Lt.Col. Harjit Singh Sajjan, was the first Sikh in Canada to take command of a British Columbia regiment. In a historic ceremony, a change of command in the British Columbia Regiment took place on September 11th in Vancouver.

Harjit Singh Sajjan (born 1970 or 1971) was elected as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Canada to represent the riding of Vancouver South during the October 2015 federal election, defeating the Conservative incumbent MP Wai Young.

Sajjan was born in India, and his family emigrated to Canada when he was five years old. He grew up in Vancouver. Sajjan initially worked as an officer for the Vancouver Police Department. In 1989, he enlisted in the Canadian Army’s Primary Reserve, and eventually joined the Army on a full-time basis. He deployed overseas four times in the course of his career: once to Bosnia, and three times to Afghanistan. In 2011 he became the first Sikh to command a Canadian Army regiment when he was named commander of the The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught’s Own).

On November 4, 2015, Sajjan was sworn in as Canada’s Minister of National Defence.

A proud moment for all Canadians and Sikhs worldwide.

~ Source: Daily Sikh Update

After Leonardo Dicaprio’s step mother, Hollywood Singer.Alicia Keys is the second major Hollywood personality to have revealed ties to the Sikh religion

Highlighting a Simran album with Khanda logo, she wrote on her Instagram account “my morning meditation.” Simran she does on daily basis.

While Indians feel proud in showing off western lifestyles, the western personalities nowadays tend to embrace Sikhi at a exponential rate.

~ Source: Daily Sikh Update

The Sikh marriage is not merely a physical and legal relationship but is a holy union between two souls where physically they appear as two individual bodies but in fact are united as one. The Sikh marriage ceremony is also known as Anand Karaj meaning “blissful union”. Anand Karaj consists of the couple revolving around Guru Granth Sahib Ji four times as the #Laava# (Marriage Hymns) are being recited. Revolving is the sign of making the commitment with the Guru as a witness. In addition, revolving signifies that Guru is the center of the couple’s life and springs life and the understanding of the journey of the soul crossing this world to be One with God. During the marriage ceremony, Guru Granth Sahib Ji represents the core while the congregation (Sadh Sangat) represents the support.

1. A Sikh (bride or groom) must marry only a Sikh.

2. Marriages among Sikhs must not be based on considerations of caste, creed or worldly status.

3. The marriage must be solemnised by following the prescribed code of conduct, i.e., Anand Karaj – ceremony of bliss.

4. Sikh faith forbids child marriage.

5. Any date that is convenient to both families may be chosen without considering any taboos, customs or rituals.

6. The wearing of a veil or a crown or a red thread band around the wrist by the groom, ancestor worship, placing the groom’s feet in a vessel filled with diluted milk, chopping off the stem of a wild berry/jujube (Beri) shrub, filling an earthen pitcher with water from a well, walk away from home in a fit of mock or feigned sulkiness, reciting coarse/rustic/vulgar couplets,performing a Havan (making an offering to the sacred fire), installing a wooden canopy or pavilion (Vedi), under which Hindu marriages are performed, vulgar dance by dancing girls, merry-making in a drunken state are all age-old wedding rituals. It is against the spirit of the Sikh faith to follow any
of these.

7. The bridegroom’s marriage party should consist of only a small number of close relatives and friends and should be in keeping with the wishes of the bride’s family. On arrival at the bride’s place, Shabad Kirtan should be sung and members of both parties should greet each other with a joyous exchange of the slogan – Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh.

8. For the wedding ceremony, friends and relatives should gather in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. Hymns
should be sung by the priest or any holy man or members of the congregation. The bride and the groom are seated in the front facing Guru Granth Sahib – the bride on the left and the groom on the right. After this, Ardas is performed by standing before Guru Granth Sahib with folded hands for the initiation of the marriage ceremony (Anand Karaj). Ideally, the marriage rites should be commenced soon after the conclusion of the morning prayers and the recitation of the divine Hymns – Asa di Var.

9. The priest or any pious person then apprises the couple of their duties as a householder. Pointing to the composition of the Hymns for marriage namely Laavan (in Raag Suhi in Guru Granth Sahib), he urges the couple to imbue their relationship as husband and wife with full love and devotion with the perception that the same Divine Lord pervades in their bodies. Thus after marriage the house-holder’s duties should be performed according to the Divine Law keeping in view the presence of the Divine within and everywhere.

10. The priest exhorts the couple to experience the light of the Almighty Lord in each other and through love attain a state of ‘two beings unified by a common spirit’. In this way, the couple, while leading the life of householder may strive to attain union with the Timeless Being – their Common Spouse. Both of them must live in accordance with the principles of the divine Law (Gurmat) and this union must serve as a means of attaining the true purpose of life, i.e., realising the Divine within.

