1984 Rally - Improvements For 2012

[chatanga 1,058]

here are my views :

1. there needed to be more banners, as this is more striking to the public than a group of people. Also the banners need to be on the edge of the walkers, by the footpath, so people can read the banners as they walk towards you on 1 side, and as they drive past on the other side.

I saw many people reading my banner, and also there were many people taking fotos of it.

2. Our personal display means a lot. We are walking in memeory of thousands of victims of tyranny, yet smiling and drinking coffee, or eating ice creams, having a giggle as we walk down the road. What are the public to think? Also people walking on the footpath, when they should be in the road.

3. keep the marchers only 4 or 6 abreast, so we take up more road space, and this makes it seem like there are more marchers than there reallyu are.

4. There has to be something striking right at the front, like the coffins we had some years ago.

5. Dont use any visual aids that come apart easily. Before the walk little flags were being handed out, but as I walked down the road, some of them had ripped and people were stepping on them.

6. Promote the mindset that this is not an opportunity to see London, but to help the world see our pain.

Chatanga

[Pyara 288]

6. Promote the mindset that this is not an opportunity to see London, but to help the world see our pain.

This is a really valid point. It's important that this event is not seen as a "mela" as such. You can't help but feel some of us have started coming with the wrong mindset to this annual event.

Some of our Sikh attendees from out of town felt it more important to climb on the lions at Traflagar Square and have their pictures taken like tourists whilst a group of our kids brought a football to the rally to kick around the side of Trafalagar square which lead to some complaints from the Police about "public safety". We can't afford to let the profile of the event be demeaned by our usual punjabi pendupauna. Whilst we can give constructive feedback to the organisers, each of us has a large part to play in the collective behaviour and conduct of our own sangat. Perhaps a brief needs to be communicated to the sangat in advance (the coach for instance) to remind us why were are gathering in London and the emotion we are trying to portray.

Also regarding the banners and placards, a lot of the placard sewa was taken on by Guru Har Rai Sahib Gurdwara and Guru Nanak Gurdwara West Brom. More and more Guru ghars/individuals need to take the innovative step to produce placards and banners for distribution in the sangat, particularly as the event turnout seems to be getting larger.

[West London Singh 330]

6. Promote the mindset that this is not an opportunity to see London, but to help the world see our pain.

This is a really valid point. It's important that this event is not seen as a "mela" as such. You can't help but feel some of us have started coming with the wrong mindset to this annual event.

Some of our Sikh attendees from out of town felt it more important to climb on the lions at Traflagar Square and have their pictures taken like tourists whilst a group of our kids brought a football to the rally to kick around the side of Trafalagar square which lead to some complaints from the Police about "public safety". We can't afford to let the profile of the event be demeaned by our usual punjabi pendupauna. Whilst we can give constructive feedback to the organisers, each of us has a large part to play in the collective behaviour and conduct of our own sangat. Perhaps a brief needs to be communicated to the sangat in advance (the coach for instance) to remind us why were are gathering in London and the emotion we are trying to portray

I would actually disagree with that and I hope thats not a policy that is introduced next year because if it is.....I reckon the turnout in future years will be a fraction of what we saw on Sunday. Think about it......these people.....are everyday normal people...normal sikhs. Family people with kids. They gave up whatever they had to do on Sunday to come. Some of them gave up a days wages at work to come. And yet now we want to tell them not to smile ?

And what do you think the average member of the public would make of 50,000 miserable depressed looking people going past ? Do you really think that will make them want to engage with us.....talk to us etc ? No.....its human nature to turn your head and run a mile from morose people. And are you forgetting what the public like about us sikhs anyway ? We're universally loved and respected precicely because they see us a nice, friendly approachable people. If we achieve our objective and make the public want to go home and read up about sikhs.....they will read in their books how Sikhs face death with a smile and laughter......How sikhs always stay in high cheerfull spirits. Are so brave and so overjoyed that their loved ones have joined in union with god they don't even cry at their funerals. How is that ideal gonna fit in with the sight of 50,000 depressed faces ?

