Jangal Da

Whatever he has been accused of whether guilty or not, I personally have always remained distrustful of any such jathabandi or nirmala type group. NKJ are a mix of neo-Nihang dress-up, Nanaksar katha/ kirtan and AKJ beliefs - as someone said a potpouri designed to appeal to all and definitely a calculated operation. I'm even the same with the Damdami Taksal. However occassionally some spectacular induviduals shine from such organisations whereby you cannot help but feeling blessed by their darshan - like Baba Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala Shaheed. Sikhi and your practice of it is not difficult. Follow Guru Granth Sahib, read the history of the ten Gurus and Khalsa Panth to identify with role models, attend your local Gurudwara and partake in some Seva, be charitible within your community, earn an honest livlihood and adopt a family life - bringing children up to follow the Panth and remember what your parents, grand-parents taught you about Sikhi.

I learnt from youtube vids - practice and within 1-2 weeks you'll have a good nok. However I also attended a pagri school in Jalandhar for a couple of days to get from good to perfect. Why can you not do a pooni? Without pooni nok style is going to look square unless you use malmal and maybe longer length.

Reitterate all above points. Its 2015, not 1985. If you're attending premiere league level then there's no problem.....but, probably better to select seating in the less hardcore parts of the stadium (the cheap seats). On the other hand avoid the most expensive tier as the atmosphere is a bit dull. If you're a fan but have not seen it live at the ground then you're in for a treat. Enjoy.

Nice to see the seasonal debate back in full swing. For our household we do not do xmas tree or presents. This is not how it used to be and the turning point for us was when we became parents and questioned what our actions would have on the future of Sikhi.

Ghee is atherogenic - best stick to a low fat diet rich in vegetables. In our Punjabi culture ghee is special because it is a holy food and because of the myths surrounding its effects on wellbeing. If you eat lots of it you do bulk up - naturally you get fat. However many of the older generation dropped dead from heart attacks in their 70s prematurely despite a life of hard graft, working the land (hal/ bel style of working the land, not the John Dere tractor type of working the land). We all know older generation folks that are nearly centurians and go on about how they downed buckets of ghee. My grandad was the same - cups of ghee, bate of prashad, kurli of desi - all in a days work. Fact is some individuals are genetically blessed. I recently saw through a care episode of the final days of one of oldest patients at the age of 102yrs old before she died. Until a few years ago she was a forty a day cigarette smoker since her teens and enjoyed a glass of sherry a day, brought 14 kids into this world and never became ill in her life until she fractured a hip and ended up in a care home when she was 94. Good for her, but certainly does not inspire me to take up the cigs and sherry. Similarly I'm not going to max out on butter or ghee.

Mirasis never performed in any of our local Gurudware. They were village kamis who helped out at harvest time or would earn money from being entertainers or common singers. The women folk had a reputation of being loose as they performed mujra and other unmentionable services. Most village Gurudware pre partition had no kirtan unless a visiting jatha was paid by a wealthy local patron for special events. Similarly there was never any regular langar unless it was paid for on some special ocassion. The larger villages and local city had kirtanias at their Gurudware and these were Rababis who were musalman in faith but revered our Gurus and in particular Guru Nanak ji. The Hazuri Ragis were also Rababis. During the partition the local SGPC ordered them to go to Pakistan. Sikh kirtanias replaced them. My grandmother recalls that a Sardar in the pre partition days would have been riduculed if he was engaged in performing musical or singing arts - you either preached, went into a Government profession, the army or farmed. Sikh ragis came onto the scene after 1947 to fill the void.

I get full voile from India. Just put one in the washing machine on a quick rinse and spin cycle (no powder or conditioner needed). Drape over something like a clothes rack, washing line or stairs landing to dry. It then needs no ironing. Now either fold and put away or wrap and wear. Do not put it on when uniformly damp because it will tighten too much. Better to just sprinkle a little water on it once dry. If like me you wear the nok style, use the handle side of a spoon to neaten the material and lars - never a pagri baaz, because you risk tearing the material.

Multitude of benefits. Firstly it probably means your fit which is no bad thing. Being abdominally toned means your less likely to get constipation due to maintaining good intra-abdominal pressures. You are more likely to be tyaar-bar-tyaar which is what Guruji requests of his fauj. If you are still a bachelor then having a good physique will score high first impressions with the perspective in-laws when vetted to see whether you are good enough for their daughter compared to a rolly-polly who any self respecting potential father-in-law would roll back down the drive way. In summary I'm perplexed by your question - why are you in such turmoil over a little thing like this?

