Kitchen that feeds 100,000 daily: A brief note of Langar & its Importance

Kitchen that feeds 100,000 daily

Free kitchen in India run at the Sikhs' holiest shrine

produces 200,000 flat breads and 1.5 tons of lentil soup daily.

by Showkat Shafi: Last updated: 17 Nov 2013 17:53

Two hundred thousand Rotis - Chapattis (Indian flat bread), 1.5 tons of Daal (lentil soup) and free food served to 100,000 people every single day are what makes the free kitchen run at the Golden Temple in the western Indian city of Amritsar stand apart.

By all measures, the kitchen (called Langar in Punjabi ) is one of the largest free kitchens to be run anywhere in the world. The concept of langar was initiated centuries ago by Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion. Sunday, November 17, 2013 was his 545th birth anniversary.

At the Langar, no one goes hungry - and everybody gets a hot meal regardless of caste, creed and religion. All Sikh Gurudwaras (places of worship) have Langar, but the one at Golden Temple - Sikhs' holiest shrine - has little parallel.

“Anyone can eat for free here and on an average we serve food to 100,000 people. On weekends and special occasions double the numbers of people visit the langar Hall. The langar never stops and on an average 7,000 kg of wheat flour, 1,200 kg of rice, 1,300 kg of lentils, 500 kg of ghee (clarified butter) is used in preparing the meal every day,” says Harpreet Singh, manager of this huge kitchen.

“The free kitchen uses firewood, LPG gas and electronic bread makers for the cooking and we use around 100 LPG cylinders and 5,000 kilograms of firewood every day,” he adds.

The kitchen is run by 450 staff, helped by hundreds of other volunteers. Sanjay Arora, 46, from New Delhi, comes to volunteer at the langar two days every month. “This is KAR-SEVA (do-service) for me. I feel happy after doing this service. It’s is not just free food, here you forget all the differences that separates humans from each other,” he says.

Volunteers also wash the 300,000 plates, spoons and bowls used in feeding the people. The food is vegetarian and the expenses are managed through donations from all over the world. The yearly budget of the langar runs into hundreds of millions. One has to see it to believe.

Women play an important role in the preparation of meals. Volunteers make stacks of Rotis that will be served at the free kitchen.

The "langar" or free kitchen at Golden Temple in the Indian city of Amritsar is perhaps the world’s largest free eatery.

The Langar or free kitchen was started by the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak

Around one hundred thousand (100,000) people visit the langar every day and the number increases on weekends and special days.

People from all over the world who have FAITH in “SIKHISM”  aspire to visit Golden temple at least once in their life time.

Everybody is welcome at the langar, no one is turned away.

It works on the principle of equality amongst people of the world regardless of their religion, caste, colour, creed, age, gender or social status.

People sit on the floor together as equals and eat the same simple food at the eating hall of the Golden Temple langar.

Langar teaches the etiquette of sitting and eating in a community situation.

People from any community and faith can serve as volunteers.

The lines of status, caste and class vanish at the langar. Everybody, rich or poor, is treated as equals.

The meal served is hot but simple: comprising roti (flat Indian bread), lentil soup and sweat rice.

The utensils are washed in three rounds to ensure that the plates are perfectly clean to be again used.

Running the kitchen also means washing and cleaning thousands of plates, bowls and spoons. 

Some 450 staff and hundreds of volunteers help to run the kitchen.

Five thousand kilograms of fire wood is used every day for preparing the meals at this langar, that runs 24 x 7

A Sikh volunteer prepares the dal (lentil soup) that will be served for the meals at the langar.

More than 200,000 Rotis are prepared every day at the langar which is served to the people.

Wheat flour being put in a contraption that acts like a dough maker. The dough will be used for making Rotis (Indian flat bread).

Rotis (Indian flatbread) are cooked over electric machine .

Many Volunteers can also prepare these rotis ( Indian Flat Bread ) with their hands.

Bhagat Namdev JI (1270 A.D - 1350 A.D)

