04 Jun 2020 34 Comments
in #WritePhoto Tags: #WritePhoto, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Photo Prompt, Veiled
Sue’s #WritePhoto prompt:
A Veiled threat I can hear "Uncover your Head at your own risk No one should see your face Else, you'll wish you never lived" I lower my head, awaiting Whatever fate had in store for me Maybe this marriage would bring my freedom Or chain me in another prison An unfamiliar one, at that I risk a glance at the groom Nervously twitching knees Punishing him too? Two cellmates, trapped Or two folk Free for Life? Ritu 2020
04 Jun 2020 61 Comments
in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: 1984, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Erased, Facebook, instagram, Opertaion Blue Star, Sikh, Sikhism, Social media
I try not to be political on my blog, but the events of the last few days have made me think about staying quiet, when it is our voices that will help, not our silence.
So the two previous posts have been in support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement that is in full flow.
During this time of unease for many in the Black community, and the extended #BAME community , as well as those not of colour, horrified by the events that took place with the murder of George Floyd, I remembered there was something else of huge importance, to me, as a Sikh, to recall.
1984.
Ten days of Terror for the Sikhs.
This was when the Indian Government launched Operations Blue Star, and there, thirty six years ago, tthebeginnings of the biggest Sikh genocide took place.
Soldiers marched into the holy shrine in Amritsar, the Golden Temple, desecrating the buildings, grounds, religious artefacts, and murdering hundreds of innocent pilgrims, man, woman, child. There was no respite.
They were there to apparently flush out Sikh Separatists after there were calls for a separate state of Khalistan for Sikhs, as there was a Pakistan for the Muslims.
It was a time filled with terror, and resulted in hundreds, if not thousands of deaths of innocent Sikh people. The Indian Government were trying to erase us, the Sikhs.
To read more about the awful happenings of those ten days, click here.
Every year, there is a peaceful remembrance, filled with emotion, remembering those who died in this mindless act, which sparked the assassination of the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, by two of her Sikh bodyguards. That act then set off a domino effect of riots, rape and murder of thousands of Sikhs in Delhi, and the Punjab.
To this day, there are Sikh people who don’t know what happened to members of their families during this time.
Then, to top it off, on 3rd June of this year, amidst the Black Lives Matter uprising, the hashtags #sikh and #sikhism, which were being used to remember and highlight a key time in our community’s background, disappeared from both Facebook and Instagram.
If you tried to search it, it was blocked.
Sure, there were others, but the main hashtags for us, #sikh, and #sikhism was unsearchable.
So the Indian Goverment tried to erase us then, thirty six years ago, and now, in 2020, we have social media doing the same.
It’s back up now, but why?
Why was it deemed ‘unsuitable content’ for us to remember this injustice?
Were there too many big other movements going on?
We, as Sikhs, are right there, too, but come on social media, give us our chance to speak too!
03 Jun 2020 44 Comments
in #1linerweds, #onelinerwednesday Tags: #1linerweds, #BlackLivesMatter, #BLM, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, One Liner Wednesday
“Standing tall, with you all.”
Ritu 2020
I know, it’s meant to be one line, but a poem, if I may…
I am one of the #BAME Proudly I stand as a #POC But this #POC is more #AME And I want to stand for my brethren #B How do I help? What can I do? At least I can start By educating a few I needn’t look far Just sitting at home There’s topics to raise Face-to-face, on the phone Call out the comments Question the views How would you feel If you were in their shoes? It’s not just about Being treated the same But respecting differences Trying to say names Not just assuming That because of their hue That person is better or worse Than me or you #AllLivesMatter We all know that But #BlackLivesMatter And it ain’t showin, that’s a fact Ritu 2020
For Linda’s #1LinerWeds Prompt
02 Jun 2020 26 Comments
in #ColleensWeeklyPoetryChallenge Tags: #ColleensWeeklyPoetryChallenge, Black Lives Matter, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Syllabic Poetry
Colleen’s Syllabic poetry challenge is #Poetschoice this week.
Black Brethren I stand here Right by your side Not just supporting But, as your equal As you are mine You matter Brethren Mine Ritu 2020
I’m not sure what to call this, again, 1,2,3,4,5,5,4,3,2,1 format, but my verse shows my support to the #BlackLivesMatter campaign.
01 Jun 2020 43 Comments
in Chai and a Chat, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Catch Up, Chai and a Chat, Corona Diaries
TEN WHOLE LOCKDOWN WEEKS!
That’s how long this #NewNormal has existed for us… how are you holding up?
And… can you believe it’s JUNE already?! We will be celebrating Lil Man’s 15th Birthday at the end of the month… who knows what the situation will be then…?
Grab your drinkn. I’m supping mine as I type!
In other news, we’ve still been cooking, though a little less imaginatively, this week… standards have included the usual pancakes, pastas, Indian meals, Lasagne, crisp sandwiches, (yes, I did sink that low!) but, Lil Princess and I did make bread rolls on Saturday!
And there you have it… my week in lockdown at half term!
This week, there is no rush to get back into the physical classroom, and I am not on any rota until the next week, but I am sure that I’ll be in at some point to change things up that need altering in the classroom.
Other than that, I’ll be sorting out online learning, and now that I have finished Story A Day in May, I can get back to trying to write more words on Book Two!!
What have you been up to?
Stay safe, my dear friends!
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But I Smile Anyway... 