Manchester_Sikhi

I wear a dastaar always. But my parents are just getting used to me wearing the dastaar and becoming a SIkh so I was trying to ease it in with them via a patka. I've got it sorted anyway. Bye the way, I came across this guy selling them on ebay.co.uk. It's funny, cause he charged only 99pence for them, but £4.99 postage. SO i was like, OK...it's gota be some mega superfast parcel service. LOL, it turned out to be a normal 1st class stamp....I mean, what a rip-off!!! Oh well.

I wanted to ad my 50cents here. I was a full-time mona/non-religious Sikh (if that exists!!). I was going out with a few people, non Indian by the way. Soon after my brothers wedding (to a Korean girl--the wedding was done as per Sikhi), I decided it was time to sort myself out. I registered on shaadi.com...LOL...even I thought myself tacky and cheesy when I did that. I met a few other girls on there, but then I met someone. She was very much a strong Sikhi girl...her mother an Amrithdhari and her family GurSikh. We got on really well, and she never ONCE tried to get me to do anything I didnt want to do (in terms of Sikhi). However, her pure-soul rubbed off on me and now I'm keep my beard and dastaar, and we have a great relationship and will be getting engaged and married early next year (with Guru's Kirpa). She is my rock and together we will become Amritdharis. Basically, its all down to Maharaji's kirpa. But also, I think you have to be proactive and open your eyes and look. Maharaji will guide you, but you have to also seek... And if all else fails...have a look at shaadi.com!!!!

I think this is one of those conversations where you should really use your own morals. I mean...'alcohol'...its in sprays, medicines, foodstuffs etc etc...as the bhaji said before...its a name given to a group of chemicals... Just because there is a form of alcohol in aftershaves and sprays doesnt mean you cannot use it. If you spray it into your mouth with the intent on getting drunk...then you're firstly stupid and secondly anti-Sikhi...but if you use it to keep clean, fresh WITHOUT the intent on trying to pull other women (aka 'The Lynx Effect' LOL LOL) then whats the issue? Why not just use your own common sense and make the decision. You will find people who will say NO NO NO, and those that say WHATS THE PROBLEM...its really up to you. If it were me, I'd rather use a spray to keep clean and smell hygenic, rather then smelling of BO!!!! Oh well.

Even on a simpler level...if you have doubts about the marrage...why bother? If you have nagging doubts and you don't feel comfortable...your prospective partner isnt right for you. You CAN find you partner through the traditional way (aka via your folks and being introduced) just as you can find your partner yourself...but in both cases, if you don't feel at ease with your partner....then is it worth taking it any further. Sure enough his family will play a great role...but if he knows how you feel and still plays ignorant and doesnt heed to your worries, he simply isnt worth it. Change works both ways, you change a little for him and he changes a little for you. If he isnt willing to make this effort to acknoledge your worries or try to fix them through talking to his parents, then there is not bond between you guys and its not gonna work. I think those old days are gone. We can still have arranged weddings, but nowadays the partners ALSO have to get along and feel a bond. Our parents may have been able to develop that bond AFTER getting married, but in this day and age it simply doesnt work like that anymore. Either way, you do what you feel you must with a view to Sikhi....your partner or his family (or even your family) must never get in the way of your devotion to GuruJi...

Hi I'm trying to find somewhere that sells bandana style patka...the one with strings on them? Does anyone know where to get them from in the UK? Can anyone let me know? I'd be grateful!!

Forget NORTON and AVG....I use McAffee...it's got everything in it you want. It doesnt use to much system resources and it readily finds and picks out viruses in things i download P2P. It also has a great firewall in it. I was a NORTON fan for years, until I realised how hard they make it to remove from you PC and how crap it is in the long run. I never liked AVG...the interface wasnt too good and it never gave me enough options to customise. McAffee , like Norton, have been around for years....I'd use them!

