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“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.

Bhagat Ji was a very keen listener and a good practioner of Hindu religion as a child. His awareness of Hindu Gods and Godesses and myths attached to them was very good. He had been visiting the local temple since he was a small boy. There were 10 – 12 tiny hindu idols of stone and clay which he would carefully wash and then dry them with a piece of clean cloth. He did all this with great love and care. He would pluck 21 leaves from a particular tree and would write “Om Namah Shivai” on each one in red chandan. Then he would offer it to the main Shiv idol.

He was equally exposed to Sikhism and was never stopped from attending any of the various religious congregations. There were two incidents which influenced his spiritual countenance and gave definite direction to his life.

On his way to the village one day, he stopped at the Neelkanth temple, and as was his routine, he washed the idols, dried them with cloth and prayed. It was fairly late and Bhagat Ji was hungry. The temple priest rang the bell for food and all the inmates sat down to eat. So did Bhagat Ji. The priest served the food to all others sitting there except Bhagat Ji. He said to Bhagat Ji “You dont belong here”. Bhagat Ji got up quietly without any argument and started for home. But for many days he was haunted by the question that if “I didn’t belong to God’s house then where and to whom did I belong?.”

He had appeared for his matric examination at Ludhiana and was returning to his boarding school. Bhagat Ji told ” I was extremely tense, for I knew that once the examinations were over, the hostel authorities would send me packing. My parents had already left for Montgomery and I had no home. Where would I go then? On the way back, it became dark, and as the roads were unfamiliar to me, I was scared that I might get lost. Somewhere near the canal, I met two Sikh farmers, one of whom was blind .He was reciting Rehraas Sahib while the other listened quietly. I also sat down and listened to him. When the prayer ended, I asked them, “Is there any place where I can spend night and get something to eat?” They directed me to Gurdwara Reru Sahib. I told them “I have kept fast today and to break it I can only eat sweetened rice”. The elder of the two gentlemen then took me to his house, made sweetened rice for me and gave me his own bed to sleep in.”

Such compassion by the two Sikhs attracted Bhagat Ji towards their religion like a magnet. Next morning , he started for Reru Sahib. On reaching, sweet melodies of Guru’s Shabad awakened the inner recesses of Bhagat Ji’s soul. With a strange sort of peace settling inside him, he sat down in the langar hall while the sewadar served sweetened lassi to him. In lunchtime sewadar called out “Langar is ready, Guru’s cherished followers. Come and eat.”

Bhagat ji said ” As those sweet words melted in my ears, I felt I was receiving answers to the several questions that had been bothering me for last so many years. I could feel myself melting into Sikh fold. It was like a mother enveloping her son in her warmth.”

Long before the Reru Sahib incident, Bhagat Ji had made notes in his diary as to how the physical aspects of Khalsahood impressed him. Bhagat ji had attended the Jor Mela at Fatehgarh Sahib. Fatehgarh Sahib is the place where “Chotte Sahibzadey” were bricked alive by Muslim ruler. Bhagat Ji recalled “I sat close to where Guru Granth Sahib was residing on a raised platform, watching everything and taking in every single detail, for I had never been part of such a large congregation”. At mela Bhagat Ji was very impressed with personlaity of ADC of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala. Bhagat Ji , who till that time, had always tied a loose parna around his head, patted his head with a new interest. He went back home and told his mother, “something is missing here”, pointing towards top of his head.

Bhagat Ji told “When the whole congregation left barefoot for Gurdwara Jyoti Saroop, the maharaj too became part of that procession, and I thought, here is a religion which does not beleive in class or caste distinctions.
The life history of “Chotte Sahibzadey” inspired him beyond his own imagination. He said ” I felt strong emotional bond with the Sahibzadey as I bowed before the sacred place”.

Bhagat Ji followed his intuition to the last specific and adorned himself with the ways of Khalsahood for all his years to come.

~ Source – simransewa.blogspot.in

The Emperor Shah Jahan had four sons by different wives: Dara Shikoh, Shuja Muhammad, Aurangzeb, and Murad Baksh. Dara Shikoh was the heir-apparent, and was very dear to his father. Aurangzeb was very cunning, clever and ambitious, and was fixated on succeeding to the throne. (The name Aurangzeb means – fit for the throne) He administered tiger’s whiskers in a dish to his eldest brother and he became dangerously ill as a result. Astrologers were sent for, pirs and fakirs were called, all known charms, spells and incantations were tried but to no avail. Wise men were assembled together and they came to the decision that until the tiger’s whiskers could be removed, there was no hope of a recovery.

They were of the opinion that if two ounces of chebulic myrobalan (scientific name: Terminalia chebula; known in Ayurvedic medicine as Aralu, credited with having laxative and stomachic properties) and a clove weighing one masha were administered, his health could be restored. The Emperor searched everywhere for the ingredients but they could not be found – it was only until his Prime Minister, who had heard of the Gurus’ fame, was informed that there were available from the Gurus’ storehouse, that hope was restored.

Guru Har Rai Saves Dara Shikoh’s Life

Although the Emperor was hostile to the Guru, yet as the Guru’s house was a mine of sympathy and compassion for all, there was no doubt that he would grant the articles required. The Emperor humbled himself before the Guru and sent a letter.

The Guru was pleased that the Emperor had such confidence in him as to write such a friendly letter, and consented to give the required medicines. “Behold,” said the Guru, “with one hand man breaks flowers and with one hand offers them, but the flowers perfume both hands alike. The axe cuts the sandal tree, yet the sandal perfumes the axe. The Guru ought, therefore, to return good for evil.”

The ingredients were weighed and it was explained that these medicines would cause the hardest substance taken to be digested. To these ingredients, the Guru added a pearl which was to be ground and used as a subsidiary remedy. The Emperor was naturally very pleased and forgot all his enmity with the Guru, and vowed that he would never again cause him annoyance. His medicine was administered and effected a speedy and complete cure.

~ Source: DAILY SIKH UPDATES

The most significant story concerning the baaj is in 1699 when Guru Sahib Ji had created Amrit (holy nector) for the precise purpose of creating the Khalsa brotherhood. A few drops of Amrit had fallen from the iron cauldron, which were readily consumed by a few sparrows. The sparrows turned onto the Baaj and repeatedly assaulted him to such an extent that he had to take flight, followed vigorously by the sparrows. This incident showed the Sikhs that the Amrit created by the Tenth Guru had immense power, after drinking a few drops a small sparrow not only had the courage to take on a bird of prey but to harass it until it took flight and fled.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji said “I will create my Khalsa of such courage and vigour that he will take on armies of the enemy, he will stand up for the poor and the downtrodden –

“Sava Lakh say ek ladaho”
(One will confront a lakh and a quarter of the enemy)”

In 1984 amongst the turmoil and terrible fate of so many Sikhs a white baaj appeared, seen by many it circled and perched on a branch, telling the Sikhs that the Guru was with them. From time to time, it is said that a white Baaj is seen in the mountains of the Himalayas in the surrounding areas of Hemkunt Sahib where Guru Gobind Singh Ji performed much hard meditation to merge with the Almighty.

~ Source: Sikhiwiki