Dr. Singh has been on an extraordinary personal journey, namely, that of becoming a conscious and committed Sikh from just being a Sikh through sheer accident of birth. In an earlier book entitled, Sikhs and Sikhism: a View with a Bias, he reflected on what it meant to be a Sikh living in a non-Sikh milieu and showed that being Sikh and an American are not mutually exclusive ideas, that identity and assimilation can coincide. His latest work, The Sikh Way: A Pilgrim’s Progress, a collection of 21 essays, marks another milestone on his journey as he extends this concern further.

The result is a set of remarkable essays in which Dr. Singh takes the reader along as he explores the rich landscape of Sikhism – its history, traditions and heritage – seeking answers to the fundamental concerns that face Diaspora Sikhs. The book cuts a wide swath, examining the entire range of Sikh experience, covering the gamut from the implication of being a Sikh, Sikh belief and practice; the changing nature of Sikh Institutions and the challenge of moral and ethical issues stemming from technology.

As we hinge around another millennium, Sikhs, especially Diasporan Sikhs, appear to be at a crossroads, facing a set of intertwined issues. Despite a thriving global presence, they remain a vulnerable and insular minority everywhere, challenged to preserve a balance (made all the more difficult after September 11) between assimilation and preservation of identity, while copying with the sense of estrangement and spiritual malaise that pervades Judeo-Christian societies.

Amplifying this challenge are fragmentations and divisions within the Sikh Diaspora communities that cut across generations, economic status and educational background: the divide between American born offspring and their immigrant parents who remain tied to their Punjabi roots; the clash between new and more established immigrants; the cultural gap between the educated professional and managerial class and those less fortunate.

The fact also is that the world is a global village and it is no longer possible to ignore or avoid developments in the parent community (Punjab) and vice-versa. Punjab politics influence Sikh religious institutions like the Akal Takht and the reverberations are felt in the West. Gurudwara disputes in the West invite intervention from India.

What might it mean to live as a Sikh in such a conflicting environment? How to adjust to one’s adopted country without compromising on the principals of one’s faith? How does one transmit one’s heritage to ones children who most likely have no emotional attachment to the old homeland? How will our institutions, here and in India, have to change in order to be meaningful to Sikhs living in the West. What implications might the fragmentation and division within the Sikh community in North America have on the shape and nature of our institutions? How do we define and manage our relationship with our offspring as well as the parent community in India? How can Sikhism guide us to live a meaningful life in the face of bewildering moral and ethical issues stemming from the rapid advance of technology?

Dr. Singh explains, in his preface, that he writes in part to hold a mirror to his own self. He is interested in issues of "what we believe, how we arrive at we believe and how we live. How we see ourselves and how others view us. How our beliefs shape us. How the music of Sikhism plays in our lives." Now Music is an apt metaphor, for there is something essentially musical about Sikhism. The Guru Granth Sahib is sublime poetry, not a philosophical treatise; kirtan is more about attuning to the music of the spheres than getting the grammar correct. Music, however, is not divorced from reason in a Sikh’s life. We also pray for the gift of a discerning and discriminating intellect implying that we should not blindly jump into the arms of authority.

In Sikhism, the demands of the "head" and "heart" must unite and fuse with melody. A Sikh life then, must be at once mathematical, precise and musical.

This fusion of head and heart, of science and poetry is abundantly evident in Dr. Singh’s writings. He thinks like the scientist that he is, but also reveals the heart of a poet, speaking profoundly to both mind and heart. We have in our midst a truly modern interpreter of Sikhism whose penetrating analysis and sharp exposition brings the teachings of the Gurus alive and make them so very relevant to our lives. He explores contemporary issues from a thoroughly modern perspective while remaining firmly rooted in Sikh tradition.

For those of us who refuse to settle for the tired cliches of Gurudwara granthis of religion as usual, Dr. Singh is a trustworthy guide and mentor. Unlike our granthis, he guides and instructs with humor, generosity and the experience of a life lived rather than observed. Above all, he does not preach.

Those looking for religious certitude will be disappointed, for The Sikh Way is not a set of directions, or do’s and don’ts, to achieve a particular end; rather, it is a map to an adventure of the head and heart, of the body and soul, and like all true spiritual quests, the destination you arrive at will be your own.

