dancing

[Mkhalsa]

wow, i just had this great discussion on sikhism with some new relatives of mine, one of whom is a mona. He was telling me how so many people confuse sikhi and punjabi culture and try to make the two happen at the same time. He said its just not possible. You either do one or the other.

I was really impressed at how knowledgable he was. He was saying how most people are into this bhangra stuff and dancing and that one cant be a Sikh while getting into this.

I have always said this. Much of punjabi culture today directly contradicts everything that Sikhi stands for.

Ryu, we all know your views of how gurbani is not supreme to you, we accept that. But for those of us who think bani is supreme, we know that guru sahib says dancing is a man ka chao and not something the soul would enjoy.

I suggest you actually study gurbani more and then you will understand it is the be all and end all of everything. As guru sahib has said, its jugo jug attal.

[Ryu Hayabusa]

Ryu, we all know your views of how gurbani is not supreme to you, we accept that.

MKhalsa you don't know me and you can go ahead and give out your TWISTED views. Many know how -ness is dear to you. Also please let me know who "We" is?

MKhalsa, keep on doing the "TWIST" my friend, and you say you don't dance lol.

[Getae]

Hi Guys,

Maybe we should stop using the name Singh? The Rajputs (created before Sikhism) used Singh, its part of their culture?

Nihang Sikhs used to dance to the dhol in a very military way, what about that? Anti-Sikh?

Dhol+dancing all these things have been on the Sikhs holyland long before the Sikhs were there.

[Mahavir]

but ya I have personally heard that some bibian go over board and do boliyan about the bride's first night with her husband, even though its not explicit but still its overboard.

...... some do go into detail ..... <_<

Details huh

I will never look at those innocent looking Bibi's in the same way again

I'm gonna pay attention to the lyrics next time.

[Mehtab Singh]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

I posted something similar on Tapoban sometime early last year. What I am going to say is my own personal experience and obviously it can't be a standard generalized theory for all human beings.

Until late 2003 I used to be a mona and bhangra addict. The sound of the dhol would make me move and I'd go crazy. There were instances where I'd dance with my Punjabi friends for hours and hours, sometimes an entire night at some party (no I was never very good at bhangra ).

But once I started keeping Sikhi saroop, it just started seeming impossible. I quit bhangra altogether. A few months later when I had a full grown beard and long hair, I tried listening to it again and "moving". Honestly speaking, I felt utterly sick !! Therefore my own personal experience convinced me that bhangra has nothing to do with Sikhi. And as some Singhs already said, you could never imagine our Gurus, Shaheeds or any other Panthic GurSikhs dance to silly and stupid bhangra tunes.

If you still don't believe/understand all this, here is a challenge : Listen to ONLY Gurbani Keertan for a minimum of 4 weeks, nothing else! No matter how boring you find it (that be too unfortunate for you) just listen ONLY to it for minimum 4 weeks (no not 30 days or 40 days, 4 weeks only). Remember not to get anywhere close to bhangra even remotely, and do this till you reach a stage of getting addicted to Gurbani

Keertan (some people have keertan flowing through their computer all day, might as well try that too). Once those 4 weeks have passed, try listening to bhangra music for 10 minutes. Once you've done this much, please come back and tell us how you felt in those 10 minutes. I am not asking you to tell me about those 4 weeks, just tell me about those 10 minutes. I shall wait eagerly for responses.

So, anyone up for the challenge ? If not, then forget about it and please don't try to include dancing as a Sikh thing. It is very much Punjabi but not Sikhi. I know (and have seen for myself with my own big and scary eyes) Hindu saints dance in ecstasy. If you watch closely, they just stand and move their hands towards the skies and turn left and right. Its not exactly a "dance" but more like their own way of losing their consciousness and getting absorbed in God. I don't even know if calling it "dance" is proper.

I shall wait for anyone interested in volunteering for this 4 week exercise.

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

[Getae]

Getae wrote:

Nihang Sikhs used to/still do dance to the dhol in a very military way, what about that? Anti-Sikh?

Personal opinion: this whole dancing is against Sikhism bit is a crock, if dancing isn't allowed musical instruments wouldn't be allowed either, yet we still use the tabla (an instrument also used in brothel's in the past), harmonium, some use bells, use dhol during Nagar Kirtan etc. etc.

Dhadi's who sing about Sikh warriors can also be deemed unacceptable as some experience josh after hearing these songs and feel the need to exert that energy in some form whether it be dance or some other way.

This whole no dance in Sikhism is the weirdest thing I've ever heard.

[Mehtab Singh]

Personal opinion: this whole dancing is against Sikhism bit is a crock,

You are right. That is indeed a personal opinin.

if dancing isn't allowed musical instruments wouldn't be allowed either, yet we still use the tabla (an instrument also used in brothel's in the past), harmonium, some use bells, use dhol during Nagar Kirtan etc. etc.

Dance girls used to sing and dance at brothels as well, so we should stop singing Keertan at Gurdwaras? A piece of cloth can be used to strangle someone to death, now how do I tie my dastar! Its made of cloth as well! Guru pyaareyo, please note the purpose behind what we do and how we do it. I really wanna know the purpose behind dancing. As I said earlier, I myself was heavily into it, but never figured out any purpose. Please enlighten me!

Dhadi's who sing about Sikh warriors can also be deemed unacceptable as some experience josh after hearing these songs and feel the need to exert that energy in some form whether it

be dance or some other way.

The Dhadis were encouraged by Guru Hargobind Jee Himself. It was started to instill bir ras among Sikhs. No one was asked to release that bir ras through dancing.

This whole no dance in Sikhism is the weirdest thing I've ever heard.

As you said initially, thats your personal opinion.

[Getae]

Hi Mehtab,

Just answer a factual question please:

Nihang Sikhs used to/still do dance to the dhol in a very military way, what about that? Anti-Sikh?

p.s. Dhadi's were around pre-Sikhism times as well.

Thanks in advance.

[smartsingh24]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

If you want to get good exercise why not do gatka??!! No spiritual gain is achieved by dancing, so y waste ur time and energy doing it? Will dancing get u closer to God? Will it make u a better person? Will it help you break ur cylce of reincarnation??

I dont know, I guess its your own choice if you want to dance or not, but this is what Guru Ji says about dancing:

"...they dance and dance and jump all around, but they only suffer in terrible pain.

  By dancing and jumping, devotional worship is not performed..."

"Jumping up and down like a monkey does not make the Lord happy"

"Nachan Tapan Man ka Chao"

"...O humble servant of the Lord, let your dancing be meditation on the Lord, Har, Har..."

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

Will gatka get u closer to God? Will it make u a better person? Will it help you break ur cylce of reincarnation??

wi

ll dancing?

[Getae]

"Jumping up and down like a monkey does not make the Lord happy"

I would think this is in reference to Hindus who would dance to please their God's, not to people who celebrate happenings in the real world.

"...O humble servant of the Lord, let your dancing be meditation on the Lord, Har, Har..."

Again, maybe its in reference to those who dance for relegious purposes?

Still no answer for the Nihang Sikhs and their dancing to the dhol.