TWENTY NINE YEARS ON A READ ON SIKH MOOD THIS GHALUGHARA III DAY
INTRODUCTORY
To commemorate the sacrifices that Sikhs had to make and the martyrdoms and sufferings that thousands of Sikh worshippers had to endure consequent to the June, 1984 Indian Army Assault on the Golden Temple Complex [GTC] at Amritsar and 39 other Gurdwaras in Punjab, the day June 6 has been designated as the third Sikh Ghalughara Day by Akal Takht Sahib. This year marks the twenty ninth anniversary of this traumatic memory. The purpose of this short article is to share perceptions about its remembrance as witnessed and try to read the prevalent Sikh mood from a variety of tell-tale signs.
For the purposes of our analysis we will consider the evidence of contemporary Sikh mood under the following broad heads:
- Inter-generational shared sense of continued hurt [Sikh Forum audience overflowing
- Youth view of the Sant as present day Che Guavara
- Why pick GTC for Army Assault and why the most sacred place on Gurpurb day
- Memorialization – both at GTC and LSV Hall – for peace and amity
- Justice for fake encounters, custodial killings, Nov. 84 pogrom
- Continued stereotyping, stigmatizing, painting bad of community
- Message from prayer services, kirtan shabad choices
SHABDS SUNG
In the run up:
- Santaan naal vair wadhaundai dushtaan naal moh piar
- Kal kattai rajai kasai dharma pakh kar udraya
- Jabhai baan laagio tabhai ross jagiou
- Marta marta jag mooaa mar bhi neh janai koe
- Soora so pehchaniye jo larai deek ke hait
- Etc
On the 6/6/13 by Bhai Nirmal Singh at GT:
- Sant sahai sada jag main kirpa kar shyam eha bal deejay Meri abhai benti sun leejai [M X, Amrit Kirtan, p. 837]
- Je jeena pat lathi jaaye [Majh M I, p. 142]
- Kal katai rajai kasaee dharma pankh kar udrayaa etc
Katha GTC
- Usso oho jaihai naheen aan jayha dikhaya ja rahya hai sant ji eho jay seegai —–
