15.8.2010 (63 years ago, India was declared an independent nation)
Just the other day, I was exercising with my old friend, Bhupi, a 50 plus Sardarji who is die hard sports enthusiast who sometimes exercises twice a day! In his younger days, he was a national hockey player at one time. After retiring optionally from DBKL, he went into full time money lending business with lots of money and time in his hands. He does not like to classify himself as a man of leisure but is into active family life and exercise. His current passion is long distance cycling. He just completed a 160km competition in Ipoh recently.
When I returned home after exercise, my son told me that somehow Surds like to friend me! "Absolutely not true!", I said.
I, like most Malaysians, am a chameleon. I will sway like lallang to the direction of the breeze. To a Sikh friend, I would wish 'Sat Sri Akaal'; to a Tamil, sollungge! [சொல்லுங்க]!; in Cantonese, 'sek fan mo?'; in Hockkein, 'chiak pa boi?' Unfortunately, I cannot say 'Assalamualaikkum' to my Muslim friends without raising an eyebrow as it is tantamount to blasphemy for a kafir (a non believer) to utter such divine greetings. Interestingly, their Muslims in Indonesia and the Indian subcontinent do not share this sentiment. In these countries, it is perfectly cordial and respectful for a kafir to wish a believer in his religious greetings, including Kudha hafiz!
I digress as usual...
I have had many Punjabi friends since childhood to present life. I also have friends from ethnic groups, as well.
Just for the record, a little revision for the uninitiated. Punjab is a state in India. After Indian Independence (incidentally it is today!) and the Partition,a large chunk of Punjab became Pakistan. Ironically, the present Prime Minister was born in a district of Punjab which is in Pakistan now. Punjabis are predominantly Sikhs (a religion founded in the 15th century by Guru Nanak and others) but they are also Hindus, Muslims and Christians amongst them. The Sikhs, as predetermined by their 9th guru (Guru Gobind Singh) have agreed to have 5Ks as identifying features -
My liaison with Surds started in primary school. As you may recall, Amma had an aversion to us mixing with Indian students in school but Surds do not count due to their astute academic and oratory skills. Aqbal Singh Sambhi @ Thomas Aqbal was my close friend in Hutchings School. Of course, he is now a senior lawyer in Singapore with a Facebook fan club on his theological views. Then there was Darshan when I was working: A huge man with a size 13 shoes and size 8 1/2 gloves, referred by friends as 'Bindrawale'. Then, there is Ham Singh, a family friend who is a hotshot in the local advertising scene.
In short, the Sikhs have come a long way since the sword wielding days of the 1500s.
Just the other day, I was exercising with my old friend, Bhupi, a 50 plus Sardarji who is die hard sports enthusiast who sometimes exercises twice a day! In his younger days, he was a national hockey player at one time. After retiring optionally from DBKL, he went into full time money lending business with lots of money and time in his hands. He does not like to classify himself as a man of leisure but is into active family life and exercise. His current passion is long distance cycling. He just completed a 160km competition in Ipoh recently.
When I returned home after exercise, my son told me that somehow Surds like to friend me! "Absolutely not true!", I said.
I, like most Malaysians, am a chameleon. I will sway like lallang to the direction of the breeze. To a Sikh friend, I would wish 'Sat Sri Akaal'; to a Tamil, sollungge! [சொல்லுங்க]!; in Cantonese, 'sek fan mo?'; in Hockkein, 'chiak pa boi?' Unfortunately, I cannot say 'Assalamualaikkum' to my Muslim friends without raising an eyebrow as it is tantamount to blasphemy for a kafir (a non believer) to utter such divine greetings. Interestingly, their Muslims in Indonesia and the Indian subcontinent do not share this sentiment. In these countries, it is perfectly cordial and respectful for a kafir to wish a believer in his religious greetings, including Kudha hafiz!
I digress as usual...
I have had many Punjabi friends since childhood to present life. I also have friends from ethnic groups, as well.
Just for the record, a little revision for the uninitiated. Punjab is a state in India. After Indian Independence (incidentally it is today!) and the Partition,a large chunk of Punjab became Pakistan. Ironically, the present Prime Minister was born in a district of Punjab which is in Pakistan now. Punjabis are predominantly Sikhs (a religion founded in the 15th century by Guru Nanak and others) but they are also Hindus, Muslims and Christians amongst them. The Sikhs, as predetermined by their 9th guru (Guru Gobind Singh) have agreed to have 5Ks as identifying features -
- Kesh: Hair unshorn representation of saintliness.
- Kangha: a comb to keep hair clean and untangled.
