at the temple were “unacceptable”.
But Sandhu said such statements miss the point. “Our leaders are so quick to speak about mob violence … but have chosen to be absolutely silent on this India violence directed at the Canadian Sikh community,” he said.
“Are the visuals not enough for you to realize what’s happening in Canada?”
For these Hindu Americans, a pivot from the Democratic Party was long overdue
(RNS) — In the Trump coalition, they see a burgeoning multiracial religious right that has ample space for Hindu Americans.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump listens as Vivek Ramaswamy speaks during a campaign rally at Thomas & Mack Center, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
(RNS) — Days after Donald Trump’s sweeping presidential win, reactions around the country ranged from surprise and sadness to, in Texan Burt Thakur’s case, relief.
“What a moment,” he told RNS. “The biggest comeback in political history, I would say, for any world leader in modern times.”
A Republican congressional hopeful who ran in Frisco, Texas, under the slogan “one nation under God, not one nation under government,” Thakur — a former Navy sailor, nuclear power plant worker and immigrant from India — has much in common with the average faith-based Trump voter. Though Thakur lost his March primary in northeast Texas, “arguably the most evangelical part” of the state, Thakur said he had “never felt more welcomed” than when he campaigned as a conservative in his district
For so long, says Thakur, Hindu Americans had to wait their turn to enter the political space as anything other than a Democrat. But now, with openly Hindu Republican figures like Vivek Ramaswamy, Tulsi Gabbard and even Usha Chilukuri Vance, the wife of Vice President-elect JD Vance, Thakur sees a burgeoning multiracial religious right that has ample space for Hindu Americans.
“If we want to build a bridge, if we want the Vivek Ramaswamys of the world to get into office, if we want our voice heard, these groups are waiting for us,” said Thakur, who added he has often been “one of the only brown faces in the room” at Republican-led events. “We just have to show up.”
Political observers have noted the uptick in Trump-supporting Americans from various ethnic and immigrant backgrounds, especially Latinos and Asians, as the marker of a changing America. The Democratic Party has too often relied on the support of Indian Americans, says author Avatans Kumar, who, like many in his immigrant cohort, initially leaned to the left.
“Indians, Hindus specifically, are very deeply religious people,” said Kumar, who moved to Chicago for a Ph.D. in linguistics in 1994. “And progressivism is not alien to us. It comes to us because we are Hindus — very progressive, liberal minded. But there’s a limit to it. So I think we may have, you know, broke that limit for many of us.”
Notions of DEI, Critical Race Theory and affirmative action led Kumar to question the state of the meritocracy he once valued in his chosen country. For him, the breaking point came, as it did for many Hindus, in 2023 with a senate bill in California. Bill 403, supported by many Democrats, would have codified caste as a protected category under existing anti-discrimination laws. Governor Gavin Newsom ultimately vetoed the bill after fierce opposition from prominent Hindu advocates who argued it misrepresented the Hindu faith as intrinsically caste-based.
Trump’s “America First” views, where ideology is more important than identity, greatly appealed to Kumar.
“I don’t think identity should be a big factor,” he said. “You are who you are, and our dharma tells us to be loyal to our nation, the country where we live. You know, we made this country home, and we will be very loyal. But also, India is our spiritual homeland, that’s the connection we have.”
In a pre-election 2020 survey, 72% of registered Indian American voters said they planned to support Biden, a share that fell to 61% percent for Kamala Harris in the month before the 2024 election — while Trump support went from 22% to 32%, according to the Indian American Attitudes Survey conducted before both elections.
President Joe Biden’s administration of “mostly activist ideologues,” said Kumar, did little to support a diplomatic relationship with India. In contrast with liberals’ criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule, and the occasionally violent Hindu nationalism of his Bharatiya Janata Party, Trump has instead publicly shown his great appreciation and admiration for the leader of the world’s largest democracy.
“We will also protect Hindu Americans against the anti-religion agenda of the radical left,” posted Trump on Diwali. “Under my administration, we will also strengthen our great partnership with India and my good friend, Prime Minister Modi.”
The majority of Indian Americans either approve of or have no opinion on Modi’s performance as prime minister, and most value a strong partnership between India and the U.S., according to a 2023 survey by Pew Research Center.
But Trump’s foreign policy is only a small piece of the puzzle, according to D.C. native Akshar Patel. Increased inflation and pathways to legal immigration, the latter of which is especially relevant to the majority-immigrant population with a decadeslong backlog for citizenship, were the issues strong enough to sway otherwise progressive-minded Hindus like himself into a Trump vote.
“Diversity, tolerance, pluralism, things like that: those are Hindu ideals,” said Patel, who in 2018 founded the independent news outlet The Emissary, which discusses Indian and American history and politics. “On the flip side, though, ideas around God, family and natural patriotism, you could say those are also Hindu values.”
