Sikhs in Census

Mention of Sikhs from the Official Parliamentary Hansard records regarding Sikh ethnicity in the census. See link below

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm081126/text/81126w0055.htm


British Sikh Federation
Kashmir Singh

The UK Parliamentary records for 26 Nov 2008 show an overwhelming demand for Sikh ethnic group monitoring in census 2011, see extract below.

We need Sikh ethnic group monitoring to make sure that we get equality of opportunity, our fair share of jobs and promotions, our fair share of government grants to Sikh businesses and gurdwaras, our fair share of delivery of services by public and private sector organisations, our fair share of public appointments, etc. It is time to end the institutional racism against UK Sikhs. Most of the political parties in the UK support the Sikhs on this matter (Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Scottish Nationalists, Welsh Nationalists, many Labour Party MPs). Whilst some Labour Party Government Ministers have also given their support, the Labour Party to date has not done so; as such the Labour Party is likely to lose support at the next General Election.

In India, Sikhs are monitored in the national census and for public jobs. The Indian census monitors the state that you live in, religion, caste, tribe, etc; the different types of groups of people are monitored, and not just as 1 Indian category. Senior leaders within India have made it clear that the UK Government should monitor UK Sikhs as an ethnic group where such groups are monitored, and as a religion where such groups are monitored, e.g. Tarlochan Singh (National Minorities Commission Chairman at the time), Joginder Singh Vedanti (Akal Takhat Jathedar at the time), Simranjit Singh Mann (Shiromani Akal Dal Amritsar leader at the time), Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, etc. Sikhs are both a separate religion and a Qaum (Nation).

BSF website at www.british-sikh-federation.org

UK First COMMUNITY Sikh School Ofted

The Uk's first Community built without help of any particular group or person has received a "good" in its first Ofted report.

http://www.panthic.org/news/124/ARTICLE/4591/2008-12-12.html

Khalsa Primary School which is really impressive in its school but also non school time activities deserves congratulations.

Sikhism - By Janet Lant

http://www.searchsikhism.com/si3.html

Sikhism - By Janet Lant

Listen Chris Hammers, I never got around to telling you some of the things about Sikh religion that convince me of its authenticity. One major evidence is the "Holy Book" of Sikh religion known as the "Granth Sahib". The Granth Sahib was complied over a period of 240 years by the hands of the beings that founded Sikh religion. All copies are matched to the original handwritten one. It is scientifically impossible for any known being to write a book with all the qualities found in the Granth Sahib. Below are some of those amazing qualities:

1. It is written using very deeply profound words obtained from over 16 languages. (I would say that it's words are more profound then that of any other Book on the planet, but that would not get anywhere, I would be simply dismissed as being biased)

2. The words from over 16 incompatible languages are incorporated in a way that they make perfect sense.

3. The alphabet the Granth Sahib uses was invented by the Supreme Beings that wrote it. The Alphabet is called Gurmuki, it is impossible to make a spelling mistake using this alphabet because it has logical grammar rules. Every word or sound can only be written one way. Not like English where the k in knife is silent. This is the easiest alphabet to master. I bet the world would be using computers a long time ago to write things using speech recognition programs if Gurmuki was the business language of the world.

4. Every sentence is written in poetry of the highest order. (William Shakespeare would have been envious.)

5. At the same time every sentence rhymes.

6. At the same time everything is in music verse form, so that all sorts of musical instruments can be played while it is sung.

Sikh religion believes praying should be a very pleasurable, stress reliving, thought provoking event. Most other religions believe praying should be a act of submission (Catholics make you kneel allot!), unquestioningly following rituals, and fear of a jealous Angry God (the Ten Commandments of Judao-Christianity state something about God being a Jealous God and one prone to Anger.) Now Chris, tell me does it make sense following a God who is so immature he gets Jealous, how insecure could that kind of a God be! And how wimpy and powerless must this God be if he gets Angry.

The God of Sikh religion never gets Jealous because he made all those awesome things that make insecure persons jealous. Sikh religion also says God is without anger. Their is a very beautiful song about this in the Granth Sahib!

Plus before the Equal Rights movement, infact 540 years before , Guru Nanak said many nice Praises about women, instead of condemning them like all the other great religions do.

Quotes about Women in Sri Guru Granth Sahib In praise of women.

"We are born of woman, we are conceived in the womb of woman, we are engaged and married to woman. We make friendship with woman and the lineage continued because of woman. When one woman dies, we take another one, we are bound with the world through woman. We grow up stronger and wiser having drunk milk from the breast of woman. Why should we talk ill of her, who gives birth to kings? The woman is born from woman; there is none without her. Only the One True Lord is without woman" (Guru Nanak Dev, Var Asa, pg. 473)

Marriage is an equal partnership of love and sharing between husband and wife.

"They are not husband and wife, who merely sit together. Rather they alone are called husband and wife, who have one spirit in two bodies." (Guru Amar Das, Pauri, pg. 788)

Women have an equal right to participate in the congregation.

"Come my sisters and dear comrades! Clasp me in thine embrace. Meeting together, let us tell the tales of our Omnipotent Spouse (God). In the True Lord are all merits, in us all demerits." (Guru Nanak Dev, Sri Rag, pg. 17)

God is the husband and we are all his brides.

"The spouse is but One and all others are His brides. The false bride assumes many religious garbs. When the Lord stops her going into another's home, then is she summoned into her Lord's mansion without any let and hindrance. She is adorned with the Name and is dear to her True Lord. She alone is the true bride and the Lord lends her His support." (Guru Nanak Dev, Ramkali, pg. 933) (note: Lord is one of the names of God)

God is our Mother as well as our Father.

"Thou O Lord, art my Father and Thou my Mother. Thou art the Giver of peace to my soul and very life." (Guru Arjan Dev, Bhairo, pg. 1144)

The rape and brutalities committed against women by the Mughal invader Babar condemned.

"Modesty and righteousness both have vanished and falsehood moves about as the leader, O Lalo. The function of the Qazis and the Brahmins is over and the Satan now reads the marriage rites (rape). The Muslim women read the Quran and in suffering call upon God, O Lalo. The Hindu women of high cast and others of low caste, may also be put in the same account, O Lalo." (Guru Nanak Dev, Tilang, pg. 722)

The practice of women burning themselves on their husband's funeral pyre (sati) condemned.

"They cannot be called satis, who burn themselves with their dead husbands. They can only be called satis, if they bear the shock of separation. They may also be known as satis, who live with character and contentment and always show veneration to their husbands by remembering them." (Guru Amar Das, Var Suhi, pg. 787)

The ritual of dowry so prevalent in many societies condemned.

"Any other dowry, which the perverse place for show, that is false pride and worthless gilding. O' my Father! give me the Name of Lord God as a gift and dowry." (Guru Ram Das, Sri Rag, pg. 79)

First Supreme Being Guru Nanak laid the foundation of Sikhism which believes in a casteless, egalitarian society which guarantees equal rights to Women. Each of the Supreme Being Gurus under authority of God gave women equal status. They gained social and religious freedom at a time when the existing religions and society considered women to be property. The false notion that they were inherently evil and unclean was removed. A woman was regarded as temptation-incarnate. The Gurus exposed the folly of such notions. [Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Jainism, they all directly say Women are Unclean and Inferior.].

Sixth Supreme Being Guru Hargobind called Woman "the conscience of man". In religious gatherings, men and women sang and preached without any distinction. The wearing of purdah (women wearing veils to hide the face) was rejected as demeaning to women. Guru Hargobind refused to have dinner with any Queen who wore a veil.

Ik OnKar: means "One Creator" The circle is a chakram representing the Universe, the double edged sword represents the positive and negative side of the Force, the 2 swords on the outside of the sphere represent the hands of the One Creator protecting and beholding all that exists and beyond.

Dear Inquisitive, challenging brother "Chris Hammer", I will answer all your questions in better detail when time permits. For now I will torpedo your points. PLEASE READ THE KHALSA CONSENSUS ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB JI. Then you will see that Sikhs have more Divine proofs then any other Religion. I was born and still am a Christian, but I will soon Convert to Sikhism. The main reason being the Bible is anti-Women, it talks about the Woman’s Curse, the Old testament says God wants you to steal a baby boys foreskin, Science now says that mutilative operation is very harmful to the Defenseless infant boy, Mothering Magazine did a Science article on it. But Sikhs knew one should never destroy any Gift God gives, so cutting of a skin from the genitals is quite Evil, what happened to Human Rights, The Sikh religion Honors infants and all beings! Everyday a teaching of the Bible is found to be harmful.

