hsingh6
Member
- Messages
- 30
Many of you have heard about the shooting at the Wisconsin Gurdwara. I went to that gurdwara on a regular basis, and was shocked about those shootings. One of the guys from my bhangra team wrote a little something on Facebook after this shooting had happened and I kind of wanted to share it with everyone. He's caucasian and has a lot of respect for Sikhism. I just wanted to share this with everyone.
Somebody once asked me what my experience visiting the Golden Temple was like, and I wrote them this response. I think it is a good time to share it again, so every Sikh I know understands that they are not misunderstood by everybody, or even the majority, of the population, and to remind them of an impression they have made on at least one American.
"It had been a dream for me to visit India and Amritsar in particular (my friends think I'm Punjabi at heart) for a very long time. When I first walked through the gates, I fell to my knees and wept at the beauty of the temple and the realization of a dream I never thought would come true.
A Sardar and his children saw me alone and came to ask me if I would take a picture with them. He then let me hold his baby son while a passerby took our picture. I didn't get any stares of mistrust or confusion during my stay, but everybody's eyes were set on me with warmth and welcome, and they were all proud to share their rich and loving culture with a distant traveler.
I stayed in a hotel not more than 100 meters from the temple itself. Every morning, I would wake up, shower, and walk in the cool, morning mist to have chaa with a shopkeeper with whom I had become friends. After that, I would eat breakfast in the langar, and I would spend the remainder of my day strolling the walk around Harminder Sahib, making sure to spend time meditating on how lucky I was to actually be there.
Before I left, I bought kare for all my Sikh friends, and an extra for myself, and dipped them in the Sarovar (the pool surrounding Harminder Sahib). I still wear that kara to this day, and I doubt it will ever leave my wrist, no matter my religious views or lack thereof.
I have been rejected from Catholic churches, Muslim mosques, and Hindu temples for not sharing their views, and I have been diligently pursued by those parties to change my ways to theirs. In Amritsar, in the Golden Temple, not one person even asked me my religious views, or gave me a brochure saying "It's not too late to join!" These people had no agenda to push--they were happy with their religion, and all that mattered to them was that they got to share a little of their time and culture with somebody who had come so far to learn of it.
I have never felt, in any place or with anyone, so welcome as I felt in Amritsar. It is said that India is known for its hospitality, but the compassion of the Sikhs of Amritsar exceeded the common ritual of "hospitality," and demonstrated a more sincere and genuine love for their guest. Love is the word I am looking for. They *loved* me, without knowing me, my desires, or my believes, they truly loved me.
That is the impression of Sikhs Amritsar has left me with, and I doubt it will ever change."
Somebody once asked me what my experience visiting the Golden Temple was like, and I wrote them this response. I think it is a good time to share it again, so every Sikh I know understands that they are not misunderstood by everybody, or even the majority, of the population, and to remind them of an impression they have made on at least one American.
"It had been a dream for me to visit India and Amritsar in particular (my friends think I'm Punjabi at heart) for a very long time. When I first walked through the gates, I fell to my knees and wept at the beauty of the temple and the realization of a dream I never thought would come true.
A Sardar and his children saw me alone and came to ask me if I would take a picture with them. He then let me hold his baby son while a passerby took our picture. I didn't get any stares of mistrust or confusion during my stay, but everybody's eyes were set on me with warmth and welcome, and they were all proud to share their rich and loving culture with a distant traveler.
I stayed in a hotel not more than 100 meters from the temple itself. Every morning, I would wake up, shower, and walk in the cool, morning mist to have chaa with a shopkeeper with whom I had become friends. After that, I would eat breakfast in the langar, and I would spend the remainder of my day strolling the walk around Harminder Sahib, making sure to spend time meditating on how lucky I was to actually be there.
Before I left, I bought kare for all my Sikh friends, and an extra for myself, and dipped them in the Sarovar (the pool surrounding Harminder Sahib). I still wear that kara to this day, and I doubt it will ever leave my wrist, no matter my religious views or lack thereof.
I have been rejected from Catholic churches, Muslim mosques, and Hindu temples for not sharing their views, and I have been diligently pursued by those parties to change my ways to theirs. In Amritsar, in the Golden Temple, not one person even asked me my religious views, or gave me a brochure saying "It's not too late to join!" These people had no agenda to push--they were happy with their religion, and all that mattered to them was that they got to share a little of their time and culture with somebody who had come so far to learn of it.
I have never felt, in any place or with anyone, so welcome as I felt in Amritsar. It is said that India is known for its hospitality, but the compassion of the Sikhs of Amritsar exceeded the common ritual of "hospitality," and demonstrated a more sincere and genuine love for their guest. Love is the word I am looking for. They *loved* me, without knowing me, my desires, or my believes, they truly loved me.
That is the impression of Sikhs Amritsar has left me with, and I doubt it will ever change."
