It is Election Time again! While lines are being drawn here in America, the land of milk and honey, the battle has already begun back home in Punjab, where drugs flow in otherwise drying rivers. The drug problem that has…
It is Here : November 2011 Sikh American Awareness and Appreciation Month
Greetings to one and all on the Guru Nanak Prakash Utsav in the month of November! The Sikh Council of Central California is celebrating Guru Nanak Prakash Utsav 18-20 November, 2011 in Caruthers, California. Considering a befitting tribute on this occasion,…
Irony of Punjabis and our 2012 Election (Part 1)
Punjab Assembly Elections are here one more time at Punjab’s doorsteps. In the spirit of “freedom,” there will be candidates and party propagandists from the parties in power and aspiring for power, selling their new slogans and others repackaging or…
Irony of Punjabis and our 2012 Election (Part 2)
History repeats itself we often hear. What was witnessed here in North America during Manpreet Singh Badal’s recent visit was unusual to put it mildly. 100 years ago in 1913, Indians working in America and Canada primarily from Punjab formed…
My Father’s Day Present: Heer CD Cover Design
This year for Father’s Day, I received a very nice joint gift. My daughter, Navreet Kaur Dhillon, is a physician in the Bay Area, and also a very talented artist. My son, Navdeep Singh Dhillon, is a Creative Writing/English Literature…
Leila Khalid: Ik Kissa Kahani (Gurmukhi/Romanized Poem)
Punjabi Poetry At A Glance
One of the questions I am often asked about is something that confuses many people: what are the various terms in Punjabi poetry? People have this misconception that Punjabi poetry is not at par with poetry from other languages in…
Heer Forever Stands Tall (ਗੁੱਝੀ ਰਹੇ ਨਾ ਹੀਰ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ ਵਿਚੋਂ )
Free Audio Download of me singing “Heer: Ranjha Leaves Takht Hazara” (a-capella) “Heer forever stands Tall” is something I, and I’m sure many Punjabis take for granted. That Waris Shah’s tragic love story, “Heer” would be counted amongst the most…
Kavita Di Kahani: Umber Di Shehzadi Nu (to the Princess of the Skies)
I am not aware if each kahani has a kavita behind it, but each kavita appears to have something to do with some kind of a kahani. Below is the Moving Image of “Umber Di Shehzadi de Naa: To the…
The Chandigarh That Was
Forty-two years ago, in 1968, I wrote my maiden poem ‘Rooh Mere Punjab Di’ for the maiden Rose Festival in Chandigarh and won special appreciation from the local community, specifically from Dr. M.S. Randhawa, the then Chief Commissioner of Chandigarh….
Translated Poem: Pag Di Saanjh (A Tribute to the Sikh Turban)
The 21st Century: The Age of the Word
I was invited to share a poem I wrote at the closing banquet of Jakara Movement. Jakara began in 2000 with a mission to call the next generation of Sikhs from all places, backgrounds and points of view to reflect…