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asinghb

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Posts posted by asinghb

  1. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/docproject/raising-hair-1.4796906/after-struggling-for-an-ideal-sikh-beard-he-s-easing-up-on-his-face-but-not-his-faith-1.4797667

     

    After struggling for an ideal Sikh beard, he's easing up on his face - but not his faith

    "Is 'struggle beard' a term?" asked Tej Swatch when asked to describe decades-long battle with his beard

    Tanara McLean · Posted: Oct 05, 2018 4:43 PM ET | Last Updated: October 29, 2021
     
    tej-s-beard-before-and-after.jpg
    Tej Swatch spent years perfecting his beard-beautifying regime — until one day when it all became too much. (Submitted by Tej Swatch)

    This story was first published in October 2018.

    It turns out the saying "beauty is pain" applies to beards, too.

     

    For nearly 20 years, Tej Swatch struggled with the same painful, daily beard-grooming routine.

    At peak beard, Swatch spent at least 30 minutes a day tugging, blow-drying, pasting, hair-spraying and bunning his seven-inch beard. Most days, it didn't even turn out the way he wanted.

    I don't like having a painful face anymore.- Tej Swatch on the stakes of ultimate beard upkeep

    "It was a struggle," he said, "Is 'struggle beard' a term?"

    "If it didn't work out that means you had to spend a bit more time doing that whole procedure again, up to the point where you actually have to wash out all your product and start all over again," he said, stroking his face.

     
    tej-beard.JPG
    Tej's beard at its longest, 2002. (Submitted by Tej Swatch)

    Perfecting the technique

    Swatch started growing a beard at 14, but by the time he reached his late teens he was getting teased by other Sikh men about his untidy turban and beard.

    So Swatch, now 42, set out to become a master beard-sculpter, something he says comes with the territory for Sikh men.

    He spent years curating his beard-beautifying arsenal, including the perfect hair-dryer, shampoo, gel and brush.

    "It just needed to be pasted down. It needs to be straight," Swatch says.

    To achieve that beard straightness, Swatch used a Thathi — a cloth commonly used by Sikh men to groom their beards.

    "You tie it on the top of your head, and you look like an old cartoon character with a toothache," he says, laughing, although it was no laughing matter taking the Thathi off when his beard was set.

    "You would carefully peel it off and take some hairspray, then you'd dry that so you have a final finish."

     
    tej-pasted-beard-1.jpg
    To achieve the beard style like seen in this photo, Tej Swatch said it took at least 30 minutes, using multiple products, a specific brush and a hair-dryer. (Submitted by Tej Swatch)

    The Five Ks

    Keeping a perfectly manicured beard isn't just ego or vanity. Impeccable grooming and hygiene are important elements of Sikh culture.

    Sikhs can be initiated into a community called the Khalsa, who live by a collective of symbols known as the Five Ks:

    • Kesh: Uncut hair
    • Kanga: A wooden comb
    • Kara: An iron bangle worn around the wrist
    • Kachera: Wearing clean undergarments
    • Kirpan: A dagger or sword

    Kesh, pronounced kay-ess, is all about not cutting your hair, on your head or your face.

    "The reason these factors exist is that they came about around the time when Sikhs were being persecuted in India," said Swatch. "The point of it was these five symbols should signify who they are."

     
    tej-s-parents-on-their-wedding-day.jpg
    Tej says his father's beard, pictured here, was always the one he modeled his own after. (Submitted by Tej Swatch)

    The father of all beards

    When Swatch started growing a beard at 14, his Dad's beard was the ultimate example for him.

    "He was this splendid Sikh man who had this very nice turban and he had this nice fully groomed beard that didn't look cut, it was just something that was totally under control," said Swatch.

    "He had a way of brushing it out and then tying a little bun and putting it under his chin before he went off to work."

    The younger Swatch insists that despite his efforts, he never got his beard in peak condition like his father's. Eventually the 30-minute daily process was just too painful. 

     
    post-clipped-beard.jpg
    The "after" photo: Tej's beard is now roughly two inches long, five inches shorter than he kept it in previous years. (Submitted by Tej Swatch)

    "Pasting it down, the hair would start to pull down … and some hair would inevitably get plucked out."

    After giving it some hard thought about three years ago, Swatch decided it was time to cut his beard. The pressure, the stress, the time investment — it all became too much. 

