麻豆社

Good morning.

Sikhs around the world are celebrating the festival of Vaisakhi, but, as was the case last year, it looks and feels very different to the festival we are normally used to. No street processions, no mass gatherings at the gurdwaras, no big celebrations with friends and family. Many of us haven鈥檛 seen loved ones for a very long time. These are the sacrifices being made by the community for a safe Vaisakhi.

In the late 17th century, the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, had to decide how best to help his disciples through a difficult period of persecution. Many bore the scars of oppression and inequality. Would he decide to accept the status quo, avoid drawing attention to the community and hope that things change over time? Or would he make an active stand and challenge the regime directly, hold it to account, and empower his Sikhs to do the same? What sacrifices was he prepared to make for his community?

In 1699, on the day of Vaisakhi, the Guru鈥檚 disciples travelled from all over the subcontinent to be with him. The Guru emerged from a tent with his sword in the air, and called for anyone who was prepared to sacrifice everything for the faith to step forward. Eventually, someone agreed to give their all in the name of Sikhi and joined the Guru. Four others also stepped forward that day, and the new community of the Khalsa or the family of the Pure Ones was born. The five Khalsa Sikhs then initiated the Guru into their family, showing that all are equal in the eyes of the Almighty, and that a true leader must also be willing to be a disciple.

Over the coming years, the Guru remained true to his commitment to sacrifice all in the name of the faith. His mother and four of his children died at the hands of the Mughal regime, and yet he never wavered in his dedication to the Almighty and the Sikh community.

As we emerge from lockdown, many will be considering the choices before them and the sacrifices that they may feel called upon to make. Will they simply maintain an earlier status quo, returning to a pre-Covid world, and turning a blind eye to the inequalities within society which have become so much more apparent over the last 12 months or so? Or are people willing to take the more difficult path toward change, challenge what they have previously accepted, and establish a renewed focus on fairness and egalitarianism? One of Guru Gobind Singh鈥檚 most famous sayings is 鈥淩ecognise the whole of humanity as one鈥�. To move towards making that vision a reality is painful and costly, but if people together are willing to make such sacrifices, it would be in my view ultimately worthwhile.

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