<
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20230612-amritsar-the-indian-city-where-no-one-goes-hungry>
'Amritsar, a north Indian city of two million people, is famous for many
things: delectable cuisine, its historical old town and the spectacular Golden
Temple – the most significant shrine of the Sikh religion. Yet, what stands out
everywhere, from the temple to the people in the streets, is a feeling of
generosity that is linked to the very founding of the city.
Amritsar was established in the 16th Century by a Sikh guru and is located in
the region of Punjab where Sikhism originated. The religion is known for its
tradition of
seva – a voluntary service performed for others without any
expectations or reciprocity. Sikhs all over the world do seva in
gurudwaras
(Sikh temples), most often in simple acts like cleaning the floors, serving
meals and maintaining order in the temple. Others perform seva in their private
life through acts of generosity and charity. In April 2021 when Covid
devastated families across India, the Sikh community rose to the challenge of
delivering oxygen cylinders and other medical supplies to those in desperate
need.
"Seva means selfless service, and in Sikhism it is not just an exhortation and
a guide but a daily practice," writes Jasreen Mayal Khanna in her book
Seva:
Sikh Wisdom for Living Well by Doing Good. "Kind has been cool among Sikhs way
before it became a Brooklyn hipster motto."
"The other name for seva is love," said 23-year-old Abhinandan Chaudhary, who
has been doing seva with his family since he was eight. "A common teaching is
that one should be so discreet and selfless, that if you are doing seva from
the left hand, even your right hand should not find out about it."
In an increasingly individualised and capitalistic world, it is a refreshing
way of living.'
Via
Future Crunch:
<
https://futurecrunch.com/good-news-rubella-south-east-asia-huma-rights-estonia-animal-canada/>
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
