Spirit Born People

Sandesh to Makhan Shah Lobana Gurduara managment....from Misl Amrika

2011-04-29T17:40:00.000+02:00

I haven't blogged in a while. Couldn't resist on this one.
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ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖਾਲਸਾ

ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫ਼ਤਹ!I

This is a local North American matter. We don't need to look to Akal Takhat for this. Reminds me of a speech of the Late Baba Jarnail Singh where he said something to the effect of "Someone is raping your sisters in broad daylight, someone is blatantly disrespecting your Guru Ganth Sahib and you are asking - "Babaji please give us the hukam"... What kind of hukam do you need from a Babaji - isn't it logical what you need to do?".

Similar is the case here. Haumai intoxicated neo-masands have created a mockery of the Darbar of the Guru and people are trying to figure out what we should do. "...isn't it logical what we need to do?"

Facebook discussion and other blogs have rightfully pointed out that there are only two major reasons why this is happening. 1) Money and 2) Caste affiliation.

So I think that the North American Sikh community should come together (in the form of a united front of different organizations like WSC-AR, AGPC, Sikh Coalition, Saldef, United Sikhs, SikhRI, SYANA other gurduaras, camps, youth groups) and demand the following from the Sikh sangat of North America as well as the members of this Makhan Shah Lobana Gurduara and its management. It would be sort of a "sandesh from Misl Amrika to all Guru Nanak Nam Leva Sikhs of the region":

1. All Guru Nanak Nam leva Sikhs to immediately stop providing any funds (even matha tek in the golak) at Makhan Shah Lobana Gurduara of Richmond Hill, NY.

2. Immediate declaration of a "sangat sanctioned" tankhaia (as mentioned no need to go to Akal Takhat for this - this is a local matter) to all those arrested as well as the current and previous members of the management.

a. As a condition of revoking their tankhah each member should wear a garland of shoes and sit outside on the sidewalk of the Gurduara in full view of public for 8 hours a day for 30 days

b. They should read, recite and introspect on the bani of Guru Granth Sahib for 2 hours a day

c. Personally contribute $100 a day for 30 days to homeless shelters in the NYC area.

3. This sandesh demands that the management of Makhan Shah Lobana Gurduara immediately take out 10% of the funds that they have in the bank or golak and distribute it in cash or kind to homeless shelters across New York City - immediately.

4. Additional 10% of funds must be distributed immediately in equal portions to the top three Sikh organizations operating in the New York area - 5 well established, non-aligned members of the community (Panj Piare) can decide which those organizations will be.

5. Demand that on an ongoing basis 15% of the annual Gurduara budget be used for educational purposes - scholarships, Khalsa school class activities/curriculum, etc. Also to be decided by 5 well established and non-aligned members of the community (Panj Piare).

6. Finally - all Guru Nanak Nam Leva Sikhs of the New York Region should join a campaign to drop their last-name or caste-affiliation in a public and legal manner - flood the local courts with name change documents. Within 3 months time 50% of the population of Sikh families in New York area should be caste-affiliation/last-name free and only have Singh for males and Kaur for female.

Something like this is what will start to bring a halt to this despicable behavior. Who is up to make this happen?

Carhdi Kala!

BU Candlelight Vigil - November 7th, 2010

2010-11-05T23:28:00.001+01:00

This tradition started many years ago at Boston University. Many times it is either snowing or raining, it is icy and cold, but the students push forward and regardless of the turnout do their best.

The annual Sikh Association of Boston University - November Candlelight vigil is being held on November 7th and I consider it my responsibility and duty to humbly request (or re-request as you may have already gotten an email) that you, your family and friends (Sikhs and Non-Sikhs) to attend and show solidarity.

Here are some links that are interesting and provides good insight to how to respond in thought.

Realizing Freedom - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOF9VzBrAvI
Remembering 1984 - http://sikhchic.com/1984/remembering_1984

SABU, a microcosm of the next generation of Sikhs in North America - are responding with this program.

Carhdi Kala!

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Subject: BU Vigil - Nov 7th.

Message from Sikh Association at Boston University:
__________________________________________

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

As an annual tradition at Boston University, this year on Sunday,
November 7th, we will be holding a candlelight vigil for those
murdered in 1984. Let us not forget those who died 26 years ago.
Please join us for Shabad Kirtan, Speeches, the screening of Amu,
ardaas, prashad, and langar.

This event will be held at Marsh Chapel from 2 pm- 6 pm. We hope
you can make it and so that, as a community, we can remember the
innocent lives taken pre-maturely.

Guru Fateh!
SABU (Sikh Association at Boston Univeristy)
735 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215

Great World Clock

2010-10-22T19:00:00.004+02:00

Don't know how accurate and where the data comes from, but great categories for us to think about....

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Poodwaddle.com

Miracle at Makindu

2009-08-26T19:02:00.002+02:00

There are many stories that I have heard about the Makindu Gurduara in Makindu, Kenya. They all conclude in the fact that under some type of awkward circumstance, someone had a mystical vision (darshan) of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib on a horse. Some stories allude to a radiant light, some stories relate to floating images, some stories talk about a band of warriors in attendance.

Rarely is the fact emphasized that Makindu Gurduara is a professionally run Gurduara that has the facilities as all Gurduaras should - langar, rooms for visitors, kirtan, katha, hospital across the street etc. But never is the fact mentioned that the openness and humanity that is Makindu Gurduara is what makes it a miracle.

Excellent article about it: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/specialreports/InsidePage.php?id=1144022176&cid=259&

As it says: "The philosophy of Makindu Temple is that all races come together to experience the sanctity of humanity in a holy sanctuary."

That is the Miracle at Makindu. Not ghosts or images or flying horses and warriors.

Sikh Youth Scholarship - Educate, Encourage, Inspire

2009-06-23T20:22:00.003+02:00

This Sikh Youth Scholarship program is a grass roots, youth organized and operated scholarship program. Provides needs based assistance to high school seniors in the Tri-State (NY, NJ and CT) area initially with hopes to expand nationwide in the future.

So - it is dasvand distribution time people. Goto the following web page - http://www.sikhyouthscholarship.org/donors - which then in turn will send you off to the donation page of the Sikh Research Institute where you can choose "Sikh Youth Scholarship Initiative".

I can foresee 100 people donating 50 dollars each. That is plenty of funds for what these young Sikhs are trying to do in order to help our their younger brothers and sisters.

Repeat - 100 people, $50 each - in 2 weeks from today that is $5000. Please support them!

Carhdi Kala!

New weemee!!

2009-05-13T18:54:00.000+02:00

The lover of nature - Guru Harrai Sahib ji

2009-05-09T16:05:00.004+02:00

Cross linked to the article in The Langar Hall I thought it would be appropriate to resurrect a humble tribute to our seventh Master that I wrote in 2004. Its rainy outside, trees are still in their blossom stage, the air is surprisingly fresh and the sweet scent of the lilacs by our windows is truly amazing. Lately I have also noticed different and rare birds in our wetlands in the back. All this "should" remind me of my responsibility to appreciate, protect and nurture my natural surroundings.

Enjoy!

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One Creative Power, Truth, Obtained by Grace of the Guru

Vahiguru Ji Ka Khalsa

Vahiguru Ji Ki Fateh,

Today, 19 Maghi, Nanakshahi 535 (31 January, CE 2004), we Sikhs celebrate the birth anniversary of our Master, Nanak VII – Guru Har Rai ji.

Any cursory reading of the life of Guru Har Rai ji will reveal the following about his personality: tender, merciful and compassionate. At the same time he kept, as per Guru Hargobind Sahib ji’s instructions, an army of 2,200 warriors. He was an avid hunter and a great social thinker.

Max Arthur Macauliffe, in the book The Sikh Religion, writes: “In the afternoon the Guru used often to gird on his sword, equip himself with his bow and arrows, mount his horse, and then proceed to the chase……The Guru took some of the animals he had obtained from the chase home with him, and freed and protected them in a zoological garden, which he caused to be made for the recreation of his followers.”

Zoological garden? Recreation of his followers? When was the last time any of us felt a sense of thrill and enjoyment going to the natural history museum or the Toronto zoo (is there a Toronto zoo?). When was the last time any Sikh organization or Sikh philanthropist thought of setting up a sanctuary for animals or a museum to celebrate our natural history? Something to think about……

Principal Satbir Singh, in his appropriately titled book (punjabi) on the life of Guru Har Rai ji – Nirbhao Nirvair – writes that the Guru would sit in the sangat and listen to the recitation of the Guru Granth Sahib and then listen to the rababi style of gurmat sangeet kirtan everday. Everyday he would sit in the pangat and partake in langar, but made it a point to earn his living (kirt di kamai).

Everyone must have heard of this one: One day Aurangzeb, in an attempt to ensure that the Mughal throne would be his own, poisoned his elder brother Dara Sikhon with “crushed tiger whiskers”. Dara Sikhon was apparently quite a pious and spiritual man and became very ill because of the poisoning. No hakim (traditional south asian medicine man) was able to find a cure to his illness. However, Guru Har Rai ji had a very advanced (for its time) dispensary full of exotic medicinal herbs and it became evident that the Sikh Nation had the cure to Dara’s illness. Shah Jahan, the emperor and father of Dara Sikhon, had to eventually humbly request the herbs in order to save his son. Guru Sahib, the compassionate, agreed and thus Dara was cured and eventually became a shagird (disciple) of the Guru.

Finally, I learnt from all the sources I read about the Guru’s life that he had a favorite var of Bhai Gurdas ji (the poet laureate and par excellence Sikh theologian) that he would repeat to the Sikhs very often. Guru Sahib’s choice of this var, as a teaching utility of the philosphy of the House of Nanak, really intrigued me. So simple and straightforward to understand, yet so difficult and challenging to follow. It is var 28, pauri 15 and goes like this:

A Sikh awakes in the pre-dawn hour and enshrines the merits of nam and compassion

(A Sikh) speaks civilly, is humble and happily does good to others after having earned with their own hands

(A Sikh), according to the Guru’s instruction, sleeps, eats and speaks moderately.

(A Sikh) toils to earn a living, performs good deeds and does not let success go over the top of the head

(A Sikh) walks for days and nights in search of the company of those that sing the Guru’s word, and sings with them!

(A Sikh) keeps his/her consciousness merged in the sabad and maintains love for the true Guru

(A Sikh) amid hopes and desires, remains detatched

Hail to Guru Har Rai ji, our seventh Master, the seventh embodiment of Guru Nanak’s jot, the compassionate one, the inspiration of the downtrodden, the keeper of the zoological sanctuary, the lover of nature, the lover of things natural and scientific. May his life be a model for us to follow.

Remain in Chardhi Kalaa

Inderpreet Singh

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Sultan ul Quam - happy birthday!

2009-05-03T18:18:00.003+02:00

Today is the birth anniversary of Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluvalia [Jassa Singh belonging to the village of Ahlu].

Interestingly no so called "panthak" media ever writes anything about him. Long time ago Tribune Newpaper (India) did an article on him, and also today there was an article on him by a different contributor to the Sunday Tribune.

Article in 2005 by Sumant Dhamija : http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050123/spectrum/main2.htm

Article today by titled "Sultan of Courage" by Mohinder Singh Ahluwalia: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090503/spectrum/main3.htm

However to get a great background on this great Sikh general, warrior, kirtania, activist you must read - "Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia" by Prof. Ganda Singh, Publication Bureau, Punjabi University Patiala, 1990 First Edition. (This was originally written in Punjabi by Ganda Singh and this one I am referring to is the english translation by Dr. Sant Singh Bal)

I can't but resist to type this out. Beginning of Chapter 30 "The qualities and Nature of S. Jassa Singh and his contribution to Punjab":

"S. Jassa Singh was handsome, with a vigorous and strong body. He was tall, and his complexion was wheatish but bright, with a broad head, full eyebrows and a downward tilt, penetrating, large eyes, and a full beard. His chest was broad and his arms were so long that when he was in the standing posture, they touches his knees, and his voice was so slentorian that even when he spoke in a low tone, it was audible to the peole standing at a distance.

S. Jassa Singh's breakfast consisted of one seer of butter and a quarter seer of mishri (condensed sugar). He had his lunch regularly, and it is a measure of his physical strength and health that he could easily digest half a goat or so. His body was well built and heavy, and he was so active, tough and strong in riding that no horse would bear his weight for more than six months. He was an expert swordsman and bowman. Very few Sardars would match him in this field. Many of the arrows carried his name or symbol. In firing a gun he was a great marksman; in the battle-field he invariably led the army, and wherever he was needed, he would give a kick to his horse and reach there. He was not in favor of wearing iron armour because he thought that after wearing such a heavy steel dress a rider could neither attack the enemy swiftly and suddently, nor effecta quick escape. For his defense hedepended exclusively on God.

His dress was essentially sky-blue. He tied his turban in the Mughal style. Over his shirt he wore a buttoned jacket followed by a belt and a short sword, and he had a big slying under garment and tight wrinkled trowsers. he would wear a large sword and other requisite weapons in his belt, along with a short sword."

A couple of other intersting tidbits

"...among the Missaldar Sardar, he was the only person who could be regarded as literate according to the tradition of the time. [In the beginning] he only spoke Urdu; and this used to amuse his Sikh brethren. Gradually he switched over to Punjabi but the influence of Urdu and Persian remained intact till the very end of his life"

And every morning in the camps what did he do:

"...He would take a round early in the morning to see whther the Singhs were reciting Gurbani or not. At this time if he saw the Muslim servants lying asleep, he would hold them by their hands, rouse them and ask them to recite namaz and remember God. There were clear instructions for the Sikh Sardars to have the kirtan (collective singing) of Asa ki var regularly."

Man, I wish we had leaders like him today. Wait...we need to become leaders like him today.

Happy Birthday Sardar Jassa Singh ji!!

Carhdi kala!

Violent Deaths and Enforced Disappearances...

2009-01-26T18:05:00.001+01:00

Once again ENSAAF comes through with a ground breaking paper that provides ample quantitative evidence/proof of the atrocities committed by the machinery of the Indian state against innocent people of Panjab.

http://www.ensaaf.org/reports/descriptiveanalysis/

Dear family, friends and acquaintances - this year 2009 is 25 years since the June '84 and Nov '84 attacks against Sikhs and Sikh institutions. We celebrated 300 of the Khalsa in 1999, 400 years since first Prakash of Adi Granth in 2004, 300 years of Gurgaddi of Guru Granth Sahib ji in 2008. Many more anniversaries and centenniels will come and go. The 25th anniversary of atrocities will also come and go.

I simply humbly ask that you read about the events to be "aware" and that you support organizations like ENSAAF (financially and morally) that are working hard to set the record straight (at the least) and gain "justice" for the innoncent victims all for the hope that such events won't happen again to us nor to any other group or community in India or the rest of the world. I ask that we at least change our attitude and be concerned, very concerned about our past, present and future.

I also ask everyone to join in Ardas of thanks and hope. Thanks to Vahiguru for giving our community hard working lawyers like Jaskaran Kaur and Jasmine Kaur (our sisters who spent time in Cambridge, MA at Harvard) and Sukhman Singh (young energetic man spending months in Panjab helping with data collection and legal cases) and ardas for hope that they continue their work with an attitude of confidence and perserverance. (Read about the staff of ENSAAF here: http://www.ensaaf.org/about/staff.php)

Carhdi Kala!

Inderpreet Singh

Next CTO of the United States

2009-01-26T17:19:00.003+01:00

Red Herring, a well known technology magazine, has a blog. While browsing it I noticed a poll for who should be the CTO for Obama's administration. Many well known names on the list. I think it is not surprising that Bill Gates is winning at those polls. I am also pretty sure that his amazing philanthropic transformation has made him a well admired personality among technologists. I think he would never accept the job, but would make a good CTO for USA. Go vote at the poll, let's see what the people think: http://www.redherring.com/blogs/

Basic Postulates - the Sikh Agenda

2009-01-15T23:20:00.004+01:00

Here is an excerpt from a very famous document of the Sikh community...can anyone guess where it is from and what year it was written?

It is a far cry from the current Shiromani Akali Dal agenda don't you think?

But never the less it is a great starting point for the non-political aspirations of the Sikhs. Note that political aspirations have to go hand in hand as well.

----begin excerpt----

A. BASIC POSTULATES

1. The Shiromani Akali Dal is the very embodiment of the hopes and aspirations of the Sikhs and as such is fully entitled to its representation. The basic postulates of this organization are human co-existence, human welfare and the ultimate unity of all human beings with the Lord.

2. These postulates are based upon the three great principles of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, namely Nam Japo, Kirat Karo, and Vand Chhako, i.e. meditation on God's Name, honest labor, and sharing the fruits of this labor with the needy.

B. PURPOSES

The Shiromani Akali Dal shall ever strive to achieve the following aims:

1. Propagation of Sikhism, its ethical values and code of conduct to combat atheism.

2. Preservation and keeping alive the concept of distinct and sovereign identity of the Panth and building up of appropriate condition in which the national sentiments and aspirations of the Sikh Panth will find full expression, satisfaction and facilities for growth.

3. Eradication of poverty and starvation through increased production and more equitable distribution of wealth as also the establishment of a just social order sans exploitation of any kind.

4. Vacation of discrimination on the basis of caste, creed or any other ground in keeping with basic principles of Sikhism.

5. Removal of disease and ill health, checking the use of intoxicants and provision of full facilities for the growth of physical well-being so as to prepare and enthuse the Sikh Nation for the national defense.

For the achievement of the aforesaid purposes, the Shiromani Akali Dal owned it as its primary duty to inculcate among the Sikh religious fervour and a sense of pride in their great socio-spiritual heritage through the following measures:

1. Reiteration of the concept of unity of God, meditation on His Name, recitation of gurbani, inculcation of faith in the holy Sikh Gurus as well as in Guru Granth Sahib and other appropriate measures for such a purpose.
2. Grooming at the Sikh Missionary College the Sikh youth with inherent potential to become accomplished preachers, ragis, dhadis and poets so that the propagation of Sikhism, its tenets and traditions and its basic religious values could be taken up more effectively and vigorously.
3. Baptizing the Sikhs on a mass scale with particular emphasis on schools and colleges wherein the teachers as well as the taught shall be enthused through regular study circles.
4. Revival of the religious institution of dasvandh among the Sikhs.
5. Generating a feeling of respect for Sikh intellectuals including writers and preachers, who also would be enthused to improve upon their accomplishments.
6. Streamlining the administration of the gurdwaras by giving better training to their workers. Appropriate steps would also be taken to maintain gurdwara building in proper condition. The representatives of the party in the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee would be directed to pull their weight towards these ends.
6. Making suitable arrangements for error free publications of gurbani, promoting research in the ancient and modern Sikh history, translating holy gurbani into other languages and producing first-rate literature on Sikhism.
7. Taking appropriate measures for the enactment of an All India Gurdwaras Act with a view to improving the administration of the gurdwaras throughout the country and to reintegrate the traditional preaching sects of Sikhism like Udasis and Nirmalas, without in any way encroaching upon the properties of their maths.
8. Taking necessary steps to bring the Sikh gurdwaras all over the world under a single system of administration with a view to running them according to the basic Sikh forms and to pool their resources for the propagation of Sikhism on a wider and more impressive scale.
9. Striving to free access to all those holy Sikh shrines, including Nanakana Sahib, form which the Sikh Panth has been separated, for their pilgrimage and proper upkeep.

----end excerpt----

Culinary arts - coffee

2009-01-12T16:16:00.004+01:00

Coffee shop in Cambridge, MA. How do they do that?

Symbols, preachers, attitude of life...

2009-01-12T00:56:00.002+01:00

Once again, a random reading from the book Spirit Born People rises in me a deluge of dreams and thoughts. The major question that has been bugging me is that what can be done different this year, 2009 CE, 540 and 541 N.S. (in the context of Sikhs)? Let's not forget it is the 25th Anniversary of the events that occured in the year that will live in infamy for the Sikhs (umm...yeah..1984). Many are already busy planning yet another "Memorial" and "salana" probably though not with such pomp and energy as "300 sal guru de nal...". What should we, the Panth, focus on in our educational projects, our attempts at doing good for the community and the world. Should we fix our own house first before we start trying to fix the world? Does that have to go hand in hand? Too many questions and too many potential answers.

Is it not shameful that we go an auction our Beloved for the fun of preaching a sermon that has but one effect of causing hatred between man and man? Because of my personal love of my Beloved, I should be so radiant that my radiance should conceal me and my Beloved from all. And yet my radiance should be a revelation of Him, as is the fragrance of the rose. It is certainly a tiresome futility for us to go impressing on the busy world of today that unless they keep long hair and wear turbans they cannot understand the Guru. The Guru is already diffusing his mind in the world-mind and if, like other theologians and priests, we strive to force upon them our particular theology and rites and symbols we shall certainly fail. As the shape of the nose and ear and eye cannot be limitations for the ecstasy of the soul, so no symbol, no rite, no particular form, no particular virtue or vice can impede the inner realization of the great ideals of the Guru. But as the mystic expressional types of the Guru's mind, we have to roam in this world and spread the fragrance of the Guru with the braid-knot he gave us, and the flowing beards. Our shapes indeed can, in no sense, be considered symbols. But more important is the expression of the Sikh soul through their medium, and if that expression is lacking, our very life and body, whether our head be dressed or clean-shaven, are meaningless superstitions. To a person given to religion, as one given to intense human love, trifles relating to the soul are more essential than the realms of silver and gold. Surely for such people the very superstitions contain more reflections of truth than the gathered facts of the learned people of the world. If one who is at peace and fully intoxicated on those delectable heights closes his eyes in exstacy, this closing of his eyes is no symbol of religion and yet, in a sense, it is. So should be with us Sikhs, the wearing of His knot, His beard, His shape and His obedience. Our form and shape of the Guru will radiate with His inspired and extraordinary humanity. Lacking that one thing, all shall be lacking. Without that spirit within us both life and death are devoid of meaning and truth.
Excerpt from Prof. Puran Singh, Spirit Born People, "Internationalism and the Sikhs"

Couple of things

Prof. Puran Singh refers to the "busy world of today..." in this excerpt. Can you imagine the difference in perception of "busy" in 2009 vs. early 1900's when he may have written this.
Regarding the attitude of those that "live in His image" or don the 10th Masters articles of faith...without the inspiration of the Guru and the extraordinary humanity it represents, its donning is lacking any meaning and truth. That's a tough one to swallow but true. In this arena I am convinced that it is a progression that goes on hand in hand. As we delve into sabad whilst wearing the articles of faith - the loving attitude that we must have of wearing them becomes manifest. The more we love our image and the gifts/articles, the more the urge to delve into sabad. This has been my experience.