Hi Anyone knw whats happeneing with SikhLink.Net? I want to order some things from there for delivery to the UK and have e-mailed them but with no reply. Thanks RB

Just to ad my 50cents. You should be VERY careful here. Watch how they grab the food...watch which knives they use to cut the bread. Even if you get the guys to swap their gloves to new ones. They will grab the salad, put it on the previous guys sub which has meat on it also...touch the meat etc etc etc...its not a very vege. way of doin it. I LOVE subway too, and didnt know about the patty things...sigh...but i think I'm gona avoid that place because they handle the meat stuff...then handle the salad....so when ur next in line wanting a vege sub...chances are the salad has been in contact with meat... Oh well. I'm not saying we should only eat at Amritdhari places....but maybe we should just be a little more cautious...it's damned hard though at times....and it's sickening to fall foul of the '...hmm...i'm starving...lets just eat that and i'm sure its got no egg in it...' mood.

Call me ignorant, but I came across this story on the BBC website about the Indian state: Sikkim. There is a nice picture of some bhajis on there and a little story of how Sikkim has links to Sikhism: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pict...spot/html/1.stm its picture number 4 for those who want to skip to the posting.

True....true...lol..maybe the MODS will remove the post or something! Besides...it's a start isnt it!!! LOL...unless you have a better idea!!!

Why dont you guys over there bombard her editors with letters and e-mails of complaint. I mean, if she or her bosses gets one of two letters, they probably won't bother. If they get hundreds complaining and citing canadian? law (if you think her comments are inciting racial hatred or somthing, then maybe they will pay attention. You could also send her 5 letters each, from different aliases, I'm sure they would get a pile of letters of complain then!!!

LOLOLOL That is soo cute u know! But yeah, the moms should do something....but hang on....we live in a equality age...so maybe the dads should go and give the kids a thappar!!!!

Well done PREM...ur thoughts and comments are just what I wanted to say. We have to accept people that some people won't like 'Sikhs', but we have to rise above their own misguided interpretation of Sikhi and show them we are proud Soldier-Saints, not Stupid-Sikhs. No wonder this journalist has a twisted viewpoint of Sikhi....I mean with all the damned in-fighting, the so-called caste issues, the camps for and against Khalistan and the countless other groups and organisations within Sikhi....if you were an outsider woudnt you think, "Hang on, these Sikhs are supposed to be above the manmuk attributes of other religions, but look...they have just the same problems as every other religion, maybe even more so!". Wake up people, there are always going to be those who don't like Sikhs. That doesnt mean we rant and rave about them...let them do what they want....we as Sikhs have to rise above their comments and show other how disciplined we are, how God-orientated we are, how LOVING we are to others. THATS the essence of Sikhi (I think).... Sorry if I offended anyone.

WGJKWGJF I am getting married in India (with GuruJis blessing!!!). I'm born and bread UK citizen, but my future wife and myself have decided to get married in India. Most of my dads side are over there and it would be nice to let them see one of my dads kids getting married over there (there are only me and my bro, and my bro married out of religion). I'm just starting out on the Sikhi path, and I feel it right to get married there. Having seen so many UK weddings (and loads on RajTV), and seeing how really pathetic they can be...it seems right to have a nice low key BUT meaningful wedding in India. You should find someone you get on with and NOT rush into it. Don't forget the culture difference between Indians and the West (no offence meant). As much as people don't like to admit it, there IS a big cultural difference in both lifestyle and Sikhi when comparing east and west. I was able to find someone on shaadi.com (don't laugh!!!), and we are both keen for Sikhi and with GuruJis blessing, will Chak Amrit soon after we are married. Some people on here will say you shouldn't even worry about getting married and leave it in the hands on Maharaji...which is true...but you have a duty to look and find someone who matches you. Get to know them...spend months talking and at least meet them a few times...because once you are married its much harder to part company. Good luck. I know Maharaji has helped me find my potential wife and I only hope I don't let Maharaji down or my loving partner and soulmate. By the way...I like ur alias...lol SamosaSingh!!!

I have to agree with some of the comments about the ladies...there was kaatha a few weeks ago in the evening, with only about 3 guys and 10 women sangat (with kids) and the one of the guys had to tell the ladies to quiet down a little...!!! It ashame both male and female sangat members do such things. As regards the kids...I think it's OK if they are kinda running aronud or 'playing'...they r only kids and what better place to be happy and 'innocent' infront of Maharaji. However, I do agree... it can be distracting when the kids go crazy and the moms/dads don't really control them! But still...its dead cute and funny seeing a little baby with a small joora, running up to the tabala and hitting it whilst a katha is going on....its kinda cute..!!!