But Patel warns against characterizing the multi-religious coalition as a “pan-Republican phenomenon,” instead calling it a distinctly “Trumpian” one. He noted the backlash over Harmeet Dhillon, a practicing Sikh, reciting a prayer to Waheguru (the Sikh name for God) at the Republican National Convention, with some calling it “blasphemous” and “anti-Christian.”
“I think that is a real part of the Republican Party, which I guess Hindus need to be cognizant of, and keep one eyebrow up,” Patel said.
Srilekha Reddy Palle, a board member of the nonpartisan American Hindu Coalition, has been a vocal supporter of Trump throughout the 2024 campaign season. Some of her colleagues were “instrumental,” she said, in getting Trump to mention the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh in his October X post. “Kamala and Joe have ignored Hindus across the world and in America,” added the post.
But her support for Trump goes beyond “superficial” identity-based lines, says Palle, who ran for county supervisor in her home state of Virginia in 2019. “I just want us to be at a point where anyone can stand on the stage,” she said, noting how in local elections in her state candidates still feel a need to emphasize their Christian faith.
“That kind of thing should go away from America,” she added. “That’s what I call religious freedom. Religious tolerance alone is not religious freedom. It just means that you practice whatever you want, but you should be agnostic when it comes to running, when you come into the public eye.”
On either side of the American political spectrum, many Hindus like Reddy feel pride in the influx of Indians in lawmaking positions, like the six Congress members elected just this cycle, or Hindus like Ramaswamy, Gabbard and Kash Patel — who are all expected to have a role in Trump’s government.
The goal for AHC, she says, is to move the community away from opening wallets and photo ops, and towards getting more like-minded people into leadership positions.
For Indu Viswanathan, director of education for the Hindu University of America, “there’s nothing more Hindu than viewpoint diversity,” or the ability to empathize and understand other perspectives, including those of her more right-leaning colleagues. The former public school teacher says too many in the Indian American community, among the wealthiest and most educated ethnic group in the nation, live in their enclaves and are not exposed to the reality of mainstream America.
“This is where the culture wars, and a lot of social justice has done us a disservice, because in the name of being inclusive, it’s actually created a lot of more isolating categorization of people,” she said. “It’s really easy to get fired up, and it’s really easy to feel like you’re drowning.”
But Viswanathan sees Trump, with his felony convictions, as “not at all aligned with dharmic values,” and is especially cautious of the alignments some Hindus are making with an increasingly nationalist form of Christianity in a nation that has historically misrepresented or even denigrated ritualistic forms of the religion.
“Your everyday American is actually really open minded,” she said. “So we don’t need to make ourselves fit in that way. We can actually be really authentic in our representations and expressions and understandings of the world. Don’t try to dilute or make your sort of experience of Hinduism digestible to others,” she said.
“The more diversity of expression that we see, not just in politicians, but in media and entertainment, in all of these different spaces, the richer our country is, the richer the representation of Hinduism is. And I think we’re all better off for it.”
Peel Regional Police officers are standing outside of the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Jacob Estrin/CTV News Toronto)
Police have charged another person following a series of recent violent demonstrations in Peel Region.
This latest arrest pertains to an altercation that broke out last Sunday evening outside Hindu Sabha Temple on The Gore Road in Brampton.
In a Nov. 9 news release, Peel Regional Police (PRP) said they’re investigating a number of offences that happened at that Nov. 3 demonstration, many of which were caught on video and involved people using flags and sticks to assault others.
One of the suspects was subsequently identified as 35-year-old Brampton resident Inderjeet Gosal. He was arrested on Nov. 8 and charged with assault with a weapon. Gosal has since been released on conditions and is scheduled to appear in a Brampton court in the near future, police said
.
Dozens of people are seen outside of a Hindu temple in Brampton on Nov. 4. Police said one person was sprayed with an unknown noxious substance at a protest in the city on Monday evening, but it's unclear where that demonstration took place.
Another similar demonstration took place the following day, on Nov. 4, outside the same mandir, as tensions are high between members of the Hindu and Sikh communities, following what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described as “credible allegations” that the Indian government was connected to the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia last year. Ottawa has also accused India’s home minister Amit Shah of targeting Sikh activists, which the Indian government has vehemently rejected.
“As tensions between opposing sides increased, the demonstrations became physical and assaultive,” PRP said in a Nov. 9 news release.
The force has since formed a strategic investigative team dedicated to probing the recent “incidents of criminality” at demonstrations in the region.
So far, they’ve arrested and charged five people.
Arrest warrants have also been issued for 24-year-old Armaan Gahlot, of Kitchener, and 22-year-old Arpit (no surname), of no fixed address, for uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, conspiracy to commit assault with a weapon, and conspiracy to commit mischief. Police are urging them to get a lawyer and turn themselves in to authorities.
