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You've completely failed to mention the systemic abuse they've been receiving from the hands of other 'Sikhs' for generations and how this has led to this.

It's a failure from us more 'mainstream' Sikhs. How often have do we call such people chamars and churreh in a derogatory way? Having said that, Pakistanis are the equivalent in the Muslim world. What's funny is that they've accepted their role in the hierarchy of the Muslim world. It's quite pathetic really and they still try to convert others to their religion. Until casteism disappears from Sikhs this will continue.

Appeal ? Don't worry you can still go... ?

@dallysingh101 Bump

@GurjantGnostic and @shastarSingh might know more

https://thewire.in/law/justice-ajit-singh-bains-obituary Remembering Justice Ajit Singh Bains, Steadfast in His Integrity, Friend to the Downtrodden Justice Bains' life was testament to his deeply held belief that as a former judge, he was in a position to confront the state’s oppressive power structures. Justice Ajit Singh Bains. Photo: Twitter/@MankamalSingh Pritam Singh RIGHTS 16/FEB/2022 Justice Ajit Singh Bains, a former judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court who became, in retirement, the most prominent face of the human rights movement in Punjab, passed away on February 11 in Chandigarh. He was nearly 100 years old. Justice Bains came from a family which had a long tradition of participating in anti-imperialist activities. His father G.S. Bains was active in the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and was associated with the editing of the party paper. Rajvinder Singh Bains, son of Justice Bains, has said that his grandfather’s last rites were carried out by the party and that he was wrapped in the party flag for his last journey. This progressive family background must have contributed to the shaping of the judicial vision of Justice Bains. One of his younger brothers, Hardial Bains, went on to become the leader of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist). During Justice Bains’ 10-year tenure on the bench from 1974 to 1984, he became known as a different kind of high court judge. Most judges are defenders of the establishment, as evidenced by their social life and worldview. Justice Bains was just the opposite. As a high court judge, he belonged to Chandigarh’s elite, but in his views, he supported the downtrodden in society. He delivered many judgments during his tenure defending the interests and rights of working people, the disadvantaged, and women. He ruled against many employers and establishment figures. He was particularly known for defending the rights of employees against employers. Trade unions and employees’ organisations used to hope that their case at the high court would come to his bench. Some employers supportive of fairer work practices also sought his advice. Yoginder Alagh, a former Union minister, informs me that when he was vice-chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Justice Bains helped him in investigating some legal-administrative issues. His retirement in 1984 coincided with the darkest period in Punjab’s recent history when a very large number of individuals and families faced harassment, arrest, torture and even ‘accidental’ killings by security forces of all kinds. even for minor displays of dissidence. A girl and her father pray at the November 1984 martyrs museum in Tilak Vihar, New Delhi. Photo: Shome Basu Justice Bains understood that given his professional and social status, he was, more than anyone else, in a position to confront the state’s oppressive power structures. He founded the Punjab Human Rights Organisation in 1985 to conduct investigations into gross human rights violations and collect evidence of those violations. He took active interest in supporting human rights causes in other parts of India too. At the invitation of some students of JNU, he was a key speaker at a meeting organised by Tamil students to protest the genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka. His retirement turned out to be even more demanding than his working life. In 1985, he was made head of an official committee appointed by chief minister Surjit Singh Barnala to look into the cases that had been filed by the police against thousands of youths in Punjab. As Mallika Kaur has chronicled, ‘The Bains Committee convened in October 1985. Justice Bains told me, “There was no steno, no office, no staff, no timeline. So, I did it all here (at home).” On personal cost, the committee travelled to jails across Punjab, meeting the imprisoned. In just two-and-a-half months, the committee finalised its report, recommending the release of 6,000 languishing detainees against whom it found no credible evidence, not even from police officials they interviewed.’ When Beant Singh of the Congress was made chief minister after a discredited Punjab assembly election in 1992 with less than 20% of voters participating, and the control of the Punjab police was given to the arrogant K.P.S. Gill, the most difficult period of Justice Bains’s life started. Gill had the audacity to have Justice Bains arrested once in 1992, even having him handcuffed and taken to a police station. K.P.S. Gill and Justice Ajit Singh Bains represented two contrasting facets of Punjabi and Sikh society – Gill the oppressor and Bains the defiant human rights defender. Gill’s actions were aimed at humiliating Bains and terrorising participants in the human rights movement, but Bains’s response was to display the power of dignity and truth. K.P.S. Gill. Photo: PTI Gill did not know that Bains was made of different stuff. Handcuffing Bains attracted worldwide condemnation by the judicial and human rights community. Bains’s stature grew to new heights. He became even more devoted to his mission, realising that if a retired high court judge could be treated so roughly, an ordinary farmer or worker would face far worse in Gill’s police raj. Society’s response to the deaths of these two men indicated a condemnation of Gill and a celebration of Bains’s devotion to human rights. When Gill died in 2017, no Sikh preacher was willing to perform his last rites – Amarinder Singh, then the Congress chief minister of Punjab and now a Bharatiya Janata Party ally, had to seek the services of a hired granthi (reader of the Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib) from the Indian military to perform Gill’s last rites in an isolated and highly protected location within Kapurthala House in Delhi. When the news of the death of Bains became known, it led to a spontaneous outpouring of grief and tributes all over the world from Punjabis and human rights champions. I met Justice Bains only once. He was very pleased when I told him how greatly his work had influenced my research on the Indian constitution. His insight in his paper ‘Punjab Situation’, namely that the Sikh representatives in the Constituent Assembly – Sardar Hukam Singh and Bhupinder Singh Mann – had not approved and signed the constitution because the draft agreed by the majority provided no autonomy for the states, helped me to understand the bias towards centralisation inherent in the constitution. ‘Siege of the Sikhs : Violation of Human Rights in Punjab’, Justice Ajit Singh Bains, The New Magazine Publishing Company, 1988. Later, during every visit to Chandigarh, I always thought I should seek an opportunity to spend time with him. I regret now that I did not manage to do this. Justice Bains personified the culturally and politically rich tradition associated with Ghadari Babas of seeking inspiration from the Sikh guru’s egalitarian teachings, and combined that inspiration with a modern socialist vision that poses an alternative to capitalism. A full appreciation of Justice Bains’s contribution lies in understanding that the future of shaping a new progressive Punjab is dependent upon empowering that tradition.