The bride and the groom are then separately apprised of their respective marital responsibilities. The groom is told to remain true and faithful to his wife to the very end and hold her parents and relatives in the same high regard as his own parents and relatives. The bride is told that she is being commended forever to the care and protection of her husband in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib and the congregation (Sangat). Henceforth, her husband alone must be the object of her love and devotion. Through good or bad times, wherever she is, she must remain faithful to him. She must show the same regard to her husband’s parents and relatives as she would do to her own kith and kin. The bride and the groom then touch their foreheads to the ground before Guru Granth Sahib in token of having accepted the above instructions.

The bride’s father now places one end of the Palla (a length of cloth) in the groom’s hands, passes it over his shoulder and places the other end in the brides’s hands. The Granthi sitting in attendance of Guru Granth Sahib, then recites the four stanzas of the composition Laavan in the Raag Suhi. After the recitation of each stanza, the groom followed by the bride holding the Palla make a circumambulation of Guru Granth Sahib, while the Hymn singers (Raagis) sing the recited Laav Hymns. After each circumambulation, the couple should bow before Guru Granth Sahib and then stand up to listen to the next Laav, being recited and after bowing before Guru Granth Sahib they once again circumambulate the same. As such after the fourth circumambulation, the groom and the bride should touch their foreheads to the ground before Guru Granth Sahib and then sit down. The Hymns – Anand Sahib – is sung (the
first five and the last stanzas) and the ceremony is brought to a close with Ardas and serving the Karah Prashad to the congregation.

To perceive the fullest blessings of the Divine (Waheguru), the Anand Karaj ceremony should be performed soon after Asa di Vaar (the morning prayer). In fact, this is the divine rule according to the Sikh faith for getting the blessings of the Divine.

12. Marriages should not be based on the exchange of money.

13. When the parents of the bride visit her new home, they should not be averse to eating any food or drink offered to them.

14. Upon the death of the spouse, the survivor can remarry.

15. The ceremony of remarriage is the same as the ceremony of Anand Karaj described above.

16. The Sikh faith forbids bigamy.

17. If the bride and/or the groom have not undergone the initiatory rites of Amrit they should partake the same immediately.

~ Source: Sikh Faith Book, written by Baba Iqbal Singh Ji

After “Santa Banta Jokes, Hindi movie “Santa Banta pvt. ltd.”

Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has issued a warning against the release of “Santa Banta pvt. ltd” The committee claimed that in the movie Sikh characters are represented as “funny” characters and hurt the sentiments of Sikhs. Talking to TOI on Thursday, DSGMC president Manjit Singh GK said that the recent poster of the movie released by producers had shown Sikhs as “ridicules” and in poor light. He said they had written to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Chairman Pahlaj Nihalani and chief executive officer (CEO) Manish Desai to ban the movie’s title.

DGSMC has written to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh seeking his intervention to stop release of the movie. Featuring Boman Irani and Vir Das, “Santa Banta pvt. Ltd” is produced by Viacom18 Media Private Limited and Cinetek. The film is directed by Akashdeep Sabir. The movie, which also features Neha Dupia, is scheduled to be released on April, 11. The “Santa Banta pvt. Ltd. “ poster released a few days ago features two turbaned Sikh characters standing on a beach holiday resort wearing coats and underwears with smoke billowing from the pistols held by both of them.

“This is a deliberate attempt to mock Sikhs”, Manjit claimed while questioning. “How many times have you seen gun wielding persons wearing coats and underwears?” He said that instead of Sikh’s valour, sacrifices for the nation, the movie markers were looking for scripts which showed them in poor light and represented them as “funny cartoon characters”

~ Source: Times of India

Ravinder Singh’s life changing experience!

Ravinder Singh was born and bred in Birmingham. “I was a typical normal Punjabi Sikh guy who went to school, college, well-educated and now currently at university. I never really understood Sikhi or why I went to the Gurdwara.

I started to see my peers and family members drinking alcohol, so I started to drink with them too. I never thought there was anything wrong with drinking alcohol. Although, I did see many people act very foolish when they did drink at weddings. As you know, most Punjabi weddings have alcohol at the party, and I wasn’t aware how it could affect me.

Most of the people thought it was okay to drink, but I started noticing that my mindset wasn’t the same when I drank; I did a lot of things out of character when I drank. Alcohol started affecting my education, my family life, as well as my personal life.

So I started to learn about Sikhi online and got Sangat from a local Sikh Youth Birmingham Forum which had a very positive effect on me.

The Sangat from that Forum helped me so much and I still do support those sewadars and help them out with alcohol and drugs projects.

Guru Granth Sahib Ji tells us the Truth, Bani has all the answers and is my only guidance whom I seek. Now, my life is more fulfilling and meaningful than when I just sat down in the pub with friends and family like I used to.

