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Sikh
17 Apr 2021

गुरुपर्व पूरी दुनिया में कार्तिक मास की शुक्ल पक्ष की पूर्णिमा तिथि पर सिख धर्म में मनाया जाता है।

pगुरुपर्व सिखों का बड़े पैमाने पर कार्यक्रम आदि आयोजित किया जाता है।/p

Sikh
17 Apr 2021

Guru Gobind Singh Ji

pbr / Gobind Singh, original name Gobind Rāi, (born 1666, Patna, Bihār, India—died October 7, 1708, Nānded, Mahārāshtra), 10th and last of the personal Sikh Gurūs, known chiefly for his creation of the Khālsā (Punjabi: “the Pure”), the military brotherhood of the Sikhs. He was the son of the ninth Gurū, Tegh Bahādur, who suffered martyrdom at the hands of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb./p pGobind Singh was a man of great intellectual attainments. He was a linguist familiar with Persian, Arabic, and Sanskrit as well as his native Punjabi. He further codified Sikh law, wrote martial poetry and music, and was the reputed author of the Sikh work called the Dasam Granth (“Tenth Volume”)./p

Sikh
17 Apr 2021

Sri Harmandir Sahib The Golden Temple Amritsar

pThe Golden Temple Amritsar India (Sri Harimandir Sahib Amritsar) is not only a central religious place of the Sikhs but also a symbol of human brotherhood and equality. Everybody, irrespective of caste, creed, or race can seek spiritual solace and religious fulfillment without any hindrance. It also represents the distinct identity, glory, and heritage of the Sikhs./p p /p

Sikh
17 Apr 2021

Hola Mohalla: The Sikh Festival of Martial Arts and Valor

pWhile most of India celebrates Holi with colored powders and water balloons, a different kind of celebration unfolds in the town of Anandpur Sahib in Punjab. Here, instead of gentle revelry, you'll witness something far more dramatic—warriors in blue and orange displaying breathtaking martial arts skills, mock battles with traditional weapons, daring horseback riding feats, and demonstrations of strength and courage that would seem at home in an action film. This is Hola Mohalla, Sikhism's festival of martial spirit and valor, and it represents one of the most unique and spectacular celebrations in the Indian religious calendar./p pThe festival, falling in March on the day after Holi, transforms the small Punjabi town into a gathering place for hundreds of thousands of Sikhs and visitors from around the world. It's a celebration that honors the warrior-saint ideal at the heart of Sikh identity, a reminder that spiritual devotion and martial readiness are not contradictions but complementary aspects of the Sikh path./p The Tenth Guru's Vision pTo understand Hola Mohalla, you must first understand the man who created it—Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and final living Guru of the Sikhs. Born in 1666, Guru Gobind Singh inherited the guruship at age nine after his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was executed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for refusing to convert to Islam and defending the right of Hindus to practice their religion freely./p pThis traumatic beginning shaped Guru Gobind Singh's vision for the Sikh community. He believed that in times of oppression and injustice, spiritual devotion alone wasn't enough—Sikhs needed to be prepared to defend themselves and others, to be saint-soldiers capable of both meditation and martial prowess. This philosophy, known as Miri-Piri (temporal and spiritual power), became central to Sikh identity./p pIn 1699, Guru Gobind Singh took the revolutionary step of creating the Khalsa—a baptized order of Sikhs committed to maintaining the faith and defending the oppressed. The initiation ceremony, first performed on Vaisakhi (another major Sikh festival), established the Five K's—Kesh (uncut hair), Kangha (wooden comb), Kara (iron bracelet), Kachera (cotton undergarments), and Kirpan (sword)—as articles of faith that initiated Sikhs would maintain./p pBut creating a warrior community required more than symbols. It required training, discipline, and a culture that valued martial skills alongside spiritual devotion. This is where Hola Mohalla enters the picture./p The First Hola Mohalla: 1701 pIn 1701, Guru Gobind Singh initiated the first Hola Mohalla at Anandpur Sahib, the "City of Bliss" he had established as a center of Sikh power and learning in the Shivalik Hills of Punjab. The timing was deliberate—while Hindus celebrated Holi with its themes of divine love and the triumph of good over evil, Sikhs would use the next day to demonstrate military preparedness and martial valor./p pThe name itself is significant. "Hola" derives from "halla" (military charge), while "Mohalla" can mean organized procession or attack. Together, they suggest organized military exercises—a far cry from Holi's playful atmosphere. Some scholars also see wordplay in the name, with "Hola Mohalla" being a masculine, martial counterpoint to the more feminine, playful "Holi."/p

