By Tejpal Singh

Conditions of War in Sikhism

2011-05-05T06:16:00.000-07:00

The five conditions of a righteous war (dharam yudh)
are:
1 It should be a last resort when all other means have
failed, (as expressed in Zafarnama).
2 It should be waged without enmity or the desire for
revenge. (Here one might be reminded to the
desireless action, nishkamakarma, which Arjuna
was called upon to pursue by Krishna in the
Bhagavad Gita.
3 Territory should not be annexed but returned when
hostilities have ended. Captured property should be
given back. Looting and the taking of booty are
forbidden.
4 The army should comprise only soldiers committed
to the cause. There should be no use of mercenaries.
It should act in a disciplined manner. The Rahit
Namas of the Guru, codes of conduct, such as no use
of tobacco or alcohol, or the molesting of their
adversaries women folk, should be adhered to
strictly.
5 Minimum forces should be used, only sufficient to
achieve the objective. This done hostilities should
cease.
These rules have always guided Sikhs in their military
actions during the Mughal period, in the days of the
Sikh Empire, and when they took part in the struggle for
an independent India. A Sikh soldier must be a santsipahi,
a ‘saint-soldier’, with the word ‘sant’ coming first
in order. The Sikh reputation for courage should never
be allowed to overshadow the importance of spiritual
principles. Though Sikhs have often been regarded as a
warrior nation, especially by the British, many Sikhs
have adopted a policy of non-violence in the pursuit of
justice, as the Christian missionary, C F Andrews
observed [4]. In 1921 during the Gurdwara Reform
Movement when Sikhs were claiming the control ofGurdwaras from private owners who had been granted
possession by the British, Sikh reformers staged a nonviolent
protest at the Guru Ka Bagh Gurdwara near
Amritsar. They were met by force from policemen led by
two English officers. The Sikhs faced them silently, their
hands placed together in prayer. One Englishman felled a
Sikh using his brass tipped lathi. The demonstrator
scrambled to his feet only to be knocked down again. The
same treatment was meted out to the other Sikhs by the
officers or their men

Sikh 5 kakkars

2011-05-04T05:10:00.000-07:00

Guru Gobind Singh instructed his amritdhari

(meaning ‘baptised’ ) Sikhs to keep the five Ks

(‘kakkaar’) to mark their transformation:

1. Kes Uncut hair. This expresses Nature as

reflecting God’s Will and God’s design for

humans as the most beautiful.

2. Kangha A small wooden comb which a Sikh

should use twice a day, which symbolises

cleanliness. It reminds Sikhs that just as a

comb cleans hair, then they can get rid of

impurities of thought by repeating God’s

Name in their mind.

3. Kara An n iron or a steel bracelet worn on the

wrist of the hand the person would write with.

It is a symbol of a Sikh’s unbreakable bond

with the Guru and the Khalsa. The circle is a

symbol of restraint and a constant reminder of

ideal behaviour, while the use of steel is a

symbol of strength and equality (steel, rather

than silver or gold, can be afforded by all

Sikhs).

4. Kachera A pair of breeches, often worn as

under-shorts, .symbolising high sexual

morals.

5. Kirpan Literally, “sword of mercy”. This is

used to defend the weak and uphold

righteousness, and follow the Guru’s teaching

that a Sikh should “fear not, frighten not”.

Reasons For Sikh Migration

2011-05-04T04:48:00.000-07:00

Migration is a very personal issue and no two cases are the same in terms of factors

leading up to the decision to leave Punjab/India. However there seem to be some criteria

which become evident. A major variable is the time horizon. In later years migration

became easier and more importantly there was the comfort of increasing numbers of

fellow migrants. Initial spear-heading by an immigrant, is soon followed by others so that

family presence gets increased and in many cases gets skewed in favor of overseas

compared to India.

While earlier major migration from Doaba, Majha and Malwa regions of Punjab were due

to economic and financial reasons due small land holdings and because these people

had more exposure to overseas through Army and in the case of South East Asia via

police recruitment. From Lachhman Singh’s family story, the main reasons for migration

can be summarized as:

1. This immigration is post independence phenomenon and in fact post 1970’s

phenomenon which accelerated in the 1980’s, 1990’s and is continuing to be so. With no

children settled abroad, the grand children are almost equally split between India and in

this case USA.

