The uniquely humanitarian and universal teachings of Sikhism have facilitated Sikhs - a relatively small minority - to be counted as one of the most significant religious groups in the world. The role of religion is to guide the life of its people and preserve their heritage. The Sikh identify conveys the essence of Sikhism in everyday living which encompasses the whole life system of a Sikh. Sikhism is a scientific way of life and the Sikhs comprised a distinct community of spiritual and social democracy.

Although a small minority in its homeland, the Sikhs, have played a significant role in the socio-cultural, economic and political developments and the struggle for Independence Movement in the history of India. Even their contribution in the foreign lands where they migrated for adventures or in guest of bread earning is dazzlingly spectacular. They have earned name and fame in various fields. The Sikhs as individually and also collectively have made their impact in the fields of Commerce. Industry, Sports, Defence, Business, Literature, Journalism and Fine Arts.

The Vision:

The picture that Sikhs present today has both the bright and dark sides. The positive aspect reflects their religious fervor, enterprising spirit, achievements and excellence attained in technical skills, material sciences and liberal sciences. The Sikhs have been a deeply devoted people. Firm faith in the teachings of their Divine Masters is an essential vision of our community.

But frankly speaking in view of the ground reality of the situation, the present position of the Sikhs do not present a very happy and satisfactory position. The negative aspect is a harsh reality and a cause of embarrassment visible by the absence of lack of enthusiasm and commitment of observance and adherence to the Sikh moral code of conduct and ethical norms.

The onslaught of our cultural value pattern by individualistic, material life-style of the Western countries, challenges of the rapid growth of electronic media, and commercial advertisements of the Hi-Tech new millennium are to be viewed with serious concern for the very preservation of our distinct identity, articles of faith (Five Kakkars), internal strength and cultural survival. Besides the outside constraints, great danger is simmering at the domestic front threatening social solidarity, cohesion, integrity, identity-survival and preservation of cultural heritage, caused by weak individuals and selfish, inefficient and corrupt religious and political leadership at the helm of Sikh affairs.

They are chips of the same block, least concerned for the interest of the community and solely engaged in personal gratification, family interests, accumulation of power and money at the cost of the community and moral values of Sikh faith.

The Reality:

Day-to-day happenings related to Sikh affairs and Sikh institutions do bring out the fact that the Sikhs are divided, their representatives speak in different languages and even have a double face on major issues confronting the community, may it be in context of rahit maryada, Sikh practices, institutions or the Gurdwara Legislation. It is true that politics and religion have come closer, but to a dangerous point in Sikh affairs. This is not against the fundamental doctrine of Miri and Piri, but the process needs to be questioned for demarcation and improvement.

Sikh politicians have to operate within the framework of the Indian Democratic set up for contesting Assembly and Parliamentary election. Therefore, the equation of Miri Piri formula, well justified within the internal affairs of the community, has little relevance in the present day Indian Politics steeped in corruption, violence and Mafia infiltration. Sikh political leaders seeking prestigious seats in the Indian Democracy should have a second thought on the methods of their modus operandi.

The need of the hour is that all the Sikhs should come together to challenge the present scenario, particularly against the political chaos and conflicting religious issues. Times have changed and a corresponding change in attitude in socio-political and religious sphere to address the youth and pave the way for the coming generations is drastically needed. We must remember that institutions are above the individuals and the Sikh community has to remain integrated for the preservation of culture.

We have to stress on planning on the educational front also; to revive our cultural values and secure our heritage for the preservation of our distinct identity. Recently, the tenet of 'sharing' (wand chhakna) has taken a back seat, as also the principle of welfare of humanity (sarbat da bhala). Let us be true Sikhs and put into practice our cherished dreams to the boon which we seek daily in our prayer to Almighty so meticulously enshrined in our Ardas as:

Sikhan nu Sikhi dan, kes dan, rahit dan, bibek dan, visah dan, bharosa dan, and - Nanak nam charhdi kala tere bhane sarbat da bhala.

The Sikhs are by, and large, God fearing, self-respecting hardworking and law abiding people. They are deeply hurt by the recent happenings, internal fighting and untoward developments both at the religious and political platforms of the community. The irresponsible behaviour and high-handedness of our leaders has proved a cause of shame and guilt for the whole Sikh community.

This turmoil is a man-made crisis resulting in putting the pride of the Sikhs in a state of helplessness. Our leaders are more or less trading in religion for their political motives and material hunger. They are acting as power brokers, their lust for power, land and money has crossed all limits of civilised behaviour. Their autocratic feudalistic behaviour pattern is alien to the Sikh value system, and is causing a great harm to the future vision of the community.

The Politics:

The infighting in the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee and the Akali Dal has badly effected the smooth running of the central organisation of the Sikhs founded after a hard struggle and a lot of sacrifices. It is a high time to set our house in order. Pressures based on caste, class, family considerations, self-aggrandizement, false pride, lust for power and money are weakening the fabric of our egalitarian solidarity posing serious threat to the glorious humanitarian, democratic advancement heralded by our Great Gurus in the history of human civilization. Are our leaders going to learn a lesson from their follies, forget their personal vendetta and undo their wrongs?

Otherwise, the media coverage of the negative and sorry state of the Sikh leadership, on the Internet in India and abroad, is definitely going to effect the psyche of the sensible Sikh-folk and force them to get alienated from the organised religion and depend more on personal religion for spiritual solace and moral incentive.

