I Sometimes Have Feelings Of Cutting My Kes .....

[Guest SarabjeetSingh]

sorry if this surprises you .

I am basically a 21 year old , 5'5" tall ( short ) low self -esteemed guy who is probably a disgrace on sardars and sikhi spirit . I have a few times been doubted about the authenticity of my "sardarness ." . You can call me a coward .

And seeing that our community is always attacked and who knows when 84 may strike again , why not stay in a safe mode with your hair cut shorn with latest hair style . Shave off that bushy beard , I would look Handsome prince charming ...maybe !

Doesn't life has so much to offer to me and me to the world ..! I hate looking in the mirror ,, why take so much hassles . Can't god be realised without kes and kirpan ?

why wear kachhera when you can wear stylish jockey brief . Also , I may focus more on my life rather than trying to tackle issues everytime I fly abroad and so on .....

NO WONDER GURU SAID THIS PAAPI MANN IS A <banned word filter activated> !

[VanHelsingh]

The classic age for such thoughts. Don't let any friends pressure you into this. Talk to somebody with wisdom.

[Guest Bloom]

(DON’T GET OFFENDED! I DON’T MEAN TO INSULT YOU! IT’S A LOVING TONE! IN TOUGH LOVE ATTITUDE! OKAY!)

DON’T YOU DARE !!!!!

[Gurukameet]

I have a number of nephews of your age and they 'plan' to be successful, and keep there turban and beards and they are, working in the City and in areas they want to. You need to decide what you what to do with your life ahead and concentrate 100% on achieving your goals, if you feel your appearance is a hindrance, then it will be. If you feel your faith will add to what you have to offer to the world, then I know it you will stronger and more successful.

You look fine young handsome man to me, with alot to give to the world. I also have relative who is short and one the leading architects in the world, he has a turban and beard. The world is your oyster and trust me, when you decide what you want to do with your life and are successful, you will easily find an equally beautiful partner.

[oranges]

You're at that age where you're questioning yourself, trying to work out who you are and fitting in with the crowd. I think it's quite normal and something many people would admit to having gone through as well at a similar age.

From experience, I can only suggest you feel this way as you are not connected to Sikhi as you should be, you don't understand the value of what you have been given and are finding yourself swayed by culture around you.

It's not supposed to be easy....if it was, everyone would be doing it. You don't get to become a doctor, an accountant etc without applying yourself and discipline. You're striving for something even greater than that with your religion, so you certainly don't get to become a Sikh without putting the work in

Ultimately it comes down to a very simple choice, you can either choose to live the "good life" as it were, cut you hair, drink, smoke, fit in with the crowd etc knowing full well that it isn't the correct spiritual path by the day will come when God calls for you and what will you tell him then? That you rejected what he gave you because you wanted to be like everyone else? Because you wanted an easy life?

Your appearance identifies you, Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave it to you, he was saying effectively, "This man's identity means he subscribes to ideals which make him Pure". There can be no greater honour.

[Guest SarabjeetSingh]

You're at that age where you're questioning yourself, trying to work out who you are and fitting in with the crowd. I think it's quite normal and something many people would admit to having gone through as well at a similar age.

From experience, I can only suggest you feel this way as you are not connected to Sikhi as you should be, you don't understand the value of what you have been given and are finding yourself swayed by culture around you.

It's not supposed to be easy....if it was, everyone would be doing it. You don't get to become a doctor, an accountant etc without applying yourself and discipline. You're striving for something even greater than that with your religion, so you certainly don't get to become a Sikh without putting the work in

Ultimately it comes down to a very simple choice, you can either choose to live the "good life" as it were, cut you hair, drink, smoke, fit in with the crowd etc knowing full well that it isn't the correct spiritual path by the day will come when God calls for you and what will you tell him then? That you rejected what he gave you because you wanted to be like everyone else? Because you wanted an easy life?

Your appearance identifies you, Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave it to you, he was saying effectively, "This man's identity means he subscribes to ideals which make him Pure". There can be no greater honour.

THANKS A LOT !

