Indian Samurai इंडियन सामुराई

Some fun in the ‘Back room’ of Immigration at Chicago airport – where only privileged people (like me) suspected of coming to stay illegally are asked to visit.

I was sitting there, waiting for my turn (or for officers to wake up as I was apparently the first one at 6 AM), when a couple of elderly Indians came in.

An officer followed, very jovial, which is very much unusual in the ‘back room’. Apparently, there was something funny going on:

• Officer: Hey, I wanna know, I’m just curious, but what did you do to be arrested for nuisance?
• Indian oldy: Reneumeuleu (inaudible mumbling, language indistinct)
• Officer: No, no, I just want to know, don’t stress!
• Indian oldy: Reneumeuleu (inaudible mumbling, language indistinct)
• Officer (losing the smile): Okay, listen, you have been in the US for 4 years and you don’t speak English?? No?? Police? Arrested? POLIIIIIICE???
• Indian oldy: Reneumeuleu (inaudible mumbling, language indistinct)
• Officer: Oh, so you just dumped waste?
• Indian oldy: Reneumeuleu (inaudible mumbling, language indistinct)

Me: Hahaha, here you go my dear fellow Indians! Maybe India should also fine people for littering?? It could even be more profitable than increasing income tax! (Ok but then there should be proper management of waste collection and disposition, and they are not there yet…)

(Which is all a bit of hypocrite from me, since I got scolded very bad by my favorite Indian for throwing orange peel through the window in Ireland, completely backed up by my mother.)

We (I) can say whatever we (I) want, complain about infrastructures, traffic and all, if there is one thing that has drastically changed in India in the last few years it's the air transportation...

When I see Delhi new airport (2011) and that I remember when I landed 7 years ago, waiting in the stairs for one hour for the passport check, the sordid exit door, at night, with hundreds of Indian guys pushing each other, I wonder whether I am still in the same country...

Bangalore airport (before)

Bangalore airport (after)

Delhi airport (after) 

For years, you wouldn't leave the counter where you get your boarding-pass without asking how much (and not if) delayed your flight was; and waiting for one or two hours was almost the norm. And now, any timing change or delay will be communicated by SMS or phone call (hence it is useful to have a local SIM card when traveling in India). There are still some troubles here and then (especially when you travel in winter to Delhi and everything is messed up because of the fog), but it is mostly to remind us of how it was before...

And here comes Mumbai with a new international terminal, along with the biggest public art gallery in India. I can't wait to see it!

 Sites dedicated to Sikhism explain that hair is a gift from God and therefore you don’t alter it (1). Moreover hair is beautiful (as any gift from God) then the longer the more beautiful. 

That said, I am more and more convinced that any tradition or belief has a practical origin. As a matter of fact, if the Sikh religion appeared in 1469, emerging from the dominant religions (Hinduism and Islam), it is only in 1699 that cutting hair was forbidden (2). Now it so happens that at that time Sikhs were cornered: they had to give up non-violence (a founding principle of this religion) and take up arms against the Muslims who persecuted them (just as they were forcing Hindus to convert). As the Muslims wore beards – also certainly for practical reasons: “Act against the polytheists,” said Muhammad. “Carefully size your moustache and let yourself grow a beard.”(3) – and Hindus were moustachioed. To differentiate themselves (on the battle ground and otherwise) they had only two options left: leave it all or cut it all (but then it’s a lot of maintenance)... 

 

And why the turban?  

 

Long hair may be beautiful but it is not practical. Especially you are fighting and everything. Therefore, “the turban is in all respects a very convenient headgear; it is even more advantageous during war that our hats, because what they fall less easily, and can more easily prepare a blow of cutting edge”. (4) In addition it protects hair from the dust. And women can manage however they want (without a turban)... 

 

But you must know that all turbaned men in India are not necessarily Sikh.

 

For example, the Rajasthani (top right) people, originally farmers and shepherds living in a mostly desert region, protect their head with a turban. Which varies in shape, size (even if it is usually 8-9 meter long (5)), material, colour and designs according to the wealth, caste and region of the wearer or the occasion. 

Men wear turbans during weddings (top left).

And many janitors in big hotels or restaurants servers wear a turban (bottom left). In my opinion this practice dates from the colonial time when the Britishers must have found it classy to dress up their servants like that...  

Morality, the turban does not (only) make the Sikh! 

 

Subsidiary questions: How do Sikhs manage at the swimming pool with their turbans? How can Sikhs wear a helmet when on a bike? How do Sikhs pass airport security with their kirpan (dagger (2))? 

 

At the pool, they take off their turbans but keep the piece of cloth that covers their hair and makes them look like Smurfs and they avoid putting their head under water. Same thing when they play any sport. 

The regulation regarding helmet-wearing in India is a bit complicated, since it varies from one State to another. In Delhi for example, it is not compulsory for women to wear a helmet! And in Punjab and Haryana where there is a majority of Sikhs, wearing a helmet is simply optional. As a rule, Sikhs are not forced to wear helmets (which are too small to accommodate the turban!). 

The Constitution of 1971 permits Sikhs to carry the kirpan in India. As for air-traveling, the kirpan is only allowed in a check-in luggage!  

 

And why do all Sikhs bear the name Singh (men) and Kaur (women)? 

 

Sikhism is an egalitarian religion, condemning discrimination based on gender or caste. Since in India, family names refer to caste, religion, region of origin, profession (yes all this! and it's hyper-complicated!), Sikhs use their ‘middle name’ as a surname. ‘Lion’ for men (Singh) and ‘Princess’ for women (Kaur).  

 

But beware, the name Singh does not (only) make the Sikh. 

There are people by the name Singh that are not Sikh. How to make things simple when they can be complicated? J 

 

(1)   http://www.realsikhism.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1248365083&ucat=7 

(2) Guru Gobind Singh (last of the 10 gurus who have developed the Sikh doctrine) has imposed the 5 kakas (5 K): hair and beard never cut (kesh) and retained by a comb (Adriana) symbolizing neatness, a metal bracelet (kara), military breeches (kachha) and a dagger (kirpan). Source:   http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/fr/sikhisme;  http://www.lemondedesreligions.fr/archives/2006/03/01/XVe-siecle-gourou-Nanak, 7928403.php  

(3)   http://www.slate.fr/lien/67915/barbe-moustache-monde-arabe 

(4)   http://alembert.fr/index.php?option=com_content & id = 640409723 

(5)   http://www.indianetzone.com/42/turbans.htm 

Other sources: http://forums.Bharat-rakshak.com/viewtopic.php?p=600509 ;  http://www.fashion.arts.AC.UK/media/research/documents/toolika-Gupta-effect-of-British-Raj-on-Indian-costume.PDF