History
This is Sikhi!
Flowers are raining outside the Eidgah.
The beauty of this picture lies in the fact that Sikh boys are welcoming, with flowers, Muslims coming out of the Eidgah ("prayer hall") after offering the namaaz.
Local Sikhs welcome the Muslims every year after their Eid namaaz in Bhopal, India, as a gesture of general goodwill and brotherhood of all mankind. For decades, the office-bearers of local Sikh organisations have been greeting Muslims with "Eid Mubarak" on this holiday (as well as other faiths on their own respective festivals) in this manner - specifically by showering them with flower petals, as they emerge from their religious ceremonies and celebrations.
Naturally, such a gesture overwhelms the other community. Reaching out to members of different faiths is the need of the hour for all of us. We need to join hands in celebrating the festivals of others and thus spread the message of harmony.
Such scenes are rare in today's world, as people are getting narrow-minded and prefer not to interact with other communities and groups. Working relationships are okay, but family ties are not as strong as they used to be in the past.
Here, there is no political platform, only ordinary Sikhs greeting ordinary Muslims. And this is the spirit of Sikhi. Kudos to the Sikh organisations who take this extra step towards reaching out to other communities.
This photo has a lesson for all of us to learn. Will we?
Conversation about this article
1: I.J. Singh (New York, U.S.A.), October 16, 2007, 10:43 AM.
A wonderful lesson in interfaith amity that we could all emulate, regardless of where we live or which religious path we follow.
2: Jagdeep Singh (London, England), October 16, 2007, 1:33 PM.
This is wondeful. If only Sikhs in the diaspora could reach out to others like this, not only could it enhance multicultural relations, it would also personify in so many ways the true spirit of Sikhi, and negate some of the chauvinism in our own and wider society.
3: Tejwant (U.S.A.), October 16, 2007, 2:59 PM.
This is the true Sikhi Spirit. We celebrate in the happiness of others, no matter how they seek Ik Ong Kaar. Sikhi is the way of brotherhood and sisterhood. I hope, during Christmas too, we'll learn to share in the joy of our Christian neighbours. Eventually, they will come to share ours in our gurdwaras. All can sing: "Sabh Gobind hein, Gobind binh nahin koyee"! After all, everyone has the amber of goodness within; all it needs is a catalyst(Gurmat values) to ignite it.
4: Brijinder Khurana (Delhi, India), October 17, 2007, 4:00 AM.
This is a very good gesture. It helps spread the message of peace. The truth is that people do not want conflict; only political gimmicks cause communal hatred in the world.
5: Jag Singh (Birmingham, England), October 17, 2007, 7:40 AM.
I wonder if the Sikh community in other parts of India also do this? Perhaps we should learn to export this to our communities in the West, too.
6: Satvir Kaur (Boston, U.S.A.), October 18, 2007, 11:02 AM.
Waho, Waho!
7: Gagandeep Singh (India), October 19, 2007, 6:32 AM.
I love it!
8: Shamsher Singh (New Delhi, India), October 20, 2007, 5:15 AM.
I really feel proud to show this picture and article to my colleagues. They are impressed to see the warmth and welcome shown by Sikhs to those of another faith.
9: Jawaid Badauni (Mucat, Oman), October 24, 2007, 1:29 PM.
Is bemiSaal rasm-e moHabbat pe maiN niSaar// Sardar bhaiyoN ki Inaayat pe maiN niSaar// Is bemiSaal rasm-e moHabbat pe maiN niSaar// Masjid se aa rahe haiN jo bAAd-e Namaz-e Eid// ToHfa yeh pa rahe haiN woh bAAd-e namaz-e Eid// Sir pe namaaziyoN ke yeh pholoN ki baarisheN// Bhaii ki ek bhaaii pe aisee nawazisheN// Har phool kah raha hai moHabbat ki daastaN// paRh lo namaz.e ishaq miayaN ho gaii azaaN// aisa prem aisa KhulooS.o.wafa ka rung// Sardar chal rahe haiN MusalmaN ke sung sung// Yeh nafratoN ka daur, moHabbat ka yeh safar// â??Govind jiâ?? ki shiksha ka zahnoN pe yeh aSar// â??Nank Guruâ?? ne pyaar sikha tha ek din// Yeh raasta unhoN ne bataaya tha ek din// Yeh nafratoN ka yug yeh KhulooS.o wafa ke phool// Sardar tere phooloN ko karte haiN hum qubool// Ab tere saath sath jiyeNge mareNge hum// Teri wafa peh shauk na zara bhi kareNge hum// Sardar humko tere harik phool ki qasam// Ab tujhko apna bhaaii samajhte raheNge hum// Peete raheNge saath meN khaate rahenge hum// Tujhse wafa ki rasmeN nibhate raheNge hum// Sardar tere amr.e inaayat ka shukriya// Tere Khuloos teri moHabbat ka shukriya//