[Dukh Nivaran]

we're the khalsa, we're niaara, we were born to stand out

[11Gurus1Jot]

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh,

Your appearance will actually work out to be a brilliant protection system. Let me explain...

If you cut your hair to make friends with people who would otherwise have rejected you, then, do you really want to be their Friend? I mean, if they can't accept you for who you actually are (you're a Sikh!), then why do you want them to accept you as a shaved and trimmed SIkh?

The only people who will reject you, with your Kesh, will be uneducated people with racism inside them. Do you really want to be their friend, ultimately, those people will reject you, even without your kesh Everyone experiences racism, including Sikhs.

If you keep your kesh you can guarantee that you will only make friends with good tolerant people of all colours, races, and religions! Isn't that the sort of people you want to make friends with? There are lots of educated, happy people out there too.

You will still experience ignorance and racism, even if you get shaved and trimmed.

In the work place, the era of the 'in crowd' is fast disappearing. The only thing that counts is how good you are at your job, and how much money you can make for the organisation you work for (in some ways this is how it should be for equality). With the world recession on nobody can afford to employee someone just because they look a certain way! Companies know Sikhs work hard!!

Whenever you look in the Mirror, think of:

• all the Guru's, from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and the current and eternal Sat Guru, Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
• Think about all the Shaheeds, including your Gurus.
• Think about Guru Arjan Dev Ji sitting on the hot metal plate while sand was poured over him.
• Think about Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji being tortured for months before being beheaded.
• Think about Guru Gobind Singh Ji fighting 14 successful battles, to save innocent Sikhs and innocent Non-Sikhs
• Think about the Four Sahibzadey, Including the two infants Sahibzadey being bricked alive.
• Think about the forty liberated ones returning to their faith and becoming shaheed.
• Think about Bhai Mati Das Ji being sawn in two.
• Think about Bhai Dayala Ji being boiled in a cauldron,
• think about Bhai Sati Das Ji being wrapped in cotton and being burnt alive,
• think about Bhai Taru Singh Ji having his scalp removed rather than his Kesh being cut,
• think about Bhai Mani Singh Ji being cut limb by limb rather than give up his Guru
• think about Baba Deep Singh Ji saving all those innocent non-sikh women and girls from Slavery and returning them to their families, think about him fighting with his head on his palm to free the Harmandir Sahib.
• think about, Bunda Singh Bhadar Ji, and how he had his own 14 year old son's body cut open in front of him, and then his own son's heart forced into his mouth. Then he was tortured and killed
• Think of the Sikh Women who wore were made to wear their babies and children as chopped up necklaces
• Think of all the Shaheeds killed by Aurangzeb
• Think of all the Sikhs that have been killed to this day by the indian government, before and after 84

Think of all the Shaheeds! Read your history, that always removes any doubts! Think about the white American and Russian Sikhs who have adopted Gursikhi, and other races around the world!!!

Once you have looked in the mirror, and thought of the above, then go to the Gurdwara and bow down in front of your living Guru, Dhan Dhan Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Thank your Guru for blessing you with Kesh and then sit down and join the Sangat of Gursikhs around you who also keep their hair! Absorb yourself in the Gurbani, Kirtan, Katha. Absorb yourself in seva, in and out of the Gurdwara. Absorb yourself in your nitmen and Simran of the Jot of the 11Gurus, Vaheguru. Then you'll remember why you became a Singh.

The more you belive in your Guru Ji and trust that he will take care of you, the more you will be taken care of !

You are the Guru's Singh, and for that, you have my full and utter respect!

[Guest .,.,]

My man

I can understand you having these thoughts, many others have probably gone through it. I live in Canada and as I've grown up I've seen dudes that grew up with all their hair intact, wearing paghs, keeping their beards etc, to coming to school the next day with it all gone. Why'd they do it? Due to the same thoughts your having. Low self-esteem. Insecure about how they look, worried about not finding a girl, wanting to be accepted by the regular crowd that drink heavy and party hard. At the end of the day these guys chose to be just another dude in the crowd rather than be an individual who is his own person. I'm a Singh. I care about my religion and my people. I've got friends, I go to the parties, I'm around everything. Growing up as a 12-13 year old I used to play basketball with older guys that would smoke marijuana and drink beers as they played. I was, and still am, around it ALOT when I was outside of the house but it never influenced me. I knew the person who I wanna be, not try to be something I'm not. I don't think of doing all those things as "cool" and so I will stay on the path that leads me to where I wanna go.

