My friends have always been urging me to write about my travels and especially about observations, acceptances and confrontations of/by Sikhs worldwide. I make it a point to tell our youth, wherever and whenever I get the opportunity, about my experiences as a non-Indian born Sikh. (I was born in Malaysia to Indian Sikh parents). Hopefully this gives them a wider (global, in opposition to ‘Indian’) view of Sikhi and hopefully, better arms them for their future. Sikhi and Sikhs have generally remained very introverted (Indian) about themselves and their faith and quite rightly, because, up to this point, Punjab (and northern India/Pakistan is considered ‘Guruan-dhi-dharti’. But I believe we are now moving on, for the whole planet, as more and more Sri Guru Granth Sahibs take up residence in all corners of the globe, to become ‘Guruan-dhi-dharti’. Why should I not consider Australia and Malaysia where my Guru Ji resides, as ‘Guruan-dhi-dharti’? Some extrovert views are now perhaps necessary. So, here goes. I shall be drawing on episodes from my past but basically… from the first of January 2003.

I like to thank Sikhpoint.com for helping to collate this material on our website www.sikhpoint.com/dyasingh which is managed by them.

What I have written above reminds me of the first time that we were invited to the Lohgarh Sikh Youth Camp in Pennsylvania, USA (2001). Young Attorney and Camp Commandant, Mandeep, informed me that some parents had objected when they found out that their children are going to be exposed to me! One of the objections that had been leveled at me was that I had been seen on an Adelaide beach without a dastaar (turban). I wondered how many Sikhs go for a swim at a beach with their dastaars! But it also gave me an indication of the kind of Sikhs that I would have, (and already have,) to deal with, all my life.

You see, I was born and raised in Malaysia and now I am very fortunate and blessed, to do kirten alongside some of the best ‘Raagis’ in the world. My Gurbani pronunciation is not the best in the world and my knowledge about anything and everything concerning Sikhi, is very limited. Yet, due to our style of kirten presentation and involvement of non-Sikh musicians, we are fairly popular worldwide and that has created some chagrin amongst some ‘Indian’ Sikh ‘percharaks, kirtenias and granthis’. Others, like Bhai Sahib Bhai Awthar Singh Ji, of Bangla Sahib, have been very encouraging, and full of constructive advice and help, which I welcome because I need all the advice and help that I can get.

Note: Due to the fact that Sardar Dya Singh, though born and brought up outside India (in fact he visited Punjab for the first time when he was 20 years old!), is such an accomplished Sikh spiritual musician with a presentation and outlook towards Sikhi which is unique, he invokes controversy wherever he goes, especially amongst traditionalist Sikhs. Yet he believes in a brand of Sikhi which is universal and strongly stands by it. We have asked him to write down his adventures on a regular basis for posterity.

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