I used to have a nice and fairly detailed map of the Sikh empire at its zenith. It was in one of my books, but I could not find it this evening. It dates from the time of Sher Singh and includes Leh, Iskardu, Dir and the Khyber upto Jalalabad. It also included the cis-sutlej estates which were numerous albiet very small pockets. Moga was invaded by Ranjit Singh who when he took over the Sikh territories of Faridkot in 1803 and relinquished with the treaty of Amritsar in 1809. Thereafter it was a tehsil of the Sikh state of Faridkot but seperated from the main bulk of that state by lying in the midst of the north eastern portion of Ferozepur state.

I'm looking for advice & tips / anecdotes from parents about kes and toddler Singhs. Any advice about maintaining the kes in good condition without using harsh products, when to start tying the hair up, joora and patka tips. Thanks in advance.

Yet again the Akal Takht is pulled into disrepute by those with a power-seeking rather than Panthic agenda. This article was in yesterday's online Tribune http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140717/punjab.htm#8 : Akal Takht move draws flak from various quarters Perneet Singh Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 16 The Akal Takht move to ex-communicate Haryana Finance Minister Harmohinder Singh Chattha, HSGPC leaders Jagdish Singh Jhinda and Deedar Singh Nalvi for “conspiring to divide the SGPC” has drawn flak from various Sikh leaders and intellectuals. Among the prominent faces who resented the move are SGPC member Bibi Kiranjot Kaur, the granddaughter of SGPC founder Master Tara Singh. She raised the voice of dissent in a meeting of the SGPC members chaired by its president Avtar Singh Makkar here this morning. She contended that Akal Takht should not be dragged into the issue, which should be resolved politically and legally. Talking to The Tribune, Bibi Kiranjot Kaur said it was wrong to take the issue to Akal Takht. She also felt that proper procedure was not followed while ex-communicating these leaders. “The meeting of the SGPC members at 11 am was followed by a meeting of the SGPC executive whose resolution was quickly handed over to the Sikh high priests and by 4 pm Haryana Sikh leaders were ex-communicated. What was the hurry,” she wondered. She also took exception to the fact that the meeting of the SGPC members was held without installing Guru Granth Sahib at the meeting hall. “Whenever a religious issue is discussed by the SGPC members, Guru Granth Sahib is installed at the meeting venue.” She said it would send a wrong message because if “we ourselves would not follow the ‘maryada’ what we will tell others”. Kiranjot Kaur also posted on social networking site Facebook, “I am totally opposed to fragmentation of the SGPC but now that Haryana has initiated legal procedure for a Haryana Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, we need to rethink our strategy. Using Akal Takht to de-recognise it is a bad option. I do not agree with the resolution passed in today’s meeting at Teja Singh Samundari Hall that Akal Takht be asked to ex-communicate Sikhs from Haryana who facilitated this separate committee. Many members supported me after the meeting. If Akal Takht is seen to be acting in a partial manner, there is likelihood of revolt! Let us not diminish the authority of Akal Takht, where all Sikhs bow, by using it to crush political dissent. Noted Sikh scholar Ashok Singh Bagrian said, “The Akal Takht edict is not in the overall interest of the Sikh Panth. It will widen the chasm between the two groups and strengthen the divide between them. It is unfortunate.” Former Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) SP Singh said “it is purely a political issue, which has been turned into a religious one while terming the decision to ex-communicate these leaders as the one taken in haste. With this move, the prestige of the Akal Takht has taken a hit.” Former DSGMC chief Harvinder Singh Sarna termed it “a black day” in the Sikh history while demanding that the decision be immediately withdrawn. “I would like to know as to which religious disobedience these Haryana leaders have resorted to that they have been ex-communicated.” He said the ruling SAD is “frustrated” as the Centre has not come to its rescue over the Haryana gurdwara panel issue. Radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa also dubbed the Akal Takht edict as “unprincipled and unacceptable”. Dal Khalsa Chief HS Dhami and spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh felt the three Sikh leaders have been ex-communicated arbitrarily and with no fault of them. “Asking for their right to manage gurdwaras independent of Badals was no way a sin. The Badals are unable to digest their moral defeat and in the desperation they are all set to destroy the supremacy and sanctity of august seat of the Akal Takht Jathedar and the credibility of the SGPC,” they said. The duo alleged that the edict released from the Akal Takht was drafted and finalised by the ruling SAD’s core committee in Chandigarh yesterday. They charged that the resolution passed in the SGPC executive meet was also “prepared on the instructions of Badal and the executive members were compelled to sign on dotted lines”. They blamed CM Badal and his Deputy CM son Sukhbir for “blatantly misusing the seat and seal of the Akal Takht to fix their adversaries”.

