Only Jatt!!

hahah..this is on one of the van windows! Jatt is a caste! Yes, yes..sikhs are NOT supposed to believe in caste but there are some amongest us!I found that some people were really into Caste even though Gurbani says that all are same but Humans are humans.I was really naive about this caste thing until I came to UK.I thought that every1 was Jatt and there were no other castes amongest Sikhs and then I heard about so many and even now I hear about new castes!

Random Street Shot

Again in Amritdsar!

Punjab Police!Oh Balle Jee

These are group of very hard working Punjab Police!Hanji, you can see that they are really rushed off their feet! All they need is a cup of Chai (tea).I had the pleasure of even going into a Punjab Police Station (no,I was not arrested!) and boy do they take their time doing things! Regardless this is APNA Punjab- can't afford to not love it!

Beauty Lies In The Eyes...

and heart of the beholder!I thought this flower was very pretty and beautiful!This was in the garden of one of the families that we visited in India!

Nishan Sahib-Miri Piri

This is in Amritsar as well. Nishan Sahib symbolizes sovereignty.The Nishan Sahib is supported by a pole of metal having Khanda - a double-edged sword fixed at its top.

The Two swords, symbolizes temporal(Miri) and spiritual powers (Piri).
Khanda or disintegrator - a double-edged sword representing uprooting of an illusion and ignorance.
A circular ring symbolizing cyclic order of the universe.

This Nishan Sahibis is at all the Gurudwara's. It is this Nishan Sahib that is referred to in the daily prayer of the Sikhs asking for its immortality

Making Roti For Langar

These were some ladies making roti for the langar(free food to everyone) at Amritsar. One of the Sikh Guru's (Guru Amar Das Ji) institutionalized the free communal kitchen called langer among the Sikhs. The langar kitchen was open to serve all day and night and this is illustrated at Amritsar and many other Gurudawara in india and in many other countries.Wouldn't it be nice if we can have free langar concept everywhere!hmmmm

Sewadar(Security) At Darbar Sahib

Just when no one was looking,I sneaked a picture.

Walkway to Darbar Sahib

Guy mediating

You can see that there are lots of people trying to enter the Darbar Sahib..yes, it is always like that....It is never empty.. guess our hearts should be like that!Always full of love, compassion,truth and list goes on! There is a guy sitting overlooking and enjoying the blissful kirtan.

More pictures of Amritsar

This was taken from one side.you can see Darbar Sahib and sarovar!

Place I never get enough of..

is darbar sahib (Amritsar) in india! I was lucky enough that last year this time I was there for few weeks! I was thinking of flying there last weekend but other chorus in life kept me busy and I did not get to go there.

This place is really beautiful,peaceful.I always get amazed when non-sikhs tell me that they have been there and their experience's when they were there. I remember last year I was feeling really sick and I was craving for my English cereal and was thinking..No.. maybe I should not be here but a friend emailed me and said ENJOY the moment and that he wished he was there!

I guess people, time everything is temporary....everything comes in and out of your life.. you just have to accept,appreciate the moment and time and advice and love,compassion given or shown at a particular time!

This morning,I was so recluant to leave my beautiful bed at 5.15ish am....I had to remind myself to get up and enter another dream-this world!

Hukum

Despite the fact wanting that I could not make to Guru Ji's dawar on saturday morning for Asa Di Vaar,I managed to spend some time yesterday at a gurudawara and the following was the hukmanama.


Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl: (page 682)
a-ukhee gharhee na daykhan day-ee apnaa birad samaalay.
He does not let His devotees see the difficult times; this is His innate nature.

haath day-ay raakhai apnay ka-o saas saas partipaalay. 1
Giving His hand, He protects His devotee; with each and every breath, He cherishes him.

parabh si-o laag rahi-o mayraa cheet.
My consciousness remains attached to God.

aad ant parabh sadaa sahaa-ee Dhan hamaaraa meet. rahaa-o.
In the beginning, and in the end, God is always my helper and companion; blessed is my friend. Pause

man bilaas bha-ay saahib kay achraj daykh badaa-ee.
My mind is delighted, gazing upon the marvellous, glorious greatness of the Lord and Master.

har simar simar aanad kar naanak parabh pooran paij rakhaa-ee. 21546
Remembering, remembering the Lord in meditation, Nanak is in ecstasy; God, in His perfection, has protected and preserved his honor.

I bow to my lord and am thankful for everything in life...