First: You claim the proof that a revelation is truly from God, is Prophesy! As you know any occult palm reader etc... can claim they predicted an Earth Quake a year before it happened. All a Psychic has to say is next year the Earth will shake. Chances under rules of Science are that there is a good chance that some kind of explosion or Earth Shaking activity will happen in a year, so Prophesy is just clever manipulation of history.

You say ""The Bible prophesied hundreds of years in advance giving detailed accounts of the major empires of the world and all major cities of the ancient world as well as the names of two emperors 200 years before they were born".

I have read the Bible, I find that these so called revelation do not prove anything anyone can make them, it's easy to turn anything written in the past into a accurate prediction, by stretching interpretations to suite an end result.

Not to really answer your challenge. SIKHS do not depend on Prophesy, because God like a Movie producer can make any changes whenever He/She wants to. What Proves the Sikh religion came directly from God is it is the only Religion in the world that has perfect Science. Your Bible was the reason Galileo was almost Executed, because the Bible was saying the Earth is Flat & the Sun revolves around the Earth. This Male Egotistical writing is now proven face by Science. The First Supreme Being GURU NANAK, "The Light that Dispels the Darkness", wrote many Divine Poems describing Solar Systems. If you know science you know Solar System means a planetary system in which all the planets revolve around a central Star.

Second proof The first Supreme Being or Light that Dispels the Darkness-Guru Nanak with his own hands at the order of God wrote Hymns that say the Earth and many planets are round. I will now Quote a Divine Poetic Quote translated from Gurmuki, that teaches that not only is Earth Round but there are uncountable Earths (planets), Uncountable Solar Systems around which they orbit, Uncountable Galaxies. Chris Hammer, you know that it was only a few decades ago when "Hubble" an astronomer discovered that we live in a Galaxy, then much later Hubble discovered that there are many Galaxies outside our own. Well Mr. Hammer, the Sikh Holy Scripture which is the only Holy Book written by the Founder(s) of its faith. That is like saying Jesus wrote the Bible, instead of Chauvinistic men 100's of years after Jesus died.

The Guru Granth Sahib, over 540 years ago stated that their were Countless Galaxies, Galileo was not born until 100 years later. Guru Nanak did not have a Telescope or vast scientific resources like Galileo did. If that is not enough & you demand Sikhs to have prophesy to be valid, then I will give you something no human not even Jesus knew, the Gurus said there are Universes upon Universes, Spheres upon Spheres. What this means is that when you reach the end of our 15 billion light years size Universe, go many times that distance into empty space, you will encounter the neighboring Universe, keep traveling and the scenario will repeat. Now the Spheres upon Spheres means that about 400 trillion Universes each the size of our one Universe make a Spherical structures called a Sphere, & that there are countless numbers of these huge Spheres each containing Trillions of Universes.

Now Mr. Hammer, your God is a God of 1 Flat Earth, 1 spiritual heaven, & 1 Spiritual Hell! The Sikh God as I mentioned above is bigger, his Earth is a Sphere, he is master of many Planets, Universes, Galaxies etc.. plus his is master of countless Physical Heavens in addition to 1 Spiritual Heaven plus countless Physical Hells in addition to 1 Spiritual Hell! So your God Mr. Hammer is quite small in power etc... How come your Bible did not mention this.

Now to give you a prophesy, in the Future your Scientists will discover that the Sikh religion was correct when Guru Nanak stated there are Universes upon Universes, then much further into the future your Scientists will eventual realize that Trillions of these Universes form a Sphere. Below is the Quote! Enjoy!

"There are worlds upon worlds, solar systems upon solar systems, galaxies upon galaxies, universes upon universes, spheres upon spheres, They function according to Command of God. God gets joy by thinking of and beholding His Creation;"

"Beyond this Earth, there are many more and more earths. What power bears their load from underneath? (Not the supposed bull, but God's Force)."

"God's One Word created the world's expansion. And lacs of rivers began to flow."

"There are nether worlds and more nether worlds below them and there are lakhs of skies over them. Limitless the worlds beneath, limitless the worlds above. One may grow weary of searching out His limits. One can never reach the end of His Vastness."

"The continents, worlds and solar system, established by God, sing His glories. God's enlightened beings steeped in the Name, who are pleasing to God, sing His praises"

"God has His seat and His storehouses in all the worlds. Whatever is stored, was put only once for all, enough forever!"

"How many Indras, moons, suns, and how many Star Systems[Surya Mandals], and stars, How many [countless], Siddh, Buddhas [like Gautama Buddha], Nath [Gurus], and how many forms and incarnations of Devi [Durga],How many Angles, Demons, Speakars of Truth[Muni], and countless Oceans having precious stones,"

My Dear brother Chris Hammers,

You say "I am very sorry to hear of your bad experience with Christianity, but don't make the mistake of throwing out the baby with the bath water."

Now listen, why do you consider my future plans of upgrading (converting) to Sikhism, as throwing out the baby with the bath water. I am not interested in converting because I had bad experience with Christianity, how could I have a bad experience when all I knew as an infant was Christianity.

My parents like you tried to discourage me from embracing Sikh ways, they said Sikhism is primitive religion. I then proved to them exactly how misguided & ignorant they were. I did this by pointing out that Christianity began 2000 years ago, it was a primitive mans attempt to understand God. So it is Christianity that is primitive, Sikhism I taught my parents is a Religion of Divine Science.

You gave some quotes from the Bible, about Stars, but the Man who wrote that had no idea that a star is a HOT SUN like our sun, not a cool pretty shiny grain of sand in the sky. Most of my relatives understand the Bible considers stars to be Gods heavenly wallpaper nothing more. Only in the Sikh religion is it clearly stated that Stars are Suns because the Granth states Suraa Mundala, meaning solar systems.

I never said a Guru is "The Supreme Being". What I said is "The First Supreme Being GURU NANAK, "The Light that Dispels the Darkness", wrote many Divine Poems describing Solar Systems."

The Sikh religion states there is only one "SAT GURU" meaning True God. When I refer to Guru Nanak as a First Supreme Being, it means Pala Mehel or First Mehel, it does not mean GOD. God is The One Supreme Being, the Gurus were one step below as Supreme Beings under the One True Supreme Being. The word GURU comes from 2 words GU & RU, GU means Light, RU means Darkness. Combined they mean "The Light That Dispels The Darkness" or simply GURU. Clearly each of the 10 Gurus were and are Supreme Beings working for God the One True Supreme Being. Guru Nanak walked the Land like Jesus, only difference is Nanak walked much further distances, infact Nanak at a minimum based on other nations historical records walked enough to circle the Earth 3 times over. But in the future I feel the distance record will increase even further, for example the nation of ITALY has villagers reporting their ancestors made company with Nanak, and the Provincial Governments of CHINA are reporting, that they had visits by Nanak, they have now proved that Nanking province And Nanaking City were named to Honor First Supreme Being Nanak.

If you read Genesis or the TORAH it has a section called "The Woman's Curse", which is a Man made Bible teaching that God punished Women because a mythical Eve gave Adam a forbidden fruit. I will give you an exact quote when time permits. This Bible chapter states that a women had monthly menstrual cycles because God has Cursed her. In Genesis it also says a Woman's Husband shall strike her in the Head. Read the Bible & the Old Testament or Torah and you will see how much hatred of woman there is in there. It talks of God wanting Woman to be submissive to Man.

I am a MD and no Bible Thumping Man tells me what to do. I told my Fiancee that I am almost sure I am converting to Sikhism & if he is unwilling to do the same, then he can hit the road. He said whatever I want he wants too. I have been teaching him many of the Khalsa Books on Sikhism, and he is impressed at the GURU's teachings.

Chris Hammers, I studied all the religions, and found all flawed, only Sikhism was able to withstand my fierce assault. I tried & Tried to find fault in Sikhism, I found NONE! When I first saw a Sikh, I thought he was a Muslim, I latter I learned that most Muslims never wear a Turban, a Sikh wears a Turban, because it Give a Free Cranial Adjustment & tells Him & everyone else that he is beneath no one and only God is above Him!