“We would like to remind the public that complex investigations such as these take time and that individuals are arrested as they are identified and in no specific order,” police said in a release, adding that investigators “continue to analyze hundreds of videos of the incidents and are working to identify additional suspects involved in criminality and anticipate further arrests.”
Anyone with suspect or general information is asked to contact PRP at either 12 Division (Mississauga) at 905-453-2121, ext. 1233, or 21 Division (Brampton) at 905-453-2121, ext. 2133. Police are also asking anyone with video of any of the demonstrations to submit it online.
Information can also be shared anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
With files from CP24’s Bryann Aguilar and CTV News Toronto’s Phil Tsekouras, and The Canadian Press
Friday, November 08, 2024
"Misinterpretation of events": Hindu Forum Canada rejects allegations against 'peaceful protest' in Brampton
November 08, 2024
Brampton : The Hindu Forum for Canada (HFC) has rejected the allegations of 'inciting speech' during the peaceful protest against attack on Hindu temples in Brampton, and said it is "deeply disturbed" by the "misinterpretation of events"
The forum has also demanded the Brampton Mayor to retract his accusations and recognise the Hindu community as a "peaceful, law-abiding" part of Canadian society.
"Hindu Forum Canada is deeply disturbed by the recent misinterpretation of events surrounding a peaceful protest at a temple, where the words of a respected priest have been unfairly distorted to project a narrative of incitement and violence. The priest's message was clear, heartfelt, and devoid of any hostility," said Hindu Forum Canada in a post on X. https://x.com/canada_hindu/status/1854595199860666687
On November 3, an Indian consular camp was met with "violent disruption" allegedly by Khalistani separatists, in response, a priest and other community members protested against the violence, where they were interrupted.
Following this, thousands of Canadian Hindus held a protest, expressing their outrage following repeated attacks on Hindu temples in the country and pressed the Canadian administration to take stricter actions against the extremists attacking the religious sites. On November 5, the Hindu Sabha suspended priest Rajinder Parsad for "controversial involvement" with a protest at the temple premises which was held on November 3.
The Hindu Forum for Canada claimed that the priest was interrupted and other people started to speak, which was then misinterpreted to be hateful rhetoric said by the priest himself.
"This interruption has been wrongly interpreted as incitement, despite the fact that the priest himself never said anything that could reasonably be construed as promoting violence. Multiple video recordings from various angles confirm that Hindus were gathered peacefully within their place of worship--a right protected under Canadian law--and were simply exercising their freedom to assemble," the forum stated.
In response to the clashes near the Hindu Sabha temple, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown highlighted the suspension notice of the priest and a statement by the Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwara Council.
"The Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwara Council denounced the acts of violence at the Hindu Sabha on Sunday night. Remember we all have more in common than what divides us. In tense times, we can't let the agitators fuel the flames of division. The leadership of both Sikh and Hindu communities in the GTA do not want this division, hate and violence," Brown said in a statement on X. https://x.com/patrickbrownont/status/1853931743646253359
"I am asking everyone in the community to not respond to violence and hate. Law enforcement will be there to respond. This is their job. We must continue to be the country where the rule of law is followed," the Mayor added.
The Hindu Forum for Canada also expressed disappointment over the public handling of the situation by the mayor.
"Hindu Forum Canada demands that Mayor Brown retract these unfounded accusations and recognize the Hindu community as a peaceful, law-abiding part of Canada's multicultural society. We stand united in our commitment to peace, justice, and a fair, factual approach to public service, and we call for accountability and truth in this matter," it stated
"Not only has he remained silent in the face of rising Hinduphobia and recent attacks on temples, but he has used a suspension letter--a document that, by Ontario employment standards, should remain private--as a tool to unfairly cast Hindus in a negative light. This act singles out the Hindu community, labeling their peaceful gatherings as "violent," while similar assemblies by other communities are celebrated as their right to free expression," the statement read.
Canada: Police arrests three during protests against Khalistani intimidation, anti-Hindu hatred
By : Agency
First Published : Monday, Nov 04, 2024 Photo Source: ANI Canada: Police arrests three during protests against Khalistani intimidation, anti-Hindu hatred
Brampton [Canada], November 4, 2024 (ANI): The Peel Regional Police in Canada said that they have arrested three individuals following a demonstration held by the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) in protest against the "Khalistani intimidation" and "anti-Hindu" hatred after the recent attacks on Hindu temples in Canada.
In an official statement released on Monday, Peel Regional Police stated that the demonstration "subsequently" relocated to two different locations within the city of Mississauga and the charges would be investigated by their 21 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau along with the 12 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau. The individuals were arrested under criminal charges, the police added.
