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  1. https://x.com/GurpreetSSahota/status/1809108238581051411 So far nine Sikh candidates related to Labour Party secured their seats in UK parliament and will be part of new British Government. @TanDhesi @PreetKGillMP
  2. He will ensure your used shoes are returned ?
  3. First and foremost, Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh and Sat Sri Akaal. The video below is a interview of Sardar Bhai Jarnail Singh Ji, a trailblazer and iconic figure for the Sikh panth who passed away due to complications of Covid-19 and/or shortage of oxygen as witnessing/reading his tweet on Twitter. I do believe that in foreign nations like incredible India known for being the most vile and having the corrupt authority system, L. Sardar Jarnail Singh did the right thing of hurling the shoe at the congress party member many years back and he vividly and vocally states in his book of 'I Accuse' and forward done by Khuswant Singh. We would appreciate if you take some of your spare time to give feedback on how the interview could be enhanced more or what you enjoyed? and disliked about both interviewer and interviewee. Some cherished memories and photos while him being on tour in England in 2011 with the sacred sangat. REST IN POWER to Sardar Jarnail Singh Ji. Also, the other day I caught a glimpse of his bhog on Akaal Channel.
  4. https://jodhsingh.medium.com/the-manipulation-of-gurbani-and-the-sikh-gurus-for-gender-politics-77225b1c9cb7 As Bhai Prahlad puts it, the 11th and eternal Sikh Guru is of a non-human form; the dual-form of the Guru Granth Sahib as well as the Khalsa. However, to relegate this legacy to a 1:1 comparisons of a specific human attribute (in this case, gender) to then claim that the human Gurus were “subservient to that attribute” is a misnomer. As mentioned above, Sikh literature doesn’t ambiguate as regards to the gender of the physical form the Gurus took upon this Earth; in fact, Juptej implicitly acknowledges this with the translation “the Baba (respected male figure, referring here to Guru Nanak)”. Although it is true that the “idea of gender” has changed wildly throughout different times and different cultures, we don’t see any specific examples of that type of deconstruction within the span of Sikh history. In fact, as mentioned earlier via the Manji-Pir system and Singh-Kaur, the social existence of male and female genders is socially built into Sikh institutions. Norms of masculinity and femininity have indeed evolved, but this does not mean that such norms did not exist — in fact, traditional Sikh canon conveys the exact opposite. In the vaaran of Bhai Gurdas Singh (dated to the early 18th century), one of the poetic terms used in reverence for Guru Gobind Singh is “Mard-Agambra”; which quite literally means “the man without parallel”. This term finds usage even today in Punjabi folk songs to convey a masculine admiration of the Guru, in particular highlighting his warrior qualities. Similarly, although it is true that the collective body of the Khalsa Panth is not of one gender, various historical texts including the Gurbilas, Panth Parkash, and Suraj Prakash, attribute various physical features of Singhs who have joined to the Khalsa to masculine glory (example here), some of these attributed to sayings by the Gurus themselves. Although one can argue that the norms that dictate these trends have evolved (for example, Singhs wearing earrings used to be considered masculine, something that conflicts with modern day Khalsa male norms), it at the very least shows that given how even contemporary gender norms were used to convey certain concepts, and that “gender labels” are in no way taboo or alien to Sikh praxis. Erasure of this for the sake of placating modern trends which question the very idea of gender is indeed an innovation on the part of the author, and not grounded in genuine understanding of how such norms have evolved in the Sikh historical context. The Female Voice in Poetry The main theological argument that Juptej uses in the article to claim that the Gurus exhibited “gender fluidity” stems from analysis of Gurbani wherein the 1st and 5th Gurus takes the voice of a female lover. Juptej’s analysis proceeds as such: In fact, we see the Gurus take on different gendered identities in various shabads. ….. The thirst of separation can only be quenched by the presence of both roles that Maharaj inhabits here. Both the feminine and the masculine divine. And later: All this being said, I do still believe the initial tweet was highly reductive. It is not enough to understand that gender fluidity may exist within Bani, therefore within the Guru. We must look at the conditions in which this took place to come across with a more complete understanding. Guru Sahib was not just gender-bending, they were gender-transcendent. Gender, at the time, was harsher than even caste distinctions. Women were treated as property in the most literal sense of the word. Despite this, Guru Sahib openly assumes the role of the female and bestows that role onto the sangat around them and every person who sings their shabads to this day. This line of argument is reminiscent of a similar article from KaurLife published by Japjyot Singh who argues that these shabads are evidence that the Gurus exhibited gender fluidity and “became” female via their composition: we assume that ਗੁਰੂ ਸਾਹਿਬ (Guru Sahib) exclusively identified as male, especially within our modern conception of masculinity, then how could They have possibly written from the identity of the “ਸੁਹਾਗਣਿ” (Suhaagan)? In other words, how could they have adopted the identity of a “female” lover awaiting their “beloved husband?” … They became the ਸੁਹਾਗਣਿ (Suhaagan = bride). Their longing for their Beloved was as raw, emotional, passionate and romantic as any partner awaiting their lover. Thus, given Their context, They used the example of a loving wife awaiting her beloved husband — but They Themselves adopted the identity of the female lover. This example of ਸੁਹਾਗਣਿ (Suhaagan) is one that moves beyond just the feminine understanding — it becomes one that is now associated with all souls, regardless of their physical being. ਗੁਰੂ ਸਾਹਿਬ (Guru Sahib’s) identity is steeped in Oneness, so much so that adopting gender became a fluid, living process. Both of these arguments are severely limited in the understanding they show of Gurbani, literary context, and the Gurus’ meaning behind the Shabads, and in my opinion come out to be grave distortions of said Gurbani for the purpose of affirming the