The Pro Woman aspect of Sikhism is only one of the many Divine Reasons I am planning on Upgrading to Sikhism. I find Sikhism is a very advanced Dharma for the Modern world. My current religion just has no place to meet my Modern Demands, its not like after I got my MD, some guy with a Old Testament is going to put me in the Kitchen, because some imaginary MALE GOD told him a Woman belongs in the Kitchen, HA HA! Of course I do allot of work in the Kitchen, but only when I want to cook something I Love & avoid the unhealthy restaurant food.

The Tenth Supreme Being Guru Gobind Singh, when traveling by the woods, got of his horse upon the sight of a Tobaco Plant. He then drew his Kirpan (holy Sword) and chopped it up, then with his feet he smeared it into the ground. Onlookers belonging to many different religions, asked the Tenths Supreme Being, why have you destroyed that plant? The Tenth Supreme Being replied "Alcohol will destroy one Generation, But Tobaco will destroy many generations."

Chris Hammers, as you know it was only about 4 years ago that Scientist discovered that Second hand Tobacco Smoke kills, thus destroying (damaging or killing) the fetus and destroying the lives of children & great Grand Children & friends. So because the 10th Supreme Being was in constant communications with the One True Supreme Being(Ik Onkar, Sat Nam) he had access to absolute Science. Did the Men who wrote the Holy Bible not know about Tobacco, were the not in communication with the One True Creator? Sikhism is the only Faith that forbids Tobacco in its Scriptures. Read the English Translations by SANT SINGH KHALSA, also a MD! I only hope that God will let me earn the only True Degree there is the "Degree of Divine Sikhia".

Chris it was my Medical Colleagues who during the 50's started routine Circumcision of Defenseless Babies. This was done to make extra income for medical professionals, Circumcision increases the transmission and acquiring of STD's. Plus many other problems, In my next posting I will give over 70 Scientific references proving my point. I will do this not to prove you wrong, but to prove another Sikh wrong. Chris even Jesus tried to ban Circumcision, because the practice is Satanic, no Loving God would ask anyone to chop of a very valuable pleasure producing part.

Until the past 12 years I when to Church every Sunday, now hopefully I will get to go to Gurdwara any day of the week as convenient. Instead of hearing a fiery sermon, I will get to enjoy Divine Music & Hymns!

And Chris Hammer, Only Ik Onkar or One Creators name is Precious, not a Nice Guy named Jesus. I get the impression you are a Religious Fanatic, something that the Sikh Dharm shuns. Because Fanaticism puts a wall between ones spiritual connection to One True Creator.

Sikhs don't waste time spreading Sikhism like other religions do because, one does not give away Diamonds. I am lucky I came across this True Diamond, I only hope I have the IQ it takes to follow the Super Advanced Spiritual Teachings of the "Lights that Dispel the Darkness or Gurus".

See, I am not the only one that knows a Turban gives a Cranial Adjustment. It is a law of Physics, not Indian culture. Sikhism is from the future, Indian is from the past, you can take the wayward path if you like. Your comments indicate you already made many a wrong choice. And, Jass Singh, the Gurus were & are Supreme Beings, and there is nothing you can do to hurt them or lower There power. Some other Sikh, wrote that Punjabi Sikhs are cutting their Hair and trying to blend in with western culture. Well that's their & their parents poor understanding of Divinity of Sikhism. So by dumping diamonds they don't hurt me one bit, its their loss. I as a very Modern American, know I am becoming even more Modern by adopting the Guru's (the Lights that Dispel the Darkness) teachings and way of life. If Punjabi Sikhs misbehave they loose big time. I have looked at all Religions and Sikhism is the only Dharm that can exist in its current form on any Planet in Any Universe, maybe the Punjabi Sikhs don't deserve this best of all Universal Knowledge anymore.

I wore a Kara to the last continuing medical education seminar, and some of my colleagues asked me about it. So I told them what it was and about Sikh Dharm, they showed great interest in learning more. Two of the ladies from the group asked where they could get a translation of the Sikh Holy book. Page 14 of the Khalsa Consensus Translation must be what peaked there interest! If God gave me more time, I know it would be so easy to get far more individuals interested in Sikhism! I never ever saw a Sikh of India sharing knowledge of Sikhism with a Non-Sikh. Probably a good thing in disguise, because, I have been told so much misinformation by Native Sikhs. For example some tell me Meat is good, then they justify such butchery by saying the Gurus ate it. When I ask them for proof they come up with sloppy translations. I then waste time dissecting them and find the Gurus are speaking against killing animals in those passages. For a person like myself, it is so obvious the Gurus could never condone eating meat. As meat is unhealthy & a Shameful destruction of Life Force. I quit eating meat 12 years ago, way before I even knew Sikhs existed. Thank God the Gurus wrote the Granth and not some body much latter on.

The Spiritual Strength Of Woman - The following is an article that Shanti Kaur Khalsa presented at the Women's Seminar at the World Sikh Samelan, Amritsar 1995.

BANA : The Khalsa Uniform Bana is our own flag. Bana is our nishan that states unequivocally who we are. If we have the dress and fashion of a movie star, that makes a statement as to who we are. If we wear the clothes of beggar, that also tells the world what our status is. And if we wear the bana of the Khalsa, this makes a statement of strength that cannot be ignored by the hardest of hearts. Bana is the image and dress of grace. Bana is the five K's of the Khalsa: Kesh, Kachera, Kanga, Kara, and Kirpan. Each one of these beautiful accouterments gives us strengh and beauty. Bana is a statement that says, with a look, that I belong to Guru Gobind Singh, and He belongs to me.

I belong to the Khalsa and Khalsa belongs to me as the drop of water forever merges into the ocean. Guru Gobind Singh

I would like to share with you my own story and experiences in relation to the bana of the Khalsa. When I first became a Sikh, twenty-three years ago, I had never seen an Indian Sikh woman. I knew only American Sikhs, and in fact, very few of those. But I knew that Kesh and Dastar were part of the 5-K's of Guru Gobind Singh. And I knew that Guru Gobind Singh promised:

If the Khalsa maintains the distinct path, I shall give them all my strength. But if the Khalsa leaves this path, then I will withdraw my recognition.

Guru Gobind Singh

Well, as a young woman of 18 years, full of the spirit of life and the excitement of discovering the teachings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, it never occurred to me to not wear a turban. The Khalsa of Guru Gobind Singh wore the dastar, and that was who I wanted to be. So it was with great sincerity that I tied my first turban. From the moment I put on a turban, the effect was immediate and exciting.

Physiologically speaking, the turban creates a dramatic effect on the body. The human skull is not solid, but is made up of 52 moving plates, whose alignment affects our well being and our mental processes. Osteopathic Doctors have developed a science of cranial adjustments to treat many general and specific ailments. By tying the turban, and thus creating the proper pressure and angles, the bones of the skull are automatically adjusted, and remain aligned throughout the day. In situations of mental activity or emotional stress, when the cranial bones tend to go out of proper alignment, the turban contains and maintains the integrity of the skull. This contributes greatly to our strength and ability to succeed under pressure. In addition to this, the effect of the Kesh properly combed-up and the acupressure points that the turban presses at the temple contributes to the person's ability to maintain an elevated state of mind, a higher state of consciousness. All of this was apparent to me the very first day I wore the turban of the Khalsa.

But as you can imagine, the most dramatic effect of wearing a turban is not physiological, but rather it is social. Wearing a turban is to walk the niagra path. My parents and my friends were stunned. They thought they had lost me, but of course they had not. Rather the experience of being distinct has made me more committed to the welfare of those around me, because everything I do is highlighted and examined by others.

Now that I have lived my life experiencing the benefits of the turban, I can tell you honestly that you are missing a great advantage by not doing so. I have been given the respect and the status of a spiritual woman, even when I myself have been filled with self-doubt and misgivings. This I see as Guru Gobind Singh Ji fulfilling his promise, giving me strength even when I do not have strength myself. This beautiful dastar proclaims to the entire world the I belong to Guru Gobind Singh and that is a reality I will never deny.

maya

I got this sent in email yesterday

vahegurujeekaakhalsa
vahegurujeekeefateh

Poem by a Gupt Singhanee!

