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VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH http://www.srigranth.org/ - a lot of the Gurmukhi words, you can hover over with a mouse and click to get a definition.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH Yeah, they don't pay out... Listen 2:59 onwards about these type of challenges.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH There appears to be some sort of tension between Bhai Gurbaksh Singh and Ajnala group. http://www.punjabspectrum.com/2014/08/413901

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH Jio, you did not specify that this was from your classmate - apologies that I did not know as it was not stated. Your classmate is being quite strange - what is his evidence for asking this question? That is more of an accusation than a question and he should be challenged to present evidence that we as a faith (not individuals) hate any faith. Given that Gurbani includes verses from Hindus and Muslims that we bow down to, that statement would not have a leg to stand on. Nobody is angry - trust me. Not a Brahmgyani either (perfectly knowledgable would be that). Saying including myself does not inherently mean that you did not ask the questions. Nijjar is a surname and carries with it a burden contrary to Sikhi - you could have just as easily picked Eagle or Grasshopper or whatever other descriptive/label to make yourself stand out. Anyways, best of luck.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH If any doubts, show up to the Amrit Sanchar and ask one of the sevadaars there - at minimum, there will be a Pehradaar who you can ask and they will arrange for someone to assist you.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH A) Why generalize - who says Sikhs don't respect other religions - where is the evidence? You cannot hold the faith accountable for the actions of individuals. Sikhs are not declaring a Jihad on any faith or otherwise mobilizing as a Panth against any religion. B) Why Nijjar, not Singh? If you are Amritdhari, you know that this is a no-no. If you are not, then you know this is the first step to being a Sikh. C) Who says there are not real Gursikhs right now? What evidence is there that all are gone? Not all will wave a flag to attract attention to themselves. D) Who says Sikhs don't meditate on God? There are many Sikhs waking up at Amrit Vela, doing Simran/Nitnem/Keertan/Paath and trying to be good Gursikhs. It seems that you are somehow frustrated at the Sikh Panth's current state. That is very easy to get into. Always remember that Vaheguru created the Khalsa and Vaheguru will always have victory (Fateh). It is the game that the Sikh faith was to undergo and learn from. We, who are blessed to be allied to this faith, live on the earnings and respect of our forefathers and must realize that this is not sustainable. New Baba Deep Singhs and Mai Bhagos must and will arise. We have only to look back 30 years from the post 1984 movement to see that Gursikhs were alive and well and up to the same standards of the Puratan Gursikhs. Focus on yourself and ask yourself these questions and when the answers arise, make improvements to yourself. If you want to exact change, you will have to work on the self. If you wish to do seva, do seva locally per Bhai Jasbir Singh Khanne Vale to raise awareness of Sikhi and conduct Gurmat oriented programs in the local Sangat(s). Sikhsangat posts will not resolve Panthic matters or be the answer to the questions you are looking for at a Panthic level.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH Go see the Punj Pyare and explain your situation to get it completely cleared up. Historical reference: Dasam Patshah, to establish the supremacy of the Punj Pyare and establish the Maryada of not seeing any other authority superior to the Granth-Panth bowed one of his arrows in mock respect to a grave of a Muslim Saint. Guru Sahib was given a Tankah for this action, which he happily paid (due to his motivations as listed above). http://www.worldgurudwaras.com/muktsar/gurudwara-theri-sahib

