Constable Mandeep Kaur is one of the officers involved with Operation Spice, which aims to reduce the Papatoetoe Indian community’s risk of victimization.

She says. “Officers are also pushing for Indian people to join Neighbourhood Support and community patrols because they are under-represented in those groups”.

Her success will inspire other young Sikhs to work hard in all professions. Her achievement has brought laurels to the entire Sikh community worldwide: a positive portrayal of what Sikh women are truly capable of.

Share & be the part of the Pride!

~ Source: FB/Jobolesonihal

Jamrud or Jamraud (Fatehgarh) a village at the southeastern approach to the Khyber Pass in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan NWFP for short where the Bab-e-Khyber (Khyber gate) built in 1964 stands across the road today.

In 1837, Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa a well-known and respected General of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Khalsa forces proposed the construction of a massive fort in order to provide a base for further advances through the formidable defile. Hari Singh built this massive mud fort in an unbelievably short time of 54 days.

However, Amir Muhammad Khan of Kabul (Afghanistan) clearly sensing the danger of allowing the Sikhs to have such a sizeable post from which to launch attacks deep into his Afghani territories attacked it in early 1837.

Defeated by the Sikhs his forces retreated to Kabul. In April 1837, the local tribesmen followed suit and attacked the fort as well. At this point Bibi Harsharan Kaur made her famous walk to Peshawar to retrieve the ailing Hari Singh Nalwa and Sikh reinforcements.

The superior Afgan force was defeated but the Sikhs suffered a major setback as Hari Singh Nalwa was wounded in the battle and died soon after on 19th Visakh, Samvat 1894 (1837).

There are many different tales of the general’s last stand. In one version he has one horse shot out from under him and is shot himself after he remounts and charges the Afgans again.

In another version the fabled General, after being ambushed and shot twice, sensing he was dying, had himself tied to the wall of his fort so the attackers, such was their fear even of his name, would continue to think he was alive and lose heart.

Such was his fame in the area that Hari Singh Nalwa’s name continued to be used by the Pathan mothers of the area to frighten their children into being quite and falling asleep by saying, “Chup Hariya Raghle” (Be quiet Hari Singh has come.) Modern research seems to point to the Dogra Brothers involvement in having him shot by one of their agents.

The fortress is situated on a mound covering a hundred square yards. It has an outer wall and an inner wall having only one entrance in each wall in the days of Hari Singh.

The route inside spirals to the top, from where one can get a commanding view of the stony barrenness that leads into the famous Khyber Pass. In 1924, the British took over the fort and constructed new barracks. Today it is part of the Peshawar garrison, and prior permission is required to tour the interior of the fort.
Jamraud fort is located about 18Km from Peshawar in FATA (Federally Administrated Tribal Areas), and all foreigners must seek permission from the Peshawar administration to go to Jamrud.

Additional sites near the fort:

A Samadhi or shrine of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa, erected in 1892 by Baba Gajju mal Kapur of Peshawar.
Underground cells, once used as a prison.
The sweeping view of the Khyber Pass from the top.
Gurdwara Jogan Shah.
Gurdwara at Jamrud
Samadhi of Bhai Phola Singh

~ Source: DailySikhUpdate

The river Ganga that has been loaded with pollutants at every inch while the Govt is formulating policies to clean it, the water of the holy river is pure and drinkable here at the Baoli Ganga Pargat.

The narrow well present at the Gurdwara Badi Sangat in Nichi Bagh is believed that through the grace of the ninth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib, the stream of holy water of the river Ganga appeared at the place.

“The water well is situated near the sanctum in the main hall of the Gurdwara since 1666 when Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib arrived the city to meet one of his follower. However, the well is not just a source of ground waters, it provides water from the river Ganga, as it is written in our holy book,” claimed Sardar Mahendra Singh, manager of the shrine appointed by Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee.

The stream appeared is still preserved in the form of a narrow well and the devotees drink its water as nectar.

“The water is pure and drinkable without any pollutants. Moreover, by the blessings of Guruji, the curative properties also existed in it. Thus, the followers come and have it for the sake of their good health.”

Recalling the history of the water well, Mahendra said, “During the seven-month and 13-day long trip of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib to Varanasi, he stayed at the resident of Bhai Kalyan Mal, the site of the present Gurdwara Bari Sangat. One day he was getting ready for meditation, when Kalyan Mal came and asked him to go for a holy dip in the river Ganga on the occasion of eclipse. In reply, Guruji said that the river existed here only and asked to remove a stone on the floor. A flow of holy water came out and he took bath. After this, the water level goes down and the place is preserved as Baoli Ganga Pargat till the date.”

Having length and width of three feet each, the water well is deep inside and remains filled with water round the year, informed the manager.