The self willed manmukh feeds his panj chor,contiuously asking for more and more.
Knowing in the end the pain that awaits,yet still going out with so called mates.
Tangled in the web of maya,wanting every possible wordly desire.
Living his life like hes going to live forever,comforting himself saying ''never,never''.
Little does he know the end is so touchibly near,why is he not worried??
Not living in fear?
For what awaits him is 8.4 joon,a single rock glaring up at the moon, the unfortunate being forgot the creator,all he could do was say 'later,later'.
This it the fate that lies ahead, for those who are living,but ultimatley dead!

***

ikAw qU soieAw jwgu ieAwnw ]

kiaa thoo soeiaa jaag eiaanaa ||

Why are you asleep? Wake up, you ignorant fool!

qY jIvnu jig scu kir jwnw ]1] rhwau ]

thai jeevan jag sach kar jaanaa ||1|| rehaao ||

You believe that your life in the world is true. ||1||Pause||

***

vaheguroo...vaheguroo...vaheguroo
vaheguroo...vaheguroo
vaheguroo

vahegurujeekaakhalsa
vahegurujeekeefateh

LIVING BELOW POVERTY

Interesting post from Khalsa Aid Blog:

http://apps.khalsaaid.org/Blog/?e=19273&d=11/21/2008&s=LIVING BELOW POVERTY

I walked into a village in the Indian state of Madya Pardes and I saw a woman using a sieve to remove Insects, Stones, Soil and Leaves from a pot of water which she has just filled from the well next to her. I asked her what the water was for, she looked bemused and said it was for her family. She became very angry when I stated that the water will make her family sick if they drank it. She said they had no choice due to the village water pump regularly breaking down, so this was the only option. She has seen many people including young children become sick from drinking the polluted water but being born into dire poverty leaves the individual shackled to a life without choice.

I was invited to this region of India by the Gurmat Gian College Ludhiana who have recently built a Sikh Temple/Educational Centre near the town of Barhvah (60 KM from the city of Indore) They wanted Khalsa Aid to offer some assistance to these very poor people who have been identified as living below the poverty line by the regional minorities commission. This Temple/Centre has been built to offer education and spiritual guidance to the children in the surrounding villages.

I expected these people to be poor but not heartbreakingly poor; I was deeply moved by their hospitality and kindness in every village. I managed to visit about 10 villages in 2 days and every village had almost total lack of clean drinking water. I was also informed that during the summer months almost all the water pumps stop functioning and if it didn’t rain the wells dry up too. Its late November now and the temperature is still very warm but in the summer months it becomes unbearable and i dread the thought of these families going further and further in the searing heat to fill their water containers.

Khalsa Aid will be looking at the possible solutions to provide clean drinking water in the villages with a view to probably boring deeper down into the rock hard earth to reach good quality drinking water. This will be a costly project but a very rewarding and satisfying one for the donors who wish to offer their help to provide the most basic of needs for a human being, clean drinking water. Please please help Khalsa Aid to help these most downtrodden poor people to have clean water!

Khalsa Aid will also be looking into using a room in the new Temple as a medical facility to provide basic medical care to the poverty stricken villages. There is very little access to medical treatment in these villages so hopefully we will be able to change this. It’s a tough world for most of us but for these poor people it’s been a world of discrimination and suffering. Please donate.

Sikhi and Bhangra

The Best Musician on Earth

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa
Waheguru ji ki Fateh

pyareoo ,
some of you undoubtedly have read this jewel before,
others this may be your first time...
but somethings never wear out and are ever fresh...
for me this is one of those timeless classics
so i share it with you once more

------------ --------- --The Best Musician on
Earth------- --------- --------- ---

Taan Sain was the best musician in Emperor Akbar's court. Each evening he
would sing for the Emperor who was a lover of the arts, and who would
greatly appreciate the musician. He would shower many gifts and praises
onto the musician.

One evening, after a particularly beautiful performance by the musician, the

Emperor called Taan Sain to his palace and said, "Today you overwhelmed me.

While I was listening to you sing, a thought occurred to me and that
thought was that you are the best musician on this Earth. But as soon as
that thought had trespassed my mind, I thought about the great teacher who
must have taught you, must also be great. That's the reason I asked for
you. Pray tell me, who is your teacher and how can he or she come to this
court to perform for the Kingdom."

Taan Sain smiled and said, "Sire, my teacher is full of wonders. But I know
him enough to tell you that he will not come to this court."

The Emperor said, "Of course we will do his seva quite handsomely.. ."

Taan Sain, "With due respect, Sire, no amount of seva will bring my teacher
to your court."

This greatly intrigued the Emperor, "Surely there is a way that I could
listen to your teacher sing. If he will not come here, perhaps we can go to
him."

Taan Sain again smiled, "Sire, my teacher is carefree and he might not like
us going to him."

Emperor, "But surely, my good man, there must be a way."

Taan Sain thought a while and said, "Well, there is one way. My teacher
usually sings in the early mornings by the Ganga River. If the Raja
insists, then we must be discreet and hide nearby and listen to him at that
time."

The Emperor was a spiritual man and he did wake up at early hours of the
morning anyway, so he arranged for them to be taken to a place where Taan
Sain's teacher bathed and sang.

Both the Emperor and Taan Sain reached the river bank at 1 am and hid in
nearby bushes. As was the daily routine of Taan Sain's teacher, he came to
the river at 1.30 am, bathed and sat on the riverbank and sang.

His song was so great that it completely mesmerized the Emperor. The
Emperor could not speak or move, and just sat like a stone idol for the
entire time the teacher sang. Even after the teacher had left, the Emperor
had to be nudged from his vismad smadhi by Taan Sain.

The Emperor half dreamily walked back to the carriage that had brought them
to the riverbank. The Emperor remained in vismad for the whole ride back and
indeed, the whole day.

After that evening's performance, the Emperor summoned Taan Sain to his
palace again and said, "Taan Sain, your teacher is wonder itself. I am
very, very curious at one thing. I love your singing but if you wouldn't
mind, I would request you answer one question."

Taan Sain, "Sire, please ask this servant any question."

The Emperor, "With much due respect, I thought that you were the best on
this Earth, but your teacher far surpresses you. I do not wish to offend
you in any way, but please tell me how is this possible that your teacher's
talent is eons deeper than yours?"

Taan Sain laughed and said, "Rajan, I perform for you, he performs for God."

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

Taan Sain performed for worldly people. His teacher performed for Waheguru.

Taan Sain's song was like a rose. His teacher's song was like a bed of
freshly blossomed and fragrance-laden roses dancing in the wind.

At the hour that our overwhelmingly loving guru calls "Amrit Vela" we
perform for Waheguru. No one else.

There is no doubt that when we do seva and sing keertan at the gurudwara, we
do it sincerely and with faith. But there is always a hint of humai (ego)
hidden in our actions. When we do good keertan, we wait for someone to say,

"Wah, Wah." When we write a good speech, we expect someone to come and
praise it.

But at the time that our overwhelming- ras-filled guru calls "Amrit Vela",
there is no one there except guru. Then we please the guru and the guru
only. The guru then has the chance to splash us with the guru's overflowing
maddening prem, love, ras and jot.

The time that our very own father, mother and overwhelmingly
unconditionally- loving guru calls "Amrit Vela" is the beginning of sikhi. It
is the beginning of our path to the guru's warm and sukh-sagar bosom.

Bhai Randhir Singh jee on Amrit Vela:

"The gursikh that does naam simran at amrit vela,
is *assured* of satguru's kalaa (rang, love, intoxication, kripa etc)"

Baba Nand Singh jee:
(Upon finding out that someone will be writing his (Baba jee's) biography)

Laughing, "gursikho, imagine an almond. It has the outer shell, the brown
part we all see. Then it has a white inner part that is not seen. My life
is like that almond. The biographer will be writing about that brown outer
part - what I did, what I said - but gursikho, my *real* life, the inner
white, is from 1 am till 6 am. Nobody can possibly even imagine that life,
let alone write about it. Only I know that real life."

Baba Attar Singh jee

"A sikh should drop 10 other tasks to eat on time,
a sikh should drop 100 other tasks to do nitnem on time
and a sikh should drop 1,000 other tasks to do simran on time."

A Gursikh

"I wait desperately for amrit vela all day."

