Interview with Jagmeet Singh

 

Congratulations on being selected “Youth of the Month” for April 2008. Please tell us something about yourself, your schooling, your interests and your hobbies.

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh! First of all I humbly thank UnitedSikhs for giving me this undeserved opportunity to talk about Sikhi and Art. I’ve been raised in Wolverhampton my whole life, I studied at S.Peters Collegiate School, Church of England, and moved on to City of Wolverhampton College and City of Wolverhampton University. I studied Art & Design & Photography at college, which was a break through in my creative education, as previously it was very difficult to really express myself through art as a medium. I decided to study Animation as my Bachelors degree. I don’t really know why I chose this path, as I didn’t really have any idea of career prospects, I felt a bit 'devilish' and thought I really want to do something I will enjoy! As you probably have gathered, I’m really into my Art, and I find this the most beautiful tool to express oneself, with total freedom and love. A lot of people misconceive art as being scribbles and a bit of paint, but it is an extensively deeper form of expression. I’ve always been the type to draw or paint and be creative in anything I do.

How did you first come into Sikhi? What influenced you? What interested you? What was your starting point, if you had one?

Anything and everything that has happened to me, good or bad, has happened with Guru Granth Sahib Ji's beant kirpa and I am thankful for that. I didn’t have a clue about Sikhi until I was around 16. I finished my GCSE's, so the pressure was off and I had a long summer ahead, so I wanted to do something new, learn something new. I was into my Bhangra music (who wasn’t? haha) at the time, so I had decided to learn how to play the Dhol instrument. I asked my Dad where I could learn and he said 'Son, you can learn the Dhol all you want afterwards, but first I want you to learn how to play the Tabla, once you've mastered that, you will fly at playing the Dhol'. Hearing this from Dad really inspired me, so I thought why not give it a shot? My Dad did some research and found that Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Wolves (short for Wolverhampton!), also know as 'Sedgley St Gurdwara' were teaching Kirtan and Tabla. I started going to classes every week, sometimes even twice a week. This was the only time in my life I was actually going to the Gurdwara to really learn something, and I wasn’t just going as a 'Sunday Sikh' because it was my next door neighbours dentist’s daughters’ son’s Akhand Path! Listening to Gurbani Kirtan really made an impact on me, I don’t know how or why, I didn’t understand or know anything about Gurbani. This was my starting point.

During the summer, I was doing a short course at College, via the Princes Trust. Here I met such a wide range of people from different walks of life. This really opened my eyes about how people live their lives. Not everyone is the same, not everyone is lucky to have a good job, good education, even good caring parents. I met a friend on this course, we decided to have a random bet, he wanted to stop smoking and I wanted to stop eating meat, so the bet was who ever could stick to it the longest would win and whoever lost would have to cough up £20! A week later I found £20 in my hands (hehe) and I never touched meat after that. I feel a bit guilty as I took the £20, but it went towards my new pencil case for college, I know, how sad! But we all miss our pencil case/tins from school! :p

I started College in September, and my Mum told me I had to start wearing a Dastar. The only encouragement I ever got was from my parents and this was quite a daunting and new thing to me. My friends from School saw the change and accepted it, but other just laughed at me, but looking at my Dad, who wears a Dastar, I felt I had to do the same and that was my only strength at the time. Looking back now, I know Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave me the strength, through my Dad, but Guru Ji being the true Father, I am nothing without him.

When did you get blessed with Amrit and what was the reason you wanted to give your head to Guroo Maharaaj? How did being blessed with Amrit change your lifestyle? How did your family react?

Firstly, I never gave my head, I can’t give anything to Maharaj, it’s all His in the first place. One aspect of being blessed with Amrit and not taking Amrit is that nothing is yours, you cannot give your head as such, and you can only return it. I feel being blessed with Amrit is more of a realisation, as Amrit is already in you, Amrit is in every single human being on this earth, and it’s the wall of Maya that separates us from Waheguru. I was blessed with Amrit in 2005, and this totally changed my life. Sangat, Gurbani, Camps, Kirtan Darbars, Rehnsbais, these were what drew me closer to Guru Ji, and feeling the presence of Vaheguru everywhere and anywhere. My family were a bit shocked, as I was getting more and more into Sikhi, they thought it was jus a phase I was going through and that I'd soon grow out of it. But they knew after a while this was my decision and they had to respect that. Although I feel I wasn’t in control of where my Sikhi took me, they felt I may have been jumping in too early in 'taking' Amrit.

