Lucy Ahmed
SPNer
Kanwardeep Singh......HAPPY DIWALI TO YOU.
Just DON'T pray to that Mr. Money ok.
Happy Diwali - Red-Letter Day For Sikhs!
Kanwardeep Singh......HAPPY DIWALI TO YOU.
Just DON'T pray to that Mr. Money ok.
Kookar Guru da
SPNer
Vahiguru Jee Ka Khalsa
Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh !
I understand the sentiment of sister Lucy Ahmed, which is essentially to relax/chill and just enjoy the diwali celebrations. Fair enough, but should we do the same for Eid? What about the various Jain, Buddhist and Muslim holy days?
I think most people simply celebrate the diwali day to let off some paTake (fireworks), have some pakoRe and miTthiyai (sweets). I went to my local Gurdwara last night and the Giani was explaining the story of the bandi chhoR of Guru Hargobind Sahib. The sangat was large and most were listening attentively. In fact, it was a very nice atmosphere and I felt proud to be sitting with my Sikh brothers and sisters. The Giani stressed what the significance of the day is for Sikhs, distinct from the hindu ram chandar myth. I don't imagine many people there were bothered about the hindu myths.
Our local Gurdwara has the main diwan hall upstairs and the langar hall downstairs. In the langar hall there were various candles being lit, especially by children. After ardas and langar, outside in the car park the fireworks began. In the Croydon area we have a fair number of fresh Indians from Bombay etc. who travel into London to work in IT. They do not come to the Gurdwara except on diwali. Again, I don't think they are looking to celebrate some ram/sita myth, they just want an Indian feeling of paTake/pakoRe on diwali.
So, my experience is that once Sikhs understand the importance of the day in Sikh history, they get the point. At least there is some kind of logic, therefore, in the Sikh celebration of bandi chhoR diwas. What do the hindus have except a bunch of myths? This is why I would say to Veer Jarnail Singh that the Sikh kaum may have only one rupee but ours is khara paissa (genuine currency), while the hindus' is khoTa paissa (counterfeit money).
Enjoy this paTaka-pakoRa period!
- Kookar Guru da
Vahiguru Jee Ka Khalsa
Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh !
Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh !
I understand the sentiment of sister Lucy Ahmed, which is essentially to relax/chill and just enjoy the diwali celebrations. Fair enough, but should we do the same for Eid? What about the various Jain, Buddhist and Muslim holy days?
I think most people simply celebrate the diwali day to let off some paTake (fireworks), have some pakoRe and miTthiyai (sweets). I went to my local Gurdwara last night and the Giani was explaining the story of the bandi chhoR of Guru Hargobind Sahib. The sangat was large and most were listening attentively. In fact, it was a very nice atmosphere and I felt proud to be sitting with my Sikh brothers and sisters. The Giani stressed what the significance of the day is for Sikhs, distinct from the hindu ram chandar myth. I don't imagine many people there were bothered about the hindu myths.
Our local Gurdwara has the main diwan hall upstairs and the langar hall downstairs. In the langar hall there were various candles being lit, especially by children. After ardas and langar, outside in the car park the fireworks began. In the Croydon area we have a fair number of fresh Indians from Bombay etc. who travel into London to work in IT. They do not come to the Gurdwara except on diwali. Again, I don't think they are looking to celebrate some ram/sita myth, they just want an Indian feeling of paTake/pakoRe on diwali.
So, my experience is that once Sikhs understand the importance of the day in Sikh history, they get the point. At least there is some kind of logic, therefore, in the Sikh celebration of bandi chhoR diwas. What do the hindus have except a bunch of myths? This is why I would say to Veer Jarnail Singh that the Sikh kaum may have only one rupee but ours is khara paissa (genuine currency), while the hindus' is khoTa paissa (counterfeit money).
Enjoy this paTaka-pakoRa period!
- Kookar Guru da
Vahiguru Jee Ka Khalsa
Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh !
Lucy Ahmed
SPNer
Lucy ji
There are different levels to the discussion. I enjoy celebrations with people of other faiths and agree that there is something uplifting in doing that. The other level is directed at those of us who have forgotten the significance of the day in their practice of Sikhism -- it is a day of "liberation." Both can happen side by side, as long as the "light" is not forgotten and sad to say some forget it.
There are different levels to the discussion. I enjoy celebrations with people of other faiths and agree that there is something uplifting in doing that. The other level is directed at those of us who have forgotten the significance of the day in their practice of Sikhism -- it is a day of "liberation." Both can happen side by side, as long as the "light" is not forgotten and sad to say some forget it.
Kookar Guru da
SPNer
Vahiguru Jee Ka Khalsa
Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh !
Sisters Lucy Ahmed and Narayanjot Kaur Jees, I agree with you both. I'll happily join in and celebrate other people's religious festivities, but there's a matter of degree.
For example:
- Will I light a candle on diwali? Yes, OK.
- Would I like a saffron mark thumbed on my forehead? Not really.
- Will I bow to some idol? I will politely decline.
- Will I declare my undying allegiance to religion X? I will decline, not so politely.
- Will I yield to force? I think we know the answer to that one.
More complicated, and more likely, than the above is when a hindu suggests that the Sikh celebration is merely one of the many facets of his faith. When this happens, I no longer have any desire to share in his joy of some half-baked, made up, concocted myth.