As you can see, amrit vela is *most* important aspect of sikhi. Indeed,
many an aware gursikh will tell you,

"Sikhi without amrit vela naam simran *is* not possible".

waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru.... .....

NZ's First Turbaned Sikh Police Officer performs the Haka!

Sri Bibi Harbans Kaur

Rangley Sajjan - The Imbued Ones
Bhai Sahib Bhai Randheer Singh Jee
Translated by: Bhai Jaspinder Singh Jee

Chapter 11: Sri Bibi Harbans Kaur

Here is a tribute to the great Sikh, wife of the Late devout Vir Simran Sardar Joginder Singh Ji of village Raipur. Sri Bibi Harbans Kaur Ji belonged to the ancient Gurusikh family, devoted to Faith generation after generation, from Daudpur. Her paternal uncle, Sriman Sant Hira Singh Ji, was a leading light of the Jatha. His devotion to Nam Simran and Godly love was exemplary. This young girl was born and brought up and greatly influenced by the high spirituality of her uncle. At the time of her birth saintly Bhai Hira Singh Ji prophesized that she was destined to be great devotee and her strong Sikh Faith would be worthy of emulation.

When she attained a marriageable age, as a consequence of Sant Bhai Hira Singh Ji's blessing, she got married as per the Anand Karaj rite to Sriman Bhai Joginder Singh Ji. It was indeed a great blessing that such devout spiritual seekers got united in marriage. Though their economic condition was bordering on poverty, they enjoyed enrichment of Nam Wealth. Their spiritual flourishment together was truly exemplary. Their minds got focused on pure Gurmat as soon as they got baptized. With their total reliance on the Efficacious Nam, they never cared much about worldliness. The handling of household duties of Bibi Harbans Kaur was so auspicious, that soon everything was transformed. The hard days ended with a sense of great prosperity. The talents of Bhai Joginder Singh Ji came to be recognized and rewarded by Patiala State. Though worldly riches now abounded, humility of spirit was retained. Sister Harbans Kaur Ji was the living embodiment of Gurusikh living in thought, word and deed. Her head was always adorned with a light bluish turban. She had a strong healthy body and with turbaned head she carried herself with great dignity, worthy of great devout Sikh lady.

She personally attended to all the household chores. The sound of Nam Simran became automatic all the time while attending to her normal activities. It is rare to find such faith in personal life. She would always take full head to toe bath. She followed this practice even soon after delivery of a newborn, not caring for medical advice against this. The blessing of such firm faith was, that she never suffered even a slight sickness throughout. She always eagerly looked forward to serve holy ones and her kitchen was always open for this service. She prepared food and served all by herself. The visitors were always fully satiated. This auspicious service never experienced any shortage.

She was very adept in reading the hidden meaning of actions of devotees. Once she was serving prepared food to the great spiritualist, godly Bhai Atma Singh from Moga. It so happened that suddenly Sri Bhai Atma Singh Ji went into trance and stopped eating from his plate, yet kept chewing with his mouth. His eyes were rolled back and his face shone in Divine splendor. Bhai Joginder Singh Ji was sitting close by and was perplexed with this strange goings-on. In amazement, he enquired the meaning of all this from his wife, that without taking food from his plate Bhai Atma Singh appeared to be partaking of invisible food. Bibi Harbans Kaur Ji replied, 'There is nothing to wonder. Bhai Randhir Singh is offering him morsels from Narangwal.' Hearing this, Bhai Joginder Singh noted the time of the occurrence. At that very time I was served food by my wife, Srimati Kartar Kaur at Narangwal. I had taken only a few morsels and then stopped eating even though my hands took food from the plate. My mother sitting by my side noticed this strange occurance. Puzzled by this, she enquired from Kartar kaur and explanation of this wonderment. Srimati Kartar Kaur could also read through the strange happening as Bibi Harbans Kaur could. He promptly came, 'There is nothing unusual or surprising about it. He is feeding his Sarablohia friend (sharing commonness of eating from Steel utensils) Bhai Atama Singh Ji, who is being served by sister Harbans Kaur at that house of Bhai Joginder Singh at Patiala. 'When I came out of my trance, I too noted the time. After few days Bibi Harbans Kaur, Sant Hira Singh Ji, the great devout Ascetic Bhai Atma Singh Ji and Bhai Joginder Singh Ji visited Narangwal. The mutual query was secretly answered and the events found to coincide.

Sri Bibi Harbans Kaur was such, so outstanding and assertive, that all wives of Patiala high officials and chieftains acknowledged her overpowering religious influence. The consorts of ministers and royal queens all held her in awful respect. They used to send for other ladies to the palace, but none ever dared to ask Bibi Harbans Kaur. She was without a parallel in her chastity.

Sri Bhai Joginder Singh Ji was then a member of Shromani Gurudwara Prabandak Committee (S.G.P.C). The agitation against British Rule by Akali-Panth was at its peak. Almost every member of S.G.P.C suffered imprisonment due to participation in this agitation. Bhai Joginder Singh did not have good health those days and had grown weak. However Bibi Harbans Kaur aroused his religious fervor like brave wives in Sikh history and encouraged him for the sacrifice of courting arrest and jail. However at the moment of his departure, unintentional tears came to her eyes. Bhai Joginder Singh was astonished at this and asked the reason for this show of weakness after putting up a brave front thus far. Bibi Harbans Kaur smiled and replied that the possibility of an early reunion was remote. We seem to be destined for a long separation. Sardar Joginder reassured her that he was fine now with her blessings and there was nothing to fear.

In fact Bibi Harbans Kaur had envisioned her own death, though she never revealed this to him. By the time Sardar Joginder Singh returned after his tern of imprisonment, Bibi Harbans Kaur had left for her Heavenly Abode-Eternal. He could not cope up with the pangs of separation from his faithful godly wife. His health deteriorated fast. Though Bibi Harbans Kaur completed her life sojourn successfully as the very embodiment of faith, the family left behind suffered incompletion of its household affairs. The acceptance of the Divine Will of Bhai Joginder Singh was unique in bearing this terrible loss.

Wonderful Naam

Why is it so important to remember God's Name (Nam Simran)? It seems like a pretty strange thing to do - I mean Nam Japna means saying the same Name over and over again, day and night , seven days a week for all of your life? Perhaps this will make it clearer:

The human body is like a wedding car. The mind is the chauffeur and the soul is the bride sitting in the back seat. She sat in the car thinking that she would be driven to the marriage ceremony at the tenth door (dasam duar) where God Himself would be the Husband. Then He'd take her away to Sach Khand (Realm of Truth : God's abode) and they'd be living in wedded bliss happily ever after.

But soon after sitting down, she found the chauffeur was a very cunning driver. He opened all the doors so that his 5 friends called Anger, Greed, Lust, Attachment and Pride could have their wicked way with her. She just couldn't get out and instead of driving the car to Sach Khand, he pushed it around slowly and awkwardly in any direction he wanted depending on where his 5 friends wanted to go. He just couldn't be bothered to get to the wedding at the dasam duar, not that he even knew where it was - I don't think he even had a map and none of his so-called friends knew where to go. The strange thing is that everyone in this world is pushing their cars with the bride trapped with the 5 strange thieves and no-one thinks it's strange because it's what they are used to - I mean everyone’s been doing it like that for thousands of years and they're all lost. They're number plate reads: 'M A N M U K H'.

All of a sudden a car speeds by with a chauffeur sitting in the driving seat driving normally. His number plate is 'G U R M U K H'. ManMukh stops and talks to him, 'Excuse me, why do you drive your car while others push them?'.

He replies, 'Well, I used to be a MAN-MUKH pusher like you, but I met a very spiritually gifted holy man who told me that I was driving my car all wrong. I used to love my car and I didn't like it when he said that. My car was the best car in the world. It had fluffy dice and go faster stripes. It had wheels that would bounce the car up and down; I'd even fitted a £10,000 music centre into the boot. My car was beautiful and everyone used to tell me how beautiful it was. ‘

‘The holy man then told me that if I wanted to know how to drive fast then I'd have to go to a special place called a Gurdwara-Nam-Petrol station where I'd meet the Supreme Being, called the Guru Granth Sahib jee and that if I became a disciple and promised to follow the Guru's instructions then I too could be whizzing around to my true destination. ‘

‘Of course, I didn't believe him at first and my pusher friends all laughed at the absurdity of it whoever heard of someone driving their car? They just wouldn't believe that I'd seen this 'G U R M U K H'. Anyway, I met the 'G U R M U K H' again and I went to the Gurdwara-Nam-petrol station and I saw lots of people driving really fast just like him. I was so exited, I had a tingly feeling in my stomach - I just couldn't wait to meet the Guru Granth Sahib jee.’