Who is your role model? Who has been your main source of inspiration, past and present?

Its funny how Vaheguru works, my parents, especially my Dad has inspired me to do certain things, like learn the Tabla, which has led me to going Gurdwara more often than just Sundays, but there’s been times where I have been discouraged by other family members, that this path is a difficult and not 'normal'. You tend to learn new things in certain negative situations which you would otherwise not think about and this allows you to apply them in a positive way.

Moving onto your chosen line of work…what influences your art & photography? Was it a difficult path to follow seeing as it is not one of the more “traditional” subjects? Did you face any opposition?

My Dad has always given me encouragement with Art, my Dad's sister is a beautiful watercolour artist in India, and I think he knew that some of it would carry on in the family, so I got my support from my parents. In this instance, I feel very lucky as I know of many youngsters who are discouraged into what they really want to do by their parents. My parents never really pushed me in to any of the 'traditional' occupations, they always told me to follow my heart and do what I wanted honestly and truthfully.

What would your advice be to up and coming talented young Sikhs who have a natural flair and passion for the Arts?

I would totally recommend it. Vaheguru gives us all gifts and talents; we should utilise them to serve Humanity (Sarbat Da Bhalla). As Music isn’t just sounds and bells, there is a much deeper meaning; much deeper communication of feelings and thoughts that can be created, developed and expressed by the Artist, similarly Art & Design is exactly the same. This is a very beautiful and powerful medium that can heal the wounds of the soul and help in realisation, self realisation is God realisation.

 

You have also done seva with several camps and organisations, what do you think about Sikhi camps and programmes for youth and in what ways have they helped you?

I think we are so lucky to have Gursikhs who organise these camps, it’s an amazing amount of Seva and this is exactly what the Panth needs to grow. Youth programmes and Sikhi Camps have helped me to meet new people, meet Sangat and bounce ideas and learn something to help us on the path of Sikhi. I have felt in some circumstances that I have the ego to go to kids camps, and feel I will help them, but its the other way round, they inspire and help me in my Sikhi. Kids being more innocent then us adults, they have more innocent love, and that’s what I feel is rare as you get older.

In your opinion, what is the best way for the youth to learn about Sikhi, and how can we all do our part?

The best way to learn is to make it fun. Make Sikhi FUN! Camps are one of the best ways to get kids together, the youth together, and learn about Sikhi. Videos, animations, games, multimedia is all visual based media, something kids learn more from than being lectured about Sikhi, and what’s right and wrong. Don’t wait to be inspired, be the inspiration!

Jagmeet Singh, on behalf of Unitedsikhs.com we would like to thank you for reluctantly agreeing to give us this interview. Do you have any final thoughts you would like to share with the Sikh youth?

If you are reading this useless interview, you really have nothing better to do! (lol) You are reading this probably to find inspiration, you will not find any inspiration on this page, you are the inspiration yourself. It’s flowing in your blood right now, the sacrifices of our beloved brothers; Guru Gobind Singh Ji's sons are flowing through your veins. Brothers and Sisters, Vaheguru blessed you to be born in a family where you will come across Guru Granth Sahib Ji at least once in your life if not hundreds. THIS IS A MIRACLE ITSELF. This is a sign, this is your destiny. You need to look at your history and see what sacrifices have been made. You need to realise this so you know you are here today, so you can go to the Gurdwara and Matha Tekh to Dhan Dhan Guru Granth Sahib Ji. This moorakh has very little knowledge of Sikh History, and cannot good give examples, but our Mothers have had their children cut into pieces and put as necklaces around them, Bhai Taru Singh Ji had his scalp removed but not his beautiful nishan sahib, his kesh removed. Their Sikhi was never taken away from them. This is more then enough to inspire us Brothers and Sisters.

Anything negative from this interview, bhul chuk maaf karna Sangat Jio, anything positive you have taken, anything that will change your thoughts and make them victorious is all Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

 

Jagmeet Singh's work:

To view Jagmeet Singh's work please visit the following:

Flickr Account
Sikh Artwork from the UK (Restoring the Pride)
Divine Art (BBC)

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer the above questions,
and we hope you can continue to carry the torch of Sikhi and inspire others alike.