My Malice and Bias

Princess Susheel Kanwar of Chamba Rajkumari Susheel Kanwar was the only daughter of Raja Udai Singh of Chamba in Punjab Hills now renamed Himachal Pradesh. Like the princesses of her time she was trained in sword fighting, equestrianism, as well as music, arts and craft; she was skilled in embroidery handicraft of the Chamba Rumal.  Max Arthur Macauliffe describes her as being extremely beautiful, graceful and delicate the physical embodiment of a Goddess. To visualize how Susheel Kaur may have looked like, I am sharing a 1915 picture of the two daughters of Raja Bhuri Singh of Chamba.  Princess Dhan Dei , married Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Princess Rattan Dei , married Raja Brijmohan Pal of Kutlehar. Princesses Dhan Dei & Rattan Dei of Chamba in traditional attire - 1915 Chamba is one of the oldest principalities in the Western Himalayas. It boasts an exceptionally rare, well-preserved history spanning over 1,400 years, during which it managed to remain largely ...

 "ਕੋਊ ਕਿਸੀ ਕੋ ਰਾਜ ਨਾ ਦੇਹੈ, ਜੋ ਲੇਹੈ ਨਿਜ ਬਲ ਸੇ ਲੇਹੈ"  (Koi kisi ko raj na de hai, jo le hai nij bal se le hai) means that s overeignty or power is not given away as a gift by anyone; it is attained through one's own inner strength, struggle, and sovereign capability . These uplifting words of Guru Gobind Singh inspired the Sikhs and empowered the Khalsa to destroy the power of Mughal and Afghan powerhouses to establish Sikh sovereignty in North-West India. "Hum Rakhat Patshahi Dawa" (ਹਮ ਰਖਤ ਪਾਤਸ਼ਾਹੀ ਦਾਵਾ) translates to " We claim the right to sovereignty. " It is a historic Sikh declaration originating from Sikh chronicle Panth Prakash , reflecting the Khalsa's spiritual and temporal mandate of self-rule and divine freedom rather than worldly subjugation.  Foundation of Khalsa Raj Baba Banda Singh Bahadur laid the foundation of Sikh power by transforming a spiritual movement into an active military resistance, rallying the rural peasantry, defeating...

Historic Old Delhi Delhi , the capital of India and Sikhs have a love-hate story that goes back about 500 years. Sikh Gurus have blessed the old city with their visit. But this ancient city is also soaked with the sacred blood of many thousands of Sikh souls ; the ninth Guru, and thousands of brave and fearless martyrs who died purely and simply to maintain, defend and fight for the most noble of human causes - the protection of ones liberty, the right to practice ones own religion and the freedom to live with the assurance of justice. Nanak Piao Gurdwara Nanak Piao is built at the site, where Guru Nanak Dev camped when he visited Delhi in 1505 during the reign of Sultan Sikandar Lodhi. Here Guru Nanak offered water to the thirsty travelers, hence the name of the shrine. The word "Piao" mean to "offer water to drink" and refers to the offering of water to all the thirsty who visited this shrine. Even today, the Well used by the Guru is preserved from whic...

Banda Singh Bahadur (born Lachman Dev, also known as Bairagi Madho Das (27 October 1670 – 9 June 1716) was a Sikh military commander who avenged the execution of two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh and destroyed the foundation of Mughal empire in Northern India. Banda Singh Bahadur Monument at Chappar Chiri Wazir Khan of Sirhind Sirhind the town located in Punjab India, which was the unfortunate witness to the the martyrdom of the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh in 1704. Wazir Khan, its Subadar (Governor) at the time had vowed to finish off the Sikhs, 'root and branch', after they had left Anandpur Sahib. Guru Gobind Singh with sons at Chamkaur Fortess Though the Sikhs had been given a promise of safe passage to Punjab, a promise written in the flyleaf of their holy book, the Qur'an which included the seal of the Emperor Aurangzeb. The Mughals supported by Hindu hill chieftains betrayed the promise and attacked the Sikhs from behind. Despite this, the ...