Spirit Born...random excerpts

2008-06-18T22:56:00.003+02:00

Random excerpts from Prof. Puran Singh:

What is this Spirit Born People?

This ideal group of Spirit-born people, which has been the dream and art creation of Guru Nanak, was named Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh, who he declared as his Son, his own image, the reflection of the Guru-personality, born of his blood. The Commune was named the `Khalsa Panth', which the Guru planted as the Root of the' Kingdom of Righteousness' in the garden of Anandpur, the City of Joy, to be the Ideal future International State of man. By creating the Khalsa, the Guru has given birth to a New Race, with a universal religion of faith in man and fired it with the spiritual
passion for progress....

Note in this paragraph - I have known it for some time, but many don't understand the implications - Akbar became a Brahmin...

Four hundred years ago the inhabitants of the Punjab were all slaves. The invaders that came by the Khyber Pass, destroyed by the sword all Indian hopes of ever becoming a self-governing nation. Foreign invasions showed the hollowness of the creed that was holding the people of India in its clutches of caste and colour and dual differences. What could the invaders have achieved if the will to die for freedom were there in the soul of India? Then the Moghuls settled down, Akbar became a Brahmin, Aurangzeb a mere dreamer of a Muslim Empire, and Bahadur Shah a singer of rhymes that the dancing girls sang. Islam with its sword, found its grave in India. What is the Indian Mussalman today but a Hindu who hates `others'? Perhaps in the whole of India today, one cannot find a group of people that can so continuously suffer for an ideal as the Sikhs.

The Spirit Born survive only as a Sikh Nation...

Humble labourers while digging the earth, while ploughing, while on horse-back, were in deep unison with the God of Humanity. A new spiritual culture was being nurtured in the homes of the dust-laden peasantry of the Punjab. It was the culture of simple humanity with a Godward tendency; it was the culture of spontaneous God-head flowering in essential humanity. The God ward tendency _ being Gurmukh, with face turned to the Guru -was the simple religion of the Sikh masses. And those who were full of the Guru, His Truth, His Fire, were the true representatives of the Sikh People -the Sikh Nation.

The Confluence of Faith, Courage and Discipline

2008-06-18T00:20:00.003+02:00

What - Sidak - a unique learning experience on Sikh theology, culture and lifestyle
Where - San Antonio, TX
When - July 13th through July 26th

Please check out the video below. I want to seriously recommend this program to all the readers of this blog. There are still some open spots so simply contact sidak@sikhri.org for the information and hope to see you there.

3 Interesting Youngsters! The Singhs of Palo Alto

2008-06-17T17:48:00.003+02:00

Kudos to the kids' parents, family, friends, community and of course the Guru. I have never heard Killen before but his questioning style really brings out the dynamism and eloquence of the kids.

I pray that the Guru blesses them with the continuity of excellence in all spheres of life.

Very cool!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7397478816209281067

Plant a Billion trees...

2008-04-22T22:51:00.001+02:00

Trees are baller!

The comforting shawl of faith

2007-11-24T06:05:00.000+01:00

Is it not an amazing fact that in the first embodiment the Great Guru discards the Hindu’s sacred thread (janeu) and literally reprimands the ritualistic Brahmin. Then in the ninth embodiment the Great Guru gives up his earthly life to protect the right to freedom of faith and religion. It so happened that the religion he was protecting was that of the Kashmiri Brahmins. Had it been Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Bahais or any other faith, rest assured Guru Teghbahadur would have done exactly the same thing. He would have similarly challenged the ruling elite – “Try me! If you can force me to convert, then you have won and can go ahead and convert the others”.

The Guru’s purpose was to uphold Truth. Just like his grandfather, Nanak V, Guru Teghbahadur felt it more important to stand up and challenge oppression rather than seek favor and save his own skin. Another phenomenal fact was that the Guru’s inspired their disciples to do the same. Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dayala also chose to challenge the oppressor rather than save their own skin. They did that because for the Sikh earthly life and death are inconsequential. Living life as one of the Spirit Born and laughing at physical death is only possible in the sanctuary of the Guru. Living and continuously feeling the Divine is not an easy endeavor unless we hold the Guru’s robe and let the Master lead the way. Most of us fail at it because of this feeling that it is purely our “own endeavor”. Far from it. The effort required in the process of Spirit Born life is our own. Success at it is by Grace alone.

Today we commemorate the calling of the one we know as dharam di cadar - the Comforting Shawl of Faith - Guru Teghbahadur. In very simple language he calls upon us as well to follow him in the fight against oppression and the strength to fight for freedom of religion and faith – by being Guru-inspired. The question is, shall we listen and follow?

rwgu gauVI mhlw 9 ]

swDo mn kw mwnu iqAwgau ]
kwmu k®oDu sMgiq durjn kI qw qy Aihinis Bwgau ]1] rhwau ]
suKu duKu dono sm kir jwnY Aauru mwnu Apmwnw ]
hrK sog qy rhY AqIqw iqin jig qqu pCwnw ]1]
ausqiq inMdw doaU iqAwgY KojY pdu inrbwnw ]
jn nwnk iehu Kylu kTnu hY iknhUM gurmuiK jwnw ]2]1]

In Rag Gauri by Nanak IX

Oh my dear saintly people, do away with your selfish pride.
Make sure you never go near and always run away from the frustrations of uncontrollable lust, anger, and companionship with evil minded people.

Consider both happiness or sorrow, and honorable appellations or slanderous banter to be one and the same – that is, don’t be effected by them. It is the one who remains unaffected during times of joy as well as suffering that knows the essence of how to live in the world.

Forsake the need of being showered with praise as well as the urge to slander others. Instead pursue a life which ensures that you are in a state of being spirit born.
Serf Nanak proclaims, this is a difficult game. There are only a few who know this path because they dedicate their lives by being Guru-inspired.

The coming of Nanak

2007-11-24T06:02:00.000+01:00

The Panth has not been able to agree on a fixed date for the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Sahib. A section of the community insists that it be celebrated on the full moon day (puranmashi) of the month of Katak – but according to the Bikrami calendar. So, this year it actually falls on the 11^th of Maghar according to the Nanakshahi calendar or 24^th of November according to the Common Era calendar. By the way, 11^th of Maghar is also the “fixed” date for the Shahidi gurpurab of our Beloved Nanak IX and his three jivan-mukt disciples (I will write more about that later).

On the topic of Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary I thought I would share with you the words of a great scholar, commentator, philosopher, poet, administrator (he was the first jathedar of the Akal Takhat) and, in general, thought leader of the Sikhs. This is what Bhai Gurdas ji wrote about the coming of Guru Nanak many many years ago.

Imagine, if you will, walking in an area where one cannot see anything because of mist, dust, and darkness. Then suddenly the mist and dust clears and resplendent light shines bright. Imagine, if you will, a dark night with only the occasional twinkle of stars in the sky that may seem beautiful but really don't give aid to the direction of our walking path. Then suddenly the sun rises, the skies are bright and the sparkling stars are over taken by the bright shining light of the sun - now one can see where they are walking. Imagine, if you will, a jungle with quiet and calm deer munching along in the brushes and grass and suddenly the sovereign lion comes out of the trees and roars loudly communicating its presence. The deer scatter away in fear as the king of the jungle has come to establish its empire. That was the feeling when Guru Nanak came to this earth. Wherever the great Baba went, there was established a place of learning. All the hearts he touched became active with remembrance of the Divine and all the homes he visited became active with societal and community service. The pursuit of Truth became the passion for everyone and this revolution hit everywhere.

Such was the coming of Guru Nanak, the First Prophet of the Sikh Nation...

In this var Bhai Gurdas ji has established the uniqueness and the strength of the first Master of our Nation. The coming of Guru Nanak is best celebrated by understanding our place in world society. By understanding our scripture, practicing our way of life and living - not resting - on the laurels of our history.

Congratulations on the celebrations of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak - the First Prophet of the Sikhs.

Var 1, Pauri 27 - Varan Bhai Gurdas

siqgur nwnk pRgitAw imtI DuMD jg cwnx hoAw]
ijauN kr sUrj inkilAw qwry Cpy AMDyr ploAw]
isMG buky imrgwvlI BMnI jwey n DIr DroAw]
ijQY bwbw pYr DrY pUjw Awsx Qwpx soAw]
isD Awsx sB jgq dy nwnk Awd mqy jy koAw]
Gr Gr AMdr Drmswl hovY kIrqn sdw ivsoAw]
bwby qwry cwr ck nO KMf ipRQmI scw FoAw]
gurmuK kil ivc prgt hoAw ]

With the emergence of the true prophet Guru Nanak,

the mist cleared and the light scattered all around.
As if at the sun rise the stars disappeared and the darkness dispelled.
With the roar of the lion in the forest the flocks of escaping deer now cannot have endurance.
Wherever Baba Nanak put his feet, a religious place was erected and established.
All the sidh-places now have been renamed on the name of Nanak.
Every home has become a place of dharma where singing of hymns has become a daily liturgy.
Baba Nanak gave deliverance to all within the four directions and nine divisions of earth.
Gurmukh (Guru Nanak) has emerged in this kaliyug, the dark age.

Carhdi Kala

P.S. - Translation based on "Varan Bhai Gurdas - Text Transliteration and Translation - Dr. Jodh Singh"

Sikhs are HOT

2007-09-11T16:33:00.001+02:00

Pretty nice and to the point video by Sikh Coalition.
Minister...do you take credit for this...or did you just grace the video with your presence alone!?

Economist Article - Sikhs and Dera

2007-07-31T03:16:00.001+02:00

I don't know if this is accessible to non-members. Economist a few weeks ago also covered the Dera Sacha Sauda issue. Pretty interesting I would say for a magazine of that caliber to go into the nitty gritty issues of the Sikh Nation. Here is the link.

http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9444533

Sikh Research Institute wrote a brief missive on the article. Here is the link.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/theinbox/2007/07/heresy_and_history_july_7th.cfm

Be-adbi

2007-06-23T04:44:00.000+02:00

There has been a lot of carca (discussion and incidents) on the be-adbi of Guru Granth Sahib. I have been thinking about this quite a bit, especially in light of the pakhandi Gurmeet Ram Rahim episode. What really is the disrespect of Guru Granth Sahib? I recall a speech of Baba Jarnail Singh which he says something like: Respect all your daughters and sisters, older generations and all people from different religions. Don't lay a hand on innocents. However, don't leave alone the "disrespectors" of the Guru Granth Sahib.

I agree with that...but we must all be careful and require the blessing of discerning intellect before acting (bibek dan).

Recently, we held a Nagar Kirtan from Milford Gurduara to Millis Gurduara here in Massachusetts. Someone came to me and mentioned that he cannot believe that we are doing parkash of Guru Granth Sahib on the lead truck and taking it in the Nagar Kirtan. Where he grew up, they always took Guru Granth Sahib in sukhasan form. Why - so as to avoid be-adbi along the way. Hmm...in sukhasan, no disrespect...when parkash...disrespect?

The key is to discern the difference between idolatry and worship of the word.

Respect Paid to the Holy Granth

Great respect is shown to the Book when opening, reading, or closing it. It is kept in clean clothes, is opened under a canopy and a flyflicker (chaur) is always kept at hand to wave over it. When it is brought in, all those present stand up with bowed heads.

These signs of royalty and the marked attention paid by Sikhs to the Holy Book - especially when it is exaggerated by ignorant people - give an impression to others that Sikhs worship their Book. This is wrong. Sikhs are enjoined to worship nothing by the Name (see Guru Nanak's Sri Rag, viii. 3) They can offer respect to any person or thing worthy of praise, but worship is due to God alone. Perhaps the bowing of Sikhs before the Book is misunderstood by Westerners whose way of salutation is different. They kiss their book as Sikhs bow before theirs, both conforming to the local custom of paying respect. Both ways of salutation are highly personal, but they cannot be called idolatry, as long as the Book is not given the place of God. In Sikhism the highest respect is paid to the Word, as in a modern state the greatest homage is paid to the Law, which stands even above the king. This sovereignty of the Shabd or the Word was acknowledged even by the Gurus who bowed before it in reverence.

Taken from "The Holy Granth Sri Rag to Majh" by Professor Teja Singh

The 99 connection and Carhdi Kala!

2007-05-05T05:54:00.000+02:00

I think I'm back...slowly yet surely.

1499 - the Revolution begins
1599 - the Granth begins to emerge
1699 - the Panth is inaugurated
1799 - the Sikh Raj is established (for the 2nd time!)
1899 - the Revival was triggered - reason was 4 Sikh boys chopped their hair in public! Just 4!!
1999 - huh? What happened? 8 years later - 80% of Sikhs in Panjab have shed the Guru's insignia.

And we thought we were the Spirit Born People!

No, don't worry - I am not in dhaindi kala...the essential ingredient of carhdi kala is to look forward, have a refreshing outlook and a positive mindset. It reminds me of the words of the great Giani Dit Singh. His words were a call to arms even though they sound like the sounding of a catastrophe. What do you think?

“An English newspaper writes that the Christian faith is making rapid progress and makes the prophesy, that within the next twenty five years, one third of the Majha area would be Christian. The Malwa will follow suit. Just as we do not see any Buddhists in the country except in images, in the same fashion the Sikhs, who are now, here and there, visible in their turbans and their other religious forms like wrist-bangles and swords, will be seen only in pictures in museums. Their own sons and grandsons turning Christians and clad in coat and trousers and sporting mushroom-like caps will go to see them in the museums and say in their pidgin Punjabi: Look, that is the picture of a Sikh - the tribe that inhabited this country once upon a time. Efforts of those who wish to resist the onslaught of Christianity are feeble and will prove abortive like a leper without hands and feet trying to save a boy falling of a rooftop” - Khalsa Akhbar of Lahore, May 25, 1894, from the pen of its editor Giani Dit Singh."

Ardas

2007-01-24T05:58:00.000+01:00

I was at the Surat Conference a couple of weeks ago. My topic/lecture was on Ardas in the context of Sohila sahib di bani and relationship with Hukam. An aspect of the talk was to review the Sangati or Panthak Ardas.

Here is a translation/transcreation that was shared at the first Candlelight Vigil in Toronto in 2004 (november). I have used Sirdar Kapur Singh's translation, a little bit of Principal Teja Singh's translation and then Harpreet Singh (Harvard University) and I modified it a little. Reading through it really gives a sense of the original that our ancestors wrote...but there is really no comparison to the original. Our ancestor Gursikhs not only lived Guru-inspired cultural lives, they were so eloquent at describing it....

Would be delighted to hear suggestions for improvement to this....

Carhdi kala!

-------

Ardas

One Formless-form, To Vahiguru, the abiding Victory.
Var Sri Bhaguti composition of the 10th.

To begin with, we invoke the Divine Spirit of Vahiguru and we remember Guru Nanak (This Spirit) which then inspired Guru Angad, Amardas, and Ramdas.
We call upon the Gurus, Arjun, Hargobind, and Harirai. Let us invoke the blessed Harikrishan whose vision heals all pains.
Let us call upon Guru Tegbahadur so that the nine spiritual treasures may abide in our hearts.
May they help us everywhere. Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh, may he help us everywhere.
The Spirit of the Ten Masters enshrined in the sabad (word) of the Guru Granth Sahib, concentrate on that and say, revered Khalsa, Vahiguru!

Five Beloved Ones, Four Princes, Forty Redeemed Ones, those who have kept constant remembrance of Vahiguru, those who have constantly lived in the Divine Presence, those who have loved their neighbors by sharing their possessions with them, those who have turned a blind eye to the faults and failings of others, those who have assuaged the hunger and want of the hungry and the needy, those who have persevered in their fight in the cause of Justice, concentrate your mind on the struggles and achievements of those, O, revered members of the Order of the Khalsa, and say, Vahiguru!

The Singhs and Singhnis who courted martyrdom in the cause of Religion and underwent unspeakable sufferings of being dismembered alive, scalped alive, broken on wheels, sawed alive and boiled alive and those who made sacrifice in the service of the centers of the Sikh religion, the Gurduaras, but never wavered in their faith and remained steadfast in the cause of Sikhi to the last hair of their body and to their last breath, O, revered members of the Order of the Khalsa, concentrate your minds on the glorious deeds of those, and utter, Vahiguru!

Think of the Five High Seats of Sikh Authority, the Thrones of Religion, and all the centers from where the good Religion is preached, and say, Vahiguru!

First, we pray on behalf of all the creatures of Vahiguru.
May the Presence of Vahiguru be progressively felt in the hearts of all the sentient creatures, and may the whole Creation become happy and prosperous thereby. (Then) may Vahiguru shower blessings upon and grant protection to each and every member of the Order of the Khalsa, wherever he, she or they are.

May the supplies of the Khalsa ever remain replenished.
May the Sword of the Khalsa be ever victorious.
May the Royal title of the “Khalsa” be universally recognized and honored.
May victory attend upon all just endeavors of the Panth, the Khalsa Commonwealth. May the arms and armaments be our constant ally. May the Order of the Khalsa achieve ever-expanding progress and supremacy. Revered Khalsa, say, Vahiguru!

May Vahiguru grant to the Sikhs, the gift of Faith, the gift of uncut Hair, the gift of Discriminatory Intellect, the gift of Mutual Trust, the gift of Self-confidence and the Supreme Gift of all gifts, the gift of communion with Vahiguru, the Name, and may Sikhs freely center around and dip in the holy Amritsar.
May the government-centers, the banners, the cantonments of the Khalsa ever remain inviolate.
May the Cause of Truth and Justice prevail everywhere and at all times.
Revered Khalsa, say, Vahiguru!

May the passions in the heart of the Sikhs remain calm and their reason flow clear, and may the reason always be guided by the Light of Vahiguru.
Vahiguru Almighty, our protector and Helper ever, restore to us the right and privilege of unhindered management and free service of and access to all centers of the Sikh Religion, the gurduaras, out of which we have been forcibly evicted.

(Here, the specific purpose and occasion of the prayer is stated by the officiant – adasia - in suitable terms and the blessings and aid of Vahiguru are beseeched.)

Vahiguru, forgive us our remisses. Extend Your Helping Hand to all and everyone.
Grant us the company of those who may help keep Your Nam fresh in our hearts.
May Your Nam, the path preached by Nanak, prevail and prosper forever and forever.
May Your Will be done wherein lies the good of all mankind.
The Khalsa is of Vahiguru, and to Vahiguru the Victory.

Amazing Photos - Being Sikh

2007-01-20T23:48:00.000+01:00

Just got information about this photographer and his current work in the Panjab.

Goto: http://www.charlesmeacham.com/ and click on "Being Sikh".

I am quite impressed with some (not all) of the text/captions that he has written too!

Carhdi Kala!

Quiz - Sikh strangulation

2006-12-23T22:55:00.000+01:00

When writing his report on the development of Sikh politics, who made the following observation: “The activities of Hindus have, therefore, been constantly directed to the undermining of Sikhism both by preventing the children of Sikh fathers from taking pahul and by reducing professed Sikhs from their allegiance to their faith. Hinduism has strangled Buddhism, once a formidable rival to it and it has already made serious inroads into the domain of Sikhism.”

a) Mr. D. Petrie
b) Emperor Akbar
c) Lepel Henry Griffin
d) Max Arthur Macauliffe

Scripture and weapons...

2006-12-23T22:25:00.000+01:00

Pehle shāstar se maro. Jo bach jai, to shastar se maro...
First attempt to destroy (all religions and movements that are a danger to Brahmins) should be through re-interpretation of their theology and scripture. If that does not work, then physical destruction of the enemy with weapons is a must.

This is attributed to Ādī Shankarāchāryā (788-820 C.E.), a Brahmin well versed in the Vedic tradition, who led the movement to completely annihilate Buddhism from South Asia.

Does it sound familiar? The difference with the Sikhs and Sikhī is that complete annhilation or assimilation has not taken place yet. But its getting awfully close! And the strategy of scripture and weapon attack as espoused by the Brahmin seems to have morphed into a cyclic tactic. Why? Well, look back at the major events of our past.

The post-Banda Singh Bahadur and pre-Misl period, physical destruction was attempted by the ruling elite (with connivance with Brahminical forces) because the Guru's scripture and theology was intact. Don't forget that prior attempts to dilute Sikh thought by Dhīrmalīe, Rāmrāīe, Masands, etc. had already taken place, so attack on scripture and theology was indeed attempted first. Then Misl period and the Sarkār-e-Khālsā period (aka Ranjit Singh rule) the Sikh literary canon had been severely tampered with (gurbilas, janamsakhis, rahatname, and others). Thankfully the Singh Sabhā period brought an end to that. Then post-partition of Panjāb (1947 onwards), when Sikhs were destined for 2nd class citizen status in Bharat, once again a physical annhilation was attempted in the 1980's and 1990's. Although there was tremendous loss of quantity, the quality seemed to have survived to some extent.

But alas, now it is clear and evident that the attack on our scriptural canon and theology is in full swing. The whole concept of Sikhī is under attack once again and sanction for this is being announced in the highest echelons of Sikh leadership. I will not give specific details, I leave it up to you to decipher the situation by reading and asking for yourselves.

Anonymous' - a post of your own.

2006-12-23T03:00:00.000+01:00

Well, I didn't want to post this, but I couldn't resist. I actually got quite a few comments on my last two posts both officially and informaly. But apparently this mr. or mrs. anonymous found my usage of non-alphanumeric characters as quite horrendous and reprimand worthy.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post " (Customs + traditions + history) = Sovereign = Pan...":

What is this "*(^%^! "? What do you have on mind? On one side you talk big about being a Sikh and on the other hand you talk so loose that you have inappropriate words in your head that you yourself don't like to put in words..... I know, I know you will give Why Anonymous stuff.... Why dont you just bar Anonymous comments.... I'm pretty sure this one won't make it to your blog as it will meet the moderator's knife.

Then a few days went by where I didn't pass through any comments because I was travelling and mr. or mrs. anonymous seemed to be getting anxious to see the comment published:

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post " (Customs + traditions + history) = Sovereign = Pan... ":

What happened to my comment on your use of "*(^%^!".... You are a big hypocrate I came across....

I could go off on a philosophical rant in defense or in offense. But I would rather be short and sweet. The nit picking of Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous is as narrow minded and missing the point as it would be if I picked on his/her spelling of the word "hypocrate". Neither of us are getting each other's point!