I am currently doing Seva for numerous Sikh Organisations. I would encourage people to get involved with Sikh Youth UK who are helping so many families with alcohol and drug addictions.”

via: Sikh Youth Birmingham
Source: dailysikhupdates

The kara is to constantly remind the Sikh disciple to do God’s work, a constant reminder of the Sikh’s mission on this earth and that he or she must carry out righteous and true deeds and actions, keeping with the advice given by the Guru. The Kara is a symbol of unbreakable attachment and commitment to God.

The kara, generally worn in the right hand, reminds the Sikh that his or her actions have to be fearless symbolizing Amrit. This is the symbol of Guru on the hand of action and therefore all actions are to be pure. The purity and strength of pure iron has to be reflected in every action of the Sikh. The free availability of iron makes it easy to afford and therefore everyone can wear it. It symbolizes the Sikh brotherhood.

Once a Brahmin came to Guru Gobind Singh ji and expressed his concern for the Guru, the Sikhs and the grim fate of the Sikh religion, in view of the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev ji and Guru Tegh Bahadur ji along with three Sikhs (Bhai Dayal Dass ji, Bhai Mati Dass ji and Bhai Satti Dass ji). The Brahmin further suggested that if the Guru donated some mustard oil and pure iron to Saturn (Shani), then Saturn may be pleased and good times may return for the Sikhs.
The Guru apprised him of the rich and scientific Sikh philosophy that has no faith in superstitions, but on the insistence of the Brahmin, he finally agreed to offer the mustard oil and pure iron. The Brahmin was happy that the Guru had been finally convinced. On the way out, the Brahmin met some Sikhs and on being questioned, told them everything.

The Sikhs immediately realized that the Guru in his wisdom, has set a test for them. So they took all the offerings from the Brahmin and told him to come to the presence of the Guru the next day. Next day, when the Sangat had assembled, the all-knowing Guru asked a group of Sikhs on the appeal of the Brahmin, if they had to share anything with the Sangat. The Sikhs told the Guru that they had realized the test was being conducted by the Guru to examine the faith of the Sikhs in the Sikh philosophy, being taught to them since the last two centuries.

Therefore, they took the offerings from the Brahmin, used the oil in the Guru ka Langar, and made Kara (iron bracelet) of the pure iron, which they were wearing then. The Sikhs, according to the Sikh philosophy, have no faith in superstitions, planetary influences, holy or unholy days and in directions (East, West, North or South). The Guru expressed his happiness and blessed all the Sikhs with karas – in rejoicing for conquering the fear of superstitions.

~ source: tuhitu.blogspot.com

The Sikhs are a community who have always stood for honour and bravery of the very highest order. And believe me, the world has no dearth of examples when these Rab de bandey come out and remind us all that kindness, courage and compassion have not disappeared from the world yet.

If you feel you need a refresher, read on for the times when Sikh people were the embodiment of all that is good about humanity.

1.Young Sikh volunteers organized 24-hour ‘langar’ for those stranded during the Jat agitations just over a week ago.

A round-the-clock community kitchen was set up by dozens of Sikh volunteer teams, offering food and shelter in the Gurudwara to the thousands that were left stranded on the Delhi-Ambala national highway (NH-1) thanks to the road blockades that were put up by Jat protesters for almost two days.

2. The Sikh community of Paris stepped up in aid of the shaken Parisians after the November terror attacks.

Having put their unhappiness over the ban on the turban behind them promptly, the Sikhs of Paris earned much praise for their generosity in the aftermath of the terrors attacks last year. Several Sikhs opened the doors to their homes to help those out in the streets.

In fact, Rohan Singh Kalsi’s tweet telling people how any Gurudwara would be happy to provide victims with shelter went viral. And that is exactly what happened. Several Gurudwaras took in devastated victims and provided them with food and shelter.

3. Sikhs of Khalsa Aid set up ‘langar’ in IS territory to feed the refugees at the Iraq-Syria border.

In collaboration with several local organisations, a team of UK-based NGO Khalsa Aid risked their own safety and travelled to the Iraq-Syria border for the sake of humanity. In their community kitchen, they provided fresh bread to nearly 14,000 refugees daily in the strife-torn region.

4. A Sikh man transcended communal differences and had a mosque built in the village for its Muslim residents.

In the remote village of Sarwapur, a wealthy farmer Joga Singh, watched the Muslim residents travel to a mosque nearly 10 kms away to pray 5 times a day for years. So the man built, together with his Sikh friends, a mosque for his Muslim friends.

5. Two Sikh heroes unravelled their turbans to save young men from drowning.

When a group of four young men near drowned in gushing waters of a canal in Chandigarh, two heroic Sikh men – Inderpal Singh and Kanwaljit Singh – put saving lives above religious protocol. They took off their turban when there was no other means to reach the drowning men, and pulled them to safety.

