We will meet at Milford Gurdwara this Saturday at 10:00 am for the discussion on ‘Singh Sabha Movement’. The discussion is organized in three parts:
1] The first part of the discussion is structured around the following topics:
- Historical background
Khalsa College - Founded during Singh Sabha Movt.
- Critical events that spurred the movement (e.g., four Sikh students announcing their decision to convert to Christianity)
- Some key people involved & their contribution (e.g., Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha – ‘Hum Hindu Nahin’)
- How the movement unfolded
- Differences within the Singh Sabhas (e.g., Amritsar & Lahore; retaining or rejecting Hindu practices at Harmandir Sahib)
- The role of British govt. (help or impediment?)
- Achievements of the Movement (e.g., paved the way for Gurdwara Reform Act, SGPC, Sikh Rehat Maryada, Khalsa College, etc)
- Controversies/debates about the movement (e.g., ‘reformist’ versus ‘revivalist’ nature of Singh Sabha Movement)
2] The second part involves applying the above learning. It is centered around the question: how do we apply the lessons learnt from the Singh Sabha Movement to affect change in the current times?
In this breakout session we will split into groups; each group will:
- Identify a problem area affecting the Sikh society.
- Explain the problem. [Describe the problem, list possible causes of the problem, and the significance/need to address the problem.]
- Suggest a plan of action.
- Identify likely resistance to the proposed plan and what can be done about it.
- Deliver a short presentation to the other groups.
3] Wrap up.
