Sikhs India - Online Sikh News Channel

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Friday, December 31, 2010

I wish you Health... So you may enjoy each day in comfort.
I wish you the Love of friends and family... And Peace within your heart.
I wish you the Beauty of nature... That you may enjoy the work of God.
I wish you Wisdom to choose priorities.For those things that really matter in life
I wish you Generosity so you may share... All good things that come to you.
I wish you Happiness and Joy... And Blessings for the New Year.
I wish you the best of everything... That you so well deserve.
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011
With Best Regards
B S Vohra
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
www.sohnijodi.com

Rebel Queen – a thorn in the crown

The film Rebel Queen tells the remarkable story of the last Sikh ruler of Lahore – a fearless Maharani who waged two wars against British rule in India. She is an inspiring figure for young Asian women today.

An Indian woman wearing a crinoline over her traditional clothes, and emeralds and pearls under her bonnet, walks in Kensington Gardens in 1861. She is the last Sikh queen of Lahore, the capital of the Punjab empire, and her name is Jindan Kaur. She died two years later, in 1863, and was buried in west London.

Maharani Jindan Kaur's life – much of which was spent raging against the British empire for cheating her out of the Punjab, then a vast country stretching from the Khyber Pass to Kashmir – is the subject of a film called Rebel Queen, which premiered at New York's International Sikh film festival and is set to be shown in the UK in February.

Her revolt began when her husband, the last Maharaja of the Punjab, died of a stroke in 1839 and the British tried to wrest the kingdom from the heir to the throne, her infant son, Duleep Singh. During her rule as regent, Jindan waged two disastrous wars against the British that led to the annexation of the Punjab. She may have made huge strategic errors due to her military inexperience and young age (she was in her early 20s), but Jindan was a fierce ruler. British historian Peter Bance describes her as a "very gutsy woman". "She stood her ground against the British . . . she actively took charge of the Punjab."

with thanks : guardian : link above for detailed news report.

SikhsIndia

Sikh pilgrimage train reaches its first destination

Anandpur Sahib, December 30

The Sikh pilgrimage train reached its first destination Anandpur Sahib an hour before its scheduled time at 7 am today.

On board, 88 passengers from an eight-month-old girl to 75-year-old elderly carried an infectious enthusiasm. Travelling in five-star facilities, they paid obeisance at Takht Keshgarh Sahib. Against the capacity of 80, 88 passengers are on board, who are from the USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France and India.

The train belongs to the Maharashtra Government, which had sent the train unoccupied from Mumbai to Delhi.

The CEO (The Luxury Holidays), Sajive Trehan, said the train was being run on the pattern of Palace on Wheels, wherein passengers’ comfort was the prime factor.

“I always wanted to run a train for the five Takhts on the pattern of Palace on Wheels. I met Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal at New York, where he agreed to the proposal. With the help of the Punjab Government, this Shan-e-Khalsa train chugged out on its maiden visit,” Sajive said.

with thanks : sikhsangat : link above for detailed report.

SikhsIndia

Luxury Sikh pilgrimage train departs from New Delhi

A luxury train covering the spiritual odyssey including the five Takhts (temporal seats) of Sikhs was flagged off from New Delhi.

The nine-day journey costs between rupees 210,000 to 450,000 per person. Despite the hefty fare, the first trip of the train witnessed full booking for all the 80 seats.

Many Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and foreign nationals from US, Canada, Germany and France boarded the train along with a good number of passengers from India.

Christened as 'A Spiritual Journey to the Gurus' Abode', it will cover the five Takhts (temporal seats) of Sikhs including Takht Keshgarh Sahib, Akal Takht, Takht Damdama Sahib, Takht Hazoor Sahib, Takht Patna Sahib.

Most of the journey and stay of the passengers will be on the luxury train apart from the section between Mumbai and Patna and the return from Patna to Delhi that would be covered by air.

Former Chairperson of National Commission for Minorities, Trilochan Singh, said the train is a welcome initiative that will boost tourism in the country.

"This is the first time that a luxury train in India has been especially organised for the tour of all the Sikh pilgrimage centres. The Sikh community has five seats (Takhts) which are called the highest seats of Sikh religion viz. Anantpur Sahib, Amritsar, Damdama Sahib, Hazoor Sahib Nanded and Patna Sahib," said Trilochan Singh.

with thanks : SIFY : ANI : TRIBUNE : link above for detailed news report.

SikhsIndia