ਅਨੰਦਗੜ੍ਹ (Anandgarh) started last year as a summer trip for first and second generation Sikhs to ਪੰਜਾਬ (Punjab). Its aim is to connect those of us living outside our homeland of Punjab on a deeper level, understand the past and present conditions on the ground which would allow us to see how we can ultimately make our individual and collective contributions to ensure a thriving future for Punjab. The aim of this piece is to put words to my thoughts and reflections from this trip.

Honestly, I went into this trip in late July with the typical mindset of a Punjabi tourist going back after almost 10 years from the last visit hoping to see some sights, eat some great food and visit some historical sites. What I experienced during the two weeks of the ਅਨੰਦਗੜ੍ਹ trip was a complete immersion in Punjab’s past and current situation, its spirit, its people, their ਚੜ੍ਹਦੀ ਕਲਾ (eternal resilience, everlasting hope in the Guru’s hukam, a rising joyfulness amongst other things) and its unbreakable bonds to ਸਿੱਖੀ (Sikhi) and ਸੰਘਰਸ਼ (Struggle).

This trip and program included multiple meetings and seminars with scholars, activists, humanitarians, educators, Panthic Sevadaars, archivers, analysts, and authors amongst many others who completely shifted my perspective about what Punjab means. I came away from these conversations with an eternal sense of ਚੜ੍ਹਦੀ ਕਲਾ about what it means to be a Sikh in today’s world and what our responsibility is to the Panth going forward.

What i took away from this is that our responsibilities are to give what is in our capacity to the Panth. But that doesn't mean you only do the bare minimum. You connect to the community and Sikhi through Gurbani, Seva, learning history to increase your capacity and use your skillset to give as much to the Panth as possible. For some of us, that is going to be limited to working in the Diaspora and in our local communities, but for others who have access to Punjab and a community there, we absolutely must connect with them, whether in our Pinds or our Rishtedaars, to make sure they understand what is lost when we are displaced from Punjab. What each person will give to Punjab will differ, but the spirit of that giving must be absolute and with full Chardi Kala.

These seminars and conversations were spread out over two weeks which allowed us time in between as a group to visit important places that are central to Punjab’s past, present and future.


We visited the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha in Mohali, a protest for the release of Sikh prisoners who are still incarcerated in spite of having fully served their sentences.

Seeing the bazurghs and youth camped out there regardless of the conditions around them was an humbling experience and uplifting because of their faith and devotion to our Panth. 

We spent extended time at Anandpur Sahib and the surrounding Gurdwaras.


We visited Chamkaur Sahib and Fatehgarh Sahib and learned about the ਇਤਿਹਾਸ (history) that made them places people from all over the world come visit.


We spent multiple days and nights in Amritsar immersing ourselves in ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ (Gurbani) and ਗਲੀਆਂ (streets) of Amritsar.

One could spend years in this place and learn something new everyday about the battles fought, blood spilled, sacrifices made by Shaheeds, the importance of sangat and the power of ਅਭਿਆਸ (practice) and ਭਗਤੀ (devotion, meditation and worship). It was amazing learning about the architecture, the different places where the 1984 Battle took place by visiting those spots and learning about them through a behind the scenes look. We learned about shastars of Guru Hargobind Sahib Sahib Ji, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Baba Deep Singh Ji amongst others. I learned about myself while sitting in the parkarma reading Gurbani in the middle of the night. We learned about the Sangarshi Jujharoos from the Amritsar area and their backgrounds and how they were organizing locally and at universities around the Amritsar area. We learned about the spot where Guru Ramdas Ji supervised the digging of the Sarovar. Also, learning about the different sevas that take place each day and night at Darbar Sahib that we can take part in, such as the cleaning in the middle of the night of Darbar Sahib before they start Kirtan and the arrival of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji was a blessing that will last beyond this lifetime.
We visited the Panjab Digital Library and saw the amazing archiving work they are doing.


We spoke with journalists who are telling authentic stories and giving voice to Punjab through new media. 

We visited multiple universities and colleges in Chandigarh, Patiala, Amritsar and Khadur Sahib and spoke with the ਨੌਜਵਾਨ (youth) there who are essential to what Punjab will be in the coming years.



We shared our perspectives with each other. We learned firsthand the pressures they are dealing with and through us, they learned about what one leaves behind and ultimately hopes to regain when migrating and being displaced out of Punjab. They see everyone else around them leaving Punjab and making money in the West and building houses and buying cars. Perceived financial success is something they all want. They also spoke about the want to become "something" and how they don't feel they can achieve that in Punjab. That's for the ones who want to leave Punjab.

The ones who want to stay in Punjab and are working on their higher education spoke about financial constraints as well but they had the mindset of facing whatever will come. They had a certain connection to the land that they feel they will lose once they leave it to go West. They spoke about familial pressures as well for them to leave Punjab.

I kept a journal throughout this trip and wrote daily entries in it. I’d like to thank my friend who bought me this journal before my trip and encouraged me to keep an ongoing record of my thoughts (you know who you are). It allowed me to pause and reflect on each day with a deeper insight and a ਖੋਜ (search) I otherwise would not have experienced.

Through this journaling, I noticed a recurring feeling of gratefulness. I was grateful for every single moment that led me to this experience. I was grateful for the opportunity to be in sangat of those looking for their way home. I was grateful to the Guru for their open arms for their children. I was grateful for all the amazing people in Punjab giving their individual contributions to make Punjab flourish. 

I was grateful to be able to speak with people doing work on the ground in Punjab and experiencing the Chardi Kala they walk around with in the midst of dealing with a crumbling infrastructure, a looming climate emergency and pressures from an overreaching government trying to silence them, jail them or ultimately kill them.


Even in the face of oppression and obstacles they face, these people undoubtedly believe in the need to *stay* in Punjab to plant seeds to ensure the coming generations of Punjab will experience the blooming flowers, fruits and shade of those seeds turning to giant forests.


I learned about the need to give *time* to Punjab, Punjabi and Sikhi. There is no shortcut. We have to put in the labor to learn so we can teach those coming after us. The learning and teaching cannot be separated from the ਸਿਧਾਂਤ (principle or tenet) of the Guru. These lessons came partly from some whom I have mentioned in this writing and others whom I cannot mention because they are in a continuous daily struggle for Sikhi and a Sovereign Punjab.

For the rest of us, it’s important to partake in the struggle, but *what consciousness* are we struggling with? What is our ideological outlook? What is our ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨਾ (target)? Political change is fast, but social and cultural change is slow. Are we willing to lay down foundations for the crucial work for a free Punjab where Sikhi and the Sikh can flourish together? Are we willing to give important time and years of our lives for the ਉੱਦਮ (effort) required to build our home, whether you call it a Free Punjab, Halemi Raj, Begampura, Khalsa Raj or Khalistan? These are some of the thoughts I am left to ponder and ultimately aim to turn into action.

Before ਅਨੰਦਗੜ੍ਹ, I was looking for something in ਪੰਜਾਬ. 

After ਅਨੰਦਗੜ੍ਹ, I am looking to give something to ਪੰਜਾਬ.

ਗੁਰੂ ਪੰਥ ਦਾ ਦਾਸ

ਮਨਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