Sikh
17 Apr 2021

सिख धर्म में गुरु नानक जयंती एक बड़ा त्योहार है। इसे गुरु पर्व भी कहा जाता है।

pहिंदू धर्म में दिवाली की तरह सिख धर्म में भी गुरु नानक जयंती मनाई जाती है। गुरु नानक जयंती को गुरु पर्व, प्रकाश पर्व, गुरु पर्व के नाम से भी जाना जाता है।/p

Sikh
17 Apr 2021

देश में बैसाखी का त्यौहार हर साल 14 अप्रैल को धूम-धाम से मनाया जाता है।

pबैसाखी का त्यौहार सुख-समृद्धि और धार्मिक मान्यताओं और सांस्कृतिक परम्पराओं से जुड़ी हुई हैं।/p

Sikh
17 Apr 2021

Diwali in Sikhism: Bandi Chhor Divas Celebrations

div div pWhen millions of lights illuminate homes and temples across India during Diwali, Sikhs join the celebration—but with a distinctly different story and purpose. While their Hindu neighbors commemorate Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya, Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas (the Day of Liberation), marking a pivotal moment in their history when the sixth Guru secured freedom not just for himself but for 52 imprisoned kings./p /div /div div div pThis confluence of festivals—Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas falling on the same day—creates a fascinating example of how different faiths can share celebration while maintaining distinct identities and narratives. For Sikhs, the festival of lights becomes a commemoration of resistance against tyranny, the triumph of justice over oppression, and the principle that true freedom means ensuring liberation for all, not just oneself./p /div /div div div The Historical Event: Guru Hargobind's Liberation /div /div div div pThe story of Bandi Chhor Divas centers on Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, the sixth Sikh Guru who guided the community from 1606 to 1644. To understand the significance of this celebration, we need to understand the context of his imprisonment and the extraordinary manner of his release./p /div /div div div pThe Young Guru and the Empire/p /div /div div div pGuru Hargobind became Guru at the age of eleven, following the martyrdom of his father, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who was tortured to death by Mughal authorities in 1606. This brutal execution—the first martyrdom of a Sikh Guru—profoundly shaped Guru Hargobind's approach to leadership./p /div /div div div pAt his succession ceremony, the young Guru made a revolutionary statement. He wore not one but two swords—Miri and Piri—representing temporal (worldly) and spiritual authority. This was a departure from the purely spiritual focus of previous Gurus, signaling that Sikhs would defend themselves and others against oppression while maintaining their spiritual path./p /div /div div div pGuru Hargobind built the Akal Takht (Throne of the Timeless One) facing the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar. While the Harmandir Sahib represented spiritual authority, the Akal Takht symbolized temporal power—the right and responsibility to engage with worldly affairs, including military defense when necessary./p /div /div div div pThe Imprisonment/p /div /div div div pIn 1612 or 1619 (sources vary on the exact date), Mughal Emperor Jahangir ordered Guru Hargobind's imprisonment in Gwalior Fort. The reasons for this imprisonment are debated by historians, with various accounts offering different explanations./p /div /div div div pSome sources suggest it was political—the Guru's growing influence and his maintenance of armed soldiers concerned Mughal authorities. Others point to unpaid fines allegedly imposed on Guru Arjan Dev Ji. Still others suggest it was the machinations of rivals who poisoned the emperor's mind against the Guru./p /div /div div div pRegardless of the specific cause, Guru Hargobind was confined in Gwalior Fort, a massive fortress in central India that served as a high-security prison for political prisoners considered threats to Mughal power./p /div /div div div pThe 52 Kings/p /div /div div div pGwalior Fort didn't house common criminals. It imprisoned 52 Hindu kings and princes—rulers of small kingdoms who had fallen afoul of Mughal authority. These men had been imprisoned for years, some for decades, in comfortable but confining quarters that denied them their freedom and kingdoms./p /div /div div div pDuring his imprisonment, Guru Hargobind befriended these imprisoned royals. He shared meals with them, engaged in spiritual discussions, and maintained his daily prayers and meditation despite confinement. His presence brought hope and spiritual solace to men who had resigned themselves to dying in captivity./p /div /div