Restaurants/bars & Khandas

[Sarbloh]

http://www.abshar.co.uk/site/

When will these venues (see link above) stop promoting themselves with the Khanda Sahib? Why does the symbol of our kaum need to be paraded as an advertising logo for bars, restaurants, off-licenses.

I called up the venue today and requested to speak to the Manager regarding the use of the Khanda in his advertising and shop-front. He declined to speak to me and said unless I have a booking there's no point discussing this.

Perhaps it's time to start challenging business's who use the Khanda as their logo? It's interesting to see people think of the Khanda as a symbol of "khaan-peen" as a pose to dharamic.

[rupinder singh]

hmmm.... maybe it's a symbol like the halal symbol is for muslims. the khanda symbol on a restaurant or offy means they have a plentiful stock of bacardi and whiskey! :lol:

[Sarbloh]

hmmm.... maybe it's a symbol like the halal symbol is for muslims. the khanda symbol on a restaurant or offy means they have a plentiful stock of bacardi and whiskey! :lol:

Besharam!!

Well it's not far from the truth really. Looks the restraunteur is trying to tap into the "Sikh" market and is after the "Sikh" pound.

I sometimes wonder why, as a community, we have failed to protect the abuse of the Khanda as a symbol. I think today people associate the Khanda more with Gangstas than with Gurdwaras. The average joe bloggs will see the khanda on back of a rude boys hoddy, hanging above the dashboard of a rude boy's car, tatooed on someone arm, on the shop front of their local off-licence and then maybe on the nishan sahib of our Guru Ghars.

[dalsingh101]

You do know that the Khanda symbol is relatively new don't you?

[GABROO KHALISTAN DAH]

and you do know dalsingh even though it is new, it is the Sikh standard, and should not be used for buisiness purposes, especialy catering and alcohol.

[dalsingh101]

and you do know dalsingh even though it is new, it is the Sikh standard, and should not be used for buisiness purposes, especialy catering and alcohol.

I agree totally. I was just raising the point that it is new because some people seem to think it is centuries old.

[GABROO KHALISTAN DAH]

word they think its from the 1600's eh. 192x is when it wuz created FYI

[dalsingh101]

I would like to see some early examples of it use. Who put it together?

[Singh, Mahan]

All the element symbols that are in the present day Khanda, have been used separately and in various combinations by Singhs in celebrations related to Khalsa Panth right from its beginning and then by the Khalsa Army then by the Sikh regiments as their crests/logos. These symbols were either used as a single element or in combination with other element symbols that are in the present day Khanda. The Singh Sabha and Khalsa Diwan also used these symbols in combination in one form or the other. The final form (as we see it today) became the crest of the Gurdwara Movement. Finally it was approved and adopted by the SGPC (when it came into existence) as the Standard of the Sikh Religion. And also was adopted as the logo of Nishaan Sahib. Hoisting of Nishaan Sahib (with Khanda logo) also became a symbol of institutions being related to Sikh religion. Nishaan Sahib hoisted on a gurdwara premises indicated that the gurdwara (where it was hoisted ) followed the Sikh Maryada and that it was not a dera of Mahants.

Its blatant misuse SEEMED to have started in the UK by the bhangra crazy Sikh youth, who also wrongly assumed that they were promoting Sikhism as well ( I lived in UK for sometime before moving to North America). It seems that from there on it become just a trendy symbol to have. In North America I have seen it worn by people who can not possibly be related to Punjabi heritage, let alone to Sikhi. When asked what did it represent. They seem to think it is related to Hip Hop culture, promoting half naked women dancing, drinking and having fun.

Now one also sees it being used in many music videos (even in those using vulgarity) coming from Punjab/India and posted on Youtube

.

What a shame!!!

.

[GABROO KHALISTAN DAH]

Singh Sabha lahore created the present day siri khanda sahib.