Guru Granth Sahib recognizes many saints of the Bhakti movement of medieval India. Kabir, Farid, Namdev are the saints belonging to this movement which swept across the North India from 1100 A.D. till 1600 A.D. When Fifth Guru Guru Arjan dev ji compiled Guru Granth Sahib, he decided to give some recognition to the saints of Bhakti movement, that is the reason that Guru Granth Sahib contains verses of such saints. In some cases Guru Granth Sahib is the only voice remained for such saints over the years. According to the generally accepted version of the current traditions, Namdev was born in AD 1270 to Damasheti, a low-caste tailor, and his wife, Gonabai, in the village of Naras-Vamani, in Satara district of Maharashtra. Janabai, the family's maidservant and a bhakta and poetess in her own right, records the tradition that Namdev was born to Gonabai as a result of her worship of Vitthala in Pandharpur. Namdev was married before he was eleven years of age to Rajabal, daughter of Govinda sheti Sadavarte. He had four sons and one daughter, Under the influence of saint Jnanadeva, Namdev was converted to the path of bhakti. Vitthala of Pandharpur was now the object of his devotion and he spent much of his time in worship and kirtan, chanting mostly verses of his own composition. In the company of Jnanadeva and other saints, he roamed about the country and later came to the Punjab where he is said to have lived for more than twenty years at Ghuman, in Gurdaspur district, where a temple in the form of samadh still preserves his memory. This temple was constructed by Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia and the tank by its side was got repaired by Rani Sada Kaur , mother-in-law ofMaharaja Ranjit Singh . In his early fifties, Namdev settled down at Pandharpur where he gathered around himself a group of devotees. His abhangas or devotional lyrics became very popular, and people thronged to listen to his kirtan. Namdev's songs have been collected in Namdevachi Gatha which also includes the long autobiographical poem Tirathavah. His Hindi verse and his extended visit to the Punjab carried his fame far beyond the borders of Maharashtra. Sixty-one of his hymns in fact came to be included in Sikh Scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. These hymns or sabdas share the common characteristic of lauding the One Supreme God distinct from his earlier verse which carries traces of idolatry and saguna bhakti. In the course of his spiritual quest, Namdev had, from being a worshipper of the Divine in the concrete form, become a devotee of the attributeless ( nirguna) Absolute. The legend about Bhagat Namdev is that at Gurdaspur Bhagat Namdev was asked by a king to show miracles which he refused as it meant intefering in God's way. Bhagat Namdev was thrown before a drunken elephant to be crushed to death. God saved His own saint. Namdev spent the last days of his life in village Guman. Bhagat Nam Dev is a pioneer of the Radical bhakti School. Though he appeared a century earlier than Kabir, his religious and social views are very much like those of Kabir. He unambiguously repudiates all the four fundamentals of Vaisnavism. Though in his devotional approach, he is clearly a monotheist, he makes many pantheistic statements too, e.g., every thing is God; there is nothing but God; consider the world and God to be one; the foam and the water are not different. Chaturvedi writes: "Sant Nam Dev seemed to believe both in transcendence and immanence, in pantheism and nondualism. His devotion was purely of the non-attributional absolute. He also considers God to be immanent, everywhere, in all hearts, and the Creator of everything. Like Kabir and the Sufis, Namdev is very other worldly. He says, "The strength of contempt of the world should be in the body an unchanging companion. One should lay aside differences between oneself and others, and feel no anxiety for things of the world."Ranade also writes: "He (Nam Dev) tells us that it is impossible that the pursuit of God can be coupled with a life of Samsara. If it had been possible for a man to find God while he was pursuing Samsara, then Sanaka and others would not have grown mad after God. If it had been possible for him to see God while carrying on the duties of a householder, the great Suka would not have gone to the forest to seek God. Had it been possible for people to find God in their homes, they would not have left them to fond out. Nam Dev has left all these things, and is approaching God in utter submission (Abhg. 83). NamDev's cosmogenic views are also orthodox. He says that God created maya and "maya is the name of the power that placeth man in the womb."Indirectly, he is neither happy with the world, nor with the human birth. Him, shop, shopkeeper, men and everything are unreal excepting God. In this background he seeks release from the world and suggests renunciation: " Namdev gave up trade, and devoted himself exclusively to the worship of God. The world being a play of maya and not being a worthwhile of spiritual endeavours, Namdev's goal is to have union with God through devotion and singing. His praises. He says, "I perform worship, sing God's praises and meditate on Him for eight pahar in a day i.e, round the clock. At the same time, he suggests good conduct and purity of life. For, God created all men alike. Though he holds every person responsible lor his acts, he clearly does not believe in a world rigidly governed by karma. Because he says: If everything were determined by karma, who created karma originally? NamDev not only claims union with God, but, like Kabir, also states that more than once God miraculously intervened on his behalf to reveal Himself to him, or help him. Without doubt, Nam Dev's approach remains otherworldly both before and after his achievement. At one time, he even gave up work so as to remain absorbed in his worship and meditations. He never initiated any religious institution or movement. His was a solitary search for God, without creating any social or religious organisation. We find that in his repudiation of Vaisnava doctrines, in his metaphysical ideas, methodology and goal, and more particularly in his otherworldly approach to the world and society, Namdev's views are quite identical with those of Kabir.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY / REFERENCES

1. Copyright © Daljeet Singh and Kharak Singh "Sikhism, its philosophy and History"
2. Copyright © Daljeet Singh "The Radical Bhagats"

Operation WoodRose

Operation Woodrose was a military operation carried out by the Indira Gandhi-led Indian Government in the months after Operation Blue Star to "prevent the outbreak of widespread public protest" in the state of Punjab. The government arrested all prominent members of the largest Sikh political party, the Akali Dal, and banned the All India Sikh Students Federation, a large students' union. In addition, the Indian Army conducted operations in the countryside during which thousands of Sikhs, overwhelmingly young men, were detained for interrogation and subsequently tortured.After the operation, the central government was criticized for using "draconian legislation" to repress a minority community. The operation consisted of the rounding up of thousands of suspected Sikh militants, including several presumably innocent civilians, aimed at eradicating the presence of violent separatist groups in the state. According to estimates published by Inderjit Singh Jaijee, approximately 8000 individuals were reported as missing as a result of Army operations during this period. According to Dr.Sangat Singh, Joint Intelligence Committee, about 100000 youth had been taken into custody within first four to six weeks of the operation and he adds that many of them were not heard of again. He further adds about 20000 youth crossing over to Pakistan.

To allow for the legality of the operation, the states of Punjab and Chandigarh had been declared

 by the Indian government as 'disturbed areas' by the enactment of the Punjab Chandigarh Disturbed Area Act 1983, while the Army was given unprecedented powers to detain and arrest civilians by the enactment of the Armed Forces (Punjab and Chandigarh) Act 1983. The act empowered any commissioned, warrant or non-commissioned officer of the Army if "of opinion that it is necessary so to do for the maintenance of public order, after giving such due warning as he may consider necessary, fire upon or otherwise use forces, even to the causing of death". The act also allowed such an officer to "arrest, without warrant, any person who has committed a cognizable offence or against whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he has committed or is about to commit a cognizable offence".

Fast Track courts were set up under the Terrorist Affected Areas (Special Courts) Act 1984 to try and sentence suspected terrorists rapidly.

Punjab Chief of Police, K.P.S. Gill described the actions as "suffering from all the classical defects of army intervention in civil strife" and stated that the Indian Army had acted "blindly".

The army operations were overseen by General Jamwal, who was assigned the responsibility to seal the international border with Pakistan, in an attempt to control smuggling of arms and personnel, and by Gl R.S. Dayal, who was instructed to oversee the apprehension of militants in state of Punjab.

