Monday, February 20, 2006
After I wrote about
After I wrote about Saka Nankana Sahib, comments led me to a Blog, which highlighted mismanagement of Gurudwaras today. It is really sad to think that so many gursikhs had laid their lives so that Guru Ki Golak is not misused. But we have landed again in this mess. Read The Blog. Pains have been taken to bring about awareness.
This weekend there was a gurmat Samagam at gurudwara Rakab ganj Sahib, New Delhi. Kalgidhar Society organizes it every year in 3rd week of February. Kirtan by the students of Akal Academy (Baru Sahib) was just wonderful. On Saturday they sung Dhadhi Vars and told history of Baba Banda. On Sunday gurbani kirtan in Ragas with string instruments was done. It was a blissful experience. A book by Baba Iqbal Singh (director Akal Academy) was also on display for sale. The book ‘Sikh Sidhant’ is a remarkable job. In my personal opinion every Sikh should read it.
 
posted by upinder kaur at 2/20/2006 08:51:00 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Friday, February 17, 2006
Saka Nankana Sahib
Lest we forget…………
Saka Nankana Sahib (20th Feb. 1921)

Mohant Narayan Das managed Gurudwara Shri Nankana Sahib in early20th century .As Gurudwara had a large land attached to it, income swell in lakhs in those days ,he became corrupt and misused gurudwara money. Not only this he was rouge and used Gurdwara premises for wrong activities. This troubled Sikh Sangats and a meeting was called at Gurudwara Layallpur. It was decided that Sangat would go in Jathas and take charge of the gurudwara forcefully. At the same time Shiromani Committee decided to meet the mohant on 3rd March 1921 to ask him to hand over the charge to the committee. Wicked Mohant came to know about the plans and prepared to kill the Sikh leaders as soon as they reach Nanakana Sahib.
Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabbar and Bhai Lachaman Singh decided to take their jathas to Nanakana Sahib on 20th Feb as the mohant had to go to Lahore. They decided to take charge of gurudwara in his absence as they had come to know of his wicked plan. Shiromani Committee sent a message to Bhai Kartar Singh asking him not to send any Jatha as action was to be planned only after Joint decision.
In the meantime Bhai Lachaman Singh with 200 Sikhs did ardas on the 19th Feb evening and took Hukamnama. Guru had the Verdict: -

rwgu sUhI AstpdIAw mhlw 4 Gru 2 <> siqgur pRswid ]
koeI Awix imlwvY myrw pRIqmu ipAwrw hau iqsu pih Awpu vycweI ]1] drsnu hir dyKx kY qweI] ik®pw krih qw siqguru mylih hir hir nwmu iDAweI ]1] rhwau ] jy suKu dyih q quJih ArwDI duiK BI quJY iDAweI ]2] jy BuK dyih q ieq hI rwjw duK ivic sUK mnweI ]3] qnu mnu kwit kwit sBu ArpI ivic AgnI Awpu jlweI ]4] pKw PyrI pwxI Fovw jo dyvih so KweI]5] nwnku grIbu Fih pieAw duAwrY hir myil lYhu vifAweI ]6] AKI kwiF DrI crxwqil sB DrqI iPir mq pweI ]7] jy pwis bhwlih qw quJih ArwDI jy mwir kFih BI iDAweI]8] jy loku slwhy qw qyrI aupmw jy inMdY q Coif n jweI ]9] jy quDu vil rhY qw koeI ikhu AwKau quDu ivsirAY mir jweI ]10] vwir vwir jweI gur aUpir pY pYrI sMq mnweI ]11]nwnku ivcwrw BieAw idvwnw hir qau drsn kY qweI ]12] JKVu JwgI mIhu vrsY BI guru dyKx jweI ]13] smuMdu swgru hovY bhu Kwrw gurisKu lμiG gur pih jweI ]14] ijau pRwxI jl ibnu hY mrqw iqau isKu gur ibnu mir jweI ]15] ijau DrqI soB kry jlu brsY iqau isKu gur imil ibgsweI ]16] syvk kw hoie syvku vrqw kir kir ibnau bulweI ]17] nwnk kI bynμqI hir pih gur imil gur suKu pweI ]18] qU Awpy guru cylw hY Awpy gur ivcu dy quJih iDAweI ]19] jo quDu syvih so qUhY hovih quDu syvk pYj rKweI ]20] BMfwr Bry BgqI hir qyry ijsu BwvY iqsu dyvweI ]21] ijsu qUM dyih soeI jnu pwey hor inhPl sB cqurweI ]22]ismir ismir ismir guru Apunw soieAw mnu jwgweI ]23] ieku dwnu mMgY nwnku vycwrw hir dwsin dwsu krweI ]24] jy guru iJVky q mITw lwgY jy bKsy q gur vifAweI ]25] gurmuiK bolih so Qwie pwey mnmuiK ikCu Qwie n pweI ]26] pwlw kkru vrP vrsY gurisKu gur dyKx jweI ]27] sBu idnsu rYix dyKau guru Apunw ivic AKI gur pYr DrweI ]28] Anyk aupwv krI gur kwrix gur BwvY so Qwie pweI ]29] rYix idnsu gur crx ArwDI dieAw krhu myrysweI ]30] nwnk kw jIau ipMfu gurU hY gur imil iqRpiq AGweI ]31] nwnk kw pRBu pUir rihE hY jq kq qq gosweI ]32]1]


