Gurdwara Shri Guru Kalgidhar Sahib:Largest Sikh temple in Continental Europe in Cremona,Italy!

On demand,some more photos of Gurduwara Sri Guru Kalgidhar Sahib which is Europe's Biggest Gurdwara situated in Cremona,Italy. Giorgio Mantovani is a designer of this beautiful Gurdwara.







With Special thanks:
Taranjit Singh,Manjot Singh,Dilbagh Singh & Sukhvinder kaur(Cremona,Italy).

Dr. Gurdeep Kaur
University of Milan
Italy
Associate Professor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi
New Delhi
INDIA

Gurmat Samagam : Sri Guru Nanak Sewak Jatha

SikhsIndia
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
www.sohnijodi.com
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com
www.RWABhagidari.com

He found his calling in turban tying

LUDHIANA: Jagtar Singh Jaggi is no ordinary professional. He earns his livelihood by tying turbans, which not many professionals in city would have thought of.

He runs a shop " Jaggi Turban Training Centre" in Brown Road area where he ties turbansfor his Sikh clients and also trains people in the art.

On asking what made him thought of this profession, says Jaggi, "I used to run a hosiery shop in Dhuri Line area. In 2004, a customer,Jaswinder Singh, who used to get his turban tied by me, told me that I am very good at the art. That was the first time I thought of exploring this as an option to earn livelihood."

During normal days, he gets about 20-50 customers, which include industrialists, businessmen, doctors, engineers, transporters, students and others. During wedding season, the number goes up to 50-80.

Jaggi says, "It takes me about 5-8 minutes to tie a turban. I do it in various styles, including Niku style (8.5 meters long), Grewaal style (8 meters), Daljit style (6.5 meters), Patiala Shahi(7.5 meters), NRI style (5.5 meters), American style and African."

with thanks : Times of India : link above for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com

www.sohnijodi.com

www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

www.RWABhagidari.com

Rare Sikh memorabilia to go under hammer in UK today

SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE                                           Shyam Bhatia in London

A controversial 1854 memorandum to Maharaja Dalip Singh that tells of his duties as a Christian, including the need to nominate a Christian heir, is being offered for auction tomorrow (Thursday) in the UK. The author of the hand written memorandum is Sir John Spencer Login, who was appointed by the East India Company as guardian to the young and inexperienced heir of Ranjit Singh, shortly after he was deposed by the British in 1849.

Some memorabilia related to Maharaja Ranjit Singh (in pic) also to be auctioned; and (right) German prayer book given to Dalip Singh.

Born in 1838, Dalip Singh was Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s youngest son. Following the infighting after Ranjit Singh’s death in 1839, Dalip Singh was crowned in 1843, deposed in 1849, converted to Christianity in 1853 and exiled to the UK in 1854.

The fabulous Kohinoor diamond, part of his inheritance from Ranjit Singh, was taken from him and given to Queen Victoria. Nothwithstanding the efforts of the British authorities at the time, Dalip Singh responded to the call of his Sikh roots some 33 years later. Helped by his cousin, Sardar Thakar Singh Sandhawalia, he returned to the Sikh fold in 1886 in the port of Aden during an unsuccessful attempt to return to India and the Punjab.

Login’s memorandum is a timely reminder of the enormous efforts to brainwash Dalip Singh as part of a larger plan to prevent him from reclaiming his once powerful and extremely wealthy kingdom.

It was a measure of the Punjab’s importance (both strategically and financially) that when Login retired a few years later he was granted an annual pension of £300, which today would be worth £800,000 pounds (nearly Rs 6.5 crores) per year. The memorandum is part of a larger collection of Sikh, Punjabi and other Indian memorabilia that is being sold by Mullock’s auctioneers in the English county of Shropshire.

Among them is a German prayer book foisted on the young Maharaja, as part of the relentless efforts by the colonial powers to persuade him to give up his religion, roots and homeland.

Other items put up for sale include 19th century maps of the Punjab, assorted prints of the Golden Temple, a seated statue of Ranjit Singh, a drawing of Guru Har Krishan, a pen and ink sketch of Guru Gobind Singh and a print of Shaheed Bhagat Singh who was hanged for his revolutionary activities in 1931. Some other objects of interest include a gold mohur - known as a Nanakshahi - minted in the last 10 years of Ranjit Singh’s reign.

with thanks : Tribune : link above for more detailed news.

Sikh Pilgrims: Hundreds of yatris arrive in Shakargarh

SIALKOT: 

Hundreds of Sikh pilgrims from the USA, India, England, Malaysia, Canada, Australia and Germany visited the Darbar Sahib Guru Nanak in Kartarpur, Shakargarh amid tight security on Wednesday evening.

According to security officials, Darbar Seva-Das in-charge Sardar Gobind Singh told reporters that the visiting Sikh pilgrims participated in celebrations held in connection with the 542nd birth anniversary of Baba Jee Guru Nanak Dev Jee.

“There were hundreds of pilgrims and the event went off without a hitch.

The yatrees performed religious rites and also attended a special prayer ceremony following the event,” he said.

Sardar Gobind Singh told reporters that the yatrees also took “Ashnan” there and distributed sweets among the local people. Some Sikh pilgrims also spoke about their pre-partition memories by visiting their native houses in Zafarwal, Shakargarh and other surrounding areas in the district.

The yatrees also exchanged gifts with the local people and dozens of local residents came to the gurdawara to greet them and wish them well for the remainder of their stay in Pakistan.

with thanks : Tribune PK

Sikh clergy hail Anand Marriage Act

AMRITSAR: The Sikh community has hailed Union law minister Salman Khurshid's statement regarding implementation of the Anand Marriage Act (Sikh's separate marriage Act) in the near future.

Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh said, "I appreciate Khurshid's gesture as it is acknowledgment of Sikh's separate identity". He said the law minister should now ensure that the Anand Marriage Act is implemented without delay.

with thanks : times of India : link above.

Gilani proposes plan for establishing university named after Guru Nanak

LAHORE: 

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani discussed the establishment of a university named after Guru Nanak in a bid to empower minority communities in the country.

The idea was discussed in a meeting between the prime minister and pilgrims of the Sikh community in Lahore.

Prominent at the gathering was the topic of the establishment of a university in Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of founder of the Sikh faith, Guru Nanak.

Dr Pritpal Singh, Convener of the American Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, expressed his pleasure at the enthusiasm shown by Gilani to set things in motion for the university.

The American Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee is an organisation that looks after Sikh places of worship.

The work on the university is slated to be arranged by the Evacuee Trust Property Board, the organisation that looks after the affairs of minority properties and places of worship in Pakistan.

with thanks : Tribune pak : link above.