S. Darshan Singh Pheruman

Darshan Singh Pheruman was a political leader and a martyr. He was was born at the village of Pheruman in present-day Amritsar district, on 1 August 1885. His father's name was Chanda Singh and his mother's Raj Kaur. After passing his high school examination, he joined in 1912 the Indian army as a sepoy. Two years later, he resigned from the army and set up as a contractor at Hissar. He was doing well as a contractor, when a taunt from his mother, who was deeply religious, led him to give up his business and plunge into the Akali movement for the reform of Gurdwara management.
In 1921, he was arrested in the morcha launched by Sikhs for recovering from the British deputy commissioner of Amritsar keys of the Golden Temple treasury he had seized, and was imprisoned for one year. In December 1924, he led the 14th Shahidi jatha to Jaito, and was jailed for ten months. He also took part in the non-cooperation movement launched by the Indian National Congress, serving a 14-month term in jail. In 1926, he visited Malaya where he was detained by the British on the basis of his political record in India. While in jail, he went on a fast in protest against the orders forbidding the wearing of kachha or drawers, one of the five symbols of Khalsa discipline. He continued the fast for 21 days, ending it only when he had won his point.
Returning home, Darshan Singh joined the Civil Disobedience movement and courted imprisonment thrice. He took part in the Quit India campaign during the Second World War. For a number of years, he was a member of the Shiromani Gurdwara parbandhak Committee and its general secretary for two terms. He was elected a member of the Rajya Sabha as a nominee of the Indian National Congress and retained his seat up to 1964. In 1959, he severed his connection with the Congress and joined the Swatantra Party of which he was one of the founders.
In August 1969, Darshan Singh resolved to lay down his life to atone for what he termed as resilement on the part of some of the Sikh leaders from the solemn pledges they had taken at Sri Akal Takht and to have their default in not being able to secure the inclusion of Chandigarh and some other areas in the newly-demarcated Punjab redeemed. So determined, he went on a fast unto death inside the central Jail at Amritsar on 15 August. He stuck to his vow and stubbornly refused to have any nourishment until his demand for the amalgamation with the Punjab of the Punjabi-speaking areas kept out of the new Punjab was conceded. On 27th October 1969 which was his 74th day of his fasting, he died. For the supreme sacrifice he thus made to rewrite the sanctity of a Sikh's plighted word, his name is honoured among the martyrs of the Sikh faith.

The First Sikh Scots Guard

The Daily Mail have an article entitled "The Sikh soldier who will be the first to guard Buckingham Palace without a bearskin as he'll be wearing a turban instead".

It's about Jatenderpal Singh Bhullar, a remarkable young man who swapped bricklaying for a career in the British Army.

It's indeed a fantastic success story, one we've followed all the way and featured in our recent film "Slough to Soldier" (below).

When we got to know Jatenderpal for the filming - he told us he wanted to be in the Paras.

He wanted to push himself - and venture into a career path that not many Indians had gone down let alone a Sikh with a full beard!

We urged him on, why shouldn't someone set a goal for themselves and work hard to achieve it?!

It's an inspiration, one which I was certainly touched by and his ambition and drive for success is certainly something which more young people need to have.  

Jatenderpal didn't get into the Paras though because of his run time which was a few seconds below the requirement, but he did into the Scots Guards.  In doing so he became the first Sikh with uncut hair/beard to get into Guards regiment!

I spoke to him after he passed out to congratulate him on this remarkable achievement, and urged him to carry on doing what he was doing because he was not only breaking new ground but representing his faith and community.  

He sent me a picture of himself in his Scots uniform, and it made me proud to think a Sikh such as he had broken new ground - and would go on to do well in that regiment.

I knew he'd make a great soldier and felt pleased about his progress from when we first met and filmed him.

So it's unfortunate to hear he might have some difficulty in his ambition.

BUT I for one have full faith in Jatenderpal's strive to succeed as a soldier - and will be supporting him in every way possible.  

I hope people from the community-at-large will do the same.

Please comment positively on this post so we can convey our best wishes to the first Sikh Guard - may he inspired many others to follow suit!

*news reference: http://sikhs-at-war.blogspot.in/2012/12/the-first-sikh-scots-guard.html?showComment=1354628463304#c6251288044599779748

Shaheed Bhai Karam Singh And Shaheed Bhai Pratap Singh

On the 8th August, 1922 A.D., the police arrested five Singhs for cutting Acacia wood for langar (community kitchen) from uncultivated land attached to Gurdwara Guru Ka Bagh. Everyone was sentenced to a fine of rupees fifty and imprisonment for six months on charge of stealing wood from the land of the Mahant. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee started an agitation against this excess of the Government. Mr. B.T., the additional police superintendent started beating with clubs the Singhs taking part in the agitation. On the 13th September, the beating was stopped on motivation from Reverend C.F. Andrews and Singhs were arrested and sent to prisons.

One day a squad of army pensioners led by Subedar Amar Singh Dhaliwal from Kapurthala state courted arrest. Magistrate Aslam Khan sentenced those Singhs to imprisonment of two and a half years and a fine of one hundred rupees each. Those Singhs were boarded on a train from Amritsar to Attak on the night of the 29th October, 1922 A.D. The train stopped at Rawalpindi on the 30th October and moved on after change of staff and taking water for the locomotive.

The Sikh community of Gurdwara Panja Sahib on that route got ready food and drink to serve the Singhs of the squad, took it to the railway station early in the morning of the 31st October and started waiting for the train to arrive.The station master told them, "The train shall not stop at this station. You have made these arrangements for nothing." Bhai Karam Singh replied, "Baba Nanak had stopped a mountain with one hand. Cannot his Sikhs stop a train ?"

At ten o'clock, seeing the train approaching, Bhai Karam Singh lay on the railway line. Next to him Bhai Partap Singh, Sardar Ganga Singh, Sardar Charan Singh, Sardar Nihal Singh, S. Tara Singh, S. Fakir Singh, S. Kalyan Singh and many other Singhs and Kaurs squatted on the track. Seeing the Singhs lying on the track, the driver of the train blew the whistle time and again but the Singhs did not budge as if they had not heard the whistle at all. The engine ground the bones of Bhai Karam Singh and Bhai Partap Singh to pulp and the others suffered injuries. The train stopped.

