The Young Sikh Association (YSA) is partnering with the Singapore Khalsa Association (SKA) this year for the annual Vesakhi Mela 2021. As part of the festivities, they are organising community screenings of the documentary film 'The Sikh Road'.
'The Sikh Road' was produced by the National University of Singapore Geography Department in collaboration with YSA intended as an educational resource for students reading the module GES1003: Changing Landscapes of Singapore.
'The Sikh Road' is scheduled to be screened from 3:00 pm to 7:30 pm tomorrow and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm on Sunday at the Civil Service Club, 60 Tessensohn Road, Singapore.
The film highlights the culture and rituals of the Sikh community, including a visit to a Gurdwara, as students reading the module were not able to physically do so to fulfill the course requirements due to the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.
Additionally, it also captures the accounts and experiences of members of the Sikh community in Singapore, including leaders in the community who serve in various Sikh institutions. The 30-minute film can be divided into three parts.
'Home Away from Home' traces the early history of the Sikhs in Singapore and includes the perspectives of an academic and a pioneer Sikh who touch upon the initial significant waves of migration of Sikhs from Punjab, India to various places in Malaya including Singapore. We also hear from a female Sikh pioneer who shares her experiences of settling in Singapore and making it a home away from home.
'Building Community, Nation Building' focuses on how the Sikh community organised resources and formalised institutions to cater to the needs of the community and Singaporeans in general. Some of these institutions include the Sikh Welfare Council (SIWEC) which is an Institution of Public Character and caters to the needs of broader society and not just the Sikh Community. This segment also includes a discussion on the importance of other critical institutions such as the Singapore Sikh Education Foundation (SSEF).
The final segment, 'Overcoming Challenges, Discovering Opportunities' delves into some of the present day realities and experiences of individuals in the Sikh community. It shows how the community has developed, evolved and continues to engage in meaningful ways with Singaporean society.
In related news, the Sikh community is also organising an island-wide Langgar distribution to various organisations that support the needs of various groups on May 15. The Sikh Welfare Council (SIWEC) is coordinating this effort and the Langgar will be prepared for organisations such as children's and elderly homes and other welfare organisations.