Thursday 28 August 2008

United we stand




It's been a while...busy summer...

Why is it that people HAVE to get married in the summer? Even if it's in the UK, I mean it's not like the weather's any better??! 6 weddings in 1 summer. That's every weekend. I'm so sick of wedding food, give me daal and rice and I'll be happy...keep it simple.

Anyways enough of the moaning...

I got to meet Chardi Kalaa Jatha this summer! So that was a major positive. They were on tour in the UK and I saw them twice at Havelock Gurudwara in Southall. Amasing Gursikhs. Very inspirational. You can tell how much pyaar they have for Guru Ji and humanity.

A lot of people seem to have a few problems with the Western Sikhs (aka 3Ho, Yogi's etc.) which are around New Mexico, Los Angeles and are now spreading to New York, B.C and even Europe. Perhaps it's the Yoga aspects. It's not really seen as a 'sikh' thing to do you see...we have a lot of hinduphobes in the quam nowadays...sad really...

But you know I've tried yoga and it combined with simran is actually very uplifting and peaceful. I really enjoy it. Some of the stuff that is taught is a bit :S for me I must admit... but a lot, if not most, is pretty cool.

It's really kinda sad, I mean, look at how many divisions we have in the panth...some people are:

'taksali's' - which means that one will probably style their turban in the gol style (much like Sant Jarnail Singh), follow Dam Dami Taksal Maryada, wear a 'Taksali' kirpan and take Santhiya only from 'Taksali's'. Dam Dami Taksal was formed in the time of Guru Gobind Singh and one of the first Jathedars was Baba Deep Singh. It was established to teach proper pronounciation and reading and interpretation of Gurbani. I have to admit, I am even inclined towards Taksali's. Not because of prejudices or whatever, but simply because my sangat are, my teachers are and I can relate.

'AKJ's (Akhand Kirtani Jatha)' - I don't really know much about these guys. I know that they deeply respect Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh and Shaheed Bhai Fauja Singh and they expect all amritdhari's to wear keski's if not a full dastaar. A lot of them are Sarbloh/ Bibeki's which means that they will only eat from fellow amritdhari's hands, from sarbloh dishes etc. According to some sources, they have a different type of simran which I don't really get but each to their own eh? A lot of them have issues as to whether Raagmala, at the end of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj, is gurbani or not...but what's the point in arguing over it? It just creates more divisions.
'Nihungs' - I know a lot about Nihungs but some of my knowledge is either shady or not 100% fact. They are often referred to as Guru Gobind Singh Ji's Ladlian Faujan. This is probably because they are/were fierce warriors who answered Guru Ji's every beck and call. They more often than not, revere Sri Dasam Granth not equal to Guru Maharaj Ji- but almost as much. Back in the day and sometimes still now - they used to wear massive dastaars adorned with chands and chakkars and more... and if respected enough had a loose piece at the end called a farla. There are 2 main Dal's if you will...Tarna and Buddha Dal. Tarna Dal I think is mostly made up of younger singhs, their Jathedar is Baba Nihal Singh (great gursikh). They do NOT believe in the eating of meat.
Buddha Dal is having some problems because their jathedar recently passed away and so there is some friction because of leadership problems. SOME (if not most) of them believe in the eating of Jhatka meat. - it cannot be Halaal or Kosher...further divisions...
A lot of nihangs are nomadic. They don't usually stay in the same place for long periods of time. There are a lot of them in Takht Sri Hazoor Sahib (Maharastra), some in Amritsar and a lot in Hoshiarpur District...Anandpur Sahib and a small place called Harianvela (beautiful).
They are champion horseriders and seva is more than just a part of their life.
Unfortunately some of them see fit to do nasha (intoxicate themselves) and I believe this to be a Bhujjar Kurehit. Some of them turn to drugs because they feel people turn their back on them...they rely on others to survive as they have no formal employment, education etc. It's really getting quite bad - especially with the youths.

Western (non-punjabi origin) Sikhs- aka 3HO sikhs w/e. Harbhajan Singh Yogi went to America in the 60/70's to teach yoga as a young yoga master. Most of his students were white men and women...soon enough they wondered and asked questions about his faith and why he wore a dastaar. Before you knew it many became sikhs, and spread across the country, creating small havens such as espanola, new mexico - home of Sikhnet. Now we are at the 3rd/4th generation of Sikhs born to non-punjabi's in America. It's really very inspiring. They do a lot seva, not just kirtan but also there is a school in Amritsar called Miri Piri Academy - absolutely wonderful , my kids WILL attend. Sikhnet is what brought ME into Sikhism (apart from my parents upbringing).

So you see, there are many divisions - and these are just the start. People are worried about battling with external forces such as fake Dera Baba's, RSS, Hindutva forces, Christian Missionaries, drugs, alcoholism, and much more - when we've got divisions from within...where's the Ekta people???

swDU DUir krau inq mjnu sB iklibK pwp gvwiex ]s


aadhhoo dhhoor karo nith majan sabh kilabikh paap gavaaein


I take my daily cleansing bath in the dust of the feet of the Holy, and I am rid of all my sins

for more information visit:
http://www.sikhnet.com/
http://www.tapoban.org/
http://www.damdamitaksal.com/
and I'd just type nihangs into google for info on them...

watch out for Sanatan, nangs etc. They distort sikhi to suite themselves, and are quite corrupted sikhs...pray for them.

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