The basic premise of the book is that to be a Sikh is not an accident of birth, but rather, a conscious choice that requires (as the word Sikh implies) a life long apprenticeship to the Guru. Individual Sikhs must proceed from being Sikhs to becoming Sikhs; and as a corporate body, they must react and formulate responses to the issues that face them. The nature of this response – or the lack thereof – will shape the future of Sikhism.

The proper response in dealing with our concerns – from identity to the moral and ethical dilemmas spawned by technological advances – is to cultivate the wisdom that religion gives us in understanding the right ends of life. It would be folly to turn to religion for specific answers to specific questions.

Sikhism provides the process to create morally and ethically awakened individuals so that in an ever-changing world, our response will always be grounded and correct. Thus, for instance, abortion may be necessary in instances of rape but not a justification for promiscuity. Sikhism provides the proper frame and orientation (gurumukh) to make the right decisions.

Yet, for most Sikhs, religion has ceased to be the liberating force that it essentially is, reduced instead, to a narrow and suffocating fundamentalism. The majority tends to cling to old ways and old belief patterns that lead to a growing disassociation between belief and faith. This is in large part due to "Hinduised" Gurudwara sermons that Sikhs lap up as holy writ and in part because the average Sikh is not encouraged to engage with the Guru through discussion and debate. The essays on "Kill the Monster, Dad", "A Sikh Pilgrims Progress" and "On Discussion and Debate" bear this out.

The result is a yawning gap between belief and faith that manifests itself in our lifestyles: we speak of high religiousity but live lives of low ethics; our faith is as extensive as it is superficial; our understanding of Sikhism more myth than knowledge. In theory, we are believers; it is only in practice that we are atheists.

A spirited, soulful life is not a sole trip, though, certainly not a Sikh life. As an individual Sikh climbs the inner mountain, it is imperative to stay anchored in sangat and community. Community is indispensable to a Sikh’s growth. Not surprisingly, then, Dr. Singh devotes a significant portion of the book to community issues.

Even the most generous Sikh will concede that our institutions are in a shambles, our leadership lacking and the average Sikh indifferent. In a series of essays on Chruch and State, Religion and Morality, the Vaisakhi of 199, Dr. Singh addresses these issues and offers a perspective that requires our attention.

Predicting the future is risky business, Dr. Singh warns us, but what we do today shapes the future and insofar as we can control the outcome, it is important to dwell on what kind of a future do the Sikhs want to fashion for themselves. Dr. Singh views the Sikh nation as one without physical boundaries, where the Diaspora has to evolve institutions that will transmit the Sikh heritage by remaining independent, but not cut-off from those in India.

"The Diaspora is a perfect opportunity to explore all that we do and cherish – and to differentiate between what is cultural baggage or comfortable habits that can be modified or discarded and what is essential Sikhism that needs to be nurtured and guarded. I think these issues are central to our concept of ourselves as a global religion with a worldwide presence."

Samuel Johnson maintained that no man in his right mind would cover a book from beginning to end. His own method was to read sections that interested him and skim through the rest. In this instance though, we should ignore the advice of that great English polymath. The Sikh Way is required reading from cover to cover.

Noted writher Dr Joginder Singh "Shan Kashmiri’ has heralded the publication of a new quarterly from Srinagar, aptly titled Kesa Kyari. The first two issues, received by us are tastefully produced and hold promise of a bright future even as the Valley of Kashmir show some initial signs of reduction in violence and strife. J & K Minister for Revenue, Hon’ble Mr Abdul Qayoom has in a message greeted the publication: "The Punjabi language which is an easy and widely undersood language has rich cultural traditions, used by great Sufi poets by Bulle Shah and Waris Shah....." The message from the Minister for Education, Hon’ble Mohammad Shafi is written and signed in Gurumukhi script. This example needs to be followed by everyone who loves literature.

Address for subscribing (Rs. 100 per annum): House No. 76, Azad Basti, Nattipura, Srinagar. Karhmir. 01933. or Jarnail Singh Gulab, V.P.O. Begund, Tral. 192123.