Pashaura Singh Dhillon

Election 2012: Land of Milk and Honey vs. Land of Drug Rivers

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:14:08 +0000

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 been ravaging through Punjab is no longer something that can be swept under the carpet. It used to be a running joke in India that a housewife in Punnjab has to walk longer to buy the mirch-masala for her kitchen than for her son to get his alcohol or hard drugs delivered at home. What is interesting is while there are so many other ailments such as indebtedness, failed education system, law and order, mass unemployment amongst educated youth, human rights, corruption to name a few, which are dragging Punjab down, the same politicians who ignored the rising drug problem in Punjab for more than a decade, are now crying out loud to declare it as their top priority.

Audio Download: Heer, “Yaran Asan Nu”

Pashaura — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:33:46 +0000

Nine months ago, after many practice sessions, and gentle nudges by my son and daughter, I was finally happy with the first track of my a-capella (without musical accompaniment) interpretation of Waris Shah’s Heer: Ranjha Leaves Takht Hazara. It was the heart-wrenching scene wrought with emotion when Ranjha makes the incredibly difficult decision to leave everything he knows and loves behind: his family, his ancestral home, and in a sense, his entire world. Something I am sure many of us, especially those living outside of India, can relate to. As many of you know, I have never studied singing or poetry in any professional capacity, either through a Guru or in a classroom. At a very early age, I discovered the power poetry had to describe emotions and to change minds, first through poetic verses written in the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Holy Book, and also through the progressive poetry of many stalwarts in PreetLarhi (I was introduced to the magazine by Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna).

Free Audio Download: “Phir Utthi Aakhir Sda” Performed at the Kavi Darbar of the 542nd Guru Nanak Prakaash Utsav in Caruthers, California

Pashaura — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 01:37:18 +0000

Many of you have been asking me for an audio download of the poem I sang at the Kavi Darbar of the 542nd Guru Nanak Prakaash Utsav in Caruthers, California celebrating November being officially designated as Sikh-American Awareness Month. If you haven't read my blog on that yet, you can do so here: Caruthers Makes History Without further adieu, here is my poem, which you can now listen to and download for free:

Caruthers, Callifornia Makes History!

Pashaura — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:18:05 +0000

Not many people are aware of this sleepy, tiny town tucked away 30 miles southwest of Fresno en-route Hwy 41 South. Caruther lies right in the middle of miles and miles of almond groves and vineyards, many farmed by Sikh American farmers, producing some of the best almonds and raisins in the world. Caruthers is also a base for the well-known Gill Insurance Company of Gill brothers and of course is the home for the Sikh American farmer who is considered to be the largest Raisin Grower of the world, Charanjit Singh Batth, affectionately nick named the “Raisin King.” But Caruthers made a history of a different kind on November 19, 2011 when Randy Mehrten of Fresno County Education Department presented the Sikh Council of Central California (SCCC) at the 542nd Guru Nanak Prakaash Utsav, its proclamation designating November 2011 as California Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month. And the Assembly member Thirty First District Henry Perea persuasively spoke of working with other legislators in the Assembly to make it permanent. The 542nd Guru Nanak Prakash Utsav, organized by the SCCC at the Pacific Coast Khalsa Diwan Society Caruthers, California concluded Sunday November 20, 2011. The Gurpurab Kirtan by the local Kirtani Jatthas was followed by enlightening speeches on ‘Nankian philosophy’ and a ‘Kavi darbar’ attended by eminent guest speakers and distinguished Punjabi poets respectively.

It is Here : November 2011 Sikh American Awareness and Appreciation Month

admin — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 00:09:24 +0000

Tweet This PostGreetings 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, the Sikh Council of Central California is organizing an informal conversational style seminars [...]

