Writing was never something I particularly enjoyed. In fact, it wasn’t until my early thirties that I began developing an interest in it.
But before writing came reading.
Growing up, I remember seeing my mother read almost every day. Whether it was Gurbani or another book, she always seemed to have something to read. She also kept a diary in which she recorded her spiritual thoughts and experiences.
I’ve read her diary. Much of what she wrote wasn’t about everyday life, but about her faith, her spiritual progress, and the changes she was making within herself. It was a record of what she was learning, experiencing, and trying to improve in her own life.
Looking back, I think some of my interest in reading, and eventually writing, may have come from her.
My parents still live with me today, and I’ve built a personal library of more than 500 books in our home. Reading has become an important part of my life, though for many years I never imagined I would develop an interest in writing myself.
My writing began largely out of necessity.
When I founded SAF International, we were a small nonprofit with limited resources. There wasn’t a budget to hire people for every responsibility, so I found myself wearing many hats, something I continue to do today.
One of those responsibilities was writing fundraising appeals.
I needed to communicate the work we were doing, the difficulties people were facing, and why others should care enough to help. Along the way, I also began writing about Sikh history, issues affecting the Panth, and things I was observing within our communities.
Some of those writings were well received. People read them, shared them, and sometimes reached out with their own thoughts. Knowing that others found value in what I had written encouraged me to continue.
Today, I feel there is much more to be said.
Through my work in international development, I’ve spent years engaging with Sikh communities across the Global South. I’ve encountered families struggling to provide their children with an education, Granthis who have spent their lives serving the Panth while facing difficulties of their own, and Sikh communities whose circumstances and struggles are rarely part of our everyday conversations.
These encounters have made me question our priorities, reflect on our responsibilities towards one another, and reconsider some of my own understanding of Sikhi and seva.
I believe many of these experiences deserve to be documented. Not simply through organizational reports, fundraising appeals, or social media updates, but through writings that preserve something of the people, places, and circumstances I’ve encountered.
There are things I have witnessed that I don’t want to be forgotten with time.
My interests, however, are not limited to the work I do.
I also find myself wanting to write about my spiritual experiences, the questions that arise as I try to better understand Sikhi, and my observations about society and the world around us.
Writing helps me examine my own thoughts. Sometimes, putting an experience into words makes me understand it differently. At other times, it reminds me of what is important and helps keep me grounded.
Much of what I write will naturally be rooted in Sikhi and my experiences within Sikh communities. I hope these writings will contribute to conversations within the Panth, including conversations about matters we sometimes overlook or find uncomfortable to discuss.
But I also hope they will reach people beyond the Sikh community.
There is much about Sikhi, its values, and the lives of ordinary Sikhs that deserves to be better understood. And there are experiences, struggles, and questions about humanity that are not confined to any one faith or community.
I don’t expect everyone to agree with what I write. My own understanding continues to develop through the people I meet, the books I read, and the experiences I have. But if something I’ve written helps a reader think about an issue differently, better understand a community, or find something useful for their own journey, I would consider that worthwhile.
For years, much of my writing has been scattered across social media. Some pieces were written in response to particular events, while others came from experiences or thoughts I wanted to share at the time.
Social media has helped me reach people, but I’ve increasingly felt the need for a place where these writings can be preserved, revisited, and explored in greater depth.
That is why I’ve created this website.
It is both a home for my earlier writings and a place where I intend to continue sharing new reflections on Sikhi, humanity, society, and the world around us.
I don’t know what this collection will look like many years from now. But I hope it will preserve something of the people I’ve encountered, the communities I’ve worked with, and the experiences that have shaped my understanding of life.
When I think about my mother’s diary today, I understand a little better the value of putting one’s experiences into words.
She wrote about her spiritual journey, the changes she was making within herself, and what she was learning along the way.
Perhaps these writings, in their own way, will become a record of mine.