@Singh1989 cautious tale https://www.desiblitz.com/content/finance-officer-stole-200k-from-charity-to-fund-gambling

Hi, I go through loads of mood swings throughout my daily life and this is really unproductive. For the past few weeks I've managed to stick to 15 minutes of simran a day, and usually after I get up I just feel so much more blissful, calm and composed (also it saves me from 5 chore a lot). What I want to ask is if anyone can recommend ways that I can remain in this state of mind all the time, if not forever haha? Please do tell me about any personal experience as well I'd love to read about them! Thanks!

You are doing great. Consistency matters more than quantity. I dont have personal experience but these r some sakhis i have heard. One was a women, who heard the importance of naam simran and told her family I will do all the work but I will not talk. U can write ur requests down. So all day say would go about loudly saying waheguru waheguru. Without pause. Kids and family heard it constantly from the time she woke and to when she slept. She chanted it as she did all housework. This went on for months. Then suddenly there was silence. They wrote why arent u saying waheguru anymore? She said no need anymore, it is inside now. Ofc u cant do this. But at home after work, before work in the car, chant loudly. Then while talking to ppl, try saying in ur mind. At first it will be hard to do 2 things with mind, listen to convo and say waheguru mentally. But with practice u can. Another way to practice this is while doing gurbani paath. Say gurbani outloud and mentally chant waheguru. And when saying waheguru outloud, think of gurbani pangtis that describes him. Takes a lot of effort initially.Bhai randheer singh talks about this. He has many books online. Check him out. Ofc this is in addition to ur 15 mins. This is throughout the day as u work, not as a replacement of ur dedicated simran time. Secondly, is bhai veer singhs method. Also a great writer found online. He says try to remember waheguru throughout the day. Whenever you do, say waheguru 3x in gratitude and smile while thinking shukar hai, mainu yaad kita, te karaya. And as time goes u will remember more often.