(Customs + traditions + history) = Sovereign = Panth

2006-12-06T06:51:00.000+01:00

OK, one more before I hit the sack!
--------------

The trend in my writing has been to share what I truely believe and that is that the Sikh or Khalsa is an inherently sovereign entity. If there is one modern Sikh writer who has been able to articulate the inherent sovereign sense of the Khalsa it is Sirdar Kapur Singh. In order to even comprehend what he is talking about it is necessary to know our "immemorial customs", cherish and practice our "long-established traditions" and live with examples from "the facts of the history of the Sikhs". Here is how Sirdar Kapur Singh explains the Khalsa's status in world politics:

“The Panth stands for the Sikh religion as well as the invisible mystic body of the committed Sikhs who profess it and who thus represent the Will of God on Earth. It is to this Panth that all true Sikhs owe their allegiance and it is in the name of this Panth that true Sikhs are expected to sacrifice their all on this earth. This political concept of the Panth sharply distinguishes it from the current political convictions that hold that economic activity and considerations are the sole concern and aim of politics. The concept of Panth joins issues with the contemporary political mode of thinking and asserts that the true concern of politics is the ethical and spiritual evolution and life of human beings in an organized society … The Panth’s metalegal constitution lays down that (1) the Sikhs must be approached and dealt with at State level as a collective group and entity, and (2) they must be governed impersonally, that is, through the rule of law and not by arbitrary will, and this self limitation must further be circumscribed by the immemorial customs, long-established traditions and the facts of the history of the Sikhs.”

Can any "Guru Nanak nam leva Sikh" disagree?

Carhdi Kala!

P.S. - you might be thinking where the *(^%^! does he get all these quotes from? Especially when he is on business travel down in Boca Raton, Florida! You can't imagine the kinds of documents and clippings and writings I have stored in my laptop which I peruse in solitary confinement of the hotel rooms on some (not all) business trips. :-)

The sleeping sovereign...

2006-12-06T06:10:00.000+01:00

I was browsing through Sikhi blogosphere and noticed that a few bloggers had cut and pasted translations of a guru-vak recently.

ਰਾਗੁ ਸੋਰਠਿ ਬਾਣੀ ਭਗਤ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਜੀ ਕੀ
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਜਬ ਹਮ ਹੋਤੇ ਤਬ ਤੂ ਨਾਹੀ ਅਬ ਤੂਹੀ ਮੈ ਨਾਹੀ ॥
ਅਨਲ ਅਗਮ ਜੈਸੇ ਲਹਰਿ ਮਇ ਓਦਧਿ ਜਲ ਕੇਵਲ ਜਲ ਮਾਂਹੀ ॥1॥
ਮਾਧਵੇ ਕਿਆ ਕਹੀਐ ਭ੍ਰਮੁ ਐਸਾ ॥
ਜੈਸਾ ਮਾਨੀਐ ਹੋਇ ਨ ਤੈਸਾ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਨਰਪਤਿ ਏਕੁ ਸਿੰਘਾਸਨਿ ਸੋਇਆ ਸੁਪਨੇ ਭਇਆ ਭਿਖਾਰੀ ॥
ਅਛਤ ਰਾਜ ਬਿਛੁਰਤ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਸੋ ਗਤਿ ਭਈ ਹਮਾਰੀ ॥2॥
ਰਾਜ ਭੁਇਅੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਸੰਗ ਜੈਸੇ ਹਹਿ ਅਬ ਕਛੁ ਮਰਮੁ ਜਨਾਇਆ ॥
ਅਨਿਕ ਕਟਕ ਜੈਸੇ ਭੂਲਿ ਪਰੇ ਅਬ ਕਹਤੇ ਕਹਨੁ ਨ ਆਇਆ ॥3॥
ਸਰਬੇ ਏਕੁ ਅਨੇਕੈ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਸਭ ਘਟ ਭੁੋਗਵੈ ਸੋਈ ॥
ਕਹਿ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਹਾਥ ਪੈ ਨੇਰੈ ਸਹਜੇ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਹੋਈ ॥4॥1॥

One blogger, in addition to using the sikhitothemax translation, also intensely personalized the sabad for herself. It was great reading that. Guru-vaks (aka hukams) are precisely that. Personalized messages of the Guru to individual Sikhs as well as collective orders of the day. Whenever I hear or read this sabad of Bhagat Ravidas ji I recall the first time it was explained to me via a cassette recording kirtan.

Some of you may be familiar with the post 1984 Darbar Sahib attack kirtan and katha of Prof. Darshan Singh. These recordings were banned in India and some Gursikhs from Singapore had tapes copied and distributed widely. I had the opportunity to hear it while at home in Japan. I still have most of the cassettes BTW. Anyway, Prof. Darshan Singh personalized it for our collective in explaining the tuk regarding the sleeping sovereign (or in gender specific terms the sleeping king). He made the analogy something like this:

"Imagine if you will, a sovereign, while sitting on the throne, may fall asleep and start dreaming like he/she is a beggar. All around the sovereign, there is glory, freedom, actionable responsibility in reality, but in the dream there is intense poverty, slavery, oppression and despair. This is usually the state of humans in the context of their relationship with Vahiguru. More importantly, this was the state of the Khalsa collective prior to the recent events. The Panth is an inherent sovereign entity, and the current state of affairs in the country called India for the Sikhs is that of 2nd class citizens and slaves. The state of the Sikhs "was" like the sovereign who is asleep and dreaming. And, sadh sangat ji! Blessed be Baba Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale for waking up the sleeping sovereigns!" Then there is a roaring interruption to his katha with jaikara after jaikara! The timeframe was summer of 1984 after the Darbar Sahib attack. I am sure many of you would be quite intrigued by it. I for one completely agree.

Of course, this sabad is very intense, has deep meaning and is universal in nature. At that time and context when Prof. ji interpreted it was very apt. I believe it still is. I truly believe if active Sikhs were to accept and realize that we sovereigns, then 80% kes-katal, and 80% drug addiction in Panjab would never occur.

Oh well, so this sabad also presents, in very imaginative and intriguing manners, the relationship of human action and reaction viz a viz human ego. It also, reemphasises the relationship of human and Vahguru that is unique to Sikh thought - ie. humans are inherently sin-less and the Guru is required to keep sin out; rather than the Christian thought of humans are inherently sinners and Guru or Prophet is needed to eradicate that sin. This is understood with the "kahi ravidas hath pai nerai..." tuk and the general "don't get fooled by duality" theme of the sabad which is the rahao di tuk.

So, let's wake up sovereigns. And remember Vahiguru is near...never far.

Yo yo girlfriend! Me no complain no more!

2006-11-23T21:42:00.000+01:00

It’s amazing how the Guru speaks to us. Sometimes we are his children (puta), sometimes his brothers (bhai), sometimes his girlfriends (saheli), sometimes a spiritual companion (sant jano).

I thought of this when I heard this sabad sung in rag asa. It is part of the Sikh Heritage recordings on www.gurmatsangeetproject.com. Sarbpreet Singh is busy loading up all the recordings he did while Gyani Dyal Singh and Bhai Kanwarpal Singh were in town. Now that I am back in the Boston area, I hope to get a chance to listen live to the traditionalist kirtania that will hopefully keep visiting us in the future.

So, the sabad is on page 384 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. You should also check out the sabads before and after this one. It is in the section of Asa Mahala 5, Ghar 7, it is the 2^nd sabad in that section and is the 53^rd sabad by Guru Arjan Sahib in Rag Asa. The metaphors relate to “girlfriend”, “husband”, “virtuous bride”, "immaculate marriage". These are metaphors for us now, but back in the day, this is how people spoke, and people understood when it was spoken. Based on that I always think, hypothetically, if Guru Sahib was around today and wanted to speak to the youth, he would use the kind of language that the youth are used to. Something like a mild form of ghetto talk that I get a big dose of while I am at Sikh youth camps. You know what I’m talking about! Anyway, the Guru does indeed visit us at the camps in the form of the sabad – the infinite wisdom. And it is up to us to interpret the wisdom in the current generation vernacular.

So, the first sentence of the rahao di tuk is: ਚੁਕਾ ਨਿਹੋਰਾ ਸਖੀ ਸਹੇਰੀ ॥ A formal (read bland) translation/transcreation would be something like: “My complaining and frustrations (of materialistic life) has seized, oh my truthful female companions”. Now if I share that with teenagers they will 1) insist on calling me Uncle ji, 2) have no interest and not understand how it applies to their life. However, if we explained it to them something like this: “Yo yo, girlfriends, check it out! I no complain no more! The main man - my Guru - has ….”. I don’t know good ghetto talk so I can’t think of how to complete the sentence. But you get my point. If I said it that way, then the kids would atleast laugh at me trying to be like them, and at least listen, if not get the point.

Anyway, below I present my flowery, partial uncle ji partial ghetto style transcreation of the sabad:

Yo, yo girlfriends! I don’t need to complain no more! Through the Guru, I have no more confusions and frustrations, and as a result I have merged with my spouse - Vahiguru! (Reflect and ponder this thought).

Yo, yo girlfriends! I was really down and unhappy because I felt far away from Reality, kinda in a zone of my own. But now, I think I understand the teachings of the Guru, and I feel I am always within Divine presence.

Yo, yo girlfriends! Thanks to the Guru, I am now in the safety of the protection (bed) of the Universal Spouse. I am no longer dependent and oppressed and stand confident as an independent sovereign.

Yo, yo girlfriends! The infinite wisdom (Sabad) has enlightened my heart and thus, my way of life! It’s all good! It’s all bliss with me and my Universal Spouse!

Yo, yo girlfriends! Nanak says: Check it out! Ain’t it cool that because of grace and positive fortune, my Infinite Spouse is like in my heart! It’s like the coolest Divine Marriage and I am simply a happy bride!

(originally revealed by Nanak V in Raga Asa)

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ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ 5 ॥
ਦੂਖੁ ਘਨੋ ਜਬ ਹੋਤੇ ਦੂਰਿ ॥
ਅਬ ਮਸਲਤਿ ਮੋਹਿ ਮਿਲੀ ਹਦੂਰਿ ॥1॥
ਚੁਕਾ ਨਿਹੋਰਾ ਸਖੀ ਸਹੇਰੀ ॥
ਭਰਮੁ ਗਇਆ ਗੁਰਿ ਪਿਰ ਸੰਗਿ ਮੇਰੀ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਨਿਕਟਿ ਆਨਿ ਪ੍ਰਿਅ ਸੇਜ ਧਰੀ ॥
ਕਾਣਿ ਕਢਨ ਤੇ ਛੂਟਿ ਪਰੀ ॥2॥
ਮੰਦਰਿ ਮੇਰੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਉਜਾਰਾ ॥
ਅਨਦ ਬਿਨੋਦੀ ਖਸਮੁ ਹਮਾਰਾ ॥3॥
ਮਸਤਕਿ ਭਾਗੁ ਮੈ ਪਿਰੁ ਘਰਿ ਆਇਆ ॥
ਥਿਰੁ ਸੋਹਾਗੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥4॥2॥53॥

Sikh Revolution

2006-11-15T06:25:00.000+01:00

A must read for all Sikhs and non-Sikhs to understand the integrated unifying life approach of Guru Nanak, and to glimpse into the revolutionary nation building of the Sikhs is a book by Jagjit Singh – The Sikh Revolution. In it he sums up the importance of the multi-dimensional aspects of the Sikh ideology:

“According to the Sikh Gurus, religious, moral and spiritual activity covers the totality of life of the individual as well as of the society. For, life is one whole and cannot be arbitrarily split up into separate religious, social and political spheres. Nor can it be ignored of left to take care of itself. For them, religion has to meet all the problems and challenges thrown up by life. Each and every activity of man is either God-oriented or self-oriented – viz. it is either for the uplift of man and his society or it is destructive. There cannot be a neutral position. Inaction and sloth are sins”

Recently, the Nanakshahi Trust (www.nanakshahi.org) has published "Percussions of History" a twosome of Sardar Jagjit Singh's The Sikh Revolution and In The Caravan of Revolutions. My appeal to all: Go get it!

Also see: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20061015/spectrum/book4.htm

How to love

2006-11-14T06:17:00.000+01:00

The question was “How can one love creation and/or the Creator”. This was not a question for me to answer. It is a question that the mind (the entity that thinks) is asking itself. In the Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak has addressed the mind and given example after example, and showered it with wise experience filled advice and observations. This poignant question and a hint at the answer is made clear by examples that only our great Master Nanak can be so thoughtful to, first of all, discern and then so eloquently explain.

I need not say more. I have done a meager job at transcreating this sabad. I hope I have kept to the original meaning and message. The only caution is the interchanging of the words “mind” and “heart”.

-------

How can the mind break away from the entanglements of non-Truth without the feeling and action of love? As a matter of fact, the hearts of those individuals whose minds are Guru-focused are filled with love in the form of total surrender to Vahiguru, and as a result, they are blessed with the virtues and attributes of Vahiguru. (Central idea – a question worth pondering!).

Oh mind, learn to love just like the lotus flower loves the water. Despite the tossing and tipping as a result of the turbulence of the waves in the pond, the lotus flower is full of grace and continues to share its beauty. If it wasn’t for the life giving water, the lotus would die and wither away. Such is the intense relationship of love that Vahguru has blessed the lotus and water

Oh mind, learn to love just like the fish loves water. The contentment of the fish is as full as the vastness of the body of water. That is, the more the water, the more the fish is content and alive. What fascinating relationship the fish has with water. Only Vahiguru knows the real depth of this relationship.

Oh mind, learn to love just like the catrik loves the rain. There may be oceans filled with water at the catrik’s disposal and the whole world is blossomed green as a result of the bodies of water, but until and unless the drops of water straight from the clouds up above don’t quench the thirst of the bird, it has no use of the other water. But alas, it is only through Grace that one can realize the intensity of the relationship we are to have with Vahiguru. Otherwise, we sow what we reap and our life continues on.

Oh mind, learn to love just like water loves pure milk. Water ends up mixing into the pure milk and the milk transforms the water into its own form. When a pot of the milk-water mix is put to boil, the water takes all the heat. It doesn’t let the milk burn of heat. Similar is the relationship of creations with the Creator. Vahguru provides a union to the wandering mind and blesses the realization of Truth.

Oh mind, learn to love just like the cakvī loves the sun. After the sun sets at night, it does not sleep even for an instant and considers the sun to be close at hand. The experience of this feeling does not arise within those people that are individually focused, whereas the Guru-inspired person always feels the omnipresence of Vahiguru.

Oh mind, think about this: The individually focused person focuses on praising oneself for accomplishments, but the Creator is responsible for what goes on. No matter how hard one tries, one cannot completely fathom the vastness of the Creator. This vastness is understood and satisfaction is gained only by submitting to the wisdom of the Guru.

Oh mind, think about this: The bond of action-filled love for truth is only sustained by the Satiguru. Through the grace of the Satiguru one develops a deep relationship with Nam-Vahiguru who is the sustainer of the complete universe. If one becomes a customer of the virtues of Vahiguru, then the pure Nam relationship is further developed.

Oh mind, imagine the people of the world to be birds. They fly into this world, feed on their grain and seeds, and then depart from this world. It is like a game and all that arrive into the play field must eventually depart within a short period of time. Understand that the success factor of time spent on life is a matter of Grace. Focus on making the most of your time in the play field.

Oh mind, understand that without the Guru love does not manifest because individualistic effort inspired by haumai is impossible to conquer on your own. When the intuitive understanding is formed as a result of imbibing the meaning of the sabad (Infinite Wisdom), then one realizes that the self and Vahiguru are a merged entity. Only the Guru-inspired individuals can introspect and realize the self. The individualistic inspired individuals can try all they want, they will never succeed in self-realization.

Oh mind, those that have created a strong relationship with the sabad (Infinite Wisdom), they never have to suffer the frustration of separation. Those that follow an individualistic mindset are doomed to suffer separation because they have not understood the Guru-inspired concept of love. Nanak emphasizes the fact that once inspired by the Guru, the individual feels, sees and experiences no difference between the self and Vahiguru.

Revealed by Guru Baba Nanak in Siri Rag, Page 60 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib
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ਸਿਰੀ ਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ 1 ॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ, ਐਸੀ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਕਰਿ, ਜੈਸੀ ਜਲ ਕਮਲੇਹਿ ॥
ਲਹਰੀ ਨਾਲਿ ਪਛਾੜੀਐ ਭੀ ਵਿਗਸੈ ਅਸਨੇਹਿ ॥
ਜਲਿ ਮਹਿ ਜੀਅ ਉਪਾਇ ਕੈ ਬਿਨੁ ਜਲ ਮਰਣੁ ਤਿਨੇਹਿ ॥1॥
ਮਨ ਰੇ, ਕਿਉ ਛੂਟਹਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਪਿਆਰ ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਰਵਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਬਖਸੇ ਭਗਤਿ ਭੰਡਾਰ ॥1॥ਰਹਾਉ॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ, ਐਸੀ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਕਰਿ, ਜੈਸੀ ਮਛੁਲੀ ਨੀਰ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਅਧਿਕਉ ਤਿਉ ਸੁਖੁ ਘਣੋ ਮਨਿ ਤਨਿ ਸਾਂਤਿ ਸਰੀਰ ॥
ਬਿਨੁ ਜਲ ਘੜੀ ਨ ਜੀਵਈ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਜਾਣੈ ਅਭ ਪੀਰ ॥2॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ, ਐਸੀ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਕਰਿ, ਜੈਸੀ ਚਾਤ੍ਰਿਕ ਮੇਹ ॥
ਸਰ ਭਰਿ ਥਲ ਹਰੀਆਵਲੇ ਇਕ ਬੂੰਦ ਨ ਪਵਈ ਕੇਹ ॥
ਕਰਮਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਸੋ ਪਾਈਐ ਕਿਰਤੁ ਪਇਆ ਸਿਰਿ ਦੇਹ ॥3॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ, ਐਸੀ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਕਰਿ, ਜੈਸੀ ਜਲ ਦੁਧ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਆਵਟਣੁ ਆਪੇ ਖਵੈ ਦੁਧ ਕਉ ਖਪਣਿ ਨ ਦੇਇ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਮੇਲਿ ਵਿਛੁੰਨਿਆ ਸਚਿ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਦੇਇ ॥4॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ, ਐਸੀ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਕਰਿ, ਜੈਸੀ ਚਕਵੀ ਸੂਰ ॥
ਖਿਨੁ ਪਲੁ ਨੀਦ ਨ ਸੋਵਈ ਜਾਣੈ ਦੂਰਿ ਹਜੂਰਿ ॥
ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਸੋਝੀ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਦਾ ਹਜੂਰਿ ॥5॥
ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਗਣਤ ਗਣਾਵਣੀ ਕਰਤਾ ਕਰੇ ਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਤਾ ਕੀ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਨ ਪਵੈ ਜੇ ਲੋਚੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਇ ॥
ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਹੋਇ ਤ ਪਾਈਐ ਸਚਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥6॥
ਸਚਾ ਨੇਹੁ ਨ ਤੁਟਈ ਜੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਭੇਟੇ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਗਿਆਨ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਸੋਝੀ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਵੀਸਰੈ ਜੇ ਗੁਣ ਕਾ ਗਾਹਕੁ ਹੋਇ ॥7॥
ਖੇਲਿ ਗਏ ਸੇ ਪੰਖਣੂੰ ਜੋ ਚੁਗਦੇ ਸਰ ਤਲਿ ॥
ਘੜੀ ਕਿ ਮੁਹਤਿ ਕਿ ਚਲਣਾ ਖੇਲਣੁ ਅਜੁ ਕਿ ਕਲਿ ॥
ਜਿਸੁ ਤੂੰ ਮੇਲਹਿ ਸੋ ਮਿਲੈ ਜਾਇ ਸਚਾ ਪਿੜੁ ਮਲਿ ॥8॥
ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ, ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਨ ਉਪਜੈ ਹਉਮੈ ਮੈਲੁ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਸੋਹੰ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੀਐ ਸਬਦਿ ਭੇਦਿ ਪਤੀਆਇ ॥
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੀਐ ਅਵਰ ਕਿ ਕਰੇ ਕਰਾਇ ॥9॥
ਮਿਲਿਆ ਕਾ ਕਿਆ ਮੇਲੀਐ ਸਬਦਿ ਮਿਲੇ ਪਤੀਆਇ ॥
ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਸੋਝੀ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਵੀਛੁੜਿ ਚੋਟਾ ਖਾਇ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਦਰੁ ਘਰੁ ਏਕੁ ਹੈ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜੀ ਜਾਇ ॥10॥11॥

Reason and Faith - Nām Sevā (no "and"!)

2006-11-02T19:53:00.000+01:00

One of the motivations for the Pope's speech at the university in Regensburg, Germany was the apparent decline of faith among Catholics. The Pope and the Catholic clergy are worried that reason or science is overtaking the element of Faith. Some of you may have read Angels and Demons by Dan Brown of the Da Vinci Code fame. This topic was precisely the intertwined theme of that novel in addition to Brown's infatuation with anti-authority - the theme revolved around the fear of a fictitious pope who believed that science was going to disprove faith and cause its eventual futility. It was a theme created in a novel by Dan Brown, is it a real issue for them?. Obviously the Pope in Regensburg thought so and that was really the topic of his talk. It is unfortunate that as a result of bad judgement (IMHO) he quoted an obscure text (not endorsed the text, just "quoted") in which the Prophet Mohammed and the Islamic faith was portrayed in a negative light.

But on the topic of Reason and Faith the Economist reported an interesting development in an article titled Islam and the Vatican in their Oct. 19th issue. Islamic scholars have asked that the tiff between Catholics and Muslims be taken off the streets and into the debating chamber. I quote:

Vatican officials have cautiously welcomed the scholars' letter, saying they too see prospects for a tough, meaningful conversation. After all, they point out, the pope has often said that the two faiths have different, but related problems: for the Christian, today's adversary is “reason without faith” or cold secularism. For moderate Muslims, it is “faith without reason” or violent fundamentalism.

This is indeed an issue that is simmering and will soon reach boiling point. My 9 months in Europe gives me this inherent sense.

However, for me personally I have reflected on the state of the Panth at the moment. The recent Inder Singh Ghagga incident made me think about the clash of Reason and Faith in our own belief system. (I may be getting in trouble here because ppl will think I am taking sides, but bear with me I consider myself one of the "neutral Singhs" too, just like the ones that hosted the debate in their basement!!). So, while not getting into the details about the controversy (just read it and hear it on www.panthic.org), I would like to submit that it is within our Panth where we have an emergence of two different schools of thought or practitioners. One group relies heavily on "faith without reason" and another group relies heavily on "reason without faith". Is this a new trend? Is this something that will lead to the demise of the Panth as we know it and cause even further disintegration?

Well, I remembered a paragraph from an essay by Principal Teja Singh (yes...you guessed it, who else but him, he is my favorite author along with Prof. Puran Singh). The point of that paragraph is to show that there has existed this dichotomy of groups within our Panth from a very long time. This is nothing new. It is unfortunate that all the debaters are excellent Gursikhs and are very adept at Gurmat (bānī, rehat and tvārikh) but didn't look at the historical context of the clash of reason and faith within Sikhī. Knowing the historical precedence of this debate could have added better or more information to deal with this controversy. Here are the couple of paragraphs. Taken from Essays in Sikhism, by Principal Teja Singh in the essay "The Singh Sabha Movement".

