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My sword is my companion my warrior and friend,
Not to be offensive but sworn to defend,
The infusion of steel runs through my veins,
Making me immune from sorrow and pain,
My sword is the protector of the needy and poor,
When oppression becomes a disease my sword is the cure,
My sword sings the song of selfless love,
It lives in harmony with law from above,
The flash of my Guru’s sword awakens the sleeping soul,
Without the sword I can never be whole,
The sword of the Guru is the giver of life,
Before the soul was barren now it is ripe,
I am the saint and the soldier that walks in peace,
I am the humble dust of your feet,
But don’t think my spirituality makes me weak,
The heavens will roar if my sword were to speak,
Death is my bride, fear is my friend,
My Guru’s path is the map heaven sent,
To follow the path, surrender your whole,
The power of the Guru’s sword will give light to your soul.

~ by Maninder Singh

In 1941 Sikh Soldier Regiment was stationed in Afghanistan with the British Army. In his Rasala, was a group of 21 Faujis, and one day they decided to approach their Subedar to request celebrating a Gurpurab. The Subedar who was a strict Rehitvaan Singh gave the permission for the small group to gather all necessary supplies.

Later on that evening various English and Dogra officers from other Rasaley who often frequented post gathered at a meeting. Somehow that evening, a word got out that rasala were celebrating Gurpurab and all regiments in the local area were quickly notified.

As soon as the Subedar heard, he was not impressed as the food ordered was only enough for a small group of men. Nevertheless the following morning at 4am (day of the Gurpurab) he gave orders to all the men to bathe from head to toe and to prepare the langar with simran on their lips.

They had also arranged for a halwai to make poorian, kheer and parshad.

In the tent where the langar was to be served the Subedar posted a guard and gave him strict orders not to let anyone other than the people serving in. He also instructed for all the tubs in which the dhaal, sabji, poorian etc were placed to be covered with chadraan and not to be uncovered at any time. Hence, the people serving were not to look into the tubs even when serving. Once all the langar was ready, the Subedar performed Ardaas.

On the day of the Gurpurab approximately 2000 soldiers from various regiments turned up at 0900. Langar was served in accordance with the strict instruction of the Subedar and until 1300 hours.

All the men were served 4 poorian each along with dal, sabji, kheer an so forth. No one came back for seconds. With Guru Ji’s mahaan kirpa, all the men ate to the full and the remaining langar had to be buried.

Ardaas Shakti – Unlimited Langar Via Gurmat Bibek
Above , is a true account of the power of Ardaas.

~ Source: DAILY SIKH UPDATES

1) Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s famous blue coloured horse.

In fact Guru Sahib is sometimes known as “Neelay ghoray whalla” or “one with the blue horse” and many a folk songs and vars sing the exploits of “Neelay ghoray they swaar” or “the rider of the blue horse”.

Just as his grandfather Guru Hargobind sahib, Guru Gobind Singh instructed his Sikhs to make offerings of arms and horses in readiness for the turbulent times ahead. In anticipation of this Guru Gobind Singh learnt the art of horsemanship from an early age under the guidance of his maternal uncle, Bhai Kirpal Chand. To this day, the breed of the horse called “Blue Roan” still exist, but not the blue color of the rare horse of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. There is also an incident when Guru Ji’s horse stopped before a entering a tobacco field.

2) Horse Bhai Bidhi Chand rescued from Lahore Fort

He was one of the five Sikhs chosen to accompany Guru Arjan on his journey to Lahore where he was martyred in 1606. Guru Hargobind Sahib ji chose him to be one of the commanders of the armed forces he had raised and he displayed as a soldier great feats of valor in battles with the imperial troops.

His best-known exploit, however, was the recovery of two horses, Dilbag and Gulbag, from the stables of the governor of Lahore. The horses belonged to a Sikh who was bringing them from Kabul as an offering for Guru Hargobind, but they were seized on the way by the Mughal satrap. The first horse Bidhi Chand recovered disguised as a hay-seller, and the second disguised as an astrologer.

3) Bhai Gurdas Ji’s Test

One day , Bhai Gurdas Ji wrote a verse in one of his Vars, it stated “that if the Guru tested his Sikh, the Sikh would automatically pass the test.”

The sixth Guru , Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji was not best pleased with this tone of thought and decided to test Bhai Gurdas Ji himself. Guru Ji gave Bhai Gurdas a bag of gold coins and sent him to Kabul to buy some horses. Having arrived safely, he completed the deal. Bhai Ji then asked two Afghans to come into his test to collect the money. Bhai Gurdas Ji went into the tent first and when he checked the bag of coins he found to his dismay that it was full of pebbles.

