Sikhee is more than Sikhs: A Challenge to Confront Scholars of Sikh Studies

Dr Bhai Harbans Lal

(Reprinted and modified from Global Sikh Daily Online - Tuesday Apr 16, 2002)

Sikhee is a way of life and of belief that is based on Gurmat, the term Guru Nanak employed to describe religion of the guru’s wisdom. The Gurmat or Sikhee concepts, particularly those to which the present society could readily relate, are meant to benefit the global village around us. In contrast, Sikhs are there only to demonstrate many realistic benefits of their faith and, therefore, to invigorate an urge in others to learn their theology.  Sikh theologian, Bhai Gurdas, described it as:

gurmuiK pMQ ghy jmpuir pMQ myty ] gurisK sMg pMc dUq sMg iqAwgy hY [

The path of the Guru Orientated is the path to eliminate any march towards doom and death. On this path there is the company of  Sikhs  which takes you away  from  the company of five evils of human mind.

Bhai Gurdas, Kabit 57

Sikh populations are actively pursuing to expand their academic centers and Sikh chairs as one of the means to introduce Gurmat to others. They are doing so in every country they inhabit but more significantly in India, England, and North America. Such undertakings are a fulfillment for every nation but it is particularly so for the Sikh nation that is newly emerging on the world horizon; this effort deserves recognition and support from all segments of their community.

Whereas a maximum enthusiasm is warranted for the academic programs on Sikhee and Sikhs, at the same time, this is a time for the community to reflect on the relative focus of these endeavors in addition to periodic reviews of the direction this activity is taking.

The Sikhs in the west are given to understand that they ought to support the Sikh academic programs with an idea of promoting academic endeavors which enhance scholarship on Sikhee and Sikhs in North America and England.  That means a promotion of understanding both on Sikhee and Sikhs. What is then a relationship between the two and how is this relationship reflected in the programs that are being undertaken?

You may get information either from the Sikh media or from the stated objectives of the programs in progress. Let us take some examples, first in India and then in North America.

A chair recently announced to be established at the Guru Nanak University in India will be named as the Guru Granth Chair with stated purpose of initiating programs on the study of the Sikh scripture.  Similarly the research program of Professor Sahib Singh Gurmat Research Trust in Patiala, India, is ready to publish the first comprehensive Guru Granth Dictionary. With Trust’s help, the Fateh organization is completing the works of Bhai Nand Lal for publication. Thus they are towards disseminating Gurmat.

The purpose of the most recent Sikh chair established in USA is an example of the objectives of the Sikh study programs in North America. It is stated in the words of its holder as ” the interdisciplinary study of the Sikh people, an ethnic and religious community that originated in North India in the 16th century, and their dispersion throughout the world .. Through his research he has traced the origins and development of the Sikh scriptures, viewing canon formation as integral to the social formation of the Sikhs as an emerging community. .. goal is to help students understand Sikhism as a tradition that bridges the monotheistic traditions of the Near East and the Indic religions, and to place it in the larger context of the history of Asian communities in the United States.”  This chair seems to target more on the Sikhs as an historical identity.

Besides, the Sikh chairs, there have been several conferences and many symposia held at academic centers both in America and in England often to report the progress of Sikh academic programs in their respective countries. From their themes, it was clear that emphasis of Sikh scholars in these countries encompassed Sikh Diaspora, Sikh identity, and Sikh code of living.

Although, several books published from the programs at the American universities aim at the Sikh Diaspora and Identity, the faculty members occupying Sikh chairs at University of Michigan and University of California at Santa Barbra of USA, each published at least a book each on compilation and process of canonization of the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth.

There have been many other conferences held off campus in North America, Europe and India. They expanded coverage of their discussions to Sikh scripture and Sikh theology. Whereas some of them responded to questions arising from the making of the Sikh scripture, there were many others promoting preparation for the Tercentennial Celebration of the Guru Granth Canonization. A number of small symposia spoke of the future Sikh generations and the management of Sikh institutions.

Thus, in its wisdom, the academic community of Sikhs is promoting studies on both Sikhee and Sikhs, though the emphasis seems to be titled more towards Sikhs in contrast to Sikhee. In their activity, our academicians claim to know that there is an important difference between the two. 

Although Sikhee and Sikhs are intimately related, Sikhee is more than Sikhs as is stated in its definition illustrated in the beginning of this essay. Should academia ever fail to understand this distinction it will be led to do a major disservice? This is because, through the success in their programs, they will succeed in presenting Sikhism as only a history museum?

Let us be careful that Sikhism is not described as an object in a history museum. A history museum tells you all about your past but lacks promise of excitement and vibrancy that Sikhee teaching could bring to humanity in the twenty-first century.  

Harbans Lal, PhD., D.Litt (hons)
Professor and Chair Emeritus, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, U. North Texas Health Science Center
6415 Amicable Drive
Arlington, TX 76016