2. Earlier going abroad was for studies mainly higher education. Scholarships for

graduate work (Assistantships and Fellowships) were easier to get while financial

assistance for undergraduate work was difficult and rarely covered full expenses. The

situation changed somewhat in later decades when Mini got almost full financial

assistance for undergraduate work.

3. In 1960’s going overseas was at a more mature age (twenties) for higher education

than at undergraduate level (teenage). The chances of returning were more in the former

case when one was less vulnerable. It was also difficult to get immigration till

liberalization of the mid 1960’s. USA appeared on the horizon as a more favorable

destination than the UK because of financial support offered to overseas students.

4. Migration to Canada or UK was possible but US laws were more stringent up till mid

1960’s and even that to highly qualified persons. Relatives and dependents were

allowed a bit later which opened the flood gates to exponential growth in immigration.

5. Marriage was another avenue for migration particularly for girls. In this family case, it

just happened that the bridegroom was from overseas These marriages were to

professionals and hence were not motivated by migration. In fact there were

considerable doubts on getting married abroad. One positive factor of marrying abroad

was expectation of better job satisfaction and husband-wife relationship equity (contra to

experiences at lower income group or marriages to non professionals in Canada and

UK).

6. Some migration such as Mini Kahlon’s was basically for life style purposes. She felt

the social environ more conducive to her value system and provided her with a wider

canvass to explore job opportunities and relationships both at personal and societal

levels.

7. In some cases migration took places as a part of job opportunity and upgrading by the

husband though initially this was not a factor in getting married.

8. In case of relatives from the villages, the motivation was to have better living standard

and to have more income in comparison to earnings in India. The land sub-division

amongst children was looming large whereby living standards were expected to be

under pressure. More over with other relatives being there as a result of marriage

alliances, it was felt that migration was merely shifting from the India based cluster of

relatives to overseas cluster with the support system already in place. Better future for

off-springs was an added incentive. In Canada the old age benefits were attractive for

senior citizens.

9. The motivation per se for each person to strike a new course (and emigration is

certainly so) may not be sufficiently strong where local affluence or opportunity is

attractive enough. Efforts to migrate at a later age have not been less successful, with

men having more difficulty than women. For some years, a woman parent, in fact, is

sought after by migrant children for obvious reasons. How long for, is a different matter?

Sikh Migration Story

2011-05-04T04:46:00.000-07:00

A TYPICAL SIKH FAMILY STORY – MOVEMENT ABROAD

SARDAR LACHHMAN SINGH

A TYPICAL SIKH FAMILY STORY - MOVEMENT ABROAD

Sardar Lachhman Singh (1900-1984) from Sialkot/Sargodha Districts of West Punjab

was a typical Jat Sikh background who moved from Narowal to Sargodha in the newly

set up canal colonies by the British. This was also Migration. Being the only son, the

land inheritance was sufficient to dig roots. This got fortified through a degree in

Agriculture and a Government job. His sisters got married to Jat Sikhs one with inherited

farm land and the other to a graduate with a Government job. Lachhman’s wife was from

a well-to-do farming family. There was no incentive to migrate abroad because of

sufficient farm holdings and because of continuing up ward movement socially through

Government jobs. The first exposure of Lachhman outside Punjab was the appointment

for 3 years in Bharatpur state of Maharaja Era. Partition of Punjab in 1947 was an up

setting event and the various members of the family had to readjust like several others.

There was still no urge or incentive to migrate abroad. However exposure of family

members settled in Doaba region was to have an impact but much later. The children by

and large did better in financial or employment terms, as will be evident from details to

follow, resulting in upwards social status. No migration overseas took place. The next

generation moved outwards. Why? Read on and draw your own conclusions. My views

appear at the end.

