Sikh Women in Action: Dhyan Seva: Breaking Barriers Through Kirtan

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Some journeys begin with a single moment that quietly changes the course of a life. 

For Dhyan Seva, a Chinese Sangat member from Guangzhou, that moment came in 2018 at Summer Solstice in the United States. Standing among the audience and listening to live Gurbani Kirtan for the first time, she found herself completely captivated. 

“The space, the music, the chanting—everything felt like something I had been longing for,” she recalls. 

When she returned to China, the experience stayed with her. It became a deep longing to learn Gurbani Kirtan herself. The only challenge was that she had never studied music. 

Over the following years, Dhyan Seva searched for someone who could teach not only the technical aspects of singing and playing, but also the spiritual depth of Gurbani. She met many talented musicians, yet something always felt incomplete. 

“They might have been excellent at music,” she says, “but they didn’t understand Gurbani.” 

Still, she never stopped praying: “My teacher, please stay where you are. When I’m ready, I will find you.” 

Life brought its own challenges in the meantime. After the sudden passing of her father and several other personal losses, she found herself returning often to the Hong Kong Gurdwara, a place where she had discovered peace years earlier. Sitting before Siri Guru Granth Sahib, she would simply listen and pray. 

Then, in early 2025, everything changed. 

She learned that a new Kirtan teacher had arrived at the Gurdwara: Harjit Singh Guru Kashi from Mansa, Punjab. When they met, Harjit Singh shared something that surprised her.

For both of them, the meeting felt less like coincidence and more like divine timing. 

“It felt like I recognized my teacher, and my teacher recognized his student,” Dhyan Seva says. 

Perhaps even more remarkable is that the two do not share a common language. Dhyan Seva speaks Mandarin, while Harjit Singh teaches in Punjabi and English. Yet neither sees language as a barrier. 

“Gurbani transcends language,” she explains. “We come from different countries and different cultures, but there is no problem at all.” 

Their lessons extend beyond harmonium and tabla. They practice English together, discuss the wisdom of Gurbani, and explore how the Guru’s teachings can guide everyday life.  

Every Sunday, Dhyan Seva wakes at four o’clock in the morning to catch the earliest bus from Guangzhou to Hong Kong. The journey takes four hours each way, adding up to eight hours of travel every week. 

Yet she never speaks of it as a sacrifice. 

“I don’t feel it’s difficult,” she says. “I have such a deep desire to learn.” 

That commitment soon bore fruit. After just over a month of formal training, Dhyan Seva performed Gurbani Kirtan at the Hong Kong Gurdwara, becoming the first known Chinese person to do so. 

She remembers feeling nervous before sitting down to sing. 

“I was afraid of making mistakes,” she says. “But once I sat there, everything disappeared. It didn’t feel like I was performing anymore. It felt like the Guru was working through me.” 

For her, singing beside Siri Guru Granth Sahib has become one of the greatest blessings of her life. 

Her understanding of seva also deepened through Kirtan. Years earlier, someone had complimented her voice, telling her she had a beautiful voice for singing Gurbani. The words stayed with her, not because they praised her ability, but because they reminded her of how powerful a voice can be. 

“God gave me this voice,” she reflects. “In the past, like many people, I sometimes used words that hurt others. I realized that my voice should be used differently—to uplift people, to praise the Guru, and to give others strength.” 

Now she felt like sharing the gift of Gurbani is a responsibility from her to the world. 

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Reflecting on their journey together, Harjit Singh points to the timeless teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji: Naam Japo, Kirat Karo, and Vand Chakko. These principles, he says, are for everyone. 

“In Sikhism, there is no discrimination. Just as there is one sun that shines over every country, there is one God for all humanity.” 

His words beautifully reflect the relationship that has grown between teacher and student—a friendship rooted not in shared nationality or language, but in shared devotion. 

Today, Dhyan Seva hopes her story will encourage others, especially throughout China and Asia, not to let language become an obstacle to exploring Sikhi. 

“So many people are afraid because of language,” she says. “But our experience shows that language doesn’t have to stop you. If you take that first brave step, the Guru opens doors you never imagined.” 

Her journey is about much more than becoming the first Chinese person to perform Gurbani Kirtan at the Hong Kong Gurdwara. It is a reminder that the Guru’s wisdom transcends borders, that sincere devotion finds its own path, and that when we answer the Guru’s call with humility and perseverance, extraordinary connections become possible. 

As part of our #SikhWomenInAction series, Dhyan Seva’s story celebrates the universal spirit of Sikh, a path that welcomes all who approach with an open heart.