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anonymoussingh13

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  1. A term which is commonly used to portray a ‘sehajdhari’ Sikh, (cut hair Sikh), in Singapore, is ‘Modern Singh’. Initially upon hearing this, I smirked at its simplicity. However, pondering on the term, it evoked a certain dissonance in my heart as it became evident that people segregate a Sikh merely by his looks. If someone cuts his hair does that make him modern? What is it to be modern? Being modern is instilling those traditional values while living in the world we live today. As a ‘modern singh’, we should bring forward our views to befit the contemporary ways and adapt to the lifestyle today. Times have changed, and we have to change with time, but our fundamental values should remain constant. During the time of our 10 gurus, the common ideology and practices were different. However, being the all knowing, the Guru Sahibs made it easy to practice Sikhism even today. Our three core principles are: Naam Japna, Kirat Karni and Vand Ke Chakna. They mean to pray, live an honest life and share. They are straightforward and easy to follow. But what does this got to do with being modern? People follow these principles, do their prayers, respect one and all, but they still cut their hair. Does that make them better than a Sikh who keeps their hair? What is the underlying difference? Our Khalsa Panth can be viewed as a school. We all are sevaks/students of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. At every step of life, we are learning. If we treated it as a school, shouldn’t we all have a uniform; a sense of belonging to the school? Our image, is what defines us, it is what gives us that ‘school spirit’. If you loved your school and followed the teachings of your school won’t you support it? Guru Sahib has written: Khalsa mero roop hai khaas. The Khalsa is my complete image Khalse maih hau karo nivaas. I dwell in the khalsa In this short shabad, Guru Gobind Singh Ji states that we are his image ;the image of a Khalsa. It does not mean that if we keep Guru Sahibs roop (image) we are superior to others, but it is a step, a uniform, that defines who we are, and what we stand for. So to be modern, is keeping our image and teachings, but living in the contemporary world today. We wear jeans/shirts instead of Cholas/Kurtas, to adapt to the time we live in, but the teachings and our image has to the same. The people who fail to comply with these basics teachings are not modern but ignorant. Those who follow the traditional principles, and apply them today are in fact ‘Modern Singhs’.
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