Metamorphosis: Episode 7
Evening Prayer
The two large mobile blood donation trucks were parked on the side street just inside the main campus of the college. A small crowd had gathered around them as some students began arriving for their scheduled appointments, while others signed up or asked the volunteers questions, one of whom was Sidhak Kaur.
She had had a busy morning. In total, she had signed up over twenty three students for blood donation, and had talked with even more about donating blood and why it was so necessary. She carried an iPad where she could enter names and student id's and appointment slots. There were fifteen minute slots, and she was filling them fast.
Now, in the afternoon, she stood outside the entrance to the truck, handing out clipboards and pens to the donors before they went inside. The line was beginning to get long as more and more students showed up early for their appointments. Most were standing in line quietly, looking down and absorbed in their smartphones.
Megan Anderson was in line, and when she reached the front, Sidhak smiled at her and handed her a clipboard and pen.
"Just fill out the top section of the form," she said, "hand it to the nurse when they get you seated inside."
Megan nodded in acknowledgment as she took the clipboard and pen. Then, she asked Sidhak, "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"
"No, not at all, what's up?" Sidhak replied.
"Are you a Sikh?"
"Yes, good guess," Sidhak smiled.
"I didn't realize that females could wear the turban too."
"We sure can, it's all about equality," Sidhak said.
"I actually had some questions," Megan said, "I was looking for someone I could ask."
"About Sikhi?"
Megan nodded.
"Yes of course. After I'm done here I'll be free for a couple hours. We can talk then."
"That sounds great! Thank you so much."
It was close to evening when Sidhak and Megan were able to meet again and sit and talk. Inside the student activities center, they found a pair of large sofa chairs that were in a quiet corner facing the tall windows. They sat there in relative privacy and talked. Megan explained that she had read a number of books on Sikhism and had become very intrigued with it. From an intellectual level, she explained, she understood many of the practices, but she couldn't quite connect everything without really knowing the experience of it.
Sidhak nodded. "Without daily practice, you can only do so much with theory." she said.
"I really like that equality for all is emphasized so much," Megan said, "it's what I believe also. There's so many things that jive with my own personal feelings and beliefs. Like that thing you said earlier, about equality and how women can wear the turban too. I like that."
Sidhak smiled. "Me too," she said, laughing.
Megan asked about the history of the Faith, how it began. She had read about it in the books already, but she wanted to hear it from a Sikh, from someone who was practicing what she believed in, who was living her faith. She asked about the daily practice, about how to conduct oneself in life, how to deal with various situations that may arise in one's life, and how to stay focused. She asked what the central tenet of the Faith was. Finally, she asked about the requirements for becoming a Sikh.
"Do you need to be born into a Sikh family in order to become a Sikh?" she asked tentatively.
"Oh no, not at all," Sidhak replied. "You choose. It doesn't matter which family you were born into, or how you were born. Your background is not a restriction. Anyone can become a Sikh, they just have to choose and then follow the lifestyle of a Sikh as prescribed by our Guru's."
Megan nodded. "That's good," she replied pensively.
Sidhak was staring out the window. "It's getting dark," she mused. "It's time for me to read the evening prayers. If you like, we can do it together?"
"Oh, I wouldn't know how," Megan said, hesitating, but intensely curious inside. She didn't want to feel like she was intruding on something that seemed very personal and intimate. But another part of her really wanted to see how the prayers were performed, and thrilled at the prospect of being engaged in or even observing an Eastern spiritual practice.
"No worries," Sidhak seemed very relaxed and laid-back about it all. Megan was surprised, she had sort of expected Sidhak to be very strict and exacting, almost unapproachable. She certainly seemed very formidable in her religious attire. But in reality, after spending time talking with her, she found her to be very warm and inviting, encouraging, and friendly.
Sidhak slipped off her shoes with a smile. Megan, unsure of what to do, followed suit.
"Here," Sidhak reached into her purse and produced a beautifully embroidered silk scarf. It had flowing patterns and designs in different brightly colored threads, weaving a tapestry of ornate design. She handed it to Megan.
"We cover our heads when we pray," Sidhak explained.
Megan covered her head with the scarf, adjusting it for a minute until it was comfortable.
"It's beautiful," she said, admiring the design and the material.
Sidhak opened an app on her smartphone.
"Everything is digital now," she explained, "so we can access all the prayers on our phones. I will read it in the original Gurmukhi, which you won't understand, but after I've finished, I can go back over it and explain it all with English translations."
"Oh, that's fine," Megan answered. "I'm happy just to observe."
Sidhak looked down at her phone and began reading the evening prayer. She started in a low voice with a steady cadence. Her voice had a musical tone to it, and the words flowed out of her effortlessly like a gentle undulation. Megan did not understand the meanings of the words, but she could sense that this was poetry, there was measure and rhyme, and there was a deep reservoir of emotion that she could sense. Whether it was coming from Sidhak, from the words she was reading, or from her own self, Megan could not determine. What was undeniable was that it was there, it was palpable and she could feel it.
After she had finished, Sidhak's face was serene and content, as if she had not a care in the world. Her eyes closed for a few moments, and in those moments, Megan thought she saw unbounded bliss on Sidhak's features. She seemed to be almost glowing.
When she opened her eyes again, she took a deep breath, and then looked up at Megan.
"That was beautiful," said Megan, "and very emotional."
"Yes," Sidhak nodded.
"Do you read this everyday?"
"Yes, it's part of the lifestyle, the practice of Sikhi."
"That must take so much discipline. It's amazing."
It was dark now, and it was time for Sidhak to go. They put on their shoes, and Megan thanked Sidhak for her time and for answering all her questions.
"I really appreciate it," she said, "It has really helped me to learn, and to see and experience this lifestyle in a way that a book never could."
"Aww, you're most welcome," Sidhak hugged her. And then, a thought occurred to her. "Would you like to maybe come and visit the Gurudwara? You've never been to one, right?"
"Yes, I'd really like that!" Megan answered, pleasantly surprised at the offer, "I've never been to one. Is there one nearby, local? That would really be great."
"Yes, we have an active Gurudwara for all the local sangat. Every Sunday there is a program. You can get to see how the services are held, and you can talk with other Sikhs, who actually know a lot more about Sikhi than me."
They exchanged contact information, and Sidhak promised to contact Megan during the weekend to make arrangements for picking her up and driving her to the Gurudwara that Sunday.
As she was walking away, Megan suddenly realized that she was still wearing the scarf. She turned around, taking off the scarf and calling out to Sidhak who was walking down the large steps to the main doors.
"I forgot to return your scarf," she called out.
Sidhak waved back. "It's yours," she said, smiling widely, "a gift."
Megan felt the soft silk in between her fingers. She appreciated the gesture and gave Sidhak a warm smile. She left their meeting feeling happy and full of anticipation for the weekend.