{{aowhy|[[Template:Did you know|Did you know...]]}}<div style="background-color:#FFFFEC;">

[[Image:Guru angad.jpg|thumb|left|120px|[[Guru Angad]]]]

* .... that when [[Guru Amar Das]] came to meet [[Guru Angad Dev]], [[Guru Amar Das]] was 62 years old and [[Guru Angad Dev]] was 37 year of age.

....that '''[[Pearl S Buck]]''', Nobel Laureate, when writing about the '''[[Sri Guru Granth Sahib by Dr Gopal Singh|English translation]]''' of [[Guru Granth Sahib]] said: ''"I have studied the scriptures of other great religions, but I do not find elsewhere the same power of appeal to the heart and mind as I find here in these volumes...."''

.... that the [[Basic Tenets of Sikhism|three basic requirements]] of a Sikh are: [[Naam Japo|Nam Japna]] - Rise in the Amrit Vela and meditate on God's Name; [[Kirat Karo|Dharam Di Kirt Karna]] - Earn one's living righteously by the sweat of the brow or the industry, effort and conscientiousness of the mind and [[Vandh Chako|Vand Chhakna]] - Share what one has with others  

*..... that [[Gurdwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib Patiala]] marks the place where [[Guru Tegh Bahadur]] visited village Lehal on 24 January 1672 and stayed under a banyan tree by the side of a pond. Soon the sickness in the village subsided. The site where the Guru had sat came to be known as ''"Dukh Nivaran"'' literally meaning ''Eradicator of suffering''.

....that '''[[Anand Karaj]]''' is the name given to the [[Sikh]] wedding [[Sanskar|ceremony]], literally translated as "Blissful Occasion". Sikhs regard [[Anand karaj|marriage]] as a sacred bond of mutual dependence between a man and a woman.

.... that the [[Basic Tenets of Sikhism|three requirements]] of a Sikh are: [[Naam Japo|Nam Japna]] - Rise in the Amrit Vela and meditate on God's Name; [[Kirat Karo|Dharam Di Kirt Karna]] - Earn one's living righteously by the sweat of the brow or the industry, effort and conscientiousness of the mind and [[Vandh Chako|Vand Chhakna]] - Share what one has with others

..... that [[Siropa]] is a term adopted from Persian '''sar-o-pa''' (head and foot) or '''sarapa''' (head to foot) meaning an honorary dress and is used in Sikh vocabulary for a garment, scarf or a length of cloth bestowed on someone as a '''mark of honour'''.

.... that [[Alahunian]] is the name given to the [[Bani]] by [[Guru Nanak]]. It is a composition in measure Vadahans in the [[Guru Granth Sahib]] on page Page 578 and refers to a dirge (funeral song) wailingly sung in chorus by women mourning the death of a close relation. Etymologically, the word means an ''"utterance in praise of a departed person"''.

....that [[Bhai Baghel Singh]] (d. 1802), who in 1765 succeeded Karora Singh as leader of the Karor singhia [[misl]] or chiefship, is celebrated in [[Sikh history]] as the vanquisher of [[Mughal]] Delhi.

.... that [[Guru Nanak in Nepal|Guru Nanak went to Nepal?]] The temple in his honour is left to bird to sing to their hearts content and the occasional visitor who either knows it is there or has stumbled here by chance and has come upon the small weathered sign which says, “[[Guru Nanak in Nepal|Guru Nanak Math (27°43'31"N 85°18'19"E)]]”....

....that '''[[Pearl S Buck]]''', Nobel Laureate, when writing about the '''[[Sri Guru Granth Sahib by Dr Gopal Singh|English translation]]''' of [[Guru Granth Sahib]] said: ''"I have studied the scriptures of other great religions, but I do not find elsewhere the same power of appeal to the heart and mind as I find here in these volumes...."''

....that '''[[Anand Karaj]]''' is the name given to the [[Sikh]] wedding [[Sanskar|ceremony]], literally translated as "Blissful Occasion". Sikhs regard [[Anand karaj|marriage]] as a sacred bond of mutual dependence between a man and a woman.

....that the '''[[Sikh name]]''', '''Ajit''' or '''Ajeet''' means ''"Invincible"'' or ''"unconquerable"'' in [[Punjabi]]. DO you know the meaning of ''"Amardev"'' or ''"Satpreet"''?. Why not explore our database of over 1000 Sikh names '''[[Sikh names|here]]'''

.... that the [[Basic Tenets of Sikhism|three basic requirements]] of a Sikh are: [[Naam Japo|Nam Japna]] - Rise in the Amrit Vela and meditate on God's Name; [[Kirat Karo|Dharam Di Kirt Karna]] - Earn one's living righteously by the sweat of the brow or the industry, effort and conscientiousness of the mind and [[Vandh Chako|Vand Chhakna]] - Share what one has with others  

.... that the [[Panj Granthi]] is a [[pothi]] or small book containing five chosen texts, from the [[Guru Granth Sahib]]. The word "[[panj]]" means "five" and "granthi" is the diminutive form of "granth" (holy book)

.... that [[Alahunian]] is the name given to the [[Bani]] by [[Guru Nanak]]. It is a composition in measure Vadahans in the [[Guru Granth Sahib]] on page Page 578 and refers to a dirge (funeral song) wailingly sung in chorus by women mourning the death of a close relation. Etymologically, the word means an ''"utterance in praise of a departed person"''.

