PART TWO
There are many organisations, groups, teams and nations who have
flags, as well, but the respect and philosophical honour that Sikhs
have for the Nishan sahib is unmatched, unequal and not seen or felt
with such emotions for any other flag anywhere else in the world.
The Nishan sahib holds a very special place among because man...
y
seated traditions of the Sikh religion, and their very roots of
history are closely linked to the Nishan sahib, though not be
obviously apparent through the naked eye. Yesteryear Sikh historians
say that the words AKAL SAHAII came to be written across the Nishan
sahibs during the reign of Maharajah Ranjit Singh Ji- The Lion of
Punjab.
There were twelve Sikh misals [Sikh confederacies], and one of them was
named the Nishanwalia misal.Only the very brave and outstanding Sikh
fighters were enrolled into this misal.Traditionally, the flag-Nishan
bearers for every other misal were nominated from Nishan walia
misal.It can be gauged from this just how important the Nishan was
regarded in the Panth.Special braves were prepared by the Nishan walia
misal for the task of the flag Bearers who were to honour the
continual & steadfast flying of the Nishan sahib in battle and peace.
The Nishan sahib represented the honour of the entire nation of Sikhs,
even though an individual carried it.The British noted it's place of
honour among the Sikhs.The famous Scholar of Sikhism, Arthur
MacCauliffe says in one of his introduction about the Sikh religion to
the west..
"'I present to the people of the west,an entirely unique, and amazingly
confident nation of people called Sikhs.They do not idol worship, nor
have ritualistic practices, they have no class or caste.They abhor
sati, and neither imprison nor control their females.They do not
drink, nor smoke or inhale tobacco.Unlike the hindoos, they do not go
on pilgrimages, nor abstain or run away from the chores and
responsibilities of family life [grehest] nor indulge in idle gossip
mongering or character asssination of another human being, by hiding
behind fake sadhoos, societies and names.
Instead, they have stamina for patience, willingness to face ardous
tasks,meet severe challenges at individual and coporate levels, they
share their takings and earnings with the poor, through honest
work.They prevail in the truth,they are virtuously generous to fellow
humans,they hold respect for themslves and others,their values are
Godly as they arise to immerse in the name of the Lord in the early
ambroisal hours; seeing them in action with their ideal lives is
believing.They are not idol worshippers who who shirk the beauty of God
given life, nor indulge into ritualistic tasks".
Their houses of prayers-Gurduaras - are recognised from afar by the
highly and mightily placed flags of the Gurus,The Nishan sahib.These
Nishan sahibs carry the responsibility to remind every one the
holiness and cleaniness of the name of the Lord that is sung every day
in congregation, sangat.
Arthur MacCauliffe describes the Sikh religion very beautifully for the
first time to the people of the west is almost unbelievable and little
understood by most, even Sikhs.Few, very few Sikhs know and appreciate
it themselves and the golden baggage of their ancestral history.The
Nishan sahib is THE GUARDIAN of such a valuable strove of treasure,
sometimes ununderstood and unseen and unappreciated by the Sikhs
themselves; as they close an eye to their now almost rituals to carry
on in their lives.
The makers of Sikh Sidhant, Sikh constitution- this is inclusive from
the times of the Sikh Gurus,say in their records...
"There should/must be a daily parkash- seating on the throne of the
Guru Granth Sahib.In the presence of the Guru Granth sahib there should
be no massaging of the legs / stand of the pedestral seat,[manji
sahib]there should be no rubbing, scrapping & bruising continoully of
the nose in reverence of the Guru Granth sahib,on the floor or against
the walls.There should be no storage of bottles of water under the
manji sahib.It is not acceptable to place idols and statutes depicting
any gods in the Gurduaras,nor acceptable to bow down against any
pictures and portraits of elderly and so called holymen or women.
Doing such is regarded as manmat-anti Gurmat.No one is barred from
entering the Gurduara based upon colour, creed, ethinicity,religion or
age and sex, but a certain code of cleaniness must be observed by all-
no tobacco or alcohol musr be consumed or on person of those who enter
the Gurduara, Their must be clean, civilisied & decency must be the
protocol.No other human must seat above the seat of the Guru
sahibaan,or in any such manner where it is felt that lesser importance
and respect is given to the Guru Granth Sahib.One should always cover
their head, in the presence of the Guru Ji and neither should one
practice the veiling of the face [ghundd] when in the presence of the
Guru Ji, or any time in their lives as Sikhs."
In addition to the above it is also on record that there should be a
Nishan Sahib and a Negara [a dhol type drum] within the Gurduara
premises.The Negara is to be used to drum at opportunate times
whenever necessary for the benefit of the local sangat.Together with
the Nishan sahib,the Negara carried the" voice" and presence of the
Sikhs far and wide.The practice of the drumming of the Negara has
virtually died out these days, except for some very few Gurduaras.
Historical records tell us that the drumming of the Negara began with
Guru Hargobind sahib ji.When ever Guru Hargobind Sahib ji moved from
one place to another, the Negara was sounded until he reached the
spot he was going to.
When a Bhai Rupa Ji was despensed to do parchar of Sikhi, Guru Ji gave
him a Nishan sahib and a Negara.This was a significant act, indicating
that the parchar of Sikhi was to be conducted without fear and freely.
Guru Hargobind Sahib also ordered the drumming of the Negara at the
commencement of langger, so that it was known in the locality and as
far as possible that Guru Ji's langger was available.Sadly this is
another practice that has died out in the Gurduaras.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji is said to have WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH written upon
his Nishan sahib.This makes it all the more important to understand
the subject and significance of the Nishan sahib.The word Fateh is
connected to the values of the DEGH TEG FATEH.
It is written in Gurbilas Paathshaii 10vin [dasvin]when Guru Gobind
Singh Ji initiated the Five Piaras, he advised them about the rehat and
kurahit[the code and the transgressions]; He uttered ...
Guru Granth jane sada angg sangg/
jahan dharamsala tahaan niat je yo /
Gur Daras ki je maha sukh pe yo/
jap waheguru jaap chitte sda hi/
sda naam lije , gur geet gahi/
sada degh tegh tume jeet hoyi/
[[aways regard the Guru as part of you,wherever there be a house of
prayer, immense your mind into God,recite and remember the God, and
you will have a good life; always recite and live in the naam of
waheguru; always recite the nam and sing His praises, and always the
degh and teg will grant one the boon of victory]]
Guru Gobind Singh Ji started off the practice of whenever one Singh
met another Singh Waheguru Ji ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh was
declared.
The Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh upon the Nishan sahib of Guru Gobind
Singh conveys HIS personal GurFateh to the entire Sikh nation.It is a
salutation to the Sikhs from Himself.It is his Namskar to his Sikhs.
