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Featured Article:

Gurdwara Sri Baba Atal Rai Sahib

Gurdwara Baba Atal Sahib is situated to the south of the Harimandir Sahib or Golden Temple, about 185 metres from Sarai (living accomodation) Guru Ram Das.

The nine-storey octagonal tower, standing 40 metres high, is the tallest building in Amritsar.

Originally a samadhi, or cenotaph, enshrining the remains of Baba Atal Rai, a son of Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru of the Sikhs.

However, it was transformed, with the passage of time, into a gurdwara, because, in India, "the process of deification is aided by the tendency to develop the tomb raised over a man of eminence into a temple".'

According to popular tradition, Atal Rai, at the age of nine, restored his close friend Mohan, son of a widow, to life after his sudden demise. Guru Hargobind considered his son's act as being against the Sikh tradition and rebuked him for performing a feat involving a miracle and warned him that one's spiritual power should be displayed "in purity of doctrine and holiness of living". It is said that Atal Rai told his father that he would lay down his own life for breaking the law of nature by reviving his friend from the dead. .....More

Footprint in stone, believed to be that of Guru Nanak. Chungtang, North Sikkim

In his lifetime Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion travelled to distant places and one such place was Tibet.

The Guru is well respected by Tibetan Buddhists who consider him a saint; the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Buddhists in Tibet, has confirmed it in his discussions with some Sikh leaders that Tibetans revere Guru Nanak as a Buddhist saint under the name of Guru Gompka Maharaj.

According to the local legends of North Sikkim, some people approached the respected Guru with an appeal for help. The lake had remained frozen during most of the year and rendered it incapable as a source of water.

Guru Nanak Dev ji is said to have touched the lake with his foot, and it has never frozen since. Guru Nanak's footprints, a robe and a water-carrying utensil are preserved in a nearby place called Lachen Gompha. Here the locals refer to the Guru as Rimpoche Nanak Guru who on his way to Tibet had rested there. .....More

Daily News:

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High IQ link to being vegetarian:-

Vegetarianism has been linked to better heart health

Intelligent children are more likely to become vegetarians later in life, a study says: A Southampton University team found those who were vegetarian by 30 had recorded five IQ points more on average at the age of 10.

Researchers said it could explain why people with higher IQ were healthier as a vegetarian diet was linked to lower heart disease and obesity rates. Twenty years after the IQ tests were carried out in 1970, 366 of the participants said they were vegetarian - although more than 100 reported eating either fish or chicken.

Men who were vegetarian had an IQ score of 106, compared with 101 for non-vegetarians; while female vegetarians averaged 104, compared with 99 for non-vegetarians. ... Continued.

Picture Feature:

Hemkunt Sahib, a Sikh Gurdwara 14,900 feet up in the Himalayas. The temple is at the plateau within a mountain range sitting beside a still lake surrounded by seven peaks.
See Lakhdip Flickz - see photos with tag 'Hemkunt' Sahib

Section for Young Sikhs:

The Ten Sikh Gurus

Sikhism was founded in the early fifteenth century by their founder and spiritual teacher called Guru Nanak. He was firmly of the belief that all people were born equal and should have equal opportunities.

Guru means "spiritual leader" and he guided his people in the way of God's will or Hukam believing there was only one universal God and that we were all accountable to Him. There are over 25 million Sikhs worldwide and the religion is open to anyone.

Guru Nanak was born in the village of Talwandi, now called Nankana Sahib, near Lahore in present-day Pakistan. His parents were of Hindu background and he was from a family who were traders.

Even as a boy, Nanak was fascinated by religion, and his desire to explore the mysteries of life eventually led him to leave home and he travelled all over the world in the manner of Indian saints. It was during this period that Nanak met many religious people and preached his message of one God to all the people of Central Asia. He made five distinct major journeys, which are called Udasis spanning many thousands of miles covering most of Central Asia and the Middle-East. .....More

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Bhai Kanhaiya serving without discrimination

Bhai Kanhaiya (1648 - 1718), was a Sikh of Guru Tegh Bahadur and was the founder of the Sevapanthi or Addanshahi sect of the Sikhs. Bhai Sahib was born in a Dhamman Khatri family of Sodhara near Waxirabad in Sialkot district (now in Pakistan).

His father was a wealthy trader, but he himself being of a religious bent of mind left home when still very young and roamed about with sadhus and ascetics in search of spiritual peace. Bhai Sahib’s contribution to Sikhi:

His quest ended as he met Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621 - 1675) and accepted initiation at Guru Ji hands. .....More

The Guru's Message...

Guru Hargobind

Avoid evil company:- The Guru guides us thus: "When the soul leaves, you shall become dust, O vacant body; why do you not realize your Husband Lord? You are in love with evil people; by what virtues will you enjoy the Lord's Love? ||1||"(page 1097) and also "Kabeer, for the sake of the rice, the husks are beaten and threshed. When one sits in the company of evil people, then he will be called to account by the Righteous Judge of Dharma." (page 965)

Sahibzada Ajit Singh and father, Guru Gobind Singh

Every year on December 21, the Sikh community honors the two elder sons of Guru Gobind Singh who on this day in 1705 showed the world how to fight in battle; no matter how young you may be - the duty to Dharam and country comes first; before personal needs, pleasure and comforts.

It was around this time of the year that about 40 Sikhs in a mud fort were surrounded by over a 100,000 enemy soldiers. Then Baba Ajit Singh went before Guru Sahib and said, "Pita ji (dear father), permit me to go and fight on the battleground and grace me with the opportunity to make my life fruitful and worthy in service of the panth."

Guru Gobind Singh hugged his beloved son and gave him a Shastr (weapon). Every father wants to see their child get married, but this was the time to fight the enemy and defend the path of righteousness. Death was waiting and today Baba Ajit Singh would be marrying death.

The sun was about to rise. Guru saw that Nawab Wazir Khan wanted to take the fort of Chamkaur in one attempt. The Nawab surrounded the fort with his armies. Baba Ajit Singh boldly and valiantly came out of fort, accompanied with 5 other Singhs, .....More