No disrespect intended to Singh97 - it is good to ask questions. ....This jaikara is basic Punjabi (most are) and not some puratan basha or cryptic nihang boli. We need to promote the Punjabi language and encourage our children to speak, read and write Punjabi. As a parent I strongly feel that just like your Sikhi, your Punjabi should come from the home and we should not expect our children to go to some class at the local Gurudwara where the quality of teaching and teaching outcomes is not audited and pick these up. It takes effort and time on our behalf as parents and something as precious as this should never be left to passive effort.

Yes he was amritdhari. In those times all men received Pahul at an early age - usually prior to puberty. His lifestyle was not unusual for those times and conforming to the Rahet was not expected in those times. The concept and expectations of one taking Pahul nowadays is very different and for the better. Prior to the Singh Sabha movement women hardly ever took Pahul.

Guru Nanak did enter Mecca. Non Muslims being banned from Mecca-Medina is a modern phenonomon associated with the Saud Kingdom. In Ottomon times Christians were unwelcome due to their rivalvry with Islam and the Ottomons specifically and also numerous Portugese attacks during Guru Nanak's time on Muslim pilgrimage ships. A Christian appearing at those sites would have been summararily circumcised and executed. Guru Nanak would not have had the bearing or outward appearence that would have placed him under suspicion given his asiatic looks and monotheist preaching. When the kaaba moved or at least the vision of it moving was observed by those who were protesting at the way Guruji's feet were positioned, in at least one saakhi that I've heard, the irate Arabs were placated by a Muslim Pir from Multan who recognised Guru Nanak and told the gathering that he was a notorious Pir from Hind whose methods were unorthodox and no one should interfere or bother him further.

I am Sikh and Punjabi. They are two different things - but also intertwined. Waheguru chose Sikhi to be cradled in the land of Punjab. Punjab is special. One is my Dharam and the other my Dharti. The question of choice is unfair as the human form comes as individual entities made up of complex influences which others will see or judge you by. Denying your humanity by claiming it is one entity is unfortunate. Only the atma can claim to be a pure entity of dharam and only Waheguru can see that.

Yes - Europe (or the UK at least) is getting like this. A simple dal, roti and water gets my vote. I will shun the rest. Sometimes an overly enthusiastic langar sevadar tries to push a slice of pizza/ give me a fistful of pakore into my thali - I usually use the excuse that I'm watching my weight so not to offend.

I am a GP. You do not need malaria chemoprophylaxis for most of India. Certainly not for the north or Punjab specifically. If you are taking them though, then I see no reason why they are not appropriate because we are Sikhs. Ensure your tetanus (DTP) status is upto date ie get a jab if its been longer then 10y since your last one unless you have accumulated 5 jabs in a lifetime, then you are likely to have lifelong immunity; get your Hepatitis A jab unless you have had two jabs within 12m apart in the last 20y; and finally ensure you have a typhoid jab, unless you have had one within the last 3y. I do not recommend a rabies jab - but if bitten seek medical advice straight away when over there. In general Punjab is low risk for that too. If you have not been to India often, then if its a short trip, it may be worthy taking a pack of azithromycin prescribed by your GP in case of gastroenteritis as your naturally immunity is proabably not great if you're not accostomed to exotic travel and you do not want a short holiday to get ruined by the runs.

He possibly has a claim as his mother was descended from the line of Guru Nanak (the Bedi lineage). However as said above, such claims have no special place in Sikhi, its how the individual lives their life and deeds that they do which determine their merits, not their ancestory. The Jot went from Guru Nanak via the subsequent nine Gurus to Guru Gobind Singh ji and finally lies within our Guru Granth Sahib ji - full stop.

So very true....I have just got back from Nakodar and the situation is dire. Laadi Shah, Murad Shah and some other 'baba shah' (name escapes me - but is just before the adda of the Nakodar-Jalandhar road on the Nakodar pherni) gain popularity day by day. On thursdays traffic jams are caused and these are the days that their patrons Gurdas Mann (declined gaddi of Laddi Shah, but ageed to remain a sevadar) and Hans Raj Hans (accepted gaddi of Murad Shah) tends to pop in. A couple of lads from decent Sikh families in our village also visit to gain 'mast' which consists of smoking post (opium husk) via hookahs. In villages themselves there tends to be a more common site year in-year out of small green, but prominent buildings with small green flags procaliming themselves as sufiana jagas or even masjids! Any old grave of some long forgotten aam aadmi musalman tends to be converted into some sort of jaga for the gullible to bow their heads or give donations. Its a shame that many in Indian Punjab have forgotten our history and are allowing the Haidari jhanda to colour our land by devious means.

