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Important landmarks around Harimandir Sahib
click to enlarge

Harimandir Sahib is the most famous Sikh Temple or Gurdwara in the world. It is also called the Golden Temple in English because of the gold plating that covers most of its surface. This Gurdwara is found in the holy city of Amritsar in Punjab in North West India and is the sacred and the most visited of the many historic Sikhs shrines found in India and Pakistan. This striking building was built by the Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs.

For details of the Gurdwara itself see Gurudwara Harimandir Sahib. This articles deals with the area outside the Gurdwara precinct and immediate surrounding the holy shrine. It deals with the other Gurdwaras and places of interest found just outside the perimeter wall of the Gurdwara. .....More

Mool Mantar in the handwriting of Guru Arjan Dev from the Kartarpuri Bir

Mool Mantar is the most important composition contained within the Sri Guru Granth Sahib; it is the basis of Sikhism. It’s importance is emphasised by the fact that it is the first composition to appear in the holy Granth and that it appears before the commencement of most of the Raag section within this sacred volume.

Original Gurmukhi Text:

ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥... ॥      Play Audio

The Mool Mantar is said to be the first composition uttered by Guru Nanak Dev upon enlightenment at the age of about 30. Being the basis of Sikhism, it encapsulates the entire theology of this faith, and as a result, it is also the most difficult composition to fully understand.

The succeeding bani called the Japji Sahib and the rest of the sacred Granth totalling 1430 pages, are efforts to explain that which is contained within the Mool Mantar. .....More

Did you know...

Matha taykna

• .... that Matha taykna or "Matha take" is the act of bowing down and touching the floor with one’s forehead as a sign of respect for Gurbani. It terms of body language, it is a position of extreme submission and humility.

• .... that Baba Gurditta (1613 - 1638), was the eldest son of the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind and Mata Damodari; he was also an elder brother of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru and that he and his wife Mata Nihal Kaur were the parents of Guru Har Rai and Dhir Mall.

• .... that in the last two world wars, 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded....

• .....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.

Once there was no rain in a particular area for an extended period resulting danger to the crops. In some areas, the crops had already been destroyed.

So the local people of that area decided to do Ardas - a prayer or supplication to God so that their crops may be saved. Many hundreds of people gathered together at the designated place for this Ardas.

While this gathering was in progress, a passing Sikh Saint stopped by. He asked one of the crowd why there was such a big crowd gathered and what was the purpose of the gathering. One of them told the Sikh Saint that that they had gathered here to do Ardas because the crops will be destroyed in the absence of rain; they were going to ask God for rain.

The Saint said that was a good thing that they were doing an ardas but he did not see anyone carrying an umbrellas or "barsatie" (rain coats)…. When Waheguru (God) accepted your Ardas then there will be lot of rain. One group leader laughingly said, "But we do not know whether it will rain or not."

The Saint said, "How will your Ardas be accepted when you do not have faith in Waheguru" . He told them all to go home .

....More

Nagni Bardsha of Bhai Bachittar Singh
by Flickr's Vidhiarthee also see Sikhi at Flickr

Badshah Darvesh Album by Bhai Daleep Singh Arshi
	Watch this full video (62.5 mins long) of beautiful album named 'Badshah Darvesh' consisting of several amazing shabads. It is sung by Bhai Daleep Singh Arshi; the producer is Babli Singh under the label Shemaroo. .....Read,    watch, listen & ponder...

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.”

Interesting articles
	The links below are to articles that have a Sikhi message presented in a new and interesting way. Please spent a few minutes reading some of these articles:

Sikhi on Youtube!
	On the 28th March 2012, a new YouTube channel was launched for the global Sikh community. Basics of Sikhi has released more than 40 videos focusing on spreading the wisdom of the Sikh Gurus. The main philosophy of the channel is to simply teach the basics wisdom of Guru in a way that avoids..... → read more

Tera eak naam terah sansaar
	This wonderful Shabad by Guru Nanak is beautifully sang by Bhai Niranjan Singh "Only Your Name alone, Lord, can save the world. This is my only hope; this is my support.". .....Listen, read & enjoy...

thin kee sobhaa kiaa ganee jinee har har ladhhaa
	Watch this video (7.24 mins long) of beautiful Shabad in AKJ style by ragi Bhai Manpreet Singh Kanpuri How can I estimate the glory of those, who have found the Lord, Har, Har? . .....Read,    watch, listen & ponder...

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Sikhi FAQ...

Q. Can Sikhs have tattoos?
	A. I don't believe there is anything directly written against or in favour of tattoos in the Sikh scriptures. Tattoos can be grouped with "extreme make-up" which the Guru calls "decorations" and I ask you.. .....More

Important Anniversaries

Upcoming important anniversaries
	2021: 18 April, 1621: Guru Tegh Bahadur's 400th birthday 2024: 16 April, 1574: Guru Amar Das's 450th barsi 2025: 24 November 1675: Guru Tegh Bahadur's 350th barsi 2027: 16 April, 1552: Guru Angad's 475th barsi .....More

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