You guys are so eager to make next year even better that you've started to fix things that ain't even broke. Only 2 things were wrong on sunday. Firstly, the very predicatble really really really bad signs / placards. And secondly, at Trafalgar Square, we could have had the attention of the world. London is not Toronto or Vancouver......When things happen in London it makes news in every part of the globe. We could have had the attention of the world but instead we had sounds, music etc that can hardly be described as easy on the ear. Sounds that made our target audience cover their ears and move away as quick as possible. Fix the things that are broke. But don't go fixing things that don't need fixing.

[Pyara 288]

I would actually disagree with that and I hope thats not a policy that is introduced next year because if it is.....I reckon the turnout in future years will be a fraction of what we saw on Sunday. Think about it......these people.....are everyday normal people...normal sikhs. Family people with kids. They gave up whatever they had to do on Sunday to come. Some of them gave up a days wages at work to come. And yet now we want to tell them not to smile ?

And what do you think the average member of the public would make of 50,000 miserable depressed looking people going past ? Do you really think that will make them want to engage with us.....talk to us etc ? No.....its human nature to turn your head and run a mile from morose people. And are you forgetting what the public like about us sikhs anyway ? We're universally loved and respected precicely because they see us a nice, friendly approachable people. If we achieve our objective and make the public want to go home and read up about sikhs.....they will read in their books how Sikhs face death with a smile and laughter......How sikhs always stay in high cheerfull spirits. Are so brave and so overjoyed that their loved ones have joined in union with god they don't even cry at their funerals. How is that ideal gonna fit in with the sight of 50,000 depressed faces ?

You guys are so eager to make next year even better that you've started to fix things that ain't even broke. Only 2 things were wrong on sunday. Firstly, the very predicatble really really really bad signs / placards. And secondly, at Trafalgar Square, we could have had the attention of the world. London is not Toronto or Vancouver......When things happen in London it makes news in every part of the globe. We could have had the attention of the world but instead we had sounds, music etc that can hardly be described as easy on the ear. Sounds that made our target audience cover their ears and move away as quick as possible. Fix the things that are broke. But don't go fixing things that don't need fixing.

Ok. Perhaps my post seemed more harsh and critical then it was intended to be. Point taken!

[joti jot rali 3]

youngster should be given more chance specially AISSF president Parmjit Singh Gazi his speech at this rally was very short but he raise they very important issues, he talk about future and what we can do in future to achieve our goal. That guy has done great work in india, we should give him chance to be recognised at international level, he is young and capable what u need so badly in our leadership

[Southall Youth 1]

ONE humble request is we need to LEARN how to reply to Jakaras be it bole so nihal raj karega khalsa khalistan zindabad or wjkk wjkf

Everytime there was a fateh or jakara in the square it was a dead lull one as if we are sleep hardly any josh,some feel embarrased to reply with the full might but with the might there is no point in a Jakarah - that should be a in the list of the top improvements ,speakers should not have to appeal for louder jakarahs

[Paneer Monster 236]

ONE humble request is we need to LEARN how to reply to Jakaras be it bole so nihal raj karega khalsa khalistan zindabad or wjkk wjkf

Everytime there was a fateh or jakara in the square it was a dead lull one as if we are sleep hardly any josh,some feel embarrased to reply with the full might but with the might there is no point in a Jakarah - that should be a in the list of the top improvements ,speakers should not have to appeal for louder jakarahs

i think this is because there was alot of newbies.

[chatanga 1,058]

And what do you think the average member of the public would make of 50,000 miserable depressed looking people going past ?

its not a question of looking sad or happy but behaving appropriately for the occasion. What are the Britsh public to make of 50,000 Sikhs looking cheerful, as they try to explain the massacre of their people? I have never seen any Jew looking happy when talking about the holocaust. This is a very serious occasion, its not a picnic.

And another thing we need to do, is to make sure that Gurdwaras focus on giving a decent program on 84. Our gurdwara just did a sanjha akhand paath with the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, but never once told about what actually happened in June 84.