‘Then I drank the amrit-nectar and became a disciple. I promised I'd obey my Guru's instructions and I wouldn't do all the silly decorations that I'd done to my car. The first thing Guru jee told me was that this hole in the top of the car, called the mouth was for a special reason. He told me I'd been pouring the wrong kind of fuel in it. I'd been saying so many useless words but they weren't helping me at all. The real fuel to pour into the mouth was The Name of God: Waheguru. If I kept pouring this Nam-petrol into my car day and night then I'd have the power to reach God the Husband.’

My Guru jee also told me to sing my daily prayers so I'd I find the directions and to serve the saints so I'd get the hints and tips of their blessings. And look at me now, I'm whizzing around like nobody's business. It was hard at first, but now I'm used to it and I'll soon be at God's Door and this Divine marriage of Bliss can take place. I tell you, I can't believe I'd been such a fool for so many years. My friends still don't believe me, but I don't hang out with them anymore.’

‘Plus my Guru jee gave me this new Number plate 'G U R M U K H' it means the one who has got his face towards the Guru - I follow my Guru now, before I used have my face towards my own minds desires and cravings so I was a 'M A N M U K H'. So if you're interested in learning how to drive your car then come and meet the Supreme Being - Guru Granth Sahib jee. He'll help you just like he helped me.

manmukh? Short Story

There were two Sikhs; Jaku and Bhagta who went to see Sri Guru Nanak sahib
ji in kartapur. They asked guru ji what would be the distinguishing signs of
a manmukh - person who is a slave to the mind.

Guru ji replied the first sign of a manmukh is jealousy. It is however wrong
to assume jealously is less conspicuous in educated people. In fact, it can
become a predominant in educated people. A manmukh craves for all happiness
in this world which he has conceived in his mind, such as wealth, property,
etc. If he sees somebody's beautiful house, he suffers pang in his heart,
becomes distressful and fills himself with sorrow.

Next he thinks everyone is his enemy for no logical reason. He never thinks
of doing good deed at anytime. Then he becomes egotistic has no feeling of
sympathy or mercy for anyone in distress.

Then they ask how does this ego originate?

Guru ji says that when such a person observes somebody with less wealth or
property or who is materially in poor state, the egotistic person laughs and
ridicules the poor person instead of helping him. Then he may assume that he
is intellectually a superior person and that others are way below him in
intelligence.

Then again, such a person may make it a habit of making derogatory remarks
about others and listen to gossip about others.

A manmukh likes to praise someone who is above him in material wealth but
talks bad about someone poor and hold them in low esteem. When he hears
somebody getting praised, he gets jealous. Guru says, this attitude is not
good: getting jealous and creating enmity with a person of equal standing
and talking ill of him; telling another that he is nobody and that you are
everything; well educated and very wealthy.

Recession and redundancy: your rights

A useful article in the current climate I recived in an email.

Recession and redundancy: what are your rights if your company lets you go?

Jane Bell

With the credit crunch biting businesses and rumours spreading of a recession that could be as bad as the 70s, all of us are starting to get concerned about the future. Should an economic depression hit hard, then many of us could be in a situation where our jobs hang in the balance.

But what are your rights if your company wants to let you go? Do they need good reason and how much compensation do you deserve? Here are Lawpack's redundancy FAQs.

In what situations can my employer make me redundant?

• The business is closing down or relocating.
• Your job is unnecessary because of new technology or a new system.
• The business no longer has a need for the kind of work which you were employed for.
• Your employer needs to cut costs and so they need to reduce the number of employees.

What is the procedure?

You should be selected fairly and your employer should consult you about the redundancy. They should give you redundancy pay and the right amount of notice (which is stated in your contract). They should also consider any alternatives to making you redundant. If a method for deciding redundancies has been agreed with a trade union, your employer should follow it.

'Fair' reasons may be last one in, first one out, or they may initially ask for volunteers. They could also base it on disciplinary records or by evaluating their employees' skills, qualifications and experience.

They may select people by asking their staff to reapply for their own jobs. You should remember that this is still just a way for the employer to decide who to select for redundancy. If you decide not to apply (or are 'unsuccessful'), you're still in employment until your employer makes you redundant.

What happens if my employer offers me an alternative job?

If you decide to take an alternative job, then you have the right to a four-week trial period in a new job and if you need training for this new job, the period can be extended by written agreement. If you decide it isn't suitable, you can give notice during the trial period and this won't affect your right to statutory redundancy payment. If you haven't given notice by the end of the trial period, then your right to statutory redundancy pay ends.

Am I allowed time off for job hunting?

Yes, you're allowed a reasonable time off for interviews and training, as long as you've been working continuously for the business for two years. Your employer only has to pay you up to two fifths of a week's pay for it (e.g. if you work five days a week and take four days off in total during the whole notice period, your employer only has to pay you for the first two days).

What can I do if I've been offered a new job before my notice expires?

Try and negotiate with your employer for early release without losing your redundancy pay, as employers will often try to make such arrangements. If they say they cannot let you leave early (e.g. they need you to finish a project), you can give them 'a written counter notice', which states when you would like to finish. They should then write back to you to let you know whether they accept your offer. If you do decide to leave early without their permission, then you may risk losing some, or all, of your redundancy pay.

What should I do if I feel that I have been unfairly selected?

Write to your employer outlining why you believe the decision to be unfair and explain how you would like the situation to be rectified. If they do not heed your complaint, you can then appeal against the decision to an employment tribunal. The redundancy procedure will be definitely unfair it it's discriminatory; for example, because you're on maternity leave.

Am I entitled to compensation?

You're entitled to a statutory redundancy payment if you're over 18 and have had at least two years' service at the company. It's also due if your fixed-term contract of two years or more expires and the company doesn't renew it because of redundancy.

How is the payment calculated?

It's calculated by the company considering your age, your length of service at the company and your gross average weekly wage. Each completed year of service, up to a maximum of 20 after the age of 18, counts for payment on the following scale (with the maximum of £330 for a week's pay):

• If you're over 18 and below 22, half a week's pay.
• If you're between 22 and 41, one week's pay.
• If you're over 41, one and a half week's pay.

Statutory redundancy pay isn't taxable.

What can I do if I haven't received the right amount of compensation?

Your employer will normally pay you either on the last day of your notice period or shortly afterwards, or on your next pay day. If you haven't been paid, or you don't think it's enough, you should write to your employer explaining the problem. They should then give you a written statement outlining how the payment has been calculated.

If this doesn't work, you can raise a complaint with an employment tribunal, but a claim must be made within six months of you receiving the payment. This time limit can be extended for a further six months, if it has been approved by the employment tribunal.

If the company has gone insolvent and can't pay you, then you may be able to get the money from the government.

Are there any situations where I wouldn't be offered compensation?

You're not entitled to Statutory Redundancy Payment if, before the existing job ends, your employer offers you (verbally or in writing) employment on the same terms or suitable alternative work, beginning within four weeks of the ending of the original employment. If you unreasonably refuse such an offer, or during a trial period for the new job (which you can opt for) you unreasonably terminate such employment, you lose the right to receive the payment.

Where can I get further advice?

If you need more information, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) can help. You can get free and confidential advice on employment issues by calling their helpline on 0845 747 4747.

Can We Take The 5ks Off?

Question : Should the 5 Kakars be kept with you during sleep and head covered during sleep?

When Guru Gobind Singh Jee stood infront of the ocean of Sikhs holding the mighty curved sri sahib above his head asking for a head, he created an army called the Khalsa. Khalsa Akal Purakh Kee Fauj.

But this army of khalsa soldiers was not merely fighting the battle against Moghuls, Hill Rajas and thieves and bandits. These Khalsa warriors had the more important life of death struggle against the 5 enemies inside them to fight as well.

Every army has its code of conduct, reporting structure and uniform. All these items maintain discipline within each warrior and unite each individual with one another into an army. Like one finger is weak, but a 4 fingers and a thumb combine into a fist.