Bhai Partap Singh said to Sangat (Sikh devotees), "Serve the hungry Singhs in the train first. You can take care of us afterwards." The train halted for one and a half hours. The Sikhs served the Singhs in the train whole-heartedly and then turned to the injured. Bhai Karam Singh, thirty year old son of Bhai Bhagwan Dass Mahant of Kesgarh Sahib died after a few hours. On the next day Bhai Partap Singh, twenty-four years of age, son of S. Sarup Singh goldsmith of Akal Garh, Gujranwala attained martyrdom. Before attaining martyrdom he recited "Kabira sant Muye kiya Roviye jo apne greh jaye rovo saakat bapre jo hato haat bikaye" and instructed his 18 years old wife that never cry over his death otherwise his sacrifice will be wasted.

It is said that she never cried her whole live and bravely recited Gaddi the Chhand written in honour of these Train Martyrs and was also engrossed in "Naam Simran". when the train-driver was asked the reason for stopping the train, he replied, 'When the train hit the Singhs lying on the track, vacuum lever dropped out of my hand and the train stopped. I did not apply the brakes."

Takht Sri Kesh Garh Sahib

Anandpur Sahib - the holy City of Bliss-is one of the most important sacred places of the Sikhs and is closely linked with their religious traditions and history. It is located on the lower spurs of the Himalayas surrounded by picturesque natural scenery, with the river Satluj forming a shimmering and shiny blue border on the south west barely four miles away. So far as the historical significance of Anandpur Sahib is concerned, it is second only to Amritsar, the city of Golden Temple. Anandpur Sahib was founded in the year 1664 by the ninth Guru, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur ji, near the ruins of an ancient place, Makhowal. The Guru purchased the site from the ruler of Bilaspur.

Gurudwara Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib 

In 1699, on the occasion of the festival of Baisakhi, Guru Nanak's mission was fulfilled by the 10th Guru, Sahib Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, when, through baptism of the double-edged-sword the Sikh was consummated as the Khalsa-Saint Soldier- in direct commune with the Guru and God. Still more astonishing is the fact that the Guru had got himself baptised by the Panj-Pyaras, the five beloved ones, who had offered him their heads to uphold Dharma - the righteous cause. 

The Takht Sahib proper is a square hall with a balcony in front overlooking a spacious courtyard on a lower level. In the middle of the inner domed room are placed some weapons preserved as sacred relics. The space being limited on the top of the hill, the sarovar is on the plain ground west of the Takht Sahib. A large spacious pavilion is available for larger congregation. Although the town is small, for the Hola Mohalla every year in the month of March it bursts alive and recaptures its old glory and splendour.

 

Unique Attraction of Anandpur Sahib

Hola Mohalla

Anandpur Sahib comes to life every year on the occasion of Hola Mohalla. Holla Mohalla is the great annual Sikh martial festival of the Khalsa, which falls in late March. This tradition dates back to the times of the 10th Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The event was specifically inaugurated by Guru Gobind Singh to infuse a permanent martial spirit into the Sikh community. It was in March 1700 that Guru Gobind Singh added the Sikh martial festival of Holla Mohalla to the end of the traditional Hindu Indian festival of Holi. The Guru decided that the occasion of the festival of Holi, fun and frolic and colour splashing, be the occasion for the display of the martial spirit of his people and he gave this festival of Holi a more masculine name of Hola Mohalla.

On this annual event, Guru Gobind Singh would organise martial contests between two Khalsa armies, one of attackers (‘Holla’) and other of guardians (‘Mohalla’). The aim of the Holla team was to dislodge the Mohalla team off the hill fort of Lohgarh (Iron Fort) and capture it. The aim of the Mohalla team was to drive back the attackers and keep hold of the fort until sunset. In this military war game, the contestants clashed with each other fiercely, and fought bone-breaking contests with the wooden clubs and sticks. This contest would begin early in the morning and ended at sunset, after which the Guru would reward the victorious Khalsa warriors and those who had shown exceptional daring and skill.

Each year Hola Mohalla marks the congregation of thousands of devotees from all over the country for a festival of colour and gaiety.

Baisakhi 1999 at Anandpur Sahib had been significant as it marked the completion of 300 years of the Birth of the Khalsa. It was on Baisakhi day in 1699 that Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji baptised the 'Panj Pyaras' at Anandpur Sahib at the place where Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib stands.

 

Other Places Of Pilgrimage Importance

Gurdwara Guru-Ka-Mahal (Bhora Sahib) 

Residence of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur inherited by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji; the sahibzadas- the holy sons of the 10th Guru were born here. There is an underground room cut off from the din of life where the 9th Guru used to meditate.

Gurdwara Thara Sahib 

The 9th Guru used to deliver sermons from this raised platform. There is place to mark the spot where the Kashmiri Brahmins came to seek protection.

Gurdwara Sis-Ganj Sahib 

In November, 1675, the martyred head of the 9th Guru which was heroically brought by Bhai Jaita ( Bhai Jiwan Singh) after taking holy nectar according to Sikh rites (baptism) in exultant defiance of the Mughal authorities was cremated here.

Akal Bunga 

After cremation of the holy head of his father, followed by a prayer to the Almighty, the 10th Guru had rested here with his relations and followers.

Gurdwara Damdama Sahib 

The 10th Guru was given the Guru Gaddi her and declared the end of the institution of the Masands-the priestly agents of the former Gurus.

Gurdwara Manji Sahib 

The Sahibzadas received their education and military training at this spot. Military exercises were also rehearsed here.

 

Sacred Places Near Sri Anandpur Sahib

Guru-Ka-Lahore

It is 11 kms on Sri Anandpur Sahib-Ganguwal route leading to the State of Himachal Pradesh. On 25th January, 1686, the 10th Guru's wedding to Mata Jito Ji was celebrated here. Two almost pinhead springs still functional, were pierced by the 10th Guru by lancing the rocky mountains.

