Sikhs celebrate 300th anniversary of the Khalsa

The GW Sikh Student Association held a three-day festival this weekend to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa, an integral component of the Sikh faith.

This weekend’s event marked the first time the GW SSA coordinated a national conference.

Nearly 70 students participated in a heated discussion about segregation within Sikhism, women’s roles in the religion, and interfaith relationships Friday afternoon. Four speakers discussed the independent Sikh nation of Khalistan in Friday night’s panel discussion, “Sikh Nation: Past, Present, and Future.”

Saturday morning, nearly 9,000 people from around the nation attended a march on the National Mall. Other events included speeches on Capitol Hill by Congressional leaders and a cultural program in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

“We felt like we were in a different world,” said SSA Religion Coordinator Kiranpreet Chawla, a senior. “It was awe-inspiring to see so many people of our religion joined in one place.”

Many students said Saturday’s youth social in the University Club highlighted of the weekend.

“The social was a great event because it gave everyone a chance to meet people of our faith,” said senior Jasmine Puri. “We don’t get a chance to see each other very often.”

-Russ Rizzo

Jazz and Java Coffeehouse rocks Marvin Center

Audience members bobbed their heads and tapped their feet to the improvised music of Greg Howard and Darrell Rose during the Program Board’s Jazz and Java Coffeehouse Thursday night in the Marvin Center ballroom.

Howard, a guest performer with the Dave Matthews Band, played the stick, an instrument invented in 1969, which he likens to “a guitar and keyboard all mixed up.” Rose accompanied Howard on percussion in the second PB Jazz and Java Coffeehouse of the academic year.

PB Arts Chair Kelly Dunphy said the coffee, served by One-of-a-Kind Grind, complemented the atmosphere and gave listeners something to enjoy in addition to the music.

“We like to just kind of stretch out and see where the music takes us,” Howard said.

Jose Hernandez, an electrical engineering doctoral student, said he never heard the stick performed and the music was different than he expected.

Sophomore Jim Cuseo, who helped set up the coffeehouse, said the performance was incredible. He said he heard about Howard before, but never heard him play alone. Cuseo said he enjoyed the expressiveness of the stick.

“Jazz and Java has probably been one of our most successful programs this year,” Dunphy said.

-Suzi Meyers