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Jangal Da

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Everything posted by Jangal Da

  1. Yaara, I knew you were probably jatt (like me!), but used the word kissan to not offend any zaati group with my tongue in cheek account. By the way is it not late over there - saun ja. Ehthe sadde nau wajje. Mein kirtan sohila ka paath shuru karan laga, pher saun chalea.
  2. In the Punjab I've observed over the last decade how the mobile phone has etched its way into becoming a status symbol. When men shake hands its customary to use both hands whilst at the same time palming your mobile phone. When the other man feels your phone as he reciprocates the hand shake he will either be made to feel inferior by your impressive telecommunication device, or if his is better, he'll whip it out and pretend to have a fake conversation - usually to someone living in another country, so you then feel like a limp slug having clocked his impressive device. So get a simple phone for when in the fields alone - no one will know apart from you and the kank. Not even wildlife will know because with all the pesticides in Punjab even a kirri is rare inside the khet. Just use the smartphone for special occasions when meeting prospective father-in-laws for example. Deep down you are a good man. I know you are not one of these kissan who spend all evening inside the kamad getting up to no good.
  3. Hazara district is another example. Manipur named after the Sikh general Man Singh has been changed. Haripur named after Faujadar Hari Singh Nalwa likewise was changed. This district was the most independant in the region full of fierce tribes whom neither the Mughals had ever conquored, nor the Afghans. The Singhs deservedly left their presence there in the names of garrison towns that they founded after it was conquored and held by them.
  4. Pak should change the name of Rasulnagar back to the pre 1947 Ramgarh that Maharaja Ranjit Singh made it into. They should change Faisalabad back to Lyallpur. Various villages named after founder Singh Sardars have had their names Islamicised - these should be changed back. They should stop the kabza of Gurudwara land and property eg Gurudwara Shaheedan in Lahore. One or two tributes like this or looking after Nanakana Sahib does not quite cut it. They are still delluded into creating a 'dar-ul-islam wa jamhurat islami pakistan wa Arabi zaman'.
  5. Try Samaritans rather than SikhSangat. I
  6. One of our gyanis does this after the reading sometimes. He quotes famous Urdu verses when explaining certain points and its all quite relevant. I like it. The older men really like it because as a generation they would have been familiar with such poetry. Some younger Punjabis do not appreciate the subtleties of the line or words, even if they understand what is being said. The youth born and brought up in this country are totally lost though - then again their Punjabi does not seem to stretch beyond, 'SatSriAkal, Hanji and Nahin.'
  7. My uncle keeps his mare in the Doaba. Its looked after by a hired help. He visits only visits india 2-3 times a year. Recently he has had it bred and attended for the birth. The foal will be sold on. It was given to him a couple years ago by his in-laws as a midlife birthday present. Guess where they live - Malwa. He was bemused at first, but it seems to be thriving under the care of his syce.
  8. I have never seen a Nihang in India with quality shastars - usually poor quality tulwars. Only seen the big boss ones in pictures that seem to have quality shastars eg main jathedars. I guess most Nihangs would not be able to afford a quality shaster and ones that can probably aquired them a while back when the Budha Dal workshop was operating, or have probably sourced puratan ones from places like Rajasthan where there is a decent trade going on of genuine items for reasonable prices.
  9. Yep - another test the water type of post: Fake.
  10. ??? Read your original post - are you believing this guy or are you asking us what we think. What was the purpose of the post?
  11. Jangal Da

    Picture

    Which vadbhagi Gurmukh pyare? The only other person who claims to have had darshan after meditation are the Mahapurukhs of Nanaksar Kaleran - I've been and seen the pictures there myself. The images there, are very similar to those of Bhai Sobha Singh's. When no one knows for sure, why argue over subtleties? As for Guru Nanak being depicted with soft hands being incomptabile with him doing kheti, then that may be true. There are sakis that tell us he took up farming at Kartarpur. However his clan (the Bedi Khatris) were landowners, but did not do the work themselves - they usually hired raiyats. He too may have done this. Soft hands or not - its no big deal either way.
  12. I got mine from the Budha Dal workshop in Patiala about 10years ago. Since I've heard the place no longer exists due to financial reconfiguration of the Dal after the death of Baba Santa Singh ji. Its solid, heavy, watered sarbloh that is razor sharp and battle-ready. You will need a strong wrist and forearm to wield a tegha! I paid Rs 15,000 back then. Similar ones appear to be sold from the Nihang Singh workshop near Baba Deep Singh Shaheed Gurudwara in Amritsar. However prices are high, especially when they catch on you are from abroad. If possible, get a local to negotiate the price without your presence, then both of you go together. Another option is a ratnowali tegha. They are made by artisans at the village of Ratnoval near Ludhiana. However the quality is no where as good as the above because the steel is inferior. I have a tulwar by them bought from an agent in Amritsar. Decent weopon. Price was fair.
  13. Women are even unsafe on the parikarma of the Harmandir Sahib! This year I spotted a suspicious group of boys (looked about 16-17y olds) whilst in the queue at the Darshan Deori. One was looking at my wife and signalling to his mates and then they tried to move forwards. At that point I made it obvious that I was with her and gave him a mean look. They then sneaked out of the queue - to find their next victim no doubt. At the first barrier I told the elderly sevadar and he said that it always happens - if caught they may get thrashed, but it happens all the time if there is a crush before the first barrier, groups will come like that just to press themselves up against women! Others come to swipe handbags!!!
  14. Jangal Da