"Earlier today, Peel Regional Police were present at a demonstration held at a place of worship in Brampton. The event was subsequently relocated to two different locations within the city of Mississauga. As a result of these demonstrations, three individuals have been arrested and criminally charged for their actions. Several acts of unlawfulness continue to be actively investigated by our 21 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau along with 12 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau," the statement read.
In another statement, the Peel Regional Police stated that the protest was relocated to the Westwood Mall area in the City of Mississauga and again to Airport Road and Derry Road in Mississauga.
They further mentioned that they had arrested one individual during the management of the protest, in which a police officer sustained minor injuries.
"Police believe that the same protestors relocated to the Westwood Mall area in the City of Mississauga. During the management of the protest, an individual was arrested which resulted in an officer sustaining minor injuries. The same group of protestors have since relocated to the area of Airport Road and Derry Road in Mississauga," the statement read.
Meanwhile, Canadian Hindu organisations have called for a "peaceful protest" following the recent attacks at Hindu temples in Canada against the "Khalistani intimidation" and "anti-Hindu" hatred.
The protest was called at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton and the Laxmi Narayan Temple in Surrey.Earlier on Sunday, an Indian consular camp at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Canada's Brampton witnessed a "violent disruption" in Brampton, near Toronto.
Following the attacks, the Hindu Canadian Foundation, a non-profit organisation working for the Hindu community in Canada, shared a video of the attack on the temple and said that the Khalistani terrorists attacked kids and women.
The Indian High Commission in Canada condemned the "violent disruption" by 'anti-India' elements outside a consular camp. The high commission also said that any further events will be organised "contingent on security arrangements" made by the local authorities.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also condemned the recent attack on the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton by Khalistani extremists.Emphasizing the importance of religious freedom, Trudeau asserted that every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely.
Sharing a post on X, Trudeau wrote, "The acts of violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today are unacceptable. Every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely. Thank you to the Peel Regional Police for swiftly responding to protect the community and investigate this incident." (ANI)
Wednesday, November 06, 2024
Diwali brings light to Unitarian Universalist congregation
BETHESDA, Md. (RNS) — Diwali's transcendent message of good over evil comes at the perfect time, say Unitarian Universalist congregants, who celebrated the festival of lights in the DC area just days before a critical presidential election.
Alexandra Dass performs a Bharatnatyam dance to help start the evening’s festivities on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, Maryland.
BETHESDA, Md. (RNS) — As he stood at the pulpit on Sunday, the final day of Diwali (Nov. 3), the Rev. Abhi Janamanchi addressed his congregation in the words of one of the oldest Sanskrit mantras, the Gayatri Mantra, said to illuminate and guide the mind toward truth and righteousness.
“Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti (peace, peace, peace),” chanted the group of more than 100 worshippers in response, their heads bowed. “May we carry forward the light, the strength and the resolve of this sacred celebration,” added Janamanchi, an immigrant from India who describes himself as a “Hindu UU.”
Diwali marks the new year in some traditions, an “opportunity to begin anew, similar to Rosh Hashanah,” said Janamanchi, who pulls tenets from all faith traditions in his sermons. “We say Unitarian Universalism is many windows, one light. While Diwali does have Hindu origins, it transcends a religious perspective. There is a universality in it and a unity, not conformity. It is a unity that is centered in diversity, in our differences.”
Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church, established in 1951 in this suburb on the northern edge of the nation’s capital, was celebrating the Hindu festival of lights in partnership with Hindus for Human Rights, a progressive advocacy organization, adding a call to action to go with the holiday’s traditional dance, food, song and fireworks.
“We are living in critical, troubling and troubled times, and there is a need for us to be coming together in finding ways in which we can recommit ourselves to the work that we are charged with,” said the minister, “to rise up against injustice, to rise up against oppression and to rise up against authoritarianism.”
Rev. Abhi Janamanchi speaks to the gathered congregation on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, Maryland. RNS photo by Richa Karmarkar A large crowd filled in Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church for their annual Diwali celebrations on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Bethesda, Maryland. RNS photo by Richa Karmarkar Lakshmi Swaminathan is a dance teacher and joined in for the annual Diwali celebrations on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, Maryland. RNS photo by Richa Karmarkar
The line of oil lamps that many Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists use to light their homes and temples, said Janamanchi, represent the divine light of truth meant to “guide us through the darkest of times,” he said, including the looming American presidential election. “My faith enjoins me to speak to the moral issues we are confronted with.”
Pranay Somayajula, organizing and advocacy director for Hindus for Human Rights, told the congregation in his address that rather than treat Diwali as an “abstract or detached celebration,” it is important to remember that the ancient holiday’s lessons apply while “we are still grounded here in the real world,” and against the backdrop of injustice across the globe.
