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Explaining the things we wear on our heads

July 6, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

I was shocked. I wanted to give everyone in the elevator a high-five, but remembering I was in New York, I tried to play it cool. I put on my Denzel Washington face (the coolest person I could think of on the spot), and as I walked out of the elevator, I turned to the mother and whispered a soft “thank you.” — At the Huffington Post, Simran Jeet Singh discusses a recent experience in an elevator when a child […]

Categories: Reflections • Tags: Huffington Post, New York, Simran Jeet Singh

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Sikh history and the legacy of American Independence

July 4, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On this day in 1776, the American colonies declared their independence from Britain: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. In this declaration, we see the seeds of what was to become the United States we know today. At this time, Sikhs were also claiming their autonomy in the northwestern portion of the Indian […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Reflections • Tags: California, Declaration of Independence, Fourth of July, Ghadar Party, Independence Day, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Stockton

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Bhajneet Singh: Use a positive attitude to counter discrimination

June 19, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Californian Bhajneet Singh reflects on growing up as a Sikh in the United States: I work for a small wholesale clothing company that takes me around the world quite a bit. As I travel around to different parts of the country, people tend to notice that I have the accent, clothes, and personality of a Venice Beach surfer dude. When people point this out to me, I take it as a compliment. Much can be learned from Bhajneet Singh’s proactive […]

Categories: Reflections • Tags: Bhajneet Singh, California, Los Angeles

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South-Asian/Sikh blogging and exploring “hybrid” identities

June 14, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

I received a message from Priya Kumar, a doctoral student at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, and who recently completed a TEDx Talk (see above) about the role of the web in the South Asian diaspora: My name is Priya and I am a doctoral student in Politics at SOAS London. I did a TEDx talk in May about hybrid identities and the web, and I used your blog as an example of […]

Categories: American Turban, Reflections, Reports/Studies • Tags: blogging, London, Priya Kumar, School of Oriental and African Studies, Sikh diaspora, TED, TEDx, United Kingdom, University of London

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The state of our Granthis is our hypocrisy

May 31, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Dr. I.J. Singh writes about the case of a Granthi (literally, ‘reader of the Guru Granth Sahib’, these are Sikhs – often from India – who are hired by Gurdwaras to run religious services) in the United States who took his own life in despair: Their language skills are rudimentary; their ability to navigate the cultural landscape of America non-existent.  Their skills in music, singing of the liturgy (keertan) and exegesis of Sikh teachings and history are, at best, minimal.  […]

Categories: Reflections, Sikhism • Tags: Baba Buddha, Granthi, Gurdwara, Guru Ram Das, United States

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On being a ‘mansome’ Sikh

May 29, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“But, when you have a beard, a mustache, it’s like a mask. You can’t see the person’s face. It’s hidden.” As disagreeable as the words sounded, my friend’s tone was very gentle and civil.  It was almost as if he was asking me the question: why bother? I was a nine-year-old Sikh boy with a little mustache fuzz and a patka (a Sikh boy’s headcovering), speaking with the clean-shaven teenaged Hindu boy next door whom I befriended on this extended […]

Categories: Reflections, TV/Movies • Tags: Facial hair, Mansome, Morgan Spurlock, Super Size Me

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Langar is more than free Indian food

May 11, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Quite often, when mainstream media outlets portray Sikh functions or services, the reporters commonly make a note of the Sikh practice of langar, the free kitchen and food made available to all who attend the service. Take, for example, the recent article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Where the Food Is Free” which describes the preparation of langar at the Sikh Cultural Society in Richmond Hill, New York. An excerpt: They say there’s no such thing as a free […]

Categories: Reflections • Tags: Langar, New York, Richmond Hill, Sikh Cultural Society, Wall Street Journal

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The two sides of the Sikh identity coin

May 8, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

For example, “looking different” has led me to “look differently.” My Sikh identity has been linked to major moments in my life, and these unique experiences have shaped the way in which I view the world. — Simran Jeet Singh reflects on how his outwardly Sikh appearance has influenced his perspective and interaction with the world around him. Read his full piece at the Huffington Post.

Categories: Reflections • Tags: Huffington Post, Sikhism, Simran Jeet Singh

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A Sikh’s reaction to the killing of Osama bin Laden: one year later

May 3, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

This time last year, I reflected on the circumstances in which I heard the news of the assassination of Osama bin Laden by US Navy SEALs in Pakistan: As the evening progressed, we watched the images of people gathering in Washington,  D.C., and at Ground Zero in New York, waving American flags, singing the national anthem, and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.  The outpouring of patriotism, in the manner of what might resemble a frat party, caused me some apprehension. It […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Reflections, Reports/Studies • Tags: hate crimes, Osama bin Laden, Post-9/11, Sikh Coalition, Sikh Presenter's Course

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