Turban not allowed in a Delhi school

Ik Ong Kar SatgurPrasaad!!

WaheguroojikaKhalsa WaheguroojikiFateh!!!

This is a very delicate matter that needs to be discussed with the esteemed Singhs and Sighnees of Shri Guroo Gobind Singh ji.
Dass originally hails from a family which had not experienced the magic of Sikhi until March 2009. Dass studies in a Christian missionary school called St. Francis De Sales School in Janakpuri suburb of western New Delhi. It was almost a wonder for dass' Christian friends to see Siri Sahib that they called 'chaku' and were corrected that it was kirpan.
No sooner with a spiritual meeting with a sibling of dass' distant aunt, a prominent jatha kirtaneya in Delhi, did dass made up his mind to adopt the panjva kakkar, keski.
But things were not easy. The first day I came to the school in a little dumalla, I was being called by the principal, himself a monk. We address him Reverend Father.
He objected on my wearing. On telling him that its a religious symbol and an indispensible part of my religion.
He replied that his allowance of turban in school would make other Sikhs too to wear it.
He asked for my parents to meet him.
Upon telling this incidence to my parents, they asked me to continue wearing 'patka'. I beca,e very sad and remained home for a week.
Middle that week, one of my father friends who is a rehitvaan Singh who is a perfect sarbloh bibeki listened to mee and he replied "Its OK to wear patka. Just for 1 more year and your school life ends"...He said, "doing kiat is also important. If you want to learn something you have to sacrifice something" The best alternative, he said, is either to sacrifice soemthing or to leave school.
Eight months have passed and I go to school in the roop I really dislike.
Dass yearns for point of information!

Dass
Harleen Singh

It is very sad to see that one religious minority (Christianity) discriminating against another one (Sikhi). If the nuns in this Catholic school can wear their religious garb, why can't a Sikh wear his Dastaar?

Having said that, the Rehitvaan Gursikh that you mentioned has given you very wrong advice by suggesting that you should remove your Kakaar – Keski – for the sake of worldly education.

If this school principal had been challenged through legal means, he would have lost the case but since you did not have your parent's support, this path would have been hard. You had the choice to fight this discrimination or leave the school and study in another school but giving up Keski was not an option.

Kulbir Singh

you have to make a choice whose student you want to be. " Reverend Father" or Sri Damesh Pita JI.
Becoming student of Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Gobind SIngh Ji has never been easy. Why dont you just go to a Sikh
school like Baru Sahib instead. They make Dastar mandatory .

Ik Ong Kar SatgurPrasaad!!


WaheguroojikaKhalsa WaheguroojikiFateh!!!

Quote
Kulbir Singh
It is very sad to see that one religious minority (Christianity) discriminating against another one (Sikhi). If the nuns in this Catholic school can wear their religious garb, why can't a Sikh wear his Dastaar?

Allowing turbans for Sikhs in their staunch Catholic School would restrict their phase of "spreading of Christian word".

Quote
Kulbir Singh
If this school principal had been challenged through legal means, he would have lost the case but since you did not have your parent's support, this path would have been hard.

Frankly speaking, I wanted to fix my stout principal by legal means. My parents said that you could do it after your school life ends. At one point of time they were filled with little anger said, "Beta, Its India!! They do all means to make Sikhs feel worse." And then they cooled down and waheguroo my father said, "Jo tudh bhave Nanaka!!!"

Quote
Kulbir Singh
You had the choice to fight this discrimination or leave the school and study in another school but giving up Keski was not an option.

The thing I tell you ji is that under the new educational system CCE introduced by the Government of India one needs to do 9th and 10th grade in same school and can change school only in the next grade.
Similarily 11th and 12th grade is in only one school. Therefore I'm stuck as I cannot leave my school. If I leave, I can't help myself from the 'family web' and I'm badly sick.

Quote
Kulbir Singh
but giving up Keski was not an option.

Waheguroo, I've not left keski. Its away from me only during the school hours Monday to Friday. After I'm adorned with Guruji's blessed dumalla. Go to coaching in that saroop or teacher's or friend's house in the same way and they get stunned and get to know facts about Sikhi. With the sangat of Gursikhs from the forum and Guru Saheeb's kirpa, dass has maintained the rehat of bunga such that keski remains with kes even during night. But yeah guilt remains there, that I'm not able to adorn it in school
But have hope, Guru Saab would help!!!!

Also a secret, after my case, Guru saab did kirpa on two fellow sikhs from my class that they took Amrit from Delhi Samagam and dared to even keski once but they met the same fate.
But yeah the culmination of stuggles is a total revolution and rebillion and I'm sure I'll do it soon, and with Gurusaab's apaar kirpa each Sikh that in future would come in St Francis would wear keski.

Dass
Harleen Singh

Harleen Singh Ji,

Considering one of their policies on the school site states 'To uphold justice, liberty and fraternity despite all social economic and cultural differences prevailing in society', I'm surprised they are taking this stance despite their Christian beliefs. By you wearing a dastar, it does not impact the school in anyway shape or form. At the end of the day, how many Christians wear a Patka, they still allow you to wear this?

It might be worth contacting United Sikhs to see if they can apply pressure to the school so that they change their minds.

Let's all right letters to the "Reverend Father". If he sees that he's getting negative response from around the world, it may convince him to change his mind and understand that he's giving his school a bad reputation. As long as it doesn't make the Singh's life harder.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

New Delhi

Address: P.O.Box 4923, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi 110029, India
Tel: +91 956 064 5010
Email: unitedsikhs-india@unitedsikhs.org

Please send them an e-mail and call them and see if they can do something. If possible, request to get contact information for Mejinderpal Kaur to speak to directly. Keep us posted.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

Forgot to add:

Panjab

Address: 141, Gali No. 6, Sant Avenue, GT Road, Amritsar 143001, Panjab, India
Email: unitedsikhs-india@unitedsikhs.org
Tel: +91 (0) 977 995 7973

See if Mejinderpal Kaur can be reached at the above number.

Ik Ong Kar SatgurPrasaad!!

WaheguroojikaKhalsa WaheguroojikiFateh!!!

Pyare Bhai Ujaan Singh jio and Bhai Gursimran Singh jio,

Thank You for your wonderful advice and directions.
With the grace of Guroo Sahib, Dass has developed a little courage and after consulting from all the esteem Singhs and Sighnees in this forum, dass has decided to talk personally to 'Reverend Father' once more. Dass would make sure he listens to him and understand the indispensability of turban in Sikhi.
If he doesn't then I have decided to threaten him a bit... It would be fun!!! I'd ask him that 'telling a Sikh not to wear turban in this country is against the Fundamental rights mentioned in the Constitution of India. Any person guilty could be jailed.'
Things help. And I'm sure any principal wouldn't like his/her school's reputation as the number one in western Delhi to go down or he won't like to be highlighted negatively in media. And I'm sure He would do it!!!!!!

Thanks a lot,
Bhai Sahib Bhai Kulbir Singh ji: for making me realise that I'm short of one kakkar
Bhai Sukhdeep Singh ji: for making me realise I'm Sikh of Guru Gobind Singh jio
Bhai Unjaan Singh ji: for your superb mentioning of liberty and freedom rights that I'd forgotten I possess and I can make use of it!
Bhai Gursimran Singh jio: for your wonderful advice of writing letters and contacting United Sikhs.

I'm ready for the jung and its primarily with the kirpa of Guroo Saab and Gursikhs on this forum!!!

Thanks once again!
May Waheguroo bless you all!
WaheguroojikaKHALSA WaheguroojikiFATEH!!!!