Being at that time completely unable to face up to what he saw as disgrace, he made a run for it from the back of the tent. At the front of the tent the attendants waited, eventually they entered the tent and saw a bag of gold coins but not Bhai Gurdas Ji. The horse dealers were properly paid and in due course the horses arrived back at Amritsar where the whole incident was told to Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. In the meantime Bhai Gurdas Ji, now guilt ridden arrived at Banaras.

There to earn a living he started giving the local people talks on Sikhism. He received a message from Guru Sahib Ji to return home, but still felt sick at heart and very repentant. He decided to re-write the verse that had displeased Guru Sahib Ji. This time he declared “ That no Sikh on his own can ever pass the Guru’s test unless firstly he has the Guru’s blessing.”

4) Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Horse

Maharaja Ranjit Singh gave immense importance to horses after he became the Maharaja of Punjab after conquering the Lahore Fort in 1799. Maharaja Ranjit Singh had the entire walled city of Lahore cleaned and scrubbed for 2 days because his horse as to pass through there.

A military barrack at the Lahore Fort was converted by the British military from a horse stable to a barrack. Maharaja Ranjit Singh kept 1,000 of the finest horses there and when the stable became full he made an even larger stable at Hazoori Bagh.

The horse which stands out the most is the legendary horse which costed “rupees 60 lakhs” and by today’s standards it would cost Rs12 billion.

5) Bhai Tara Singh Wan’s Horse

Bhai Tara Singh Wan from the Village Wan in Punjab was known to care immensely for horses and would often treat injured horses.

~ Source: Daily Sikh Updates

“Bibi Nanaki ji (1464-1518) was the elder sister of Guru Nanak. The Guru’s love for his sister is referred to in most touching terms in some of the Sakhis. A sister’s love for her brother is a perennial theme of Punjabi folklore. There are many stories of Nanaki’s deep and devoted affection for her brother, Nanak.

Bibi Nanaki was five years older then Guru Nanak, she was the first to recognize his spiritual eminence and to become his devotee. She is often credited as becoming the first Sikh. She protected Nanak from their father’s wrath, when repeatedly he disappointed and angered him.

Once as he visited her in 1518, Bibi Nanaki sensing her end near, detained him a short while. Soon, she departed this life , as she had wished, in the presence of her brother — Guru Nanak Dev ji. Three days later, her husband, Bhai Jai Ram Ji, also passed away. Guru Nanak performed their obsequies. There is no doubt that, perhaps, the first Gur Sikh was none other than Bibi Nanaki.”

~ Source: SikhiWiki

Akbar was a famous king of India. He was a kind and good king and respected the Sikh Gurus for their sensible practises and their fair and just teachings. In the year 1569, Akbar came to the Punjab and wanted to see the Guru.

So he sent a message to Guru Amar Das ji that he was coming to visit him. The Sikhs were very happy at the news. Some Sikhs thought that special arrangements should be made to welcome the king. But the Guru said, “Akbar is as much a human being as others are. The Guru’s place is open to all. The king and his subjects, the Hindus and the Muslims, the rich and the poor are all equal here. So Akbar will be welcomed like all other visitors to the Guru’s place and special arrangements need not be made.”

“Caste has no power in the next world; Only the humble are exalted there. It is only the good who are honored for good acts.” (Guru Nanak (SGGS p469))

The king, along with the Rajah of Haripur, arrived in Goindwal where the Guru lived. The Guru and a few Sikhs received them warmly. They were shown round the place. Akbar was interested to know how the Guru’s Langar was run. Simple food was served to all in the Guru’s Langar. It remained open day and night.

Travellers, beggars, and strangers, as well as the followers of the Guru, were all served with food. Whatever was left was thrown to the cattle and birds so that nothing was wasted. The Guru had given an order that all persons coming to visit his place must have their food in the Langar (when hungry). There they were to sit in rows (Pangat) as equals and were to be served simple food in turn. Akbar and the Rajah of Haripur took their meals in the Guru’s Langar. They sat among the common people in a row as the Sikhs served them food. They enjoyed the simple food and were very happy. Akbar liked the working of the Guru’s Langar very much.

Before leaving, Akbar said to the Guru,

“I like Guru Nanak’s religion very much and I respect you for your teachings. I want to make a grant of land for running the Langar. Would you mind it!”.

