jasleen k

sakhee milahu ras ma(n)gal gaavahu ham ghar saajan aaeiaa ||2||So join with me, my sisters, and sing the songs of joy and delight; my friends have come into my home. this is for my sisters who rock the dastaar everyday, at home, at school, at work, and at play. this is for my sisters who defied their family and offered their heads to their Guru. you know the difference between temporary attachment and true love. this is for my sisters who's kirpans have tasted the blood of the enemies of humanity. i can never find the words to thank you enough. this is for my sisters who choose not to look like a hollywood/bollywood starlet, who are happy and beautiful with their hairy legs, their untrimmed hair, and their eyebrows just as God made them. you are the essence of beauty and grace. this is for my sisters who struggle to get their children ready each day, combing through their tears, braiding their hair, tying their patkas, and never once thinking of taking the easy road. you keep the future of Sikhi alive. this is for my sisters who are teachers, bringing the next generation up with love, courage, honesty, and integrity. you inspire me as much as you inspire them. this is for my sisters who nurse the sick. your compassion brings a smile to my face every time i think of you. this is for my sisters who see seva as a normal part of every day life, not as something they have to do. you make the world a better place for everyone around you. this is for my younger sisters who have it so together... it's me who looks up to you! this is for my older sisters who command my respect with every drop of wisdom that comes from their lips. i sit at your feet. this is for my sisters who stood up for themselves and married for Sikhi rather than for caste, race, or social standing. you are changing the world. this is for my sisters who wear a kadha instead of jewelry, kachhera instead of mini skirts, a kanga instead of a bindi, a kirpan instead of a designer purse, and a dastaar instead of a fashion hair style. you are the very image of Guru ji! this is for my sisters who stand up for themselves, who speak their minds, who make people listen, who make people think twice, who make people angry, who keep their cool, and who turn heads in wonder and respect wherever they go. you are my role models. this is for my sisters. my kaurs. my singhnia. my bibian. my bhenay. i look up to you. i learn from you. i am inspired by you. you have my attention. you have my respect. you have my love. thank you. jinee sakha(n)aee ka(n)th pashhaaniaa ho thin kai laago paae ||I touch the feet of my sister soul-brides who have known their Husband Lord. thin hee jaisee thhee rehaa sathasa(n)gath mael milaae ||1||If only I could be like them! Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I am united in His Union. ||1|| http://evoking-jasleen.blogspot.com/2008/09/r-e-s-p-e-c-t.html

so how was the cake? no offense, but posting to the whole group to say how you're too religious to celebrate your birthday because you received amrit sounds kind of, i don't know, egotistical? you only have one mom. is it really so hard to say "yes" to a slice of cake from mom? does it really require the input of the entire e-sangat? or is it an excuse to show how strict and religious you are. there's nothing in gurbani against birthdays. as far as i know there's nothing in any of the most commonly accepted maryadas against it either, at least not that i have read. so did you give in to your mom or did you take the high road and explain that you're too good to eat cake with her? seriously, what a messed up question. and yes, i honestly thought you were 13. the post made more sense that way.

you don't think the dastaar/dumalla makes us stand out? where is this Hukam written? sikh "dharma"? more 3HO talk?

agreed that you should ask panj piyare... we can't answer that for you. HOWEVER... i know quite a few people who have one amritdhari parent and one not (usually it's the wife though). my mother in law is amritdhari and my father in law is not. the main issue they have is that she doesn't want to cook meat anymore, while he wants to eat it. just curious, but didn't you discuss this or think it over before hand? it seems kind of "too late" to start worrying about the side effects, right? i know it sounds blunt and i'm sorry. i mean no offense, i just don't know how to say things in a polite way. (i'm trying to learn, i swear!)