In such a situation the sangati jiwan (Sikh Congreations at the Corporate level) will lose all its relevance. The wisdom demands concerted programs to check the unvaried features of the community, drop out psudo-cultural norms and its negative polity and praxis, rustic working style of the community organisations.

Women and weaker sections of the community have to receive a most compassionate treatment, as directed in the bani of our Divine Masters. The founder of Sikhism brought a positive revolution in the spiritual realm and social amelioration in Indian society and the succeeding nine Masters consolidated and institutionalised the task bestowed on them successfully on strong footing. It is this heritage and vital energetic mechanism which has enabled the Sikh community to retain their distinct identity and met the challenges of the hard times throughout its span of five hundred years of history.

Success Story:

We have to ponder over the future of the Sikhs in the 21st century. Recently, apostasy in Sikhism has been seen on a large scale, and the Sikh diaspora has been facing serious challenges of new trends of global consumeristic culture to retain its original form and identity especially among the young. But the recent charisma of Singh Sahib Harbhajan Singh Yogi in bringing thousands of the Anglicans to the fold of Sikhism, adopting its true form in the bani (Scripture) and the bana (dress) is an eye opening factor for the factual possibility of the potentiality of Sikhism to attain the status of future world religion.

The very sight of Yogi's Sikhs is a harkening sign for the bright future of Sikhism. For, it is now being realised, even abroad, that not only is Sikhism a vibrant world religion, with a distinct identity, to resist the challenges of the time and space, but also a faith that has endless possibilities for the welfare of mankind and preservation of the nature and it has power of resist ance against imbalances of all kinds (socio-economic, environmental and political) threatening the peaceful co-existence of all beings on this planet.

Goal & Destiny:

The 21st century will be a testing time, with its unlimited influx of advance in science, technology, commerce and race for power and money, to all the religious groups and ethnic minorities, as it is going to enhance the ego of man to suppress the fear of God and belief in Supreme Reality beyond the control of human bondage. The melting pot of the growth of human civilization in the advancement of material consolidation is without having any consideration for human values and moral ethos.

Sikhs have not only to preserve their distinct identity but also to keep tryst with their faith and keep the torch of guidance for humanitarian service and welfare of the global society alight against all odds of outside constraints. They have to play a significant role in strengthening interfaith relationships, secularism, tolerance, co-existence, righteousness, protection of human rights, justice, peace and integration in the pluralistic world communities, that are engulfed with the virus of antagonism and moral devoid.

Sikhism is a universal religion with a humanitarian world-view and a pragmatic philosophy and dynamic dialectics of a concrete programme for harmonious growth of moral values and physical development of the individual personality to serve the cause of love of God and service of humanity, while leading a disciplined life (bhau and bhana) and without disturbing the balances of the Law of Nature (Hukam) and discrimination of caste, creed, cultural and geographical barriers.

The Sikh diaspora has been facing harsh challenges of the time and space successfully for centuries and are sure to meet the challenge of the 21st century and retain its distinct identity with zeal (chardi kala) and philanthropic fervor for the service (sewa) and welfare of all humanity (sarbat da bhala) - the two strong pillars of the Sikh ethos without parallel in any of the religious traditions of the world communities.

By virtue of its fundamental doctrines of universal moral values and humanism, Sikhism possesses all inherent potentialities to attain the status of a world religion and build a global brotherhood. All that we need is to have visionary leadership, sincerely committed to preserve our glorious heritage and transmit our moral values to coming generation, with all new devices at our disposal, in order to adopt ourselves to the requirement of the changing world without losing our original tenets.

How best that could be effected is a matter of responsibility of our representative organisations, religious and political leaders, intellectuals, preachers and men of influence who matter a lot in the decision-making of the community affairs. We have to provide a best suited direction, an agenda and a machinery for action. We have to revise our old democratic institutions and practices rooted to grass level, like Panj Piaras, Sarbat Khalsa and Gurmatta, the Supremacy of the Akal Takht's verdicts, in order to strengthen e galitarian tolerance among ourselves. Let us aspire for the fulfillment of cherished desires enshrined in our daily Ardas (prayer).

We have to accept our failures and examine what is wrong with us, and work of our community affairs. We have to be harsh and objective in self-examination, to reject evil, corruption and antagonism. We must pledge - with firm faith - to strive hard with commitment to carry what is right, just and desirable inspite of hurdles and obstacles that prevent our going forward to achieve our goal. Guru Gobind Singh's message Shub Karman te kabhun na tarun is the prescribed motto of our life.

The system of preaching religion that we have needs to be drastically revised in order to train better qualified missionaries and preachers with proficiency in comparative religions and multi-language communicative skill. Such preachers can be usefully employed in different areas to serve the purpose and spread the real message of our Divine Masters in a better way than to make merely their earnings and consolidate their material interests at the cost of the community.

The Sikhs have great reservoir of human resources, talent and skills which should be better employed to serve the community, nation and humanity at all levels. Let us hope our community would work hard towards the realisation of goals set forth by our great Gurus for the welfare of whole universe, following the dictum of Guru Nanak kirat karo, nam japo and wand chhako in the true sense, and translate it into a reality to build a global welfare society in the 21st century.