Desire to go Abroad
Editorial
While the Canadian, British red passport continues to be clinching item for finalizing marriage of a daughter abroad there is little discussion on what happens when the young brides relocate to a new country. There has been a marked increase in partner violence against newly immigrated young women from India in US, UK and Canada.

The Magnificent Life, Legacy, and Spirit of Pope John Paul II
K.P. Singh
From humble beginnings, Karol Josef Wojtyla of Wadowice, Poland rose to become one of the most influential world leaders in human history. As the 264th pope, John Paul II used his immense moral and spiritual authority, extensive writings, and personal charisma to connect with a billion Catholics, especially the youth, around the world.

Remembering Sikh Soldiers in Italy
By Bhupinder Singh Holland
The Cassino Memorial is situated within Cassino War Cemetery, which lies in the Commune of Cassino, Province of Frosinone, 139 kilometres south-east of Rome. Above it, at a distance of 1 kilometre, is the dominating hill on which stands the Abbey of Monte Cassino.

Conversing With Reverend Tony Zekveld: Biblical God
By Reverend Tony Zekveld
God created us so that we may find our joy and delight in Him. He created us so that we would serve and worship Him. The Bible says that if we don't begin with the Biblical God, neither will we end up with Him. There may be a way that seems right to you, but its end is the way of death. The Biblical God -- He is the true and living God.

The Roots of Sufism
By Rehman Faiz
Mysticism is a fairly frequent phenomenon in the history of both Philosophy and Religion. At one end mystical experience intensifies the central feelings of the peak religious experience, and on the other we can almost regard it as an inevitable stage in the history of every movement of thought that loses contact with the vital impulse which gave it birth.

The Defence, Rethinking and Rejection of Sufism in the Modern World
By Yoginder Sikand
Despite the challenges that Sufism has had to face from the eighteenth century onwards, little has been written on how it has sought to creatively respond to modernity. True, case studies of particular Sufi orders or great Sufi masters in the modern period do exist, but a cross-country study that explores the similarities, as well as differences, in Sufi responses to modernity has been sorely lacking. This book fills that gap in our understanding admirably.

Inclusion of Harmander Sahib Amritsar in Unesco World Heritage List
By Mewa Singh
“The state parties (Central Government) are responsible for implementing effective management activities for a world heritage property. State parties should do so in close collaboration with property managers, the agency with management authority and other partners and stakeholders in property management” (Section 117).

Primary concern
By Mohammad Shehzad
Our education system needs to be totally revamped. Efforts are being made by the government and various NGOs to promote education. The Education Sector Reform Assistance (ESRA) programme is also engaged in promoting education with a $60 million initiative funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in support of the Government of Pakistan's Education Sector Reform (ESR) effort.

Columnist Assassinated as Violence Continues Against Journalists
By Danny Chan
Ms Esperat, a chemist by training, began exposing corruption in the early 1990s while working as an ombudsman with the Department of Agriculture. During her tenure, she sought legal action against several officials whom she accused of graft.

Perfidies of Power: India in the New Millennium
By P. Radhakrishnan
This quote from Thucydides with which B.R. Ambedkar, who exposed the numerous Hindu myths, mysticisms and mumbo-jumbo justifying the injustices of Indian society, and tried to instil in the vast masses of India's “outcasts” a sense of confidence, defiance, dignity, freedom, and hope, began his controversial work, What Congress and Gandhi have done to The Untouchables, is as relevant today as in 1945 when he wrote it.

The Emergence and Development of the Jama‘at-i-Islami of Jammu and Kashmir (1940s-1990)
By Yoginder Sikand
The Jama‘at-i-Islami is, by far, one of the most influential Islamic movements in the world today, particularly strong in the countries of South Asia. Its influence extends far beyond the confines of the Indo-Pakistan sub-continent, and the writings of its chief ideologues have exercised a powerful impact on contemporary Muslim thinking all over the world.

