Discussion Board Final Portfolio (2)

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Discussion Board Final Portfolio Week 1 What are the 5K's ? Name and gloss the five elements. Hagiographically, what is the narrative given within the community to explain the origin of these symbols ? Historically, what was the larger socio-political context for the early Sikh community in this era (turn of the eighteenth century) ? What is the relation of the turban to the 5K's? What other social and cultural groups does the turban resonate with ? Choose ONE of these points to discuss in your response, with page numbers. The 5 K's are articles of the Sikh faith worn by baptized Sikhs who have been initiated by the Khalsa. As expressed in the text, the 5 K's are perceived as the customary articulation of Sikh "identity" (Oxtoby 189). The five things are kangha, kesh, kara, kirpan, and kacchera. Kangha addresses a wooden brush worn in the hair, kesh address whole hair and facial hair,kara addresses a steel wristband worn on the wrist and kacchera addresses shorts, kirpan addresses a blade. When a Sikh is immersed or baptised by taking 'amrit', they become a piece of Khalsa and enhance the 5 K's while following Rahit (189). Another important piece of identity that can be identified with a Sikh is the turban or pagdi, yet it isn't only held for Sikhs to wear. The turban keeps and manages a Sikh's whole hair by folding it over the head. It has become an image for one's Sikh character (190). Both amritdharis and non-amritdharis can be seen wearing turbans, even though the turban or pagdi is not mentioned in the 5K. Week 2 Based on the readings this week, w hat were the historical "push factors" that motivated the earliest Sikh Canadians to leave India? In which industries did this early group of South Asian Canadian immigrants work, and how did this influence their integration in Canada? Through the lens of gender, what was the composition of this early group, and what factors influenced this? Choose ONE of these points to discuss in your response, with page numbers please. The push factor dictates that attracts Sikh Males was the economic power and potential held by the Canadian industries and everyone looked at the chance of starting a family and leading a new good life. Johnson mentioned that most immigrants “arrived at their own expense and without the assurance of work” (Johnston 297). For Sikhs coming to Canada in the mid 20th century, work was promptly accessible. Generally, they were utilized to do unpleasant outside work for which there was an inadequate stockpile of white work which was mentioned by (Johnston 301). This remembered working for amble plants, railroad development, building locales, dairy cattle ranches, plantations, and salmon canneries. While they were paid not exactly their white partners, they figured out how to stay utilized in light of the fact that they would in general be portable and move to any place there were open positions. This, nonetheless, brought about expanded bigotry towards Indians since they acquired notorieties as "strikebreakers" from different workers, just as confronting segregation from British Columbian city specialists (Johnston 302). Beginning in 1907, after the Vancouver hostile to Oriental uproar, open positions were more enthusiastically to discover for Indian foreigners since organizations started to lean toward white workers (Johnston 303).
