On the first day I wore a pagh to school, I was nervous, my hands trembled and I felt hot thinking of my day at school. As I walked to school I thought about the kurbaanian (sacrifices) of the Gurus and of the Sikhs, this helped to comfort me. I decided that if I was sworn at or if someone hit me or spat at me then it is okay. I would still hold me head high, irrespective of what anything thought or did.
I don’t know why, but that day I thought that if someone swears at me, let them. If someone laughs at me, let them. If someone wants to be racist let them. In my mind, I knew Waheguru is with me and that the Lord was watching me. In my mind I knew that the people who would say anything to me would one day be confronted with the consequences and reap the rewards of their actions. That day I stuck by that. Gradually I realised that some people do not understand through friendship or love, and that instead they will not stop harassing you or learn anything until you fight back like a tiger. Thinking through all of this I was walking on the main road, which would lead on to road leading to school. I said a jaikaara, ‘Bole So Nihaal – Sat Sri AKAAL’, to boost my strength and confidence.
Well as I got near Springfield Avenue, the road leading to my school, my hands started to shake slightly and my stomach churned. Holding my head high, I walked towards school. Everyone STARED at me even people in the buses were looking out of the window. As I walked past the shops EVERYONE LOOKED at me, not knowing whether to gossip about me or laugh at me. I didn’t know how to approach people.
I had told my friends about my wanting to become a Sardaar. So I was glad to see my friend near the school building. I ran towards him to catch up with him. He smiled and said to me, ‘Nice one Manvir’. EVERYONE STARED GOB SMACKED!
I felt nervous and not knowing what to do. I walked down the corridor and the Pakistani boys said, ‘ KIDDAA, Singh Saab, Sat Siree Akaal’. I felt good and comforted by their positive response.
For one whole week everyone STARED INTENSIVELY AT ME as I entered the classroom, and talked about me behind my back, as if I was diseased or something. However I held my head high knowing that I was a SIKH! NOW I DIDNT NEED TO TELL PEOPLE THAT I WAS SIKH, NOW PEOPLE KNEW THAT I WAS A SIKH!
I was laughed at by some people and mocked by others who thought the pagh was a joke. However I challenged them. I asked them what their problem was, I swore back at them; I got into physical confrontations and punch-ups. I DIDN’T FEAR ANYONE AND KEPT MY HEAD HELD HIGH.
I GOT IN A PUNCH UP. I was in my science class. Everyone was throwing pieces of clay and stones. I was in my final year of GCSEs and I wanted to get on with my coursework. I was doing my work while a large group of gore boys were throwing stuff. On one occasion it hit my ‘dastaar’ (turban) and I felt annoyed, but I let it pass. Then the same boy threw something, which again hit my ‘dastaar’. Then I got really angry. I picked up my stool and went over to the kid and I was going to throw my stool at him. He ran around the class, dodging me. I sat down frustrated by the situation. The gore obviously knew that I was sensitive towards my pagh, which was part of my religion. Then it happened again, and again; clay being thrown at my pagh in the cross fire in between two groups of boys messing around. One of the people who threw something at my pagh pushed into me. It wasn’t a normal “sorry mate” I got pushed into you. It was a push, showing how much ‘akar’, ego, the boy had. The boy was actually strong and a bit of a psycho. I pushed him back. Who did he think he was? Throwing clay and bits and bobs at my pagh and then pushing me like if he was in the right! How dare he push a singh and think he could bully me. I pushed him away. He then pushed me back. I then hit him with my right hand, in his face. He hit me twice and I hit him twice. He hit me again and then I hit him. Tables where pushed to the sides, and stools fell to the ground. The class cheered, “FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT”. I had the last punch. I felt fine. For some strange reason I had not felt any pain but the boy who was stronger than me had his forehead bleeding and he was sent outside the class for receiving first aid. The boy and I were sent out of science class and were given detention and a verbal warning. We eventually stopped the hard feelings amongst us, however I still could sense tension when boy (which I fought with) heard other people say to me, ‘WELL DONE MANVIR’ (referring to the fight).
Appreciate this post. Will try it out.