The difficulties of not being able to speak or read Punjabi

In modern society, especially in the western world, young Sikhs who are born outside of India may find it difficult to understand and speak their native language, Punjabi. This can lead to many problems such as lack of communication with grandparents or parents, for example one of our friends has to speak to his grandparents through a series of hand gestures which results in a poor relationship with loved ones!

On a more serious note, all religious texts in Sikhi are written in Punjabi and even though many of them are translated into English many parts are lost in translation and don't justify the words of the Gurus. Even a trip to India to visit Gurdwaras can highlight the gaps in your Punjabi based knowledge, which is a cause for concern. Being unable to fully understand the words of the Gurus and the messages they send can lead to a hindrance in your path to enlightenment.

On the bright side, despite all the consequences, there is one benefit of not being able to speak your native tongue and that is you will never have to watch and endure a Bollywood film!! On the flip side you will never be able to watch religious films such as Chaar Sahibzaade (an emotional and inspirational film).

Overall the list of cons outweighs the pros and even if you are adamant that you will never have to use Punjabi it is still a great tool and can only help you in life. So put in the effort to learn Punjabi: communicate with grandparents, read a Gutka and speak a little bit here and there. You never know you could be an ambassador for Sikhi!!!

Thank you for reading!