The external uniform is the 5Ks and a covered head, if every Khalsa soldier wears the same uniform then they are united like a fist. A soldier in any other army will go to his bed at night and remove his uniform. His daily external battle is over, he can relax for the night.

The Khalsa warrior on the other hand has no time to rest. The 5 enemies never sleep, they dont allow the Khalsa warrior the luxury of relaxing for the night and then resuming the battle at sunrise.

If the 5 enemies don't get tired of attacking us, then the Khalsa doesn't get tired of fighting them. I can't be in the warrior frame of mind if I'm not wearing my Khalsa Uniform. My discipline has gone, my defences are down, the front door is open for the 5 enemies to conquor me in my dreams and in my bed.

Visar Nahee Datar Apanay Naam Deho
Gun gava din raat Nanak Chao eho.

Never Forget me Giver, Give me your naam
May I sing your praises day and NIGHT this is Nanak's desire.

Being Khalsa is not a day job - it's my life, every moment I am tested...night and day I have to think did I remember naam or did the 5 enemies get the better of me?

So it is not acceptable for a Khalsa warrior to let their defences down by removing the 5K uniform and uncovering their head at night.

random thought

It is the individual only who is timeless. Societies, cultures, and civilizations --past and present --are often incomprehensible to outsiders, but the individual's hungers, anxieties, dreams, and preoccupations have remained unchanged through the millennia.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American philosopher and author.

Monks pray over NY museum

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7624049.stm

Interesting info about Buddhist monks and museum being held in New York.

Khalsa Camp 2008

Went to Khalsa Camp last week. Fantastic camp, great sangat, seva, simran, and kirtan.

over 100 pics on flickr, some highlights below. http://www.flickr.com/photos/rskhalsa/sets/72157607105693496/

Bhai Bhupinder Singh and Jaskeerath Singh drinking to much milk!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rskhalsa/2829045756/

13 year old Singh passes Panjabi Language AS Level

13 year old Singh passes Panjabi Language AS Level

Friday 22nd of August 2008

Panthic Weekly News Bureau

Jagdeep Singh taking Hukamnama from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

London, UK (KP) - This week a 13 year old UK born Amritdhari Singh from North London became one of the youngest students to pass Panjabi Language AS Level in England. The AS level examination is the first year of the A Level examination normally taken by 17 year olds.

Jagdeep Singh, a student of the Compton School in Barnet, previously passed a GCSE in Panjabi Language with a grade A, aged 11.

Young Jagdeep is said to be happy with the result and looking forward to his other examinations in the near future. Last weekend, the young and talented devout Sikh boy was recommended to The Royal Institution of Great Britain for Mathematic masterclasses for Young People.

Jagdeep Singh and elder brother Ravjeet Singh

Commenting on Jagdeep's achievement, Ravjeet Singh, his elder brother, said: “Jagdeep Singh has worked very hard for his AS level whilst practicing his faith as a devout Sikh. He has proven again that children can achieve at a younger age with Waheguru’s Grace and if given the opportunity.”

Jagdeep Singh is also learning Kirtan and this year started his first Sehaj Paatth of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. His ambition is to be a faithful practicing Sikh and make his family and community proud.

http://www.panthic.org/news/124/ARTICLE/4310/2008-08-22.html

AM I NORMAL ?

AM I NORMAL ?
by Gurpreet Singh

Who wants to be normal ?
Was Guru Nanak Dev Ji normal when he walked 82,000 miles ?
Was Guru Gobind Singh ji normal when he asked for a head ?
Were any of the martyrs normal, choosing death than living like slaves ?
No, the devotees of God are not normal they are madly and deeply in love with God while the whole world thinks they are insane ...

When Guru Nanak Maharaj appeared from the river after three days, all soaked and with messy hair, people called him many things as guru nanak dev ji himself writes:

"Some call him a ghost; some say that he is a demon.
Some call him a mere mortal; O, poor Nanak! 1
Crazy Nanak has gone insane, after his Lord, the King.
I know of none other than the Lord. 1Pause" (SGGS jeeo-991)

So on this path to being a Gurmukh, forget about what the world thinks of you, forget about being normal, forget about fiiting in with society, think only of loving God, the Wondrous Creator and go where God takes you

Everyday is new,
every day my Master is New .. "sahib mera nit navaa"
every moment is wondrous,
every second something amazing is happening in the universe.

God is not just the Creator,
God is Karta Purakh...the Creative Being...
God is still the Master Artist
still creating ,
still being young and fresh
brilliant and beautiful,
if being normal means being bored ,
being stuck in another rut ,
then that God is not.

Being in love with God is exciting every day,
everday the love increases
everyday God calls me closer,
everyday the spiritual sun shines
brighter in my heart.

Don't be normal
be different
be in love with God
by loving the Name of your Beloved
swing your arms in joy

"Nanak says: swing your arms in joy!" (SGGS jeeo-22)

smile and laugh
while singing the Name of your Beloved
You are God's and God is Yours !

God says, "If you reform yourself, you shall meet me, and meeting me, you shall be at peace.
O Fareed, if you will be mine, the whole world will be yours."95 (SGGS jeeo-1382)

Khalsa are known to live like shooting stars, sometimes short-lived but always bright, wonderous, energetic and are an awe-inspiring spectacle for the world

Thank WAHEGURU jeeo you are not normal, you are Magnificent !

Source: http://www.sikhlionz.com/aminormal.htm

Sikh Ethnic Monitoring. A Scottish Step Backwards?

I have just been made aware of the fact that the Scottish Census has now deleted Sikhs as a separate ethnicity option. The Scottish executive has apparently redesigned its census putting consideration on ethnicity. It has introduced the option of being described as Scottish Indian/Pakistani etc BUT at the same time it has been reported to have deleted Sikhs as a separate ethnic group.

Surely this is a step back? While Sikhs are lobbying Houses of Parliament for separate ethnic monitoring and a change in census in England and Wales, Scotland on the other hand goes the exact opposite direction removing Sikh ethnicity option.

I find it astonishing firstly that if the Scottish census was able to recognise Sikhs as a separate ethnicity and have a separate tick box yet Sikh groups such as Sikh Federation UK, etc have to mount intensive lobbying campaigns of government just to get the census in England and Wales changed to do the same.

Regarding the removal of the Sikh ethnicity option in Scotland, Sikhs need to contact the Scottish Executive for clarification as to why they have done this followed by intensive campaign if needed to get it reversed as soon as possible.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/07/29095058/7

Dubidha

From an email:

A hermit was meditating by a river when a young man interrupted him. 'Master, I wish to become your disciple,' said the man. 'Why?' replied the hermit. The young man thought for a moment. 'Because I want to find God.'

The master jumped up, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, dragged him into the river, and plunged his head under water. After holding him there for a minute, with him kicking and struggling to free himself, the master finally pulled him up out of the river. The young man coughed up water and gasped to get his breath. When he eventually quieted down, the master spoke. 'Tell me, what did you want most of all when you were under water.'

'Air!' answered the man.

'Very well,' said the master. 'Go home and come back to me when you want God as much as you just wanted air.'

Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk

glNØI AsI cMgIAw AwcwrI burIAwh ]

gala(n)aee asee cha(n)geeaa aachaaree bureeaah ||

We are good at talking, but our actions are bad.

mnhu kusuDw kwlIAw bwhir ictvIAwh ]

manahu kusudhhaa kaaleeaa baahar chittaveeaah ||

Mentally, we are impure and black, but outwardly, we appear white.

http://www.sikhitothemax.com/page.asp?ShabadID=220

Simran

Hair

VaahegurooJeeKaaKhalsaa
VaahegurooJeeKeeFaateeh

An excellent read if you really want to know the importance of Kes!

VaahegurooJeeKaaKhalsaa
VaahegurooJeeKeeFaateeh

Through naked eyes, a real experience;



Sikhi was never of any importance to me. I was still young, and always believed it was something that people did in their fifty's to pass time. I wanted to 'live life to the fullest,' and that wasn't possible if I was living the lifestyle of a Sikh. I didn't care to understand the concept of God, or why people had so much faith in Him. All I cared about was looking good, and having as much fun as I could before I got married (I knew my parents would marry me off to a Sikh). If I was to get into Sikhi it would be a lot later in my life.