6. A Sikh man in New Zealand took off his turban to help stop a child from bleeding from an injury to his head.

In a similar incident in Auckland, New Zealand, a 22-year old Sikh man Harman Singh rushed out of his home when he heard the wheels of a car screeching. He found a bleeding child and without skipping a beat, he unfurled his turban to help stop the blood.

7. A Sikh organisations joined hands to feed the helpless victims of the Nepal earthquake.

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) sent about twenty-five thousand food packets to Nepal for those who were left homeless and lost after the devastating earthquake.

8. The DSGMC stepped in to the Chennai flood victims’ aid as well – with the much-needed food and shelter.

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) rose to the occasion when the nations southern brothers were struggling in the floods that hit Chennai. An 11-member committee from the organisation set up ‘langar’ for the many, many that were in need.

9. A Sikh-Australian railway employee saved a man from succumbing to a heart attack.

Kulwinder Singh, an Indian immigrant in Australia didn’t let pressure get the best of him, when a normal day of work at the Central Station in Sydney took a turn towards panic. A passenger, Michael Williams, suffered a cardiac arrest and Singh, heroically, used a defibrillator to help save his life.

10. A Sikh hero fought a racist gunman to save the lives of several others and sacrificed his own in the process.

A 65-year old head of the Sikh temple of Wisconsin, USA, Sadwant Singh Kaleka, laid his life down to save the many women, children and other worshippers from the wrath of a white supremacist shooter that attacked the establishment. Before being shot twice, he heroically battled him with a knife and kept him from harming more people until the police arrived.

And these are just the few that made big news. But we all have a story where a Sikh person reminded us what kindness and honour really meant. And while they all may go unnoticed, we salute you all. Thank you, for making this world a better place.

~ Source: ScoopWhoop

Mata Gujri Ji (1624 -1705) (whose formal name was ‘Mata Gujar Kaur’) was the wife of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur; the mother of the tenth and last human Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh and the grandmother of the four Sahibzade.

She was born in 1624 and was the daughter of Bhai Lal Chand Subulikka and Bishan Kaur, a pious couple of Kartarpur, in present-day Kapurthala district of the Punjab. Her role in the development of the Sikh faith has been crucial.
She was the wife of a supreme martyr; mother of a brave saint-soldier; and the grand-mother of four amazing children who all attained martyrdom at the ages of 6, 9, 14 and 18 years. She had been close to the two younger sahibzade and took up their guardianship in the flight from Anandpur under a promise of safe passage to Punjab. Imprisoned in the Thanda Burj of Sirhind with her youngest grandsons Zorawar and Fateh Singh, she attained martyrdom, at the age of 81 years, when she was told of their execution.

Click Here for – Ten Sikh Women you should know about!

The handwritten manuscript which contains the Bani of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib Ji and bears the signature of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji remains stolen and untraced for nearly 13 years. The Gutka Sahib contained Chaupai Sahib in full form and shabads by the ninth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji.

The manuscript served as a great importance and preservation of authentic bani of Chaupai Sahib. The manuscript was stolen from the descendents of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib.

Read the following for further information, an article published in 2003 in the Tribune.

A granth having hand-written verses of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur, and Chaupai Sahib (holy hymns recited at the time of baptisation) written by the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, have been stolen from the house of descendants of Guru Teg Bahadur located in Anandpur Sahib.

Sources here said the scriptures were kept in an old building in Bari Sarha Mohalla of Anandpur Sahib owned by Narinder Kaur and her family who claim to be descendant of Baba Suraj Mal, son of Guru HarGobind Sahib Ji. Manji Sahib Gurdwara was also located in the same building. Devotees used to visit the building for paying obeisance to the scriptures of the Guru.

On Wednesday, a devotee came to the place to pay obeisance. He allegedly stole the scriptures after the family members left the place. The theft was noticed in the evening when family members came for evening rituals to the Gurdwara.

A complaint has been registered by the Anandpur Sahib police station regarding the theft of the scriptures. The DSP Anandpur Sahib, Mr Varinder Brar, said initial investigation revealed that the person who stole the scriptures belonged to the Ludhiana area and was between 50 and 55 years of age.

On the basis of the description provided by the family members, a sketch of the suspected thief was being prepared. The thief also left a blanket at the spot, he said.

Jathedar of Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib Giani Tarlochan Singh said the scriptures stolen from the gurdwara were authentic. The SGPC during the tercentenary celebrations had urged the family to hand over the scriptures. However, the family did not hand these over, maintaining that the scriptures were property of the Sodhi family. The Jathedar also visited the spot for surveying the family’s remaining possessions which were important historically.

The SGPC has deputed its flying squad to inquire into the theft of the holy scripture written by Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh from the house of descendent of Baba Suraj Mal in Anandpur Sahib, Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, president of the SGPC, stated this after in a press note.

~ Source: DailySikhUpdate