    "I concluded that it's not how long you keep your beard, it's that you keep a beard. People still identify me as a Sikh," he said. "I don't like having a painful face anymore."

    Swatch still keeps a beard, but it's only about two inches long now.

     
    tej-and-arjun.jpg
    Tej and his son Arjun, whose beard hasn't quite started to come in yet. (Submitted by Tej Swatch)

    Although his parents still ask once in a while if he'll grow it back, Swatch's beauty-beard days are a thing of the past.

    "It's just not who I am," he says.

  2. 3 hours ago, intrigued said:

    I've also heard that there was mention of reincarnation in early Christian culture but it was discarded in Roman times...

    I've also about heard about this. The Roman Emperor Justinian was against the idea of reincarnation and had it removed from Christian doctrine. It was also easier to control the masses if they did not believe in it. No doubt religions have been corrupted over the centuries.Screenshot_20210305-141436_Firefox.thumb.jpg.92683f3df4ddfb736783fe7373d6acd4.jpgScreenshot_20210305-141815_Firefox.thumb.jpg.5a750833f6a22f64c4bdc4e6feb97231.jpg

  3. 2 hours ago, GurjantGnostic said:

    Mmm.. I'll wait on that covid vaccine. Sounds like the timetable for testing a vaccine and knowing it's effects is a lot longer than "if the vaccine was bad we'd know already because the paramedics would be dead". 

     

    I would check out @cv19vaccinereactions on instagram. They are trying to take it down but it has some really eye-opening accounts of what some people are going through after getting the vaxx.

  4. 12 minutes ago, kcmidlands said:

    It's textbook Trumpism, he would post using the same kind of language, if you have a twitter account the best thing to do is report it, at some point the algorithm will pick up on the amount of reports and start flagging the tweets.

    She is an out of work actress who want's to get into politics, nothing more, the only problem is the crown that follow her are usually "patriotic" Indians who would throw themselves of bridges to their death if they were told it's the patriotic thing to do, as difficult as it is it's usually best to ignore people like her.

    I just checked and Twitter finally took it down.

  5. 12 minutes ago, puzzled said:

    I wonder if Kangna is being blackmailed?  perhaps she got herself in a mess(with a man) and is being blackmailed to say all this sh1t. Just a theory lol. For someone who isn't involved in politics she really is very vocal about some issues. 

    Unless it's just the obvious and she's being paid, bjp poster girl. 

    Not to forget the Mumbai mafia. Some of these celebs are involved with members of the mafia, pay the mafia protection money etc   something dodgy about Kangna. 

    Yeah it's pretty obvious that all of these Indian celebs coming out and saying the same propaganda garbage at the same time on Twitter was set up. At the end of the day, it's either they do what they are told or they lose their fame/career. Puppets - all of them.

  6. 35 minutes ago, dharamyudh said:

    Yeah, the Indian flag was not touched in any sort of way. They put the Nishan Sahib on a pole in front of the Fort and on some domes. Now, we have the Indian media trying to say it was a Khalistani flag like these dimwits never seen a Nishan Sahib towering in  gurdwaras across the world. Furthermore, these Indian nationalists are showing their true colors all on Twitter!  

    Yeah the nationalists on Twitter are really going crazy. Many are calling for all to be shot or arrested. It's amazing how many people are brainwashed by the corrupt media propaganda. And they expect people not to defend themselves when the police are beating them with sticks and shooting tear gas.

  7. 13 hours ago, Shaheed4life said:

    Sangat ji his page is back up.It has not been removed.His username is valorous.hindu.2.1

    Look at his posts and please report so that we can stop this beadbi 

    Bhul Chuk Maf ?

     

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    I have reported his accounts over ten times but each time it says that it doesn't go against community guidelines. Not sure what to do at this point.

  8. 1 hour ago, superkaur said:

    Lets get all the Sikhphobic accounts flagged and banned on any social media network as find them.

    Here's ones i found on instagram:

    • harris_park_aajao2
    • squintneonpunjab
    • thesatirespecialist
    • valorous.hindu.2.1
    • squintneon
    • squitneon2
    • theignoranttimes
    • rightwingindia

    What are you selecting as the reason when reporting them? I reported them a few times but get notified by Instagram that it does not go against their community guidelines.

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