- Kara: a iron/steel bracelet to denote one universal God and to keep you handcuffed from doing wrong
- Kacchha: a piece of practical wear to denote modesty.
- Kirpan: a steel dagger for your defence and to defend the helpless.
I think it was to identify each other in war as they were at combat against the tyranny of the Moghul Empire whose soldiers were dressed almost like them with turban, hirsuitisme and all, just like how the Americans confuse them for the Talibans.
The first documented Sikhs to have set foot on Malayan soil are two Anti British troublemakers (freedom fighters) who were exiled to be imprisoned in Singapore. The true influx of Sikh into this peninsular were as soldiers and security personnel. In spite of only comprising 0.37% population of Malaysia, they have become quite a force to be reckoned with, economically as well as politically. They are essentially very industrious but thrifty people. Personally, I know of a retired school guard who had the reputation of being an enterprising money-lender. Even the school teachers and headmaster was his regular clients. He is now a 80 something living in a semi-detached double storey house reaping the benefit of his earlier endeavours.
Another good quality that they hold is a good community support. The community has a temple of worship in most towns and nobody can go hungry in a town with gurudwara. There is a joke which says that you can drop a Sardarji off the air at any part of Earth; all he has to do his find a fellow Sardarji when he reaches the ground. After a few pleasantries, they will realise that they are somehow related and the visitor will be given shelter, board, breakfast and others.
Another good quality that they hold is a good community support. The community has a temple of worship in most towns and nobody can go hungry in a town with gurudwara. There is a joke which says that you can drop a Sardarji off the air at any part of Earth; all he has to do his find a fellow Sardarji when he reaches the ground. After a few pleasantries, they will realise that they are somehow related and the visitor will be given shelter, board, breakfast and others.
It is fashionable to have car bumper stickers these days. At one time, people use to show off their alma mater - Cornell, MIT, Illinois etcetera. I once saw a taxi with a sticker which said 'Sekolah pondok aje'. After some time, they used to flaunt religious beliefs - Quranic verses, 'Say Hare Krishna and be happy', 'Amithaba', 'Satnam Sri Vaheguru' etcetera... You must have also seen stickers which say 'Khalsa Raj Karega', loosely translated in a non-literary way to mean 'Sikhs will rule the world' or 'Singh is King!'. (Yeah, everybody wants to rule the world!)
This prophecy is said to have come through when Mr. Manmohan Singh, a Cambridge graduate, took the helm of the prime minister of the biggest democracy in the world, India, in 2004.
Another lion who has been playing a pivotal role in the rule of democracy in this country is Mr. Karpal Singh Deol (a.k.a. the lion of Jelutong), the Chairman of one of the biggest opposition party of Malaysia, DAP. In spite of being wheelchair bound after a freak whiplash injury, being imprisoned for sedition in the notorious 1987 Operasi Lallang under the draconian law of ISA as well the countless threats to his life and legal suits hurled at him, his lion hearted roar remains as ferocious as ever.
I once heard an interview with a Kollywood actor named Thalaivasal Vijay (not the Illaya Thalapathi but the other not so glamorous one). He was relating his experience in New Delhi in his younger days when he and his friends were travelling in a taxi driven by a Sikh genleman, cracking Sardarji jokes! When they paid their fare, the cab driver returned Rs. 1. He told Vijay to donate that Rs. 1 to the first Sardarji beggar that he sees. It had been over 10 years since the incident but Vijay is yet to find a Sardarji beggar. That, we can all agree. Most of us have not seen one either.
This prophecy is said to have come through when Mr. Manmohan Singh, a Cambridge graduate, took the helm of the prime minister of the biggest democracy in the world, India, in 2004.  |
| The Lion of Jeluong |
I once heard an interview with a Kollywood actor named Thalaivasal Vijay (not the Illaya Thalapathi but the other not so glamorous one). He was relating his experience in New Delhi in his younger days when he and his friends were travelling in a taxi driven by a Sikh genleman, cracking Sardarji jokes! When they paid their fare, the cab driver returned Rs. 1. He told Vijay to donate that Rs. 1 to the first Sardarji beggar that he sees. It had been over 10 years since the incident but Vijay is yet to find a Sardarji beggar. That, we can all agree. Most of us have not seen one either.
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| Harminder Singh @ Ham of ADOI |
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| Cub of Penang, now in Puchong! |
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| Persian emblem, not to be confused with Khalsa |
'Assalamualaikkum'
ReplyDeleteis just greeting, Just by saying an Arabic phase , actually no harm but every Arab word which describe prophet/ god is Islamic to them ... that include the word Allah.
like sahur is breakfast! I sahur everyday!
ReplyDelete