concept of gender fluidity vis-a-vis the Gurus themselves. At best a mistake made by a very rough-shod reading of the text; and at worst intentional manipulation of the text to form a certain narrative. But perhaps we can deconstruct this by looking more closely at the specific instances that are used to as a justification for this interpretation, where the Sikh Gurus write from the perspective of a soul-bride pining for a divine-groom. The fixation on the metaphor of “soul-bride” to argue for an entirely genderless conception of Sikh social concepts is one oft-used by Sikh Research Institute, as seen in their report on Sikhi & Sexuality: In this way, there is a common understanding of a genderless reading of Bani, such that all individuals place themselves into the role of the bride before IkOankar. The understanding of this metaphor is commonly accepted, except in the “one light in two bodies” imagery. Bani can be interpreted in a multidimensional fashion, in both literal and metaphorical ways, and this excerpt must be dealt with similarly. From one angle, this could be a worldly literal description of the union between a husband and wife, but metaphorically it is a genderless understanding of the human condition, which would transcend across all sexual orientations and/or genders. Certainly, the analogy is intended to convey a universal spiritual truth, of the nature and passion of love for the divine. But it’s extremely flawed to derive social truths, especially about the Gurus’ personal gender identities, from it. I can pinpoint three primary reasons for thus: 1. One major flaw to this argument we can ascertain from the broader context of Gurbani. Although he used the analogy beautifully and expanded upon it, Guru Nanak Dev Ji was in fact not the first [chronological] writer to employ the female voice in his poetry; Sheikh Farid was. We also find many shabads by Bhagat Kabir where he adopts the voice of a bride pining for her beloved. This illustrates two key points. This shows how this specific poetic device was already being employed in Sufi and Bhakti traditions much prior to the Sikh Gurus. That the Gurus chose to write their own bani with it (and include the bani from these bhagats in the Guru Granth Sahib) certainly suggests that it found favorability as a poetic metaphor, but was not a uniquely Sikh device, let alone a means to signal some type of revolutionary Sikh upending of gender. If one believes that the Sikh Gurus “transcended gender” because of their usage of this poetic device, so too did Kabir and Farid, and given its ubiquity, perhaps other Bhakti and Sufi writers. Yet this interpretation of Kabir and Farid being “gender-fluid” is entirely absent among the diverse groups of Kabirpanthis and Chishtis who would have been their ardent followers (for that matter, the Gurus’ supposed gender fluidity also finds no mention in the broad canon of traditional Sikh interpretation). 2. We can go beyond the scope of sacred poetry to drive home this precise point further. The Guru taking the voice of a “suhagan” may be a revolutionary revelation to Sikh think-tanks and activists in the 21st century West who screen English translations to find an “aha!” moment to vindicate their own personal politics, but lacks that politicized meaning to even lay readers of Punjabi poetry. Traditionally, it is very common in Punjabi poetry, songs, and folklore, for men to assume a woman’s voice, either as a writer or singer. If you were to ask many of these male artists if they “became female” in these moments or identified as gender-fluid because of it, they would treat it as an absurdity. What this illustrates is a uniquely beautiful feat of Punjabi culture (and in addition, Sikh culture), where poetry can transcend the physical gender of the reciter. To use this as a means to interpret the artists as “gender-fluid”, is in fact enforcing a Western norm and expectation of gender onto the art (and in the broader context, Gurbani). To illustrate the point, at length: Alam Lohar Gurdas Maan Surjit Bindrakhia Kuldeep Manak And many more. This rich trope is still used by many modern Punjabi artists! Babbu Maan Diljit Dosanjh Sidhu Moosewala 3. Let us now move past gender alone. The suhagan is one of many in a broad toolkit of poetic devices that the Gurus employed to help illustrate spiritual concepts. Social relationships, mythologies, everyday life occurrences, and nature all are but small parts of the tapestry the Gurus use to weave beautiful images of something so otherwise abstract and hard to wrap our heads around. Two natural relationships that the Gurus seem to have honed on in are those of the “chaatrik” (pied cuckoo bird, “rainbird”) and “bhavra” (bumblebee). The chaatrik is viewed as the symbolic celebrator of the monsoon season, as its chirps and songs fill the air as the skies pour down rains aplenty. The analogy of the ecstasy the rainbird feels upon witnessing the monsoon is used by the Gurus several times as a metaphor for the spiritual contentment singing Waheguru’s praises brings. Similarly, the single-minded focus of the bhavra on the flowers it pollinates inspires the Guru to write about how one’s attachment should be towards Waheguru. It feels vulgar to even do this for the sake of argument, but these shabads can be distorted and manipulated in the same way the articles in Baaz and KaurLife do. When the Guru writes from the perspective of a bumblebee or bird, do we point to it as proof that the 10 Sikh Gurus “transcended species”, that the Guru actually “became a bumblebee/bird” while composing these shabads, that these shabads are evidence of species-fluidity in Sikhi? Would we offer this as a concrete piece of evidence that the Sikh Gurus were otherkin? No, we don’t — because it would be extremely reductive, overly reliant on the English translation, and almost explicitly manipulating the meaning of the shabad to wishfully project a social implication that does not exist. Yet this is exactly what Juptej (and others) accomplished in the Baaz article that purports to expand the span of supposedly constructive and intellectually stimulating Sikh thought. Closing Thoughts I believe the arguments given have comprehensively rebuked the claims made by Juptej Singh and others, which (in my opinion) attempted to create an arbitrary fuzziness over the gender of the human Gurus that was never there in historical and traditional Sikh understandings, and is informed less by an honest exegetical reading of Gurbani, and more by the imaginations of modern Sikhs in the West who feel the need to