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Showing posts from November, 2015

The Guru of the Sikhs

Sri Guru Granth Sahib - the Eternal Guru of Sikhs Sri Guru Granth Sahib [Punjabi (Gurmukhi): ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ], is the central religious scripture of Sikhism, considered by Sikhs to be the final, sovereign guru after the lineage of ten Gurus of the religion. Sri Guru Granth Sahib at Harmander Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab Sri Guru Granth Sahib is a voluminous text of 1430 Angs (pages), compiled and composed during the period of Sikh Gurus from 1469 to 1708 and is a collection of hymns (Shabad) or Baani describing the qualities of God and the necessity for meditation on God's Nām (holy name).  The Origin The origin of the Sikh scriptures lies in the hymns of its founder, Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji which were preserved by his successor, Guru Angad Devi ji.  The collection known as the "Pothi" was passed on to his successors and then handed over by the Third Guru's son Bhai Mohan to the fifth Guru, Arjan Dev ji. The Original Pothi of Guru Nanak The Adi Granth,

Yezidi People and Indian Connection

The Yazidis (Yezidi, Êzidî; Persian: ایزدی ‎‎ ɪzadi) are a Kurdish religious community whose ancient religion is linked to Zoroastrianism and ancient Indian religions. Yazidis live primarily in Iraq, where they make up an important minority community. Estimates of the size of these communities vary significantly, between 70,000 and 500,000. They are particularly concentrated in northern Iraq in the Nineveh Province. The two biggest communities are in Shekhan , northeast of Mosul, and in Sinjar , at the Syrian border Yezidis celebrating the Fast of Sacrifice by lighting fires Religious Belief The Yazidis are monotheists believing in God as creator of the world, which he has placed under the care of seven holy beings or angels, the chief of whom is Melek Taus , the Peacock Angel. The Peacock Angel, as world-ruler, causes both good and bad to befall individuals, and this ambivalent character is reflected in myths of his own temporary fall from God's favor, before his remorsefu

Reality of Khalistan

The Khalistan movement is a nationalist political liberation movement, which seeks to create a separate country called Khalistān (Punjabi: ਖਾਲਿਸਤਾਨ, "The Land of the Pure") in the Punjab region of South Asia. But is this concept a reality or just figment of imagination? Imaginary Khalistan Map Background The Punjab region has been the traditional homeland for the Sikhs . Before its conquest by the British it was liberated by the Sikhs after centuries of rebellion against the oppressive Mughal rule. The region had been ruled by the Sikhs for almost 100 years. However, the region also has a substantial number of Hindus and Muslims. When the Muslim League demanded a separate country for Muslims via the Lahore Resolution of 1940, a section of Sikh leaders grew concerned that their community would be left without any homeland following the partition of India between the Hindus and the Muslims. They put forward the idea of Khalistan, envisaging it as a theocratic state cove