The state you are referring to is called ajapa jaap. This is when simran goes on in automatic mode inside and goes into rom rom. The way you get to this stage is by going to panj Singh, receiving naam and doing swaas grass simran. After immense jaap the simran will go into swaas automatically. Gurbani talks about multi tasking (doing worldly tasks and keep japping naam in surti (mind) in the beginning stages to reach this stage. There’s a shabad by bhagat namdev ji (I think or another bhagat) where they describe a child flying a kite and talking to his friend. The shabad explains how the child is talking to his friend however his chit is focused on the kite. There’s another shabad where it describes how women in olden times would carry pots of water on their heads and walk back to village while speaking to their friends. The same concept in this where the women are still walking and talking to their friends however their focus is on their heads so the pot of water doesn’t fall down. This is how we are to do simran throughout the day. We should do all worldly tasks but keep our chit in naam (jap naam in surti). So how do we actually do this? Gurbani updesh: ਊਠਤਬੈਠਤਸੋਵਤਨਾਮ ॥ While standing up, sitting down and sleeping, jap Naam. let’s leave sleeping for a moment as this will come by it’s self. However we can focus on the beginning shabad. This shabad is talking about naam simran at all times. But let’s take this shabad literally. Whenever you get up start to jap naam and when you sit back down begin to jap naam in surti. After some time your mind will get used to it and whenever you sit down your mind will automatically start to jap naam and when you stand up your mind will again jap naam. It will form a habit by guru kirpa. there are many other tips, but naam paras kala is only received to the person who has been given naam by the guru. You cannot open dasam dwaar with gurmantar without receiving the mantar in the first place. Otherwise what would be the point of Amrit? Panj Singh will give you the technique to jap naam and how to do so throughout the day. As for experiences, when daas when to get naam drirr 6 singhs and 2 bibiyan went unconscious. The kala of naam is seen and experienced by everyone who is present where naam drirr is given. Naam simran for everyone goes into automatic mode. It depends on the karam how long this will last. For some people it is only within the amrit sanchar, most people it happens for a couple of days and very very few gurmukhs it goes into automatic mode at all times till they leave this world. I never used to believe in it myself, my bibi challenged me to go and if I didn’t experience anything different she would never tell anyone to go again. That day guru sahib showed me the kirpa of naam. The rest is to remain gupt. Guru sahib kirpa you will also experience this rass. (Btw I’m not saying only naam drirr is the way to get naam, I’m just telling you my experience).

Does Aum/Om manter have any relevance in Sikhi? I have recently been drawn to listening to it play in the background as I'm working... just a simple human voice. I cant seem to find anything Sikhi related with just a voice with very little sound effects, music or instruments? I have noticed in some Hindu Households they are playing various Manters at low frequency. Do we have any Audios out there of a similar ilk? Example -

I wanted to understand the relationship and history of these 2 Sikh Contemporaries. I have heard of various stories that they didnt get along issues such as the creation of Bandai Khalsa and that a leaf was dropped in the sarovar of Harmander Sahib that would decide who the real Guru of the Sikhs was... is that true? Heard about Baba Deep Singh Ji abandoning Baba Banda Singh Bahadur as the Mughals were closing in... But then again I heard they never joined forces as Baba Deep Singh Ji didnt agree with the way Baba Banda Singh Bahadur conquered Mughal areas. Not sure what is true. Is there any fact based historical accounts of what happened?