validate contemporary surrounding sociopolitical movements by applying them to the Gurus’ lives and identities. I do agree that such conversations cannot and should not be muzzled solely because of their perception as “blasphemy”; that metric has been used to silence many other salient discussions regarding nuances in Sikh tradition. I would also agree that there is a need to transcend the shoddy mechanisms of engagement found on social media, whereby trolls hurling vituperative abuses as well as people with nothing to offer but one-liners muddle engagement to its worst possible low. However, both of these caveats don’t change how I feel about the fundamental frivolity of such discourse, particularly in the way it tries to superficially mine Gurbani translations for slanted sociopolitical commentary. As a one-off thought or forum post, fair game— yet this line of thought was presented as profound enough to warrant publication in a paper that purports to do “original reporting for the Sikh and Punjabi diaspora”, and has antecedents in organizations regarded as genuine Sikh think-tanks by many. We all rail about how certain aspects of historical Punjabi culture obscured the beauty of Sikh praxis, which is fair. But it seems like many Sikhs in the present day need to hold a similar mirror up to recognize that we do not live in a cultural vacuum just because “it’s literally [current_year]!”. We owe it to our sacred traditions and scripture to give it a more rigorous intellectual treatment beyond just folding it into a sheath to cover whatever politics we personally deem favorable at the moment. When we get that kind of intellectual honesty and due diligence, perhaps we can then talk more about having constructive intellectual conversations in Sikh spaces. Enjoy this completely *unrelated* picture. Or is it?
  5. This video illustrates notable female personalities across the globe where assorted topics are mentioned ranging from politics, career-paths, science, philosophy of Sikh heritage from a countless angles and breadth and depth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=husNH4RW-gQ Thank you. Best Wishes Guest MamTha3890
  6. Where do you think these guys are heading as a race, people, etc? What do you think about whites and their growing hostility for each other based on issues to do with race, sexual identity, political leanings, etc? Are they being played, or is it something a little less conspiratorial? Who are the good guys and the bad guys in this standoff? Or is it a bit of both? Are those who strive to defend their traditions and their past in the right, or is it those who want to push through what they see as progress? Personally I've decided to detach my emotions from this debate, but I'm still going to maintain a clinical interest in the country of my birth. It's tough not to get hyper, lol, but our own Sikh future deserves our full efforts. both factions are missing the big picture of what's happening.
  7. Found it ? I remembered something I wrote here 6 years ago warning everyone about a new style of divisive politics that would soon be coming our way. At that time (end of 2014) I said politicians would appear who would do and say a serious of crazy, unbelievable seemingly contradictory things that on the face of it would seem illogical but the intent would be to confuse and divide. For a while now I've been looking for that thread. At that time, I stated that the new style owes it's origins to the world of art, specifically the Russian Vladislav Surkov who went from art to politics as Putin's advisor and took his 'deconstruction' theories with him. The style has of course since then taken on a life of it's own away from art deconstruction theories with Trump and Modi taking the style to a whole new level. What recent events have shown us though is that although this politics of bat-$h1t crazyness is 99% successfull in what it seeks to do there is in the end always one thing....usually a seemingly small and insignificant thing....that causes it's downfall. With Trump we saw how he could lock children in cages and rip babies from their mothers and it didn't make any difference but in the end a flu type virus brought him to an end. With Modi we saw how he was able to steam-roll reforms against all sectors of society and with a stroke of a pen introduce Nazi type policies against his Muslim subjects at will but in the end it was farmers from Punjab who put a stop to him. 6 years ago I told you what was around the corner. Finally found that thread. Below is a link to that thread and also a snippet of what I said back then: Ghar Wapsi In Punjab - Page 3 - WHAT'S HAPPENING? - SIKH SANGAT Posted January 7, 2015 Collectively,we're not well-read and intellectual enough to understand how Putin's new idea of politics by confusion is being embraced by organisations all over the world, incuding our own UK govt. In Russia, the way Putin did it was by actively supporting, both in principle and financially, a cross-section of groups totally at odds with each other such as neo-nazi skinheads AND anti-racism groups. The idea is that you make a series of contradictory statements...do a series of contradictory things thus ensuring your enemy is in such a constant state of confusion that he no longer knows who his enemies are, thus rendering him ineffective as an opponent. This is exactly what the right wing Hindu groups in Punjab, such as the RSS have done over the last couple of weeks. They've been doing things on behalf of Sikhs...and for the benefit of Sikhism....such as converting chrstians back to Sikhism not because they are nice people. Its because they are probably 2 or 3 steps intellectually ahead of us. Let me eplain, this new 'Putin' way is spreading like wildfire across the globe. Governments and institutions (like the Hindu RSS) are embracing it fully. The beauty of it, from their point of view, is that it leaves those on the receiving end of it (as this thread demonstrates : us) so confused it (we) no longer can the good guys be distinguished from the bad guys. To find the beauty in it you have to look into the world of art, specificaly Putin's main political advisor Vladislav Surkov. Surkov came to Putin from the world of art, and he used deconstruction art principles in politics. In other worlds, he created unreal realities or real unrealities ....where good can be bad and bad can be good...so people won't even see or notice the bad things you do because you ensure their minds are permanently focussed on the good. So, no matter what you do, you will always be seen as good.