Thats here in Canada. I don't know about India but I'm pretty confident that the image of a "cool" or well liked person is the handsome mona guy who goes out with his friends, doing what he wishes. Having a Pagh and Beard restricts you guys, withot them you feel FREE. Its like without the Pagh and beard you are able to do so much more you've got freedom. They may chose to believe that, you might believe that too. But the reality is as a Singh you can do WHATEVER YOU WANT. A Pagh dosen't restrict anyone from doing anything or being who they wanna be. None of my closest friends are Singhs.. I'm the only one out of my group of like 20 TIGHT friends, and I've never felt any pressure or had any thoughts of changing who I am to be more like my friends. Let's face it a lot of young guys are worried about how they look to the opposite sex, we all gotta find someone to love. But your appearance as a Singh shouldn't hinder your chances. Yes the image society in India portrays as the Alpha Male is clean shaven, nice haircut, gets the beautiful girl. Don't think just because you have Pagh and a Beard that it will bar you from making yourself who you want to be.

Sorry if I rambled on.

Its all on you my man.

[11Gurus1Jot]

Dear Veer Ji Sarbjeet Singh Ji

Please allow me to give you a few phrases from some very educated and successful people. As this is an English Forum, I will give you the phrases from English speaking people rather than in Punjabi.

An English lady, McMillan received the baptism of the Khalsa. Once she addressed a Sikh congregation and while addressing she spoke about the importance of hair as follows.

“My dear Sikh gentlemen: the Keshas of your head are not simply hair; these are those electric wires that you attach to the power house of mighty Guru Gobind Singh Ji and are cultural on the hoary head of Bharat Mata (mother India).” And the famous writer Solomon is of the view that the hoary head is a crown of glory if it be found in the way of righteousness.” (Ref. the book ‘Many thoughts of many minds’ by Henry South Gate, page 229).

Please note: Hoary means Venerable - which means of noble character, impressive, commanding respect!

Like McMillan, another English lady Mrs. M.A. Steel, in her book on women, has written about the significance of the hair for the Sikhs. “You might have seen that the hair on the head of the Sikhs look beautiful and dignified. And why should they not look beautiful and dignified because they are in the proper uniform provided to man by God? They are the precious treasure of splendour and are like a crown of dignity. If we make an unbiased observation, we find that men with moustaches and beards appear more manly, and in manliness lies man’s real charm and dignity. It is symbolic of his high spirits. Nobody with a sense of self-respect would wish to lose it.” It is no wonder that a woman is educating menfolk about the manliness connected with the hair?

General Sir Charles Gough in his book ‘The Sikhs’ writes that the, “Sikhs do not agree to trim their hair under any circumstances and under any compulsion. They do not mind sacrificing their life for this. According to Guru Gobind Singh, the hair are the manifest symbol of recognition of a Sikh.” Can there be a Sikh who aspires to be happy by losing this symbol of strength and insignia of glory?

The great poet R N Tagore said that “the Keshdhari is the best form of the best man”

George Bernard Shaw was a very intelligent man who also left his mark on this world. Some of his achievements were:

· He wrote 60 plays, music, literary criticism, articulate Journalism, and co-founded the London School of Economics which is still a world leader today!

· Bernard Shaw examined Education, Marriage, religion, health care, government, and class privilege.

· He made great progress in the furtherance of, equality for men and women, reducing abuse of the working class, and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

As a small child Bernard Shaw asked his father why he shaved off his beard. Bernard Shaw’s father could not give him a satisfactory answer. As a result, when he grew up, Bernard Shaw kept his beard and moustache, and went on to do the above with his life !!!