Perversion of Langauge

Writing by shinda on Sunday, 10 of December , 2006

We’ve all heard about it, the misuse of certain words in Sikhi. Most prominitly the words, Sant, Bhramgianee are brought to the forefront, and a big fuss is made about the misuse of these words causing for the degradation of Sikhi as a whole. Now as much as I disagree with certain points, there is some validity in the points constantly being raised, but I’d take it a bit further then to say that the misuse of certain boli is not limited to just these few titles, in fact it is more far reaching and in general has a more perverse collective effect. Certain terms have become so common place that the words themselves seem to carry much less weight then they used to. A lot of it can be credited to mis-education, with certain words being mis-represented in the media, and the ignorance is spread further with youth who hear the words but never understand what they mean but go about gleefully spitting these lines at the next ignorant ear in the hopes of seeming more chardi kalaa, and the vicious cycle then continues.

Here’s a quick and breif anaylsis of each:

Chardi Kalaa..

These days everyone is Chardi Kalaa. A guy rapes girls, but does awsome kirtan, and he’s described as being Chardi Kalaa. Kids dress in Banaa, are they not so Chardi Kaala. I think the misuse of the term “Chardi Kalaa” is much worse then the misuse of the word Sant, simply because once every other joe who has a dhari, ties a dastaar becomes Chardi Kalaa, then what do you call those people who really are Chardi Kalaa?? Now the Khalsa Panth is always in Chardi Kalaa, but that doesn’t mean that everyone who takes Amrit is. Just because someone has a good voice, they can swing a soti really fast, or they know how to rock a chola, doesn’t entitle them to being Chardi Kalaa. Someone who does there Nitnem once a week doesn’t become Chardi Kalaa. Being Chardi Kalaa means not worrying about being Chardi Kalaa and just being free. It means “being nice with it”, not because you want people to think you’re nice, but just because thats who you are. More then that, its about being on the upside in your daily battles. Not getting angry, not getting jelous, not letting your eye wonder, it means being set and having your head on straight on a consistent basis.

Panj Pyarai

Sad to say, even the institution of Panj Pyarai seems to have been completly exploited. Now I may be defnitlly letting my ego loose, but sometimes I see Punj Pyarai and I can’t help but to think, are you kidding me. A prime example of what I’m talking about, is a common occurence at Gurdwara’s come Nagar Kirtan time,

Commitee: “We need Punj Pyarai!!” Hmm, Quick grab 5 guys.
That Singh gots a nice dhara, “you do your nitnem? Good you’re in” you didn’t do your nitnem? You read Jap Ji Sahib? Thats more then enough.”

Come on now, this aint limbo, we aint trying to see how low we can go.

There is also a Sakhi about Sant Baba Nand Singh Ji, where some political minded folk wanted mahpurkh to get involved in some morcha to help support their cause which itself was guided by ego and not in true service of the Panth. They approched Baba Ji and asked them to come out and show face, but Baba Ji seeing through there political guise declined and told them to bounce. Realizing that Mahpurkh was a true Gursikh, they tried to use Mahpurkhs love of Gursikhi against them and again approched Mahpurkh in the sacred roop of Punj Pyarai. The five Singhs then demanded Mahpurkh support the cause and that in the roop of the punj pyarai they could not be denied. Mahpurkh lovingly gazed at the five Singhs, and said “you call these five, Punj Pyarai?” Akhooo Satnaam Sri Vahegurooo. Khalsa Jee Mahpurkh said, these indidivduals who dont do their nitnem, don’t wake up for amrit velaa, dont keep the Rehit of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, you call these the punj pyarai? Bounce from here.

Now that may not be be exactly how things transpired, but you should catch the drift. There have also been times, when I’ve seen good groups of Singhs approched at random to help serve in the Punj Pyarai, none the less decline after feeling weakness in themselves for not being up to par with what someone in the Punj should be. Often times after you do get a glimpse of the “Punj Pyarai” that were assembled and the results are often heartbreaking. Bibian with earings and there faces done up, Singhs who can barley read Gurmukhi let alone complete the punj baniaa, and sometimes ones left to wonder, damn maybe those Singh’s were better off going in at least since they’re not near as bad as that. But just as that moment of hankaar passes Guru Sahib delivers a hard slap to the face and reminds one, that Singho, Bhai Mati Das was a true Pyara, who when being sawed in half still recited Jap Ji Sahib. Bhai Daya Singh, and Bhai Himmat Singh, were Punj pyarai who gave their heads, when no one else would. Those are punj pyarai…NOT just any joe you see with a long dharaa..

Raagi.

This one had to be mentioned. These days there are tons of Ragi’s just few who know anything about Raag. A Ragi is one who plays Raag. Ideally a Kirtani and a raagi are one and the same, but since Raag isn’t in right now, lets at least leave this term for those who still are gracious enough to learn Raag. I’m not against other styles of Kirtan but come on now, just because a mans from India and does kirtan doesn’t make him a Raagi, let alone a member of a Ragi Jatha.

Bhenji / Veer Ji

All right, I admit I’m getting anal with some of these definitions, but I know I’m not the only one who has ever been bothered by this. How do you call someone bhenji then at the same time try to drop lines and run moves? Do people have no shame? This one Singh I met, felt that the term Bhenji had been so degraded that saying Bhenji to a sister no longer felt the same or carried the same weight, that he turned around and started to just literally address them as sister in english. Sister grab me that, sister do this. Yea its an extreme but can you blame him considering all the sakhis you hear about bhenji’s and veerji’s these days.

Dass

This one deserves its own post, but seeing as how I’m getting tired, I’ll let it go easy. Now I’m not trying to say we shouldn’t be humble, but this word gets more play then Uros Slokar, which just isn’t right. It would seem that this word has a direct correlation with being chardi kalaa, since it always seems that those who use (abuse) it, in turn get the title of also being the most Chardi Kalaa.

All right, I’ve ranted long enough and I’m sure by now you get the point, so I’ll quit while I’m still ahead. Just to clarify I’m not against these titles or words. I’m not saying lets wipe these words from our boli or history, I’m just saying, be real with it. Calm down on the misuse of these terms and lets quit with the everyone is chardi kalaa because they look nice in Banaa, or can fit the word Dass twice in every sentence they say, since that just leads us to go out and find new terms to help elevate or describe those who truly deserve these titles from the rest.

Category: Procrastinating Thoughts, Sikhi

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