  8. Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh I have been a lurker on this site for about a year and I decided to make an account to call to attention a pattern I have noticed in politics relating to the Sikh Quam and politics in general throughout the world. There has been a concerted effort to push different demographics of countries against one another. This is called ideological subversion and it is done to cause demoralization and destabilization in a country. It explains the rise of populist/nationalist movements throughout the world. The polarization of politics in the states is an example of this ideological subversion. Other examples of this relating to the Sikh community is how both Hindus from India and Muslims from Pakistan try to turn the Sikhs against the other nation. For example, when a Sikh girl from Pakistan was forcibly converted to Islam or when ISIS attacked Kabul Sikhs, the Hindu nationalist used this to push the Sikhs against Pakistan/Muslims. Likewise, when it is June and Sikhs around the world mourn the 1984 Sikh genocide and attack on the Darbar Sahib Complex by the Indian government, Pakistani Muslims use the events to push Sikhs against India/Hindus. Essentially the Sikh community is being used as pawns by the Indian and Pakistani governments for their own political agendas. The Soviets were the first to master this tactic of Ideological Subversion. I highly suggest watching this lecture by an ex-KGB member on this subject: It is especially interesting about what he suggests to stop this tactic on the 58:05 time mark. It showcases the importance of having a strong faith background and how civilizations fall without religion.
  9. We live in the age of the meme. It's said Trump's unexpected victory was partly attributable to the strength of memetic warfare undertaken by 5hitposters on the internet who trolled him into office. What may seem like irreverent and ironic fun to most people, actually has some impact on reality. In a world which is increasingly veering into territory that leaves one with very little choice but to laugh at the madness of it all, I thought it was high time this forum had its own space where we could share stuff we've come across on the internet that's relevant to us as a community in the 21st century. A benti: no gandh. It's possible to uncover some serious and fairly profound issues without succumbing to nonsense.
  10. I wouldn't imagine that some of our apnay would be doing work with North Korea.
  11. Guest

    Politics

    What is the gurmat view on politics? If I remember correctly, one of guru gobind singh ji's 52 hukam was for sikhs to take an active interest in politics, but how far are we supposed to take this? This coming from someone who knows nothing about the politics of UK.
  12. Guest

    Bill 21 Quebec

    WaheguruJiKaKhalsaWaheguruJiKiFateh! Quebec's Sikhs need your help! Bill 21 bans all public sector employees like teachers, police, and lawyers from wearing any religious symbols. This means that Sikhs can not work while wearing their Dastar, Kara, or Kirpan. This law cannot be struck down by a judge for its violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms due to the Quebec provincial government's use of the notwithstanding clause. The Federal government is capable of repealing the law (disallowment) but they will only do so if the public forces them to. Disallowment can also only happen within 1 year of the bill's passing. Time is running out. Every Sikh in Canada needs to contact their Member of Parliament through email and phone to say that this law violates human rights and needs to be repealed. Bill 21 Awareness Resources In this link, multiple documents to spread awareness are attached. The word document for the small flyers can be printed black and white, double sided, and cut into four. You can add in your MP's information before printing, or just print it as is if your area has multiple MPs. Everything helps. Please hand them out at your local Gurdwara and other public places. To find your MP and their contact information, use this link: Find your MP Make sure to use your postal code for the search. If you use your city name you might end up with the wrong MP. The poster is attached as word, pdf, and jpg. It should be put up in all local Gurdwaras and other public places. Share the jpg and have it displayed on any TV screens. The announcement document can be changed to Punjabi font and given to people to make announcements at Gurdwaras. Announcements need to be made multiple times everyday. Anyone is welcome to modify anything if it needs improvement. Please sign the WSO petition: WSO Quebec Petition The response of Canadian Sikhs has been disappointing and weak. It is as if we don't care that the Sikhs of Quebec lost a lot of careers. There are about 500 000 Sikhs in Canada. That petition should have more than 500 000 signatures by now. If all Sikhs had recognized their duty to the Panth, then that would have been the case. Instead, there are, at this point, only about 2000. We should be ashamed. Take initiative to contact your MP and sign the petition. Take initiative to make everyone else in your family, Sangat, and community contact your MP, by email and phone, and sign the petition. If you don't do it, no one else will. If you are lazy now, then what face will you show to Guru Sahib? Think about it carefully. If we fail to put enough pressure on the Federal government, then they will not use their disallowment powers. And when 1 year passes, it will be too late and the only hope then will be for a new Quebec provincial government that is willing to change the law to be elected. This is unlikely due to the number of imbeciles in Quebec that are racist or don't recognize the human right to practice one's religion. So disallowment is the best hope that we have. Do not let the Sikhs of Quebec down; help in any way that you can!
  13. Given the unfair advantage of testosterone levels, Bone Strength and Basic Stamina.... Should they be allowed to compete against Biological Women Just because they feel like a woman ? i Think this is absolute Gender inequality.