..... that [[Siropa]] is a term adopted from Persian '''sar-o-pa''' (head and foot) or '''sarapa''' (head to foot) meaning an honorary dress and is used in Sikh vocabulary for a garment, scarf or a length of cloth bestowed on someone as a '''mark of honour'''.

....that the '''[[Panj Piare]]''' ('''five beloved ones''') is the name given to the five [[Sikh]]s, [[Bhai Daya Singh]], [[Bhai Dharam Singh]], [[Bhai Himmat Singh]], [[Bhai Mukham Singh]] and [[Bhai Sahib Singh]] who took [[Amrit]] in [[1699]]...

[[Image:DamdamaSahib1.jpg|thumb|250px|right|'''Sri Damdama Sahib''']]

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

.... that '''[[Bhai Joginder Singh Riaar]]''' Ji (Ludhiana wale) and partners are a [[ragi]] [[jatha]] who are well known to most [[Sikhs]] globally. Bhai sahib is from [[Gurdaspur]] district in [[Punjab]] and is an exceptional vocalist and very able [[harmonium]] player and they have enlightened [[sangat|Guru-ki-sangat]] in [[India]] and other parts of the world with their beautiful [[kirtan]].

 

.....that the [[Sikh Beliefs|'''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 '''[[Langar]]''' is a '''free Sikh kitchen''' which was started by the first [[Sikh Guru]], [[Guru Nanak Dev]] Ji in the fifteenth century. It is designed to uphold the principle of equality between all people of the world regardless of their religion, caste, colour, creed, age, gender or social status. In addition to the ideals of equality, the tradition of Langar expresses the ethics of '''sharing, community, inclusiveness and oneness''' of all humankind. "..the Light of God is in all hearts", said Guru Nanak (SGGS 282)

.... that '''[[Bani]]''' ([[Punjabi]] {{pa|ਬਾਣੀ}}) is short for '''[[Gurbani]]''' (Punjabi {{pa|ਗ੝ਰਬਾਣੀ}}) and is the term used by [[Sikh]]s to refer to various sections of the [[Holy Text]] that appears in their several [[Holy Book]]s. These [[Bani]]s are often found in small [[Gutka]]s or Small Books containing sections of [[Gurbani]].

..... that [[Gurdwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib Patiala]] marks the place where [[Guru Tegh Bahadur]] visited village Lehal on 24 January 1672 and stayed under a banyan tree by the side of a pond. Soon the sickness in the village subsided. The site where the Guru had sat came to be known as ''"Dukh Nivaran"'' literally meaning ''Eradicator of suffering''.

....that on 10 October, 1982, a '''[[National Protest by UK Sikhs]]''' was organised to highlight and demand the right of children to go to school wearing their [[turban]]s.

.... that the tercentenary celebration of the [[Guruship]] of [[Sri Guru Granth Sahib]] is to be undertaken on a massive scale in October 2008 at [[Hazoor Sahib|Takhat Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib]] in [[Nanded]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]].

.....that one of the '''five forts''' in [[Anandpur Sahib]] built by [[Guru Gobind Singh]] was called '''[[Keshgarh Fort]]'''.

.....that '''[[Guru Ram Das]]''' ji was born at Chuna Mandi Bazaar, [[Lahore]] on 24th September 1534 and spent the first seven years of his life here and that his name before obtaining Guruship was '''Bhai Jetha''' which means '''the first born'''.

..... that it is every Sikh's duty to defeat the '''[[Five vices]]''': [[Kam]] ('''Lust'''), [[Krodh]] ('''Rage'''), [[Lobh]] ('''Greed'''), [[Moh]] ('''Attachment''') and [[Ahankar]] ('''Ego'''). Also that the [[Guru Granth Sahib]] gives clear warning about these five plundering you - read [[Guru Granth Sahib against lust]] on this issue.

[[Image:Sikhi1.jpg|thumb|200px|left|{{cs|'''A graphic displaying some important Sikh concepts'''}}]]

..... that on the '''5 January 2008''', the Sikh worldwide will celebrate the '''340th anniversary of the birth of Guru Gobind Singh'''.

.... that [[Langar]] is a '''Sikh free kitchen''' which was started by the first [[Sikh Guru]], [[Guru Nanak Dev]] Ji in the fifteenth century. It is designed to uphold the principle of equality between all people of the world regardless of their religion, caste, colour, creed, age, gender or social status. In addition to the ideals of equality, the tradition of Langar expresses the ethics of '''sharing, community, inclusiveness and oneness''' of all humankind. "..the Light of God is in all hearts", said Guru Nanak (sggs 282)

.... that '''[[Bani]]''' ([[Punjabi]] {{pa|ਬਾਣੀ}}) is short for '''[[Gurbani]]''' (Punjabi {{pa|ਗ੝ਰਬਾਣੀ}}) and is the term used by [[Sikh]]s to refer to various sections of the [[Holy Text]] that appears in their several [[Holy Book]]s. These [[Bani]]s are often found in small [[Gutka]]s or Small Books containing sections of [[Gurbani]].

