Guru Arjun |

A graphic by the National Sikh Youth Federation in the United Kingdom describes the initiating events during the Indian government's attack on Darbar Sahib (aka the Golden Temple) in June 1984, resulting in thousands of civilian deaths. (Source: NSYF)

Remembering June, 1984

June 3, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The year 1984 is forever etched into the Sikh psyche after it was added to the long list of atrocities against the Sikh people by rulers of their land. During the first week of June of that year, the Indian Government launched “Operation Blue Star“, an attack on the center of the Sikh faith in Amritsar, India, and invasions of numerous other Gurdwaras (Sikh houses of worship) across Punjab and India, under the pretext of neutralizing militants that had taken […]

Categories: 1984 • Tags: Amritsar, Darbar Sahib, Golden Temple, Gunisha Kaur, Guru Arjan, Guru Arjun, India, Indian Army, National Sikh Youth Federation, NSYF, Operation Blue Star, Punjab, Simran Jeet Singh

The feet of the devout

April 26, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Erasmus, the religion blog for The Economist, looks at the religious practices around shoes and feet among the Abrahamic faiths: …at the moment of his encounter with God, Moses was ordered to take off his shoes because he was treading on sacred ground…The fathers of the early Christian church were intrigued by the instruction to Moses. They thought shoes reflected decay and mortality, because they were made from the skin of dead animals, while God was calling Moses to a […]

Categories: Reflections, Sikhism • Tags: barefoot, Bhai Gurdas, feet, foot, Guru Arjun, Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak, Vaaran

Picture of the Day: Salem, OR Nagar Kirtan

June 25, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The Sikh community of Salem, Oregon held their annual Nagar Kirtan (religious procession) yesterday to commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Arjun in 1606: [Susan] Hughs said she didn’t know Salem had a Sikh community, which is estimated to be a couple hundred families, but she saw the huge crowd parading through Commercial Street SE and saw Sikhs everywhere. “Who knew?” she said. The full article with additional photos is available at The Statesman Journal.

Categories: Events, Picture of the Day • Tags: Dasmesh Darbar Sikh Temple, Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Arjun, Nagar Kirtan, Oregon, Salem, South Salem

Sikhs in Salem, OR to hold Nagar Kirtan this Sunday

June 22, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

As last year, Sikhs in South Salem, Oregon, will be holding a Nagar Kirtan (religious procession) this Sunday in honor of the anniversary of the martyrdom of Guru Arjun, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs: The Sikh community is having its annual parade from 11 a.m. to about 4 p.m. Sunday, June 23 beginning at the Damesh Darbar Sikh Temple, 860 Oak Hill Ave. SE. The Sikh community extends a citywide invitation to take part in the event, which commemorates […]

Categories: Events • Tags: Guru Arjan, Guru Arjun, Nagar Kirtan, Oregon, Salem, South Salem

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: Guru Arjun

Remembering June, 1984

The feet of the devout

Picture of the Day: Salem, OR Nagar Kirtan

Sikhs in Salem, OR to hold Nagar Kirtan this Sunday