Gursikhs proceeded towards Nankana Sahib immediately on 19th evening to reach there on 20th morning (Amrit vela). Bhai Kartar Singh could not contact them as they had already left. Bhai Duleep Singh went looking for them on horseback and met them at doorsteps of Gurudwara Nankana Sahib. But these Guru Ke Sikhs refused to return as they had taken Guru’s word as final. They entered the Gurudwara and started Asa de var kirtan. Mohant Narayan Das who was in train got down midway and returned and ordered his men to kill all the Sikhs in the Jatha. Whatever his men did would put any human being to shame. They fired bullets at sangat in gurudwara hall. Even bullets pierced through Shri Guru Granth Sahib.
The news spread like fire and Sikhs from every part of Punjab started towards Nankana Sahib. Bhai Kartar Singh reached next day with 2200 Sikhs with Shastras (arms). Fearing more trouble Government handed over the keys of Nankana sahib to Shirimani Committee and arrested Narayan Das .
From that day onwards we remember these Sikhs in Ardas. Every year on 21st Feb at this Shaheedi Asthan Guru Granth Sahib’s Swaroop with Bullet marks is brought at Deewan from 2pm to 4pm.
 
posted by upinder kaur at 2/17/2006 04:46:00 pm | Permalink | 0 comments
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Paatee paatee jee-o
All over the world we have vegetarians, though there are more of them in India (like me). Many people talk of cruelty towards animals but nobody seems to feel the same for plant kingdom!
Gurbani tells us that entire vegetation has life

pwqI qorY mwilnI pwqI pwqI jIau ] (479-5, Awsw, Bgq kbIr jI)
paatee torai maalini paatee paatee jee-o.
You tear off the leaves, O gardener, but in each and every leaf, there is life.

Does that mean we should not eat any thing as food comes from living beings?

jIAw kw Awhwru jIA Kwxw eyhu kryie ] (955-11, rwmklI, mÚ 2)
jee-aa kaa aahaar jee-a khaanaa ayhu karay-i.
Animals eat other animals; this is what the Lord has given them as food.


Well, we have fought wars where many fellow humans were killed too! So what is all this fuss about?
My point is why killing without reason? If you kill to sustain yourself (food or War) it can be explained but killing just to decorate your rooms is not sensible. No one seems to mind giving flowers as gifts. But I feel sorry for the flowers which were there blooming for God

DUpu mlAwnlo pvxu cvro kry sgl bnrwie PUlμq joqI ]1] (13-2, DnwsrI, mÚ 1)
Dhoop mal-aanlo pavan chavro karay sagal banraa-ay foolant jotee. 1
The fragrance of sandalwood in the air is the temple incense, and the wind is the fan.
All the plants of the world are the altar flowers in offering to You, O Luminous Lord.
 
posted by upinder kaur at 2/11/2006 01:17:00 pm | Permalink | 4 comments
Thursday, February 02, 2006
There are flowers everywhere! I thought of taking some good pictures but when I reached there the next day with camera I was really disappointed to find only a few. Then I saw this


Why do we have to pluck these beautiful flowers?


Think it over ! Is it like a true sikh to destroy beautiful things of nature and decorate our rooms with these dead flowers ?

In my next post I will come with more of it...........

 
posted by upinder kaur at 2/02/2006 09:44:00 am | Permalink | 0 comments
Banaspat Ma-ulee Charhi-aa BASANT


bnspiq maulI ciVAw bsMqu ] (1176-7, bsMqu, mÚ 3)
banaspat ma-ulee charhi-aa basant.
The season of spring has come, and all the plants have blossomed forth.
iehu mnu mauilAw siqgurU sMig ]1] (1176-7, bsMqu, mÚ 3)
ih man ma-oli-aa satguroo sang. 1
This mind blossoms forth, in association with the True Guru. 1
qum@ swcu iDAwvhu mugD mnw ] (1176-8, bsMqu, mÚ 3)
tumH saach Dhi-aavahu mugaDh manaa.
So meditate on the True Lord, O my foolish mind.
qW suKu pwvhu myry mnw ]1] rhwau ] (1176-8, bsMqu, mÚ 3)
taaN sukh paavhu mayray manaa. 1 rahaa-o.
Only then shall you find peace, O my mind. 1Pause
iequ min mauilAY BieAw Anμdu ] (1176-8, bsMqu, mÚ 3)
it man ma-uli-ai bha-i-aa anand.
This mind blossoms forth, and I am in ecstasy.
AMimRq Plu pwieAw nwmu goibMd ]2] (1176-9, bsMqu, mÚ 3)
amrit fal paa-i-aa naam gobind. 2
I am blessed with the Ambrosial Fruit of the Naam, the Name of the Lord of the
Universe. 2
eyko eyku sBu AwiK vKwxY ] (1176-9, bsMqu, mÚ 3)
ayko ayk sabh aakh vakhaanai.
Everyone speaks and says that the Lord is the One and Only.
hukmu bUJY qW eyko jwxY ]3] (1176-10, bsMqu, mÚ 3)
hukam boojhai taaN ayko jaanai. 3
By understanding the Hukam of His Command, we come to know the One Lord. 3
khq nwnku haumY khY n koie ] (1176-10, bsMqu, mÚ 3)
kahat naanak ha-umai kahai na ko-ay.
Says Nanak, no one can describe the Lord by speaking through ego.
AwKxu vyKxu sBu swihb qy hoie ]4]2]14] (1176-10, bsMqu, mÚ 3)
aakhan vaykhan sabh saahib tay ho-ay. 4214
All speech and insight comes from our Lord and Master. 4214
 
posted by upinder kaur at 2/02/2006 08:45:00 am | Permalink | 0 comments