I had just turned 22, and because I had finished my degree and was able to support myself, I thought it was time that I went my own way. I had been under the control of my parents all of my life and although I respected that they were devoted to Sikhi, I knew that it wasn't what I wanted in my life.

I had been thinking about getting my hair trimmed for a while. I was getting sick of putting my hair up in a bun. My eyebrows took after my Pitha Jee, bushy as can be, and I couldn't wait to get those plucked.

I didn't tell my parents since I felt I was old enough to make my own decisions. I knew it was a bit selfish of me to go behind their backs, but I didn't think too much of it.

I went into the shop and got my hair trimmed a couple of centimeters and had my eyebrows shaped. There was a look of accomplishment when I looked at myself in the mirror for the first time. The reflection showed a new person, it was the person I always wanted to be.

'Freedom!' I remember thinking to myself.

I drove up into the garage of the house I had lived in for the last ten years of my life, and hoped that it would recognize me. As I walked into the house, I could feel my heart beating rapidly. My parents were in the kitchen so I walked in hastily, said my hello's and headed into my room.

I didn't stay long enough in the kitchen to see my parents' reactions. Matha Jee had just looked up at me when I left and Pitha Jee was too absorbed reading the Punjabi newspaper.

I could hear murmurs coming from the living room. And then for a couple of minutes they stopped. My heart was beating so fast.

'Simran?' I could hear my mom calling for me.

At first I didn't want to answer.

'Hunjee Matha Jee?' I whispered back hoping she wouldn't hear me.

'Can you come downstairs please?'

'Okay, I'll be there in a minute.'

I started feeling guilty for cutting my hair but kept my composure and walked down the hall towards the living room.

My parents were sitting cross legged on the rug, holding gutkay in their hands. My mom looked up at me and handed me a gutka and then nodded her head downwards (her way of telling me to sit down).

It was the first time since I can remember that my parents called me to do paat with them. At first I wanted to get up and tell them I had work to do but then I just felt relieved that they weren't yelling at me, so I sat down beside my mom and read along with Reharaas.

Reharaas was finally over, and by this time I was yawning and just wanted to go to bed. We all got up to do ardaas. Pitha Jee did it. Although I didn't care for Sikhi, ardaas was the one aspect of Sikhi that meant something to me so I actually listened to the ardaas.

Pitha Jee came to the end of the ardaas. He did ardaas for Reharaas and then in a calm loving tone he asked, 'Guru Sahib Jee, please bless our daughter with a Gursikhi life.'

Matha Jee was sobbing. I wanted to cry as well, not because I felt guilty but because I was hurt. Why would they do that to me? They could have done ardaas on their own time.

I didn't sleep that whole night. Pitha Jee's words kept running through my head no matter how high I turned up the radio.

Two months had gone by. I kept my distance from my parents and even when Matha Jee tried to talk to me I gave her one word answers. Although two months had passed, I could still hear Pitha Jee's voice from that night. His ardaas was straight from his heart and I was afraid that it would come true. I had even done ardaas to undo the ardaas he did.

That night my good friend was having a keertan at the Gurudwara. I never liked going to anyone's programs, especially if they were at the Gurudwara, but that day I kept getting this push from inside to go.

I arrived at the Gurudwara early and after failing to find someone I knew I proceeded towards the main darbar hall. I took a glance at Guru Granth Sahib Jee to make sure I was walking in the right direction. As I looked down at the ground I felt warmth take over my body. I felt calm. The vision of Guru Granth Sahib Jee covered with royal blue ramalay was grounded in my mind. I stood still for a moment and embraced the vision in my heart. Everything around me slowly disappeared.

I took a step forward and then another, until I had reached the end. I looked up at the Guru. My mind was silenced in admiration of the beauty that was in front of me. I once again remembered Pitha Jee's ardaas and started to shed tears. Kneeling down to matha taake I could hear Pitha Jee's words so clearly, 'Guru Sahib Jee please bless our daughter with a Gursikhi life.'

The moment my forehead touched the Guru's Charan I could hear whispers in my ear. I was trying to listen to what was being said but I couldn't make out the words. I concentrated and tried again to listen to the sounds.

'Vahe-Guroo. Vahe-Guroo. Vahe-Guroo...'

At that time I didn't know what to think of the moment. But, with the energy I had left I got up and sat in the Sangath. Time had vanished. My eyes were tightly fastened together and my mind was still. A soft white filled the room and I could hear more voices repeating 'Vahe-Guroo.' I absorbed myself in the moment.

Some time had gone by and I could see two figures appear in the distance. They were too far away for me to see if they were male or female but I could see that one was shorter than the other. I couldn't see any details because the colours were meshed into one blur consisting of black, red and a pale brown. I tried to focus on the two figures hoping that I could piece together who they were.

The two figures had vanished and then for a split second materialized again and this time I could see them clearly.

That was the day that my Pitha Jee's ardaas had been answered. I took Amrit a week later. Every night in my ardaas I ask that everyone be blessed with a Gursikhi life.

There are still days that go by when I feel distant from Sikhi. But, when those days come, I think back to the day when Guru Sahib Jee, with my naked eyes, showed me the Piyaar in the face of Bhai Taru Singh Jee as his scalp was being cut away from his body.

near-death

I just got this email:

I remember talking to a doctor who worked in a London hospital some years ago. As part of hospital doctor duties; you are asked to certify patient deaths. He says one of the nurses asked him to come up and certify a patient that had passed away. The curtains were drawn on the bay as per protocol. When he opened the curtains to go in he saw something lift out of the body and fly past him. This chap is an atheist and didnt know what to make of it.

Nurse writes book on near-death

Penny Sartori said some people recalled meeting dead relatives

An intensive care nurse from Swansea has published an academic book about near death experiences following 10 years of research. Penny Sartori, who works at Singleton and Morriston Hospitals in Swansea, has 15 accounts, mainly from heart attack patients, of near-death experiences.

They include out-of-body occurrences, reports of a tunnel leading to a bright light and meeting dead loved ones.

The book, costing £85, is intended for academic study and college libraries.

Ms Sartori decided to launch her formal study in 1998 after working closely with critically-ill patients throughout the 1990s and discovering there was very little reference data available for nurses and other healthcare workers.

She spent five years compiling the study, three years writing it up and two years preparing it for publication. The book is called Near Death Experiences of Hospitalized Intensive Care Patients, a Five Year Clinical Study.

She found that people who went through out-of-body experiences floated above themselves and were able to accurately recount what had happened in the room even though they were unconscious and their eyes were closed.

"People also reported travelling down a tunnel towards a bright light," she said.

"Some reported meeting a figure who told them their time had not yet come, and others said they met dead relatives and communicated with them by telepathy."

Some patients reported having their entire lives flash by them in an instant

Penny Sartori

In another case a patient reported encountering a dead relative who gave a message to pass on to another member of the family who was still alive.

Ms Sartori said the information had stunned the receiver because it had been a secret and it was impossible the patient had prior knowledge of it.

Near-death experiences were typically often explained away as the effect of endorphins, abnormal blood gases or low oxygen levels, she said.

However, the study measured these and took them into account when researching the patients' reports.

"All the current sceptical arguments against near-death experiences were not supported by the research," she said.

In one case a critically-ill patient, who also had cerebral palsy, awoke from a near-death experience able to use his right arm normally, even though it had been bent and contracted since birth.

"It shouldn't have been possible without an operation to release his tendons, but he could open his arm freely," said Ms Sartori.

Some patients reported floating back into their bodies after nearly dying, and for others it was a sudden snap back.

"Some patients reported having their entire lives flash by them in an instant," she said.

Private theory

While she found 15 patients reporting near-death experiences, Ms Sartori believes it could be more common but that some patients' ability to recall the event fails shortly after they pass the critical episode and regain consciousness, like a dreamer forgets a dream.

She now intends to continue her research into the phenomenon and is developing a private theory, not included in her book, about what could be happening to these patients.

"I don't think it's quite as simple as life after death," she said.

"It's what consciousness is and how we define it. We are entering an exciting time researching consciousness.

"Current science says it is a by-product of the brain. But it may be that consciousness is around us and the brain might be a mediator, an antenna, instead of controlling consciousness.

"It is a fascinating subject and I'm looking forward to continuing my research," she added.