Well I love going in the morning before work and try to go after work for Sukhasan. Although I must admit, I only eat langar on Saturdays (too much langar = too much of a stomach!!!). It's sad that during the week there are NO sangat in the Gudwara in the mornings (apart from the 4-6 sangat who do Nitnem in the morning) and it's also sad that in the evenings there are hardly any either. Saturdays the turn out is more...and I prefer mixing and eating langar then. Although, another admission, I feel a little left out in the morning when I don't really know that much of what bania are being recited and feel a little silly! Oh well, I have time to learn I guess!

WGJKWGJF Are there any members of the Kent sangat here? I'm looking for some kind soul to put me up for the weekend in and around Kent.... I'm being sent to Sandwich in kent to spend a week at a company, and will have nothing to do over the weekend so am looking for some sangat down in that area to chill out or possible put me up for friday and saturday night. Any help would be REALLLLLLLLLYYY appreciated!!!! Many thanks

Forgive me for asking such an ignorant question. Does Maharaji ever leave us? We are all sinners and we all do really bad things at times in our lifes, I was wondering if Maharaji would ever leave us? I know he WOULDN'T....but I would appreciate some references to GGSJ in relation to this issue.... How do we as humans keep kidding ourselves? The way we keep getting entwined in maya and then we realise our bad ways and repent...and then we do same bad things...again and again.... How does Maharaji respond in a situation like that?

The answer to life, the universe and everything is....42.... Its a quote from a classic 80's sci-fi show (very cheesy but has a cult following)....if you are around 26-28 years old and from the UK you should know what it means...LOL!!!!

Thanks..LOL>..I love the way people think I'm a koori! Just cause I LOOOVE cats doesnt mean I'm a girl...I'm actually a boy (just to clarify that for you all)!!!!! LOL...oh well, equality for the sexes I suppose!!!

So, today I had my PhD viva, and passed it with flying colours. Should be a very special day shouldnt it? Sadly, it isnt. Why? Because what have I really gained? NOTHING. I feel so shallow and empty without Maharaji. I don't feel I have achieved anything at all. How does one overcome these feeling? Obviously by doubling the efforts and taking more steps closer to Maharaji...but that yearning desire to be with Maharaji and that sheer emptiness within me is soo daunting!!! Has anyone else had a similar experience? I guess we are all yearning to fill that gap within ourselves.......the answer to the life isn't '42' [doubt any of you youngsters will get that one!!!!]...its Maharaji!! But ataining that attachment with Maharaji is what we should all be aiming for in life. WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru !!!

I'm not an expert or anything but I think common sense prevails here. If you feel correct and right wearing whatever you want to wear then by all means do it. If you can justify it to YOURSELF (according to Rehyat) then thats cool. You DO NOT have to answer to anyone else other then Maharaji so don't worry what others think. You seem like a sane person, so i would say I don't see one but wrong with anything you are saying....I KNOW there are gonna be some people who will totally disagree...but at the end of the day what you wear and do has implications for YOU on...you dont have to answer to friends or family (to some extent) but just make sure you are doing things within the bounds of Sikhi.

If you do a search in google for: SIKH KATHA you'll get loads of sites. These are good too: http://kathaa.waheguroo.com/ both in english and punjabi. Also, on SIKHNET there are some katha. Hope that helps