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH I watched that video at least 4-5 times, with the idea of Granthi Singh changing as well. That did not seem to explain the reason for the siropa and why the other sevadaars, after the Granthi Singh changed, would continue to stand and bow with folded hands at Badal/his entourage.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=865165643512370&fref=nf Someone tell me this is fake, clipped, dubbed or I hallucinated while watching.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH Just be aware that if you do try to wear something that does not look like a "typical" Kirpan, the other Sikhs may also say things not to your liking as well. Something similar to a pesh kabz or khanjar type works best as that is what most are used to. I was given the "That's not a Kirpan", "It's not made of Sarbloh" and if you are involved in any seva that puts you in front of people (especially Karah Parshad Bhog/Parvaan seva), expect less than positive feedback. Something like the above - Khalsa Kirpans - same stereotypical Kirpan shape and Khandas should be just fine.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH Bhai Jio: A) History says that Devi was doing broom seva in the court of Guru Nanak Sahib. When Bhai Lenha asked who this red clothed woman was to her directly, she responded that she was who he had prayed to all of these years and that she bestowed blessings to Bhai Lehna from the dust of the Sadh Sangat. B) Bhai Nand Lal Sahib states in his work Ganjnama (http://www.zafarnama.com/Download/ganjnama.pdf ) that thousands of dieties kiss the feet of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. Given that, it would appear that Devi would not need to be manifested by any effort of Guru Sahib - she, and the thousands of other dieties, were at the Guru's feet continuously.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH Official sanctioning of a Takht Sahib for the UK and other non Indian nations will prove to be difficult for a variety of reasons. However, the Sikh Rehat Maryada already has a provision that states in Article XXVI - Method of Adopting Gurmatta. This seems to outline the process in which the Gurmatta or Matta (read description for difference) can be adopted and implemented and lists the Akaal Takht Sahib as basically the Supreme Court at which appeals can be heard. http://new.sgpc.net/sikh-rehat-maryada-in-english/ - last page. The framework is there already - it doesn't seem to require a Takht Sahib, but rather a consensus from the local Sangat of that area (could be national Sangat) to elect a body (Punj Pyare) and render decisions relevant to their locality. Note that there are dangers or challenges to this - how to get consensus amongst the hundreds of thousands of Sikhs abroad will be a challenge. Who qualifies - Amritdhari Gursikhs only vs. Sehajdharis will be an issue. What if groups like the missionaries somehow gain control and pass Mattas/Gurmattas against the core foundations of Sikhi (the Akaal Takht Sahib should still serve as that appeals body, so a safeguard is present). Basically, to make this happen, members of the Panth would have to grow up, learn to get along with each other and agree to elect this representative body to represent the needs of the Sikhs. Given the recent Harmandir Sahib incident, we may not be there yet.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH Any contact with HR of the workplace to discuss your treatment? If uncomfortable with taking this route, you may have to go through one of the Sikh rights orgs around (United Sikhs, SALDEF, Sikh Coalition) to assist you. Harassment and discrimination is not allowed and if this is determined to be taking place, it could have severe consequences for your employer.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH "A GAME PLAN OF SHIV SENA PARTY" - source link of this news? Regardless, if our people don't have enough self control to not engage in war with each other, then they should put aside the Khalistan Zindabaad slogans a bit and do some self analysis.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH http://www.gurmukhyoga.com/sikhism_and_tantric_yoga.pdf - some information on the 3HO crowd. Let's take it from this perspective: If the Kana Tesiyan incident occurred where people were dancing in the presence of Gurbani was condemned, why not this (yes, Guru Sahib's saroop is not present, but Gurbani is being playes and danced to)? What makes the 3HO crowd the sacred cow when if any Punjabi group does it, we would be out for blood, but since it is 3HO, well, you know, they don't know any better? Why do we keep insisting that they are naive and don't know any better when they have been around since the 70s (listed as the origins of Sikh Dharma). Its not like the Western Sikhs don't know about Sikhs - it has been decades. They run one of the biggest websites related to Sikhi - Sikhnet. They should be fully aware of what Sikhi is at this point and have had ample time to get out of their New Mexico location and mix with the Sikh body at large (and from all stories presented on Sikhnet - they do). Sorry to say, but there are non Punjabi Sikhs who did not come from the 3HO/Yoga crew who integrated into the Sikhs at large just fine without doing Bhangra and yoga. Many of them have a severe dislike because of the corrupt message sent out by 3HO. The "oooh...look at the white clothing and the large Dastaar" awe-gawking has to stop and they needed to be held to the same standards of the Panth. I have gone to the LA Gurughar of the Sikh Dharma - it was an interesting experience, where a Western Sikh Bibi told me that I should not say "Karah Parshad" in Ardaas because "Sri Singh Sahib" said a Karah was a bowl in which animal sacrifices are done and I should call it Guruprasad (or some similar variation)- so the entire Panth is wrong and Yogi Bhajan was a BrahmGyani??? Whatever "Sri Singh Sahib" said is gold and what the Panth does is stupid - this seems to be a root cause of the problem. The SikhiWiki website (run by Sikhnet) still has an article that attempts to validate that dancing is completely acceptable in Sikhi. When I edited the article, it was immediately taken down and when challenged by Gurbani, there was basically no substantial response provided. You can read here: http://forums.waheguroo.com/index.php?/topic/35829-guru-sahib-is-telling-us-to-do-bhangra/ It's not ignorance - its arrogance and a disdain for their Punjabi Sikh brethren that is driving this behavior. It needs to stop and they need to openly either be a part of the Panth or declare themselves separate. And we need to stop making excuses for them. The people dancing, I don't blame - the 3HO organizers are fully responsible.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH BASICS!!!! Always remember that what you take as granted for knowledge of Sikhi, others may not know. Some basic history to explain the origins of Sikhi, the outer appearance, Mool Mantar (which is the root of all Gurbani summarized), Gurudwara/Sangat/Langar. Adding your personal experience as a Sikh helps the audience relate to the material at hand. That should be more than enough. How to tackle questions - what you present is what you would be asked on, so know that and a bit more. Expect comparison questions (how is Sikhi different from Christianity/Islam etc.) and be honest and not make things up - tell them that you don't know. If someone asks a deeply spiritual question and you don't know the answer to it, be honest and respond that you don't know. If this is a place where you can take another person with you while presenting, they can also assist as needed with the questions (you can refer to them).