Waheguru. Enjoyed his columns and writings over the years. I knew his health over the last year was precarious. See previous discussion: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?/topic/17033-important-khushwant-singh-is-being-honored/

Cordial greetings between two human beings can surpass politics of those whom they supposedly or presumably represent. The first thing I did when I read the article was look up Satyendra Singh Huja. I felt pride in one of our brothers reaching the office that he has done. On this side of the Atlantic all I hear is ....Singh gunned down .......Singh mistaken for BinLaden ..... The USA seems like its off my holiday list! I may decide to visit Charlottesville though...wasn't that where John-Boy and the Waltons were from?.

No. 31 was opposite Ghanta Ghar entrance. Since the ghalliara project I would probably imagine that it could have been shifted. The other taksali shop is the original one set up by the Chowk Mehta Taksalis. That one is in Brahm Buta Mandi.

I wonder who the successor will be? Hopefully it will be an internal war for succession/ money and the Dera will break up.

Their history is very interesting and fascinating. Mongols first came into history when the Chinese writers first made reference to them ~600AD. By their own legend (they were Shamanic in religion originally) they were descended from a blue wolf. Their first leader was Budantsar, whose successors ruled over much of Central Asia. At the end of the 1100s AD a Mongol tribal confederation was led by Temujin just north of the Great Wall of China. In 1204 he crushed one of the other dominant Mongol confederacies - the Keraits. In 1206 he took the title Jahengiz Khan (Genghis Khan). Up to this point the Mongols had been tributaries to the Chinese Emperor and in 1211 Jahengiz Khan stopped paying further tribute. Jahangiz Khan then went on to raid China. In addition the Turks of Khiva and Georgia were crushed, Southern Russia was raided, Bokhara, Samarkand and Khorasan were taken. In Afghanistan, Herat was taken and to the East the trans-Indus region of Western Punjab was taken. In effect he created the largest empire that the world had yet known. Jahengiz Khan died in 1227 and his empire was left to his four sons who expanded further into China, Europe, Russia and Poland. The most powerful confederation of the Turks - the Seljuks were made tributaries. The European expansion was halted by the Czechs. This empire was eventually mainly divided amongst one of Jahangiz Khan's three grandsons, from his son Tuli. These were Mangu, Kublai and Hulaya. On Mangu's death Kublai (1260-1294) concentrated on the Mongolian lands and further east into China. Hulaya concentrated on the southern parts of Central Asia, Northern India and the Persian lands. It was Hulaya (grandson of Jahangiz Khan) who attacked the Baghdad Abbasid Caliphate. The Caliphate was waning as the centre of Islam, as other centres like Cairo were becoming more prominent and Islamic Scholars elsewhere such as Delhi were seen as more renowned. However it housed the treasures of the then Islamic world in terms of culture, medicine, arts, literature and learning. Hulaya attacked Baghdad on the basis that the Caliphate refused to support him against subduing a Persian tribe. The city was destroyed, libraries burnt and people massacred. Afterwards he proceeded to Syria and Palestine, but was stopped at that point by the Mamelukes. He was bloody tyrant and his attack of Baghdad in 1258 brought to an end to the golden age of Islam. By the mid 1300s this empire had all fragmented. Central Asia was pocketed with various confederacies and independent chiefs of Mongol-Turk origin. The chief families of both races were fairly intermixed by now. The culture was distinctly Persian and the language they spoke was heavily influenced by Persian. At this stage many of the chiefs had converted to Islam. In 1395 Timur became a self established king of Samarkand. He was an Islamic zealot and favoured Shia Islam. He forged an empire that included two major neighbouring confederacies of Mongols, Northern India, Afghanistan, Iran and Georgia and defeated the great Turkish Sultan Bajazet and thus taking his borders upto Europe. He died in 1405 and his empire quickly fragmented with the Turks retaking all of their territories in the west and the other territories were divided up. His descendants eventually ended up with just Samarkand alone. It is from Timur that the subsequent Mughals of India were descended. Timur was more of Turk blood than Mongol and therefore could never take the title of Khan. The Mughals of India after Humayun had their bloodlines mixed through marriages with Hindu Rajput and Persian women.

I do not feel that caste is such a big issue in the Quom these days. Caste discrimination occurred when I was younger, but is never seen now and good riddance. For instance when I was younger there was a pecking order in the Gurudwara about how close to Maharaj you could sit depending on your caste. This is unheard of nowadays. There was a recent post (not sure to where it was shifted to - it was in the 'What's Happening' section) about double-standards of bhangra singers having homai about their caste in their songs and then making dharmic albums. This is just another way of how caste barriers have changed. Again when I was younger my father berated me wanting to sing (I am not a singer by the way!) just like the guys I saw on the (then) upcoming UK bhangra scene. He said that Jat boys should not be singing because that was the what lowly Mirasis did and it was be'izti to our biradari to ape them in that way. Fast forwards a few decades and attitudes had shifted. I feel that the issue of marrying into one's caste is separate. Our Gurus never married out of caste.