when i married my husband he wore that kind of turban and a tied beard, and i wore a bandanna over my hair. we have evolved together. for every person there is a correct match. Waheguru will find them for you (or find you for them!). to the thread starter... i think that was supposed to be a joke. i don't think Singhnia only like guys with dumalla (at least not in the US... maybe in the UK things are different. )

yep, it's ok to wear red and green according to the panthic rehat maryada. if your panj at your sampard/jatha told you different, that's fine, don't wear them. but please don't try to enforce your sect's maryada across the panth. thanks. i think i'll buy red kapda tomorrow. Dwqu imlY Puin Dwqu kau isPqI isPiq smwie ] dhhaath milai fun dhhaath ko sifathee sifath samaae || As metal merges with metal, those who chant the Praises of the Lord are absorbed into the Praiseworthy Lord. lwlu gulwlu ghbrw scw rMgu cVwau ] laal gulaal gehabaraa sachaa ra(n)g charraao || Like the poppies, they are dyed in the deep crimson color of Truthfulness. scu imlY sMqoKIAw hir jip eykY Bwie ]1] sach milai sa(n)thokheeaa har jap eaekai bhaae ||1|| Those contented souls who meditate on the Lord with single-minded love, meet the True Lord. ||1|| i think that's kind of a sketchy attitude... defying your panj piyare because you heard a story... sorry, i wouldn't do it. while i personally think any colour is ok, if your panj say don't wear them, then don't. but if they go according to panthic rehat maryada, then they won't say anything at all about colours.

it's just a colour. why be weird about it? some people say black is a colour of humility, which is why raagis usually wear black dastaars. blue is the colour of warriors (or muslim pirs in the old days). white represents death (of ego?) keseri means you're ready for shaheed, but is also associated with sadhus. but i don't think this is "maryada", it's just notes people have assigned to colours. i have a pink dumalla. i think it suits me.

jaap sahib: http://www.mrsikhnet.com/mp3player/western...aap%20sahib.mp3 also, a bit less traditional: http://www.rajkaregakhalsa.net/audio/Praye...aap%20Sahib.zip another musical japji sahib: http://www.mrsikhnet.com/videos/mp3/chardi...0ji%20sahib.mp3 please let me know if you find a good FULL kirtan version of Anand Sahib, it seems most people only record the first five + last paurees. maybe everyone could post their favorite kirtan style nitnem banis in this thread.

you speak the truth, veerji!

"armed with sticks and stones"? :gg: i thought there were SIKHS there?

Sau Suwal (100 questions) is a GREAT book on Sikhi basics. i have been reading one question and answer before bed for a couple months and i've learned a LOT. it's a short book you could sit and read it all in one go if you want. http://www.sikhgifts.com/Pages/ShowProduct...hp?pID=MTg4OQ== this shop has a ton of books on sikhi, sikh culture, punjabi culture, and history. http://www.sikhgifts.com/Pages/ShowProducts.php?cID=NTk1 Patwant Singh's "The Sikhs" is a fantastic book that covers basics and in depth history and culture of Sikhi. http://www.amazon.com/Sikhs-Patwant-Singh/dp/0385502060 pretty much anything by Patwant Singh is great. for translations, look for Surinder Singh Kohli- i have his translation of Dasam Granth Sahib and it's really well done, and easy to read. the most accurate modern translation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji is from Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa, so check for his translations as well. www. srigranth.org will allow you to do an online sehej paath, if you're interested in reading Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji in completion (something every Sikh should do). let me know if you have any specific areas of sikhi you want to read about, i have a ton of books to recommend.

veerji, how do you think the turban seller gets the right length kapda for you? he cuts it! cutting it to the proper size is completely logical and does not ruin the "integrity" or "solidity" of your dastaar in any way. we all wear our dastaars according to what suits us. for a dumalla, the thinner width of kapda is necessary to get the right shape. where do you by your kapda? if you bought "dumalla material", it may have already been cut to the proper width before you even bought it. to the original poster: there is nothing at all wrong with cutting the kapda to the right size. how else will you tie it?

sorry, my punjabi isn't very good. care to translate it? how does it describe bana?