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH The Radiographer is not taking X-rays of himself/herself, so it should not be an issue. The issue typically arises for the person who is being X-rayed. Even MRI techs - they aren't in the room with the magnetic field when the machine is on, so it should not be an issue.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH Some general advice after having spent nearly 6-8 years of my life at restaurants (college and when I began work) - watch how they cook food at ANY restaurant/establishment. Heck, watch the cooking shows like Chef Ramsey and things - self tasting by chefs and using the same spoon back in the pot, sneezing on the food, "vegetarian" food cooked on the same oil/pots/pans as the meat stuff and a much more. Kinda turns you off when you see it...

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH "There is nothing 'Sikh' about the gun." ??? ਅਸ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਨ ਖੰਡੋ ਖੜਗ ਤੁਪਕ ਤਬਰ ਅਰੁ ਤੀਰ ॥ ਸੈਫ ਸਰੋਹੀ ਸੈਹਥੀ ਯਹੈ ਹਮਾਰੈ ਪੀਰ ॥੩॥ As, Kripan (sword), Khanda, Khadag (sword), Tupak (gun), Tabar (hatched), Teer (arrow), Saif (sword), Sarohi and Saihathi, all these are our adorable seniors.3. - Shastar Naam Malaa. Because Gatka can defend against this???: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/us/sikh-temple-shooting Funny thing: Local Gatka Dal here has multiple winners of Yudh (annual Gatka competition) over the years. The teachers are gun owners...you would think that those who create the winners of Yudh tournaments would know whether Gatka was the ultimate self defense and not require carrying guns...right? Seems like they know the realities of what Gatka can and cannot do. Mata Bhag Kaur's gun - was she not a Sikh?: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gurmatstudy/489631949/ Let's make it simple: You being British, and from West London, have very little understanding of what the life of an American is like. I, being an American, have very little understanding of what life of a West Londoner is (though I have been there and have contacts/friends there). I, being a former anti-gun believer, can tell you the harsh realities of what it means to be a Sikh American. We are targeted based on our appearance, we suffer from mis-identification continuously and are victimized for such. The nightmare scenario for the Sikh community is Soft Target style bombing of an American plane (can't say it can never happen - ready Soft Target). Our Gurdwaras will be target, our people will be targeted and we will have to defend our own. There is also the lack of understanding of city folks (of which I am one of formerly) even in the U.S. that the police is always ready at hand to provide all the protection you need (a concept that is even more ridiculous in the UK, where the regular street patrol police is not armed but the thugs are. Quite tragic to see the British version of "Cops" - senior police officer bullied and physically manhandled by a ruffian British youth because the police is neutered beyond any use). Here, if you call the police and you are in the country, it may take HOURS for the police to respond. This is not a backwater, red neck state - this is California where a reported 30K people identifying themselves as Sikhs reside, have nearly 20 Gurdwaras and are visible in a 50 mile area. Maybe it is fine for the British to have this stance (and it seems to hold true - during the recent London riots, the Sikhs were able to hold rioters at bay with Kirpans and bats), but not so for a Sikh American. We have been shot at, we will be shot at and our places of worship and residences are targets. Gatka sticks and dhals will do nothing to stop bullets and the Sikh Americans are acutely aware of that. As for guns having nothing to do with Sikhi - that is an outright false statement as demonstrated by Dasam Patshah himself.