“If we are talking about this being a festival of good triumphing over evil, and knowledge over ignorance, and truth over falsehood, that actually has to mean something in terms of how we carry that spirit forward after today, in the way we engage with the world, whatever that looks like for each of us,” said Somayajula. RELATED: The mashup holiday ‘Diwaloween’ celebrates light as the year turns dark
Celebrated across the worldwide Indian diaspora over a span of five days, Diwali’s significance varies from region to region. Somayajula said Sunday’s event demonstrated the vast diversity of stories told on Diwali, of Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and victory over Ravana; Lord Krishna’s defeat of the demon Narakasura; and the Sikh observance of Bandi Chhor Diwas, commemorating the release of Guru Hargobind from Mughal imprisonment, along with 52 kings he freed along with him.
At the evening service at Cedar Lane, young children reenacted the battle between Krishna and Naraka, a duo sang Indian and American folk hymns and three Sikh men sang a kirtan, a traditional devotion.
“True Diwali is if we see the lamp as the name of the God, if we see the wick as the name of the God, and the oil as a name of the God, so that the life of the Creator should come to our values,” said Mandeep Singh, one of the kirtan performers.
Mmamohau Tswaedi and Balaji Narasimhan, a couple in their mid-30s from Germantown, Maryland, have been attending Cedar Lane services together since the pandemic and celebrated Christmas and Ramadan there. Tswaedi is the daughter of a Lutheran pastor from South Africa, and Narasimhan is from a religious Hindu family in Chennai, India.
The Narasimhans family brought their baby for his first year of Diwali celebrations on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, Maryland. RNS photo by Richa Karmarkar
Bringing their 2-month-old son to his first Diwali celebration, the couple feels strongly that this congregation, where they have been “educated on what is out there,” is where their family belongs and where their son will eventually be able to “figure out what he wants to keep and what he wants to give up.”
“The culture where I grew up is very communal, and I find the U.S. is more individualistic, just generally,” said Tswaedi. “So I think spaces where you feel community — not necessarily that look like the community I grew up in, but where you can feel the togetherness — are places that you want to be in. And I think that’s what this space and events like this create. It’s that level of togetherness that transcends, like, one belief or another.”
Diwali is not new to Cedar Lane. Students at Lakshmi Swaminathan’s Natanjali School of Dance have been dancing Bharatanatyam, a traditional Indian form, at Cedar Lane’s celebrations for almost a decade. In 2010, they performed at the Washington National Cathedral, dancing to music of Hindu gods and goddesses in front of Jesus on the cross. For their teacher, the performance yielded a profound realization. “God is one. When you’re connecting with God, where you are doesn’t matter,” she said. “Whether you’re in a church or in the basement of your home, God is within you.”
It was the first Diwali for Beth Brofman, a member of the UU fellowship for the past month. A long-time member of a Dutch Reformed Church in New York, Brofman sought a more diverse and socially active spiritual community on moving to Bethesda, happily trading “How Great Thou Art” for “Get Up, Stand Up” by Bob Marley, she said, the latter of which played after Sunday’s sermon.
Congregants huddled outside to paint rangoli, or colorful mandala patterns, with chalk after the Diwali service on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, Maryland. RNS photo by Richa Karmarkar
After researching the correct greeting for Diwali, and the most auspicious colors to don, Brofman said her first Diwali came at the perfect time.
“I’m actually needing to distract myself and to be around other people who will reflect my values,” said Brofman, a retired social services worker whose level of anxiety has reached that of the 2016 elections, when she was a canvasser. “Regardless of what happens on Tuesday, we will have that community of like-minded individuals who will continue to advocate for the things I consider important. You know you’re not alone, and the people we know are way more important.”
Janamanchi agreed and said Sunday’s celebration was well timed. “The ‘Narakas’ of the world are pretty active,” he said, citing the evil figure battled by Lord Krishna and his queen, Satyabhama, in Hindu lore. “Like Krishna and Satyabhama, we can recognize that we’re not in this alone, that together, we can overcome, overcome evil, overcome oppression and overcome injustice.”
“In all of this, there is joy,” he added. “Joy is not the opposite of sorrow. Joy is present even through sorrow and challenge and despair and hopelessness. And to me, those are also messages that Diwali presents us with. So if there is one thing I want people to take away, it is joy.” RELATED: In suburban Washington, a new ISKCON temple marks a new beginning for devotees
Tuesday, November 05, 2024
Sikhs’ Sixth Guru Hargobind Ji’s Doctrine Of Miri-Piri: Champion Of Justice And Equality – OpEd
Sikh Guru Hargobind Ji. Credit: Unknown author, Wikipedia Commons
Guru Hargobind Ji, the sixth Guru of the Sikhs, introduced a transformative vision to Sikhism that fortified its foundations in the face of tyranny and injustice.