Week 3 Pashaura Singh (2014) : Early Sikh history is characterised in more than one way—some hold that Sikh traditions are consistently and cohesively distinct from the earliest days of Nanak's community at Kartarpur to the present day; while others view Sikh history as having evolved dramatically away from its nirguna bhaktifoundation to the institution of the Khalsa at the turn of the 18th century. According to Prof. Pashaura Singh, there are (at least) four elements which contribute to these "contested views" around early Sikh historiography (pg. 25 ff.), namely: the range of teachings of the 10 human gurus; the early expansion of the Sikh Panth into all three regions of the Punjab; inter-Panth dissension about what constituted Sikh tradition; and the political and territorial tensions of North India in the 17th-18th centuries. Choose ONE of these elements to highlight in your post, and discuss how your selected element has added to diversity within the Panth, whether intentionally or unintentionally, with page number references. Gurunanak Ji moved on from Onkaar to Satya Naam of a Sant mat, worship Satguru. Hindus, Muslims and others followed him. There was no saparate physical identity needed, no personal weapons. Even Islamic rulers began to respect Nanak Dev. Nanak dev Ji gave no Book of faith After Gurunanak dev ji gave the seat to Angad as per Sant mat tradition, Hindus started promoting Nanak Devs son Sri Chand it was known as Udasi sects. They slowly took control of the panth and expanded it. Guru Govind Singh Included and abolished worship a living Guru. He gave a religion similar to the Abrahamic faiths, Holy Book, Service and Books created Gyanis not realised Sant. Many Gyanis left to form their own sects and seat of Guru Gadh. Since there was no living Guru, Gurus permission is assumed and they disagreed with Book as a living Guru. Therefore Akalis- Khalsa Sikhs expelled others. The Sikh Gurdwara Reform Act, 1925 defined the term "Sikh" in a way that excluded the groups like the Udasis, the Nanak panthis and Sanatanis. Khalsa provided a political identity for the Sikh community. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (or SGPC) is made responsible for the management of gurdwaras, Sikh places of worship. Week 4 The poet-saint, Kabir, is typically renowned for being the most direct critic of caste and community orthodoxies. Reflecting on the qualities of Kabir's personhood and poetry as discussed in our reading this week, choose one poem (or excerpt) of Prof. Hawley's translation of Kabir's writings, to discuss in your post. Which characteristics of Kabir's nirguna bhakt theology are expressed in your selection ? Is this tied to social and/or religious critique? If so, what kinds of orthodoxies are denounced, and what kinds of actions and attitudes does he suggest should replace them? Kabir Das was a fifteenth century Indian spiritualist artist and holy person, whose works impacted Hinduism's Bhakti development and his stanzas are found in Sikhism's sacred text Guru Granth Sahib. His early life was in a Muslim family, however he was emphatically affected by his instructor, the Hindu bhakti pioneer Ramananda. Kabir was brought into the world in the Indian city of Varanasi.
Kabir is known for being incredulous of both Hinduism and Islam, expressing adherents of both were misinformed by the Vedas and Quran, and scrutinizing their rituals of commencement like the sacrosanct string and circumcision. During his lifetime, he was compromised by the two Hindus and Muslims for his perspectives. At the point when he passed on, the two Hindus and Muslims he had roused guaranteed him as theirs. Kabir proposed that Truth is with the individual who is on the way of uprightness, thought about all animals on earth as his own self, and who is latently withdrawn from the undertakings of the world. To know the Truth, recommended Kabir, drop the "I" or the conscience. Kabir's heritage endures and proceeds through the Kabir panth ("Path of Kabir"), a strict local area that remembers him as its originator and is one of the Sant Mat orders. Its individuals are known as Kabir panthis. Comment - One of the spiritualist artist which I find to be very insightful. The very fact that coming from a Muslim family and impacting Hinduism and Guru Granth Sahib. All the dohas by Kabir are so insightful and teaches you a lot. The fact that Kabir had an impact in Sikhism and the same learnings were inculcated is what attracted me a lot. Week 5 In his recent article on Amritsar and the Golden Temple, Prof. Jutla discusses some of the context behind the growth of Sikhism (in "world religion" terms) and insight into the gap between doctrine and practice regarding pilgrimage and religious travel in Sikhism (pg. 264ff). Why is Amritsar a popular place to visit for Sikhs? What historical events and social practices are affirmed for the Sikh community at Amritsar? What layers of history are commemorated at the Golden Temple complex? Choose ONE of the many possible points to discuss in your post (with page numbers, please). The importance of Amritsar is that the Golden Temple is situated there.The gurdwara is built around a man-made pool (sarovar) that was completed by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das in 1577. Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru of Sikhism, requested Sai Mir Mian Mohammed, a Muslim Pir of Lahore, to lay its foundation stone in 1589.In 1604, Guru Arjan placed a copy of the Adi Granth in Harmandir Sahib. The Gurdwara was repeatedly rebuilt by the Sikhs after it became a target of persecution and was destroyed several times by the Mughal and invading Afghan armies.Maharaja Ranjit Singh after founding the Sikh Empire, rebuilt it in marble and copper in 1809, overlaid the sanctum with gold foil in 1830. This has led to the name the Golden Temple. The Golden Temple is spiritually the most significant shrine in Sikhism. It became a center of the Singh Sabha Movement between 1883 and 1920s, and the Punjabi Suba movement between 1947 and 1966. In the early 1980s, the Gurdwara became a center of conflict between the Indian government led by Indira Gandhi, some Sikh groups and a movement led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. In 1984, Indira Gandhi sent in the Indian Army as part of Operation Blue Star, leading to deaths of over 1,000 Sikh soldiers and civilians, as well as causing much damage to the Gurdwara and the destruction of Akal Takht. The Gurdwara complex was rebuilt again after the 1984 damage. Week 6
In our REQ'D SKIM introduction to the Janamsakhi literature , the B40 manuscript takes us along with Guru Nanak to visit a range of places that have become immortalised within a mythical-historical Sikh religious landscape. From the following list of destinations choose ONE site to look up: what did the Guru do at this place? whom did he encounter? what didactic lesson(s) are imparted from the Guru's actions at this place? From a critical perspective, what site-specific theological points are made by placing the Guru at your selected locale? A man named Rukandin was the priest of the Kaaba. He came out and saw Guru Nanak's feet towards the Kaba. He was very angry. He at once shouted. "Don't you know this is the house of God, you fool? Why are you lying with your feet towards the Kaaba?" Guru Nanak woke up. He said, "O sir, I'm sorry I didn't know it. I was tired so I just lay down and fell asleep. Could you turn my legs to the side in which there's no God?" Rukandin at once caught hold of his legs and dragged them to the other side. He saw that the Kaaba still stood before Guru Nanak's feet. Then he gave another pull but to his great surprise, he saw the Kaaba again towards the Guru's feet. He was so upset that he could not speak. Guru Nanak said, "Rukandin. God does not live in one place. He lives everywhere." Saying this, Guru Nanak and Mardana started singing hymns. A crowd of people gathered around them. They called Guru Nanak, 'Baba Nanak'. 'Baba' means an old and wise man. After a few days they went to Medina and Baghdad. At Baghdad a Muslim saint Behlol met the Guru. They had a long talk and became friends. Behlol asked Baba Nanak, "What is your idea of God?" Guru Nanak replied, "There is one God. He is True. He makes everything. He is not afraid of anyone. He is not born. He never dies. He is self-made. We need only think of Him and pray to Him." Behlol liked the Guru's teaching very much. He travelled a lot and told the people about this idea of Guru. After some time Guru Nanak and Mardana came back to the Punjab. Comment - This story made a huge impact on me because this is one of the stories we were taught back in 5th grade in India and this was one of my introduction to Guru Nanak ji and Sikhism partly one of the many reasons to take this course and actually studying about Sikhism. The notion of Guru Nanak ji explaining that you don’t need to go to a temple/mosque/gurudwara to pray to God and the very notion of God being everywhere is what I found very interesting and insightful. Week 7 Choose one of the chapters from the first half of the Dasam Granth to discuss: what key theological points does it make? to which era(s) of South Asian history does this reference / seem to belong? Does this section affirm earlier Sikh norms that we have studied? Does it contain any surprising or interesting points ? Please include references to relevant class readings, including Shackle (pgs. 8-9) , Oxtoby (pgs. 187-189) and Rinehart (pgs. 23-31) . Jaap is a Sanskrit word signifying "to absolute in a soft tone, murmur, mumble (particularly petitions or spells); to conjure or call upon in a low voice". Jaap Sahib is a musical song made like an accessory out of pearls and jewels, beauteously orchestrated around a string: the string is the Supreme God; the pearls and diamonds are His credits, strengths, and wonders.
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