Bell

[Guest ????]

Fateh Ji

Most Nihang Singhs have these bell things on the side of their Dhumale what are these? What do the represent? etc History needed please.

Thanks

Fatehji

[jassa]

any picture ?

[Guest Gupt - Nihang]

Hanji, I believe you are talking about shingaar otherwise known as boar tooth.

[Guest .]

hes talking about shingaar

[Guest ???]

Fateh ji

Thank you for replying back. Well The Shingaar you are telling me about looks like this right:

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nihangsingh.com/shingar_f/dsc01878_s.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nihangsingh.com/gallery.php&usg=__Xr13jr2zO6qocfhxo_l_dgJb5VY=&h=113&w=150&sz=4&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=SuTeP-lsFaNpFM:&tbnh=72&tbnw=96&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddhamala%2Bshingaar%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26um%3D1

The one I've seen in people's Dhamale are like sort of small hanging bell...I think they look excellent I just wanted to learn more about it?

So as well as the bell I'm talking about and the Shingaar could someone explain everything they know about it.

Thank you.

Fateh ji

[Guest wannabe akali]

i can only say what i know so please correct me

its more of a ornament now but in puratan times the boars tooth or shingaar was kept in your dastar and clearly visible so that a muslim would not touch your dastar as they find pigs dirty or whatever. this is just something ive been told. ive also been told it was some sort of shastar.

[Dukh Nivaran]

Nowadays it's just a fancy piece, in puratan times, having a shingaar signified status. To kill a boar (wild pig), you have to shoot it in the stomach, if you miss, you're dead!! The boar will charge at you, and you're finished. This is what I have been told, so don't screw at me if I am wrong! :lol:

[jassa]

oh my god how costly are shasters on that website

[Dukh Nivaran]

Correct and more accurate version:

In strict Nihang tradition only the most brave 'Great Warriors' wore a 'Soor Dand' shingaar in their Dastar. It was a mark of one who hunted boars - which are very hard to hunt - as it requires a bullet through the heart - a direct hit - or the wounded highly agitated boar will charge straight at you - causing possible death. The Shingaar was also the marker of a 'Bhangar' - those always in 'Mast' - ready to perform a 'Shaheedi Fera' - roughly translated as a 'Suicide Mission' - on the Battlefield. In other words the first on the battlefield, causing havoc and having a deep psychological effect on the enemy. Nowadays the shingaar are just 'ornaments' - however many hold onto the old tradition - only those who have performed Great Sewa are given Shingaars to wear in their Dumallas or on their body (decorating Gatras etc) by their Jathedar. Some who do hunt boars, also wear them as 'hunting trophies'. - It is common for a Nihang skilled in Shastar Vidya or some other skill to receive a Shingaar from his Jathedaar/gurdev - however nowadays they are available and worn by many- but that is not the proper tradition!!!!!!!!!!!. There is another point of view about Shingaar mentioned in Amandeep Madra and Parmjit Singh's 'Siques Tigers or Thieves' - they make mention of practices observed by Polier "that would now be abhorrent" - where muslim 'converts' "are made to wear a boar's tusk as an amulet" they state these practices have no doctrinal roots and are unorthodox and could be a way of testing new recruits loyalty.They also quote Du perron and his claim that "senior Siks give them (muslim converts) food to eat, and all that they eat is stirred with a tooth of a wild boar" (Siques,Tigers or Thieves - Palgrave Macmillan 2004 - introduction pgxxxii ) The authors stress this is all highly unusual and has not survived into modern times - they also make the point that the eating of pork and the tusks may just be a by-product of hunting wild boar.

[2468]

lol the bit about muslims not coming near you or touching the dastar is nonsense think about it during war time where youve got your sword out dripping with blood and limbs flying everywhere would you really let a little pigs boars tooth get in front of you ? no. its more of a fashion statement now adyes in my point of view beomce an ornament. however there may be some singhs who go and hunt boars or other animals who knows...