### What is a Bunga? In Sikh tradition, a Bunga is a building or facility used for resting, meeting, and other community activities. The word "Bunga" itself is a Persian term for a hospice or dwelling place, and they had been incorporated by Sikhs to initially provide places to stay for Misldhars around Harmandir Sahib. However, they also developed to fulfil a variety of functions from fortifications to telling the time of day. The most popular purpose was to be centres of learning in a variety of subjects such as raag kirtan, medicine, calligraphy and much more. Fundamentally, a Bunga was a place where people could come together to discuss ideas and share knowledge. Today, Bunga Azaadi serves as a modern-day example of this tradition, providing a space for Sikhs to discuss and deliberate on the challenges and opportunities facing the community in the modern world. Through its research, publications, and events, the Bunga strives to apply Sikh principles to contemporary issues and promote a deeper understanding of the Sikh worldview to a committed audience. As the world continues to evolve, institutions like the Bunga Azaadi are essential in ensuring that Sikhs remain connected to their roots while navigating the complexities of the modern world. ### Why is this needed? In today's constantly changing world, it is crucial to have a platform for discussion and debate that is rooted in Sikh principles and values. Bunga Azaadi serves as a space for Sikhs to come together and engage in intellectual discourse on contemporary issues. By applying Sikh perspectives to challenges and opportunities facing the community, the Bunga aims to promote a deeper understanding of Sikh philosophy and values in relation to modern issues. It is through institutions like the Bunga Azaadi that Sikhs can stay connected to their history and culture adapting and navigating the complexities of the modern world. Additionally, the Bunga helps to foster a sense of community among like-minded Sikhs and encourages collaboration and cooperation in finding solutions to common challenges. Overall, the Bunga Azaadi is an important institution that helps Sikhs to remain informed, engaged, and connected to their heritage while also looking towards the future. ### How does it work? We aim to produce and curate a collection of quality outputs in the form of publicly available _Vichaars._ Some will communicate the positions members of the Bunga reaches on different topics and how we reached them, whereas others will be incorporated in our knowledge base (Vichaar Repository) with the permission of collaborators. We will also host regular debates to discuss current events and different subjects in order to help explore and test different ideas and interpretations. It is crucial to understand that the author of each respective Vichaar represents no one but themselves, and there is no claim to hold the single authoritative opinion on behalf of the whole Panth. Instead, contributors can set a solid stance for themselves, and share their reasoning for others to assess as part of their process of reaching their own conclusions. Whilst we may also include Vichaars in our repository that not all members of the Bunga may disagree with, the Bungai — the director(s) of the Bunga — may feel they are still valuable for the Sangat to consider within certain parameters. Through our outputs, we aim to establish the world's most advanced and quality collection of Vichaars related to Sikhi, Statecraft, Economics and more!