....that '''[[Anand Karaj]]''' is the name given to the [[Sikh]] wedding [[Sanskar|ceremony]], literally translated as "Blissful Occasion". Sikhs regard [[Anand karaj|marriage]] as a sacred bond of mutual dependence between a man and a woman.

.... that the [[Basic Tenets of Sikhism|three requirements]] of a Sikh are: [[Naam Japo|Nam Japna]] - Rise in the Amrit Vela and meditate on God's Name; [[Kirat Karo|Dharam Di Kirt Karna]] - Earn one's living righteously by the sweat of the brow or the industry, effort and conscientiousness of the mind and [[Vandh Chako|Vand Chhakna]] - Share what one has with others  

.... that the [[Panj Granthi]] is a [[pothi]] or small book containing five chosen texts, from the [[Guru Granth Sahib]]. The word "[[panj]]" means "five" and "granthi" is the diminutive form of "granth" (holy book)

.... that [[Alahunian]] is the name given to the [[Bani]] by [[Guru Nanak]]. It is a composition in measure Vadahans in the [[Guru Granth Sahib]] on page Page 578 and refers to a dirge (funeral song) wailingly sung in chorus by women mourning the death of a close relation. Etymologically, the word means an ''"utterance in praise of a departed person"''.

..... that [[Siropa]] is a term adopted from Persian '''sar-o-pa''' (head and foot) or '''sarapa''' (head to foot) meaning an honorary dress and is used in Sikh vocabulary for a garment, scarf or a length of cloth bestowed on someone as a '''mark of honour'''.

 

....that '''[[Tarn Taran]]''' (31°27'N, 74°56'E) is an important centre of Sikh pilgrimage 24 km south of [[Amritsar]], which was founded by [[Guru Arjan]] in 1596. Six years earlier, on 13 April 1590, he had inaugurated the conversion of a natural pond lying along the [[Delhi]] [[Lahore]] highway into a rectangular tank.

....that the [[Sikh]] wedding [[Sanskar|ceremony]] is called '''[[Anand Karaj]]''' and that it basically translated to '''"Blissful Occasion"''' - Also that a true partnership in marriage is made between those who are united in spirit as well as in mind and body.  

....that '''[[Anandpur Sahib]]''' ('''City of Bliss''') is one of the holiest places of the [[Sikh]]s, second only to [[Amritsar]].

....that the '''[[Panj Piare]]''' ('''five beloved ones''') is the name given to the five [[Sikh]]s, [[Bhai Daya Singh]], [[Bhai Dharam Singh]], [[Bhai Himmat Singh]], [[Bhai Mukham Singh]] and [[Bhai Sahib Singh]] who took [[Amrit]] in [[1699]]...

....that the [[Makindu Sikh Temple]] is located about 100 miles (160km) from Nairobi on the main Nairobi-Mombasa Road and that it was built in 1926 by the [[Sikh]]s who were working on the construction of the railway line from the coast (Mombasa) inland to Lake Victoria and beyond to Uganda.

..... that '''Hazrat [[Mian Mir]]''' was a famous [[Muslim]] Sufi saint who is highly respected by the Sikhs. He was a close friend of the Sikh leader [[Guru Arjan Dev]], upon whose invitation he laid the foundation stone of the famous Sikh [[Golden Temple]] in [[Amritsar]] on 3 January 1588.

..... that the word [[Singh]] from [[Sanskrit]] '''sinha''' which means '''Lion''' and is an essential component of the name for a Sikh male.

..... that the [[Sikh]] concept of '''[[Sarbaht dah Phahla]]''' which means '''"Blessings for Everyone"''' or literally '''"May everyone Prosper"''' is a new concept for many people and is not common knowledge for many followers of the Sikh religion.

.....that '''[[Guru Ram Das]]''' ji was born at Chuna Mandi Bazaar, [[Lahore]] on 24th September 1534 and spent the first seven years of his life here and that his name before obtaining Guruship was '''Bhai Jetha''' which means '''the first born'''.

.....that the word '''[[Ardas]]''' is derived from the Persian word 'Arazdashat', meaning '''a request''', a '''supplication''', a '''prayer''', a '''petition''' or '''an address to a superior authority'''.

[[Image:DamdamaSahib1.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Sri Damdama Sahib]]

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

.... that '''[[Bhai Joginder Singh Riaar]]''' Ji (Ludhiana wale) and partners are a [[ragi]] [[jatha]] who are well known to most [[Sikhs]] globally. Bhai sahib is from [[Gurdaspur]] district in [[Punjab]] and is an exceptional vocalist and very able [[harmonium]] player and they have enlightened [[sangat|Guru-ki-sangat]] in [[India]] and other parts of the world with their beautiful [[kirtan]].

.....that for the [[Sikh]]s, 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.----------------------------------------></div>