Need for Global Panthic Initiatives in 2024 to Mark the 40th Anniversary of 1984, the Third Ghalughara in Sikh History
Mannu is our sickle, We the fodder for him to mow. The more he cuts, the more we grow. (Sikh saying about the terrorism of Mir Mannu died 1753)
An inclusive initiative for scholars and jathebandis can be own contributions to a Global Sikh Manifesto
This year, one question for the global Sikh community will be how to mark the 40th year of Ghalughara 1984 with some memorable initiative towards Panth di Chardhi Kalaa. Any expectation from Sikhs of Panjab has to be looked at in the light of the current political party tickets fiasco in Panjab!
One initiative can be the start of objectives based Global Sikh Manifesto for Panth di Chardhi kalaa. A UK example of such a Sikh Manifesto is already there. (see link at footnote).
Recent Sikh history has recorded the large scale state killing of Sikhs which started in June 1984 and lasted for nearly ten years, as the Third Ghalughara. The earlier two were the Chhota Ghalughara in 1746 and the Vadda Ghalughara in 1762. The first was led by a fanatic Hindu minister of the Lahore Mughal darbar, Lakhpat Rai, and the second by the Afghan forces of Ahmad Shah Abdali.
Today, in 2024, the enlarged Sikh diaspora is influential and can take Sikh qaumi initiatives while remaining loyal to the Institution of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. In this context, a quotation from my guest editorial invited by The Sikh Review, Kolkata, April 2024 edition: Role of Enlarged Diaspora in Strengthening Sikhi, would be relevant:
Large scale displacement of Sikh populations in 1947 and the traumatic events following 1984, increased Sikh migration to countries far and wide. There are about 26&ndash30 million Sikhs worldwide, of whom probably well over 4 million live in the expanding diaspora. There is hardly a country in the world where there are no Sikhs.
Egalitarian Sikhi values and spirit of non-discriminatory sewa to feed the hungry and to help those in need is now appreciated globally. Charity initiatives outside gurdwaras like those undertaken by Khalsa Aid, have brought identity Sikhs closer to local communities, broken xenophobic social barriers, and secured a place for the Sikhs in the national life and politics. Sikhs have integrated well with the majority populations of the countries they live in. Generally, Sikhs are praised by senior politicians visiting gurdwaras as role citizens.
Today, the Khalsa Panth is more influential as a theo-political entity globally than ever before in Sikh history. The Ardas is a daily reminder of the sources of Sikhi invincibility.
Going by the external and internal challenges faced by the Sikhs, an outside observer might conclude that the future of the Sikhs is bleak. Living abroad most of my life, I have never accepted that. I came across the right words in an article and conclude with a quotation:
Sikhs are neither limited to nor defined by the violence they encounter, and the Sikh psyche neither registers the notion of victimhood or sees itself through this lens. Sikhs have traditionally drawn from the spirit of chardi kala, everlasting optimism, and being targeted by misguided bigotry will never be reflective of the state of the community. (Dr Simran Jeet Singh, The Furure of Sikh the Sikh Tradition, Sikhnet 9 February 2015)
**See the Sikh Manifesto at:
https://www.sikhmissionarysociety.org/
The UK Sikh Manifesto 2015-20: Sikh theo-political (piri-miri) objectives
Gurmukh Singh OBE
Principal Civil Servant retd (UK)