Being the son of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the first martyr in Sikh history, Guru Hargobind was profoundly influenced by a pressing imperative to safeguard Sikh community and uphold the fundamental principles of Sikhism, which include compassion, equality and justice. Guru Hargobind Ji established a robust Sikh identity through his principles, policies, and institutions, enabling it to endure oppression while championing dignity and human rights.
Sikhism: Foundational Tenets
Sikhism represents a significant spiritual and philosophical traditions which were originated in Punjab within the Indian subcontinent in the late 15th century. Sikhism, a faith that has arisen in comparatively modern times among the world’s principal religions, is remarkable for having attracted a global following of around 25 to 30 million adherents. The Sikh faith originates from the profound teachings of Guru Nanak (1469–1539), the first of the ten Sikh gurus, whose insights were further developed by his revered successors. Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru, declared the Guru Granth Sahib to be the eternal guru, thus bringing an end to the succession of human gurus and establishing the scripture as the supreme religious text for the Sikh community.
Sikhism emerged within a milieu characterized by significant religious persecution, particularly during the Mughal era, a period that saw the martyrdom of like Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur. The events previously mentioned acted as a significant impetus for the formation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699, a revered congregation of “saint-soldiers” dedicated to the honorable mission of protecting religious liberty and the integrity of faith. The deep and complex tenets and rituals of Sikhism act as a wellspring of motivation and collective harmony for its followers.
The Sikh traditions posit that God is formless yet accessible; defined by fearlessness, free from adversaries, self-originating, and transcending the limitations of birth and time. The esteemed scripture, referred to as Sri Guru Granth Sahib, articulates the intricate essence of the Divine with remarkable profundity. This fundamental conviction in a singular God inherently leads to the essential principle of equality among all people, surpassing differences in race, religion, gender, and social status. Proponents of Sikhism assert that every person holds equal value in the eyes of the God; this sacred doctrine champions the equality of genders, the affluent and the impoverished, and the rights of individuals irrespective of racial distinctions. Thus, it is a fundamental principle of Sikhism that individuals from various faith traditions can achieve a connection with the Divine, as long as they sincerely follow the true path of their own beliefs.
The essential principles of Sikhism, as expressed in the revered Guru Granth Sahib, include a deep reverence for the One Creator (Ik Onkar), the intrinsic unity and equality of all people, the dedication to selfless service (Sevā), the steadfast quest for justice (Sarbat Da Bhala—the well-being of all), and a strong adherence to integrity in personal behavior. Sikhism upholds the principle of equality among all individuals, irrespective of their background or social standing. This message was imparted by all Gurus, who championed a society devoid of caste distinctions, where no individual held superiority over another and where the rights of others were to be respected and safeguarded. The Sikh Gurus championed the rights of every individual, irrespective of their religion, caste, gender, or race. They upheld the principle of liberty for everyone to exist unencumbered by excessive interference or limitations.
The relationship between the Sikhs and the Mughals experienced a significant transformation in 1606, marked by the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. The execution of the fifth Guru Arjan Dev, by Emperor Jahangir during his reign (1605-1627), signified the onset of a period characterized by the persecution of Sikhs, whose beliefs posed a challenge to the prevailing religious bigotry of the Empire. Guru Hargobind Ji was deeply influenced by the tragic martyrdom of Guru Arjun Dev Ji, which motivated him to adopt a proactive stance that transformed the community’s view on oppression. A notable shift from the nonviolent approaches of his predecessors, Guru Hargobind emphasized the importance of armed resistance upon recognizing that mere moral courage could not adequately protect the community. This adaptable approach not only safeguarded Sikhism but also positioned the community as a formidable defender of human rights and justice. This tradition was further reinforced by Guru Teg Bahadur, who gave his life to protect the Kashmiri Pundits from the persecution imposed by the Mughal regime.
The Sikh Gurus bequeathed a profound legacy to the followers, urging them to maintain elevated moral standards and to embrace personal sacrifice in the defense and preservation of these noble principles. Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Tegh Bahadur, and Guru Gobind Singh exemplify this principle remarkably who sacrificed for the larger interest of the followers. These sacrifices/martyrdoms exemplified the Sikhs’ capacity to confront oppression and tyranny with steadfast and resolute determination.