Gurdwara Mata Jito Ji

Not far from Holgarh Fort. Mata Jito Ji was cremated here.

Bhai Ghanaiya Ji: His Baoli / Spring

Across the now almost dried up rivulet Charan Ganga and below the Taragarh hill, Bhai Ghanaiya Ji had anticipated the RED CROSS almost two centuries before its formation in the modern times. He used to render first aid to friends and foes.

Sri Anandpur Sahib is the bastion from where the stoutest defence was put up to maintain liberty from the bigoted slavery of the Mughals and their tributary chiefs of the surrounding hills.

52 Orders passed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Nanded

1)- Dharam di Kirat karni - Earn by honest means.

2)- Daswand dena - Give one tenth of your salary.(De daswandh Guru kao roodhaa )


3)- Gurbani kantth karni - Memorize Gurbani.


4)- Amrit Vaelae utthna - Wake up Amrit Vela (before dawn).[Nahin suptahin sikh soat savere]


5)- Sikh sewak di sewa ruchi naal karni - Serve a Sikh Servant with devotion.


6)- Gurbani dae arth Sikh vidhvana tuo parrhnae - Learn the meanings of Gurbani from Sikh Scholars.

7)- Punj Kakaar di Rehat drirh kar rukhni - Follow the discipline of the 5 K's strictly.


8)- Shabad da abhihas karna - Practice Shabad Gurbani in life.


9)- Sat-Saroop Satgur da dhian dharna - Concentrate on the True Guru (God).


10)- Ardas sabh kaarjan de arambh vele karni- Pray (ardas)at the beginning of all tasks.

11)- Satguru Guru Granth Sahib ji nu mannaa - Accept Guru Granth Sahib Ji as Guru.
12)- Jaman, maran, ja viah mokae Jup da paatth kar tihaaval (Karaah Parsaad) kar Anand sahib dia punj paurian, Ardaas, Pratham punj pyaariaan atae hazoori granthi noo vartaa kae oprunth sangat noo vartaaouna - At birth, death, or marriage ceremonies, do Japji Sahib, make Karaah Parshaad, do five stanzas of anand sahib, do ardaas, and then distribute Karaah Parshaad to the Panj Pyare, keep the share of the Granthi Singh, and then to the sangat.--- In any case the Sikhs shall never accept the parsaad presented to Seetla (goddesses), Yagyaa's (Hawan) etc. (Khaae naa amal seetla jaje).


13)- Jab tak Karaah Parshaad vartadaa rahae sadh sangat addol batthee rahae - Until Karaah Parshaad is completely distributed, the Sangat should remain sitting and unmoving.


14)- Viah - Anand bina grahisth nahi karna - Do not start married life without Anand Karaj (Sikh ceremony of marriage).


15)- Par-Istri, Ma-Bhain, Dhi-Bhain, kar jaanani. Par Istri da sang nahi karna - Recognize all other women other than your wife as mothers and sisters. Do not engage in marital behaviour with them.


16)- Istri da mooh nahi fitkaarnaa - Do not silence your wife?


17)- Jagat-jootth tambaaku bikhiaa da tiaag karna - Abandon worldly falsehoods and tobacco-poison.


18)- Rehatvaan atae naam jupan vaalae gursikhaa di sangat karni - Keep the company of Sikhs who follow the Rehat and meditate on the Name (of God).


19)- Jitne kanm apne karan de hon, ohna de karan vich daridar nahi karna - Don't be lazy while doing work.


20)- Gurbani da keertan te katha roaz sunanaa ate karna - Listen and do kirtan and Gurbani discourses daily. 

21)- Kise di ninda, chugali, atae eirkha nahi karni - Do not engage in slander, gossip or spite anyone


22)- Dhan, jawaani, tae kul-jaat da abhiman nahi karnaa (Nanak daadak tahe duae goath. Saak guru sikhan sang hoath)- Do not take pride in wealth, youth and caste. (Mother and Father's caste both castes. All Sikhs of the Guru are siblings)?


23)- Mat uchi te suchi rakhni - Keep the religious discipline high and pure.


24)- Shubh karman tao kadae naa ttarnaa - Do not refrain from doing Righteous deeds.


25)- Budh bal da daataa vaheguroo noo jaananaa - Recognize God as the giver of intellect and strength.


26)- Sugandh (kasam sanhu) de kar itbaar janaaoun vaale da itbar nahi karna- Do not believe a person who swears (one who tries/attempts to convince someone with a 'saun or saugandh').


27)- Sutantar Vicharna. Raaj Kaaj dian kamaan ute doosre mataan dian purshaan noo (adhikar) haq nahi denaa - Rule Independently. In the affaris of government, do not give people of other religions authority/power.


28)- Raajniti parhni - Study politics.


29)- Dushman naal saam, daam, bhed, aadik, upaao wartne - With the enemy, practice/deploy the various techniques/tactics of diplomacy (saam, daam, dand, bhed).


30)- Shaster vidyaa ate ghorhe di savaari da abhiaas karna - Practice the knowledge of weaponry and horse riding.


31)- Doosrae mataa de pustak, vidyaa parhni. Pur bhrosaa drirh Gurbani, Akal Purakh te karnaa - Study the books and knowledge of other faiths. But keep trust in Gurbani and Akal Purukh.


32)- Gur updaesaa noo dhaaran karna - Follow the teachings of the Guru.


33)- Raheraas da paath kar kharae ho kae ardaas karni - After Rehras Paatth, do Ardaas standing up.


34)- Saun valae sohila atae 'paun guru pani pita...' salok parhna- Recite Sohila and 'paun guru pani pita...' stanza before going to sleep.


35)- Dastaar bina nahi rehnaa - Wear a turban at all times.