I've noticed that alot of Muslim actors are having to play overtly Hindu roles to stay relevant and liked within Indian Media. Salman Khan is prime example of this... pretty much very film he makes now he plays a Hindu character and his films have been mega hits at the Indian box office. But in regards to Maratha/Sikh relationship it highlights the lack of cooperation within modern day India. Ultimately why would the Sikhs trust Marathis, they put Adina Beg in power over Sikh territories which the Sikhs helped them to conquer. Also in later years Marathis proped up the failing Mughal Empire and supported small proxy wars agaisnt Sikh Misls. Its interesting to note after the 3rd Anglo Marathi War... the Marathis seeked refugee with Maharaja Ranjit Singh. I think Bollywood will struggle to make a historical accurate film under the trend of Hindi extremism. It's often forgotten by them how many Mandirs Marathis sacked and looted to fund thier campaigns. For example those protected by Tipu Sultan

It was 27 year war between Aurangzeb and shivaji sons and daughter in law. The war broke the back of Mughal empire. Aurangzeb just invested too much of his resources in that war.

It is gud if you like history. They even showed Sikh's like Ala singh agreed to help Maratha's but unable to do that. The film is also not very anti muslim as they did not show brutalities of Abdali.

Panipat is available on Netflix . They showed Marathas defeated.

the RSS are printing textbooks for schools claiming the third battle of Panipat was won, if that's true how you gonna explain ghulami under mughals, afghanis and Turks for over 800 years ...

I seriously advise people who don't know how to already, to learn Gurmukhi whilst on lock down, plenty of resources available.

If anyone needs help to learn, use the forum. Plenty of people here can help.

I put this together years ago on the topic. Some of links are stubs now, but see if it helps? http://www.sikhawareness.com/topic/14814-learning-to-read-write-gurmukhipanjabi-tips-on-getting-started/?tab=comments#comment-128273

Live in Yorkshire, yeah I have see their series, they really go through line by line, I want to understand word by word, if that makes sense.

I just wanted to enquire whether there was any meanings or reasons for the designs (mosaics) we see around the parikarma of Darbar Sanib? I believe one is called the flower of life? Or Any other historical Gurdwaray in India. Who chose them?

This might be a tad bit controversial, but the '86 Sarbatt Khalsa started this Kar Seva Renovation wave. Another problem is this pendu mentality that because Sikhi does not profess to idolatry than all pictures are worthy of destruction.

the inset semiprecious stone work is the original Maharaja Ranjit SIngh works which he paid for , however even that is being removed slowly slowly and being sold off ...SGPC is 100% responsible because they are the ones providing the materials or lack of (remember white washing the purataan frescoes?) and the direction . My own feeling is the originial bricks /stones have absorbed the vibrations of how many centuries of gurbani ucharan they need to stay and be supported by repointing / fixing with like materials not removed with materials which are used to justify mortgaging Guru ji's land to the hilt .

simple we as a panth should do our own census of the missing and dead

Youre right, the Singhs who headed the organizations did not engage in this, mostly the fighters/area commanders did. Maybe with some support from mid level commanders. I reccomend going and talking too villagers themselves, most online sources are as bias as you can get. We as Sikhs need to stop changing our history, lying about innocents killed, drugs/alcohol, and so on. Throwing out numbers like 250-500k killed in the 80s with 0 evidence. All this does more harm than good, no one will take us serious.

I used to think it was just black cats and Indian Govt dressing people up as Sikhs to Kill Hindus. But then recently I met a Kharkhu Singhs family and they confirmed that some Sikhs in these groups were so angry and because they were getting no support from fellow Hindu Punjabis they resorted to violence against local Hindus. BUT it was really low level and these Sikhs were often dealt with by other Sikhs or the Indian authorities themselves. It eventually got worse towards the end of the 80's as there was no control over youth joining the Khalistan movement. HOWEVER, Nothing in comparison to what black cats were actually doing and miniscule in comparison to how many Sikhs lost their lives. Either way those who killed innocent Hindus where dealt with... And killers of innocent Sikhs walk free.