harjeet veerji, what you are describing is called INDIA. it's a bit different than the comforts and orderliness of our western homes. but you are correct, at amrit vela, it's less crowded and the feeling one gets simply being there is completely divine.

please show the source of this? show the text of this hukam so that moorakhs like myself may better understand what Guru ji expects of us. please show the written description of the bana that women are expected to wear. also, you never responded to the question of shoes. who's shoes do you wear? or do you go barefoot to work each day?

if my "bosses tie" is a salwar suit and dumalla, i guess my boss must be pretty cool. what's your obsession with yogi bhajan, anyway? do you have some agenda here?

the fat in avocados will lower your cholesterol for sure. some people say it can prevent certain cancers. it's definitely very good for your skin and hair. plus it tastes so yummmmy.

one thing i constantly hear from sikh youth is that they don't understand gurbani, they don't understand the katha, they don't understand things from their parent's generation or culture. in my opinion, what we need in the west is young gursikhs who do katha in english. help the youth understand gurbani, understand sikh history. kind of a bridge across the culture gap. the music "immortal productions" is putting out is a great example of how to reach out to sikh youth in a way they understand. we just need a LOT more of it! maybe everyone here should make a pledge to explain at least one significant historical event or religious concept to at least one youth. we'll go from there. anyone with me?

might there have been some ancient couple called adam and eve? sure, why not. were they the origin of all mankind? i seriously doubt it. as was said before, Guru ji didn't mention any such thing. if it were relevant, i think he would have talked about it.

i don't think udasi means they traveled. i think udasi means detached. udas is detachment from the world. basically the opposite of a householder.

what kind of info are you looking for? they don't have families or jobs. they don't take amrit or wear panj kakkars. they don't feel the need to honor Guru ji's hukam to keep uncut hair (though some do). they follow the path chosen by Siri Chand... the path that made Guru Nanak Dev ji skip over his own son when choosing the second Guru. they consider Guru Nanak Dev ji to be an avatar of Vishnu. and they think Siri Chand was an avatar of Shiva. they mix hindu mythology with Sikh philosophy, and like most so-called "sanatan sikhs", they do not see a clear boundry between Sikhi and Hinduism. they're absolutely not part of the Khalsa panth, and i personally don't see them as Sikhs, though "sanatan" sikhs consider them to be Sikhs. do you have any specific questions? a google search will give you basic info... check www.udasi.org for their story. the nang site "<banned site filter activated>" will also have info on them, but i don't know how reliable it is. i'm sure dhanna the jatt (or whatever his new name is) will now jump in and tell me what an idi0t i am, so please forgive me for any disruption that may cause.

kaurs united ROCKS! :D http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=1fFLOSrc3EA

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=jucAjidz9sw

sorry, i didn't realize dhanna the jatt had changed his name. nevermind veer, i know it's absolutely pointless to discuss anything with a "snatan" sikh.

someone who does not follow any faith is not a sikh. sikhism is a faith, followers of sikhism are called sikhs. followers of islam are called muslims. one cannot follow islam and sikhism at the same time as there are many contradictions between the two, so no, one cannot be a muslim sikh. followers of Guru Nanak Dev ji were sikhs. the fact that they were born to another faith has nothing to do with it. one makes a conscious decision to follow Sikhi, we are not "born" into it like hindus. no, "american" cannot be a caste, it denotes place of origin or residency. when you get your "jattistan", then jatt sikh will be acceptable as a regional moniker. until then, it's just a lable some sikhs like to use to make themselves feel superior, based on the obsurd british notion of "martial race". you do know that the britts just cooked up that term so they could keep dividing and conquering india, right? the term sikh (or the sanskrit shishya) indicates a specific teacher/student relationship. we are not only students, we are students of our Guru. that is understood through the term sikh. it's also used frequently in Gurbani. if you prefer to be called "chella", i can accomodate that. if you're not ready to be called a Sikh, i understand, it's a huge and life changing decision. i hope this helps clarify things for you.