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405th installation anniversary of Sri Guru Granth Sahib

September 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Agra, Sep 19(ANI): People of all religions and communities gathered to celebrate the 405th anniversary of the installation of the Sikh holy scriptures, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, at Gurudwara Maithan in Agra.

This was a significant landmark for the Sikhs, as the 275-year-old handwritten scripture, whose front pages are written with gold, was put on display for the devotees.

“The Guru Granth Sahib has the preaching or ‘bani’ of famous poets like Kabir ji, Guru Ravidas ji and Baba Farid ji. It is symbol of humanity and so people of all the religions have gathered here to celebrate the ‘Prakash Parv’, the installation ceremony together,” said Kanwldeep Singh, President of Sri Gursikh Sabha.

Also on display was a miniature scripture of Guru Granth Sahib, which has been preserved at the Gurudwara Maithan for the past 15 years.

“We have Guru Granth sahib of 1 X 1 inches long. The British for the convenience of Sikh soldiers especially designed the holy book during the First World War, as they could not carry a normal sized book in the battlefield. The miniature Guru Granth Sahib was printed in Germany. It was kept in a silver box,” said Gyani Kashmir Singh, head Granthi of Gurudwara Maithan.

To mark the anniversary of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib, special prayers were also held in the Gurudwara premises, which once the house of Mai jassi that was visited by Guru Sri Tegh Bahadur.he gurudwara is currently undergoing renovation and will be expanded to facilitate the large number of devotees visiting the shrine.

A total of 20 million dollars will be spent on renovation and construction of new Gurudwara, a 100-bed hospital and a community hall.

Gurudwara Maithan also upheld the tradition of Langar, which has been followed over the centuries. Guru Arjan Dev and Mata Ganga set the precedent of preparing and serving food to the hungry, in the langar hall, where all social, economic and religious barriers collapse and all – the laborer, the lord, the peasant and the prince, are treated alike and served the same food in the same manner.

This is a practice of great social significance, and it is the key to the understanding of Sikhism. By Brijesh Sharma (ANI)

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Malaysian PM urged to intervene in temple relocation issue

September 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Petaling Jaya, Sep. 7 (ANI): Malaysian Hindu Sanggam Council president R.S. Mohan Shan has called on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to intervene in the Shah Alam city’s temple relocation issue.

“Both the PM and the Mentri Besar (Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim) must take action to help the 3,000 Hindus in Sections 19 to 23,” the Star Online quoted Mohan, as saying.

The Section 19 temple is about 150 years old and was originally located in a plantation, but when the State Economic Development Corporation decided to develop the area into a housing estate, it left the temple there.

Initially, the temple was supposed to be relocated to an industrial area in Section 22, but was moved to Section 23 to make it more accessible for devotees.

Certain quarters had blamed the state government’s lack of consultation with the people for the latest incident.

Mohan, who is also Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism vice-president, pointed out that the proposed one-acre plot temple site in Section 23 was located 600m from the residential area, a distance far enough to keep any “disturbing” noise from affecting the residents.

“So we don’t understand why the temple would be a disturbance when it’s so far away,” he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Indian Welfare Association (PKIM) chairman A. Prakash urged the police to arrest and charge those responsible for the cow’s head protest.

“It is only a group of people who are trying to provoke the Indians deliberately and it has to be stopped immediately,” he said. (ANI)

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Now, Sikhs accuse BBC’s Asian network of religious bias

August 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Aug.20 (ANI): The BBC’s Asian Network is at the center of a race row after Sikhs accused the digital radio station of being insensitive towards their religion.

The BBC were forced to remove a show from their website after Adil Ray, a popular Muslim presenter, received threats from Sikh listeners who accused him of denigrating one of their religious symbols, The Telegraph reports.

The row centres around a show broadcast earlier this month in which Ray discussed a Punjabi music concert in Canada where police had banned a number of Sikhs who refused to remove their “kirpan” dagger. number of listeners believed that Ray had been disparaging about whether Sikhs really needed to carry their kirpan – a ceremonial symbol that baptised Sikhs are expected to wear at all times – and began making complaints and threats against him.

The Birmingham-based network has strongly denied the accusations or any suggestion that Ray meant to mock Sikhism.

The row has nonetheless raised fresh questions over whether the digital network, which was set up eight years ago after the BBC’s then director general Greg Dyke described the corporation as “hideously white”, is serving its Asian listeners.