  14. Opinions on Katie Hopkins? i think she's funny, i don't take her seriously but she is entertaining. I do agree with her views on fat people and feminists wanting special rights and not equal rights
  15. He meditates like Sikhs, and he is a religious man, how is he viewed in the sikh community?
  16. ਸਿਖਮਤਵਿਚਅਕਾਲਪੁਰਖਜੀਦਾਪ੍ਰਤੱਖਦਰਸ਼ਨਗੁਰੂਗ੍ਰੰਥਸਾਹਿਬਜੀਦਾਹੈਅਥਵਾਗੁਰਾਂਸੰਤਾਂਦਾਹੈ।।ਤਥਾਹੀਭਗਵਤੀਦਾਪ੍ਰਤੱਖਧੇਇਸਰੂਪਸ੍ਰੀਸਾਹਿਬਆਦਿਕਸ਼ਸਤ੍ਰਾਂਅਸਤ੍ਰਾਂਦਾਦਰਸ਼ਨਹੈ।। In Sikhism, to view the [sargun] form of Akal Purkh you can look towards Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as well as Saints. Like this to the [sargun] form of Bhagvati [Devi/Chandi] for one to view weapons [shastar and astar]. https://www.manglacharan.com/home/devi-in-khalsa-dharam-shaastar https://www.manglacharan.com/home/call-to-arms-by-guru-gobind-singh-ji He's Amritdhari, it needs to get done. Just tried calling the SGPC but their phones aren't working. Will try email, if people know other organizations then do so. Many of the Sikh politicians are selling out Guru Sahib in this form, or attempting to do so by supporting these measures. ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂਜੀਕਾਖਾਲਸਾ।।ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂਜੀਕੀਫਤਹਿ।।
  17. Admins and Mods: As discussed, this will be my last post on this forum. Please deactivate my account afterwards. I confess that I actually did enjoy my time on here, but paradigm shifts are manifesting in the Sikh world- the traditionalist Sikhs are slowly, albeit surely, being questioned and their status as some de-facto priestly class is being effaced day-by-day. The Sikh youth, long fed on the dribble of some autonomous religio-political Khalistan, are beginning to awaken and unite to control their own future. Tragically, violence and Ad hominem seem to be the only retorts which the traditionalists excel in. When I first joined this forum, it was rightly appreciated as an intellectual assemblage of Sikh youth. Today this assemblage has been supplanted with what can only be called jatha affiliations. It seems unless you are affiliated with some jatha or samprada you cannot be a Sikh. I don't believe this, and nor should you. Of course there are those who will accuse you of being an Indian agent, but why should such fabrications hold us back from questioning what we see and hear? I apologize to AjeetSinghPunjabi and Jonny101 for blindly accusing them and insulting them. Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Mirch out! Sikhi, Sikh History and Politics. (Initially intended as a refutation to Haroon Khalid’s Tagorian essay- ‘From Pursuit of Spirituality to the Mighty Khalsa’- we decided to amplify our original thesis and concentrate upon the correlation between Sikhi and the political sphere. Having continually requested our readers to submit their articles to us, we were duly surprised when several frequent readers submitted corresponding essays to be published by us. Their objective, vis-a-vis their respective pieces, was to underscore the importance of the political dynamic in the Sikh worldview. Rather than publish such similar works, we decided to initiate a correspondence with them and publish one “goshti” (questions and answers) disquisition. The results, acquired, are produced below). Participants: Col (Retd) Gurbir Singh Alhuwalia: Having joined the Indian Army as Lieutenant, the now retired Colonel’s passion involves Sikh intellectualism and educationalism. Once part of a think tank analyzing the role of Sikh sampradas during the Sikh militancy, he is currently working upon a book detailing the pitfalls of the Khalistan movement and his own experiences during the militancy. Professor (Retd) Gurdev Singh: The author of several Gurmukhi articles on Sikh ideology, the Professor is an expert in political sciences and religious studies. He is well placed to comment upon the role of politics in the Nanakian purview. Harsharan Kaur: Studying sociology in Australia, Harsharan Kaur is currently producing a critique of the nation-state model. Erudite, in her field, she provides a well balanced perspective on the issue of harmonizing spiritualism with polity. Jagir Singh: An amateur collector of Sikh artifacts and mementos, Jagir Singh is currently editing a multi-volume treatise on the Sikh literary tradition spanning the Guru era and post- Guru era which is due for publication soon. William Cox: Having been born to a Punjabi mother and American father- William travels between Tennessee, USA, and India. He is a freelance writer who is currently publishing a short history of the Sikhs in Western nations. Tisarpanth. Fora: To avoid a prolonged discussion we have decided to only publish answers accepted via unanimous resolutions and/or reached by unanimous consensus. Addendum: Synchronizing faith with history often manifests the dilemma: does faith emanate from history or vice versa? The propensity of religious institutes to gravitate towards utilizing violence, in the face of the latter query, often precipitates the impression that intellectualism and religious doctrine are antagonistic. Observers, of the Sikh world, cannot have failed to notice the proliferation of this conflict among Sikh ranks in the past two decades which, if put candidly, can be easily categorized as the traditionalist vs. progressionist collision. At the heart of this clash is the issue that is Sikhi antagonistic to the political paradigm and the householder’s life- the traditionalist ambit based on evolving dogma- or is Sikhi compatible with the householder’s life and it’s corollaries, viz the socio-political paradigm, as enunciated by the Adi Guru Granth Sahib Ji? We contend that: b.) Belief and intellectualism, at least in the Sikh world, should not be necessarily antagonistic to each other. c.) A more modern approach is required to resolving the issues afflicting Sikh intellectualism and Sikh society, at large, today. d.) Recent events in NRI circles have lent impetus to emancipating Sikh intellectualism. A vocal minority, in Europe, has succeeded in classifying Sikhs as an ethnicity vis-a-vis the British census; this has naturally lent credence to the myth that Sikh history and the Sikh purview are ethnonationalist constructs- an intentional facsimile of Khushwant Singh’s Punjabi nationalism mythos?