At present there are mainly two schools of thought: one dominated by the Chief Khalsa Diwan, which, continuing the old tradition of the Amritsar Diwan, is more conservative; and the other by the S.G.P.C, which, inheriting the extreme tendencies of the Lahore Diwan, is more critical. The former, inspired by Bhai Vir Singh and his paper, the Khalsa Samachar, emphasises the divinity of the Gurus who are identified with God, while the latter believes in the humanity of the Gurus and is less mystical. The one stresses the worship of saints, and comes out now and then with biographies of holy men, who preached asceticism and self-renunciation; while the other party holds this kind of thing as a mere man-worship and does not encourage too much kowtowing before human beings. They also do not favour the use of a rosary in worship, the whispering of Mantras in private into ears of disciples, the letting or sub-letting of recitations and other mysteries which are indulged in by the saints of these latter days.

In my view, there are two great elements of Sikhism: One is Nām (or the Name) and the other is Sevā (or Service). The Chief Khalsa Diwan has come to emphasise the practice of Nām, and does not see much opportunity for Sevā, while the other party has come to monopolise Sevā, without seeing much use in the practice of Nām. The desireable thing would be to combine the two. When that is done, the Khalsa will be one and supreme.

Okay, I would like to caution that I am not making direct comparisons between the Chief Khalsa Divan and theAKJ, Taksal, Tapoban group on one hand and the SGPC and Inder Ghagga group on the other hand ( btw I will not associate Ghagga and group with Sikh Missionary College - but that's another topic).

But understand the point of Teja Singh's words and its relevance today. Sikhī is all about balance. That is why the path of Sikhī is "sharper than the edge of a sword and thinner than a strand of hair" (khaneo thikī vālo nikkī...). It is not easy to balance Reason and Faith, but nevertheless, both do exist and can exist in perfect harmony.

I completely disagree with those that say that the whole point of Sikhī is only Nām japnā. I content that the whole point of Sikhī is only Nām japnā, kirt karnī and vand chaknā. I think Principal Teja Singh would agree. The crux of the matter is that now a days all the well meaning Gursikhs are lacking in a proper articulation of a balanced Sikhī.

Remember, there is no "and" in the following Sikh vocabulary phrases:

sevā simran
sant sipāhī
degh tegh
sangat pangat
grihast udāsi
mīrī pīrī
etc.

Each phrase is a unique singhle thought merely utilizing two words. When talking about it you simply cannot put the word "and" between them. Therefore, it is all about balance between two complementary ideas. Think about it! Am I off track?

Carhdī Kalā!

Interesting Punishment...

2006-10-29T18:29:00.000+01:00

In Prague there is a famous bridge called the Charles Bridge. There are 30 Baroque style statues that adorn this bridge. I was intrigued by one of these statues which is of a crucifix with writing in Hebrew in bronze. The story of this statue is interesting as it says that the Hebrew writing was put there at the expense of a Jew of Prague as a punishment for blasphemy againsts Christianity. the wikipedia article on this statue is here .

Hmm...Now that's an interesting punishment!? I was thinking if a non-Sikh, let's say Hindu, blasphemed our Gurus, would it make sense to have them pay for a writing in, let's say in Sanskrit, that said something like "Guru Nanak is great!". We wouldn't want to be associated with that. It just doesn't make sense. How is that considered a punishement for the Judaic faith? Its pretty much saying that Jesus Christ was a prophet of the Jews as well and not the ultimate prophet!? Oh well, I guess the 1600's in Europe was a pretty crazy time, and this interesting conflict between Jews, Christians and Muslims has been going on for a very very long time. I learnt a lot about that during my stay in Europe.

Any way, here are some pics from the bridge.

Doors of Prague - Part 3

2006-10-29T00:45:00.000+02:00

A. Singh took a much better picture of this door because he has a much better camera...but it was quite exquisite.

Plain black door with funny looking face on top!

This is the door to an embassy, I think the Italian embassy!! Click on picture to get a better view. Now that's a door!!

"I am the sunshine that lights the path for those that enter through this door...."

Doors of Prague - part 2

2006-10-29T00:37:00.000+02:00

Remember my post of the European infatuation with lion heads with a ring through their mouths!?

Heavy wooden door...

Heavy wooden door with funny looking Singh!!?? :-)

C'mon, don't tell me you don't look at this door and say "Hmm...cool!"

The Doors of Prague.

2006-10-29T00:33:00.000+02:00

All I can say is "fascinating". No, I do not have door fetish as my friend A. Singh, who accompanied me to Prague, would say. I just find the handiwork and the elaboration quite fascinating. It also reminds me of the gurbani tuk - "guru duare hoe sojhi paisi, et duare hoe hacha hoisi..."

Slacker...going back home!!

2006-10-27T17:09:00.000+02:00

Sorry. I have been a complete slacker with my blog. My last months in Europe have been so busy. Because of work I have crossed the Atlantic Ocean approximatley 8 times (that's 4 round trips) in the last 2 months!! In addition, travel within Europe is huge. I am writing this from the Stockholm airport. Any spare moment I get at the airport are also consumed by work. But before I do my next work email, I thought I'd slip this in.

I will be moving back to Boston area by the 1st week of November. Things are not going to slow down, but at least I will be back home. I left Boston about 4 years ago for Toronto, and the last year I have been in Munich. I hope to blog when back and will definitely get off my *(&^ and post some pictures. Hang in there.

Another thing I want to do when I get back is share my thoughts and present commentary on interesting happenings around the world and wonder about the Sikh perspective. For example, the Pope's comments about Islam, Jack Straw's comments about the hijab, recent reprimands by the Akal Takhat against Guggha, Ecology and Climate change etc.

Okay...stay tuned. And remain in Carhdi kala!

Technology Review - TR35 - Sumeet Singh

2006-09-22T22:09:00.000+02:00

A family friend of ours gets tapped for one of 35 Young Innovators of the Year by MIT's Technology Review magazine which is a popular cutting edge technology power magazine! Great to see him make so much progress in such little time, and another sabat surat in the technology field.

http://www.technologyreview.com/TR35/Profile.aspx?Cand=T&TRID=426

http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/awards/tr3506.asp

Advanced Gurmat Class - Camp Chardi Kala

2006-09-18T19:25:00.000+02:00

It was 2.5 hours every day with an older group of kids (17 and above) or those from the younger groups who are proficient in the basic tenets and thoughts and that are serious to learn more. In addition to the standard lessons that I had prepared before hand, we had free flowing discussions. I was quite amazed at the kinds of topics that were on the kids minds. In retrospect, there is no need to be amazed. I was a teenager once and it really depends on the environment and experience that one is being brought up in. The topics were: dating, inter-religious marriage, homosexuality and Sikhi thoughts on the subject, Death, inequality of women in our culture - is it Sikhī or is it Panjabī culture, etc. Since there was an ammrit sancār at camp we obviously discussed some aspects of ammrit as well.

So just to be complete here is the syllabus for the Advanced Gurmat Class that I facilitated at Camp Chardi Kala this year was:

1. Sikh Sovereignty (2 sessions)
- Sikh Sovereign Identity through the lens of bānī, tvārikh and rahat. This is my standard presentation/quiz/workshop in which we go through the development of Sikh Identity and show that it was inherently distinct, unique and sovereign.
- Creation and Purpose of the Khalsa (reading/discussion). This is a reading and discussion oreiented workshop and the reading is by Prof. Puran Singh. Excerpts are from the book Walt Whitman and the Sikh Inspiration. It is available online. http://www.sikhcoalition.org/Sikhism9.asp

2. Sākhī Bābā Gurbakhsh Singh Nihang
- Will review the secondary text at high level of Rattan Singh Bhangu - Panth Parkash
- Will have them read and react to actual sakhis written up in the original language from this book
- They will learn some aspects of the language and the imagery of "marriage of death" and also be mesmorized by intriguing history of the Khalsa

3. Ardas - mandatory reading prior to class
- Reading - The Sikh Prayer - Principal Teja Singh
- Full review of all sections of Ardas
- Hands on session of learning to recite their own free flowing ardas (birth, death, bought house, thanks, prayer for success etc.)

4. Rāmkalī Sadu - Death in Sikhī
- Gurbānī review of Rāmkali Sadu by Bābā Sundar jī from Gurū Granth Sāhib
- What is death in Sikhi? When someone dies how are we to react? What does the Guru say?

ਪੁਕਾਰ - pukār

2006-09-16T19:08:00.000+02:00

Intense spiritual yearning...

Photo courtesy Hartaarn Singh, Toronto vālā.

Oh yes...

2006-09-13T01:01:00.000+02:00

Prague was great this past weekend. Haven't uploaded pics yet. The city is amazingly historical!!

Khālsā Bolī

2006-09-13T00:35:00.000+02:00

In Advanced Gurmat class at Camp Chardi Kala we read the sākhī of Bābā Gurbaksh Singh Shahīd as written in Panth Parkāsh by Rattan Singh Bhangū. So I had to discuss a little bit about the language of the Khālsā or as some of you would say purātan Sikhs. For example, milk is called samundār (ocean). The words sound kind of funny but the whole point is the carhdī kalā nature and tactical ways to scare the enemy. The Khalsās had become like legends and the enemy really started believing that the Khālsā drinks oceans! On the other hand tea (cā) was known as dhidh phūknī (stomach burner). The context of the sākhī was how Bābā Gurbaksh Singh and other shahīds creatively reinterpreted the marriage barāt (janj) ritual and actually dressed up (as if getting ready for their "marriage with death") like the lārā and the sarbālās to meet with the mighty Mughal army that attacked Harmandir Sāhib. Those of you that are familiar with Bābā Jarnail Singh and the episode of the attack on Harmandir Sahib in 1984 may know that some Singhs dressed up as sarbālās when the final moment came when Bābājī and other Singhs stepped out of Akāl Takht Sāhib for the final battle. Anyway, it was a great lesson, the kids didn't fall asleep...I think!! :-)

Back to the Khālsā bōli, here is a quote by Principal Teja Singh in his essay "Humour and Sikhism" regarding this language.

As a result of this brave spirit, there grew up among the Sikhs a peculiar slang, which was called the Vocabulary of Heroes. In it the things connected with difficulties of life were expressed in terms of such cheerfulness and bravado, as if for the Sikhs pain and suffereing had lost all meaning. Death was familiarly called an expedition of the Khalsa into the next world. A man with an empty stomach would call himself mad with prosperity. Grams were almonds, and onions were silver pieces, while rupees were nothing but empty crusts. A blind man was called a wide-awake hero, and a half-blind man an argus-eyed lion. A deaf man was said to be a man in the upper storey. A baptised Sikh was called a brother of the Golden Cup, which, by the way, was only an iron vessel. To be fined by the community for some fault was called getting one's salary. The big stick was called a lawyer or the store of wisdom; and the speak was to roar.

Sirdar Kapur Singh has some examples of this vocabulary of heroes in his writings too. But by and far the most extensive dictionary of Khālsā bolī that I have come across is available in the Mahān Kosh by Bhāī Kahn Singh of Nābhā. I just went through a few of them. Full interpretation and what is the context of the words used has not been done (yet!). Hopefully some of you will research some of the words...send me your thoughts!

Akaldān – sotā, stick – lit: that which graces wisdom or common sense

Arang barang – to lie down, to go to sleep

Samundar – milk

Savāiā – little bit – lit: “quarter more”!

Sava lakh – one – lit: 125,000

Sava lakh fauj – one Singh/Kaur – lit: army of 125,000 men/women

Shīsh mahal – roof with a hole in it – lit: house of shining glass

Subedār – Sikh who is brooming/cleaning – lit: a military rank

Sūrmā – blind man - lit: wide awake hero, brave one

Sodhnā – cleansing a wrong doer, freeing land

Harā karnā – to finish, empty – lit: to make green, to blossom

Kājā – hungry

Kājī – chicken - lit: qazi - muslim mosque official

Kābulī kutā – ahmad shah durrani – lit: the dog of Kabul

Anna – extremist hindu – lit: blind person

Kanna – extremist muslim – lit: one eyed person

Kesar – haldi/tumeric – lit: saffron the spice (haldi is cheap spice, saffron is expensive..get it?)

Kotvāl – chākū – knife - lit: jail official

Gopāl ladū – eggs - lit: ladoos of Gopal

Gangā jal – alcoholic drinks – lit: water from the Ganges - ie. no water is holy!

Carhāī – to die – lit: an expedition - charhāī karnā is to wage a battle

Chāl mārnī – to fall - lit:to jump

Dharamraj dī dhī – sleepiness - lit: the daughter of the messenger of death

Dharamrāj dī dhī nāl judh karnā – to sleep – lit: to battle with the daughter of the messenger of death

Thānedār – donkey - lit: jail keeper

Deg masat – to run out of langar - lit: the kettle is tipsy - masat is from mastī

Langar mastānā - to run out of langar, langar not being ready – lit: langar is tipsy

Panjakha – one-eyed – lit: one with five eyes

Basant kaur – makki – corn

Badām – dry grams/chick peas – lit: almonds

Bhūtnī – rail, train – lit: female ghost, witch - train was result of British. Nihangs hated the British!!

Mithāī – sweet potato – lit: Indian sweets

Ransinghā vajāunā – to fart – lit: to play the ransingha, a panjabi wind instrument - I am not joking!!

Lakhnetrā – one eyed - lit: one with hundred thousand eyes

Lakhbahan – one armed - lit: one with hundred thousand arm

many more...consult the MahanKosh!!

Amrit - Just chhak it

2006-09-07T23:41:00.000+02:00

As I said. 30 years of Camp Chardi Kala this year. It was quite an emotional camp this year. It is purely the Grace of the Gurū and Gurū inspired effort of Sardar Ujagar Singh (Daddy ji) and Late Sardarni Gobind Kaur (Ami ji) and their immediate family and friends and sevādārs that has brought the camp this far. As Ujagar Singh uncle told us, it started kind of ad hoc and just grew and grew and it is now a deeply ingrained tradition that is part and parcel of the NY, NJ, CT, PA, MA Sikh community. But this year was doubly special. It was the first time at Camp Chardi Kala that the Khande kī Pāhul ceremony was conducted and three campers boarded the jahāj (ocean liner) of the Khālsā Panth. To them I say - "Welcome Aboard!" (and now get to work...don't ask what can the Panth do for you, ask what can you do for the Panth!)

The Gurū is ever present in spirit as well as body at camp. The spirit of the Gurū Granth Sāhib blesses us with a hukam in the morning and the body in the Gurū Khālsā Panth as some campers and staffers have already boarded the jahāj and act as sevādārs and role models. But this year, with the Panj Piāre and the Gurū Granth Sāhib - the bestower of amrit - during the amrit sancār (amrit ceremony) it was actually the "ephemeral presence of Gurū Gobind Singh" that was there.

So, while the ceremony was going on, the campers were in their regular classes. We were all told that 15 minutes prior to the end of the ceremony we will all collect in the main divan hall and then the Panj and the Guru Granth Sahib will come out followed by the new initiates. (this is a customary end to many khande kī pāhul ceremonies). Classes went quite well but I can assure you the atmosphere while the ceremony was going on was electrifying, and it came to a climax after the ceremony was over and the panj regally installed the granth on the throne in the main divan hall.

My friends, that day the "rider of the blue steed, the keeper of the white hawk, the wearer of the royal plume..." graced the campers and staffers with his presence in the form of the Granth and Panth. It was a mesmorizing experience that no camper or staffer will forget.

The cool thing was there was preparation for this and the official camp T-shirt this year relayed this anticipation through a creative (completely copyright infringed) design. "Just Chhak It" from Nike's "Just Do It". Well...here is the jpeg image of the T-shirt. Simple, sweet and to the point!

There were rumors of controversy as some narrow minded ones thought that such a T-shirt was a sacrilige to the sanctity of amrit. To them I say: "C'mon dudes - Open mindedness - Just Feel It!" But in all seriousness I think it is a creative and refreshing design. If any one has problems with it...comment away!

Next - Advanced Gurmat Class and then Khālsā bōlī!!

Pillow fights, sākhīs and preparation for the Guru's crown!

2006-09-06T23:31:00.000+02:00

I'm back from a hectic 3 weeks in Canada/USA. All my belongings are now officially moved back from Toronto to Boston (actually Chelmsford, MA). After almost exactly 3 years and 9 months I am going to head back to jajji ghar of sorts (ancestral village home...actually Kobe, Japan is my hometown originally, but Chelmsford, MA is the place where I bought my first home in the States..I came to the US in 1987 to Massachusetts, never really left).

Anyway, 1 week in TO to pack up and pretend to work as well. 1 week at Camp Chardi Kala in the Catskills, NY. 3 days in Boston/Chelmsford cleaning up for my move, 4 days in TO pretending to work, 3 days in Chelmsford receiving my goods from across the border. Throw in a couple of business dinners and early morning conference calls while I was pretending to work. It was a hectic 3 weeks

The stuff I will write about in the next couple of days is primarily Camp Chardi Kala. Surprise...you didn't think I would bore you with the exciting new stuff happening at work eh?

First this was the 30 year anniversary of Camp Chardi Kala. I have been volunteering there since approx. 1997 and had a few years hiatus due to personal reasons. This year we had 180 kids, I had a cabin full of about ten 8 and 9 year olds (boys)! That was quite an experience - I can now wash their hair, turn on and off the showers for them, of course tie their patkas, remind them to go take a pee before they go to bed, tell them sākhīs at night, allow them to do pillow fights even against the other cabins and say "We won" even though we got clobbered, play the panjabi game with them, listen to their jokes, not understand anything about the tv shows they watch (I just learnt about sponge bob!!), and soothe them when they felt homesick ("You are the son of Guru Gobind Singh aren't you!? Then why are you crying!?"). But for the life of me, I could not tie a tight jūrā on their heads which one day will don the crown of the Tenth Master. I know how uncomfortable I feel when my jūrā is not tight and secure...so I just could not let them be with untidy and loose jūrās, so I had to use rubber-bands. I don't get it! When my mom did my jūrā as a little kid she didn't have to use rubber bands to secure it...why can't I do it. After I comb their kes then I would have to hand them over to an auntyji or bhainji. I can do a gut (braid), but somehow the jura is never tight. Anyway, cabin duty for the young ones was a good (frustrating at times) introspective learning experience. Thanks Sandeep and Livleen Singh!! Anything but the 18 year olds!!

Here are some pics
Cabin #1 rocks! This is the table where my little guys sat for meals. The shatān one has to jump up last second and destroy the pic!

Click on pic for larger view. One on left is one of my kids. His jūrā is huge! I combed his kes, but could not do a proper jūrā for the life of me. Oh yeah, the one on the right, that's A Kaur's son..."umm....Yo A!...he's having a bad patkā day....AGAIN!
"Guys..where's M Singh!"..."I saw him playing foosball!!" This little one's sister was homesick so the parents came and took her home. He said he's gonna stay....he liked camp so much!
Kīrtan, Gurū Rāmdās lulaby and Sohilā. It ran late so a couple of my kids fell asleep...woke them up for milk and cookies then it was..."Uncle, can we have a pillow fight tonight!!??"

Rakhri day story...Shabash!

2006-08-17T00:52:00.000+02:00

Rakhri day was last week. Many of you may have read about how this festival is demeaning to women. I wanted to share with you a story about what happened at Dixie Gurduara (Toronto) on Rakhri day.

It is usual, unfortunately, for ladies to go up to the railings that decorate the takht of Guru Granth Sahib in gurduaras and tie the rakhris onto the railing. I guess they consider the railings the arm of the Guru whom they consider their brother and maybe are seeking protection. Interesting concept...but NOT! Anyway, I saw a blog with pictures of that can't find it now, but hope you know what I mean.

Anyway, at Dixie Gurduara there are no railings around the Guru's takht so women just placed the rakhris right on top of the golak where other sangat members were placing money. By the end of evening divan, the whole golak was covered with rakhris.

During the divan, one Singhni from the sangat got up, picked up all the rakhris from the golak of the Guru, walked towards a garbage can and threw all the rakhris into the garbage. This was in clear view of all the women who had placed the rakhri.

1. When I heard this story, I said "Shabash!!".
2. The Singh who told it to me said "Do you know who the Singhni was?" Then he smiled and looked towards his wife.
3. I said "Vah vah! Good job". So it was a good friend of ours from the Toronto gang.
4. Apparently she got funny looks from the women in the sangat when she did that, but many Singhs came over and congratulated her for her thoughtful and courageous act after ardas.

I don't want to give out her name ...so.... "Good job N. Kaur!!"

Next year during rakhri day, I suggest we (all like minded Singhs and Kaurs) take turns at the Gurduara and every hour on the hour we take all the rakhris that have been left in front of the Guru's takht (or tied to the railings) and throw them in the garbage - preferably in front of the women that leave it there. In addition we hand out essays like the one below. It may hurt some women's feelings, but if we explain why we are doing it, then it may be worth it.

Thoughts?

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Rakhri - A Symbol of Oppression Against Women
by Harpreet Singh (Sat Aug 04, 2001 www.Sikhe.com)

Since times immemorial, minorities all over the world have sought comfort through conformism. They have often adopted practices that are antithetical to their own beliefs. We need not go very far for examples. Guru Nanak, for instance, in the Asa Kee Vaar shows the conformism and resulting hypocrisy of Brahmins as they attempt to please their masters and maintain their caste hierarchy.

…They wear their loin cloths, apply ritual frontal marks to their foreheads, and carry their rosaries, but they eat food with the Muslims. O Siblings of Destiny, you perform devotional worship indoors, but read the Islamic sacred texts, and adopt the Muslim way of life. Renounce your hypocrisy. Embrace the true Lord, and attain salvation.

The man-eaters say their prayers. Those who wield the knife wear the sacred thread around their necks . . . Wearing blue robes, they seek the approval of the Muslim rulers. Accepting bread from the Muslim rulers, they still worship the [Hindu] Puraanas. They eat the meat of the goats, killed after the Muslim prayers are read over them, but they do not allow anyone else to enter their kitchen areas. They draw lines around them, plastering the ground with cow-dung. The false come and sit within them. They cry out, "Do not touch our food, or it will be polluted!" But with their polluted bodies, they commit evil deeds. With filthy minds, they try to cleanse their mouths. Says Nanak, meditate on the True Lord. If you are pure, you will obtain the True Lord.

