Everything In The West Is Designed To...

Everything in the West - TV, malls, movies, sports, music - is designed to diminish your awareness of your impending death. Because if everyone were constantly aware that were going to die, people could not be brainwashed into sustaining the machinery of civilization, they would live and think for themselves instead of for the agendas of groups, societies and nations and seek to foster peaceful communities that celebrated life instead of competition, war, death and immorality.

Desh Singh, 2011

Babbu's Pagh Tutorial (How to Tie a Turban)

Doesn't matter what kind of turban / pagh / dastaar you want to tie, there's a video tutorial out there for you. Here's one by Babbu on the damala style.

 

Lt. Gov Sinha on Operation Blue Star

A fascinating perspective on the June 1984 attack on the Golden Temple by the Indian Government by Lieutenant General (Retd.) Srinivas Kumar Sinha, He candidly discusses the political circumstances and motivations that lead up to the attack. Interesting that he was actually friends with Major General Shabeg Singh who lead the fortifications of the Darbar Sahib complex.

Indira Gandhi first asked Lt. Gen. S.K. Sinha, then Vice-Chief of Indian Army and who was to succeed as the Army chief, to prepare a position paper for assault on the Golden Temple. Lt. Gen. Sinha advised against any such move, given its sacrilegious nature according to Sikh tradition. He suggested the government adopt an alternative solution. A controversial decision was made to replace him with General Arun Shridhar Vaidya as the Chief of the Indian army. General Vaidya, assisted by Lt. Gen. K Sundarji as Vice-Chief, planned and coordinated Operation Blue Star. (Wikipedia)

Costco Parking Lot

What happens when you have too much time and cheap audio visual technology..

 

Three Deadliest Words - It's A Girl!

The three deadliest words in the world are "Its a girl."

 

In India, China and many other parts of the world today, girls are killed, aborted and abandoned simply because they are girls. The United Nations estimates as many as 200 million girls are missing in the world today because of this so-called "gendercide".

This documentary film tells the stories of abandoned and trafficked girls, of women who suffer extreme dowry-related violence, of brave mothers fighting to save their daughters' lives, and of other mothers who would kill for a son. Global experts and grassroots activists put the stories in context and advocate different paths towards change, while collectively lamenting the lack of any truly effective action against this injustice.

Learn more about the film and sign up for email updates at www.itsagirlmovie.com

Turban Removal in Italy Airports

I've done a lot of flying internationally but have thankfully had nothing like this experience that's been shared on Facebook:

Fateh, Earlier today 22/8 I was stopped at Verona Airport in Italy and was asked to remove my Turban or miss my flight. I stood my ground and was forced to miss my Flight. I am currently in Italy trying catch another alternative flight. Sikhs in Italy are being forced to remove their Turbans or miss their flights. Security in Italy airport are NOT willing to use hand metal detectors. This is very serious issue which all Sikhs around the world needs to tackle ASAP. This is not on. Please spread the word to all Sikhs around the world. By Giani Gurbax Singh Gulshan

In Punjab its White and Blue

In Punjab, its not about Black and Yellow. Its about the white (Congress) and blue (Akali) and as the song say "Their turban colours may be different, but their all thieves"

 

The Sikh Awards (UK)

In Canada we have the Sikh Centennial Foundation's annual awards and in the UK they have the Sikh Awards. This year’s World Sikh Awards will honour Sikh’s throughout the world. The ceremony is taking place on 9th October 2011 at The Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London. (UK).

Here's some highlights from last years event. Looks very shi shi foo foo and the awardees are very impressive.

    

This is Freedom?

Is this the freedom that so many Sikhs and Punjabis fought with their lives for?

 

My Spin on Rakhris..

So after years of abstaining from rakhris (and hurting many feelings), I decided to participate this year, but with a twist. Instead of getting a rakhri tied, I asked my sister and female cousins to tell me one thing they appreciated about me as their brother.

It did away with ceremonial threads (which Guru Nanak took issue with). While it was a lot harder for my sister/cousins to do, their words meant much more to me than a piece of string. It allowed for a heartfelt moment between me and my sisters. Finally and hopefully, I didn't further perpetuate gender inequalities.

Although, I'm sure I'll be told otherwise in the comments below.

Sikhs Stand Guard in London

Crazy what's happening in London. To ensure their gurdwaras are protected, Sikhs in UK are standing guard.

  I've heard lots of commentary about how this is a manifestation of class warfare and the marginalization of major segments of society. There may be some validity to that point, but I think painting all lower income people with the same brush is an insult to hard-working honest families that are struggling to make ends meet, especially the immigrant running the cornershop being trashed.

Saint Soldier - Martyr

This guy just keeps on getting better and more provocative. Keep it up Saint Soldier.

Jus Reign Goes To The Mela

Which Son Are You?

A father has two grown sons each living on their own. The dad has to go far away for work but he gets into trouble on his trip. He has been robbed of all his possessions. The father manages to sends identical letters to each of sons asking for some money to be sent so that he travel back home.

The first son gets the letter. With great reverence, he gets the document framed and puts it up on his wall in a very prominent place. Every morning he wakes up early and bows to it with great respect. He even reads the letter aloud several times each day. However, this son does nothing.

The second son also gets the letter. He reads his father's instructions, he shoves the letter into his pocket and instantly runs off to get money and send it to his father.

Which son has more respect (satkaar) for his father? The one who merely worships the word or the one that actually follows it?

Perhaps we are so focused on external displays of respect and/or disrespect for our "father", Guru Granth Sahib, that we have forgotten what real respect is. Perhaps the reason we don't respect externally is that we don't respect internally. Our actions betray our thoughts and our values.

I think it is internal satkaar (submission, internalization and obedience) leads to external satkaar.

ਗਾਵੀਐ ਸੁਣੀਐ ਮਨਿ ਰਖੀਐ ਭਾਉ ॥ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਰਹਰਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਘਰਿ ਲੈ ਜਾਇ ॥

Gāvī▫ai suṇī▫ai man rakẖī▫ai bẖā▫o. Ḏukẖ parhar sukẖ gẖar lai jā▫e.

Sing, and listen, and let your mind be filled with love. Your pain shall be sent far away, and peace shall come to your home.

ਮਨਿ = ਮਨ ਵਿੱਚ। ਰਖੀਐ = ਟਿਕਾਈਏ। ਭਾਉ = ਰੱਬ ਦਾ ਪਿਆਰ। ਦੁਖੁ ਪਰਹਰਿ = ਦੁੱਖ ਨੂੰ ਦੂਰ ਕਰਕੇ। ਘਰਿ = ਹਿਰਦੇ ਵਿੱਚ। ਲੈ ਜਾਇ = ਲੈ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਖੱਟ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

(ਆਓ, ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ ਦੇ ਗੁਣ) ਗਾਵੀਏ ਤੇ ਸੁਣੀਏ ਅਤੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਮਨ ਵਿਚ ਉਸਦਾ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਟਿਕਾਈਏ। (ਜੋ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਇਹ ਆਹਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹ) ਆਪਣਾ ਦੁੱਖ ਦੂਰ ਕਰਕੇ ਸੁੱਖ ਨੂੰ ਹਿਰਦੇ ਵਿਚ ਵਸਾ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ। (Link)

Just something to ponder.