36)- Singha da adha naam nahi bulauna - Do not call a Singh by half of their name (nickname).


37)- Sharaab nai saevani - Do not partake of alcoholic drinks.


38)- Sir munae noo kanaiaa nahi daeni. Uos ghar daevni jithae Akal Purukh di sikhi ha, jo karzaai naa hovae, bhalae subhaa da hovae, bibaeki atae gyanvaan hovae - Do not given a daughter's hand to a clean shaven. Give her hand in a house where God's Sikhi exists, where the household is not in debt, is of a good nature, is disciplined and knowledgeable.


39)- Subh kaaraj Gurbani anusaar karnae - Do all work in accordance with Gurbani.


40)- Chugali kar kisae da kam nahi vigaarnaa - Do not ruin someone's work by gossip.

41)- Kaurha bachan nahi kahinaa - Do not utter bitter statements.


42)- Darshan yaatraa gurdwaaraa di hi karni - Make pilgrimages to Gurudwaras only.


43)- Bachan karkae paalnaa - Fulfill all promises that are made


44)- Pardaesi, lorvaan, dukhi, apung manukh di yataahshkat sewa karni - Do as much sewa as you can for foreigners, the needy and the troubled.


45)- Putari da dhan bikh jananaa - Recognize the property of a daughter as poison?


46)- Dikhaawae da Sikh nahi bananaa - Do not become an outward show-off Sikh.


47)- Sikhi kesaa-suaasa sang nibhaaouni - Live and die a Keshadhaari Sikh


48)- Chori, yaari, tthugi, dhokaa, dagaa bahi karnaa - Refrain from engaging in theft, adultery / promiscuity / permissiveness , fraud, deceit, embezzlement.


49)- Sikh da itbaar karna - Believe a Sikh.


50)- Jhutthi gavaahi nahi daeni - Do not give false testimony.


51)- Dhroh nahi karnaa - Do not cheat.


52)- Langar-Parshaad ik ras vartaaunaa - Distribute Langar and Karaah Parshaad with equality.

I have pasted these 52 orders of 10th master of Sikh religion, Guru Gobind Singh ji who passed these orders to his Sikhs in Nanded before he went to heavenly abode in 1708.

My intention is to remind all sikhs that they may feel abided by these orders and do good in their life by following these orders. i am sure he, who follows shall be a true Sikh of his master. So come, let us try to obey our master and follow these rules in our life.

Sikhs are neither HIndus nor Muslims

Sikhism is the most simple and straightforward religion, but it is a tragedy that various vested interests have tried to misinterpret the philosophy of Sikhism. The Hindu elite have, since long, been trying to define Sikhism as an offshoot of Hinduism because, according to them, most of the Sikhs have/had their roots in Hindu families. The Indian regime too is bent upon labelling the Sikhs as a branch of Hinduism. Sikhs have not been granted independent identity in the Indian constitution.. Due to this the Sikh representatives had rejected and refused to give their assent to it.

The theological principles, the articles of faith, the way of life, rites and rituals etc of the Sikhs are altogether different from those of the Hindus but the Indian government has, still, denied the Sikhs their right to have a separate law of their own. The Hind law has been forced upon them against their will.

Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak Sahib. Guru Nanak Sahib was born in a Hindu family but he never adopted Hindu religion. On the other hand he rejected Hinduism and its rituals. He refused to wear Janeo (a thread which is sacred to the Hindus). For a Hindu Janeo is obligatory (though most of the Hindus have forsaken it now). Mohammed, the founder of Islam, was born in a Quraishi family. He founded Islam and rejected the religion of the Quraishi Arabians. It will be wrong to call Islam as a branch of old Arabian religious belief. Moses, the founder of Judaism, was born in a family which worshipped idols. Moses rejected idol worship. Christ was born to Jewish parents. No one will define Christianity as an offshoot of Judaism. Similarly, Guru Nanak Sahib, though born to Hindu parents, founded a distinct religion. It is ignorance (or conspiracy) to call Sikhism as an offshoot of Hinduism. Guru Nanak Sahib had proclaimed in unequivocal words that the Sikhs are "neither Hindus nor Muslims" (na ham Hindu na Musalman). Before his death Guru Nanak Sahib appointed Guru Angad Sahib as his successor and merged his light in the light of Guru Angad Sahib. Guru Sahib fulfilled his mission in ten lives (Guru Nanak sahib to Guru Gobind Singh Sahib). Guru Gobind Singh Sahib installed Guru Granth Sahib as Guru-Eternal of the Sikhs on October 6, 1708, thus granting the status of Guru to the Word.

Sikhism is an independent religion. It does not have roots in any other religion or ideology. Like Hinduism, it is not mere ritualistic way of life. It has no superiority of any special caste, class, country colour or gender. Sikhism does not consider this world as unreal; of course it is Maya (illusion). It advocates oneness of spiritual and temporal domains. In Sikhism the king is a spiritual humanitarian ruler. Sikhism teaches non-attachment for the worldly things. On the other hand, Hinduism is a conglomeration of paradoxical concepts and teachings.

Sikhism does have it origin in the Indian subcontinent but the Sikhs are not Hindus. Guru Nanak Sahib and his successors had clarified it in unequivocal words:

We are neither Hindus nor Muslims (p. 1136)

Muslims and Hindus have different paths (Bhai Gurdas)

At Mecca, when some Muslims asked Guru Nanak Sahib: "who, according to your book (ideology), are superior, the Hindus or the Muslims?". Guru Sahib replied, "Both of them (Hindus and the Muslims) are suffering because they do not live a Truthful life." (Bhai Gurdas)

One has Tasbih (the Muslim rosary); the others have Mala (the Hindu rosary)

One reads Purans (the Hindu holy book) the others read Quran (the Muslim holy book)

(Guru Granth Sahib)

Guru Gobind Singh Sahib gave strict command to the Sikhs:

Only one's (God's) spirit is all-prevalent, never bow before any one else. Love only the Almighty; never worship tombs, Samadhs or mausoleums. Pilgrimage, charity, mercy, penance, abstinence are meaningless. Only God should be worshipped.When the spirit of the Almighty reveals itself in one's heart, only then a Khalsa becomes God's own. (Dasam Granth)

So, it is crystal clear from the above hymns that Guru Sahib had declared that Sikhism is altogether different from Hinduism as well as Islam. He initiated the Sikhs, gave them their uniform and a national name (Singh/Kaur). Guru Sahib made five Kakars (articles of faith) obligatory for every Sikhs. Thus, he gave the Sikhs a complete separate identity and entity, altogether different from the rest of the world. Guru Sahib has given, not only distinct form but also an independent religious culture which is unknown to Hinduism or Islam:

Mantra: The Hindus have their Gayatri mantra, the Muslims have their Kalma and the Sikhs have Waheguru.

