Tragedy prompts moviemaking project in Rockville

‘Sikh Kid to Kid’ created to combat ignorance

Bill Ryan/The Gazette Dr. Harminder Kaur and her daughter, Hana Mangat, 13, of Potomac, talk with children at the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation Sikh temple about a movie they made to educate people about Sikhism. The first viewing of the film was held Sunday in Rockville. Bill Ryan/The Gazette Children at the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation Sikh temple in Rockville gathered on Sunday to watch a movie made to educate people about Sikhism.

Some Rockville children and teens are taking their message of understanding directly to others of their own age, hoping that education can bridge gaps between people of different religions.

Hana Kaur Mangat, a 13-year-old from Potomac, and about 30 other kids ages 8 to 14 at Guru Gobind Singh Foundation Sikh temple in Rockville made a movie called “Sikh Kid to Kid” as a way to educate children and teens about Sikhism.

“It’s all kids, because it’s directed toward kids,” Hana said. “I think kids would be more intrigued by other kids rather than by having adults explain (Sikhism) to them.”

In the movie, non-Sikh children ask questions about the religion, and a series of Sikh children and teens answer, Hana said.

The moviemaking process grew out of a debate club led by Hana’s mother, Dr. Harminder Kaur. After a gunman killed six people at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin last year, Kaur and some of the children in the club wanted to make the movie as a way to express themselves and combat ignorance.

“During the time when all of that happened, there was quite a bit of fear,” Kaur said. “... It was such a healing experience for them.”

Hana said the 2012 shooting was a shock, especially because America is such a diverse country. She wanted to make the movie to educate people about Sikhism, because the shooting was not the first time Sikhs have been victims of hate crimes.

“If people learn about it, they’ll be less ignorant, and it will prevent future events like in Wisconsin,” Hana said.

On March 31, the children, their parents and a few others screened the finished product for the first time at the foundation in Rockville. Kaur is planning a bigger screening for local teachers and other people who are interested. She also hopes to share the movie with schools and enter it in some competitions.

She said educating kids and people who work with kids is crucial.

“Life really begins in childhood, and I think we change and we mold ourselves depending on how we are taught,” Kaur said. “In order to coexist, I think our thinking in childhood should really be that of coexistence.”