Posted on Jun 14, 2023
Amritsar: The Indian city where no one goes hungry
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Amritsar, a north Indian city of two million people, is famous for many things: delectable cuisine, its historical old town and the spectacular Golden Temple – the most significant shrine of the Sikh religion. Yet, what stands out everywhere, from the temple to the people in the streets, is a feeling of generosity that is linked to the very founding of the city.
Amritsar was established in the 16th Century by a Sikh guru and is located in the region of Punjab where Sikhism originated. The religion is known for its tradition of seva – a voluntary service performed for others without any expectations or reciprocity. Sikhs all over the world do seva in gurudwaras (Sikh temples), most often in simple acts like cleaning the floors, serving meals and maintaining order in the temple. Others perform seva in their private life through acts of generosity and charity. In April 2021 when Covid devastated families across India, the Sikh community rose to the challenge of delivering oxygen cylinders and other medical supplies to those in desperate need.
"Seva means selfless service, and in Sikhism it is not just an exhortation and a guide but a daily practice," writes Jasreen Mayal Khanna in her book Seva: Sikh Wisdom for Living Well by Doing Good. "Kind has been cool among Sikhs way before it became a Brooklyn hipster motto."
Amritsar was established in the 16th Century by a Sikh guru and is located in the region of Punjab where Sikhism originated. The religion is known for its tradition of seva – a voluntary service performed for others without any expectations or reciprocity. Sikhs all over the world do seva in gurudwaras (Sikh temples), most often in simple acts like cleaning the floors, serving meals and maintaining order in the temple. Others perform seva in their private life through acts of generosity and charity. In April 2021 when Covid devastated families across India, the Sikh community rose to the challenge of delivering oxygen cylinders and other medical supplies to those in desperate need.
"Seva means selfless service, and in Sikhism it is not just an exhortation and a guide but a daily practice," writes Jasreen Mayal Khanna in her book Seva: Sikh Wisdom for Living Well by Doing Good. "Kind has been cool among Sikhs way before it became a Brooklyn hipster motto."
Amritsar: The Indian city where no one goes hungry
Posted from bbc.com
Religion
India
Posted 12 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."However, at the heart of Amritsar’s magnanimous and open character is a dark contemporary history that has played a crucial part in shaping the city’s – as well as Sikhism’s – self-conception and dynamics.
As the second-biggest city in Punjab, Amritsar was often a hotspot for gatherings and protests during British colonial rule. One such event took a brutal turn in 1919, when a British general gave orders to fire upon a peaceful meeting of people, which came to be known as the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, where up to 1,500 people died.
Additionally, when the British hastily left India in 1947, the violence that engulfed Indian Partition heavily affected Amritsar due to the city’s location next to the newly drawn border. (Due to this history, India’s first and only Partition Museum opened in Amritsar in 2017.)
In 1984, Amritsar once again became the site of tragic events. A momentous military operation ordered by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi involved the storming of the Golden Temple by military forces to weed out secessionists, the jitters of which are felt even today. It led to the assassination of Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards some months later, and a massacre of thousands of innocent Sikhs across India in the subsequent days.
It is important for the Sikhs to preserve the memories of these events; tales of Sikh martyrs are a large part of their cultural memory, even recited in their prayer, the ardas. “But these tales weren’t retold to incite hatred or seek revenge. On the contrary, our legacy of being protectors was emphasised,” Khanna wrote.
And that is why it is even more admirable that a community that has suffered so many collective traumas is still so giving and accepting of all. According to Khanna, these traits are an integral part of being Sikh. “Guru Nanak (the founder of Sikhism) made seva the song of the Sikhs… Sikhs just choose to make selflessness a big part of their lives, inspired by their gurus’ words and deeds.”
The tradition of seva and Sikhs’ acceptance and welcoming of people regardless of their faith or creed, is testament to their generosity – and of the city that grounds this sentiment in the most exemplary way. In Amritsar, no matter how bleak and dark things may seem, a spirit of kindness, love and generosity seems to always prevail."
..."However, at the heart of Amritsar’s magnanimous and open character is a dark contemporary history that has played a crucial part in shaping the city’s – as well as Sikhism’s – self-conception and dynamics.
As the second-biggest city in Punjab, Amritsar was often a hotspot for gatherings and protests during British colonial rule. One such event took a brutal turn in 1919, when a British general gave orders to fire upon a peaceful meeting of people, which came to be known as the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, where up to 1,500 people died.
Additionally, when the British hastily left India in 1947, the violence that engulfed Indian Partition heavily affected Amritsar due to the city’s location next to the newly drawn border. (Due to this history, India’s first and only Partition Museum opened in Amritsar in 2017.)
In 1984, Amritsar once again became the site of tragic events. A momentous military operation ordered by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi involved the storming of the Golden Temple by military forces to weed out secessionists, the jitters of which are felt even today. It led to the assassination of Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards some months later, and a massacre of thousands of innocent Sikhs across India in the subsequent days.
It is important for the Sikhs to preserve the memories of these events; tales of Sikh martyrs are a large part of their cultural memory, even recited in their prayer, the ardas. “But these tales weren’t retold to incite hatred or seek revenge. On the contrary, our legacy of being protectors was emphasised,” Khanna wrote.
And that is why it is even more admirable that a community that has suffered so many collective traumas is still so giving and accepting of all. According to Khanna, these traits are an integral part of being Sikh. “Guru Nanak (the founder of Sikhism) made seva the song of the Sikhs… Sikhs just choose to make selflessness a big part of their lives, inspired by their gurus’ words and deeds.”
The tradition of seva and Sikhs’ acceptance and welcoming of people regardless of their faith or creed, is testament to their generosity – and of the city that grounds this sentiment in the most exemplary way. In Amritsar, no matter how bleak and dark things may seem, a spirit of kindness, love and generosity seems to always prevail."
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