Columnists
Degrees Of Salt & Pepper:
Janam Da Firangee,
Sikhi Main Mangee
FATEHPAL SINGH TARNEY
My parents compelled me to go to Catholic Sunday school as a youngster.
I was less than enthusiastic about this because in those days, priests and nuns firmly believed in corporal punishment for even minor infractions.
When I think about the conflicts between Shia and Sunni Muslims, I recall the time when a new boy came to our class and the nun hit him repeatedly with a pointer ... because she thought he had a Protestant-sounding name!
One of the first things we learned in Sunday school was the distinction between a Mortal sin and a Venial sin. Mortal sins referred to the serious infractions that would result in a person burning in Hell for eternity, whereas venial sins were minor infractions, but they could add up.
As far as Sikhs are concerned, I would say that adultery would be a mortal sin, if one were to borrow the Catholic degrees of human infractions. Eating Halal would be in the middle and clipping a conspicuous nose hair off or coloring one’s grey beard would be venial sins.
I think that men in both Eastern and Western cultures have tried to give the impression that it is women who are the more vain creatures – most concerned with their looks. I am not convinced of this, especially when I see so many devout Sardars in their 70s and 80s with jet black or dark brown beards.
To me, they are comparable to elderly ‘gora’ guys with black hair or dark brown hair or the bald ‘gora’ with the “comb over” trying to conceal his lack of head hair. Neither the elderly Sardar using Clairol-for-Men nor the ‘gora’ with the “comb over” is fooling anyone.
Humility is a Sikh virtue, but often vanity wins out.
But I reiterate, there are worse sins!
I am not the guardian of Rehat Maryada for all Sikhs, as I always say that I am a Sikh at all times, but not a sant. However, I am tempted to suggest to those Sardars in my age range, to avoid the “kaali daarhi” look and opt for a “loon atay kaali mirch” (salt and pepper) look, if not the “safeyd daarhi” (snow-white beard) like mine!
December 29, 2014
Conversation about this article
1: Baldev Singh (Bradford, United Kingdom), December 29, 2014, 2:17 PM.
If you're not beautiful from the inside, then the outer appearance will be inconsequential! The true Sikh needs the right and sweet speech and a kind and loving heart with a calm mind which is kept cool and soothed with gurmat and gurbani! This article was long overdue. Sikhs should see themselves as ambassadors for Sikhi and NOT different versions of Asians or Indians!
2: B Kaur (Singapore), December 29, 2014, 8:49 PM.
Baldev Singh ji: you are right about the meaning of a true Sikh; the inside matters and not the outside. So why are we concerned with whether people colour their hair? Bani emphasizes the importance of not arguing over whether or not we should eat meat. It's what we put in our bodies that shapes our physical health, and the deeds that we do that mold us spiritually as Sikh.
3: Baljit Kaur (San Francisco, California, USA), December 30, 2014, 12:09 AM.
B. Kaur ji: I'm afraid you've mis-stated the message of Sikhi. The teachings of our Gurus tell us that mere outer ostentations will get us nowhere if we neglect our inner, spiritual selves. Which does NOT translate to 'do whatever you like externally, while doing paatth pooja.' Sikhi teaches us that BOTH our external and internal lives are to be tended to in tandem. Which is the principle of Miri-Piri!
4: Mohan Singh (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), December 30, 2014, 10:26 AM.
Sikhi sikhya gurvichar! Sikie is from both within and in living life to the fullest. The entire bani is addressed to the development of the mind and soul and in living truthfully.
5: Ajit Singh Batra (Pennsville, New Jersey, USA), December 30, 2014, 4:08 PM.
The glory of Sikhism lies in its universality. Our Gurus were of all mankind. The First Master, Guru Nanak went to the holy places of both Hindus and Muslims, to promote that profession of faith, any and every faith, must have roots in inner life.
6: Roopinder Singh Bains (Surrey, British Columbia, Canada), December 31, 2014, 12:26 AM.
People should look good for their age, not young for their age.
7: Jaswinder Kaur (Germany), December 31, 2014, 10:17 AM.
Dear Fatepal singh ji, I agree with you. People in their 70`s and 80`s, when they colour their hair and beards, they look terrible as the face shows the age and the dark coloured hair simply doesn´t pass. In fact I know people who have grey and silver hair and their face looks wonderful. I also dye my hair but will stop after my daughter's graduation.