The Guru replied,

“Dear Akbar, I am very glad you like the path of Baba Nanak. I am also grateful to you for your offer of a grant of land for the Langar, but I am sorry I cannot accept it because the Guru likes all to work hard to earn (Kirt Karni) and to share their honest earnings (Wand Chakna) with others, by giving something to the Langar from their honest earnings to help others.

As such, the Guru’s langar is the people’s (Sangat’s) Langar and it must be run on people’s free gifts and not on a royal grant. That is why all share equally in the Guru’s Langar and no one is looked upon as an outsider.

In the Guru’s Langar, each gives as much as we can spare and takes as much as he/she needs. Here, there is no difference between kings and beggars. All sit together; and eat simple food served with loving care.” Akbar liked the Guru’s idea very much.

Akbar had made up his mind to do something for the house of Nanak. He presented the land of Amritsar to Bhani the daughter of Guru Amar Das as gift in her marriage.

~ Source: Daily Sikh Updates

Sikhs in US have planned to help their beleaguered community find acceptance in the country. For this, they have hired a high-profile media consultancy founded by President Barack Obama which helped him manage his campaign during elections and made him win a senate seat and White House respectively. The Chicago-based company known as AKPD, formed by David Axelrod and David Plouffe had successfully driven Obama’s election campaigns.

The turban-clad community has been in US for a long time however, they have been threatened and attacked several times by those who knew either little or nothing about them, especially after the September 11 twin tower attack.

A country-wide survey was conducted by Hart Research to identify the problem of such ignorance towards the community and suggest remedies for them. The findings of the same were released on Tuesday which concluded that 60% Americans knew nothing about Sikhs and most of them were either neutral in their feelings about them (54%) or cool (16%). However, upon learning about the community they warmed up to it, across demographics.

Apparently, the Sikh community has suffered quite a lot for its uniqueness. Balbir Singh Sodhi, a gas station owner in Messa, Arizona, was killed just days after 9/11 – on September 15 – by a man who was looking for “towel-heads” to avenge the attacks. The killer thought Sodhi was a mid-easterner.

There were other instances too of Sikhs being targeted for exactly the same reason. The worst of them was the killing of six Sikhs by a white supremacist at a Gurudwara in Silver Oak, Wisconsin in August 2012 on which the stunned community resolved to act. AKPD is known to be its newest initiative to do the same.

~ Source: IndiaTV News

“The Main Reason for our Defeat in Indo-Pak War in 1971 were Sikhs” Said Major General of Pakistan, Fazal Muqeem Khan!

Just as they did in the fight for independence against the British, Sikhs played a critical role in national defense and security. Major General Faro! Muqeem Khan, the author of “Pakistan, Crisis of Leadership,” wrote in his book in which he said

“The major reason for our defeat are Sikhs. We are simply unable to do anything before them despite our best efforts. They are very daring people and are fond of martyrdom. They fight courageously and are capable of defeating an army much bigger than them.”

~ Source: Neverforget1984

29 Year old Taranjeet Singh a Doctorate in Computer Science at the University of Central Florida has been shortlisted to for a one-way trip to mars in 2024. 3 Indians are on a short list of 100 people around the world to set up a human colony on Mars. The private mission will have 4 lucky people from around the world for a permanent stay on Mars.

Taranjeet said, “All my life I always wanted to be involved in space missions. As a child, I spent hundreds of nights, gazing at the sky and always wanted aliens to abduct and take me into space.

He stated his faith in Sikhi offers a path for honest living and equal treatment for all people. “Being a Sikh, for me is like a great fortune. Everyone wants happiness in their life & Sikhism taught me everything related to happiness.

The ambitious Netherlands-based non-profit has aimed to set up a human colony which was announced this past Monday. Another Indian named Shraddha from Kerala was also selected few days ago. The 100 people who got selected will face numerous rounds of interviews.

The next process will focus on who can endure different types of hardships due to the permanent settlement on Mars. Here is how the 100 people from around the world are broken down to 50 men and 50 women with 39 from the Americas, 31 from Europe, 16 from Asia, 7 from Africa and 7 from Oceania. Mars One selection committee will create an international group of four candidates who would have to demonstrate their ability to live in harsh conditions and work under difficult circumstances. They would be trained in a replica of the Mars outpost, Up to six groups will become full-time employees of the Mars One astronaut corps.

Taranjeet Singh is one of the lucky 100 to be selected from a total of 202, 586 applicants. A total of 40 people will be sent to Mars, but the finalists will first train for seven years. The mission looks to send 4 people at a time to Mars starting in 2024. The most intelligent and fittest candidates will be chosen.

These aspiring Martians provide the world with a glimpse into which the modern day explorer will be.