Probably one of, if not the best promotional video for any event I’ve come across. Check it out, and if you’re on the West Coast get your tickets, looks like it should be good, especially if they went on to make a video like that.

Also check out the website for more info: http://www.nihaal.com

Even though most of you have your attention and sights set on All Star Weekend, I thought it would be safe to share some info about some other happenings, specifically Amu, a movie that looks at the whole 1984 Riots in Delhi.

I haven’t seen the movie myself, but will probably try and make it sometime to check it out soon, just because it does seem promising. By promising I mean that it does seem to have some potential to educate if not give some insight into just a part of what happened in 1984. I remember few years back there was Hawyian, but that movie no where near lived up to the hype surrounding it, and instead felt more like a SSA/COSS meeting that was aimed at tackling a problem, but instead settled everything by pulling the whole “mis-communication” line.

Hopefully Amu will be different. Hopefully it will take a solid stand and not really sit on the fence as much as I feel Hawyian did. From what I’ve been told by those who have watched it, the movie is worth watching and supporting, so I’ll give it a chance and see what happens.

I’ll probably follow up with a review of it if I do get a chance to check it out, which I do hope is pretty soon. For those interested, below is the official trailer with the synopsis from the site and local show times. The organizers are hoping to get enough people out this weekend to help fuel this movie’s play time at the given theaters since it is limited and the theaters intent on keeping the movie running is motivated almost entirely by ticket sales.

Summary:

Amu is the journey of Kajori Roy, a 21-year-old Indian American woman who has lived in the US since the age of 3. After graduating from UCLA Kaju goes to India to visit her relatives. There she meets Kabir, a college student from an upper class family who is disdainful of Kaju’s wide-eyed wonder at discovering the “real India”. Undeterred Kaju visits the slums, crowded markets and roadside cafes of Delhi. In one slum she is struck by an odd feeling of déjà vu. Soon after she starts having nightmares. Kabir gets drawn into the mystery of why this is happening particularly when he discovers that she is adopted.

Meanwhile Kaju’s adoptive mother – Keya Roy, a single parent and civil rights activist in LA, arrives unannounced in Delhi. She is shocked to discover that Kaju has been visiting the slums. Although Kaju mistakes her mother’s response to a typical Indian over protectiveness – Keya’s fears are deeper rooted.

Slowly Kaju starts piecing together what happened to her birth parents and mother and daughter clash as Kaju discovers she has been lied to her whole life. What was the truth? Why was it suppressed? As Kaju and Kabir undertake this quest they both discover their families involvement with a man made tragedy of immense proportions which took place twenty years ago in the capital city of India: the massacre of thousands of people of the Sikh faith. In a searing climax the young people are forced to confront the reality of the past and how it affects the present.

Official Website: http://www.amuthefilm.com 

Local Showtimes (as found on the website):

TORONTO

Opening: Feb 16:
Cineplex Carlton
20 Carlton St. (at Yonge St.), Toronto
(416) 598-2309
Show Times: Mon – Fri: 4 30, 7, 9.30
                   Sat Sun: 1.30, 4.30, 7, 9.30

AMC Kennedy Commons
33 William Kitchen Rd.
Scarborough
(416) 335 5323
Show Times: Mon – Thurs: 4.30, 7, 9.45
                   Fri: 2, 4.30, 7, 9.45
                   Sat. Sun: 11.30, 2, 4.30, 7, 9.45

Empire Square One
100 City Center Drive
Missisauga
(905) 275 2640
Show Times: 1, 4, 7, 9.40

Empire Empress Walk
5095 Yonge St. (Empress Ave.)
North York
(416) 223-9550
Show Times: Fri – Sun: 1, 4, 7, 10
                   Mon – Thurs: 4, 7, 10

Hindi print: without subtitles
Rainbow Woodbine
Woodbine Center Mall
500 Rexdale Blvd. (at Hwy 27)
Etobicoke
(416) 213 9048
Show Times: 12.45, 2.50, 4.50, 7, 9.10

MONTREAL
Opening: Feb 23

AMC Forum 22
2313 St. Catherine West
Montreal
(514) 904 1250

VANCOUVER

Opening: Feb 23

Empire Granville 7
855 Granville St.
Vancouver
(604) 684 4000

Cineplex Strawberry Hill Grande
12161 72nd Ave
Surrey, BC
(604) 501 9400

For more on Sant Baba Takhur Singh make sure to visit: IkOnkaar.blogspot.com

Last week there was a meeting held by the Government of Canada, at Pearson convention center to get the community’s input on what they wanted to see from the Government in an effort make amends for the Komagata Maru incident of 1914.

Incidentally enough the community came out in all its diverseness to put forth its views for the respected camps they represented. Having found and read the following posts [1, 2, 3, 4] on the whole thing I only felt it fare to toss my 10 cents into the mix and share some notable suggestions from the day, or at least those few that I can still remember.  (Note:- None of these are direct quotes, rather me paraphrasing to the best of my memory. Notably some names have been replaced, due to lack of memory of who actually said what, also other names have been replaced with groups who I felt pretty much said the same thing.)

