October 04, 2006

Their vengeance

Himal Southasian magazine's October 2006 issue is out. It carries an essay I wrote after visiting Amritsar and Wagah a few weeks ago, here.

Comments welcome.

1 comment:

Sidhusaaheb said...

I have been to see the 'other people' in April 2006 and found that some of them even share my surname (like many others in the Indian Punjab would find out, if they were to visit the 'other side' and vice versa), though the first names are different. There are a huge number of commonalities in terms of culture, language, food, etc.

As for the Sikhs (including myself), they have always been a proud people and never been afraid of cocking a snook at those with power and authority, even at the cost of their own lives, when they believe that something wrong or unjust is being done or has been done. That should explain all the pictures that you saw at the museum, dating from the medieval times to the recent past, besides the stones honouring the memory of soldiers who died fighting in war.

The cleanliness, peace and tranquility at the Golden Temple (besides most other Gurdwaras) is explained by the twin-concepts of 'Miri' (the temporal aspect of life) and 'Piri' (the spiritual aspect) that Sikhism inspires its followers to imbibe, in order to become 'Saint-Soldiers'.