Living through the pandemic was a tough time. The constant onslaught of news accompanied by isolation norms made it even more difficult. It brought along anxiety, doubt, and despair for almost everyone. It's tough to avoid getting caught in gloom and sadness when it feels that the world is collapsing and everything around us is crumbling slowly. Finding the bright spots, and the optimistic anecdotes that remind us of the good in the world give us reason to hope. During the coronavirus outbreak, Sikh volunteers in New York City made free meals for the elderly and destitute.
Initiatives by Sikhs; an epitome of hope
The Sikh community undertook various initiatives across the world with the intention to serve humanity. In New York City, they packed tens of thousands of meals for those without access to food. Also, the Sikh community set drive-up services in the United Kingdom to offer shelter for those affected in India and deliver groceries to those who need them in Australia.
Despite the fact that Sikhs around the world were celebrating Vaisakhi in 2020, the most important event on their calendar, they stayed focused on delivering food and supplies to those most afflicted by the virus.
Hundreds of Sikh communities around the world risked their lives to aid those affected by COVID-19, and probably the most surprising aspect is that these are all grassroots efforts. There is no formal organizing body requesting Sikhs to serve. This is a principle so firmly ingrained in the Sikh tradition that rising up to serve becomes the natural response in the aftermath of a global pandemic.
The Seva sentiment in Sikhs
A lot has been witnessed and written about the selfless service or Seva that forms a major part of the Sikh tradition. One example can be taken from the life of the eighth Sikh guru, Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji. He was in Delhi when the smallpox epidemic broke out in 1663. Rather than shutting himself down and maintaining distance from those who were affected by it, he chose to serve the infected. The young guru eventually contracted the disease and died. He serves as an exemplar of selfless service, and just as importantly, reminds Sikhs today that we have a responsibility to engage in seva.
Although Guru Harkrishan Ji's illustration provides valuable guidance, it is not the only means by which we might consider serving others around us. Serving others does not require endangering one's physical well-being. We can also pursue alternative options. One can use financial resources and connections and help those in need. During the pandemic, many of us reacted to the crisis by hoarding resources and stockpiling for the future, but the Sikh gurus' lives and examples show how much more impactful it can be to be charitable and provide for others.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Seva initiatives
Seva bhav (the sentiment of serving others) has deep roots in the history of Sikhism. Most Sikhs learn from one of the stories of Guru Nanak Dev Ji when he went to town to buy supplies using money his father gave him. Along the journey, the young Nanak stopped to give money to several poor individuals he encountered. He told his father, "What better investment could one make than to donate to those who need it most?" , His father, Bhai Mehta Kalu Ji, got really upset at Guru Nanak Ji for giving the money away to strangers.
This incident sheds light on one of the foundational Sikh teachings - vand chhakna, which means that we must share whatever we have with others rather than enjoying or limiting it to ourselves.
Sikhs continue to serve those in need
Sikh temples and gurdwaras provide food to everyone in need, without exception. People from all walks of life are invited to attend langar, a free meal with no strings attached, since the earliest days of the faith. This tradition is still practiced in gurdwaras around the world. The devotion of Sikhs to serving their communities throughout the pandemic is exemplified by the fact that they switched from serving food at their temples to providing meals through home delivery and drive-up services.
Sikhism bases its theology on the principle of seva, which is also central to its history. And the mobilizing of this selfless service is a great example of how the community is evolving the way it served others. When faced with adversity, Sikhs always find a way to assist others, as selflessness is ingrained within them. During the harsh times of COVID-19 pandemic, Sikhs continued to serve with selfless devotion providing food, essentials, and shelter to the most vulnerable in society.