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/1000-knife-crime-victims-in-london-each-month-shocking-new-figures-show-8681511.html http://www.examiner.com/article/knives-replace-handguns-uk-as-weapon-of-choice And you UK lot have a stabbing problem - does that mean that knives should be outlawed in the UK? Seems like its not the weapon, its the person's motivation to inflict bodily harm.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI JI FATEH "Americans having open access to guns then, is a disaster waiting to happen." - ??? So...let's disarm the public instead, whose means of self defense against well armed criminals would be using mean words or perhaps rocks? Note that the U.S. Supreme Court has (stupidly) ruled that the police is under no obligation to serve or protect the public (Google it please). Even if it did, the response time for police is in minutes where a perpetrator making the decision to kill you (or you to save yourself if armed) is in seconds. The reason Americans were actually given access to guns was to yes, defend their family and home, but not only from criminals but also corrupt, oppressive governments that come to power. We Americans have been armed for centuries and have managed to not kill each other to extinction, nor will we. There is the example of Switzerland - all males have fully automatic weapons, training through national militia service and is one of the safest countries in the world. Dangerous is when a person who is armed is either mentally unstable and is not fit to bear arms due to the potential to inflict bodily harm (rectified by an appropriate background check at least to alleviate them from obtaining weapons legally) or being disarmed so they can be victimized by those who are armed. An armed public with basic training is a pretty good deterrent to invasion by foreign forces as well (short of nuclear holocaust, but then nothing really would be left to defend at that point...). 1984 November in Delhi would have been much different had the Sikhs been armed and fought back. Shastar Naam Malaa and Guru Sahib's Hukam instructs to keep arms for a Sikh - no weaponry was taboo (and there are Sikh Americans like me, armed both by religion and by country law). In fact, the more troubling nonsense working through the U.S. right now is the limiting of arms access and dumb laws like magazine size limitations and automatic weapon bans (because as you know, criminals follow the law all the time...) without any justification within the U.S. Constitution to support these limitations. Using Columbine, Newtown, Aurora shootings as emotional leverage against gun ownership is a dis-service to the public. It will never prevent a criminal from obtaining a gun ( see http://gizmodo.com/5928889/buying-a-ton-of-guns-on-the-internet-is-cheap-legal-and-shockingly-easy) and will only disarm and constrain the law abiding public from the only feasible defense available to them: their own ability to defend themselves. One can even make the case that this person who perpetuated the crime would have hesitated in his actions had he known the other party was equally armed and capable of defending himself/herself/themselves. So TL;DR: I disagree with your assertion.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH Do Sohila Sahib Paath ASAP and do Ardaas ASAP for forgiveness - who knows if you will live until tonight. Also make an effort to not let this happen again. But also remember not to let this beat you up inside: Bhulan A(n)dhar Sabh Ko Abhul Guroo Karathaar || Everyone makes mistakes; only the Guru and the Creator are infallible. (Ang 61).

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALS,A VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH Prithi Chand was the older brother of Guru Arjun Sahib. Dhir Mal was the elder brother of Guru Har Rai Sahib. Blood relations are not held in high regard - conduct and deeds are.

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH Gurudwara committees and SGPC didn't make it to the list??? Born fighters they be...

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALS VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH http://new.sgpc.net/sikh-rehat-maryada-in-english/ Page 13 onwards.