Last year, Labour peer Lord Ahmed accused the network of being biased against Muslims in favour of Sikhs and Hindus, although an internal investigation by the BBC later exonerated it.

The Sikh Media Monitoring Group has written to the BBC asking for a full transcript of Adil Ray’s show and accused the station of being insensitive towards Sikh listeners. (ANI)

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Now, take your pick with baby sex selection method in Malaysia

August 9, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, August 9 (ANI): Companies in Malaysia are openly offering couples with baby sex selection methods, saying the procedures to have the desired gender are entirely “natural”.

“Choice Baby” offers to prepare a conception chart based on the analysis of data taken from selective parents like their blood type, date of birth and other personal information.

Jennifer Chin, the company ‘s sales manager, said the demand for gender selection had shot up over the years and her company enrolled more than 30 clients per month

“The gender chart will show the favourable days to attempt conception,” the New Straits Times Online quoted her as saying.

She added: “For those with two or three boys and want a girl or viceversa, this is an opportunity to get what they desire.”

However, certain religious groups and spiritual leaders have raised objections over the practice saying it interferes with the working of God.

Hindu Sangam president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said: “Whether it is using technology or natural methods, early identification and elimination are against nature. It’s not in line with the way of life. Gender selection can lead to unnecessary calamities, like gender problems.”

Harcharan Singh, vicepresident of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism, said: “It is God who creates, so this practice is clearly against the order of nature”. (ANI)

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Prakash Singh Badal asks people to be calm

May 27, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Amritsar, May 27 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal has appealed to the people not to allow miscreants to disturb peace in the state.

“I appeal to the people of Punjab that these miscreants are enemies of the country as well as enemies of Punjab. After a lot of difficulty, peace and prosperity returned to Punjab and they want to disturb that. We should not let them fulfill their vested interests,” Badal said.

Punjab was engulfed in a spate of violent protests over the killing of a Sikh preacher in Austria.

Thousands of Dalits torched trains, cars and shops on Monday to protest against the murder of a leader of a religious sect in an attack on a temple in Vienna, prompting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to appeal for calm.

The preacher who died was from the Dera Sach Khand, which has a large Dalit following among lower caste Sikhs and Hindus in India.

At least 16 persons were hurt in the violence in Vienna on Sunday when six armed men attacked two preachers visiting from India during a temple ceremony.

Austrian police said they did not know yet about the motives for the attack.

Sikhism officially rejects caste but social hierarchies still prevail. Dera Sach Khand has gained many followers from the Dalit community in Punjab and is opposed by many mainstream Sikhs. (ANI)

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Sikh diaspora condemns violence and appeals for peace

May 27, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Amritsar, May 27 (ANI): Sikh leaders and diaspora across world have condemned the violence in Vienna and in Punjab.

Talking from San Francisco, Dr. Pritpal Singh, the convener of the American Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC), said:

“Violence has never been a solution of any problem. If there are any differences, they should be solved through dialogue.”

He said Sikhs were having strong relationship with the “Dalit Samaj” and this brotherhood should continue. He appealed to the Government of Punjab to take appropriate measures to restore peace in the state.

After 9/11 in US, Sikhs living in US and other parts of the world were mistakenly identified with Arabs due to similarity in appearance. Sikhs leaders opine that such acts of violence give a jolt to the peaceful Sikh community worldwide.

Ranjit Singh Masuta, a Sikh leader in Switzerland, said the Government of Punjab should strongly take action against those who have disrupted public life over the last few days.

“We already have been victimizing for mistaken identity of the Sikhs. Such incidents could further damaged the image of the Sikhs living outside India,” a worried Masuta said. r. Rajwant Singh, the Chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE), in Washington DC, said: “We condemn the violence which took place in Vienna, Austria. He said it need to be categorically condemned by all Sikhs without going into the merits of the issue. No issue requires taking law into your own hand no matter what the provocation is. We are saddened by this terrible tragedy. We appeal everyone to maintain peace and calm at all cost.”armjit Singh Sarna, the President of the Delhi Sikh Management Committee (DSGMC), said there are many other ways to tackle the problems besides violence.

He said that those who follow Sikhism should also know the Sikh code of conduct as evolved by the Akal Takht Sahib, the high temporal seat of the Sikhs. He appeals to the people of Punjab to maintain the peace that has comes after long time.

Alleging that the Government of Punjab has failed to restore peace in Punjab, he said a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry should be conducted against the Punjab Government..xpressing concern over the present Sikh issue, Ragubir Singh, a Sikh leader from France said that such incidents undoubtedly cause a major setback to Sikh interests at the international level.

