Kulbir Kaur
A ballad of hope
A question often raised in religious discourses is, “How to remain cheerful and composed to face the adversities of life?” In Sikhism, great emphasis is laid on “Chardi kala” or “high spirit” — signifies a state of mind when a person is cheerful in sorrow and suffering, it denotes the strength to endure pain and adversity with courage. Chardi kala is the state in which one remains ever hopeful and optimistic.
The ultimate father
He wasn’t a hero, known by the world. But a hero he was, to his little girl.” These lines by Rebecca D. Cook, from her poem Memories of My Dad, remind me of a little girl in my neighbourhood who was dancing continuously for an hour, repeating the same steps.
The pure saint-soldier
Is there present a true Sikh who would offer his head to the Guru as a sacrifice?” asked the young Guru Gobind Singh. The whole assembly of Sikhs was silent.
Nine nights of Shakti
It is Gudi Pudwa in Marathi, Ugadi in Kannada and Cheti-Chand in Sindhi — call it by any name but it is, simply, the Hindu New Year Day, a time of new beginning, the arrival of Navratra. Basant Navratri is a festival of the worship of Shakti when energy in the form of the universal mother, Durga, is invoked. It is this energy that is responsible for creation, preservation as well as destruction. Navratra is the time to thank the “Divine Power” for all the things bestowed upon us.
Sing with devotion
Can you hear the gentle rustle of the reeds and waving plants, the murmur of the rivulets, the gushing of hill-torrents, the humming of the bees, the chirping of the birds and the songs of the lark and the nightingale which constitute the orchestra of nature?” says Guru Nanak. The Almighty is the greatest musician who has created the world resonating with cosmic melody. So, why not use music for spiritual realisation?
Welcome the Spring
When the fields are mustard yellow, the berries ripen yellow, the atmosphere is neither intense with heat nor are there are shivering waves of winter, my beloved, it is Basant here. When there is calm and the season is full of quite joy as well as passionate, my love, it is the time to celebrate the spring festival, Basant Panchami. “Aaj basant manalay suhagan, aaj basant manalay” — with these words, Amir Khusro not only praises the coming of spring but there is also a longing to meet his guru Hazrat Nizamuddin.
