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"Sweet are candy, sugar, honey, and buffalo's milk. Yea, sweet are these but sweeter by far is the name of my Lord" (Baba Farid)

Sheikh Fariduddin ‘Shakar ganj’ (1173 to 1265) popularly known as Baba Farid, or Baba Sheikh Farid Ganj-i-Shakar is regarded as the prime mystic–poet of the Punjabi language.

"Baba Sheikh Farid Ganj-i-Shakar" is not a ‘baptised’ name, but a galaxy of venerable modes of address with which Farid-ud-Din; who used Masud as his pen-name, began to be adored after his death by his devotees.

With Baba Farid a new star blazed on the horizon of greater Punjab. By his mellifluous poetry he conferred an independent status upon Punjabi, especially in his doha format. Baba Farid’s dohas in inspiringly sweet poetry are highly revered and forever enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Khaliq Ahmad Nizami, Professor of History, Muslim University, Aligarh, in his well documented book, The Life and Times of Slwikh Farid-ud-Din Ganj-i-Shakar (1955) provides comprehensive-information about Shaikh Farid.

Farid-ud-Din’s grandfather was a part of the exodus, of scholars, artisans and of other such careerists who ‘considered it expedient to migrate to Northern India from Kabul when Afghanistan was trampled by hordes of Mughals during the eleventh century. The Mughals were given to mass plunder, carnage and arson leading to vandalism. .....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.

ballad of hope

ASA KI VAR, is the term recorded in the index to the Guru Granth Sahib but this Gurbani is commonly called "Asa di Var". It is found in the Sikh scripture from page 462 line 17 to page 475 line 10.

The composition is by Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhi and is usually sung by kirtania (religious musicians) at Sikh congregations or gatherings as part of the early morning service.

This Var is a heroic ode which describes the brave deeds of a hero. It is generally sung to inspire armies going to battle or to inspire people with martial spirit. The tempo of this bani when sung is very measured and positive inspiring a spirit of chardikala in the congregation.

The kirtan is very melodious and the style as mentioned by Guru Arjan is called "Tunde Asraje ki Dhuni" after the name of the contemporary brave and pious Indian king Asraj. One of the hands of the king was amputated, so he was called 'Tunda' meaning crippled. .....More

NB Sub Bana Singh,PVC recipient of Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor.
See www.indianarmy.nic.in

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.”

Guruship endowed to Guru Granth Sahib

The tercentenary celebration of Guruship of Guru Granth Sahib is to be undertaken on a massive scale during this year at Takhat Sachkhand Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Maharashtra, India. This historic town is an important place in Sikhi as here in October 1708, Guru Gobind Singh ended the chain of human Guruship.. .....More

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