- and not correspondent with the Sikh ideology. The ill-planned Khalistan Referendum, D-day being in 2020, having been designed by those ignorant of ground realities on the sub-continent has also fractured the Sikh world on the sensitive issue of self-progression and sovereignty. It is imperative that the polar differences between Sikh philosophy and ethnonationalism be underscored in such dark times. Given the regressive state of Punjab today, secessionist expression should be the last matter on anyone’s mind. PRIMARY: Q: Speaking philosophically, what makes the Sikh ideology unique in it’s harmonizing of both the state and church? A: If we were to draw comparisons/contradistinctions with other systems, we would essentially be evading the question itself. Let us, then, examine the Sikh approach itself to better underscore it’s idiosyncrasy. The Sikh purview of the world being real posits that both the state and church, whilst distinctive, are fundamentally real and not some illusions. Guru Gobind Singh Ji makes this principle clear when he remarks: ‘Those of Baba and those of Babur, the Creator maketh both; recognize the first as the emperor of righteousness and infer the second to be the emperor of the world. Those who fail in their duty towards the throne of Baba, fell prey to the machinations of Babur. Such defaulters are penalized severely…’ –(Bachittra-Natak, XIII. 9-10). Whilst Baba signifies truth and morality (an ethical life), Babur signifies the secular state. The dilemma which other faiths have faced in their attempt to iron out discrepancies between state and faith have often lead to one trumping the other- Nanakianism, in sheer contrast, does not claim to hold any solution to resolving the conflictual relationship between church and state. Rather, it posits that truth and morality outweigh the secular state and whilst church must not obliterate the state- it should, from time to time, correct it in a bid to keep it on the straight and narrow. Whenever church and state have clashed, historically, both have annihilated the other and subsequently both have arisen anew to continue their conflict. In this principle, then, lies the crux of the Raaj Karega Khalsa mandate- the barbarity of the political state must be confronted, but when the Khalsa succeeds in effacing the latter tyranny it must not manifest a theophany to reign supreme over the masses. Q: Is the Sikh purview of politics in tandem with the Sikh ideology? A: The reason as to why such a question has arisen is that the current Sikh orthodoxy (acting as a priestly class) has mitigated the Sikh philosophy to solely meditation and pacifism. This has lead to an erroneous perception that Sikh history, especially the Rebel or Ruler principle, is not in consort with Nanakianism and as such depreciating of the faith. The actions of the Sikh orthodoxy reflect the corollaries of traditional Indic spiritualism viz amalgamation with some spiritual reality for personal salvation; such quietism naturally denies the dynamism of Sikh history. In Sikhi the Creator, as expounded by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, is altruistic and ever-creative. The Sikh’s mission is to remold himself/herself as a tool of this Creator and to execute the latter’s attributive will. The welding of the empirical and spiritual, as engineered by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, influenced the actions of his successors. Some of the more salient of actions of his successors were: Guru Angad Dev Ji renovated the Punjabi language and promulgated the Gurmukhi script far and wide- not only did this break the stranglehold of Sanskrit and it’s Caste ridden corollaries, but also added a sense of self-hood to the nascent Sikh community. He, subsequently, debarred ascetic classes from influencing Nankianism and-in opposition to pacifism- continued the first Guru’s practice of meat consumption. Guru Amardass Ji made the practice of Langar pontificate, to the point that all Sikhs and non-Sikhs had to partake of the communal kitchen before seeking audience with the Guru. The anti-Caste stance of the Sikh community was made more perspicuous through this injunction, of the Guru, as Caste also depended on who food was consumed with and by breaking down such barriers the Guru rendered his visitors Casteless. Furthermore, to centralize far flung Sikh groups the Guru set-up 22 dioceses in which women were also selected to leadership roles. His last achievement was the creation of a educational, spiritual and political center at Goindwal which supplanted traditional pilgrimage to Kashi et al. Guru Ramdass Ji took the momentous step of founding Amritsar which, in due time, would emerge as the theo-political hub of the Sikh cosmos. Guru Arjan Dev Ji not only concluded the construction of Amritsar, he also completed the Harimandir. His most significant achievement, however, was the compilation of the Adi Guru Granth Sahib Ji which signified Sikhi’s break away from traditional Indic spiritualism and reinforced the community’s autonomy. During his incumbency, the Sikhs emerged as a strong entrepreneurial force and were categorized as a state within a state. Opposing the fanaticism of the contemporary Mughal and Hindu polity, the Guru joyfully accepted his eventual fate: martyrdom. The incumbency of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji marked the open militarization of the Sikhs. He would go on to rout the Mughals in four divisive confrontations in the Punjab, and subsequently play a