Genocide in Gujarat
The Sangh Parivar, Narendra Modi, and the Government of Gujarat
By Angana Chatterji
The Modi government in Gujarat is responsible for the deaths of thousands of its citizens in instances of organized violence, large-scale displacement of its minority populations, continuing denial of justice and the climate of terror that permeates civil society in Gujarat even today. Narendra Modi must be held accountable for his complicity and instigation of anti-minority violence, and for the injustices and trauma that his actions continue to propagate to this date.

Has the US succeeded in Afghanistan?
By Mohammad Shehzad
Had only the rightwing press criticized the US role in Afghanistan, I would have believed that the propaganda is malicious. Unfortunately some liberal, optimistic, and positive writers (including my friend Ayaz Amir) have not hailed the US for what it has done in that country.

Musical Chronicles Imelda’s Rise to Power
By Danny Chan
Following the success of the documentary film “Imelda”, a new musical is in the works that will bring Imelda Marcos’s life to the stage. The stage musical “Imelda: A New Musical”, scheduled to premiere on May 11, delves into the adventures and pitfalls in the life of the former Philippine first lady.

When Music Caresses Celestial Realms
By K.P. Singh
Individually and together, the elegant and unassuming Maestro and his accomplished sons Amaan and Ayann, and the tabla players Shubhankar and Vineet created timeless and amazing music with their absolute mastery over their instruments.

A Journey to Punjab
By Shammi Aulakh
The last time I went to India, I was a drama student in 1997. Having arrived in the middle of summer the scorching heat was unbearable; it was like a hair drier hitting you on the face constantly. I vowed that if I make it out alive, I would never return back. But that was not to be.

Thiruvalluvar and Guru Nanak: Some Reflections on their Moral Teachings
By M.S. Ahluwalia
Thiruvalluvar extols the virtues of education: the power of knowledge and the baseness of illiteracy. But in all the thirty stanzas devoted to education he does not make any mention of subjects to be taught or books to study. By laying down the criterion "Learn what has to be learnt", Thiruvalluvar embraces all professions and all periods.

You Decide
By Vikramjit Singh
What is interesting is that two political parties that disagree on everything have found common ground on the Nanakshahi calendar. RSS and Congress both are doing their best to undermine the Nanakshahi calendar. RSS’s chief, Sudarshan has commented that Nanakshahi calendar will not be accepted.

A Critical Review of Sachi Sakhi and Parasaraprasna
By Baldev Singh
SGPC’s relationship to Sikhism is the same as that of a land revenue collector with farming. Their sole agenda is to control the golak (moneybox for offerings). Moreover, it has become a tool in the hands of amoral, corrupt and criminal politicians, who use it for their personal benefits. So it is foolhardy to expect any guidance from SGPC as far as research on Sikhism is concerned.

Sikh Coinage: Symbol of Sikh Sovereignty
By Hardev Singh Virk
Most historians have written about Sikh coins without actually examining them, and this negligence is in total violation of the requisite norms of numismatic investigation. The author using his critical analysis has exposed a number of such fallacies.

Sepoy Mutiny of 1857: Punjab and the Sikhs
Harbans Singh Noor
Sikhs were aware that during the two Anglo-Sikh Wars, the ‘Emperor’ of Delhi and one of his leading chiefs, the Nawab of Jhajjar, had given assistance to the British. The same Nawab was Bahadur Shah’s main supporter in the struggle then. During the Anglo-Sikh wars, Lal Singh and Tej Singh Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Sikhs, both Poorbias had treacherously helped the enemy.

Singhni-at-arms
By Pritam Singh Grewal
Singhni-at-arms is a poem that commemorates the sacrifice of 40 Muktas and is observed in the first week of May at Muktsar (Punjab).

Believe It or Not: Interesting Facts on Yoga
By G.B. Singh
About two years ago I was approached by a Caucasian individual from Pacific Palisades in California with solid credentials in teaching yoga and meditation, and he said, “Did you know my Yogiji was once a Sikh?”

Vaisakhi 2005
The above discussion makes it evident that Guru Gobind Singh’s actions on Vaisakhi of 1699 were not an aberration in the movement started by Guru Nanak to meet immediate challenges. Rather they were based on a sound understanding of the teachings of the earlier Gurus as also the practices of other orders.