I just got back from Amritsar, one of the bucket list cities in India and the heart of Sikhism, the world’s 9th largest religion and one of the newest ones. Amritsar is the home of the famous Golden Temple which hypnotizes visitors with its gleaming facade and and ethereal position on top of the purifying waters of a sarovar. The temple, like all gurdwaras, welcomes everyone regardless of their religion or ethnicity (which is not always the case in India). I knew virtually nothing about Sikhism when I arrived in India and everything I learn makes it like the religion more and more. So here is my list of what I find most intriguing and endearing about this fascinating religion.
Sikhs treats women as equals. Unlike many other religions (Christianity included) that sometimes treat women like they are no more than glorified babysitters, Sikhism is built on a platform of equality. Women are allowed into temples when they are on their period, they don’t need to sit in a separate section so that men won’t be “distracted” from their prayers and women can take part in all aspects of society. The Sikh scriptures themselves state that women are equal to men.
From my outsider’s perspective, this position of equality filters down through daily life. I have never felt unsafe in a Sikh temple or in the environs of them. I have found Sikh men to be helpful and sometimes even a bit protective of the women around them. Despite Delhi’s notorious reputation for women’s safety issues, I routinely walk through a predominantly Sikh neighborhood on my way too and from work and never have any issues. It is a welcome change from most of my other experiences in north India.
Sikhs not only open their temple, they also open their kitchens. One of my most favorite things to do in India is to visit the Sikh temples for langar (ie free food). While other foreigners may scoff at the idea of crashing a temple to eat, langar actually upholds an important part of Sikhism which is to support your community. Don’t be nervous. Everyone truly is welcome. Langar is quite a rigid affair. At the Golden Temple, a sparkly clean silver platter was thrust in my hands followed by a bowl and a spoon. I followed the herds of people as we sat on our assigned spots along a long narrow carpet. Everyone sat on the floor cross legged and eagerly awaited as the Sikh volunteers came through and filled our plates full of dahl, curry and fresh chapatis. The food is basic, delicious and most importantly, safe to eat as hygiene standards are extremely high.
Eating the free food at the SIkh obviously brings a financial benefit but it is so much more than that. When I first moved to Delhi, I had no idea where to eat and no one to eat with. Someone suggested that I go for langar. After visiting the Old Delhi Sikh temple, I nervously walked into the “dining” room alone. I certainly didn’t need to worry as I quickly had a tall, broad and portly old Sikh man telling me where to sit. So what is it like? Close your eyes and imagine being at a huge, bustling family dinner. Now, imagine that you have around 50 grandpas with bushy white beards telling everyone what to do as they dish out another serving of grandma’s delicious home-cooked food. Open your eyes and glance around you. Your family is replaced by a roomful of Indians coming from all religions, backgrounds and castes. There may be a foreigner or two dotted around the room. But the feeling of belonging is the same. For me, langar is one of the few moments when I am in India that I feel like I am just like everyone else. That no one is laughing at me or pointing at me. That no one is going to come ask me for a selfie or try and rip me off. It is a time when you can actually relax.
On a less serious note, these are some of the wonderful discoveries I have made over the past 7 months regarding Punjab and its Sikh population.
- SIkh men drink……a lot. For some reason, when I moved to India I thought that Sikhs didn’t drink alcohol. My interactions with them thus far had basically just been seeing them in different parts of the world, always standing proudly with their turbans. Upon moving to Delhi, which has a large Sikh population, I began to discover that Sikhs really, really like to party. Now, when I walk into a bar, I don’t feel like it is complete without a Sikh man and his brightly colored turban. I don’t know why this pleases me as much as it does but to me, it supports the idea that we are all the same. There isn’t the same “holier than thou” feeling that I have experienced while around other religious groups and in a place like India, that is a really important thing.
- There are a ridiculously large amount of hot Sikh men. Tall, dark and handsome……this basically sums up Punjabi men. Actually, that sums up a lot of north Indian men. Before moving here, I never really paid much attention to Indians. I have kind of just gotten used to seeing the nerdy IT types that populate corporations all around the world. Imagine the wonderful surprise of finding out that not only are many of the men extremely attractive (they have the whole Eurasian vibe going) but also tall! Punjabis mainly came to India via the northwest and are more closely related to Persians (ie Iranians) than to South Indians. Punjab itself is based on a blend of two Persian words.
- Punjabi music is awesome. I didn’t actually realize quite how awesome it is before I moved here because I had no idea it was Punjabi! If you aren’t familiar with Punjabi music, just google Bom Diggy Diggy. I am sure you have heard it already…..if not, you will thank me! The music just makes you want to dance, which burns a ton of calories. This is a good thing because…….
- Punjabi food is delicious. When I think of Indian food, I think of chickpeas, curry, naan bread and samosas. These are actually some of my favorite foods. Guess where they come from? Yep, Punjab of course
Between the feeling of comfort I get while in the Sikh temples to the delicious food, dance-inducing music, copious quantities of beer and hot men, no wonder Punjab is one of my favorite states in India.
