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Maharaja Ranjit Singh

Maharaja Ranjit Singh (13th November 1780 - 27 June 1839) also called "Sher-e-Punjab" ("The Lion of Punjab") was the Sikh ruler of the sovereign country of Punjab and the Sikh Empire from about 1799. Maharaja was born on November 13, 1780 in Gujranwala in modern day Pakistan, into the Sansi-Sandhawalia family.

At the time, much of Punjab was ruled by the Sikhs, who had divided the territory among factions known as Misls. Ranjit Singh's father Maha Singh was the commander of the Sukerchakia misl and controlled a territory in west Punjab based around his headquarters at Gujranwala. Ranjit Singh succeeded his father at the young age of 12.

After several campaigns, his rivals accepted him as their leader, and he united the Sikh factions into one state and he took the title of Maharaja on April 12, 1801 .....More

From August 30 to September 1 this year (2011), the Sikhs will celebrate 407 years since the completion and first installation of their "Holy Book" called the Adi Granth.

This is the only holy scripture in the world which was written by the founders of the religion during their lifetime. This Granth (book) was compiled and then installed for the first time at Harimandir Sahib in Amritsar in 1604.

In the beginning, it was simply called the Adi Granth which literally means "the first book". The holy scripture contains hymns written by the Sikh Gurus, saints and scholars of different religions and was finally completed on 30 August 1604.

On September 1, 1604 it was installed for the first time at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, India. Ever since then it has been showering important messages and valuable guidance for the benefit of the whole of humanity.

This initial compilation of the main Sikh Scripture by Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh Guru was performed with much love, labour and dedication. The tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh added further holy Shabads (hymns) to this Granth during the period around 1705. .....More

Sikh Taxi driver's story on 9 News

Watch this video (1.60 mins) on YouTube of the a Sikh cabbie in Australia who has set an example of honesty after he returned 110,000 Australian dollars to passengers who had left the bundle of cash in his taxi. The incident happened in Melbourne recently (October 2013) when the cab driver Lakhwinder Singh Dhillon was doing his routine job of picking and dropping passenger .....Watch, listen, read & ponder...

• Can Hindu law cover Sikhs, Jains & Buddhists asks the Supreme Court If Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism are separate and distinct religions, can followers of these faiths be bracketed as Hindus under the Constitution and be governed by Hindu personal law, the Supreme Court asked before issuing notice to the Centre and attorney general G E Vahanvati.
• Film reveals Canadian Sikh community’s World War I stories - On Remembrance Day another little known part of Canadian history was brought to light by the hour-long documentary “Canadian Soldier Sikhs: A Little Story in a Big War.”

Picture Feature:

Atlantic Coast Sikh Association is the Oldest Sikh Organization in the South-Eastern United States and was first organized in 1969.
See acsagurdwara.org

Click on the photo, wait for large image to load - then right button and select "Set as Desktop background".

Guru Har Gobind

On 5 July every year, the Sikhs celebrate the birthday of their sixth Master, Guru Har Gobind (5 July 1595 - 19 March 1644).

Guru sahib was born at village Guru Ki Wadali in district Amritsar on 5 July 1595 and was the only son of Mata Ganga and Guru Arjan, whom he succeeded on 11 June 1606 at the age of only 11 years old.

The young Hargobind received his early education and training from the revered Sikhs leaders of the time Baba Buddha, the first granthi and Bhai Gurdas, the scribe of the Sikh holy script, Guru Granth Sahib.

Guru Hargobind was married in about 1610 to Mata Nanaki also known as Mata Marwahi or Mata Mahadevi. They were endowed with a large family consisting of one daughter Bibi Viro and five sons: Baba Gurditta, Suraj Mal ji, Ani Rai ji, Atal Rai ji and Tegh Bahadar ji.

Guru Hargobind was responsible for wearing two kirpans - one for Miri (temporal protection) and one for Piri (spiritual reasons) and began the rapid and irreversible militarization of the Sikh people. It was due to the tragic martyrdom of his father, Guru Arjan that the sixth Guru changed the Panth into an effective, brave and determined army of religious supporters. .....More

Did you know...

Sri Damdama Sahib

• .....that Takhat Damdama Sahib is one of five takhats or Seat of Authority of the Sikhs. This takhat is situated at Batinda in Punjab, India and is the place where Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs prepared the full version of the Sikh Scriptures called Sri Guru Granth Sahib in 1705. What are the names of the other four Takhats?

• .....that the Sikhs believe that all life, including human life, comes from God. God is the Creator of the universe and the force that keeps it in existence.

• .....that for the Sikhs, the final goal of life is to reunite or merge with God (Mukti). The Sikh Gurus taught that to achieve this goal it was important to work hard at developing positive human qualities which lead the soul closer to God.

• .... that the Guru Granth Sahib provides guidance for Muslims!; Yes, no other historical Islamic verse holds such strong contempt for Muslims who fail to carry out the daily Nimaz as can be attributed to Hazrat Baba Sheikh Farid as recorded in the Shri Guru Granth Sahib.

The Guru's Message...

Guru Har Rai

Abandon Cruelty, Material & emotional attachment, Greed and Anger:- The Guru guides us thus: "Cruelty, material attachment, greed and anger are the four rivers of fire. Falling into them, one is burned, O Nanak! One is saved only by holding tight to good deeds. ||2||" (page 147) and also "Abandon sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment. Thus you shall be rid of both birth and death. ||6|| Pain and darkness shall depart from your home, when the Guru implants spiritual wisdom within you, and lights that lamp. ||7|| " (page 241)

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