crucial role in preserving Sikh political autonomy. His most significant achievement would be the construction of the Akal Takhat and several missionary tours in the periphery of the Himalayas. When Samarth Ramdas, a Maharashtrian abbot, would inquire as to why he retained the apparel of a prince and utilized arms when Guru Nanak Dev Ji had required neither of these- the Guru would swiftly retort that the first Guru had discarded the ways of the world and not the world itself. Ramdas, realizing that his perceptions were about to be radically changed, requested a further elucidation to which the Guru readily acquiesced. He would elaborate that Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Creator was one who vanquished atrocity and the Sikhs were to execute the latter’s attributive will; arms were to be utilized for the protection of the weak and the liberation of the oppressed. The seventh, eighth and ninth Gurus continued the militarization of the Sikhs and the ninth Guru, despite being offered an option to surrender by the incumbent emperor, laid down his life for the freedom of conscience. The tenth Guru manifested the Khalsa and ratified the precepts of Guru Nanak Dev Ji before electing both the Guru Panth and Guru Granth as his successors ad perpetuum. An analysis of the post-Guru period would make this disquisition extensively voluminous. Let us answer the initial query by summarizing the above analysis; Nanakianism emphasizes an inalienable interconnection between the empirical and spiritual facets of life- this is a natural corollary of the perception that the Supreme Reality is an ocean of altruism. A follower of such altruism cannot act as a bystander in the face of immorality as such quietism is an antithesis of the Creator’s attributive will. The Sikh purview of politics, then, is naturally in harmony with the Sikh ideology. Q: What is the political significance of the Khalsa? A: The Khalsa, conceptually, represents the summum bonum of both the Sikh ideology-cum-praxis. It is the most perspicuous minded tool of an attributive Creator ergo it’s epithet; the Kaal Purakh Ki Fauj (army of the Divine). The actions of the present day Sikh orthodoxy has rendered the very purpose of the Khalsa’s existence moot. Khalsa-Raaj, Khalsa sovereignty, is often dismissed as some historic affair bearing no relation whatsoever to Sikh philosophy. What, then, is the Khalsa? An appendage of Hindu militarism? A saintly nexus of renunciates? Some saintly legion which cowers from the world and meditates 24/7? In light of Nanakianism’s socio-political tenets, the Khalsa too emerges as a potent force for political change. To avoid a prolonged exegesis, let us focus on some of the more conspicuous facets of the Khalsa vis-a-vis our query: Revolutionary: The creation of the Khalsa and events prior establish its revolutionary nature. It was designed to acquire political prominence, supplant existing tyrannies and radically alter the incumbent socio-political equilibrium. From Guru Gobind Singh Ji onwards, the Khalsa passed through the valley of death in a bid to annihilate existing empires and birth it’s own. Those who claim to be Khalsas yet imbibe a contradictory spirit rarely mention the Sikhs of the eighteenth century who carved out the Sikh state, and what a state it was. Even in it’s embryonic phase, under Banda Singh Bahadur, the Hindu practice of Caste was annihilated irrespective of it’s religious origins. Irvine narrates: ‘A low scavenger or leather dresser, the lowest of the low in Indian estimation, had only to leave home and join the Guru (referring to Banda), when in a short time he would return to his birthplace as its ruler with his order of appointment in his hand. As soon as he set foot with the boundaries, the well-born and wealthy went out to greet him and escort him home. Arrived there, they stood with joined palms, awaiting his orders… Not a soul dared to disobey an order, and men who had often risked themselves in battlefields became so cowed down that they were afraid even to remonstrate. Hindus who had not joined the sect were not exempt from this.’ -(William Irvine, Later Mughals, i.98-99). It was a revolutionary state in an epoch where religious stratification was an accepted more. Leadership: The significance of Guru Gobind Singh Ji undergoing the Khalsa initiation can never be underscored enough. It was a prescient move on the Guru’s part as it transformed the Khalsa into Guru Panth Khalsa. The entire body was made quasi-democratic, therefore self-directive and also self-sovereign. No one man could lord over the Khalsa; only an elected body- Misls- could direct it. When Ranjit Singh implemented autocracy within the body, the results were disastrous- we are still witnessing the fallout even to this day. Violent: Socio-political movements, by nature, are violent and prone to utilizing force. The Khalsa too is accorded the right to employ force, hence the Gurus’ emphasis on retaining arms around the clock. The political significance of the Khalsa, after a brief analysis of both its history and philosophy, can be summarized as such: the annihilation of the tyrant and the exaltation of the downtrodden. SECONDARY: Q: What is the Sikh perception of social responsibility? A: When the Siddhs asked Guru Nanak Dev Ji as to why their spiritual progress remained inert even after centuries of meditation, the Guru enunciated that they were only reaping the fruits of what they had sown i.e. their spiritual state reflected their perception of reality which, for them, consisted of some illusion originating from the cogitations of some dormant Creator(s). The Creator, in the Nanakian purview, resides in his Immanence or Naam. Naam, as the constituent reality of creation, emanates from an attributive Creator who is altruistic. It is natural then that the Sikh too be altruistic and perform selfless service seva through the medium of Immanence. Social responsibility, in Sikhi, consists of realizing one’s role as a tool of the Creator and selflessly serving him via serving his creation.