http://princeofpunjab.blogspot.com/2012/03/hairy-situation.html?spref=fb
Recently one of my cousins cut his hair, after almost 40 years of his life for the first time. When I heard the news I was not shocked as from my previous discussions with him I knew he did not really believe in Sikhism, but kept the external identity due to social community pressures. I wonder how many Sikhs do this; keep the external identity because of family or other pressures, and how many Sikhs give up the identity due to society pressures and to fit in. No real assessment can be done but one thing is certain the external appearance of a Sikh is a real matter of concern/discussion.
To me both instances (of keeping or losing the hair for pressures) the value of the Sikh identity is totally lost.
Seriously what’s the big deal about hair? Almost every Sikh, at least every Sikh living outside of Punjab, India has asked this question to themselves at one time or another in their life. Here are some more questions:
Why in this day in age is it important?
What benefit is gained from standing out in a society especially after 9/11 where a turban and beard has such negative connotations associated with them?
What’s the use of getting discriminated, judged, heckled, at times even hated just from your appearance?
What is there to be had to have this aged look, unpopular with young women, unpopular with fashion, style, and perceived cleanliness?
Why does it matter how you look as long as you are a good person?
How does this facilitate any spiritual growth?
Isn’t more important what you are on the inside, rather than out?
The list goes on and on, asked by non Sikhs, but also Sikhs themselves in their inner dialogue. I am sure one day my son’s will ask me many of these questions in various forms be it out of curiosity, or rebellion.
There are many answers based on historical significance, spiritual technology and tenants of the faith. But most everyone of the internet age wants the main question answered, the question which has become the staple for the new-aged, smarter than thou, google everything know it all’s , behind all the questions above and many not listed is the one we seldom want to address :
Whats in it for me?
Plain and simple this is where it comes to when broken down and what every introspection and observation is about, the one thing, how it relates to me, how do I benefit, and what do I have to gain?
And that’s exactly where it gets complicated, because the ego asking the questions already has the answers. Many who ask about hair, who question their identity or this basic tenant of Sikhism have done so with the wrong mentality to begin with, lets look at it with a fresh idea lets question it in a way which will shed more light on the reasoning’s and reveal why it is a priceless identity:
Whats not in it for me?
Its historical fact that kesh (hair) was/is the most valuable part of a Sikh. There are countless accounts of Sikh history that even when faced with hardship, torture and even death, a Sikh would not have their hair cut. As I read some of these historical accounts I tried to figure out the reasoning, why didn’t these Sikhs give up something so basic, something that Sikhs today give up without second thoughts. When I was younger and tormented by bullies I drew strength from those historical figures, on how they stood steadfast in their belief, in what was right even when faced with obstacles they did not waver. I was too young to really understand, I did not have the personal experience’s to give true justice to their greatness.
If I was to be given a Rolls Royce for free, I wouldn’t value it as much as if I had saved every penny to earn it. The problem is now, we have been given Sikhism virtually for free, without paying any price, without earning any part of it, it is handed to us on a platter, put in our laps and then we don’t know what to do. We do not realize its worth, its value, instead we take it for granted.
As I grow older my appreciation for my hair grows even more, it’s the single most thing that makes me who I am. Every hair ties me to a heritage beyond description, beyond words, beyond comprehension. What a Sikh stands for is righteousness, for justice, and for service of humanity meaning they do not stand for themselves. The Sikh identity is so special so unique that it forces you to ask questions of yourself that you would not normally ask, it forces you into situations that you would not normally encounter, and it gives you experience’s beyond what you would have normally experienced. When you put all that together, when you add up all the pros and cons you begin to see the picture more in focus.
Sure spirituality is from within, but in your life experiences are internal and external. The saroop/identity provides you both, it gives you clarity about who you are, and constant reminder of what your goal in life should be. The hair, the beard they automatically create the acceptance of natural form of a human. You give up your ego, your basic desire to want to be accepted, to fit in, right from the onset you are thrust into a mentality to stand out, to develop inner strength and confidence.
As you live you get even more, judgments, taunts, discrimination force you to persevere, your put into situations which change you to the core. You begin to see those moments in your life where you had hardships not as moments that were unfair but times which developed you, that assisted in shaping you.
Then something miraculous happens you start to fall in love with appreciation of your hair, you start to see how they themselves symbolized what you believe have provided you the opportunities to become a better human being and enriched you beyond what you could imagine. When that feeling begins you start to see the reasoning, the blessings, the gift and the wonderful formula that Sikhism was founded on. When you lose yourself, you gain the universe. Those great souls of the past realized this in the face of death this feeling was not worth giving up, that the hair tied them to their strength so death was preferable rather than losing something so special.
Welcome are the stares, welcome are the looks, welcome are the taunts, welcome are the judgments, welcome are the negative and positive experience’s which I have gained so far and am going to gain in the future, I look forward to them they are what help me change and grow, to dig deeper in myself to find compassion and patience in the face of ignorance. They challenge me to try to behave and live with certain ideals and principals and keep me on duty at all times to what I believe.
So when I see Sikhs giving up their identities, or failing to adopt them even if they are stern believers of everything else of Sikhism, I am not sure what to think. I honestly have become opinion less about the topic, to each their own, all I know is what value and richness it has provided me.
When I see my hair, my beard my now unpopular turbaned look… I see what ties me to my heritage, I see what has given me experience in life what has taught me and shaped me into who I am today, I see what ties me to such a great technology that is so simple yet so deep, so rich so wonderful that in my mind I fall to my knees and bow my head in honor and respect to those who once said and lived in action:
Sir Javey tan Javey, Mera Sikhi Sidak na Javey
If I lose my head so be it, May I never lose my Sikh discipline/faith/identity.