I have been thinking about this for a while and wanted to gage sangats opinion and understanding of whether evolution theory and Darwinism fits into Sikhi? The reason being I attended a presentation attended by 100+ post grad academics at GNG Leicester where at the museum the presenter launched into a tirade against evolution theory and how it was against Sikhism. I have never really heard a learned Sikh (I am presuming he is one considering GNG employee him) speak so strongly against a theory that is generally accepted in the scientific world. However - the individual did go on to speak against Nihang Singhs rehit etc and seemed to be disregarding the different groups and practices Sikhs follow... which lost the audience as most people in the room knew there were different rehits/Jathay... Nevertheless, his views against evolution in Sikhism where particularly strong.. Was he correct in enforcing such a view so strongly? Is evolution and sikhi completely incompatible?

There is big flaw in Darwins theory of evolution. If we had evolved from Apes (as it is theorised), then there should be no human species before them. The archaeologists found human remains which were alive before apes. Do your own research for oldest remains of humans.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/7734383/High-Court-halts-Indian-holy-mans-libel-case-against-British-journalist.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/defamation-bill-intended-to-kill-off-libel-tourism-2241872.html Interesting... Personally feel sorry for Hardeep Singh... from what I know and heard of him he seems like a really nice sikh orientated individual!

I used to remember going on the website whilst at uni finding out about events, camps etc. Especially the London/Midlands Uni's were really active on there...this website was important for Sikhs going to uni living independently, discovering Sangat and Sikhi etc but now it looks like the latest update for a camp was in 2011. Does the organisation even exist any more? I remember there being a British Sikh Student Federation that was separate from BOSS... what happened to that? Is there no Umbrella organisation functioning any more for UK Sikh Societies like the National Hindu Students' Forum (NHSF) !?!

Sikhs in Europe: Migration, Identities and Representations by Knut A. Jacobsen, Kristina Myrvold.I have only read a few pages in this book yet... focusing on Spanish Sikhs but it has already been a real eye opener regarding Caste and Gurdwara politics. I think its sometimes good to get outside perspectives on the Sikh community that is impartial from any baggage... I've been impressed with the amount of research done in this book. I recommend it...

Well its obvious now they are reading this forum! The practically mentioned it and made direct quotes from peoples posts. However, I think the discussion went well and it was good to hear people from other faiths supporting Sikhs!

Nihal is a fool. End of story.

She comes from a sleepy village and is a farmer’s daughter. Only 16 years old, she has dared to take on the state government by refusing to accept a free bicycle, which carries Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s photograph. More, she has even listed the reason for her refusal to accept the freebie being doled out under the much publicised Mai Bhago Scheme. “Badal was the Chief Minister when killing of Sikhs started in 1978 and he had even written to central government, which reflects that he also supported army action on Darbar Sahib in 1984,” she has written in a letter that she sent to the principal of the government senior secondary school, Pakhyal, in Hoshiarpur district. She is a student of 10 plus one at the school. Meet Manjit Kaur. A resident of Chakowal Shekhan village, she is being hailed as another Mai Bhago - the legendary Sikh warrior woman who fought along side Guru Gobind Singh and is said to have stayed on with the Guru as one of his bodyguards. The girl refused to accept the bicycle by writing an application to the school principal in which she mentioned that Badal, recently bestowed with Panth Rattan-Faqr-e-quam award, was responsible for the turmoil faced by Sikh community in the last several years in, which several members of the community were killed. She said that while the photo of the CM has been fixed on the basket on the front portion of the bicycle, Mai Bhago’s name is written near the feet - on the chain cover. In her letter, she mentioned that she had walking to the school for the past 11 years and she can do the same for another year too. “But I would not take the cycle bearing Badal’s photo,” she has stated. Manjit, who likes to read about the happenings in Punjab, said that she wrote the application on her own. She said that a few weeks ago chief parliamentary secretary Mohinder Kaur Josh had come to their school to distribute the bicycles. But she didn’t want to accept a thing that had the photograph of a person who is in a way responsible for killing of so many Sikhs, so she wrote an application to the principal. Manjit’s father Gulwinder Singh, a farmer with just three acres of land, is a proud man. “Ever since the news of this application came out, I have been getting calls from people in India and abroad,” he said. The family said that it was Manjit’s decision and she has done whatever she thought was right. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/girl-refuses-bicycle-with-cms-photo-says-he-supported-army-action-on-darbar-sahib/886374/0

