Thursday, October 7, 2010

Sikh Museum set to open this weekend

Khalsa Darbar are putting the finishing touches to Canada's first multimedia Sikh museum.

The museum, said to be the first of its kind outside India, opens its doors to the public this Sunday, Oct 10, at its Dixie/Derry Roads location.

The brainchild of British Columbia author Dr Raghbir Singh Bains, the museum will house more than 50,000 pages of text in various languages, thousands of pictures, audio, video and animation, as per Surrey-based newspaper The South Asian Link.

According to his online biography, Bains "produced and programmed the Multimedia Sikh Museum in India, the first of its kind in the world, using new technology to make it easily accessible and interactive for all."

The museum in Mississauga will will cover the history and culture of the Sikh religion, Bains earlier told Surrey-based The South Asian Link.

with thanks : southasianfocus : link in headline for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

Priyanka & Robert visit Golden Temple, listen to Gurbani for a while


















Amritsar : B
efore President Pratibha Patil paid a visit to the Golden Temple on Wednesday, the Sikh shrine had another set of high-profile visitors. They were Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, daughter of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, her husband Robert Vadra and their children who paid obeisance in the morning.

The family had arrived in the city on Tuesday evening and checked into a hotel after watching the Retreat Ceremony at Wagah-Attari border check post. Their visit was kept a closely guarded secret and they did not speak to the media who surrounded them at the Golden temple

complex.Priyanka said it was a personal visit that they had been planning for a long time. The Vadras took a ‘parikarama of the shrine and paid obeisance at the Akal Takht. They also listened to Gurbani for some time inside the Darbar Sahib.

with thanks : expressindia : link in headline above. pic with thanks : DNAINDIA

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Prince Charles leaves behind impressions of his love for Punjab and Sikhs

FATEHGARH SAHIB: Prince Charles who visited Punjab for the second time on Monday, during his previous visit in 2006 and on several other occasions went overboard to shower praises for Sikhs, Punjab farmers and contribution of the border state in the green revolution of India.

Having special love for farmer community, Prince Charles see a great future for organic farming in Punjab. During both visits his main emphasis remained wooing farmers for organic farming.

When this correspondent accessed the official website of Prince Charles, in his speech delivered during the function of Consumer Goods Forum, London on June 23, 2010 he is quoted saying, “ we need to look at the way we use water, for instance. The World Bank has reported that in the Punjab over sixty per cent of groundwater is now being overdrawn by farmers. I have been there; I have seen it. Punjabi farmers now have to dig expensive bore holes over 200 feet deep to get at what remains of the water and, as a result, their debts are becoming ever deeper too – so is the salt contamination of their soil… This is why I started an initiative some four years ago to try and help a number of Punjabi farmers to convert to a more genuinely durable, sustainable organic system and to develop added value markets for their produce.”

with thanks : punjabnewsline :gurpreetsinghmehak : link in headline above for detailed news. Pic newsfeed.time with thanks.

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Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Shorn hair among Sikh youth irresponsible: Ex-Jathedar

The local chapter of the Global Sikh Brotherhood (GSB) held a seminar on the issue of “Sikh identity in the present adversities” at a gurdwara in Phase X on Tuesday. Former jathedar of Akal Takht Prof Manjit Singh was the chief guest and founder chief of the GSB Hardeep Singh, who is also local SGPC member, presided over the function.

Discussing the importance of keeping unshorn hair in Sikhism, various speakers termed it in accordance with nature and ethics of the religion. Prof Manjit Singh, in his lecture, said, “The reasons of declining acceptability of keeping unshorn hair among youth is the result of our irresponsible attitude. We, the parents, Sikh religious institutions and academic centres must accept that we are lacking somewhere in performing our duty of creating the awareness and required atmosphere”.

with thanks : IndianExpress : link in headline for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

Sikh human chain protects the President

Sikhs formed a human chair to protect the President Pratibha Patil as she and her family made the serene experience in the tranquillity offered in Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple) the Sikh Holiest Shrine.

This is the Presidents first visit to the Holy Sikh Shrine; she paid homage to the Holy Sikh Scriptures, Guru Granth Sahib.

The entourage that accompanied the VIP visit included Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, Bathinda MP and Sukhbir Badal's wife Harsimrat Badal and other dignitaries accompanied the president during her maiden visit to the Sikh shrine.

According to Sikh traditions the president was given a 'Siropa' (religious gift blessed by Guru Granth Sahib) by the Granthi (priests)

During the visit the President will plant trees and attend a function that will address the growing concern of female foeticide destruction by Punjabi women.

with thanks : emgonline : link in headline.