A devotee told us in the Gurdwara, “I used this water for all the sacred ceremonies hold at my place as holy water of river Ganga. It is pure, drinkable and also contains divinity.

Share & Spread the divinity.

~ Source: volganga.com

Sikh Bodybuilder Navtej Singh is new Tara’s Champion. He became the New North India Winner in 2005 He belongs to Kartarpur, Punjab, India. Dope free Navtej has all eyes set to go high in the field of national and international bodybuilding.

He has been titled as Mr Punjab, Mr North India, Mr India, Mr Europe, Mr World Overall Champion. He won the prestigious award of Mr Olympia Amber Prix and held the 5th Position in the Championship.

He is the member of the National Bodybuilding Team India and has participated at the International Contests and won the following championships:

Over All Champion “Amber Prix International” (1968-2012), Lithuania held in 2011
Category Champion at Europe Championship Open, Lithuania , 2011
Third Position at Europe Professional Championship Open, Russia
Fifth Place at World Professional Championship, Slovakia

Share & Spread his outstanding performances & achievements!

~ Source: Fitness Freak of India

14 teachers from Columbia University USA, will be attending three-week course on the Sikh which include Sikh history, heritage, culture traditions and Punjabi. Three-week course program will be held at the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Centre of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU).

These teachers have expressed great interest in Sikhism. During their visit, they will also visit Historical Places, Sikh Gurdwaras and Anandpur Sahib. GNDU Senior Professor Dr Balwant Singh Dhillon said if the mission succeeded, more teachers from the USA would be called here so that they could learn more about Sikhism.

Sikh scholars from the GNDU and representatives of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee welcomed them warmly.

~ Source: SikhZone

The Uttarakhand government has announced plans to upgrade the Sikh shrine Hemkunt Shrine as the fifth major pilgrimage centre in the state, after Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.

The chief minister Harish Rawat said that, as Hemkunt Sahib currently draws over a lakh pilgrims every season, upgrading it to a major shrine will be a boost for religious tourism in the state.

It was reported that although strategies to equip the shrine with all the facilities and arrangements needed by Sikh devotees are yet to be chalked out, it is most likely to be re-developed on the lines of Char Dham shrines.

“If the facilities currently being given to over 6.50 lakh Char Dham pilgrims are made available to devotees at Hemkunt Sahib, it will help increase their strength many times,” he remarked.

Giving details of the plan to upgrade the shrine, Rawat said he has instructed senior civil aviation department authorities to build a helipad within a fortnight.

“We have already connected all the major Char Dham shrines with regular helicopter services during the last one year and the process to build a helipad at Hemkunt Sahib has begun,” the chief minister added.

Officials in the state tourism department told TOI that, apart from Sikh devotees, tourists trekking to the Valley of Flowers and other neighboring spots can also use the helicopter services to reach Hemkunt Sahib.

Rawat also announced plans to connect the shrine by ropeway from Govind Ghat in Chamoli district, within the next six to eight months. “There is already a move to build a motorable road connecting two other famous Sikh shrines — Reetha Sahib (in Champawat district) with Nanakmatta (in Udham Singh Nagar district) — within the next four months,” the chief minister said, adding that the pilgrimage to Hemkunt Sahib would be included in the state-sponsored ‘Mera Buzurg Mera Tirath’ scheme, for elderly couples on pilgrimage.

~ Source: TimesofIndia

Vivek Singh lost his life during the Paradiso Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheatre in Washington State after suffering from a heat stroke due to extremely high temperature. His heart stopped pumping and suffered brain damage due to lack of oxygen.

He was an organ donor whose organs will be transplanted to save seven people’s life. Aged 23, he took his last breath at the Vancouver General Hospital in Canada this after being transferred for further treatment at Vancouver.

If something needed to be done he was there for everyone, and made everyone feel very alive and loved, he was a role model and considered a very responsible person, said his younger sister, Kirad Pandher, describing her brother.

The Grant Country Sheriff Department told reporters the temperatures were “in the triple digits” Fahrenheit.

Vivek’s family members told the Province:

“He was a very charismatic person,” said Kirad Pandher, who travelled to Vancouver from India with her family. “Whom soever he talked to, he left a really good impression on them.”

He was set to graduate next year from the University of B.C., where he was studying electrical engineering. While going to school, he took photos and was a videographer.

Kirad Pandher said her brother was an inspiration and kept a list of things he wanted to do, such as skydiving, and checked them off as he completed them.

“He lived completely and fully. He wrote that he was in the one percent of people who have that kind of happiness and satisfaction in life,” she said. “He encouraged other people to do what they wanted to do.”

He blessed 7 with the gift of life. This is true spirit of Chardikala, thinking as a well wisher for others even after undergoing a huge loss!

He shall reside as a blessing in the hearts of many, especially those who were given a new life!