What a fantastic and inspiring effort by the young girl. Badal will still be smarting at the tight slap given to him by the courageous girl.

So basically in the summer months I am planning on going to Gujarat to help run a call centre business with a friend who is already established there... He informed me there a thousands of Sikhs in Gujarat who have moved there for economic reasons as there tends to be rarely any jobs in Punjab... some have been there for generations! He informed me of a Gujarat Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (GGPC) and that most the Sikhs in Gujarat are different from UK Sikhs on their political and religious views! Hes not a Sikh so didnt dwell on topic... Im abit apprehensive about engaging with the Gujarati Sikh Sangat... I don't know why, but I just wanted to get a heads up about what to expect!... am I going to walking into a Gurdwara that has Hindu practices!? So has anyone had any experience with Guji Sikhs, whats the views of Gujarat Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (GGPC) etc. Thanks

WaheGuru Je Ka Khalsa WaheGuru Je Ke Fateh. I just wanted to Inquire how black sikhs (and I know there are some) cope with combing their Afro-Carribean Kesh. I have a Friend who has only grown his hair to his shoulders and it gets to tangles really easy...getting a Kangha through it would be impossible. He argues that it would be impractical for a black person to become Sikh because they would spend so much time "taming my hair". So I just wanted to know is it possible/practical for a black person to grow Kesh and keep it in check without chemicals (some of my black friends have resorted to that...for fashion reasons though)! Are there any Black Sikhs on this forum? and is it easy? WaheGuru Je Ka Khalsa WaheGuru Je Ke Fateh.

Sorry For the text language... im typing on my phone... Recently it has come to everyones attention about the views of upinder the main presenter on Sangat TV, about his low disregard for sant jarnail singh ji and various Gursikh groups. After repeated emails and comments by users on facebook on sangat TV's fanpage they continue to promote this hysterical and misguided presenter. Bare in mind this is the same channel that showed Sant Ji speeches... In addition one has to question the judgement of Sangat TV to use Sonia Deol as a presenter!? ...I usually keep calm about such issues and wait for a Uturn as sometimes mistakes can be made as shown by Sikh Channel! However I am losing patience and considering pulling my direct debit from them. I suspect other Sikhs will follow suit... The question is, is sangat Tv losing its orginal intended auidence in attempt to pull non-sikh viewers? In that case they are no longer a Sikh Channel... and sikhs shouldnt feel obliged to support them!

Dunno if this the right section to post, butttt I ordered hoody from BOSS stall, money taken 3 weeks ago! and no hoody, sent follow up emails and no response! Anyone know of anyone I can contact or you know get a response?!

waheguru je ka khalsa waheguru je ke fateh! Sangat Ji I wanted general opinions as to how to handle 12 o clock jibes? do you take it offensively? ignore it? or laugh with them? Ive only ever read about them on here but with the recent introduction of Indians into our workplace its now becoming more common. Is there a line that can be crossed and what is it? Also how would sangat handle people saying "get a trim!" etc in the workplace? I've never encountered these issues before and am abit hesitant about over-reacting; espically as one of the main instigator is in senior managment. waheguru je ka khalsa waheguru je ke fateh!