The Tenth Divine Master of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh issued 52 Commandments (Hukumnamas) at Nanded (Maharashtra, India) in 1708 to His Sikh followers. These commandments were issued to the Sikh Sangat of Kabul, Afghanistan and Hazoor Sahib ((Maharashtra, India). These 52 Hukamnamas or edicts gave directions or instructions on appropriate behavior of a Sikh. Guru Gobind Singh affixed his personal seal to the document, a copy of which can be seen at historic Gurdwara Paonta Sahib

1. “Dharam dee kirat karnee|
   Make a living doing honest work.
2. Dasvand denaa|
   Donate a tenth share of your profits.
3. Gurbanee kantth karnee|
   Learn Gurbani by heart.
4. Amrit velae utthnaa|
   Arise during Amritvela.
5. Sikh sevak dee sevaa ruchee naal karnee|
   Devotedly serve the Sikh who serves others.
6. Gurbanee de arth Sikh vidhvanaa tuo parrhnae|
   Study the essence of Gurbani with learned Sikhs.
7. Panj Kakaar dee rehit drirh kar rukhnee|
   Follow the discipline of the 5 K’s strictly. Adhere resolutely to the five articles of faith.
8. Shabad da abhihas karnaa|
   Apply the sacred hymns to life in practice.
9. Sat Saroop Satgur daa dhian dharnaa|
   Contemplate and assimilate the beautiful truth of the True Enlightener.
10. Guru Granth Sahib Jee noo Guru mananaa|
    Believe in and accept Guru Granth Sahib Ji as the Guide to enlightenment.
11. Kaarjaan dae arambh vich ardaas karnee|
    When undertaking any task, first perform the prayer of ardas.
12. Jaman, maran, ja viah mokae jup da paatth kar tihaaval (Karaah Parsaad) kar anand sahib dia punj paurian, ardaas, pratham panj pyaariaan atae hazooree granthee noo vartaa kae oprunth sangat noo vartaaouna|
    For birth naming, funeral, or marriage ceremonies or devotional reading paath, recite Japji Sahib while making Karah Prashad, perform five verses of Anand Sahib, and ardaas, and then distribute Karah Prashad to the Panj Pyare, attending Granthi, and then to the sangat gathered for worship.
13. Jab tak Karaah Parshaad vartadaa rahae sadh sangat addol batthee rahae|
    Until Karaah Parshaad has been served to everyone, the congregation ought to be still and remain seated.
14. Anand viah binaa grahist nahee karnaa|
    Without Anand marriage ceremony carnal relations should not occur.
15. Par istree, ma bhain, dhee bhain, kar jaananee. Par istree da sang nahee karnaa|
    Other than your wedded wife, consider all women as your mothers and sisters. Do not indulge in carnal marital relationships with them.
16. Istree da mooh nahee phitkaarnaa|
    Do not subject your wife to cursing or verbal abuse.
17. Jagat jootth tambaakoo bikhiaa da tiaag karnaa|
    Discard worldly ways, falsehoods, and poisonous tobacco.
18. Rehitvaan atae naam jupan vaalae gursikhaa dee sangat karnee|
    Make companions of Gursikhs who follow the Rehit and recite the Divine Name.
19. Kum karan vich daridar nahee karnaa|
    Work hard and don’t be lazy.
20. Gurbanee dee kathaa tae keertan roaz sunanaa atae karnaa|
    Take part in listening to Kirtan and discussions of the essence of Gurbani every day.
21. Kisae dee ninda, chugalee, atae eirkhaa nahee karnee|
    Do not gossip nor slander, or be spiteful to anyone.
22. Dhan, javaanee, tae kul jaat da abhiman naee karnaa (Nanak daadak tahe duae goath. Saak guroo Sikhan sang hoath)|
    Do not be proud of riches, youthfulness or lineage. (Regardless of maternal and paternal caste or heritage, all of the Guru’s Sikhs are siblings of one family.)
23. Mat uchee tae suchee rakhnee|
    Maintain a high standard of purity in religious discipline.
24. Shubh karman tao kadae naa ttarnaa|
    Do not avoid performing virtuous acts.
25. Budh bal da daataa vaheguroo noo jaananaa|
    Appreciate intellect and power as gifts of the all knowing wondrous Enlightener.
26. Sugandh (kasam sahu) dae kar itbaar janaaoun vaalae tae yakeen nahee karnaa|
    Have no faith in oaths sworn by one attempting to convince another of sincerity.
27. Sutantar vicharna. Raaj Kaaj dian kamaan tae doosrae mutaa dia purshaan noo huk nahee daenaa|
    Maintain independent rule. In the affairs of governing, do not give the power of religious authority to those of other faiths.
28. Raajnitee parhnee|
    Study and learn about governmental policies.
29. Dushman naal saam, daam, bhaed, aadiak, upaa vartnae ate uprant udh karnaa|
    When dealing with enemies, practice diplomacy, employ a variety of tactics, and exhaust all techniques before engaging in warfare.
30. Shaster vidyaa atae ghorhae di savaari da abhiaas karnaa|
    Train in the skills of weaponry and horsemanship.
31. Doosrae mataa dae pustak, vidyaa parhnee. Pur bhrosaa drirh Gurbanee, Akaal Purakh tae karnaa|
    Study the books and beliefs of other faiths. But maintain trust in Gurbani and Akal Purakh [Undying divine personification].
32. Guroopdaesaa noo dhaaran karnaa|
    Follow the Guru teachings.
33. Raheraas da paath kar kharae ho kae ardaas karnee|
    After reciting Rehras [evening prayers], stand up and perform Ardas.
34. Saun valae sohilaa atae ‘paun guru pani pita…’ salok parhnaa|
    Recite the late evening prayer Sohila and the verse “Pavan guru pani pita…” before sleeping.
35. Dastaar binaa nahee rehnaa|
    Never be without the turban, wear it always.
36. Singhaa da adhaa naam nahee bulaunaa|
    Address a Singh by their entire name including Singh [or Kaur], do not shorten it by half or call them nicknames.
37. Sharaab nai saevanee|
    Do not indulge in drinking alcoholic beverages.
38. Sir munae noo kanaiaa nahee daenee. Uos ghar daeve jithae Akal Purukh dee sikhee ha, jo karza-ai naa hovae, bhalae subhaa da hovae, bibaekee atae gyanvaan hovae|
    Do not given a daughter’s hand in marriage to a shaven one. Give her to a household where the Undying divine personification Akal purakh and tenets of Sikhism are respected, to household without debt, of a pleasing nature, which is disciplined and educated.
39. Subh kaaraj Gurbanee anusaar karnae|
    Maintain all business affairs in accordance with scripture.
40. Chugalee kar kisae da kam nahee vigaarnaa|
    Do not cause ruin by gossiping about other’s business.
41. Kaurha bachan nahee kahinaa|
    Do not speak in bitterness.
42. Darshan yaatraa gurdwaaraa dee hee karnee|
    Make pilgrimages only for seeing Gurdwaras.
43. Bachan karkae paalnaa|
    Keep all promises made.
44. Pardaesee, lorvaan, dukhee, apung manukh dee yataahshkat seva karnee|
    Do as much possible to serve and aid foreigners, those in need, or in trouble.
45. Putaree da dhan bikh jananaa|
    Realize that considering a daughter as property is as poison.
46. Dikhaavae da Sikh nahee banana|
    Do not act a Sikh outwardly only for show.
47. Sikhi kesaa-suaasa sang nibhaaounee|
    Live and die a Sikh with hair intact and unshorn.
48. Chori, yaari, tthugi, dhokaa, dagaa bahee karnaa|
    Abstain from thievery, adultery, cheating, deception, swindling and pillaging.
49. Sikh da itbaar karnaa|
    Have confidence in a Sikh.
50. Jhutthi gavaahee nahee daenee|
    Do not make false statements.
51. Dhroh nahee karnaa|
    Do not participate in fraud.
52. Langar Parshaad ik ras vartaaunaa|
    Serve langar and prashad with impartiality.”