Manglacharan: The Hindus have "om shri ganesh namah", the Muslims have "Bismillah" the Sikhs have "Ik onkar satgur parsad".

Mode of greeting: the Hindus use "Ram Ram Namaste", the Muslims say "Aslaamlekum" the Sikhs have Waheguruji da Khalsa, Waheguruji Di Fateh."

Religious scriptures: The Hindus have faith in Vedas, the Muslims worship Quran, the Sikhs have their Guru Granth Sahib.

5. Holy places of pilgrimage: The Hindus go to Ganga, the Muslims visit Mecca and Median, and the Sikhs (though they visit Nanakana Sahib, Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib etc.) have an obligation to have the pilgrimage of Word. (Tirath nahavan jao tirath naam hai).

Direction of worship: The Hindus make pilgrimage towards east, the Muslims towards west but the Sikhs believe that God is present everywhere and in all directions.

7. Time of bath: The Hindus take bath after sunrise, the Muslims have Wuzoo (washing hands and mouth) before Namaz, the Sikhs have shower every day early in the morning but they do no believe that bathing leads to liberation.

8. Rituals: The Hindus have the rituals of wearing Janeo and Mundan (shaving head at the time of the death of one's father) the Muslims have Sunnat (circumcision). The Sikhs have Khandey Di Pahul.

9. Charity: The Hindus give charity to Pandits, the Muslims have Zakat, and the Sikhs have the system of Daswandh. For a Sikh feeding a poor man is like making offering to Guru Sahib. (Gharib da munh Guru di golak).

10. Articles of faith: Hindus have Tilak, Mala and Janeo, the Muslims have their Tasbih, and the Sikhs have five Kakars (Kes, Kangha, Kara, Kachhehara, and Kirpaan).

To conclude, one can say that the Hindus, the Muslims and the Sikhs have their separate faiths; none of them have any thing in common with each other. As far as the Sikhs and the Hindus are concerned, both have an altogether different religious culture. The Hindus worship millions of mythological gods and goddesses but for a Sikhs it is strictly forbidden to have faith in any one except the Almighty:

Do not believe in any one except one and the only one God, the Almighty, who was ever existent, who never comes in human form, who is never born nor dies.

(Guru Granth Sahib)

2. Those who worship a servant (god/goddess) instead of master (God) are blind, ignorant and are going astray. (Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1238-39)

3. Only fools are under the influence of gods and goddesses.

4. I do not worship Ganesha, nor I mediate upon the name of Krishna or Vishnu. (Guru Gobind Singh Sahib)

5. Worship only the Almighty. Praise Him only. (Sukhmani Sahib)

6. I shall worship none but God. One achieves every thing with His Blessing.

(Guru Gobind Singh Sahib)

Hindus believe in caste system. For them a Brahmin is to be worshipped (even if he is a debauched) because he was (according to Brahmins) born from the mouth of Brahma (a funny theory of origin ). According to Hinduism, only Brahmin has a right to charity from Khatris, Vaish, Rajput etc. It is only Brahmin who has a right to be respected and honoured. As the Sudras were born (according to the Hindus) from the feet of Brahma, they are the lowliest and have no right even to perform worship. They do not have a right even to come face to face with a Brahmin. But, Guru Sahib declared that in Sikhism every one has equal right to worship. There can be no distinction of caste or creed, gender or colour.

We are all children of One Father (Guru Granth Sahib p. 611)

All the people have one base. (Guru Granth Sahib p.83)

O Pandit when did you become Brahmin ?

Do not waist your life by calling yourself a Brahmin

If you are a Brahmin born out of the womb of a Brahmin woman, why were you not born in a different manner (not from womb of a woman). (Kabir, Guru Granth Sahib p. 324)

All are born with the same spirit (of the Almighty) in them (Guru Granth Sahib p. 324)

Guru Sahib brought an end to the concept of high and low caste. Those who live their lives in accordance with His Command are real Gyani (the enlightened ones). Guru Sahib banished the Hindu rituals and taboos of fasting, Sutak (ablution) etc.

In Hinduism, the worship of idols of the mythological gods and goddesses has great importance, but Sikhism rejects it altogether and prohibits it:

Those who worship stones are ignorant and foolish (Guru Granth Sahib p. 556)

Those who consider stones as the Almighty

Their worship is meaningless (fruitless).

Those who bow before idols

Their whole spiritual effort is fruitless.

Our God is ever in communication with us,

He speaks to us (through Word).

He blesses everyone with bountiful gifts.

The Hindus cut their hair but all the Guru Sahib had unshorn hair. Keeping unshorn hair is one of the major obligations for a Sikh. In Sikh faith even God is believed to be one with long unshorn hair. (Guru Granth Sahib p. 567)

If we go through the pages of history, we learn that though Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib laid down his life for the Hindus but the Hindus always proved ungrateful. The hill rulers who attacked Guru Sahib at Anandpur Sahib and at other places were Hindus. The Hindus have committed several acts of sacrilege of the Sikh shrines. The Hindus have perpetrated atrocities on the Sikhs numerous times. In fact the Hindus have jealousy for Sikhism because Guru Sahib created the Sikh as a supreme human being.

