Your special issue The Sikh (November 18) to commemorate Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary is a worthy tribute to the Guru and the Sikh community. What is unique about Sikhism is that it is a practical religion and Sikhs are pragmatic people. Their faith encourages a worldly, successful life as a householder and a contributing member of society, but with the mind attuned to an awareness of God. Sikhism rejects all distinctions based on caste, creed, gender, colour, race or national origin. For Sikhs, God is not found in isolation or by renouncing the world, but is attained while fulfilling one’s duties for the family and community. Sikhism recognises the universal truths that underlie all belief systems, though people differ in how they institutionalise beliefs into a code of conduct and way of life. The Sikhs love their religion even as they respect other ways of life. One special feature of Sikhism is that it asks non-Sikhs to discover and live the essential message of their own faith so a Christian can become a better Christian, a Jew a better Jew, a Hindu a better Hindu, while a Sikh becomes a better Sikh. The word Sikh means student and, therefore, a Sikh is forever a student of the meaning of life. The core values of Sikhism are derived from three equally important tenets—an honest living, sharing with others what God and life have given, and living with an awareness of the divine within each of us. Sikhism enunciates a philosophical concept called miri-piri, which means living with an active, strong sense of commitment to the world and humanity, directed by a strong foundation of spirituality.
S.R. Gadicherla, Bangalore
Guru Nanak interwove the concepts of Hinduism—karma, salvation or moksha and this world being maya (illusion)—with the Islamic idea of a casteless order and a formless universal God. However, the Sikh community today is as riddled with caste and gender prejudices as the other communities in the region. Dalit Sikhs are openly discriminated against and women are not allowed to become granthis. Maybe that’s why some Hindus call Sikhs “turbaned Hindus”, but they should remember that Hindus had carried out the anti-Sikh massacre of 1984.
Rakesh Agrawal, Dehradun
The special issue covered all aspects of the youngest religion—how it came to be, how it has been used, misused and abused. Its edifice of faith is the holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib—a compilation of hymns from many sources of wisdom, which are recited, meditated upon and practised. This is a far cry from faiths based on rituals, monasticism, mysticism, mythical practices and suffering with airs of superiority. The sense of equality of all human beings irrespective of their colour, knowledge, health, wealth and social status pervades the langars in gurdwaras, which are open to all and where everyone sits without any distinction for partaking food cooked and served with the grand spice of love. All the rich and poor physically contribute to maintaining cleanliness in and around the gurdwaras.
M.N. Bhartiya, Goa
It was a treat to go through the special issue. With a beautiful cover, it reflected comprehensively on all facets of the first Guru as also the relevance of his teachings today. People from all walks of life and sections of society shared their views. What is important is to now walk the talk—spread love and brotherhood. Rather than using the religion for political gains, let’s use it to be better persons. The onus lies with the political and religious leaders. Let’s practise what we preach.
R.D. Singh, Ambala Cantt
Guru Nanak pioneered a social movement to free society from religion-based sectarianism.
Harshdeep Kaur, Ludhiana
Your cover story Fresh Guard (November 11) made an interesting read and a point quite pertinent in the context of Saurabh Ganguly as BCCI president. His reply, “One at a time”, to the media, when asked whether he would join politics, instead of a categorical “No”, might have been an impeccable strategy. In due course, his getting influenced to reconsider his decision cannot be denied—especially when politicians have interests in him because of his clean image and mass popularity in West Bengal. But if at all BJP finds itself determined to field Ganguly against Mamata Banerjee, it has to take into consideration five points. First, the personal ambitions of old guards who reorganised and revitalised the party in the state are not hurt. Second, the leaders in the state are comfortable with his induction into the party and him as the candidate for the CM’s position. Third, whether Ganguly would be able to strike a balance between his personal rapport with Mamata and the political rivalry that would develop once he is declared the BJP’s man for the CM’s chair. Four, how far his popularity would convert into votes. Five, the success story of leading sportspersons and cine stars in politics are abysmally low.
Jaideep Mittra, Varanasi
This is in reference to Tiger Loses His Tale (November 18). Tipu Sultan was not fighting the British who came much later. He was fighting against the cunning and depredation of a multinational—the East India Company or the John Company as it was known. The Carnatic region was of great strategic significance for the British and they were anxious to defeat Tipu. The debate whether Tipu was a patriot is unsettled as he used the French to replace the British. Britain and France, both were colonial powers seeking a base in India and playing the local kings one against the other. Tipu had to fight the British to secure his throne like his father who had usurped it from the Wodeyars. Tipu was a formidable figure in the late 18th- and early-19th-century British imagination. Like all conquerors he could not afford to antagonise his constituents and to care for Hindu religious institutions was part of his statecraft. Leave Tipu out of history, there is little to see in Srirangapatna, his capital, as a centre for tourism except for the temple that any way was much under the care of Tipu. How do we reconcile our modern notions of human rights and abhorrence of the rule of the gun and exploitation, with the fact that entire societies, from Neolithic times to the current, were established through power of superior weapons, cunning and subjugation? That’s the problem with history. This history was appropriately massaged, into our modern day notion of history. Which people on which continent are free of such an inheritance?
H.N. Ramakrishna, Bangalore
The controversy over Tipu Sultan is not new. Whoever is in power in Karnataka never misses the opportunity to nudge out the sleeping Tiger from his resting place and make a controversy out of it at the time of his anniversary. How well is his history been told? What are its implications? Nobody is interested. He was the cruelest ruler; he was a great warrior. Two sides of the same coin. The weapons he used against the British must have been drawn to terrorise his own people as well. One thing we mustn’t forget, people always remember atrocities.
Vishwanath Dhotre, On E-Mail
This refers to Surgery and Sepsis (November ??). The central government’s responsibility has increased manifold now that Jammu and Kashmir along with Ladakh is a Union territory. Since police and security-related matters are on the Centre’s watch, it will have to ensure all terrorists are eliminated. We have seen five brutal attacks on migrant workers in the past month or so. That points to an undercurrent of violence as dangerous as it was before August 5, when Article 370 was abrogated and the state was hived into two Union territories. What matters now is gradual release of all leaders under preventive custody and engagement with locals, giving them more freedom and letting them lead their normal lives. It is good to hear from the lieutenant governor for Ladakh that priorities will be decided by the people. If Ladakhis are able to engage freely and do business, it will give a huge boost to the region’s economy.
Bal Govind, Noida
Shiv Sena has always been a troublesome ally for BJP (Mumbai Marathon, November 18). Uddhav Thackeray’s adamant attitude has only strengthened BJP’s resolve to watch the situation as it unfolds in Maharashtra. The Sena may move for a tie up with NCP and Congress. But Congress’s support from outside may unlikely to happen; the Sena’s secular credentials are always suspect. As NCP drags its feet, Uddhav would do better by rejoining the BJP mahajuti—a reliable partner, rather than opening up a dialogue with Congress-NCP.
Srinivasan Ramaswamy, On E-Mail