    Simran

    I guess where you are based, Gursikhs gather in sangat at the Gurudwara to do amritwela bani. This is popular at a lot of Gurudware. By not being a Gursikh, you may feel that you are an outsider. You do not need to feel this way. Its just a confidence thing. Your worthiness is not measured by your looks or assimilation to others. Its not going to be measured by whether you want to attend ad hoc or daily without fail. Just approach any of the Gursikhs that do this and ask if you can come along. The answer will be 'yes,' but you also will want to get to know a few members of the sangat so that you will feel a union with the sangat.
  15. Jangal Da

    Picture

    No one knows for sure what our Gurus looked like, but there are recurrent themes and imagery from historical artwork, yet nothing contempory. This picture is based on that of a famous Punjabi Sikh (Bhai Sobha Singh) artist who after austere meditation claimed the images came to his mind (he never claimed that this was a divine inspiration - but rather something more surreal). These are the most popular images seen nowadays in many Sikh homes. Sikhi has a tradition of art and much of our history can be seen expressed in artwork.
  16. My sarabloh shastar (tegha) appears to be iron with some carbon in it. Its heavy and holds a razor edge that looks like it would not chip or blunt easily. Rust is not a problem as I use a special wax formula that I was advised to use by a museum. If in India it is worth going to a workshop where these are made. The Nihang Singh Shastars near Baba Deep Singh Shaheed Gurudwara in Amritsar are really enthusiastic to show you around - but they are also really enthusiastic for you to part with your wallet as they charge excessivly especially if they know you are from abroad. My shastar was made in the Budha Dal workshop in Patiala that is now no longer there. There are Singhs in Ratnoval pind in the Ludhiana district that make shastars of good repute - I have a tulwar from there but its steel and not sarabloh. I have never been there myself, but heard that prices are fair and again they are keen to show you the workshops. They will probabaly be able to tell you the difference between steels, sarabloh, damascus, sirohi.
  17. Live at least a full year in Abhiyasi - follow the rahet strictly - even practising wearing all panj kakkar. If you can manage that and it is not merely a routine, but makes you thirsty for more, then you are ready. However I agree that to do this, you need to first let your parents know. Your dad is on your side - which is good, so eventually your mom will come around to the idea.
  18. Always respect your parents. Avoid conflicts of interest by talking more. Read the saki of Guru Nanak and Sacha Sauda.
  19. I think custom making is your only option (I would have no idea where to even start...). Otherwise if in India in the near future, approach a darzi with your requirements. If in the UK, then SikhiStore (google that) may be able to help you out if you email them and give your sizes. I am not certain if shipping to Canada would cost a lot - but worth emailing them to find out.
  20. I agree - powerful perfumes can be distracting. They used rose water in the past shaken from small decorative silver vase like bottles around Maharaj and the this was shaken over the Sangat. By shaking over the Sanagat it represented the welcoming of guests to the the Durbar of our Guru Maharaj.
  21. When I was a child in the UK our teachers were fond of various phrases and one was 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness.' There is a similar phrase in Gurbani. I only wish I could remember the exact line and source from the GGS. If anyone knows, please quote it here.
  22. Most of these do not stand up medically. The reason why a rahet reccommended bathing in cold water was to discourage the use of hammams, which were Muslim institutions found in the big towns and cities of Punjab in those days. Older generation will remember when the water table in Punjab was much higher and will be able to recall that in the blisetring heat of the summer the water was paradoxically cool, whilst the inverse occurred in the winter. In colder Western climates always showering or bathing in the cold will not effectively remove dirt and grime from your body. I enjoy a blast in a cold shower, usually straight after my usual one, but would not habitually use only cold water to cleanse myself.
  23. Darn it - my theory does not stand up! Just read the original post more carefully: 'For Sale or Swap.'
  24. I too wondered about this. Then it suddenly clicked - the answer is straight forward. The Singh is an avid collector and probably has built up quite a collection over time. That's good. However the Singh must be married and the Mrs wants more room in the house (happened with me about 6 m ago when I was given the ultimatum of clearing the study and got rid off 7yrs worth professional journals which in reality I would never have got round to binding and reading). It must be difficult for the Singh to part with the collection, but at least he is hoping they go to good homes by selling them to other Singhs.
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