A Sikh is free from the Hindu taboos of rituals, auspiciousness of day/time/moment, good and bad omens, fasts, Sharadhs (rituals for the deceased), charity etc. For a Sikh real worship and ritual is recitation of five Banis (hymns). A Sikh must not bow before any living or non-living human being. There is no so-called saint, living Guru, god/goddess in Sikhism. Only the Name of the Almighty is to be worshipped.

Guru Gobind Singh Sahib got several books of Hindu mythology (Chandi Charitra, Krishanawtar, Ramawtar, Chaubisawtar) translated into Punjabi not with a purpose of worshipping these so-called gods and goddesses but in order to expose them. These so-called gods and goddesses are figures of fiction. They seem to be, in fact, strange persons e.g. jealous of each other, political, diplomatic, conspiracy making feudal. They do not seem to be godly in any manner. Besides, Guru Sahib, in unequivocal words, asked the Sikhs to reject them. In these mythological works there are some ballads of chivalry, bravery, which Guru sahib wanted to narrate in order to invoke spirit of fearlessness and Righteousness among the Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib said;

I do not worship Ganesha

I do not ever worship Krishan or Vishnu

I do not consider them even as such (gods)

I concentrate only on the feet of the Almighty

(Krishanavtar)

Since I have found a place in Your feet (O Almighty),

I don't even look at any one else

Ram, Rahim, Puran, Quaran tell a lot but I don't even bother for them

Simritis, Shastras, Vedas, explain different things but I do not consider them of any worth

O Almighty! by Your Grace I have learnt it all from Your Word

(Ramavtar)

The Sikhs do not have any linguistic boundaries. Gurbani of Guru Sahib, though in Gurmukhi script, has been written in different languages. A Sikh may use and adopt any language for communication, he is free to do so.

Guru Sahib revealed Khalsa in order to bring an end to injustice. He brought an end to caste hierarchy and gave initiation of Khanda to each and every one alike. He raised a nation almost from nothingness and made them a great chivalrous and generous people. Later, this nation brought an end to atrocities of the terrorist invaders from Afghanistan. These Sikhs saved the people of the land. They (the Sikhs) got released thousands of the daughters of the Hindus, unlike the Rajputs who offered their daughters to the Moghuls to win their favour. Had there not been Guru Gobind Singh Sahib there would not have been a single Hindu in this zone. To quote a Muslim poet like Sayyad Bulleh Shah:

I don't talk of here and there, I will say the truth only;

Had there not been Guru Gobind Singh all the Hinds would have got circumcision.

Guru Sahib told the Sikhs to remain distinct. A Sikh must not have social or personal relations with the one who has shaved his head after having once adopted the Sikh faith. A Sikh must not marry a non-Sikh. Practice of female infanticide is strictly forbidden in Sikhism. Getting a daughter married to a clean-shaven (Hindu or any other person) is a sin for a Sikh. Such a person does not remain a member of the Sikh brotherhood. Cutting hair from any part of his/her body makes a Sikh a Patit (an apostate). To quote Guru Gobind Singh Sahib:

So long Khalsa preserves its identity

I Shall bless it with all my power

But, when it adopts Brahminic (Hindu) ways

I shall not protect them.

Guru Sahib did give the message of unity and mutual harmony and we must not forget it but we can not be one with the Hindus as far as religious philosophy is concerned. Hence, even a clean-shaven person is not acceptable in the court of Guru Sahib. Some Patits (apostate) have tried to assert that one should be a Sikh in one's heart only and the articles of faith are of no importance. It is all their illusion. A Sikh is a Sikh and he has to live as a Sikh if he/she needs salvation. A Sikh has an obligation to abide by the command of Guru Sahib.

Hindu religion wants to engulf Sikhism in its fold as it has already done the same to Buddhism and Jainism. India's communal government, which comprises mainly of the Arya Samajists, is bent upon annihilation of the minorities. Its major target is the Sikhs. The following points are a proof of the intentions of the Hindus regarding the Sikh nation:

The Hindu regime issued a circular within less than two months of India's independence calling the Sikhs as a lawless people and ordered the police should take special measures against them.

It refused to carve out a Punjabi-speaking province. Almost all the Punjabi speaking Hindus declared Hindi as their mother tongue during the census of India in 1951 and 1961.

3. The Hindus burnt the Sikh religious literature several times and committed the acts of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib.

4. The Hindus committed several acts of sacrilege of the Gurdwaras. The government did never take any action against these criminals. Even if some criminals were arrested while throwing cigarettes in the Darbar Sahib Sarovar, they were not given any punishment.

Sikhs wearing Kirpaans are insulted at the Indian airports.

During the Asian Games (1982), the Sikhs were banned from entering Delhi.

The Indian government gives financial aid, patronises and felicitates in every manner all those cults and organisations which harm the Sikh religion. Not only the government but also the Hindu leaders in general are ardent supporters of anti-Sikh cults like Nirankaris, Namdharis and Radhasoamis.

8. Initiated Sikhs have, several times, become targets of persecution, arrests, and torture at the hands of the police and the Hindu mobs. Killing a Sikh youth in fake encounter has been a common phenomenon in the whole of India.

9. The Sikhs are discriminated against in appointments and promotions in public as well as private sector.

The Sikhs are accepted as a nation and a race by the international authorities. Even Britain and Canada amended some of their laws because these laws clashed with the religious rights of the Sikh nation. India too should amend its constitution and those laws, which are the cause of discrimination. The Sikhs must have their own Personal/Family Law like the Christians, Muslims, Parsis and the Jews.

Indian rulers should understand one thing that the Sikhs will never become Hindus even if they are refused their rights. Even persecution can not annihilate the Sikhs. So, to create a cordial atmosphere the Indian regime should grant the Sikhs their legitimate rights and stop calling them an offshoot of the Hindus. The Sikhs are the Sikhs and Sikhs only.