SikhsIndia


Tuesday, October 5, 2010

CBI's case against Sajjan suffers setback as witness turns hostile

CBI's case against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riot case today suffered a setback in a Delhi court as a prosecution witness in the trial against him turned hostile, claiming he had not given shelter to one of the victims during the riots. "It is incorrect to suggest that Jagsher Singh alias Golu had also taken shelter in my house during that period or that I stated so in my statement (before CBI)," Ram Avtar Sharma, prosecution witness, told Additional Sessions Judge Sunita Gupta.

"Had he taken shelter in my house, then I must have mentioned this fact in my statement because he was known to me," the witness added "voluntarily".

In his cross-examination by CBI, Sharma, 49, testified that he was not making a false statement under pressure from Kumar. "It is incorrect to suggest that I have been pressurised by accused Kumar to resile from my statement.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : link in headline above for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

Monday, October 4, 2010

CWG : Deh shiva bar mohe ehe.....

































































Common wealth Games in Delhi were inaugurated yesterday amidst the Military band playing : Deh Shiva Bar Mohe Ehe, Shubh Karman te ........ and later Awal Allah Noor Upaiya, Kudrat de Sab bande. What a pleasant surprise ! What a spectacular show !

pics with thanks from : ibnlive, zee news, the hindu, sify .....

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Guru’s abode in the hills

Guru’s abode in the hills
Reviewed by Roopinder Singh

Haven of Bliss Anandpur Sahib: A Miracle of the Human Spirit
By Vijay N. Shankar and Harminder Kaur.
Corporate Vision.

Pages 156. Rs 2,500.

DEVELOPED on land bought from the Rani of Kahlur for Rs 500, by Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib, Anandpur Sahib holds a particular reverence in Sikh ethos because of its close association with the last two Sikh Gurus. The ninth Guru spent many years there, both before and after he became Guru, this is from where he set out on his final journey to martyrdom in Delhi, where his head was cremated, and his young son anointed Guru. In these hills, the young Gobind Rai grew up, created the Khalsa, held court that patronised many poets and writers of renown, and also where many historic battles were fought.

The authors have given a succinct overview of the history of the place, and devoted a chapter to the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur. Various events have been recreated and connected with the relevant gurdwaras built at the sites where these happenings took place.

We have the magnificent Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, where the Guru created Khalsa, and a personal space, Gurdwara Anand Karaj Sahib, where Guru Gobind Rai’s marriage with Mata Jito took place. It was at Anandpur Sahib that Bhai Kanahiya, a devout Sikh, was put up in front of Guru Gobind Singh by other Sikhs who accused him of providing medical help to enemy soldiers after a battle. When asked to explain his conduct, Bhai Kanahiya said he was merely following the Guru’s injunction to help those who needed it and that he saw divinity in every face when he was tending to the wounded. The Guru blessed him and told him to continue with his work.

The betrayal of trust by hill Rajas after Guru Gobind Singh had been promised a safe passage from Anandpur Sahib resulted in the death of his two sons in the battlefield, and the separation of the other two sons and their grandmother, Mata Gujri, from the Guru. They were betrayed by a family retainer and subsequently arrested by the Governor of Sirhind, who offered them a choice of renouncing their religion or converting. They remained steadfast in their belief and were bricked alive.

Hola Mohalla is where festivity, colour and marital spirit come together. It was first celebrated in 1701 by Guru Gobind Singh and we have lovely pictures by Sharad Saxena that show the event as it unfolds, including some of really cute children dressed up in traditional finery. The captions are informative, though one searches in vain for the names of the painters whose works feature in the book.

Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib is a repository of much of Sikh heritage, including weapons of the Gurus and the Hukamnamas, epistles, issued by them. This is where we have the original khanda with which amrit was prepared for the Khalsa and the Nagina which is shaped like a corkscrew, used to pierce the armour of an armoured attack elephant, a gun from Lahore that was presented to Guru Gobind Singh and of special significance is the saif, or the sword of Hazrat Ali, the son-in-law of Prophet Mohammad. The saif was presented by Emperor Bahadur Shah to Guru Gobind Singh. The authors have provided a glossary, though a bibliography would have added to the value of the volume.

with thanks : tribune : link in headline above for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

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Saturday, October 2, 2010

Memorable Day with SHERA in Queen's Baton Relay at Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Sahib!

With the inspiration,valuable guidance & accompany of Principal Dr.Man Mohan Kaur,active Participation of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College's Staff & students !

Dr.Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Professor,
SGND Khalsa College,
Dev Nagar,
University of Delhi.
India

















Friday, October 1, 2010

Bir Khalsa Dal (POWER OF KHALSA) On INDIA`S GOT TALENT SHOW



with thanks : YouTube

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