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Showing posts from 2019

Revealed the Faces of Early Punjabis

How did Our Ancestors Looked Like? Ancient people of Punjab (Punjabi: پنجابی (Shahmukhi), ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Gurmukhi), पंजाबी (Devanagri), are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group of North Indian origin; which includes parts of Sindh , Punjab , Haryana , and Gujarat . Punjab region has been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world, the the Indus Valley Civilization. Excavation of pre-historic sites at Harrapa , Mohenjodaro , Ropar , Dholvira , Kalibangan , and Rakhigarhi reveal an advanced society that may be the cradle of Indian civilization. Map of Indus Valley Civilization Political Controversy on Origin of Indo-Aryans During 19th Century European ethnographers and, of course, most famously, Adolf Hitler , also considered Aryans the master race who had conquered Europe, although the German leader considered them to be of Nordic lineage. Hindu right-wingers believe the source of Indian civilization are the Arya - a nomadic tribe of horse-riding, cattle-rearing warrior

Guru Nanak and His Sikhs Today - Part I: Ek Ongkaar

Guru Nanak  (29 November 1469 – 22 September 1539) was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. Guru Nanak traveled far and wide from Tibet to Srilanka, and from Bengal to Baghdad, teaching people the message of one God who dwells in every one of His creations and constitutes the eternal Truth. He set up a unique spiritual, social, and political platform based on equality, fraternal love, goodness, and virtue. Guru Nanak Guru Nanak's words are registered in the form of 974 poetic hymns in the holy text of Sikhism, Sri Guru Granth Sahib. His teachings have broader imprint, but lets look at just ten of his core teachings and then reflect upon how he would judge us if he visit us today. Will he be pleased how we have followed his messages and applied them to our lifestyles, or he will be disappointed by our behaviors and actions? 1. There is Only One God Guru Nanak coined the concept of Ik Ongkaar (Gurmukhi: ੴ , ਇੱਕ ਓਅੰਕਾਰ; the symbol that represents th

... Or You will burn in Hell

... Or You will burn in Hell Soul burning in Hell My Experience in the Mall Fifteen years ago, I was in the local mall with my three year old daughter. It was the holiday season a few days before Christmas. As we were walking down the shops inside the mall, a young lady approached us and wished us "Merry Christmas". We are not Christians but I responded her greeting with the like. She smiled and handed a fake $1M note to my daughter. She pointed to a table and told my daughter to use the fake dollar to buy anything she wants from the table. Seeing my daughter's excitement, I decided to approach the table set up with gifts, flowers, and books. Soon I realized that I was just suckered in buy an innovative trick by a street evangelist also known as "Bible Bashers". I was in double mind whether to follow through or turn back when the same young lady approached me. Here is word by word representation of my conversation with this young lady? Evangelist

Why Khalistanis are wrong on Article 370

I was embarrassed, anguished, and disgusted beyond belief; when I saw pictures of Khalistanis protesting alongside the Pakistani flag outside Indian consulates in London and San Francisco. What anguished me the most was the ignorance and lack of knowledge of history among these rabid protesters screaming on top of their lungs, displaying their uncontrollable rage in a ugly spectacle in front of the world. Khalistani Protesters and Pakistani Flag What was the Commotion About? These Khalistanis were protesting against the Indian government for abolishing Article 370 , a temporary constitution Amendment made in 1952 to award special status to Kashmiris. Kashmiri Flags in Sikh Protest on Referandum 2020 But why Sikhs were there?  Well, some Sikhs feel that what happened to Kashmir will happen to Punjab next. This assumption is the biggest folly and demonstrates the ignorance of the protesters. Here is why: Modi government abolished Artcle 370 that gave a special status to

Turban a Target of Racism or Inferiority Complex?

In Sikhism, Kesh (sometimes Kes ) is the practice of allowing one's hair to grow naturally out of respect for the perfection of God's creation. The practice is one of The Five Kakaars, the outward symbols introduced by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 as symbols of Khalsa , the spiritual Sikh warrior. The hair is combed twice daily with a Kanga , another of the Five Ks, and tied into a simple knot known as a Joora or Rishi knot. This knot of hair is usually covered by a turban. Young Sikh Men with No Turbans Young Sikhs of Today In modern times the trend of short hair has encroached upon this age old tradition. It is estimated that half of Sikh men have already abandoned the turban and cut their hair. The reasons for them cutting their unshorn hair include the following Simple convenience (avoiding the daily maintenance and tying turban) Social pressure from the mainstream culture to adjust their appearance to fit the norm Desire to indulge in activities like smoking, dr

Gian Godri - Message of Guru Nanak

ਹਕੁ ਪਰਾਇਆ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਉਸੁ ਸੂਅਰ ਉਸੁ ਗਾਇ ॥  हकु पराइआ नानका उसु सूअर उसु गाइ ॥  To take what rightfully belongs to another, is like a Muslim eating pork, or a Hindu eating beef.  With these strong words, Guru Nanak condemned those who grab what rightfully belongs to someone else. The concept of " Haqq " or the " Rights " of all human being is enshrined in Sri Guru Granth Sahib by our Gurus.  Unfortunately, we all have forgotten these teachings of Guru Nanak. His beloved followers from Punjab fought with each other whether to cremate or bury his pious remains after he passed away. The same Punjabi Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs killed each other and forcibly laid claim to each others's properties during the partition of Punjab in 1947. Guru Nanak at Hardwar Gurdwara Gian Godri The people of Hardwar have not only forgotten the message of Guru Nanak but the local administration has tried to prove that the historical Gurdwara never existed at "Har ki