Guru Hargobind Sahib: Early Life
Guru Hargobind, born in Gurū kī Waḍālī on June 19, 1595, was the sole offspring of Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs. Guru Hargobind was instructed in religious teachings by Bhai Gurdas and honed his skills in military swordsmanship and archery under the guidance of Baba Budda. During his formative years, he was deeply immersed in the hymns resonating within the Harmandir Sahib complex in Amritsar. On 25 May 1606, the fifth Guru, Arjan, designated his son Hargobind as his successor, instructing him to establish a military tradition aimed at safeguarding the Sikh religion and its adherents. On the 30 May, 1606, he faced arrest, endured torture, and ultimately met his demise at the hands of Mughal Emperor Jahangir. The succession ceremony of Guru Hargobind took place on 24 June, 1606, during which he donned two swords symbolizing his spiritual and temporal authority.
Relations Between Sikh Gurus and Mughals
The spiritual and socio-political impact of the Sikh religion in Mughal India transformed the dynamics between the Sikh Gurus and the Mughals, shifting it from a state of coexistence to one of conflicted ones. Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru, advocated for peace and spirituality while maintaining a stance of non-opposition towards Mughal governance. He stood against injustice, as evidenced by his reaction to Babur’s invasions. Given that Sikhism emerged as a devotional movement, Emperor Akbar exhibited a degree of tolerance towards its followers. The early Sikh Gurus successfully nurtured their community and identity within the framework of Akbar’s pluralistic approach. The circumstances underwent a significant transformation during the reign of Jahangir. Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru, ardently supported Prince Khusrau and steadfastly declined to alter Sikh scripture, a stance that ultimately culminated in his martyrdom. Following his martyrdom, Sikhism adopted a defensive stance in response to Mughal oppression. Guru Hargobind, the successor of Guru Arjan, adeptly intertwined spiritual guidance with a stance of political defiance. He urged Sikhs to take up arms for self-defense, confronting Mughal forces and solidifying the Sikh community as both a religious and political entity.
Guru Tegh Bahadur and his contemporaries opposed Mughal authority, particularly in response to Aurangzeb’s coercive conversion efforts. The execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur stands as a poignant testament to the Sikh commitment to religious freedom and the resistance against tyranny, particularly in his defense of Hindu rights. His martyrdom fortified the Sikhs’ determination to withstand persecution and uphold their autonomy.
The 10th Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa, a brotherhood of warriors committed to upholding justice and faith, thereby militarizing the Sikhs. The Khalsa valiantly resisted Mughal oppression through direct confrontations. The rebellion led by Banda Singh Bahadur established Sikh governance in Punjab, thereby laying the foundation for the Sikh Empire. The resilience of Guru Gobind Singh served as a profound source of inspiration. The interactions between Sikhs and Mughals significantly influenced Sikhism, establishing it as a movement characterized by justice, bravery, and self-determination, while simultaneously crafting the Sikh identity through spiritual practices and a steadfast opposition to injustice.
Guru Hargobind Sahib’s -Doctrine of Miri-Piri
Guru Hargobind Ji’s introduction of the concept of two swords (Miri-Piri) concept established the foundation of his leadership, providing a dual mandate that balanced temporal power with spiritual responsibilities. By wearing two swords, one representing Miri (temporal power) and the other Piri (spiritual authority), Guru Hargobind sent a clear message to both Sikhs and the ruling Mughals: spiritual principles alone were insufficient in a world that ignored moral persuasion and allowed oppression to thrive. Instead, a full and just life necessitated both spiritual discipline and a willingness to defend oneself and others. Guru Hargobind Ji instilled in Sikhs a sense of moral duty through Miri-Piri, teaching them that self-defense and protecting others were sacred responsibilities rather than acts of aggression. This vision inspired Sikhs to become Saint-Soldiers, people who combined spiritual knowledge and martial discipline. This dual role strengthened the Sikh community’s resistance to tyranny and provided an alternative social model in which spiritual progress coincided with active participation in worldly affairs.
In 1606, Guru Hargobind Ji founded the Akal Takht, or the “Throne of the Timeless One,” opposite the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. The Akal Takht emerged as the inaugural seat of sovereign, independent temporal authority in Sikhism, enabling the Guru to resolve temporal matters and issue hukamnamas (directives) for the Sikh followers. The Akal Takht, by creating an institution free from Mughal influence, emerged as a center for Sikh autonomy, representing a distinctive fusion of spiritual leadership and secular authority.
The Akal Takht exemplified Guru Hargobind Ji’s profound dedication to justice, liberty, and equality. He convened councils, rendered legal judgments, and guided Sikhs in social and military affairs. By aligning Sikh leadership with principles of justice and moral authority, the Akal Takht emerged as a symbol of resistance against oppression. The enduring significance of the Akal Takht in Sikhism highlights the persistent legacy of Guru Hargobind’s principles, positioning it as a bastion for the advocacy of the oppressed and marginalized.
