The inspiration of our forefathers/mothers of the Panth is critical to our future. Jakara Movement, in hopes of uniting Sikhs from across the globe, under one Nishaan Sahib, is carrying on this legacy of unification. These 'new' Misls will provide a place for those Sikhs that desire to help their community through Seva and create a Sangat for all that care about our collective future.
We have Misls up and running in the following cities:
- Misl Yuba City
- Misl Sacramento
- Misl Bay Area
- Misl 209
- Misl Fresno
- Misl Bakersfield
Jakara Movement Misls are open to all community members to get involved and collectively build the skills to increase civic engagement, strategic grassroots mobilization, and awakening based on vichaar, karam, seva, sangat, simran, shaheedi, and santokh. The role of the Misls is to understand our local community, build skills to serve the community, and create new relations while being permanently open to new members and ideas.
ਜੈਕਾਰਾ ਮੂਵਮੈਂਟ ਸਿਰਫ ਨੌਜਵਾਨਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਵਿਦਿਆਰਥੀਆਂ ਲਈ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ। ਚਾਹੇ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਟਰੱਕ ਡਰਾਈਵਰ ਵੀਰ ਹੋ ਜੋ ਸਿਰਫ ਵੀਕਐਂਡ ਉੱਤੇ ਹੀ ਘਰ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਨ, ਜਾਂ ਇੱਕ ਨਰਸ ਹੋ ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕੋਲ ਬਹੁਤ ਘੱਟ ਵਿਹਲਾ ਸਮਾਂ ਹੈ, ਜਾਂ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਪੋਤੇ-ਪੋਤੀਆਂ ਜਾਂ ਦੋਹਤੇ-ਦੋਹਤੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਭਵਿੱਖ ਲਈ ਫ਼ਿਕਰਮੰਦ ਹੋ, ਜਾਂ ਚਾਹੇ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਇੱਕ ਸਟੋਰ ਮਾਲਕ ਜੋ ਆਪਣੇ ਇਲਾਕੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਤਰੱਕੀ ਦੇਖਣੀ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਹੋ, ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਇਲਾਕੇ ਦੀ ਜੈਕਾਰਾ ਮੂਵਮੈਂਟ ਦੀ ਮਿਸਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਿਲ ਹੋਵੋ ਜੀ। ਕਮਿਊਨਟੀ ਦੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਮੈਂਬਰ ਮਿਸਲਾਂ ਦਾ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਬਣ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਨ। ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਇਸ ਸਭ ਵਾਰੇ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਹੀ ਕੋਈ ਵੀ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਹੋਣੀ ਜ਼ਰੂਰੀ ਨਹੀਂ, ਪਰ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਇਸ ਸਭ ਵਾਰੇ ਹੋਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਮਿਲ ਕੇ ਸਿੱਖਣ ਅਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਦ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਟੀਕੋਣ ਨੂੰ ਸਮਝਣ ਦੀ ਖਾਹਸ਼ ਹੋਣੀ ਚਾਹੀਦੀ ਹੈ।
Please contact your respective region's Jakara Movement Community Organizers to become involved!
Bay Area - Ragini Kaur | (510) 929-1145 - [email protected] // Rakaab Singh - [email protected]
Yuba City - Tejpal Singh | (530) 237-3494 - [email protected]
Sacramento - Mandeep Singh | (916) 398-6705 - [email protected]
209 - Navroop Kaur | (209) 214-7412 - [email protected] // Pratimajit Kaur | (209) 650-3334 - [email protected]
Fresno - Jaskeet Kaur | (559) 304-5250 - [email protected]
Bakersfield - Sonia Kaur | (661) 432-8775 - [email protected]
What is a Misl?
The Misl is a Sikh institution that has been prominent in Sikh history, since the eighteenth century. It is a term associated in Sikh history with the twelve Sikh bands and groupings that came to control various territories throughout Punjab. However, the etymology provides even richer descriptions: according to Steingass’ Persian-English Dictionary, the word means "similitude, alike or equal," as in a confederation of equals; Wilson described it as "a voluntary association of the Sikhs."
The Misl was a voluntary grouping of Sikhs that came together for a common cause. The Misls were involved with the social and political concerns of the time, including:
- Administrational needs of the local region
- Recruitment from the local community
- Protection of local communities (whether it be the Gurdwara, but also the livelihood of all inhabitants)
- Attending to the social needs of the people (justice, conflict resolution, poverty, hunger, etc.).
The Misls from different regions would gather together as an assembly twice a year at Darbaar Sahib in Amritsar for the occasions of Vaisakhi and Bandi Chorh Divas.
The equality and opportunities of the misls made them popular for many. Without any restriction based on class or caste, all were welcome and could join. Irvine, in his Later Mughals, wrote: “In all the parganas occupied by the Sikhs, the reversal of previous customs was striking and complete. A low scavenger or leather-dresser, the lowest of the low in Indian estimation, had only to leave home and join the Guru, when in a short space of time he would return to his birth-place as its ruler, with his order of appointment in his hand. As soon as he set foot within the boundaries, the well-born and wealthy went to greet him and escort him home. Arrived there, they stood before him with joined palms, awaiting his orders. A scavenger, from the nature of his duties, is intimately acquainted with the condition of every household.”
The purpose of the misl is to work outside the Gurdwara, but with it as well. It is to bring Sikhs together in a mobile way to fulfill the needs of that local community, especially those that could most benefit. Rattan Singh Bhangu, the most important 19th century historian, writing about Sikh history wrote in verse about the purpose of the Misls:
ਦਯੀ ਚੀਜ ਚਹੈ ਗ੍ਰੀਬ ਕਉ ਕਿਉਂ ਅਤਿ ਦਯੋ ਅਖਾਇ ।
ਯਹਿ ਦਯਾਵਾਨ ਘਰ ਗੁਰੂ ਕੋ ਅਰ ਗ੍ਰੀਬ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਅਖਵਾਇ ।੧੯।dayi cheej chahai ghareeb kau kiun ath dayo akhaai
yah dayaavaan ghar Guru ko ghareeb nivaaj akhvaaiThe needy alone deserve to be endowed with rare gifts,
What is the use of empowering those who are already powerful.
The House of the Guru is known for its compassion and generosity,
And known as the saviour and protector of the poor.