Turn To Sikhism To Blend In

[Azaad]

Bridging the cultural divide, a large number of migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have not only made the city their permanent home but some have also converted to the Sikh faith, embracing its tenets wholeheartedly.

Gainda Lal, who changed his name to Avtar Singh at the Singh Sabha gurdwara in Jwaddi eight years ago, said life has become “much smoother” after his conversion. “I decided to become a ‘Gursikh’ after I started going to the Prabhu Sadan Kender of the Singh Sabha gurdwara. It was a pleasure for me to keep ‘kesh’, ‘kanghi’, ‘kara’, ‘kirpan’ and ‘kachera; like every other ‘Gursikh’”, he added.

Originally a native of Agra, Avtar, who is now a scrap dealer in Punjabi Bagh, Ludhiana, goes to the gurdwara daily and also recites ‘Gurbani’ without fail. His belief in Sikhism has enabled him to overcome a major obstacle - language “I can fully understand Punjabi and, through my constant efforts, I’m able to partially speak and read it now,” said Avtar.

Similarly, Narottam Singh and Ganesh Singh from Ferozabad in Uttar Pradesh have also given up their old names, Mahesh and Ganesh, as they are happy with their new identities. The migrants have contributed in the commercial ventures undertaken in the city over the past three decades as is evident from the number of them working in small as well as big industries in Ludhiana. Thus it would be wrong to dissociate them from the social, cultural and religious fabric of the city, the duo opined.

Doing ‘sewa’ at a gurdwara and attending all the religious congregations like Punjabi Sikhs has become part of their routine. However, these migrants have not forced their family members to follow in their footsteps.

Shamsher Singh, a worker at a factory at Focal Point, says religion is a matter of personal choice. “We still prefer our children get married within our ‘biradari’ in Bihar as we don’t want to lose all ties with our native land. However, after they get married the children are free to decided whether they want to a gurdwara or a temple,” Shamsher added.