Irony of Punjabis and our 2012 Election (Part 1)

Pashaura — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:57:52 +0000

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 coining new phrases to sell the old ones, all in the hopes of getting our votes and becoming elected in the 2012 Elections. The voter, on the other hand, is also getting smarter and shrewder if not totally fatigued and frustrated over this seasonal drama recurring every 5 years since 1952. The voter is expected to look and listen more carefully this year before casting his or her vote. As far as the NRIs in the Diaspora are concerned, since they have no vote or have no bowl of rice directly at stake one way or the other, it is big community news and the subject of gossip and discussion anywhere Punjabis congregate: at Gurdwaras, Mandirs, and Masjids all over the world, including California, where I and many other Punjabis, live. Eying the voter at home in Punjab, there will be horse trading, arm twisting and dangling of all kinds of carrots to lure the voters in and keep the candidates to toe the line. Paid news, muscle power, threats, blackmailing, bribery, alcohol, and drugs are almost seen as acceptable and “natural” means to seduce the bride to come to the altar for all states in India. Falling for an extra fancy for it, and taking it to new heights or depths (depending on your perspective), this practice has been especially facilitated in the land of five rivers by our successive governments over the years so much so that this has slowly but surely crept into our most sacred of elections for our religious institutions such as the SGPC. People in general and that includes our political parties, have little faith in the local police. Running an honest and ethical election has become quite the challenge for the Election Commission who is contemplating import policing to conduct their business this time; this is what democracy looks like today!

Irony of Punjabis and our 2012 Election (Part 2)

Pashaura — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 14:12:12 +0000

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 a movement which began with a group of immigrants known as the Hindustani Workers of the Pacific Coast. Under the presidentship of Sohan Singh Bhakna and guidance from Lala Hardyal, it established its headquarters in San Francisco, California. This Hindustani or Indian Association later came to be better known as the Ghadar Party. The aim of the Ghadar Party was to force the British to “Quit” India after their hold on the country for 100 years, and regain the self-respect of every Indian – Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, and Atheist alike. Not many people may be aware of the fact that having come away from India and watching Americans enjoying as a free nation, the Ghadrites were the first group of Indians who had dreamt the dream of freeing India some 15 years before the Indian Congress passed its resolution in 1928 to the same effect. Their dream was to set up a national democratic government on the sub-continent similar to the federal system of the United States of America.

My Father’s Day Present: Heer CD Cover Design

Pashaura — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:53:07 +0000

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 lecturer in New York City. Both my son and daughter collaborated via phone and internet from East and West Coast to create a CD cover for "Heer," an album I didn't even know I was making! I had recorded one track giving my own interpretation to Waris Shah's epic poem, and uploaded it to FaceBook after several people requested me. It was (and still is) available for free download in a blog post I wrote, "Heer Forever Stands Tall (ਗੁੱਝੀ ਰਹੇ ਨਾ ਹੀਰ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ ਵਿਚੋਂ )" in addition to Audio Downloads (above in the navigation bar). Many have since asked me to sing some more tracks, which I had said I would do in my own time. Now, it looks like I better get moving! Below is my daughter's original drawing: [caption id="attachment_1395" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption="Original Artwork for CD Cover of "Heer" by Navreet Kaur Dhillon"][/caption] And below is my son's contribution. Have a listen to this CD, which currently only has one track, but there will more soon! Let me know what you think!

While you wait for "Heer" to be completed, check out my e-books, available in Punjabi (both Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi scripts) and English. You can also download/listen to completed digital albums/CDs at www.pashaurasinghdhillon.com/audiodownloads

Leila Khaled: a Revolutionary Symbol

Pashaura — Thu, 19 May 2011 23:46:11 +0000

Tweet This PostTimes come around and the revolutionaries of yesterday become legendary symbols and potential peacemakers for the future. One of the most such legendary figures of the Palestinian struggle for national liberation is Leila Khaled, who re-visited the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon recently. A refugee herself, Leila was forced to flee Haifa as [...]

ਲੈਲਾ ਖਾਲਿਦ: ਇੱਕ ਕਿੱਸਾ ਕਹਾਣੀ

Pashaura — Thu, 19 May 2011 23:15:32 +0000

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