Share so the WORLD knows about this humanitarian act!

~ Source: DailySikhUpdate

A two-day exhibition was put up at a gurdwara in Singapore on Saturday to display the artefacts belonging to a Sikh saint-soldier.

The exhibition, put up at Gurdwara Sahib Silat Road in the Bukit Merah area of Singapore as part of a month-long festival to honour Sikh saint-soldier Bhai Maharaj Singh, features some of his personal items such as a “salottar” (wooden stick used as a support and weapon), “dastaar chakkar” (turban steel quoits used to retain the shape of a turban) and a “mala” (rosary) belonging to the spiritual leader, reported by The Straits Times .

The items on display are on loan until July 5 from his descendants in India.

Bhai Maharaj is believed to be the first Sikh in Singapore. He was taken to Singapore in 1850 after he was arrested by the British out of fear that his detention in India may cause unrest as he was revered by the Sikh community in India for his spirituality, patriotic fervour and for standing up against the British dominion.

Bhai Maharaj was lodged in Outram prison in Singapore where no light or fresh air could enter. Six years later, on July 5, 1856, he passed away after losing his eyesight and developing throat cancer.

“We are very privileged to be able to exhibit some of Bhai Maharaj Singh’s personal artefacts this year. With this, people can learn even more about this great saint-soldier. Having served the community and having endeavoured to be a good human being through the attainment of high spirituality, Bhai Maharaj Singh is an embodiment of the concept of “miri piri” (spirituality and community service),” gurdwara chairman Baljit Singh said.

Bhai Maharaj, who was taken to Singapore in 1850, is believed to be the first Sikh in the country. He was arrested by the British out of fear that his detention in India may cause unrest as he was revered by the Sikh community in India for his spirituality, patriotic fervour and for standing up against the British dominion.

This year marks the 159th year of his death.

~ Source: Hindustan Times

The Right to practice your faith freely should never be a Dream!

He faced daily humiliation and yet stood firm on his faith. Finally his prayers were heard and he was granted the freedom to practice his religion.

Gurdit Singh was employed as a mail carrier at the popular amusement park in 2008 but was told by his Disney bosses that he would not be permitted to run mail routes visible to park guests because his religious appearance “violated” the company’s ‘Look Policy,’ according to the rights group Sikh Coalition.

A Sikh-American employee at the Walt Disney World in Florida, who was barred from working in view of the guests due his religious appearance, for seven years, has achieved a significant victory, with the company agreeing to end the segregation and accommodate his religious beliefs.

This “segregation” relegated Singh to a mail route that had a greater workload than other routes.
It created “animosity” among his co-workers because he could not assist in operating other routes and it precluded his opportunities for professional advancement.

Following the intervention by Sikh Coalition and ACLU, Walt Disney World finally reversed its decision and granted Singh a religious accommodation.

Singh will no longer be kept hidden from public view of Disney visitors because of his turban and beard, and he will be permitted to run all mail routes just like every other mail carrier, Sikh Coalition said. “No one should have to face daily humiliation because of his or her religious beliefs. I am also grateful to Disney and hope this decision opens the door for other Sikhs and religious minorities who wish to work for this company,” he said in a statement.

The ACLU said, “Because Disney is a major multinational corporation, its decision to grant Singh a religious accommodation is an important step forward in achieving workplace equality for Sikhs and others of minority faiths, and Disney should be applauded.”

Practice your faith fearlessly, let all will fall into place!

Like & Share to be a part of this significant Victory for SIKHS!

~ Source: Sikh24.com

University Grants Commission (UGC) has conferred heritage status on reputed Sikh educational institution Khalsa College Amritsar. The UGC has done so with the motive to conserve Khalsa College’s more than 100-year-old historical campus which contains rare Sikh architecture.

Khalsa College Public Relation Officer Dharminder Singh Rataul told that the college had applied for the heritage status about six months ago. “We were informed over telephone about the development and various media sources have also disclosed it. However, the formal letter in this regard is yet to be received by us,” he said, adding, “The institution is expected to be issued a grant of Rs 1 crore under this status.”

As many as 19 colleges across the Indian sub-continent have got the status by the supreme regulatory body of higher study. The UGC has also announced to provide financial aid for maintaining the heritage buildings.

This College was founded in 1892 by Singh Sabha movement to spread Sikh religion. Its building was designed by Bhai Ram Singh, a famous architect of that era. The building started to be constructed in 1904 and was completed in 1911.

The college library contains over 6,000 books and new and old manuscripts. Besides, there are more than 115 artefacts depicting Sikh history, including ancient weapons, pictures of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and range of paintings, at the college.

It is worth mentioning that the college had recently constituted a five-member committee to work out how to get similar status from the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation).

~ Source: Hindustan Times