Don’t insult the Sikhs, by referring to the incident as an Indo-Canadian tragedy. Majority of those involved in the tragedy were themselves Sikhs and seeing as how the Government and constitution of India [article. 25], fails to recognize and continues to deny Sikhs their rights, don’t ad insult to injury by lumping Sikhs and Indians together in the same boat.
- Pardeep Singh Nagra

Prime Minister, Stephen Harper is God incarnate. May all praise be upon Mr. Harper for doing what is not only morally right but for taking a firm stand for the protection of human rights. May God shower Stephen Harper with a long and prosperous life, and may the Conservative party continue to lead Canadians on the moral and just path. 
- Sam Hundal

If the government is truly sorry for the incidents of the Komagata Maru, and is serious about making amends, then it needs to also reflect and focus upon the policies that led up to the event just as much as it does on the actual event itself. We are seeing similar preferential, racial treatment today being reflected not only in Canada’s immigration laws and policies, but also in the judicial, and government offices appointments that mirror the racial and prejudicial policies and attitudes that existed in 1914. Apologize for yesterdays mistakes by not continually repeating those same mistakes today. 
- Sikhs For Social Justice and few other Sikh youth speakers, including COSS.

Focus on grass roots education in history classes, by giving the incident more then just an aside note in history books and making the Komagata Maru incident an essential part in the study of Canadian History. Reflect upon the Sikhs contribution to Canadian society and help to uncover the history, role and acknowledgement of the Sikhs throughout Canada’s formation. (I.e Details in regards to Sir John A McDonald’s recognition of the Sikh martial tradition.)
- Sandeep Singh Brar [Sikhs.org], COSS, and many others

Stop discriminating against us now. Give our elders old age pension.
- Various Sikh elders.

Other suggestions that were reflected by many included such things as:

• A formal and written apology by the Government, in the house of commons
• Memorial erected at Stanley Park to commemerate and educate about the tragedy.
• Create a heritage commercial, on the incident.  [Click a segments on the right to play]
• Make parliamentarians watch the documentary, (A Continuous Journey), on the Komagata Maru in the House of Commons
• Play the documentary of the Komagata Maru on CBC (National Television)
• Make an effort to honour the families of those aboard the Komagata Maru, and offer the kin of those rejected a chance to settle and immigrate to  Canada.

There were other points also discussed but the above was most of what stood out to me and that I was able to take back. There were various other speakers who also spoke, but I feel the above sums up the majority of what was spoken. Now that the ball is back in the Governments hands, lets see what they do, considering they want to get this done before April so that it doesn’t end up getting swallowed and forgotten about in another election.

I know that the SWFF has long passed, but I just (for the first time) saw the commercial for the event today, and recognized some familiar faces.

I was recently asked to comment/write about the victory of the youth slate as they won the Gurdwara elections for New Westminister Gurdwara, incidently enough I wanted to mention it before but being tight on time, never did get around to it.

Firstly, congratulations to those who won, and those who supported the cause. I don’t know much about the people involved, let alone the situation, but overall it seems like a positive change. At the same time the concept of a youth slate got me thinking more about things in Toronto and how a youth slate would apply here.

From my experience there hasn’t been any real conviction by the youth to get involved in the local Gurdwara politics, at the same time though I havn’t seen much need for it either. Most Gurdwara Sahibs, be it Malton, Dixie, Mississauga, Rexdale or Jot Parkash at one time or another do what they can to support the youth. That’s not to say there hasn’t been frustration at time over the amount of support given, or in what manour, let alone the politics played with who gets support versues who doesnt, but for the most part things seem ok. At the same time most Gurdwara Sahibs in one form or another have/encourage youth involvement, by having youth representatives work with them be it in the form of a commitee membership or simply as liasons.

Be that as it may, I’m still left to wonder what a youth slate in Toronto would look like, who would be a part of it, and how much support it would get, not only from the youth but in general sangat. For example take Dixie, the biggest Guru ghar in North America, and known for its elections. In Toronto right now there are 3,4 major parties that are involved on a political level in some shape or form running to run the big show. At the same time most youth in Toronto are in some way shape or form linked knowingly or unknowingly in some way to the above parties. In most cases its by family association while for others its a particular party that supported or continues to support them in one way or another even if it is just in the means of providing a venue.

Now with that as it is, several questions also come to mind in regards to any said youth slate. Would the youth really rally behind a youth slate at any of the major gurdwara’s? Would a youth slate be able to exist free of elders from one of the major parties not trying to pull the strings? and last but not least, would the youth be inept in understanding the larger demographic nature of the Gurdwara Sahibs, and compete with the elder generation on the same level.

Who knows, but there’s my post for the week..

Yes folks, it’s that time of year again. Yudh is back once more and this year it promises to be a bigger event then the ones before it. Simple reason being more competitors from more places = bigger tournament. This year there’s competitors coming from all over Canada, and the States and even India. I think a big thing is the under 16 competition which made entering possible for those who normally wouldn’t be able to. 

For those who’ve never heard of Yudh before, its the annual North American Gatka competition that takes place in Toronto every year. Fighters compete against each other in a round robin style tourney. Every year Yudh has gotten a little bigger and a lot better so hopefully this year will not be any different.

For more info check out http://www.yudh.net.