* Q: Why is the householder’s life given primacy in the Sikh ethos? A: Social responsibility, as a mandate, can only be retained in the householder’s life. The latter ensures full commitment in the socio-political paradigm and adherence to serving Immanence. Guru Nanak Dev Ji would sum up the principle succinctly when he would observe that though the Siddhs acted all holy and wise, they would beg for sustenance from families (householders) for their daily upkeep. TERTIARY: Q: What are some significant milestones in the evolution of the Sikh state? A: The Sikh state, conceptually, was founded by none other than Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He added a practical dimension to his socio-political themes by establishing Kartarpur, a locus which was run on his philosophical tenets. The history of the Sikh state, and it’s significant achievements, then commences with Kartarpur Sahib: -The establishment and growth of Kartarpur. –The establishment of Khadoor Sahib. -The establishment of Goindwal. -The establishment Amritsar. -The establishment of Akal Takhat Sahib. -The construction of several forts augmenting the Sikh military prowess in the Punjab. -The establishment of Kiratpur Sahib. -The establishment of Anandpur Sahib. -Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s renewal of Sikh autonomy via manifesting the Khalsa. -The establishment of the first Khalsa-Raaj, under Banda Singh Bahadur, in the post-Guru era. -The rise of the Khalsa Misls. -The rise of Ranjit Singh. Q: What was the Dal Khalsa? A: The Dal Khalsa was a general commune of the Sikh leadership, in both military and political circles, which was composed of Misl Sirdars (or chiefs). Though it’s main purpose was militaristic, the Dal Khalsa also implemented the quasi-republican ideals of Khalsa-Raaj and saw to the progress of Nanakianism sub-continentally. It dominated 18th century Sikh politics and imbibed the pragmatic concepts of Nanakianism per se. Further Reading: Analytical: 1.) Dr. Trilochan Singh, The Turban And the Sword of the Sikhs. 2.) S. Kapur Singh, Parasharprasna. 3.) S. Kapur Singh, Sikhism For The Modern Man. 4.) S. Kapur Singh, Sikhism and the Sikhs. 5.) S. Jagjit Singh, Percussions of History. 6.) S. Daljit Singh, Essentials of Sikhism. 7.) Surjit Singh Gandhi, Sikhs in the Eighteenth Century. 8.) Dr. Tarlochan Singh Nahal, Religion and Politics in Sikhism: The Khalsa Perspective. 9.) Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, Akal Takhat Sahib: Concept and Role. 10.) Capt. Amarinder Singh, The Last Sunset: The Rise and Fall of the Lahore Durbar. 11.) Patwant Singh, The Sikhs. 12.) Karamjit K. Malhotra, The Eighteenth Century in Sikh History. 13.) Dr. Ganda Singh & Baba Teja Singh, The History of the Sikhs vol. i. 14.) Gurinder Singh Mann and Kamalroop Singh, The Granth of Guru Gobind Singh. 15.) Ajmer Singh, Kis Bidh Ruli Patshahi? Contemporary: 1.) Sri Gur Sobha. 2.) Sri Gur Katha. 3.) Gurbilas Patshahi Chevin. 4.) Gurbilas Patshahi Dasvin. 5.) Sri Gur Panth Prakash. 6.) Navin Panth Prakash. 7.) Twarikh Guru Khalsa. 8.) Bansavalinamah Dasan Patshahian Ka. 9.) Sikhaan Di Bhagatmala. 10.) Shahid Bilas: Bhai Mani Singh. https://tisarpanthdotcom.wordpress.com/2018/08/12/empire-builders/
  18. What is keeping India, a country of 100 ethnic groups together ? Simple, it's Hinduism. 77 percent of the country is Hindu, however, before the british, it was only united a few times, like the Ashoka empire and the Gupta empire and maybe the mughal empire. The fact remains, majority of the times, it's was split into many local kingdoms and many ethnic gropus. Unlike yugoslavia, another country made up of many ethnic groups which broke up, India has managed to remain the same since the 47. However, even today, people still hangout with their groups. South Indians hang out South Indians, Panjabis with Panjabis , Gujratis with Gujratis and so on. Even with all this disunity, India is projected to be the 2nd largest economy by 2050 and a global superpower. Which begs the question, has hinduism been able to keep the country together? Lets be honest , If the North India was majority Sikh or Muslim, it would be another country by now, even in 47 if Sikhs were the majority , there wouldn't be a Pakistan.
  19. Sometimes I wonder the events of '84 can't go without its long term repurcussions for india. The law of karma states if you do something bad to someone, bad will happen to you. Often , the longer the time between sin and its comeback, the more the punishment. I wonder sometimes if the current political scenario of North korea vs US one one front and India vs China and some future unseen scenario could lead things to escalate such that the countries responsible for human carnage will have to payback their karma. I heard one prophecy where china and russia marches onto india . My mom used to say that elders during her time said "there will come a time when you would only see a burning lamp only several miles away" -- which to me sounds like an aftereffect of severe nuclear war. what do you guys think ? sikhs are destined to get hold over india in future ?
  20. Nowadays, i think Canadian media is beginning to propagate against sikhs in general. I have seen many articles from ctv, the toronto sun and other major news outlets within canada that are anti-sikh and sell lies to the common person, mostly because of partial truths of 1984 being spread within canada. There is probably anti-sikh indian/Indian government officials behind all of this, so my question was Do we have our own news outlets propogating truth to the mainstream public, if not we should make our own. Otherwise, we will have clueless people going against sikhi.
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