Raag Asa, M. 1, SGGS, p. 471-72

Clearly, conformism is unacceptable to Guru Nanak, who created a sovereign and a defiant race of human beings through his revolution. Unfortunately, some Sikhs today under the influence of Brahminism have become conformists. As a compelling example, let's examine the festival of Rakhri that is celebrated today by many Sikhs who are ignorant of its significance. First, some background grounded in its hoary mythology is in order.

One of the two festivals celebrated during the bright fortnight during the Hindu month of Shravan is Raksha Bandhan, better known as Rakhri among Punjabi Hindus. It is a tradition with ancient roots. Bhavishya Purana refers to a fierce battle that raged between the gods and the demons. From news received from the battlefield it appeared that the demons were getting the upper hand and would gain victory.

Indra, the supreme Hindu deity, summoned his teacher Vrihaspati to his court for advice. Indra's wife Indrani was also present. Before the teacher could speak, Indrani rose and said, "I know how to assure the victory of the gods. I give you my word that we will win." The next day was full moon night of the month Shravan. Indrani had a charm prepared as prescribed by the sacred texts and tied it on the wrist of her husband. And no sooner did Indra appear on the battlefield with the charm on his hand the demons scattered and fled. The demons bit the dust and the gods were victorious.

It would appear that the Raksha Bandhan of today is derived from this belief. It is held that if a chord made according to the prescriptions of the holy texts is tied round the wrist of a person on the full moon day of Shravan it will ensure him good health, success and happiness for the year that follows.

Rakhri has become a sacred festival for Hindus. Sisters tie amulets to brothers. Brahmin Priests tie them to the men of their congregations. Also on this day, it is noteworthy that the Brahmins change their sacred thread, janeoo, which Guru Nanak rejected at a young age because it symbolizes apartheid though its stratification of society. In Bombay, it is an occasion for Hindus for offering coconuts to the sea.

Today Rakhri (literally meaning protection) has become popularized as an annual event in Hindu religion where sisters tie amulets to their brothers and seek the male's protection in exchange. The woman conducting aarti before her brother, a ritual Guru Nanak repudiates in the Kirtan Sohila, sometimes precedes the thread-tying ceremony. This is to the accompaniment of her enunciation or chanting of the following mantra in Sanskrit. Yena baddho balee raajaa daanavendro mahaabalah. Tena twaam anubadhnaami rakshey maa chala maa chala. "I am tying on your hand this Raksha, with which the most powerful and generous King Bali himself was bound; O Raksha, don't go away; don't go away."

From a Sikh perspective, Rakhri is undoubtedly another expression of a patriarchal culture, however well intentioned. It is, after all, the brother who extends his protection to his sister, and the woman who agrees to place herself under the protection of her brother. She is devoid of power and must turn to a male for protection. While this is true in Hinduism, where the law giver Manu gives her a place next to animals, it is not the case in Sikhism. Guru Nanak, in his Asa Kee Var, raised the status of woman, making her equal to man long before Europe gave her the right to suffrage. Guru Amar Dass, the third Nanak, made her the head of entire congregations, giving her authority and power unknown even to the Occident at the time. Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Nanak, gave her initiation of the Double-edged sword and made it mandatory for her to don a kirpan, an unlicensed arm asserting her sovereignty in a male-dominated world where the regime was willing to kill her for this defiant act.

How do we reconcile the celebration of a festival so antithetical to Sikhism by Sikhs ? Five hundred years of work by the Sikh Gurus to give women their basic human rights is undercut through such demeaning rituals imbued in Brahminism. Does not the tenth Nanak declare, "When the Khalsa adopts Brahminical ways, it shall lose my trust", jab eh gahe bipran kee reet, mai na karoo in kee parteet?

Guru Nanak demands complete sovereignty through actions. There is no room for conformism and compromises. Sikh women worldwide should resolve to boycott festivals such as Rakhri that dilute the egalitarian message of Sikhism. What could be a better tribute that can be offered to our Ten Masters who fought to give women equal rights when the rest of the world turned a blind eye to oppression against them ?

Harpreet Singh is an information technology professional and a committed, active Sikh. He is the founder of the successful Sikh Heresy Regulation Board that spearheads active campaigns to prevent lapses in the practice of the Sikh faith.

http://www.sikhstudies.org/Periodicals.asp?TtlCod=776

Breckerspitze und Ankl Alm

2006-08-10T23:30:00.000+02:00

I have to share some of the pictures from my first hiking trip in the Bavarian Alps. Because this mountain is so close to Munich (just 35 minute drive) this is part of what is called the Hausberg (the House Mountains of Munich). I have to thank my colleague - Claus Rottlaender for taking me along with some of his friends who were avid hikers!

A couple of short comments. One - after a long time I really got to do some real hiking. Toronto area is not conducive to hiking...there are no hills. Yup, forget about mountains, they don't even have any decent hills to hike on. So for three years in Toronto didn't get to do any decent hiking...although there was a short camping trip to Alguanquin (sp?). Also in early July I was in San Antonio for Sidak and there was a outdoor activity - a hike around "Enchanted Rock". Well, yes...it was a rock, no trees, a little bit of greenery, but not a "real hike". It was fun, but not hiking. This trip to Breckerspitze (the name of the peak), now that was a HIKE! It is 1640 meters above sea level. Its one of the easiest ones in the Bavarian region my colleague says! But boy what a workout I got! It was worth it and to prove it check out some shots below!

Along the way to the peak was a place of rest (farm house) also called an Alm. This was Ankl Alm. We stopped by it on the way down. 'Twas very quaint and traditional. They served fresh buttarmilch (buttermilk or Lassi!!) but I had an Apfelschorle instead. If I had the lassi, I would have passed out and fallen asleep right there...I was tired on the way down too! This place had a watering tub for the cows and goats. Cows were having their afternoon tea (water) while many hikers were having their wiesbeer, buttarmilch, apfelschorle etc. Way cool!

Carhdi kala!

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click on the pics to get a better view....

Begin the journey...
I already started getting tired...but had to take some shots

Click on this one and you can see the cows. The little house is the Ankl Alm.
Pretty much at the top now, pretty cool view of the town below...

Breckerspitze is actually surrounded by three lakes. Don't ask me the names of the lakes...

Claus took a picture of me....he said I have to get the lake in the background. Easy now, don't fall over the edge...
Claus' friend, Bernd, and myself. We have started the descent...but first visit the chapel...

A catholic chapel way up on the mountain. The Germans actually went in and prayed I think. It was Sunday...
"bhavar tumara eh manu hovohu hari carna hoai kaula..."Back near the Alm the goats fighting for the shade...
It was tiring but great. Gotta do one more hike before I leave Germany at the end of October.

Sikhs against Genocide

2006-08-10T22:53:00.000+02:00

Indeed it was a unique event in the history of Sikh youth programs in the Greater Toronto Area. Sikhs need to be relavent to the world, and this program showed that we can be. June 25th, 2006 at Rexdale Gurduara was the program. Very well executed and it was a result of the dedication of a few young energetic Guru ke Sikhs. The one that deserves most of the credit is young Sardar Tejdeep Singh. I asked him what inspired him to take on this seva. "I was walking one day and my thoughts were wandering and I said I should do this". That is exactly it!! Instinct. A Sikh's instinct must be for the benefit of society and community. When instinct is developed as a result of the confluence of Faith, Discipline and Courage - that is known as Sidak. Here is the Singh himself!!

Nampreet Singh and jatha started off with "ek pita, ekas ke ham barak, tu mera gurhai...". Well done rendition of a sabad rit as found in Bhai Avtar Singh Bhai Gurcharan Singh's book. Accompanying him were Karanjeet Singh on Rabab and Jaswinder Singh on Jori.

Then there were some speeches from Sikh, Sudanese as well as local Canadian Human Rights activists. Overall an excellent program that raised awareness about the need for action in all parts of the world against Genocide!

Mom, sigh! What will become of me?

2006-08-06T21:38:00.000+02:00

It's not that I only have one fault in me that I can wash away and become pure. My Divine Spouse is awake and I am asleep all throughout the night. In this state of being, there is no way my Divine Spouse will be attracted to me, will love me. My Divine Spouse is awake and I am asleep all throughout the night.

I come and lay on the bed, full of desires, wants and unfulfilled dreams. In this state of being, will I be able to please my Divine Spouse or will I not? Dear mother. Sigh! What will become of me? I can't survive without the Spiritual (vision-like) Connection with the Divine Spouse!

I have yet to relish the Love Taste of my Divine Spouse, so my desires remain unfulfilled. My youth has passed by and now my old body aches in frustration. There is still a possibility that I may wake up from this sleep of desires and want, by becoming desireless and in a state of fulfillment.

If the Soul Bride's only decoration and makeup is the discarding of haumai, then the Divine Spouse comes and unites in the Bed of the Heart. Nanak reveals: when the Soul Bride renounces self and submerges in the ocean of Divine Will, then the Divine Spouse is immensely pleased.

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I have been away from the blogging scene for quite a while. A trip to India, San Antonio (TX) for the Sidak program, busy with work, hiking trip in the Bavarian Alps last weekend, and this past weekend I was in Italy (Reggio Emilia?) for a AKJ samagam...life is quite busy.

I had prepared this transcreation of a very touching a powerful sabad. Its in Rag Asa from page 356 of Guru Granth Sahib. Interestingly it has four rahau di tuks instead of one. Each line of the sabad expresses a state of being which is the progression towards a state of 'onenes' with Vahguru. I'm still stuck at the first state, btw. And it is also quite interesting how the imagery of a young bride seeking solace and advise from her mother is portrayed. So many times when we are in a bind, the first one to call upon is Mom. Guru Nanak knew human emotions well, he relates with us.

I have a recording of Bhai Bakshish Singh who used to sing this rit of this sabad...I have heard the live version in a CD of a live Asa ki Var in Vancouver recorded in 1978. But this is a studio recording and is equally good. I will post it up here soon once I figure out how to do that. In the mean time folks can search for it (bhai bakshish singh - kya jana kya hoyega ri mai...)

Sabad is given below.

ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ 1 ॥
ਏਕ ਨ ਭਰੀਆ ਗੁਣ ਕਰਿ ਧੋਵਾ ॥ ਮੇਰਾ ਸਹੁ ਜਾਗੈ ਹਉ ਨਿਸਿ ਭਰਿ ਸੋਵਾ ॥1॥
ਇਉ ਕਿਉ ਕੰਤ ਪਿਆਰੀ ਹੋਵਾ ॥ ਸਹੁ ਜਾਗੈ ਹਉ ਨਿਸ ਭਰਿ ਸੋਵਾ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਆਸ ਪਿਆਸੀ ਸੇਜੈ ਆਵਾ ॥ ਆਗੈ ਸਹ ਭਾਵਾ ਕਿ ਨ ਭਾਵਾ ॥2॥
ਕਿਆ ਜਾਨਾ ਕਿਆ ਹੋਇਗਾ ਰੀ ਮਾਈ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਦਰਸਨ ਬਿਨੁ ਰਹਨੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਪ੍ਰੇਮੁ ਨ ਚਾਖਿਆ ਮੇਰੀ ਤਿਸ ਨ ਬੁਝਾਨੀ ॥ ਗਇਆ ਸੁ ਜੋਬਨੁ ਧਨ ਪਛੁਤਾਨੀ ॥3॥
ਅਜੈ ਸੁ ਜਾਗਉ ਆਸ ਪਿਆਸੀ ॥ ਭਈਲੇ ਉਦਾਸੀ ਰਹਉ ਨਿਰਾਸੀ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਹਉਮੈ ਖੋਇ ਕਰੇ ਸੀਗਾਰੁ ॥ ਤਉ ਕਾਮਣਿ ਸੇਜੈ ਰਵੈ ਭਤਾਰੁ ॥4॥
ਤਉ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੰਤੈ ਮਨਿ ਭਾਵੈ ॥ ਛੋਡਿ ਵਡਾਈ ਅਪਣੇ ਖਸਮ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥26॥

The Crown of Martyrs - ਸ਼ਹੀਦਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਿਰਤਾਜ - shahīdān de sirtāj

2006-06-15T21:11:00.000+02:00

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ

ਜੋਤਿ ਰੂਪਿ ਹਰਿ ਆਪਿ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਕਹਾਯਉ ॥
ਤਾ ਤੇ ਅੰਗਦੁ ਭਯਉ ਤਤ ਸਿਉ ਤਤੁ ਮਿਲਾਯਉ ॥
ਅੰਗਦਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਧਾਰਿ ਅਮਰੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਥਿਰੁ ਕੀਅਉ ॥
ਅਮਰਦਾਸਿ ਅਮਰਤੁ ਛਤ੍ਰੁ ਗੁਰ ਰਾਮਹਿ ਦੀਅਉ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਰਾਮਦਾਸ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਪਰਸਿ ਕਹਿ ਮਥੁਰਾ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਬਯਣ ॥
ਮੂਰਤਿ ਪੰਚ ਪ੍ਰਮਾਣ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਅਰਜੁਨੁ ਪਿਖਹੁ ਨਯਣ ॥1॥

ਭੱਟ ਮਥੁਰਾ,
ਗੁਰੁ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ਪੰਨਾ 1409

One Integrative Force Truth Gurū Grace

The embodiment of the Divine Light, they call you Gurū Nānak
Then became he a part of your body, the essence merged with the essence
By the grace of Gurū Angad, the prophethood was bestowed on Guru Amardās
Gurū Amardās raised the sovereign spiritual canopy over the head of Rāmdās
Upon the merciful glance of Gurū Rāmdās, his life was made nectar-like
The fifth embodiment of the Divine Light is inaugurated; behold with your eyes - Gurū Arjan!

Mathura the Minstrel,
Gurū Granth Sāhib, Pg. 1409

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

ਗੁਰ ਅਰਜੁਨ ਕਲ੍ਹੁਚਰੈ ਤੈ ਰਾਜ ਜੋਗ ਰਸੁ ਜਾਣਿਅਉ

ਭੱਟ ਕਲ
ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ - ਪੰਨਾ 1407

Gurū Arjan! You truly relish and command possession of rāj-jog
(Doctrine of Double Sovereignty)

Kal the Minstrel
Gurū Granth Sāhib, Pg. 1407

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

The First Prophet of the Sikh Revolultion raised the banner of dissent against the unjust and tyrannical means by which Bābar took over Hindostān. The Epitome of Obedience ignored the arrogance of the defeated temporal sovereign Humāyūn. He was teaching the children and did not care for unscrupulous people of status. The Incomparable Prophet insisted that the ruler of the time, Akbar, shed his opulence and status and have a meal with the commoners. It was only after that act did our Beloved Sovereign allow an audience. Then we know that the Founder of the City of Amritsar was an administrator par excellence. He shunned the pressure of his cast consumed relatives and continued on the Sikh Revolution that had diligently been worked on by his predecessors.

Then came the “Crown of Martyrs“, our beloved Gurū Arjan. After establishing the worldwide center for Sikh spiritual inspiration (Harimandir Sahib), compiling the Ādī Granth and inaugurating the bānī in its sanctum sanctorium, participating in protests against unjust taxes, establishing yet another Sikh community center and city (Tarn Tāran), and tending to the needs of his people, Gurū Arjan perfomed the miracle of miracles. According to Prof. Puran Singh he was a “prophet, poet, composer of music, passionate lover of the people, architect, saviour“ and he was also “intensely human“. He performed the miracle of putting mislead rulers in their place and of beating the Brahmin at their game of manipulation and dominance. He made the choice of giving up his worldly life and allowing it to come to an end. As we will see, by his choice what he really did was allow his life giving inspiration to live on forever.

Since the time of Gurū Arjan Sāhib‘s martyrdom, the Sikh Nation and indeed the whole world knows and understands that the tradition of martyrdom is part and parcel of the Sikh psyche. Whenever there is a choice – death or freedom – then the majority of Sikhs in our history have chosen death. And the precedent for that choice was established by our Fifth Master. It was the Guru’s model, the example, and the inspiration that would lead hundreds of thousands of Sikhs to choose “death as their bride” rather than live wretched lives of slavery and domestication.

Gurū Arjan taught the technique of martyrdom to his Sikhs. Historians point out that he met his physical death with great peace, equipoise, resilience, steadfastness, resolve, compassion, perseverance, and oneness with the Ultimate Reality. So much so that when red hot sand was poured down his back he kept on uttering “Glory, Glory” and “Sweet is Thy doing!”. He was so steadfast in his convictions that he reprimanded his best friend Saint Mian Mir for attempting to seek pardon from the authorities.

Many followed in his footsteps. First was our beloved Master the Brave Swordbearer (Teghbahadar) Nānak IX who made the same choice and passed on with similar peace and steadfastness as his grandfather. Along with him Bhāī Matī Dās, Bhāī Satī Dās, Bhāī Dayālā made the choice. Then came the four sāhibzādās, the forty mukate, Bandā Singh Bahādur, hundreds of his comrades including the young Sikh soul who disowned his mother for daring to say he was not a Sikh. A sampling of the countless more may include the likes of Bhāī Mani Singh who insisted to be cut apart joint by joint, Bhāī Tārū Singh the gentle yet victorious lion of the Gurū who parted not with his kes but rather his scalp, Bābā Gurbaksh Singh (Nihang) and his 30 Singh companions who fought until death to protect our sacred Harimandir Sahib, father and son Bhāī Subeg Singh and Bhāī Shāhbāz Singh who were crushed on the wheel, and the numerous Sikh mothers who wore garlands of their children‘s limbs in the jails of Mīr Mannū. Then how can we forget Bībī Balbīr Kaur of the Gurū kā Bāgh Morcā fame along with her temporary gift from Vāhgurū[1]. In our recent history, Bābā Jarnail Singh of village Bhindrān, Bhāī Amrīk Singh, Bhāī Thārā Singh, General Shabeg Singh, our brothers Sukhā and Jindā, Beant Singh, Satwant Singh, Jathedār Gurdev Singh of village Kaonke and the unnamed mothers, wives, daughters and sisters that were butchered in the Tījā Ghalūghārā; the list of names is endless and so is their memory. Every drop of blood, every pinch of ash and every echo of the sound of the Gurū‘s word that came from their mouth has helped shape our tradition of martydom and allow for its sustenance in the ages to come. There can be no question of that.

The significance of the Shahīdī Gurpūrab of Panjve Pātshah is that it marks the opening of the spillways of the dam that blocked the reservoir of Sikh blood which then flowed into our history to make sacred our land, our faith and our culture.

It is distressing to have read the words of certain men and women of so called “academic circles” that are trying to discredit our tradition of shahīdī[2]. Some historians have given weird reasons for Guru Arjan Sāhib‘s martyrdom. They know not that we, the Sikhs, are a haughty lot. The Sikhs don‘t need some orientalist or athiest inspired researchers defining or reinterpreting our traditions. We know who were are. However, we are also a forward thinking, open minded and compassionate lot. Let them study our hearts and the manners of our manifestations of love. We know who we are and we need no logical explanation of our attachement to our Guru. It is just like the case of a child that has this inherent sixth sense for his or her mother‘s touch. It automatically soothes and makes a crying volcano into a giggly babe. When our minds envision Gurū Arjan on the red hot ironplate, and when our ears hear him reveal “ ‘Tis sweet, whatever Thou doest oh Vāhgurū, Nanak only seeks the treasure of Internal Rememberance“[3], then our souls are automatically cooled and our convictions are immediately made steadfast. There is no logic or science behind it. There is only experience and feeling.

And on this day, the anniversary of the martyrdom of the “Crown of Martyrs”, let us experience and feel. Let us beg for even an iota of courage and faith that our ancestors had when faced with the ultimate choice. Let us not forget our tradition of shahīdī and cherish the memories of those made immortal by following it.

I end with poem on “martyrology“, a unique Sikh inspired term I guess. It is written by Harmohanjit Singh from his book of poems: Sugar, Steel and the Maple Leaf.

The Supreme Martyr
By Harmohanjit Singh

Guru Arjan made the original sacrifice,
Selecting to roll death‘s dice,
Paying an ulimate price.

The Supreme Martyr,
The first to refuse to barter,
Compiler of our cherished charter.

His stance was too unfashionable,
Path proving so unflappable,
Wrath unfathomable.

Earth angel arrested,
Temporal temptation tested,
Spiritual resolution never rested.

Readily facing his physical fate,
Feeling zero anger and hate,
Inspiring heroes in-wait.

When up rose his hand,
Down fell hot beads of sand,
Like a hellish hourglass on demand.

By day the sun shone less brilliantly,
But his son went on resiliently,
Reigning just as valiantly.

Victory went to Waheguru,
Wile Sikh history began anew,
And our martyrology grew and grew.

[1] In Sikh tradition a “child” of Gursikh parents is considered the amānat of Vāhigurū that is temporarily put in the care of the parents. Bibi Balbir Kaur is known to have placed her dead child (shot by a British bullet) on a mound while saying “Vāhgurū apni amānat vāpas leh lai” (Vāhguru, please take back Your belonging which you temporarily put in my care…). She then proceeded to get shot by a bullet and attained martyrdom. Please read “Adarshak Singhnian” by Karam Singh.

[2] Yes, McLeod and his disciples have also worked hard to discredit and confuse our cherished concept of martyrdom by so called “historical analysis”. Please read: Martyrdom in the Sikh Tradition: Playing the ‘Game of Love’, Louis F. Fenech, Delhi, Oxford University Press, 2000, ISBN 019564947-8. I listened to a lecture of Louis Fenech in 1996 on this subject. I was young then and naïve. Lately I have read a paper of his in which he attempts to create confusion regarding our poet laureate Bhāī Nand Lal jī. The academic rebuttals to his theories on both subjects has thus far been weak and lame. Let’s do an Ardās that Gurū kā Sikh scholars in the making provide a befitting reply some day.

[3] ਤੇਰਾ ਕੀਆ ਮੀਠਾ ਲਾਗੈ॥ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਾਂਗੈ ॥ terā kīā mīthā lāgai. hari namu padārathu nānaku māngai.

Football is Religion

2006-06-14T11:31:00.000+02:00

I have come to realize that here in Europe, and also many other parts of the world, Football (known as soccer in America/Canada) is practically religion. I was in Rome a couple months ago and chatting with a taxicab driver. 2 months ago, the topic during our short cab ride was World Cup Football. He told me in most countries in the world, Football is religion! He said Northern Europeans celebrate football by getting drunk. Italians celebrate by eating. My visit to Rome was indeed a culinary delight.

Anyway...it is not possible to not be enthused and excited by the Football craze that has taken over the cities here in Germany. Here is one shot from yesterday's game between Brazil and Croatia. Brazil won, but the Croatian team did exceedingly well in both defence and offence. This picture is courtesy BBC and can be found here. A fan is falling at the feet of one of Croatia's best players...

Football is indeed Religion!!