Excellent post Bhaji...nice to see 'religious' tolerence in effect...so answer me this then veerji...seeing as you have such strong views of RS teachings.....what about other religions and teachings....Budishm, Judaism, Christianity and Islam....I take it you also feel hey are kuttay too... That's a really smart attitude...hmm...it sounds familiar doesn't it?? I'm sure I came across some blokes in the street who tried something like that on me because I was Sikh...what where they??? Hmm...let me think...ahh...yeah...Muslim. This is obviously one thread with extreme views from all sides. I just wanted to get my view across to add to the already extreme views of others. But it's good to see we as Sikhs have moved on and developed into something more then out 500 year history......it's nice to see we have moved away from all the intolerence that was around when Guru Nanak Ji crafted Sikhism......... Hmmm....I'm sure there is some sarcasm in that comment......can you stop it??? Just an aside..: THE MEANING OF SIKHISM Sikh philosophy is composed of progressive ideals, a positive worldview, and a crystal-clear message: a Sikh constantly learns to be a better human being. Not coincidentally, the word itself, Sikh (disciple), is indicative of the perpetual learning process that is life. In Sikhism, a human being, in order to attain God, must rise above five basic vices: lust, anger, greed, pride, ego. Anyone who successfully avoids these five transgressions, and who lives a truthful living, is considered to be a God-conscious person. Sikhism recognizes other faiths as equally conducive for the development of spirituality; however, as a revealed and distinct religion in of itself, Sikhism offers its followers a viable path toward the selfsame goal, God.

Funny, i came across this message that I overlooked ages ago and it seems right I comment now, even though the thread was written a few months ago and looked at a long discussion on Radha Somai etc etc...forgive me for bringing it up again. Thanks Singh_Shiromani for pointing out to the Sangat that I appear to be a RS... Nice to know the world isn't perfect and there are those people out there who have disregard for other beliefs and teachings. Thats not to say I am a RS....I have full faith in Maharaji. If you bothered to read the actual post, some members of my family are, and it's their right to follow what they wish. I have no ill-will against anyone or any religion...by you're frame of mind, you are also isolated Sikhi from the rest of the world, putting it on a platform and sayin 'Sikhi is the only way'...which is in fact totally wrong. ALL teachings have merit and non is better then any other. After all, there are many religions and many teachings but there is only Ek Onkar.... You obviously have a major dent against anyone or anything who against your idea of Sikhi...but why stop with RS? Why not go ahead and thrown in Islam, Hinduism, Christianity etc etc into the list and it's the same this isn't it? Think what you wish bhaji, I really don't care one but whether you think I'm a RS, I don't care one but whether my family members are RS and I really dont give a <banned word filter activated> what the rest of the world belives in or follows, I only try to live a life where I am moral and honest and abide by Maharaji...with due care and attention to other religions and tolerence for other people beliefs. Why do you feel threatened by other sects or religions...aren't you going against the very teachings of Sikhi? All races, religions, men and women...equal...there is Ek Onkar...so whats the issue then? If you feel threatened by other 'sects', doesnt that suggest you're own faith is somewhat lacking (I'm not saying you are faithless at all), in that you are frightened of the influence of other religions and teachings? Viz a viz, does this not lead to the Islamic ideology....there is one God...ALLAH...no other...anyone believing otherwise is an infadel and will go to hell...?!???!?!? Sikh teachings do not discriminate on the basis of religious affiliation. Universal tolerance is underscored by the inclusion of Hindu and Muslim poets, Guru, Gobind Singh, confirmed this attitude of religious equality by stating: "God is in the Hindu temple as well as in the mosque. God is addressed in both the Hindu and the Muslim prayer; all human beings are one though they may appear different . . . They are all of one form and one God has made them all." So, Bhaji, all i'm saying to you is be happy...try not to let other people get to you. Espicially try not to influence other Sikhis to follow your ideology. You just focus on making yourself a better Sikh, as must we all...through Seva, Naam, Kirtan Sadh Sangat. Nothing else matters...least of all the teachings of other people..you just focus on your own progress on Sikhi and don't let other religions and teachings get to you. Thanks for you're comments though and I'm sorry if I have offended you directly or any other Sangat....I'm just trying to say that there is not need for this in-fighting....every second we waste doing that is one less breath...one less time to utter WaheGuru, less second to think of Maharaji and one less moment in our Sikhi path. Just a follow on as well...what exactly makes a religion? How does a sect turn into a religion? Was just curious! What are the minimum number of followers needed to make something into a religion? One of those weird questions I guess, but would be interesting to hear what you guys think... (Now for those conspiracists, just to make you happy and have lots more to talk about, Yes I am asking because i have the idea in the back of my mind to make RS into a religions<< <<(and if you belive that then you are indeed gullible) >> So how do you think a spiritual teaching become a religion? Whats to stop a small sect of a few hundred people forming a religion? Oh well.... Hopefully someone will be able to answer that.