He said that we already have been working hard day and night to convey the European Government about the peace loving Sikh community. He said that we must keep larger interest of the community when we confront with various differences within the community.t is pertinent to mention that in France and in other European countries Sikhs have been facing problem like wearing Turban and their other religious symbols.

Meanwhile, the Jathedar Akal Takht, Gyani Gurbachan Singh, has expressed sympathy and solidarity with the victims of Vienna incident and urged their followers in Punjab to maintain peace and tranquility. By Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)

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Manmohan Singh appeals for peace in Punjab

May 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 25 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has expressed deep concern over incidents of violence in Punjab.

In his message, Dr. Singh said, “I am deeply distressed by the outbreak of violence in Punjab following certain incidents in Vienna, Austria. Whatever the provocation, it is important to maintain peace and harmony among different sections of the people.”

“Sikhism preaches tolerance and harmony. All the revered Gurus of Sikhism preached the values of equality, brotherhood and harmony. Invoking the teachings of the Gurus, I appeal to all sections of the people in Punjab to abjure violence and maintain peace,” he added.

The Prime Minister said: “In areas where curfew has been imposed, it is necessary that people should go back to their homes and allow the security forces to restore law and order.” (ANI)

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UK Sikh martial art maestro revives ancient shastar vidiya

May 5, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 5 (ANI): In a fluorescent-lit sports gymnasium in Hounslow, West London, a UK Sikh martial art maestro is promoting “Shastar Vidiya” , an ancient fighting technique lost to generations of Indians.

“Shastar Vidiya”, a little-known fighting technique from north India died out when the British Raj banned it after the final, bloody defeat of the Sikh empire in the mid-19th century. Now, one man is determined to bring it back from the brink of extinction.

Nidar Singh Nihang, 41, has spent 20 years studying the secrets of “Shastar Vidiya” in order to pass it on to younger generations.

It is a journey that has taken him from being a food packer in a Wolverhampton factory to one of the world’s top authorities on ancient Indian fighting styles.

Now he is looking for young apprentices willing to devote their life to learning the secrets of an art that he believes risks dying out altogether.

“Most people who practice Indian martial arts nowadays are simply learning the toned down exhibition styles that were allowed by the British. Unless we start teaching the original fighting styles they will be extinct within 50 years. I want to find two or three sensible, intelligent and tolerant young apprentices who can pass on what I’ve learned to future generations,” The Telegraph quotes Nihang, as saying.

Although “Shastar Vidiya” was widely practiced across the subcontinent long before the emergence of Sikhism in the mid-16th century, it was the Sikh tribes of the Punjab that became the true masters of this particular fighting style.

Surrounded by hostile Hindu and Muslim empires who were opposed to the emergence of a new religion in their midst, the Sikhs quickly turned themselves into an efficient and fearsome warrior race.

The most formidable group among them were the Akali Nihangs, a blue-turbaned sect of fighters who became the crack troops and cultural guardians of the Sikh faith.

As Britain’s modernised colonial armies expanded across the Indian subcontinent, some of the stiffest opposition they faced came from the Sikhs who fought two bloody but ultimately disastrous wars in the 1840s that led to the fall of the Sikh empire and allowed Britain to expand its Indian territories as far as the Khyber Pass.

Astonished by the ferocity and bravery of the Akali Nihangs, the Punjab’s new colonial administrators swiftly banned the group and forbade Sikhs from wearing the blue turbans that defined the Akalis.

Sikh warriors were quickly given rifles and drafted into Britain’s armies. The practice of shastar vidiya went underground and was nearly forgotten.

“The key skill “Shastar Vidiya” teaches is deception. It’s the blows your enemy never sees coming that do the real damage,” Nihang says. (ANI)

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Paramdeep Singh wishes to promote Sikhism in glamour world

May 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Ludhiana, April 29 (ANI): Ludhiana-based Paramdeep Singh, the first runner up at ‘Mr. Singh India 2009′, is keen to promote Sikhism while building a career in the glamour world.

Paramdeep walks down the ramp as a proud Sikh’. Despite making a professional career through fashion, Paramdeep wants youngsters to not put aside their religious identities in the name of fashion.