The legacy of Guru Hargobind Ji as a champion of human rights and dignity is evident in his unwavering resistance to Mughal despotism. Throughout his tenure as Guru, he faced numerous Mughal assaults and invasions. Instead of yielding to oppression, Guru Hargobind organized and trained a military contingent, enabling the community to protect itself. This decision established a precedent for resistance against oppression, positioning the Sikh community as a potent symbol of resilience for other marginalized groups under Mughal rule.
Guru Hargobind conveyed that the struggle for justice and dignity is universal. He directed his adherents to perceive self-defense as an obligation rather than an individual entitlement. By fostering an ethos of seva (selfless service) within the Sikh community, he guaranteed that armed defense was utilized solely to protect the vulnerable and uphold justice, rather than for personal advantage. His actions reverberated among other marginalized groups throughout India, galvanizing a unified opposition to the Mughal Empire’s religious intolerance and political despotism.
Guru Hargobind Ji’s notable act of liberation involved the release of 52 Hindu kings from Gwalior Fort, an event now observed as Bandi Chhor Divas. Guru Hargobind’s spiritual influence was further intensified when he conditioned his release with the liberation of 52 kings who had been unjustly imprisoned by Emperor Jahangir with him. Bandi Chhor Divas is a lasting testament to Guru Hargobind’s commitment for the protection of justice and human rights. His actions went beyond personal liberation, emphasizing his dedication to liberation of others from the shackles of oppression. The Sikh tenets of universal brotherhood and the Guru’s doctrine of equality and justice were exemplified by this demonstration of moral fortitude and compassion. Bandi Chhor Divas is now observed not only as a Sikh festival, but also as a symbol of the triumph of truth over oppression, justice, and resistance.
Vision of an Egalitarian Society
In addition to his political and military endeavors, Guru Hargobind Ji pursued the traditions of establishment of langars community kitchens), where individuals from all castes and social standings shared meals. His focus on selfless service underscored the significance of altruism in enhancing societal welfare and guaranteeing equitable resource distribution. The egalitarian principles espoused by Guru Hargobind Ji stood in sharp opposition to the social hierarchies upheld by the ruling elite. Through the cultivation of a society that granted respect and dignity to every individual, he confronted the dominant conventions of his era and established the groundwork for a community rooted in equality, compassion, and solidarity. This embrace of diversity is fundamental to Sikh identity, emphasizing the belief that spirituality is deeply connected to social responsibility and the protection of human rights.
The life and leadership of Guru Hargobind Ji catalyzed a transformation within Sikhism, evolving it from a spiritual community into a vigorous advocate for justice. The introduction of Miri-Piri transformed the Sikh identity, inspiring Sikhs to seek both spiritual enlightenment and active participation in worldly matters. This dual function fortified the community’s determination, empowering it to withstand oppression and safeguard the marginalized. The Guru’s focus on self-defense as a revered obligation, coupled with his founding of the Akal Takht, equipped Sikhs with the necessary institutional and ideological structures to uphold their resistance against oppression. The policies he implemented had a significant impact on later Sikh Gurus, especially Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who codified the Sikh martial tradition through the creation of the Khalsa. The principles imparted by Guru Hargobind to his disciples remain relevant, inspiring Sikhs across the globe to exemplify compassion, bravery, and fortitude.
Conclusion
The profound leadership of Guru Hargobind Ji remains a guiding force in the Sikh tradition, fostering a deep dedication to justice, equality, and the protection of human rights. Through the promotion of a harmonious existence characterized by Miri-Piri, the defense of human dignity, and the advancement of egalitarian principles, he established the groundwork for a robust Sikh community ready to face oppression in its various manifestations. His teachings serve as a reminder that spirituality is an active endeavor, intricately linked to the principles of justice and compassion in our engagement with the world. The legacy of Guru Hargobind as a champion of freedom, advocate for social change, and protector of rights surpasses his era, providing an enduring framework for addressing injustice and promoting a society that embraces inclusivity. In a society that persistently confronts challenges of injustice and disparity, the life and teachings of Guru Hargobind serve as a profound reminder of the lasting significance of bravery, empathy, and an unwavering dedication to the dignity of all individuals.
Dr. Bawa Singh Prof. (Dr.) Bawa Singh has been teaching at the Department of South and Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Central University of Punjab. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Panjab University. He has extensive teaching and research experiences and has held various academic roles. Prof. Singh has held key administrative positions, including Head of the Department and Dean of the School of International Studies. His research interests include the geopolitics of South and Central Asia, Indian foreign policy, regional cooperation, and global health diplomacy. He has led significant research projects, including an ICSSR-funded study on SAARC's geostrategic and geo-economic role. Singh has published 61 papers, 15 book chapters, 100 commentaries, and two books published by Routledge and Springer Nature.
Gursimran Kaur was remembered as a 'gentle spirit' at a vigil earlier this month. (Maritime Sikh Society Executive/GoFundMe)