ਅਨੰਦੁ - anandu

2006-06-11T17:56:00.000+02:00

Many times after a divan, kirtan or katha it is common to hear "Bhai Sahib, aj bara anand aia!!". Anandu literally may be translated as "bliss". But like many orther Sikh terms (carhdi kala, ammrit, hou vari jao, etc), there exists no real or exact translation in English. To understand the concept it is necessary to look at the Infinite Wisdom - sabad. Guru Amardas Sahib has made the definition of anandu crystal clear:

ਆਨੰਦੁ ਆਨੰਦੁ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਕਹੈ ਆਨੰਦੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਤੇ ਜਾਣਿਆ ॥
ਜਾਣਿਆ ਆਨੰਦੁ ਸਦਾ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰੇ ਪਿਆਰਿਆ ॥
ਕਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਕਟੇ ਗਿਆਨ ਅੰਜਨੁ ਸਾਰਿਆ ॥
ਅੰਦਰਹੁ ਜਿਨ ਕਾ ਮੋਹੁ ਤੁਟਾ ਤਿਨ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਸਚੈ ਸਵਾਰਿਆ ॥
ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਏਹੁ ਅਨੰਦੁ ਹੈ ਆਨੰਦੁ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਜਾਣਿਆ ॥7॥

ānandu ānandu sabh ko kahai ānandu gur te jāniā.
jāniā anandu sadā gur te kirpā kare piāriā
kari kirpā kilabikhu kate giān anjan sāriā
andarahu jin kā mohu tuta tin kā sabad sace savāriā
kahai nānaku ehu anandu hai ānandu gur te jāniā.7.

Now it would be a travesity to try and use a translation of the word anandu in the translation of the sabad itself. As a matter of fact, the sabad is never really "translated". What we read everyday are more like what we would call "transcreations". They are humble attempts, by us mere mortals, at communicating the Infinite Wisdom in colloquial language (english, panjabi, hindi, german).

I love this transcreation of this pauri from Sirdar Kapur Singh (please read The Incomparable Prophet at www.sikhcoalition.org)

"There has been much speculation about what Anandu is, but the Word of the Guru now makes the matter clear. The Anandu is to be ever with God, the gift of His Grace and mark of His love. God, in His Mercy, destroys the impurities and limitations of the human ego and bestows upon him the true knowledge and everlasting existence. The man when freed from the gravitational pull of the world of corruption becomes weightless and purified with Truth, that is, the Word."

- Anandu taught by Sikhism

This differs from what one can discern from, for example, Guru Granth Darpan by Prof. Sahib Singh. Prof. Sahib Singh's work is phenomenal and is usually the best resource for understanding/translating Guru Granth Sahib. He was a linguist par excellence. His rendition mixes translation and transcreation very adroitly. In this pauri he translates sabad as bol or words/voice. Sirdar Kapur Singh translates sabad as Word (capital W), which means Sabad/bani or as I usually transcreate - Infinite Wisdom or Divine Wisdom. Word with capital W is more a Judeo-Christian concept. It is similar to our concept of sabad - but not the same. More on that some other day. I think both Sirdar Kapur Singh and Prof. Sahib Singh got it right in their own way. It is mere choice...there is no right or wrong. The point is that this feeling or state of anandu has a deep relationship with the sabad of the Guru. Without the Guru, anandu is incomplete.

So...

Here is my "humble" attempt at a transcreation of this pauri. I always try to remain gender neutral and avoid any Judeo-Christian words like God or Lord, Heaven or Word:

Everyone assumes they know what anandu is. The fact of the matter is that the realization of anandu comes from the Gurū. Yes, the realization of anandu comes from the Gurū. The Beloved bestows this Grace. The Beloved bestows this Grace that anandu is the state where all doubts and frustrations are vanquished and one sees the world through the lens of Wisdom (giān). Anandu is that state where the internal soul is not pulled by external attachments, and when the soul is soothed only by the sound of Infinite Wisdom (sabad). Yes my friends, that is what anandu is. Trust when Nānak says: the realization of anandu comes from the Gurū.

The question now remains: after a blissful divan, kirtan or katha - are we truly in anandu?

Carhdī kalā!

The 3rd Carnage

2006-06-09T23:36:00.000+02:00

Sikh history is ingrained in our souls. Many facets of that history are written in the deep red color of blood of our martyrs. The 1st carnage (chota ghalugara) in Sikh history lasted one day and approximately 10,000 were butchered. The 2nd carnage (vada ghalughara) lasted a few days and approximately 30,000 were butchered. The 3rd carnage ('84 ghalughara or tija ghalughara) began in June 1984 and lasted a decade and we are still counting how many were butchered.

One man who took it upon himself to begin the counting was the great martyr Sardar Jaswant Singh Khalra. Last year after many many years, a rare video of his speech (delivered at Dixie Gurduara in the mid 1990's) was shown in Gurduaras in Toronto during the November Pogrom Memorial programs which also introduced Sardarni Jaskaran Kaur and Sardar Sukhman Singh of ENSAAF to the Toronto sangat. Now finally Shiromani Khalsa Dal has uploaded it on their website for free download. I urge every single one of you to download it and listen to it very carefully. The subject is clear - Human Rights. The lesson is clear - Stand up for your Rights. The message is clear - Never Forget our Martyrs.

I also refer everyone to a previous post - "I knew not then..."

Sikh History - Still a sealed book...

2006-06-03T19:46:00.000+02:00

As I have mentioned before, all aspects of Sikhi can only be understood from a gurmat perspective. And gurmat is only understood if analyzed from a multi-dimensional point of view. Gurmat is the way of the Guru as manifested in bani (scripture), tavarikh (history) and rahit (discipline). It is difficult, rather impossible, to understand our gurmat principles without all these three spheres intertwined to make up the whole. The issue is that none of the three spheres of interpretation have been completely unfurled in an appreciable way to show the true beauty of Gurmat. Prof. Puran Singh, in the early 1900's, explains how our history was not properly understood. Such is the case today I am sure. He says, and I have annotated with footnotes (N):

"The history of the Sikh spirit, in which lies the true and only right interpretation of the Guru's Word, is still a sealed book. The secret love of the people for the Guru is buried in their bosoms, and so far it has been transmitted only as a holy passion from generation to generation (1). It is that invisible faith which flourishes in the shade. For the people the person of the Guru is the only fact of the soul. I love Him. I die for Him. Why ask me why? I love. He loves me. That is all. Our history? This much. How he was put in a cradle and and rocked, how he talked as a child and as a boy; what games he played; how he looked when young; how he looked sitting on the ground, or discoursed; what words fell from his lips; what replies he gave to questions; how his glances dispelled doubts; the stories of his inspiring faith, of sowing heroism in others, all little details of his life which our poets like Bhai Santokh Singh (2) and Bhai Vir Singh (3) have gathered for us, all this is our history. We are never tired of listening to its endless repetition, now laughing, now weeping, now longing to see him, to hear about him. This is what we call history, which whenever read, strikes sparks of love in our soul (4). Through a flood of tears of love we see our Gurus. The frail clay mounds and mud walls of our Gurudwaras encase immortal memories (5): perishable materials glow for us with imperishable visitors. We see them in our soul...."

This month (June or really Jeth and Harh according to the Nanakshahi calendar) is full of Sikh history (like all months). Which stories did we hear in our grandmother's lap? From across the study table from grandpa? What do we remember from the soothing tales our mothers would relate while combing our kes? Or when father came back from work and after reciting the evening Sodar? If we haven't experienced something like that...well its about time we create our own destiny, and live our living history.

-------------

(1) - sina basina - the traditional way of the propagation of Sikh history to progeny would be when the children rested in the lap of grandparents and parents. The sakhis were sort of imbibed in them almost via osmosis (as was bani and the discpline of the Khalsa primarily of Uncut Hair).
(2) - Kavi Santokh Singh's Suraj Prakash Granth was discussed and elaborated on within our Gurduaras. A more enhanced discourse mechanism of this treasure of Sikh history is needed today.
(3) - Bhai Vir Singh was really the inspiration which was the deciding factor for Prof. Puran Singh to commit to Sikhi and become a member of the Khalsa. It was also Bhai Vir Singh's literary works which reinvigorated the relationship of Sikhs to their history in the heydays of the Singh Sabha movement.
(4) - Indeed if Sikh history is read with keeping bani in mind as the interpretative tool and applied to our daily rahit, then mere reading of our history will make our heart beat faster and raise our spirits such that no power on earth can stop our progress and men and women ready to serve humankind.
(5) - Alas, our simple and rugged Gurduaras in the land of the Gurus as well as in the Diaspora are becoming elaborate palaces where the humility and sanctity of historical events are being transformed into parades of false materialistic glory. We surely must be making some mistake if today we visit Fatehgarh Sahib and have no clue or idea of the actual location where the chote sahibzade were bricked alive!

History - Freedom and Justice

2006-06-02T23:34:00.000+02:00

All months are the same; none of them is more special or significant than the other. Nevertheless, the month of June is quite significant for us Sikhs. The historical incidents that took place during this month have an interesting theme - the fight for freedom and justice.

June

Shahidi Gurpurab Panjve Patshah - Martyrdom day of the Fifth Master (1606)
Gurgadi and Shaster dharan divas Cheve Patshah - Enthronement and Donning the Sword of Miri Piri day of the Sixth Master (1606)
Shahidi Baba Banda Singh Bahadur - Martyrdom/torture of Banda Singh Bahadur and hundreds of Sikhs in Delhi (1716)
Shahidi Bhai Mani Singh ji - Martyrdom of Bhai Mani Singh (1737)
Shahidi Bhai Taru Singh - Martyrdom of Bhai Taru Singh - scalped alive (1745)**
Chota Ghalughara - the Smaller Holocaust or carnage (1746)
Tija Ghalughara - the Third Holocaust or carnage (1984 - battle of Amritsar - Indian Army vs. Sikh Army)
Vaidya nu Sodna - Delivery of Justice to Gen. Vaidya by Sukha and Jinda (1985)
Stop Genocide|Save Darfur by sikhsagainstgenocide.org (2006 - history in the making)
Many many other historical and contemporary incidents that I have missed - [goes here].

(**Disclaimer - some events may not fall in June because of calculation errors from Samvat calendar - eg. Bhai Taru Singh Shahidi is also stated as July 1, 1745 in some texts).

Interesting, eh?

So, time for us to reflect. Upcoming articles this month - 1) short quote of Prof. Puran Singh on History. 2) Repost of "I knew not then", 3) The Crown of Martyrs...etc.

Remain in Carhdi Kala!

Awareness - Killercoke.org

2006-05-26T19:09:00.000+02:00

I make a concerted effort to purchase environment friendly, organic and natural products. It is quite easy to do here in Europe. European Union is quite strict about its GM (genetically modified) foods policy. All sugar, rice, milk, butter, as much veggies, even my salt and pepper are either organic or natural in my kitchen. And you all know I am a wicked cook!

Then there is another aspect of "aware consumption". Coca Cola has been allegedly implicated in murders and human rights violations of Union workers in Columbia, South America and elsewhere too. Check out www.killercoke.org. There is a world wide protest againts Coca Cola and a boycott of the same. But I like a cola with my pizza or sometime with my wasabi coated green peas. So here comes "Afri Cola".

It is a German local cola that has been around since 1931. I actually like the taste compared to Coca Cola.

Don't worry...I am not addicted to Coke or any other cola for that matter. Once in a while a cola is refreshing. My daily staple of liquid beverages is: 1 glass of organic milk for breakfast, 1 glass of apple juice at lunch (this is not organic because its from the cafetria at work), 1 glass of orange juice (usually organic) at dinner...few glasses of water (I don't drink enough water...I know.) and 1 cup of Organic FAIR TRADE coffee preferably fresh ground and brewed myself at home, never more than 2 in one day if offered at work.

Very different from my usual posts...but hey...I have found an alternate to Coca Cola (Africola!), because I don't feel right partaking in it any more...apparently you can order Afri Cola over the Web in North America too.

Door knockers - Lion with a ring

2006-05-25T15:22:00.000+02:00

What is this European fascination with the head of a lion with a ring through its teeth? I was in Rome (Italy), Salzburg (Austria) and Venice (Italy) recently. Out of my hundreds of photos thought I'd share these ones first.

Rome, Italy - don't remember where exactly. But look carefully - there are many like these.

Venice, Italy. Randomly walking through the narrow streets. An ornate well kept door. And there it was again.

I visited Salzburg, Austria. Birthplace of the great Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and sight of the classic movie "The Sound of Music". In this one the ring is actually a curled up snake. Fascinating eh? (The Canadian in me says...)

The Ballad of Natural Beauty

2006-05-20T00:40:00.000+02:00

by the The Connoisseur of Nature and the Universe

The sky is a plate and in that plate the sun and moon become the lamps, the collection of stars in the universe shine like the pearls

The fresh sandalwood infused aromatic air of the mountain (malya) is like the incense, and in praise of the jot-rup Vahiguru, all vegetation is like the flower offerings

How can your arti be done – O how wondrous is the arti which is happening now. O your arti is being done Emancipator of birth and death (fear)
The unstruck sabad is the resounding drum (being played in your glory) – Pause

Your eyes are thousands, yet none are your eyes
Your face are thousands yet no one (particular one) is yours
Thousand pure feet are yours, yet not even one foot
Without a nose, yet thousands are your noses
This is the way the drama of yours attracts me

In every heart there is light and that light is you
By the light that is Vahiguru, every soul is illumined
It is through the Guru’s teachings that this light of Vahiguru is manifest

What is pleasing to you Vahiguru, that is the best arti.
O Vahiguru, my mind yearns for your Lotus feet
As the honey bee yearns for the nectar of flowers
I thirst for you O Vahiguru, day and night

Nanak, the sarang – sparrow hawk – asks for the drop of water straight from you Vahiguru
So that he may be at peace by internalizing your presence

(To be sung in Raga Dhanasri. From the mouth of Nanak I)

Spirit of the Sikh - Meditations on Religion and the Spiritual Experience

2006-05-07T19:43:00.000+02:00

Yes, this is Prof. Puran Singh's 3 volume meditational expression reflected onto paper of his experience with Sikhi - written between 1927 and 1930. The forward to Part I eloquently describes:

Spirit of the Sikh, as its title would indicate, is the author's expression of devotional passion arising out of the teachings of the holy Gurus, the religious history of Sikhism and his understanding of the ideals underlying the practice of Sikh faith.....

As the theme of Spirit of the Sikh is the expression of fervent devotion to the holy Gurus in lyrical outbursts in prose charged with deep emotion, it time and again becomes fragments of prose poems.....

I just read Otpreka Singh's blog in which he shared a modern westerner's view of saint-warrior. Then I remembered a piece from Spirit of the Sikh. I had glanced at this poem/prose-poem of Prof. Puran Singh a while ago. Something in it had stuck with me. Maybe it was:

"I am born of the flash of the Sword. And my speech is thunder; I do not compromise with darkness, I tear its belly with my rapiers of lightning;"

Or then again, maybe it was:

Put a sword in the belt of the Sikh youth,
And give him the draught stirred with the Guru's dagger,
And let his soul shine as sharp as the edge of lightning.
And he should stand up alone in the universe to match the
strength of his arms with the arms of the Sun.

But anyway, I thought I should type out the poem in its entirety. His words are fascinating. In almost all his writing he includes bani, tavarikh, and rahat (scripture, history and discipline). And as some of you know I always insist that in order to understand gurmat it is imperitive to do a multi-dimensional analysis of the subject from these three angles (bani, tavarikh, and rahat).

Enjoy and Carhdi Kala!

---------------

The Song of the Akali
By The Swordsman that goes before the Sun

I am God's Temple,
Brother of the Way! Let me kiss
Your feet, let me rub on
my forehead the dust
of your path.

Over us is God, Brother! Over us is He:
Are you thirsty?
I shall run to the well, throw the bucket in, slipping a long hemp line with
speed and draw it up full of water for you;
I shall bring you the draught, sweet and cool to refresh your soul by my
humble love-perfumed service;
You shall drink and rest and lie quiet under the shade of a road-side tree;
I shall massage your tired limbs, and kiss you in my soul as you sleep by the roadside!
Over us is God, Brother! Over us is He.

* * * * *

Are you hungry?
I have a handmil, to grind for you wheat, I will knead the flour,
and bake it into bread for you.
There is plenty, Brother, there is plenty.
Are you naked?
My mother and sister and wife have gathered the cotton of Punjab,
they ginned it and spun it and wove this yarn of love into cloth for you.
Wear them and be glad.
They were made for you!
There is Guru's Plenty, Brother, Plenty!

* * * * *

The fingers of the Sikh man and woman work --
Work work, work ceaselessly.
We create wealth, it is the product of our labour in the love of the Guru's commonwealth.
And know, all is added unto us.
There is Guru's Plenty, Brother, Plenty!

* * * * *

I am of the Country of Man,
I was born in the Heart of Man,
This is my native land!
Come Brother of the way, come;
I am on way to Hari Mandir.
I see you are the Temple yourself.
O Disciple of the Guru!
What golden domes resound in you!
I hear the song of eternal comradeship in you.
Who are you? I feel you are a brother to me, born of the same
mother, that have met me after an age-long separation!

* * * * *

Come, Brother, come.
Do not be fettered here with mere dreams;
there yonder is the Hari Mandir, around which the blue lakes of nectar wave
day and night;
There is the song of the Guru! whose echoes are in me.
Come, Brother! come.
I am on way to the Golden Temple.

* * * * *

"I see the nectarean lakes in your eyes,
You are the music of fellowship."
I see the light of God on your face.
Slacken your pace,
Let me behold you,
Be with me for a while, O strangest of strange Men!
Good-bye. Remember me when you get weary of collecting
poppies and staining your hands with their blood.
Remember me! I am of the City of Joy.
My name is -- "Blessed be Guru Gobind Singh".
All other names are illusions, conventions, self-deceptions.
Remember this one Hymn--the Name has in it the secret of life.
This is a star burning day and night in my eyes.
Look at the star,
Follow the gleam.
And passion, O brother of the Way.
Life is a glorious passing away.
I am born of the flash of the Sword.
And my speech is thunder;
I do not compromise with darkness, I tear its belly with my rapiers of lightning;
Terrible is the sight of the dazzling tangle of the flashes of my
rapless, striking right and left and destroying.
You are not born of steel?
No!!
The sheen of steel is of the colour of the soul.
And lighting of the Sword-flash is of the gleam Unknown.

* * * * *

Only little birds quiver, their eyes are dazzled and they hide in
their nests when the sword-like moves on the face of the
restless blades of lightning;
But I tell you the smiting scimitar has in it the white sparkle of
the bow of God.
Put a sword in the belt of the Sikh youth,
And give him the draught stirred with the Guru's dagger,
And let his soul shine as sharp as the edge of lightning.
And he should stand up alone in the universe to match the
strength of his arms with the arms of the Sun.

* * * * *

We fell as a rain of Kirpan-flashes on the ghosts of darkness;
Do you remember when the invaders from the North came and
laid chains on the tender wrists of hundreds of Hindu
Punjabi wives and daughters and marched them as
bondwomen bound for Kabul?
When on the banks of the Chenab the miscreants met the Sword-
Tempest of the Khalsa, and the seperated birdmates were
rescued from the claws of the birds of prey, and they met
again, those from whom they had been cruelly separated!

* * * * *

This life is a theatre of war,
And I am strangely excited when singing war-songs,
And when I die, there too I fight my way through a host of black
ghosts yonder to the shining ones;
As long as a single man has the way of the ferocious tiger and
the wolf in him still unforgot, I cannot lay down my Kirpan,
nor unstring my bow.
God is a little child and I have to fight saving Him from all
harm that comes from these tigers (who) prowl on the earth in
the guise of men.
I do not sleep and dream when I am on the battlements,
And when I die, I die to save my God who is a little child.

* * * * *

People of the Spirit, WiFi and Belgrade

2006-04-23T18:35:00.000+02:00

I spoke at a conference in Belgrade recently on behalf of my employer (April 10, 11) -- (http://seebb2006.tninternational.com/).

I can say for sure I met some "people of the spirit" in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro. It started with my co-workers. As you all may know the strife and suffering caused by nationalistic corrupt leaders led to a brutal civil war and eventual break up of the former Yugoslavia (including NATO intervention). There was a time when the price of a cup of coffee would double in one day because of super inflation. The overall life systems were a mess. But now, the hard working younger educated generation have dreams and want to make things work. There is a silent technological and entrepreneurial revolutionary fervour among the masses. Well, this conference was organized by a friend of a collegue of mine who had emigrated during the recent war to North America (one to Canada and another to the US). Now that the political and economic climate is right, they are back and working on rebuilding their nation. I was just a small part of the speaking agenda and was simply promoting WLAN systems for enterprises and service providers.

The "people of the spirit" I met were essentially people on the street that said hi, were concerned and worried whether I was enjoying my time in Belgrade and just exhubed "hope". I was quite humbled. I had a memorable encounter with the shuttle driver from the hotel to the airport. He was 22 years old, just started working at the Hyatt as a shuttle driver and shared with me his aspirations to study Hospitality sciences and rise up the ranks in the hotel industry in Serbia. We talked about food, geography and dreams.

The Danube is the main river that cuts through Belgrade. Because of its location and the presence of the river, Belgrade (and Serbian region) has been subjected to wars, invasions and internal strife for centuries. My encounter with the people and very very brief encounter with their history (as told by the people) reminded me of the land where our Gurus laid their holy feet. Because of the strategic location of Panjab and its centuries of invasion, war and strife, the people of that area naturally transformed into "people of the spirit". And a common attribute among people who have been through such strife is "HOPE". The only difference between the Khalsa which was developed in Panjab and today is spread around the world, and the people of Belgrade is our "hope" is manifest and fulfilled within the context of the Grace of the Guru. I wonder what sustains their hope.

Anyway, I travel a lot for business. This was one of the first times that my business travel was transformed into a a spiritual reflection. I don't do that as often as I should. So - Thank you Belgrade!

Here are a few of pictures of Belgrade.

My collegue and his wife.
Famous war hero who fought for the independece of Serbia from the Ottoman Empire.
We went for a stroll in a park on the banks of the Danube. The park is built within an ancient fort.
View of the Danube.

another test...

2006-04-23T18:30:00.000+02:00

123 123

Test entry - check comments

2006-04-23T16:58:00.001+02:00

I was informed that I don't have comments enabled. You know, I could lecture people for hours on how the internet works, the algorithms for encryption and compression in the virtual private networks of enterprise and carriers, 802.11 and WiMax, and can give hints to extract milliseconds out of hash tables in routing code in embedded networking devices, and I can even analyze the bandwidth requirements of IT departments in SME and large Enterprises from these devices. But for the life of me I never got into Web programming. I can't really equate blogging with web programming...it is far from it, but sometimes the simple things are complicated for me. I shudder to touch a line of code even in the generic template, but I'm getting it slowly.