“I am 23-year-old and I found the youth of my age cutting their hair. Also, they hate to wear a turban. They believe turban as a burden. I want to send a message that if by cutting hair and trimming beard they believe it gives a smart look. They are wrong. Being a Sikh, I walked down the ramp at a national level competition. I stood 1st runner-up there. I mean to say that a complete Sikh is more handsome to those who trimmed or cut their hair,” said Paramdeep Singh, first runner up of Mr.Singh India 2009.

“After the release of the film ‘Singh is Kinng’, the turban attained more respect in films. If you monitor any of the recent films, it has one character as a Sikh. If they don’t have a Sikh, there is an essence of Punjabi in the film. If, it’s not there, the film flops. A Punjabi touch in the film has become a trend now,” Paramdeep added.

Paramdeep tells how he has been keen on fashion since his school and college days. He used to be a fashion choreographer in many of the fashion shows and also received the best singer award at Mumbai for singing devotional songs.

Despite his busy schedule, Paramdeep regularly recites Kirtan at the gurudwara and many times at home during family functiond. Besides, he has been drawn to theatre.

“I also remained the president of cultural society. No doubt, we shouldn’t run off with our principles. As we stayed in Mumbai for 10 days, we performed dance, did practice on the ramp and even offered prayer at the gurudwara and sung ‘kirtan’. Our routine was so excellent that we wake up and do fitness exercises in a gym and then offer prayer. That was our routine,” said Paramdeep.

“Besides following strict principles we should also do fitness exercises and participate in the fashion shows, and go for swimming and play sports. This is our right and how can we leave all this?,” said Paramdeep. (ANI)

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Guru Sikh couple contest held for cultural promotion

March 4, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Ludhiana, March 3 (ANI): Ludhiana recently played host to a special contest that aimed at promoting cultural values and revisiting the Punjabi spirit by showcasing how one can enjoy modernism of western culture and still stay linked to his or her culture.

The ‘Gursikh couple’ contest was a fun-filled and inspirational event for a lot of couples who converged here.

It is well-known that in Punjabi culture, a true Sikh, male or female, is the one who wears a uniform to unify and bind them to their commitment to the true, universal, social and temporal principles defined and amplified by the ten Sikh Gurus.

‘Guru Sikh Couple contest’ was just another medium and event to showcase people all around to let the world know who are called ‘true Sikhs’.

The event was also intended to inspire Sikh youth to follow the principles of Sikhism.

The contest focused at the younger generation and tried to get the message across that they ould keep their cultural values intact even while also cherishing modernity in life.

“Our Gurus teach that Sikhism is always modern. We organized this event to teach our young generation. The participants are all religious couples and they showed their talent,” said Gurpreet Singh, organiser of the Guru Sikh couple contest.

The contest organized for the first time ever-in India, attracted 170 Sikh couples from different parts of Punjab.

Wearing exquisite traditional and western outfits, the participants walked down the ramp to display the rich Sikh culture.

The participants were enthusiastic, but most found it difficult to reach the final stage of the contest. The jury then chose 10 contestants as the best of the lot.

The objective was to ensure that Sikh youth do not give up traditional values.

“These days, the number of Sikhs getting drawn towards getting a haircut, has increased a lot. If you see in colleges and schools, you will find a number of Sikh students without beard and turban.

If the students in schools are asked to wear a turban, they will not wear it but get a hair cut the very next day. So if such programs are organised here from time to time, everybody will be inspired because to participate in this contest, the first condition was that only people who follow Sikhs tradition and do not have any bad habits could participate. So it’s an inspiration for others,” said Kurinder Pal Singh, first runner up.

With organization of such an event to promote culture, the Gursikh family took a very significant step. It’s not only promoting Gursikh but also helping in creating a good understanding among the couples.

The event was a colourful one, with the various shades of the Sikh culture displayed in full glory, the participants also tried to send out social messages through theatre.

And some mesages did get through to the audience – like the ones on female foeticide and drug addiction. By Karan Kapoor (ANI)

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Radio Pakistan finds Manmohan Singh Government enemy of Sikhism!

February 11, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Abohar, Feb.10 (ANI): The Punjabi Durbar programme of Radio Pakistan has been trying to propagate that the Government of India, headed by the Dr. Manmohan Singh, has an agenda to uproot Sikhism and Islam.
The allegation have surprised local residents in Abohar who cannot believe that a Sikh could have an agenda of destroying Sikhism.

“In India, there is no place for fundamentalists. Indians are totally against fundamentalism and fundamentalists People are living in peace and harmony irrespective of their castes and religions. Indian government always there to take care of national development and welfare of its people irrespective of one’s religious faith,” said Sunil Kumar Jakhad, a Member of Legislative Assembly in Abohar.

