Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji's Body Armour Up For Sale

[S1ngh]

I think this is not fair to hold auctions of our religious items.. Its just too wrong to do that. I have read many cases where items are respectfully returned to the particular country if it hold high importance to their history/culture etc. If we had our own country, we could have easily get this item back to us by putting enormous pressure on UK govt to hold off the auction and return the item promptly to our kaum without putting any price.

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[naujawanidotcom]

Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa Wahe Guru Ji ki Fateh

It is on our interest to ensure that various Sikh related relics are available for all the Sikh sangat to view rather than being stuffed in somebodys cupboard or shed. We hope the body armour stays within the Uk so it can be properly available for Darshan.

Gurfateh

Gurinder Singh Mann

www.punjabheritage.org

www.sridasamgranth.com

Do the good people of Punjab Heritage have somewhere that this artefact if purchased could be kept in an appropriate manner, available for public view? If so, where can we see some of the other items that they have collected, other than their website? Just a genuine question, no insinuation intended!

Furthermore, we should all remember that this paricular item (armour) is not proved to have ever been in the possession of Guru Gobind Singh. Perhaps something to consider when we are ready to spend so much money?

[S1ngh]

Well, So far as i know that there are many private collectors and some are very famous in both social and political societies. They got money and they buy such stuff from India and Pakistan both legally or illegally (stolen). However, some of these private collectors take it too far where they all seek is the fame. They think only about their needs but not of sangat.

Also, there is no central place where all sikhs can collect/donate priceless artifacts. SGPC got soo much treasure but they have no security, no professionals to keep such priceless items in good shape. Single person can't do anything.. it takes government to allot a department with sufficient budget to fund and preserver such items of our past for our future generations.

Besides this.. i think its only punjabheritage/UKPHA guys who are much dedicated in these stuff.. If we give them support and all funds available and i guarantee that they will turn the tables around and this way we can preserve our past and display/show it to public.

[GSMANN]

Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa Wahe Guru Ji ki Fateh

We at UKPHA do not have a museum or any other building to house certain collections.

However places like Guru Nanak Museum, Leicester already have a established centre showing

manuscripts etc.

All the research we undertake is intended for websites, books and lectures. We showcase our research in these areas. Also visit http://www.ukpha.org/ which lists the various projects we undertake.

Gurfateh

Gurinder Singh Mann

ww.punjabheritage.org

[Bundha]

Guys, guys, guys….. I can understand your frustration but this is no time for litigation, rather then focusing on the issue at hand we are going to start waving placards.

1) This artefact does not belong to the state, else they would not have put it up for auction, just put it in a museum – and we would not have an opportunity to obtain it.

2) It most likely belongs to a private individual who is selling it. As much as it hurts us, this is the reality, rather then start waving placards and have demos (oh no not the Sikhs again ! is what the press/people will report) lets organise ourselves and get this item for us.

3) The Greek government has been trying for decades to get the Elgan Marbles back and they have had not success you think that they will stop this auction of an item from a private collection ?

4) Lets not go down the demos / placards waving / protest route as it will do no good as give us a bad name. We know there are many Sikh items in private collections. The Royal Armouries in Leeds has a Sikh section with items of M.Ranjit Singh are we to start protesting there also?

5) Lets just focus on getting this item that once was close to Guru Jis heart, literally.

[Tera]

Lets just focus on getting this item that once was close to Guru Jis heart, literally.

We think. As someone rightly pointed out earlier, it is not proven that was Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji's. Maybe some more in depth research needs to be undertaken first to verify its past.

[Bundha]

I am sure if someone is going to fork out £20K they will be asking for some sort of proof.

Also we are talking about Chrisites Auction House, which is one of the two main Auction people in the UK, they are hardly going to put something up for auction without verifying its claims.

[Tera]

Its actually Sotheby’s but anyway, in the item description, although it talks about Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, nowhere does it say it belonged to him. Just compares it against the Patiala Shaster which were gifted by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji and how they are very similar.

[Bundha]

Thanks Tera you are right it is sotheby's.

Here is the full description :

CATALOGUE NOTE

inscriptions

In Gurmukhi script on watered steel panel, from the writings of the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (Guru 1675-1708):

Ik oankar. Utar khase daskhat ka ustat Akal Purakh ji ki patshahi 10. Akal Purakh ki rachhia hamne. Sarabloh ki rakhhia hamne. Sarabkal ji di rachhia hamne. Sarabloh ji di sada rachhia hamne. Agai likhari ke daskhat ... Vaheguru ji.

'One Creator-Destroyer-Preserver.' [Copied from the manuscript] with the authentic signature [of Guru Gobind Singh] in praise of the Immortal Being, [and written in] the 10th reign [by the Guru]. 'The Immortal being protects me. All-Iron protects me. All-Iron always protects me.' Next is the scribe's signature ... 'The wondrous Guru.'

This verse opens the poetic composition written by the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708), popularly known as Akal Ustat (In praise of the Immortal). The "Akal Ustat" conveys the Guru's perspective on the essence of dharma and the purpose of human life. It appears as the second composition in his collated writings known as the Dasam Granth (Tenth Book).

This side plate is virtually identical to a single plate in a complete set of charaina (back, front and two side plates) in the collection of the royal house of Patiala in Punjab. Each of those plates carry inscribed verses from various compositions of the Sikh Gurus written in Gurmukhi script in gold Koftgari. According to family tradition, the set was owned by Guru Gobind Singh before it was presumably gifted to one of their ancestors. (Stronge, S., (ed), The Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms, London, 1999, p.42, fig. 29). The close relationship between the Guru and the Patiala family is widely acknowledged in Sikh history. The existence of this plate from another charaina set points to the possibility that the Guru commissioned more than one such set.

The "Akal Ustat" verse that adorns this side plate has also appeared on other weapons owned by Guru Gobind Singh. One notable example is a tulwar with gilded hilt known as the "Raikot sword". The Guru gifted this tulwar to the Muslim ruler of the Cis-Satluj state of Raikot as a token of his gratitude for granting him shelter while being pursed by Mughal forces in 1705. The sword remained in the family until 1854 when it was gifted by distant relatives of the Raikot chief to the governor-general, Lord Dalhousie. They expressed their wish that it be placed alongside other relics belonging to the Guru that had been taken to England following the annexation of Punjab to British India in 1849.

The sword was said to bear two inscriptions in Gurmukhi script on the blade. These were recorded by Mr. H. Brereton, Deputy Commissioner of Ludhiana as follows:

On the right side:

Akal Purah ki rachah hamnai.

Ik oankar satgur prasad utar khase patshahi 10.

Sarabloh k rachha hamnai.

'The Immortal Being protects me.

One Creator-Destroyer-Preserver, realised through the grace of the True Guru, copy of the manuscript with authentic signature [of Guru Gobin Singh], [written in] the 10th reign [by Guru Gobind Singh].

All-Iron protects me.'

On the left side:

Sarabkal ki racha hamnai Sa[rabloh] ji di [sada] rachha hamnai.

'All-Death protects me, All-Iron always protects me.'

The sword is believed to have been sent to England in 1854 but is now untraceable (Singh, N., and Singh, K., Two swords of Guru Gobind Singh in England A.D. 1606-1708, Delhi, 1989, pp.7-23).

[kullykhalsa]

wow, when does it go on sale?!