~ Source: http://sikhism.about.com/

As the year approaches the end, on December 26 every year, the global world Sikh community commemorate the martyrdom of three of their most loved figures of the Guru household. On this darkest of days, their youngest hero and bravest comrade of Sikhism, Sahibzada Fateh Singh (1699-1705) who was the youngest of Guru Gobind Singh’s four sons, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh (1696-1705), his elder brother and Mata Gujar Kaur ji, his grandmother sacrificed their lives for their faith and the right to remain Sikhs.

The Chote Sahibzade – Fateh Singh & Zoravar Singh, snuggle in the warm embrace of their loving grandmother – Mata Gujri. Imprisoned in the open tower (Thanda Burj) in the freezing month of December, their radiant faces show no pain or regret at their unwavering decision to uphold Sikhi at all costs. The innocence and boundless purity of these noble souls reflects on their faces.

Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib which is situated 5 km north of Sirhind marks the sad site of the execution of the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh at the behest of Wazir Khan of Kunjpura, the faujdar of Sirhind. Baba Fateh Singh with his elder brother, set a precedence in Sikh history (and perhaps also in world history) by becoming the youngest known martyrs to sacrifice their lives for their principles.

On 26 December 1705, Baba Fateh Singh ji was cruelly and mercilessly martyred at Sirhind along with his elder brother, Zorawar Singh. He is probably the youngest recorded martyr in history who knowingly and consciously laid down his life at the very tender age of 6 years.

The mind boggles to understand how children of such young age had the, courage, bravery and focus to refuse the promise of many lavish gifts and a future of cosy comforts of royalty that were being offered by the Mughals if they abandoned their faith against the other stark option of a brutal, painful and tragic death entombed within a wall of bricks and mortar. The world salutes the supreme sacrifice of these kids who never once – even of a moment considered the easy option and remained focused on their mission to uphold the principles of God’s kingdom and allowed their bodies to be tortured and violated and endured the intense pain of a slow, pain-ridden and certain death.

~ Source: Sikhiwiki

The documentary focuses on how the Sikh Community in Italy has transformed the farm sector of the Italian economy. It starts off with a story on how immigrants arrived in Italy and why they immediately went into the farm sector. The story then shifts to a particular family and their views of life in Italy. The documentary’s primary focus is how Sikhs are keeping alive the cheese industry in Italy and without them the cheese probably wouldn’t be made in such high quantity.

The owners of the cheese factories state they are glad to have Sikhs as their workers because Sikhs are trustworthy and hand working.

Sikh Formaggio: How a generation of Sikh immigrants have been absorbed into the heart of the Italian cheese industry.
Italy’s Sikh community have found a unique way to integrate into their new-found home. Their cultural heritage has left them uniquely positioned to preserve Italy’s unique cheese manufacturing techniques.

This is not one individual’s story, but a community of voices and how the tradition of making cheese plays a role in all of their lives.

~ Source: facebook.com/sikhismworldwide