“Such anti -Indian propaganda by Pakistan is another effort by Pakistan, a failed nation, to hide its weakness. Pakistan’s political institutions, administrative machinery and economy have collapsed. And to hide all this they are spreading propaganda against India,” Jakhad added. eople here want Radio Pakistan to know that Indian citizens have been guaranteed the right to practice the religion of one’s choice and are equal before law. They are fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of India.

Besides, in India members of different religions including Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian have occupied the topmost positions.

People point out that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and former Defense Minister George Fernandes are the recent examples of how a member of any community can rise to the highest post in India’s democratic and secular set up. (ANI)

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Ludhiana hosts Sikh couple contest

February 9, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Ludhiana, Feb 9 (ANI): For the first time ever in India, Sikh couples walked down a ramp in a couple contest in Ludhiana.

Donning both exquisite traditional and western outfits, around 170 couples participated in the contest titled “Guru Sikh Couple Contest” out whom ten contestants were chosen as the best.

Gurpreet Singh, one of the organisers of the contest, said the purpose of the event was to send out a message to the younger generation to keep their cultural values intact while professing modernity.

“Sikh Gurus teach that Sikhism is always modern. We organized this event to teach our young generation. The participants are all religious couples and they showed their talents,” said Gurpreet Singh.

The contestants said it was tough to reach the final stage of the contest.

“The competition was very tough. Most of the couples are very intelligent. I can’t believe that I have reached this stage. But we worked really hard,” said Kurinder Pal Singh, the first runner up of the contest.

Showcasing the rich heritage of Sikhs added colour to the event. y Karan Kapoor (ANI)

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Ludhiana hosts Gatka contest

January 15, 2009 By Rajesh Leave a Comment

Ludhiana, Jan.13 (ANI): Gatka, the ancient martial art form of Sikhs has flourished in North India for hundreds of years and to further popularise ‘Gatka’ among Sikh youths, recently a contest was organised in Ludhiana.

Dressed in traditional attire of a Sikh warrior, students converged in Ludhiana to participate in a special contest of ‘Gatka’.

Organized by the ‘Akal Khalsa Welfare Society’, the contest witnessed drew 12 teams from different parts of Punjab for the day-long event.

Jathedar Amreek Singh, the chairman of Akal Khalsa Sports Club, said: “We have received a very good response. Earlier, our children went to clubs and gyms. But with the popularity of Gatka art in villages and cities, there is no need for them to go to gym and clubs. They are learning and practicing it with passion. Younger generation gets connected to the society by participating in such games.”

Gatka is a complete martial system, which involves spiritual, mental and physical skills in equal portions to defend one self and others.

Apart from acquiring skills to defend oneself, ‘Gatka’ also helps an individual with other aspects of his life, as it makes the mind alert, responsive and fearless.

The Sikhs mastered ‘Gatka’ and perfected its use in battle. The techniques involved are extremely effective for defence and attack as well as visually spectacular.

Though presently battles are no more fought with traditional techniques, but the skill of ‘Gatka’ is being taught to students to enable them remain physically and mentally alert.

Simrat Pal Kaur, said: “There are lots of benefits of learning gatka. We get to learn self-defense aspect from it. The time is very bad and a girl can’t go alone anywhere. By learning gatka we can go anywhere with full confidence because we know how to look after our safety. There is no other game where self-defense aspect is taught.”

Sandeep Singh, one participant, said: “Other games like cricket and all are given much importance these days. A number of Sikh children are going away from the Sikhism and getting addicted to wrong practices. We want to take a large number of our children on the path of Sikhism through Gatka so that the upcoming generation will stay away from all kind of bad habits.
Several Sikh shrines, educational institutions and clubs now teach ‘Gatka’ so to keep alive the ancient art form.

Though Gatka contests are held occasionally, the spectacular art form has been performed extensively during Sikh festivals and other religious occasions.

In its physical form, Gatka is the original feudal art of saint soldiers ‘Khalsa’, for whom the way of life is the same as the art of war.

Gatka art exists amongst the Sikhs, who have passed down their techniques through generations since the sixth Sikh master Guru Hargobind Singh wore the two swords of ‘Miri’ and ‘Piri’.

Now, the students take an initiative to observe it and keep the traditions flourish. By Karan Kapoor (ANI)

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