Multicultural mixture

ALLAH, Guru Nanak, Vishnu these names maybe unfamiliar to many in Swindon but for thousands of other people in the town they form an important part of daily life.

That is because Swindon has several small, yet vibrant minority communities who practice religions varying from Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Buddhism to the Baha'i faith.

This diversity is further heightened with people having different ways of practising their religion in the town.

One Hindu, for example, may have very different beliefs to another, and some Sikhs are more conformist than others, perhaps visiting the temple at least once a week.

How Swindon became a multi-cultural melting pot is no different to anywhere else, with people migrating to the town to plug employment needs.

Jaginder Bassi, director of Swindon's Race Equality Council, says a lot of the people in Swindon who practice minority religions not only came from overseas but also from other parts of Britain.

He said: "South Asian men came in the 1950s and 1960s and the Asians that were expelled from East Africa came in the late 1960s and 1970s.

"Many of them set up their own businesses. But it was hundreds rather than thousands of people then.

"Many Muslims and Sikhs did a lot of factory work in Rover and Plessey in Wroughton. Then their families came from abroad to join them.

"But over the last 10 to 15 years, lots of people have come from the midlands and London to work in the hi-tech industries as well as professionals like teachers, social workers, accountants and even reporters."

But like many other towns, Swindon has its problems.

Just last month, the leader of the 350-strong Somali community in Swindon spoke out after a man he knows was beaten senseless and left seriously injured by muggers in the town centre.

Abdi Muse, 36, who lived at the Davis House Salvation Army hostel was left unconscious in intensive care after the attack in the underpass next to the Debenhams store and according to Osman Kanyare, who chairs the Wiltshire and Swindon Somali Community group, he was the 18th Somali victim of racist violence in six months.

And following the terrorist attacks in New York last September, a 19-year-old Muslim girl was brutally attacked with a baseball bat in the town centre.

Mr Bassi said: "In general we have very good race relations in Swindon. But that's not to say that it is completely without problems.

"We do get the occasional blips and high profile incidents like the Somali guy who was beaten up and the Muslim girl who was attacked after September 11."

The largest religious community in Swindon is the Sikhs, who number between three and a half and four thousand in the town.

The focus for their religious activities is the new temple, or Gurdwara, in Kembrey Street, which cost £1.2 million to build and opened in January.

There are also between three thousand and three and half thousand Muslims who originate from diverse geographical origins ranging from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Somalia. Swindon has two mosques, located in Manchester Road and Broad Street.

The Hindu population numbers around two thousand with around 500 Baha'is and a handful of Buddhists and Jews.

'We should encourage everyone to interact'

HINDUS in Swindon may not have a temple but that does not stop them from having a rich social and cultural life.

Kalpana Tanna, 38, is secretary to the Hindu Samaj, a society that organises events and celebrations for the major festivals.

She works as a pharmacist at Lloyd's Chemist in Clive Parade and lives with her husband Vijay and their two children Nina, eight, and Neil Ram, 10, in north Swindon.

She says the growth of the Hindu community over the last 10 years means her children and other youngsters growing up in Swindon have the chance to learn about their culture and language as well as take part in the religion if they want to.

"I really encourage the children to take part in community events, like Nina is doing a variety show at the Wyvern," she said.

"They maintain their culture so they do get a feeling of their own community but it doesn't mean that they don't fully participate in English culture as well.

"It is important that we all live together. We have a lot to gain from the English community and they have a lot to gain from us.

"We need to accept we are living in a multicultural society and we should encourage all communities to interact.

"I go to their school when it's Diwali and talk to them, dress them up and give out sweets.

"To me every religion teaches people to care about others, and to treat people how you would want to be treated. So we believe Jesus, Krishna, Rama all existed."

Kalpana says she has seen a big change in attitude both among people who come to Britain and become more relaxed about traditions such as arranged marriages as well as among those people already living here.

"People are a lot more tolerant now. Ten years ago we were still sticking to our traditions but we would do it behind closed doors. But now we talk about our differences and hope that other people take an interest."

HINDUS believe that ancient gods, chiefly Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, are part of the ultimate spiritual force, called Brahman, and that human beings reach oneness with this ultimately through reincarnation. Hindus believe in karma the concept of humans being repaid for their good or bad works in this or future lives.

'I don't think I've missed out due to my religion'

SIKHISM for Amardeep Seehra not only defines her identity but also her path to spirituality a matter most teenagers would not think twice about.

But the 17-year-old attends the Gurdwara every week where she takes part in religious ceremonies as well as learning Punjabi and the harmonium.

She says her religion has given her the chance to get back to the important things in life.

"I am very religious. I was born into Sikhism and for some reason I feel like I should carry it forward," she said. "It's just what I believe in.

"I've not been forced into it or anything. It is my own interest and I pray so I won't be reincarnated and I will go to heaven.

"I like getting involved mainly because of the religious side, a bit also because of the social life and I am also learning things I enjoy.

"I've passed a GCSE in Punjabi and I sometimes play the harmonium for kids' events at the temple."

Amardeep has been born and brought up in Swindon. She is studying A-levels in law, English language and English literature as well as an A/S in IT. She has no regrets even though her lifestyle is different from her college friends.

"I don't think I have missed out because of my religious background," she said. "My friends go out to pubs and clubs but it doesn't bother me.

"They are really interested in my beliefs and they respect them. I feel no conflict at all in being Sikh and living in this country. I have been brought up here."

SIKHS, like Muslims and Hindus, are to be found worldwide, although they are concentrated in India's Punjab region.

The faith was founded by Guru Nanak in the 15th century. Sikhs hail Sat Nam as the one true God, and believe that salvation comes when humans' spirits merge with the ultimate divine force of the Universe.

Muslims are not extremists

BEING a Muslim does not make you an extremist that's the message Usman Latif is keen to stress in the post September 11 climate.

Born in Swindon, the 24-year-old IT consultant currently lives in Wootton Bassett.

"Religion is a very personal thing and at the end of the day its everyone's own business but with my own religion everyone seems to have an opinion about it," he said.

"When you look at other religions, the practice their way of life and their culture and it doesn't get that much attention but when it comes to Islam everything is blown up.

"People view Muslims as being extremists which is a wrong opinion.

"They just need to be educated a bit more that what is portrayed in the media is not necessarily an accurate portrait of our culture.

"It's always negative publicity but no-one remembers the charity work the community does and the positive contributions it makes.

Although born into a Muslim family, Usman says he does not really get involved with community activities.

"My lifestyle is dominated by work and sport, especially the local leagues in Wootton Bassett which is very much like any other young person," he said.

"I mean there is a vibrant Muslim community in Swindon and the mosques are the focus for many young people's social lives but not all Muslims are the same, not everyone sticks to the religion to the letter.

"I have never personally experience any problems over my religion in Swindon or Wootton Bassett.

"If I had a big beard and wore shalwaar kameez then people might look at me odd and there might be some tension, it just depends on where you live."

MUSLIMS base their faith on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (born 570CE). He preached in Medina and Mecca in what is now Saudi Arabia.

The name of their faith, Islam, is Arabic for "submission to the word of God". Muslims believe that only the Koran is the true word of God, although they acknowledge books such as the Old and New Testaments as holy.

Muhammad is considered to have been the greatest prophet, with Jesus accepted as a great prophet but not the son of God.