Anyway, this is a test post to see if comments have been re-enabled. Thanks Angad Singh.

Is Sikhi a missionary faith?

2006-04-22T14:13:00.000+02:00

Is it? This is what Prof. Puran Singh said about it a few decades ago:

The Gospel of Guru Nanak has yet to be taken out of its ecclesiastical and theological atmosphere, to be used as a text-book of the Science and Art of life and worked into the daily life of the whole world. The human spirit it invokes is universal. The English, the Americans, black and white, all must receive it in full measure. Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh are theirs, the Sikhs may adore them as they choose, but they are truly the Prophets of the Future. Men gathering on the banks of the Ganges, the Mississipi, the Thames, and the Seine, will be reborn in the spirit of the Guru, with no past history to recount, but with the new and future Glory of the Nam inspiring them. (Taken from essay - the Sikh Nation, Prof. Puran Singh).

Also, here is what Principal Teja Singh said about it atleast 50 years ago (maybe more). He first describes Guru Nanak as a missionary par excellence:

Guru Nanak was a missionary in the truest sense of the word. His whole life was a message. He traveled over a greater part of land than any prophet has ever done in the world. And when we consider the difficulties of moving about, the hard times, and the diversity of political, social and religious regions through which he had to pass during his travels. We cannot but marvel at the energy and patience with which he adapted himself to the ever-changing forces of his time.

Then, talking about the prevelant times (mid 1900's) he says that the "so called educated Sikhs", need to realize that it is their duty to propagate their faith (first among the community, then beyond):

Even among the educated there is a small class of men, whose hearts burn for the advancement of Sikhism, but being hard workers in their professions and finding with difficulty sufficient time to learn about the complicated problem. They can but turn to those for assistance who are set apart and maintained as their theological trustees, the Granthis and preachers. In the general scramble for the Government Service, it goes hard with them to think of self-sacrifice and to make a bold jump for the Guru themselves.
Now it is clear that the chief work of missionaries lies with the Granthis and preachers, and for years to come it will have to be done through them alone. Until the educated people also realize that their indifference is fatal to the progress of Sikhism and that the later they come into the field, the harder the task will be against the contending forces

I would advise those wanting to understand the missionary (ambassadorship) aspect of Sikhi to read Principal Teja Singh's article titled "Guru Nanak and his Mission" available here.

Greatest Sikh of the 20th century

2006-04-20T19:23:00.000+02:00

First, I am adding http://thepanthicotpreka.blogspot.com/ to my list of frequently visited blogs. Good job. (I don't have a published list...gotta work on my template I guess ;-) )

Second, I have the urge to provide information about "The Greatest Sikh of the 20th century" according to a referendum and nomination process that swept the Panjab villages 5 or 6 years ago. I am urged to do this based on a posting of a dynamic Sikh blogger-sangat member - Prabhu Singh - who was nominated Sikh Youth of the Month on www.sikhsangat.org.

In order to understand the great Baba Jarnail Singh who hailed from the village of Bhindran, it is important to read (or listen to) his speaches. Fortunately, we don't have any excuse any more that we cannot understand Panjabi because almost ALL his talks were recorded in a book. Please hunt down, purchase and read - Struggle for Justice: Speeches and Conversations of Sant Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale, by Ranbir Singh Sandhu, Sikh Educational and Religious Foundation, P.O. Box 1553, Dublin, Ohio. 1999, ISBN 0-9672874-1-3

In the preface to the book, Ranbir Singh quotes Khushwant Singh (who we all know is a psuedo-moderate Sikh academic, more of a proficient fiction writer who according to Vahguru's Magnificent Drama took birth in a Sikh family, who clearly stated in his early life that he is agnostic and only has association with the Sikh community, not the Sikh faith...anyway, I digress.). This is what Khushwant says

'On a later visit to Amritsar I got an inkling into the reasons of Bhindranwale's popularity. I will narrate two incidents to illustrate this. One day a young girl came to see Bhindranwale. ..... She clutched his feet and sobbed out her story of how she was maltreated by her husband's family for failing to extract more money from her parents and of her husband's unwillingness to take her side. Bhindranwale asked her name and where she lived. "So you are a daughter of the Hindus," he said. "Are you willing to become the daughter of a Sikh?" She nodded. Bhindranwale sent a couple of his armed guards to fetch the girl's family. An hour later a very frightened trio consisting of the girl's husband and his parents were brought to his presence. "Is this girl a daughter of your household?", he demanded. They admitted she was. "She tells me that you want money from her father. I am her father." He placed a tray full of currency notes before them and told them: "take whatever you want". The three fell at his feet and craved forgiveness.'

Every time I read that...I choke-up...I pray for an ounce of conviction like that.

Also see, for a good background of the post-colonial Sikh history and a brief history of Babaji - http://www.sikhcoalition.org/SantJarnailSingh.pdf

Also see one of my previous posts "I knew not then". The mention of Baba Jarnail Singh there is a result of my personal encounter at a Sikh youth retreat with an eye-witness of the battle of Sikh vs. Indian Army, June 1984 (I don't like calling it by the Indian hegemonistic name of Operation Bluestar).

There are tons and tons of information about Babaji, some very confusing that may potentially cause for distraught. But over the years that I have been a cognizant Sikh and becoming aware of our scripture, history and discpline, I am convinced that he was indeed the greatest Sikh of the 20th century. And for the popular media that didn't take heed to the nomination process and referendum in Panjab...he was nominated by an overwhelming majority.

I end with the the famous motto of Baba Jarnail Singh which is so apt even today

"Nasha chado, Singh sajo, Ammrit chako."

2006-04-15T12:31:00.000+02:00

The Guru Khalsa

2006-04-14T00:10:00.000+02:00

1 Vaisakh, 538 Nanakshahi

Principal Teja Singh describes what the value of an intense relationship between Guru and Sikh results:

A Sikh, a pure-hearted Sikh, who follows the teachings of his Guru is a great power in himself; but when such a Sikh gets into himself the dynamic personality of such a perfect exemplar as Guru Gobind Singh, his powers acquire an infinite reach and he becomes a super-man. He is called Khalsa, the personification of the Guru himself. “The Khalsa” says the Guru, “is my other self’ in him I live and have my being.” A single Sikh, a mere believer, is only one; but the equation changes when he takes Guru Gobind Singh into his embrace. He becomes equal to ‘one lakh and a quarter,’ in the Sikh parlance. This change occurs not only in his physical fitness, but also in his mental and spiritual outlook. His nature is so reinforced in every way that although hundreds may fall round him, he will resist to the last and never give way. Wherever he stands, he will stand as ‘a garrison of the Lord of Hosts,’ a host in himself - a host of one lakh and a quarter. He will keep the Guru’s flag always flying. Whenever tempted, he will ask himself, “Can I lower the flag of Guru Gobind Singh? Can I desert it? I, as Budh Singh or Kahan Singh, can fall; but can Guru Gobind Singh in me fall? No, never.” - Outline of Sikh Doctrines, Principal Teja Singh

On this day, let us make the pledge that we will not let our internal and external image of the Guru fall. Let us realize the importance of Vaisakhi day of 1699 CE. It was the inauguration of the Khalsa. Some (even our revered writers) call it the "Creation" of the Khalsa. An inauguration is the opening of something that took preparation and time. It took a total of 200 years (1499 to 1699) for the development of the community to reach a level that the Sovereignty of Divine Wisdom could be bestowed upon them. And that is exactly what was manifest by Nanak X - the Plume Adorned True Sovereign, the Rider of the Blue Steed, the Holder of the Royal White Hawk - kalgidhar sace patshah, nila ghora vale, citian bajan vale.

As Harinder Singh mentioned - on this day Sikhs remember the Divine awesomeness - vismad - because the Khalsa is the embodiment of the Divine:

Amrit, (sometimes incorrectly mentioned as Sikh baptism) made, the basis of this holy organization. There was no room left for any wavering on the border-line. All who wanted to serve humanity through Sikhism must join it seriously as regular members, and receive its Amrit as the initial step. All must have the same creed, which should be well-defined and should not be confused with the belief and practices of the neighboring religions. - Principal Teja Singh

Congratulations and celebrate the Divine in the unique Sikh way.

jagat jot japai nis basur...
One who keeps alight the unquenchable torch of truth, and never swerves from the thought of one Vahiguru;
One who has full love and confidence in Vahiguru, and does no put faith, even by mistake, in fasting or the graves of Muslim saints, Hindu crematoriums, of Jogis’, places of sepulcher;
One who only recognizes the one Divine and no pilgrimages, non-destruction of life, penances, or austerities;
And in whose heart the light of the Perfect Once shines,-- that one is to be recognized as a pure member of the Khalsa.

Carhdi kala!

The result of Vaisakhi day

2006-04-13T20:14:00.000+02:00

Following is a note from a good friend of mine from the Sikh Research Institute. The result of Vaisakhi day according to Prof. Puran Singh is that the Khalsa's inner springs of action were changed and put into motion for the betterment of humanity by the "Plume Adorned Sovereign - Guru Gobind Singh".

-------------------------------------------------------

“In this infinite abundance of service in the Name of the Beloved, lies the secret of equality of men and women and their complete social emancipation from the thralldom both of the false religions and false systems of social thought … The alterations of the outer conditions of life, even political revolutions cannot secure the equal distribution of land and wealth and labor; they cannot transmute human nature. Unless the change be wrought within, the volcanoes will burst forth again, and the lava shall flow as before, and all our leveling of conditions will be in vain! The Guru visualized this and leaving the outer surfaces of human nature untouched, changed the inner springs of action.”

- Prof. Puran Singh, “The Khalsa of Guru Gobind Singh,” Spirit of the Sikh

On Vaisakhi day of Nanakshahi 231, ‘The Rider of the Blue Steed’ inaugurated a highly dynamic personality – the Khalsa – a community whose ‘Light of Life’ ceaselessly radiates glory, justice, and love.

Vaisakhi is a reminder to all of us to reflect on the Guru’s vision of personal and community development, revive the spirit of Carhdi Kala that changed the destiny of South Asia and beyond, and respond to the critical issues and challenges, both internal and external.

Vaisakhi is a time to reconnect with the roots. For the ‘tillers of the soil’ of Panjab, it is the celebration of the harvesting festival. For the Guru Khalsa Panth, it is the bestowing of sovereignty by the Tenth Nanak. The Sikhs worldwide salute the Awesomeness, vismad, in religio-cultural celebrations.

May you feel inspired, creative, and liberated!
Harinder Singh

************
Sikh Research Institute
Preserve. Celebrate. Inspire.
info@sikhri.org | www.sikhri.org
---------------------------------

Prof. Puran Singh manuscripts missing...

2006-04-08T19:53:00.000+02:00

Source: Tribune Chandigarh. April 4th.

Rare manuscripts of Prof Puran Singh missing
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 4
Certain important archives related to the late Prof Puran Singh, respected Punjabi poet and prose writer, seem to have disappeared from the library of Punjabi University, Patiala. When did this happen, no one knows.

The way Prof Puran Singh described the Punjabi identity, temperament, image and mood in his poetry, no one has been able to match till now, say critics. He was a multifaceted personality.

“We are trying to locate the manuscripts of certain important works of Prof Puran Singh,” said the Chief Librarian of the university when contacted by The Tribune on the phone this morning. “I have put the officials concerned on the job of tracing the manuscripts,” she added. “It will take some more time for me to say something definite on this issue”, she said.

Sources said that the manuscript of a novel, “Bhagirath,” extracts of which were published long ago in a Punjabi University journal, “Puran Singh Studies,” is also missing. Another important missing manuscript is that of “Spirit of the Sikh”. The publication wing of the university had published it some years ago. It was edited by the late Prof Gurbachan Singh Talib, eminent scholar.

However, there were a number of printing mistakes in the publication. Another professor at the university, who felt the work required to be re-edited and republished after removing the mistakes, tried his best to find the manuscript. However, he was unable to locate it. " The Spirit of the Sikh" was perhaps published from a typed manuscript. That is what had been stated by Professor Talib in the book, said the Chief Librarian.

The family of Prof Puran Singh had donated the library of the writer to the university in 1966. " The archives of the writer were handed over to Prof Kirpal Singh Narang of the university by Raminder Singh, one of the sons of Prof Puran Singh", said a UK-based Punjabi writer, Amarjit Chandan. There was photographic evidence to prove this, he added.

Born in the North-West Frontier Province, now in Pakistan, on February 17, 1881, Prof Puran Singh did his higher studies in applied chemistry from Japan where he also published a magazine, " Thundering Dawn," dedicated to the freedom struggle of the country.

He was a close associate of Lala Hardyal and also lived in Patiala for some time. Prof Puran Singh was sent to jail because of his active participation in the freedom struggle. He died on March 31, 1931, at Dehra Dun, where he had earlier served in the Forest Research Institute. Unfortunately, no one has tried to organise a function to remember the legendary personality even this year, the 125 year of his birth and 75th of his death anniversary.

Prof Pritam Singh, a well-known collector of manuscripts, says that he wanted to donate his huge collection of rare documents to Punjabi University." But I changed my mind when it took six months for me to locate certain matter related to 'Ahiyapurwali pothi' from the library of the university", he said.

However, the Chief Librarian said that she had tried her best to preserve the rare archives and manuscripts in a scientific manner. As many as 48 eminent persons, including men of letters, had donated their libraries to the university in the past four decades." It is a difficult task to handle such a huge collection of works," she said.

I'm back - First life. Then, its expression

2006-04-08T14:21:00.000+02:00

Sorry for not writing for so long. Been gone quite a while primarily because I didn't have DSL connection in my new apartment in Munich, Germany! Yes. I am here in Munich for 6 months on a company assignment. Been travelling a lot. In the past 2 months I have been to Hannover, Augsburg, Rosenheim (Germany). Helisinki, Finland. Rome, Italy and of course Boston, MA.

And I am off to Belgrade, fmr. Yugoslavia tomorrow for a conference which I am speaking at.

Will post pictures soon. I have been slacking on reading as well, but now that spring is here I promise to catch up.

Spirit Born People quote:

The Gurus have altered our ideals of inner self-realization. "Know Thyself", is only partially right. The true artistic consciousness or religious consciousness blossoms in its own inner beauty when the inner self of man and the outer self of nature unite. Both partake of Reality which is but a cosmic phenomenon of life. Those who sat in caves, and meditated and found God in their soul, the so-called Yogic idealist, the Zens of Japan, were not truly spiritual; they were still intellectual, the abstractionists, poor moralists who set themselves, in pride of intellectual abstraction, as gods. On the other hand, those who rejected the subjective realities and saught Truth only in the outer objects and their beauty as realized by the senses, the so called Realists, also were intellectual. Their art too, wholly intellectual, touches in its ratre flights the spiritual. There is thus no difference between the Greek ideals of old and the Art-ideals of the East which are based on metaphysics....

Hence it is that the Gurus do not consider artistic expression which needs must be intellectual. They insist first on artistic life and most on artistic inside, on the flame of inspiration burining within at the centre. The rest must follow. According to the Gurus, the spiritual expression of personality can only come thourgh feeling born and bred in the human flesh. Human flesh is the imperfect medium though which the Gurus wish to express the perfect. Beauty is neither outside, within the reach of the realist, nor inside, within the reach of the idealist, as both are seeking an intellectual abstraction. It (Beauty) is beyond intellectal abstractions, in hte actual subjective spiritual union of the spirit of man with that of the universe or Nature.

This was an excerpt from "Notes on Art and Personality from the Sikh Viewpoint". This essay of Prof. Puran Singh gives us a glimpse into the inspiration of art and culture within the Sikh context. The essay starts with the famous line: "First, life. Then, its expression". Its a fascinating line. Now its time to delve in the Guru Granth and realize its import.

Concreting History in the name of progress

2006-02-25T19:20:00.000+01:00

I can't get over this. For those that don't know me, I am very fond of food, technology, travel, Gurmat Sangit, Sikh History and of course, Sikh Arts and Culture. It makes me so frustrated and sad that in the name of progress original historical art and architecture are being destroyed for new, shiny, big, vah vah effect slabs of useless marble and stone.

Gurmeet Rai (archielogical preservation expert and wife of Raghu Rai - famous photographer) wrote this scathing rebuke to the SGPC leadership and administration. Please see - http://www.sikhsangat.org/publish/article_849.shtml

It is amazing that her keen discerning intellect is aware of the power and imagery of Gurbani in relation to nature and environmentalism. Members of the SGPC, I am sure can quote loads and loads of Gurbani more than Gurmeet. However, they fundamentally lack the intellect to apply in their daily lives or in the running of our Gurduaras and organizations. What use is Gurbani if it is not applied? Application to our lives is what makes it a living philosphy. Otherwise it will become one of the thousands of scriptures of ancient wisdom that only shows up in academic and historical studies. Gurbani interpreted into active life is like the budding trees in spring. Mere recitation and rote memory with no application makes the reciter into dry wood.

ਸੂਕੇ ਹਰੇ ਕੀਏ ਖਿਨ ਮਾਹੇ ॥
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਸੰਚਿ ਜੀਵਾਏ ॥1॥

ਗਉੜੀ ਮਹਲਾ 5

The glance of infinite wisdom (ammrit) puts life in the lifeless.
It makes dry wood, green in an instant

Nanak V, Raga Gauri

On a visit to Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, in 2004 I visited Gurduara Baba Atal which is within the complex just beside the rest houses. I had heard of the destruction of art and architecture in the building. Here are some pictures. Lime green bathroom tiles, whitewash...its quite ugly. I had heard that some protestations had stopped the destruction and so you can see the state. I don't know what it looks like now.

Picture 0 - Gurduara Baba Atalrai ji

Picture 1 - this is what the intricate work on the walls looks like.

Picture 2 - whitewashing of the ceiling

Picture 3 - neon-green (lime-green) bathroom tiles!!

Picture 4 - The brass/golden part is left. Arghh...the panjabi infatuation with Gold!!

An Ode Part 3 - Fascinating story of virtues...

2006-02-15T00:28:00.000+01:00

The final pauri of Basant ki Var is a story of fascinating realization. The rain falls, the buds start showing, its beautiful, something's there. But then, boom! The flowers bloom, the grass suddenly turns green, leaves everywhere, sunlight and pleasant weather, it fascinating. The conclusion of Basant ki var presents this fascinating progression. It begins with a series of questions that have been tickling the minds of human kind since time immemorial. What are the origins of the universe and does there exist an Almighty Power that runs the universe? The answers can be realized, the Guru says, only through the experience of simran. We Sikhs mistakenly equate simran with the chanting of words (in our case: Vahguru), either in solitary or in the congregation with accompanied music. The Guru, on the other hand, clarifies that simran is the larger package of action that encompasses three different facets:

1. vocalizing (ਕਹਨਿ) – through actions and deeds and by bringing the Guru’s revelations (bani) to life - real life by living the teachings. The essence of this action is provided in the form of Guru Nanak’s revolutionary Three Golden Rules – nam japo, kirt karo, vand chako.

2. internalizing (ਧਿਆਇਨਿ)– by really understanding bani and realizing that our lives are to be lived as Guru inspired individuals

3. listening (ਸੁਣਨਿ)– in the form of reading, listening and singing the virtues of Vahguru as bestowed to us in the form of the Guru’s revelations – gurbani.

Those that do all three of the above, they are considered bhagats - true practioners of life. Not only are they bhagats, they are beautiful bhagats (ਸੇ ਭਗਤ ਸੁਹਾਵੈ)

BTW, Notice how all of the three golden rules is in turn referring to the original subject of simran – nam japna and simran are pretty much the same thing on a higher level.

I will explain this in a later post with multi-dimensional analysis using a triangle for visual cognition. Something I learnt at the Air War College National Security Forum last year. See the pics in previous posting.

Anyway, back to Basant ki var - final pauri - with a transcreation attempt.

ਕਿਥਹੁ ਉਪਜੈ ਕਹ ਰਹੈ ਕਹ ਮਾਹਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥
ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਸਭਿ ਖਸਮ ਕੇ ਕਉਣੁ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਪਾਵੈ ॥
ਕਹਨਿ ਧਿਆਇਨਿ ਸੁਣਨਿ ਨਿਤ ਸੇ ਭਗਤ ਸੁਹਾਵੈ ॥
ਅਗਮੁ ਅਗੋਚਰੁ ਸਾਹਿਬੋ ਦੂਸਰੁ ਲਵੈ ਨ ਲਾਵੈ ॥
ਸਚੁ ਪੂਰੈ ਗੁਰਿ ਉਪਦੇਸਿਆ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਸੁਣਾਵੈ ॥3॥1॥

From whence did the One arrive, where does the One reside and into what does the One merge? Can any individual estimate the vastness of Vahguru? We all know that all of creation is the manifestation of the One. Everyday there are some that listen, internalize and vocalize the virtues of the One. As a result, these blessed individuals are beautified with true life. The Ultimate One is unfathomable and unapproachable through regular senses, no one is capable of equating themselves with the One. Nanak wants to share the fascinating story of the One: The True Guru is capable of making the self realize the One inside!

3rd Pauri, Ode in Basant, Nanak V

An Ode Part 2 - Fresh and transformed anew...

2006-02-14T23:45:00.000+01:00

The second pauri of Basant Ki Var provides imagery of a gruesome battle scene which is transformed into a victory just like the dryness of winter transforms into a spring like freshness. The battle is between the self (oneness of Vahguru) and ego (the foundation of the five vices). The sickness and suffering are not merely physical. Where there is frustration, where there is lack of confidence, where there is doubt, where there is distraction, there is sickness of the soul. A Sikh of the Guru is devoid of frustration, doubt and distraction and the Sikh of the Guru is the showcase of confidence. When ego engulfs a Sikh’s life – it is death. When, with the assistance of the Guru, a Sikh realizes the Vahguru within – it is life. Touched by the Guru, inspired to act per hukam via seva simran, death never comes again for a Sikh.

ਪੰਜੇ ਬਧੇ ਮਹਾਬਲੀ ਕਰਿ ਸਚਾ ਢੋਆ ॥
ਆਪਣੇ ਚਰਣ ਜਪਾਇਅਨੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਦਯੁ ਖੜੋਆ ॥
ਰੋਗ ਸੋਗ ਸਭਿ ਮਿਟਿ ਗਏ ਨਿਤ ਨਵਾ ਨਿਰੋਆ ॥
ਦਿਨੁ ਰੈਣਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਦਾ ਫਿਰਿ ਪਾਇ ਨ ਮੋਆ ॥
ਜਿਸ ਤੇ ਉਪਜਿਆ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸੋਈ ਫਿਰਿ ਹੋਆ ॥2॥

The five powerful vices have been destroyed asunder within those individuals that have given their selves to Vahguru in the form of complete and true simran.
The merciful Vahguru now resides within them and they walk the true path of life.
All sickness and illness of the soul depart; every day is begun anew and fresh.
Day and night nam is internalized and death like frustration never disturbs again.
Nanak is glad to see that from whence they came (Vahguru), they merge again as one because of simran.

