Khalsa Dawakhana

In the history of South Asia 1947 was a blood-soaked year—hundreds of thousands got killed while millions were uprooted from their ancestral lands. Prior to ’47 Sikhs lived everywhere in North-Eastern area of what is today Pakistan. I hang my head in shame knowing that presently there is only a small number of Sikhs left there.

I have been a great fan of Sardars—more so after a community of them saved my life in Lusaka, the year was 1992. I got sick while traveling and sojourned at a Gurdwara (Singa Singa Mesquita). The family that took care of the temple took me to the hospital and fed me. I don’t recall their names, but I remember there was a young man who pursued a modeling career and wanted to go to the US.

Compared to followers of other faiths, a practicing Sikh must find it very hard to conceal his identity. And that is the reason I always wondered what professions Sikhs in Pakistan took, and how they kept a low profile in the rising tide of hollow religiosity of the majority. In my last trip to Pakistan I ran into a very colorful Sardar. He was a hakim who ran a Yunani matab called ‘Khalsa Dawakhana.’ Here is video footage of Hakim Sarber Singh.

“Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh”

Hakim Sarber Singh of Khalsa Dawakhana

Subhendu Ghosh and Sharat Lin

A section of audience at Subhendu Ghosh event

Subhendu Ghosh

"Songs of Struggle
A Talk and Multimedia Presentation by Subhendu Ghosh
25 Years of Pratidhwani - Music and Drama in the service of people's movements in India"

Above text taken from Friends of South Asia's web site.
This program was held at Indian Community Center in Milpitas, on Saturday, September 23.

Eyewitness from Lebanon
The Recent US Israeli War - A talk by Zeina Zaatari

If the above does not work, use this URL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJVg5DU2CUs

Sharat Lin and Zeina Zaatari

Dr. Zaatari was more direct during the Question and Answer session. A gentleman asked her how could Israel ensure to live in peace with its neighbors. She said Israel in its present form, seen as a colonial entity by Arabs, cannot expect to live in peace with its neighbors.

Zeina Zaatari's talk was attended by over eighty people, most of them being activists who have been opposing recent wars initiated by the US. Dr. Zaatari is a very knowledgeable person with a deep historical understanding of the Middle East conflict. Her scholarship was evident in her talk--but the long historical narrative given in her talk did bury the message many came to hear, the message being where to go from here.

Eyewitness from Lebanon
The Recent US Israeli War--A talk by Zeina Zaatari
Co-sponsored by Friends of South Asia (www.friendsofsouthasia.org)

The program was held at First Unitarian Church in downtown San Jose,
on September 22.

Pakistan's national animal is markhor (raccoon?)

Squatting and sitting toilets, side by side, in a village in Pakistan