HEALTH & WELLBEING Within the Armed Forces SIKH MINISTRY
All commissioned padres within the Armed Forces are Christian. The Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu and Muslim personnel of the Armed Forces are served by civilian chaplains to the military. Here Mandeep Kaur, Sikh Chaplain for the Armed Forces, speaks of her role.
P
eople do wonder when they see me in the role of Chaplain. Couple of reasons, “Oh!” They say, “You are female AND a
Sikh”. It makes me smile from within.
Most of my Chaplain colleagues are males – I am a female and the first Chaplain for the Sikhs as well. I feel very proud to serve those who serve the country. Sikhs have been serving and continue to serve the country very proudly by being members of the British Armed Forces. Even if we look back, in the two world wars 83,005 Sikh soldiers gave their lives.
Let us explore from where Sikhs got this courage. Sikhism stresses the importance of peace and non-violence. The faith teaches us to be the humblest and the symbolic response to personal affront is to ‘kiss the feet of those who would do us harm’.
However, Sikhs are required to stand up against injustice, for the safety and rights of others, particularly for those who cannot protect themselves, and, if all other means fail, it is completely justified to use force. The turban and other articles of faith of Sikh identity play their role. Behind all this the quality of a Saint Soldier works. Where you see a Sikh in meditation, the same saintly soul is blessed with the ability to fight in the thickness of the battlefields for the just cause.
Sikhs believe that there is only one God and the aim of a Sikh is union with the God and hence the importance of individual actions plays a key role. The faith emphasises living a good life in order to be closer to the God. The belief is that one can unite with the God without any intermediary or religious rituals. Liberation could be attained by following the teachings of ten Gurus given to us in the form of scriptures and compiled in our current Guru, Guru Granth Sahib.
These teachings show us how to live our daily lives and hence help us all to be good human
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beings. This philosophy is not restricted to Sikhs alone, instead anyone can use it to give them self help. The three basic principles that all Sikhs should follow are:
Naam Japna (Prayers/meditation): Regularly reflecting on the qualities of beautiful God and the wonders of His creation to give us meaning, direction and perspective on everyday living.
Kirat Karna (Honest Work): Earning an honest and hardworking existence. This is to ensure that we do not exploit or harm the wellbeing of others.
Vand Chhakna (Sharing): Sikhs regard it as their duty to look after the sick and poor. Sikhs share their earnings as well as their time with those who are in need.
And it is because of the teachings of the Gurus that Sikhs respect all other beliefs in a way that goes beyond acceptance or tolerance. Guru Teg Bahadur ji, the ninth Guru, taught us how to defend the rights of others religion by giving his own life.
These are a few examples of history and the principles from where Sikhs get their disciplined life and courage to do good even at difficult times. Sikhs serving in the Armed
Forces gather together to remember and reflect on the precious message of Gurus and rejuvenate themselves to excel in courage, selfless service, integrity, discipline and loyalty.
We have an annual tri-Service gathering where all Sikhs serving in the three Forces come together and develop their personalities along with nurturing souls. Over the course of three days, Sikh scholars present to the delegates bringing them closer to their beliefs and values. There is a sense of mutual respect, thankfulness and belonging towards each other. It works as a great source of networking for the uniformed Sikh community. At the last gathering Air Chief Marshal Sir Simon Bryant gave the opening remarks and welcomed everyone, stressing the importance of these events.
Capt Singh said, “Twenty years ago there was nothing like this available where we can all share our beliefs, values and any existing issues. I am so very grateful for this, I feel proud and inspired to do even better in my life and my job”.
When I see the smile on the faces of those who are prepared to sacrifice their life for this country, I feel fulfilled by bringing them back in touch with their Sikh roots. I believe this will help them become even better sailors, soldiers and airmen and they can deliver the core values of military life as second nature.
Envoy Spring 2012 31
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