[West London Singh 330]

its not a question of looking sad or happy but behaving appropriately for the occasion. What are the Britsh public to make of 50,000 Sikhs looking cheerful, as they try to explain the massacre of their people? I have never seen any Jew looking happy when talking about the holocaust. This is a very serious occasion, its not a picnic.

My god you really are a bit of a simpleton chatanga.

You're not a jew. You're supposed to be a sikh. They've got their own religion and traditions...we've got ours. Stop looking at theirs and gain a bit of knowledge about yours.

There's 9 million of them...30 million of us. If anything, it should be them looking to us for pointers in how to act and react.

We are Sikhs. We have a tradition of chardi kala. We have a tradition of facing death and destruction with a smile and a laugh.

The hope....on these demonstrations is to make the public passing by take an interest in sikhism and read up about sikhism. Imagine if that works and the public does indeed read up about sikhism. The textbooks are gonna tell him that sikhs are brave warriors that are always in high spirits.....facing even death with joy. How the hell is that gonna fit in with your own personal manic depressive version of sikhi Chatanga ?

[mani_singh1 9]

I think it would be a good idea to have the Union Jack along with the Nishan Sahib or other Sikh related signage next year for the following reasons:

1) the general British public will see the Union and be more inquisitive i.e. why are they walking with our flag? This will create greater interaction and interest from those watching and hopefully result in them wanting to find out more

2) it will highlight that we are not militants or terrorists we are British Sikhs living in Britain and proud Britons looking for justice in our so-called homeland/motherland.

I believe this would show the goreh that we are not another loads of P@kis complaining/marching but an integral element of the British society that is proud of our British heritage and nationality seeking justice and support from our fellow countrymen.

[Southall Youth 1]

The union jack was on stage 3 yrs ago it looked gd plus a union jack will p off India that a new UK born generation away from their Hindu propaganda and Gandh is taking up the fight for Freedom i fly the union jack with pride!!

[googleme 22]

I managed to attend the freedom rally this year (by the persuasion of paneer monster!), i joined the crowed from picadilly circus area and everybody looked pretty serious.

There was some sikhs shouting slogans in their language (which is fine) but for all my fellow white on-lookers who were watching, I think they were confused or curious as to what the march was about. I got a couple of 'curious' looks from them too! lol. I agree with more chanting in English and more BIG banners in English spelling out that Sikh people really are not safe in india. Perhaps if the Sikh community can bring along their non-sikh friends to next years march, that will prompt more media coverage and give out the message of support.

More leaflets should be distributed.

Overall i was amazed by the number of THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of sikhs who marched for freedom, im sure the big turn out had the Indian Gvt stressing out!

Google me!

I said Google me for god sakes!!!

[chatanga 1,058]

My god you really are a bit of a simpleton chatanga.

Accepted.

We have a tradition of facing death and destruction with a smile and a laugh.

Yet here you are on a forum, instead of going to india, and facing death and destruction with a smile and a laugh.

The hope....on these demonstrations is to make the public passing bytake an interest in sikhism and read up about sikhism. Imagine if that works and the public does indeed read up about sikhism.

No Sir, the hope is to make the passing public take an interest in how the Sikhs have been discriminated and abused in India. We are not there to promote Sikhi, but to bring what has happended to us, to a wider audience. Imagine if that works and indeed people change their perception of what india actually is.

The textbooks are gonna tell him that sikhs are brave warriors that are always in high spirits.....facing even death with joy.

And he will wonder why are these brave warriors are here eating ice-creams and having a joke while blocking up London Roads, and causing an already over-stretched police force even more problems, when they could be back in their own country, facing death with joy.

[chatanga 1,058]

Another thing we need to do to get more people there, is to encourage Sikhs and gurdwaras not to have any akhand paaths, weddings etc for that sunday. that way more people can be free. And also there are so many sikhs in london, but a bare minority made it to hyde park. we have to change that. Its right on their doorstep, they should have no problems getting there.

[SarabjeetS 7]

You forgot the toilet issue, there needs to be better management with regards to access to toilets. It wasn't nice raiding toilets of commercial business.

oh my god !