Even worse, when a Sikh does not understand his own religion and clings to mistaken notions of a greater hindu family, I have a reeeeal problem. I'll explain, I'll make the case, I'll cajole, but if they choose not to change, then my desire to indulge in a hindu diwali diminishes to zero. I leave the mistaken Sikh to wallow in his ignorance, but inside I feel troubled that another son of The Rider of the Blue just doesn't get it.
- Kookar Guru da
Vahiguru Jee Ka Khalsa
Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh !
Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh !
Sisters Lucy Ahmed and Narayanjot Kaur Jees, I agree with you both. I'll happily join in and celebrate other people's religious festivities, but there's a matter of degree.
For example:
- Will I light a candle on diwali? Yes, OK.
- Would I like a saffron mark thumbed on my forehead? Not really.
- Will I bow to some idol? I will politely decline.
- Will I declare my undying allegiance to religion X? I will decline, not so politely.
- Will I yield to force? I think we know the answer to that one.
More complicated, and more likely, than the above is when a hindu suggests that the Sikh celebration is merely one of the many facets of his faith. When this happens, I no longer have any desire to share in his joy of some half-baked, made up, concocted myth.
Even worse, when a Sikh does not understand his own religion and clings to mistaken notions of a greater hindu family, I have a reeeeal problem. I'll explain, I'll make the case, I'll cajole, but if they choose not to change, then my desire to indulge in a hindu diwali diminishes to zero. I leave the mistaken Sikh to wallow in his ignorance, but inside I feel troubled that another son of The Rider of the Blue just doesn't get it.
- Kookar Guru da
Vahiguru Jee Ka Khalsa
Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh !
Gurbani advises us to LIGHT up the INTERNAL Lamp of GYaan - KNOWLEDGE.
IF this is alight inside of Us..then we can light a million candles or none...it doesnt matter...because we are Always in the LIGHT.
IF this Internal Candle is not lighted inside of us..then we can also light a million candles or NONE..it still doesnt matter..Because we are always in DARKNESS.
The CHOICE is OURS.
Surprisingly I was listening to a proponent of SHIV YOG on TV this morning and he said the EXACT SAME THING. Also he said that IF a person is into Practsiing Shiv Yog..then his "internal Diva Lamp - is LIGHTED UP...and outside lamps dont matter at all..just childs play...BUT If his Internal Diva is OUT..then no matter how many divas he lights outside hsi house.mandir.Gurdawra/church..he is in utter DARKNESS. Further he also rubbished all that HOROSCOPE, DESTINY astrology etc stuff. He said that Shiv YOG Practise leads one towards the Path on which we WRITE OUR NEW DESTINY...we burn our horoscopes and write New Ones..we are REBORN and Masters of our own FUTURE....to me this sounded so familiar...its what Gurbani also says...once we take to PRACTISING GURBANI..we CHANGE our LIVES, we Wipe OUT past Karmas, past deeds, we write NEW destinies, New future and we take Mastery of our LIFE..we are REBORN...Khnadey Batee Dee Pahul gives us REBIRTH ...
Only the foolish continue to live on in darkness..lighting perishable lamps again and again every YEAR.
IF this is alight inside of Us..then we can light a million candles or none...it doesnt matter...because we are Always in the LIGHT.
IF this Internal Candle is not lighted inside of us..then we can also light a million candles or NONE..it still doesnt matter..Because we are always in DARKNESS.
The CHOICE is OURS.
Surprisingly I was listening to a proponent of SHIV YOG on TV this morning and he said the EXACT SAME THING. Also he said that IF a person is into Practsiing Shiv Yog..then his "internal Diva Lamp - is LIGHTED UP...and outside lamps dont matter at all..just childs play...BUT If his Internal Diva is OUT..then no matter how many divas he lights outside hsi house.mandir.Gurdawra/church..he is in utter DARKNESS. Further he also rubbished all that HOROSCOPE, DESTINY astrology etc stuff. He said that Shiv YOG Practise leads one towards the Path on which we WRITE OUR NEW DESTINY...we burn our horoscopes and write New Ones..we are REBORN and Masters of our own FUTURE....to me this sounded so familiar...its what Gurbani also says...once we take to PRACTISING GURBANI..we CHANGE our LIVES, we Wipe OUT past Karmas, past deeds, we write NEW destinies, New future and we take Mastery of our LIFE..we are REBORN...Khnadey Batee Dee Pahul gives us REBIRTH ...
Only the foolish continue to live on in darkness..lighting perishable lamps again and again every YEAR.
Gurmit Ji,
You are absolutely RIGHT. SIKHS dont allow humans to portray our Gurus..their Sahibzadahs, Mehls....not even Sikhs like Maharaja Ranjit Singh or Baba Banda Singh bahadur or Shaheeds like Bhai mani Singh are allowed to be played by humans. That is why they have ANIMATED FILMS...NO ONE has ever DARED to make a Film and have live actors playing Sikh Gurus, sahibzadahs or Martyrs.
Please register a strong written protest with the School. You can get in touch with SGPC/Akal Takhat to get a supporting letter as well.
You are absolutely RIGHT. SIKHS dont allow humans to portray our Gurus..their Sahibzadahs, Mehls....not even Sikhs like Maharaja Ranjit Singh or Baba Banda Singh bahadur or Shaheeds like Bhai mani Singh are allowed to be played by humans. That is why they have ANIMATED FILMS...NO ONE has ever DARED to make a Film and have live actors playing Sikh Gurus, sahibzadahs or Martyrs.
Please register a strong written protest with the School. You can get in touch with SGPC/Akal Takhat to get a supporting letter as well.
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