Tuesday 2 April 2013

Sirdar Kapur Singh’s contribution hailed


Sirdar Kapur Singh’s contribution hailed

Jagjit Singh 

BUENA PARK: A two day conclave dedicated to the life and times of Sirdar Kapur Singh was organized at Buena Park for which Balwinder Singh and Sukhvir Singh Mundi took a major initiative. On the first day of the conclave, Raminderjit Singh Sekhon (Romi) briefed the audience about Sirdar Sahib's contribution to the panth and the philosophical seriousness of his work. The key speak er, S. Prabhsharandeep Singh, said the life of Kapur Singh not only signifies the story of one man but is a reference for an entire era through which the Panth passed and how it evolved through those times. 
Sirdar Kapur Singh, who passed out from Lahore College and then did MA from Cambridge, was interested in Sikh affairs from his college life itself. All through his life, his efforts were aimed at guiding and tempering the thought processes of the contemporary Akali leadership but unfortunately, for the Akalis of those days, neither were his efforts of any value nor were they interested in the well being of the Sikh Nation. Kapur Singh's persona was one that at the same time underlined philosophical vision as well as a complete and unwavering commitment to the Sikh thought. The seminar was followed by discussion on the issues raised by Prabhsharandeep Singh. 
On the second day of the seminar, Prabhsharandeep Singh underlined the need to understand the philosophic standpoint of Sirdar Sahib and explained how the great scholar narrated three different ideological positions in Sachi Sakhi. The first of these was Hindu-vaad, the second was the British-backed colonialism and the third was Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi Mujadid Alafsaani's Naqashbandi line of thought now commonly known as radical Islam. He said Sirdar Kapur Singh explained that the martyrdom of the ninth Sikh Master, Guru Tegh Bahadur, made it clear that Sikhs wanted the construction of a society that was inclusive, religiously accommodative and had space for people to worship their own gods. The martyrdom for the Janayu, which has no place in Sikhism, meant clearly this. 
The young scholar also referred to Prasharprashna and other books of Sirdar Sahib and said the great academic and activist was adept at explaining the social and political aspects of Sikhism without any contradictions. Incidentally, the Sikh quom is celebrating the centenary year of the great scholar. The seminar organizers were keen to have similar ventures in future too.
19 August 2009

No comments:

Post a Comment