The first foray was by Lachhman Singh’s second son, Swarn, to USA for higher studies

in 1958. It was an aberration in a way. The commitment was to get a higher degree, get

some valuable job experience and return to follow the traditional route of settling down in

India hoping for better prospects through overseas qualifications. A full scholarship

helped as otherwise it was a “No Go” deal. On return in 1961, there were short term

irritating hiccups in settling down, and getting a satisfying job. Being selected by a British

multinational, Imperial Chemical Industries, the largest foreign enterprise in India at that

time, settled the issue of India v/s USA. These Corporates called Companies provided a

western working environ, with good salaries and more importantly excellent perquisites

and life style with memberships of elite Clubs, social or golf. You were in India but part of

an elite set up with western oriented job and social environ. Expatriate staff was still

present in significant numbers. Calcutta was a city with excellent clubs, restaurants and

cocktail party culture. This is several decades before this culture became popular with all

and sundry (at that time we felt like that). Even money could not buy this life style except

for in Bombay to some extent which had plenty of wealth in Indian hands. It was a heady

feeling comparable in exclusivity to Army in some ways but more up market in affluence.

Childrens’ admission to the best schools was not an issue for a “Box wallah”. IAS was

respected for their power but even they were looking for son-in-laws from the

multinationals. IIM’s had not yet been set up in India. Despite the initial problems

because of American background as against the more prevalent British education, one

settled down to an exciting and privileged life. I was perhaps the first recruit, certainly so

in the commercial stream, with American degree – something to be pitied because of

misplaced American culture when looked through the British eyes. In 1980’s I had a

serious look at leaving India but it was not seriously followed up.

The impact of association with ICI on children was that to them a white person was just

like any one else. I am mentioning this because even some of the IIM, Ahmedabad,

trainees with us were very much overawed, to put it mildly, even up to the 1980’s with

white expats. So for our daughter Mini to seek to go to USA, Bryn Mawr, Pa., in 1987 for

under graduate studies was a natural progression. Mini is now an American citizen.

I have jumped the gun a bit on time horizon. I got married to Livleen in 1967 whose

mother was born and brought up in Burma. So there was a foreign connection of sorts.

Livleen’s “Maasi” got married to a Pharmacist who settled in Canada after trying to find a

satisfying livelihood in Bombay.

Back to 1982 when a closer connection with overseas through younger generation

developed via Lachhman Singh’s older son Harbhajan’s ( retired as Lt.General, Chief of

Signals, Indian Army) daughter Tina got married to an American, Harry Brar. Harry’s

grand father had migrated (illegally to start with) in the 1930’s to California via Mexico.

That is a story in itself to be expanded separately. The General was not looking for a

match for his daughter in USA i.e. it was not a migration deal but it just so happened.

This set in motion a green card for the General and his wife and student sponsorship of

their younger son Andy. The later then got married to a recent Sikh Immigrant’s daughter

and so the clan is now well established as US citizens. To complete the General’s story,

his older son who is working in Merchant ships is a possible migrant to USA.

Lachhman Singh’s oldest daughter Surinder has now interest overseas through her

daughter Harpreet’s marriage in 1989 to an IITian in Houston, thereby starting another

immigrant chain. The only exception is Lachhman’s younger daughter Kuldeep Hundal,

whose two children have not migrated overseas. Probably there was no strong

motivation to do so. Same is the story of Lachhman Singh’s youngest son, Manmohan,

who had considerable overseas exposure through Merchant Navy but preferred to stay

in India. Their elder son is settled in India but plays golf mostly abroad and the younger

one is working in the Gulf countries.

Their have been major changes amongst Lachhman Singh’s nephews and nieces (our

first cousins) many of whom are now abroad. The story starts with Sidhu clan where

youngest daughter Gurmeet’s husband, Dr.Dhillon, emigrated in steps from PAU,

Ludhiana to USA. She sponsored two of her brothers to USA for better prospects. Her

other brother’s widow is in Canada. Only one sister and a brother remain in India.

Lachhman Singh’s other sister married to a Chatha have a daughter in Canada while the

two sons remain in India having inherited valuable agricultural land which has now been

urbanized.

From Lachhman Singh’s wife Dhanwant Kaur’s side all three of the brothers are abroad

but a sister remains in India.

There is the case of reverse migration. Mila, a Bulgarian, has migrated to India where

she is living in Bombay with Gurtaj, son of Swarn and Livleen and grand son of Sardar

Lachhman Singh. This is a migration for love or marriage or more likely both.