2^nd pauri of an Ode in Basant, Nanak V

Everyone's Friend

2006-02-04T22:27:00.000+01:00

I will get back to the basant ki var transcreations next time. However, we need to talk about this rare video. My friend, Nampreet Singh sent this to me today. Goto the link for a sample of a rababi rendition of a bandish in dhrupad, tal is dhamar. The sabad is taken from maru ki var on page 1096 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

First of all, I have been replaying the sample all day today. Notice a couple of things. First, Bhai Gulam Mohammed Chand is so "into" the singing. He moves around, smiles, is excited, has perfect voice balance, its just amazing. Secondly, the bani comes through so gracefully and smoothly - he has it memorized.

Recently, I spent some time with Gyani Dyal Singh in Boston and he mentioned to me that you will notice the difference in the ras of kirtan between those that sing from memory (bani kant) versus those that sing from the pothi or from a piece of paper. He said, Bhai Randhir Singh ji's kirtan or Baba Attar Singh's (Mastuane vale) kirtan was not classical or always in raga, but it had ras (depth and beauty) because they used to sing from memory and with love and devotion...only then was it also pleasing to the ears of the sangat. He mentioned that back in the day, no ragi was allowed to sing on stage until they had gone through atleast 5 to 6 years of training.

Anyway, here is the sabad link for the rababi kirtan sample.

ਮ: 5 ॥
ਸਜਣੁ ਮੈਡਾ ਚਾਈਆ ਹਭ ਕਹੀ ਦਾ ਮਿਤੁ ॥
ਹਭੇ ਜਾਣਨਿ ਆਪਣਾ ਕਹੀ ਨ ਠਾਹੇ ਚਿਤੁ ॥2॥

Nanak V
My friend-Vahguru is everyone's friend.
Vahguru's heart is brimming full with love for everyone.
Everyone knows, their friend-Vahguru will never break anyone's heart.

Okay, this is a salok in maru ki var. There are two vars in raga maru. This one is solely by Guru Arjan Sahib (Nanak V). Notice the language of the salok. It is in a language called lehindi. Words like "mainda, habh, habhe etc. are from this language. If I am not mistaken it is more west panjab language, around rawalpindi etc. Also remember, saloks in the vars of Guru Granth Sahib are supporting material for the pauri. A collection of pauris is a var. Well, guess what: salok is in support of the pauri that a lot of us know about. "ja tu mere val hai ta kia muhchanda, tudh sabh kich mainu soupia ja tera banda...". It makes so much sense when we read the whole section. Oh yes, another interesting thing. A salok and a dakhane is the same thing. In this maru ki var, Guru Arjan Sahib has used both saloks and dakhanes - dakhane is the word for salok in lehindi. Understanding the bantar (the make up - system) of the saloks and vars gives a better understanding of the bani and the message. Fascinating isn't it? Well to me it is :-) !

Now listen to Bhai Ghulam Mohammed Chand again once you know what he is saying and where it came from.

An Ode Part 1 - Blossom in Spring

2006-02-03T06:39:00.000+01:00

Basant ki var is on page 1193 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. It is a var with no saloks. It is very rare to find a var without any saloks. The other one that comes to mind is Ramkali ki var by Satta and Balvand. Anyway, I was browsing through other Sikh blogs and was amazed at a common thread emerging regarding basant and the bani of basant. I remember we organized a Gurmat Sangit Darbar - Rag Basant last year in Toronto. It was an amazing success. We should do it again this year.

ਬਸੰਤ ਕੀ ਵਾਰ ਮਹਲੁ 5
ੴ ਸਤਿ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇ ਕੈ ਹੋਹੁ ਹਰਿਆ ਭਾਈ ॥
ਕਰਮਿ ਲਿਖੰਤੈ ਪਾਈਐ ਇਹ ਰੁਤਿ ਸੁਹਾਈ ॥
ਵਣੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਣੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣੁ ਮਉਲਿਆ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਫਲੁ ਪਾਈ ॥
ਮਿਲਿ ਸਾਧੂ ਸੁਖੁ ਊਪਜੈ ਲਥੀ ਸਭ ਛਾਈ ॥
ਨਾਨਕੁ ਸਿਮਰੈ ਏਕੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਫਿਰਿ ਬਹੁੜਿ ਨ ਧਾਈ ॥1॥

Transcreation humbly submitted:

One Universal Spirit, Truth, Guru, Grace

Dear Brother,

Upon internalizing Vahguru’s nam, my sleeping mind awakens just like the sapling buds burst into life in spring. This is indeed a fortunate time, this beautiful season (this human life is a fortunate opportunity the time as humans is precious). Just as the whole creation blossoms as a result of the spring showers, so does the mind and body of the one who is drenched in the love of Vahguru become enlightened. Upon creating a relationship with the sadhu (Guru), all the filth and dirt (confusions and frustrations of the mind) are cleared. So, Nanak too internalizes this immaculate nam. As a result, the cycle of doubt, fear and confusion is transformed into pure life - no more frustrations!

Nanak V, Pauri 1 of an Ode in Raga Basant, Holy leaf number 1193 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib

------
P.S. - note that the sirlekh (heading) of the var is basant ki var mehalu 5. Usually it is mahala not mahalu. Prof. Sahib Singh explains this is simply a variation on how Guru sahib wrote headings. It means "body 5". So Nanak in the 5th body. That is why I always write Nanak V for Guru Arjan, or Nanak III for Guru Amardas. Emperors in the past were named like this. The Guru is our sovereign, it is becoming common to see our Gurus referred to as such.

The Gurus in human form were all the same divine light (jot) that exists today in the Granth and Panth.

Introduction to a Friend

2006-02-01T05:40:00.000+01:00

ਸਲੋਕ ॥
ਦਰਸਨ ਪਿਆਸੀ ਦਿਨਸੁ ਰਾਤਿ ਚਿਤਵਉ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਨੀਤ ॥
ਖੋਲ੍‍ ਿਕਪਟ ਗੁਰਿ ਮੇਲੀਆ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਸੰਗਿ ਮੀਤ ॥1॥

I am in a constant search for a realization of Truth.
The Guru has burst open the door and led me the find my "Friend" - the True Truth!
(Nanak V - in Raga Jaitasri)

Indeed darsan (ਦਰਸਨ) is not merely a vision through the eyes. Darsan is more of a realization within. This salok is a prelude to a powerful chant (ਛੰਤ) on the subject of Friend. Pg. 703 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib

Algonquin Camping Trip - Summer 2005

2005-12-29T00:35:00.000+01:00

I am still figuring out how to post pictures and ensure they are in order. Anyway, a whole bunch of the Toronto Sangat went on a camping trip this summer to Algonquin Provincial Park (Northern Ontario). Here is a group picture:

And here is a picture of a tiny frog which caught my eye during conoeing...

One of the highlights of every single (group) camping trip I have been on is the FOOD! This is just a portion of the food that was stored in Satwinder Singh's mini van!

2005-12-29T00:28:00.000+01:00

Another view

2005-12-29T00:27:00.001+01:00

If you look carefully, a really huge bird is gliding over the lake...we were in the canoe..

2005-12-29T00:27:00.000+01:00

I forgot the name of the lake...but it was cool

2005-12-29T00:26:00.001+01:00

Everything was so quiet and beautiful..

2005-12-29T00:26:00.000+01:00

This was a scene from one of our hikes

2005-12-29T00:25:00.000+01:00

Serene calmness in the morning

2005-12-29T00:23:00.000+01:00

Algonquin Trip - 2005 Summer. One morning Hartaarn Singh, Satwinder Singh and myself snuck out and went canoeing. The waters were really calm and we got quite a few good shots.

No other modus operandi

2005-12-25T02:26:00.000+01:00

Today I attended an akhand path bhog and kirtan program which went really longer than scheduled. I got up during the kirtan and while partaking in the langar, I could hear a sabad being sung that I haven’t heard in a long time. The program was in celebration of the Anand Karaj of a good friend of mine, Bhai Harbrinder Singh. He is getting married tomorrow. The sabad was sung by the daughter of his host parents, Bhai Sarvinder Singh and family. I don’t know his daughter’s name.

Anyway, it transported me back to my childhood (I think) or a long time ago when I heard it live or on tape and it was sung by Bhai Chattar Singh. I came back home and, of course, I was able to find it online at www.sikhnet.com.

bin hari nam na santi hoi kitu bidhi manu dhire.

It is the 6th pauri from Jaitsri ki var - By Nanak V - Guru Arjan Sahib.

The link to the sabad sung by Bhai Chattar Singh is here.

Go to www.gurugranthdarpan.com and read the translation according to Prof. Sahib Singh.

BTW, you must read the salok that goes along with this pauri. It is pretty much the same message, the language of the salok is more like Sanskrit (I think).

Here is an attempt at a transcreation of this pauri. I am sure you will get the message.

The 6th pauri of An Ode in Raga Jaitsri by the Fifth Englightner which includes salokas
From the 707th Holy Leaf of the Guru Granth Sahib

If we had a fantabulous bedding in which to sleep peacefully,
If we had all the luxuries of the world to cherish and relish
If we had a house made of gold and ornamented with pearls and rubies
If we had no worries because all we wanted and desired we possesed.
If, while having all this, we don’t internalize and remember Vahguru,
then we will be considered "dirty insects" - "vista ke kire"
Without imbibing Nam, there is never true peace.
For ultimate happiness there is no other modus operandi.6.

The sweet nectar - hamari piari ammritdhari

2005-12-09T03:08:00.000+01:00

I have heard this sabad many times before. Never understood what the message was. Nam, amrit, bani, piar, rang, kartar, darsan, parsan...they are all terms and references we have heard and discussed multiple times. These terms are pearls. When put together, as the Gurus did, and rendered to a classical rag, as the Gurus ordained, the pearls are magically strung together in a necklace. Not that I am bedazzled by worldly pearl or diamond necklaces. But they are a reality in life and are an exquisite cherished human transformation of a natural phenomenum. So, I think I get it.

At the recent Gurmat Sangit Darbar held in Massachusetts, Rupinder Singh and Nampreet Singh (accompanied by Arundeep Singh as vocal assist and Shamsher Singh on jori) rendered this sabad in rag asa. It is a rit (reet) by Bhai Dharam Singh Zakhmi. Because they accompanied the sabad with a taus and dilruba, I actually prefer their rendition, but both are awesome. Here is a link to both.

nimakh na man te ....Rupinder Singh, Nampreet Singh, Arundeep Singh and Shamsher Singh
nimakh na man te ....Bhai Dharam Singh Zakhmi and jatha

asa mahala 5
hamari piari ammritdhari guri nimakh na man te tari re .1.rahau.
darsan parsan sarsan harsan rang rangi kartari re .1.
khinu ram gur gam hari dam nah jam hari kanti nanak uri hari re .2.5.134.**

I submit this transcreation:

Nanak V, rag asa, gharu 11, pg 404 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib

This bani which is like a clear water spring of ammrit-nam is soothing to my mind. The great Guru has ensured that I don’t forget it even for an instant and relish it continuously. It enables me to visualize, touch and feel the love of the Lover – the Creator – and I am in state of spiritual bliss. Wow! The ammrit-nam laden bani is fantabulous. For an instant if I internalize it, the Guru is manifest. With every breath if I internalize it, fearlessness engulfs me. I (Nanak) will cherish this bani as a precious necklace around my neck.

--------

** This is the 134th sabad of Nanak V out of 163 in rag asa. IE. Guru Arjan (mahala 5) revealed 163 sabads within rag asa, this is 134th. Also, it is the 5th sabad in section under gharu 11. It contains one rahau line and 2 other lines. That is what 2.5.134 means.

Reference http://gurugranthdarpan.com/0404.html

P.S. - Ginnipal Singh and Kiran Kaur - How many ghars in Guru Granth Sahib!? :-) (inside joke).

Sikh and Sangat

2005-11-18T05:09:00.000+01:00

I have always contended that Seva and Simran are interchangeable and dependent on each other. As is the concept of Double Sovereignty - Miri Piri. Here is a verbal experience that needs to be felt - he makes us feel that Sikh and Sangat are interchangeable, dependent and powerful.

The Sikh is like an umbrageous tree wherever he lives, and the sun-beaten, thirsty traveller whoever he may be, finds a solace in his shelter, in his home. And the traveller rises and goes on his way blessing the Sikh whose face accompanies him as a friend who blesses and vitalizes him. In his reverie, the traveller sees the cool shade of the Sikh sould spreading over his head in the hot, dry blazing deserts that lie beyond death and he wakes dreaming and thankful for having met him.

Such is the way of the Sikh individual.

And Sangat (society) is a galaxy of such perfected individuals made by prayer of Nam, of Service.

(Prof. Puran Singh, Spirit of the Sikh, The Biography of a Sikh - The Sikh is a Vision)

Not mine...

2005-10-23T03:17:00.000+02:00

"Every Sikh is to wear His Sword. Not [their] own. Kirpan is a gift from the Guru. It is not an instrument of offence or defence; it is mind made intense by the love of the Guru. The Sikh is to have a sword-like mind. It is the visible sign of an intensely sensitive soul."

The above is an excerpt from Prof. Puran Singh's book Spirit Born People in the 9th essay titled "Sword of Guru Gobind Singh".

Such is the case with the command for all Sikhs to keep uncut hair - kes. At camps, retreats, gurduaras, and all sorts of Sikh youth (and adult) discussions, the question of the reasoning behind keeping the kes keeps coming up over and over again. If it is only understood that the kes belongs to the Guru. We are but mere keepers, albiet temporary keepers of the kes. If I understand that I have been asked politely and lovingly to keep a token of appreciation, and to keep it with loving affection, what need do I have to question why I must keep it?

Once a Singh came to Baba Attar Singh (of Mastuana) complaining that another Sikh had shaved his beard. The Singh was upset and outraged. Baba ji merely started crying, he was sad. He said something to the effect that when a Sikh shaves they do it because they do not understand that they are "pulling the hair from the body of Guru Gobind Singh one little hair at a time". They know not how much it pains the Guru when he witnesses the desecration of his body fortress. It is no coincidence that when a Sikh shaves or chops his/her hair, the Sikh term for such a desecration is katal - "unhe kes katal kite" - "they have murdered the kes".

We would see much less desecration of the kes in our community only if we start thinking "The hair is not mine. The hair belongs to the Guru".

2005-10-20T05:30:00.000+02:00

Captain Kevin Murray of the Australian Air Force (he's originally Canadian) and me - At the National Security Forum, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, May 2005

2005-10-20T05:28:00.001+02:00

F-16 Fighter - Maxwell Air Force Base - May 2005

2005-10-20T05:28:00.000+02:00

Stealth Bomber - Maxwell Air Force Base, May 2005

2005-10-20T05:24:00.000+02:00

Sava Lakh Singh - 2004 visit to Darbar Sahib Amritsar

Today's hukam

2005-10-18T07:05:00.000+02:00

I doubt I will be sharing the guru vak blessed to me every day after I do the parkash ceremony. But am currently liking this blog thing and for some reason I was effected by the guru's phurman today.

sorath mahala 9 - pg. 631

man ki man hi mahi rahi
na hari bhaje na tirath seve coti kali gahi - rahau

This mind of mine is pretty wierd, it hasn't blossomed forth, it remains in itself
It hasn't internalized the Creator, hasn't communed with the inspiring self-realized individuals and death hasn't snatched it from the bodi (the strands of hair on a almost balded brahmin's head - metaphor for dying a physical death - quite a gruesom metaphor if you knew what a bodi was).

dara mit put ....

Spouse, friend, progeny, fancy transport (cars, bikes), fancy stuff, lots of dough, the whole world, these are real things but ultimately useless and as good as unreal. Consider them all as perishable, but the realization of Vahguru within is forever.

phirat phirat bohute jug hario....

After stumbling aimlessly through unkown times and ages, my soul was exhausted. It has found a human form to reside in.
Nanak shares this truth: now is the time to meet, why don't you give it a shot - ask to be admited to the garden of simrin.

I knew not then

2005-10-13T05:39:00.000+02:00

June 4th, 1984 was a Monday and it was just a normal school day at a Catholic boarding school called St. George’s College in Mussoorie, Uttar Pradesh. There were quite a few Sikhs students in that school in the beautiful hill station of northern India. I was one of those Sikh students at the ripe and innocent age, so they say, of fourteen. I knew nothing of the events and had no clue about the happenings in Panjab at that time. Even if I did, I know not how I would have reacted.

Move ahead to November 1984. I was walking up to the dormitory after our mandatory sports time. I reached the upper field beside the mess hall, looked up at the town of Mussoorie which was at a higher altitude, a few miles away. My friend, Shilpan Patel, and I saw 4 or 5 smoldering and smoking buildings/houses in the distance. I innocently remarked “Wow! There are quite a few buildings on fire today. The fire trucks must be busy”. Just a day earlier our Social Sciences teacher had started crying in class saying that the “Mother of the Nation” had died. He didn’t elaborate or explain what had happened or why; and I never put two and two together until 2 weeks later when the “outing day” (Sunday) came.

We received our pocket money and headed up to town to do the usual Tibetan food (momos and noodles) and the latest movie at the cinema. I also used to drop in to say my Sat Sri Akal to the Sardar ji at the travel agency and the Uncle ji of the clothing store next to the cinema. On my way to the Tibetan restaurant I noticed that the travel agency was burnt out and the furniture was destroyed and laying about the courtyard. The clothing store uncle ji was nowhere to be found and the store was charred and empty. I can’t recall if I enjoyed the momos and movie that day. Most probably I did; but I knew not then.

Another three weeks later I was back in New Delhi at my grand parent’s place. I was told that I was to go back home to Japan for the winter vacation, but this time I would not be coming back to Mussoorie to finish school. “It is too dangerous for you here now”.

Before I left I wanted to hang out with a school friend, Hargurdev Singh, another Sikh student in my class who lived in Defense Colony, New Delhi. I met him for snacks. When we saw each other he said “They didn’t tell me. My parents didn’t tell me that the mob attacked our shop. They are all alive but our shop is gone. I don’t know what we are going to do.” I vaguely remember the mood of the afternoon we spent together. Why do bad things happen to good people? We knew not then.

The subsequent years went by normally during high school in Japan, then at university in Massachusetts, U.S.A. Along the way, I had occasionally picked up tidbits of Panthic happenings, but I can’t recall which event or incident brought me closer to the realities of our nation and people. It may have been one weekend at the gurduara in the suburbs of Paris in the month of November, 1993. My professional career had started and I had the opportunity to work on a civilian project in Brest, France, which has a nuclear submarine base off the coast of northwest France. One weekend I visited Paris and looked up the local gurduara. The young sevadar of the gurduara took care of me during my weekend stay. I also had the honor of participating in a divan and langar at the gurduara in Paris organized by the “refugees”, approximately 120 of them! I was humbled to be in their midst.

The young sevadar who took care of me told me that there were plans to settle a group of the refugees to Germany and then move some onwards to Canada. He said if the plan works out he might also settle in Canada, if not, then he prefers to go back to Panjab and die in battle. I never kept in touch with him. Wherever he is, I trust he kept the faith with Guru as his guide. The sevadar could not have been more than 18 or 19 years old. That means he was approximately 10 years old in 1984. What did he experience that gave him the conviction to want to fight and possibly die for his nation?

Multiple book readings, discussions with Sikhs and non-Sikhs, documentary viewings, conference attendances, and many candle light vigils have past and I feel I now know. But even after learning so much, I learnt that I know not what transpired.

At a Gurmat Retreat a few years ago, I had the honor and privilege of being a translator for a survivor of the June 1984 battle in Darbar Sahib, Amritsar: Sikh vs. Indian Army. The Sikh who related the eye witness account was, during that time, the tabla player of a ragi jatha of the Damdami Taksal. His account of the beginning of the battle goes something like this:

“It was 4:30 am on June 4th, 1984. It is a tradition to do Asa ki var kirtan right outside the Akal Takhat Sahib in the summer months; in the winter months it is done inside the Akal Takhat. We started the Asa ki var and were on the first chhaka when a missile of about 40 lbs. was fired from the Jallianwala Bagh area and it hit the upper left side of the Akal Takhat. The shrapnel and pieces of the upper left dome fell right in front of us. We immediately got up and ran to our positions to begin preparing for the battle. Some Sikhs went to Baba ji (Baba Jarnail Singh of Bhindran) and complained that the ragis have “run away”. Baba ji, summoned us to him and said “Your duty is to do kirtan and uphold the maryada of the Akal Takhat. Go and complete the kirtan”. We came back and completed the Asa ki var in the midst of the firing. That evening I also had the duty of reciting the Sodar Rehras for the jatha...”

I share these incidents and experiences not to parade my encounters for posterity. Rather, I feel I am relating everyone’s story. In some way, shape or form, no matter how significant or insignificant it may be, the events of 1984 have touched and shaped every current and future generation of Sikhs. The holocaust of 1984 and the decades that followed will remain part of the Sikh psyche and memory. Just like the time capsule of Sikh history has been buried deep down in the hearts of Sikhs through our daily ardas, similarly, the events of 1984 and the decade that followed will be etched in our souls. The only way to ensure this awareness is for every Guru Nanak loving Sikh to take on the responsibility to learn and become aware of those events. With open minds, compassionate hearts and with a strong iron-like resolve let us make sure we are “aware”, always “know” and “never forget”.

Toronto, ON., Canada
May 22nd, 2004

Those whose cloaks are dyed...

2005-10-13T05:23:00.000+02:00

The panjabi version of the book “The Spirit Born People“ by Prof. Puran Singh has a very interesting and powerful title. The title is taken from a sabad from the Guru Granth Sahib. In rag tilang, by Satigur Nanak there is a line that goes like this: jin ke cole ratre piare kant tina ke pas

Which literally means something like : Those whose cloaks are dyed, the Master is by their side.

The name of the book is “jin ke cole ratre“...or for a more phonetic transliteration “Jin kay cholay ratray“....those whose cloaks are dyed!

People who are born of the Spirit, it is as if their cherished cloaks are dyed and decorated by the color that is pleasing to their Master, the all pervading Creator. Their every breath and action is a passionate living in service of creation. Very apt translation of the concept. Prof. Puran Singh wrote the book in English. I am sure he chose the title based on the inspiring analogy of Satigur Nanak.