Chardi Kala: The Power of Optimism in Sikhism
A commentary by Victor Perton, That Optimism Man
One of the joys of researching optimism is discovering how deeply it appears across cultures, religions and traditions.
In Sikhism, one of the most powerful expressions of optimism is Chardi Kala: the ever-rising spirit that keeps faith, courage and service alive even in adversity.
Chardi Kala is often rendered in English as eternal optimism, ever-rising spirit or high spirits, though its meaning reaches beyond mood into courage, service and faith in action.
For me, Chardi Kala beautifully captures the heart of realistic optimism. The optimist sees the world as it is, recognises that progress is possible, and acts to make things better.
Chardi Kala does not ask people to deny pain. It does not pretend that suffering is easy. It calls people to keep their spirit alive, stay connected to purpose, and keep doing good even when life is difficult.
A Spirit That Keeps Rising
One of the best-known appearances of the phrase is in the Sikh prayer, Ardas, which ends with the words: “Nanak Naam Chardi Kala, Tere Bhane Sarbat Da Bhala.” SikhNet describes the Ardas as ending with these words and links Chardi Kala with Naam, the remembrance of God’s name, and Bhana, acceptance of the divine will.
The final words, Sarbat Da Bhala, are often understood as a prayer for the welfare of all. That matters. Chardi Kala carries optimism beyond the private self. It joins inner strength to generosity, duty and service. SikhiWiki describes Sarbat da Bhala as meaning “welfare of all”, “may everyone be blessed”, or “may good come to all”, and as an important part of Sikh prayer and philosophy.
The optimistic person does not merely say, “I will be all right.” The person living Chardi Kala asks, “How can I help? How can I serve? How can I keep faith with others?”
That is why this idea has such power. It links inner strength with outward contribution.
A Spirit That Is Practised
Sikh teaching does not leave Chardi Kala as a feeling or slogan. It is practised through Naam, the remembrance of God’s name; through acceptance of Hukam or Bhana, the divine order; through truthful living; and through seva, selfless service.
That is why Chardi Kala is so powerful. It is not mere cheerfulness. It is a way of living. It asks people to keep their spirit high, accept hardship without surrendering to despair, and keep serving others.
In Sikh teaching, Sarbat Da Bhala, the welfare of all, gives Chardi Kala its outward direction. The ever-rising spirit is not for the self alone. It becomes a meal served in langar, help offered in disaster, courage shown under pressure, and kindness extended beyond one’s own community.
Optimism as Service
The Sikh tradition of seva, selfless service, gives practical form to this spirit. Around the world, Sikh communities are known for langar, community kitchens, and for showing up in times of disaster, hunger, displacement and hardship.
Optimists roll up their sleeves.
In Australia, Sikh Volunteers Australia has made that spirit visible. Its volunteers have provided free food and drinking water to communities affected by floods, bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as supporting people in need through food vans in Victoria.
In 2025, after severe flooding in New South Wales, the Melbourne-based charity travelled nearly 1,200 kilometres to Taree to set up a mobile kitchen and serve fresh vegetarian meals to flood-hit residents. Reuters reported that the volunteers served nearly 3,000 fresh meals.
That is Chardi Kala in action: high spirits expressed through service, generosity and practical help.
It says that even when the world is troubled, there is always something good to do. A meal can be served. A stranger can be welcomed. A frightened person can be reassured. A community can be strengthened.
These are the sort of infectiously optimistic leaders the world needs in times of trouble and uncertainty: people who lift spirits, roll up their sleeves, and turn concern into practical help.
Chardi Kala and Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi, one of the great Sikh celebrations, is rich with the spirit of Chardi Kala. It marks renewal, gratitude, community and courage. It looks back with thankfulness and forward with hope.
Chris Minns, now Premier of New South Wales, captured this beautifully in a 2022 Vaisakhi message when he was NSW Labor Leader: “Vaisakhi marks the beginning of the harvest time in the Punjab region. It is a time to give thanks for the past and to look to the coming year with optimism. It is a time that combines tradition and prosperity.”
That sentence belongs in this story because it connects faith, gratitude, renewal and optimism in a distinctly Australian multicultural setting.
In a time when many public conversations are weighed down by fear, cynicism and division, Chardi Kala offers a different way. It reminds us that people can carry joy and seriousness together. We can face difficulty honestly and still choose courage, service and high spirits.
The Lesson for All of Us
I write this with respect as someone learning from a tradition that has carried this wisdom for centuries.
Chardi Kala speaks to Sikhs first. It also offers a gift to anyone who is trying to live with more courage, generosity and optimism.
It reminds us that optimism is something we practise in daily habits. It is found in the smile offered to a stranger, the warm hello, the uplifting question, “What’s been the best thing in your day?”, the curiosity that listens before judging, the appreciative questions that look for strength and possibility, and the gratitude we express for the service of others.
It is found in the words we choose, the service we offer, the courage we summon, and the spirit we bring into the lives of those around us.
So perhaps the question for each of us is this:
What helps your spirit rise?
And when your spirit rises, who else is lifted with you?
Chardi Kala is a beautiful reminder that optimism can be faithful, disciplined, generous and strong. It is the ever-rising spirit that helps people endure, serve and build.
One way to live that spirit is to join The Centre for Optimism as a subscriber and share your answer to the question I love asking: What makes you optimistic?
You are also warmly welcome to read my book, Optimism: The How and Why, which explores the habits, leadership and practical power of realistic optimism.
May we all learn from the spirit of Chardi Kala, and may we each help lift the spirits of others.