Never know how long each breath will last for but I am thankful for everything in life,even though some things and circumstances and my actions might have indicated otherwise. I guess I am glad I got a chance to come and see this play of the universe.

............................................Sumuruth Guroo Sir Huth Dhuruo.............................................

Go to http://panthkijeet.4shared.com/ to listen to blissful kirtan by Bhai Baljeet Singh and Gurmeet Singh from Delhi. They are amazing and yet so humble. May vaheguru bless the khalsa panth with more people like them!

Gurfatehji.

World Cup Cricket!!

Today-New Zealand will be playing England and Yes-NZ will WIN!!!Here is the picture of my Favourite NZ player!I wish I was at the match watching cricket :(

Today's Hukamnama From Sri Darbar Sahib

SHALOK, THIRD MEHL:
The elephant offers its head to the reins, and the anvil offers itself to the hammer; just so, we offer our minds and bodies to our Guru; we stand before Him, and serve Him. This is how the Gurmukhs eliminate their self-conceit, and come to rule the whole world. O Nanak, the Gurmukh understands, when the Lord casts His Glance of Grace. 1 THIRD MEHL: Blessed and approved is the coming into the world, of those Gurmukhs who meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. O Nanak, they save their families, and they are honored in the Court of the Lord. 2 PAUREE: The Guru unites His Sikhs, the Gurmukhs, with the Lord. The Guru keeps some of them with Himself, and engages others in His Service. Those who cherish their Beloved in their conscious minds, the Guru blesses them with His Love. The Guru loves all of His Gursikhs equally well, like friends, children and siblings. So chant the Name of the Guru, the True Guru, everyone! Chanting the Name of the Guru, Guru, you shall be rejuvenated.

Gur Kirpa-A Special Day!

Today,16th March Vaheguru blessed my family with grandkids. Today is my lovely niece Jas and nephew Phaji (his name cannot be mentioned as he wants every1 to call him Phaji!) birthday! Yes, both brother and sister share a birthday and no they are not twins and yes it was just kirpa from vaheguru that they had the similar timing as well.

May Vaheguru do kirpa and make them good human beings,full of love and light and bless them with Naam .

Guru Har Rai JI

Guru Har Rai Ji-the seventh guru of the sikhs was given Gurgadi (made Guru) in 1644. One quote that I read in relation to Guruji's thinking reminded me how entangled we humans are in this world as we only think for OUR SELVES and it is always about ME, I and MYSELF.. it seems that true love, care,compassion everything has been lost and we never do anything for anyone unless there is reward!

Quote :

."...Man breaks flower with one hand and offers them with the other,but the flower perfumes both the hands alike. The axe cuts the sandle tree,yet the sandle perfumes the axe.."

Malaysian Samlean

In Dec 06, with the kirpa of my beloved Guru I had the pleasure of going to a sikhi camp called Samlean in Malaysia.This was for one week and had people from all over malaysia, few from bangkok and not forgetting the beloved Indonesians!It is rare that foreigners like me turn up there!

This was the mature (older) group who were called the "Youth :Leaders".The camp itself was an experience in itself! Towards the end of the week, it was very tiring as I decided to wake up for Amritvela everyday. Amritvela is before sunrise.Very rare thing for people like me to be able to do.

I did have the pleasure of meeting lots of gursikhs.All I can say is that I am greatful that I got a chance once in this lifetime to be part of the samlean!

Gurfatehji

Meet Harry (is this the Potter boy?)-Happy Birthday!!

This is Harry /Airy and his beloved Dog Tiger who passed away recently :( We all will miss this beloved dog.. he was the top security at the Sikh Student Camp in UK!! Tiger did so much seva being there!

This is for Harry who has just celebrated his TWENTY..?? birthday! Happy Birthday Harry..May gurji always keep you in Chardi Kala!

sunita posing

Meet Sunita..my best mate..after having stressful days at wedding we decided that we needed to get away and chill and spend some time together..it was grand!

cheeky monkey

Apparently monkeys just walk in and out of the resort as they please and they do whatever they want!Lucky them huh..wish i was a monkey! This moneky was so cute...he was just in his/her own world!

Me trying to be kool!

Me just posing..this place is so beautiful and peaceful..

Me and Sunita chilling!

Me and Sunita posing!Ilais had the pleasure of being incharge of the camera!

Me and Ilais at the resort again

Me and Ilais posing at resort in malaysia. We had to pose to keep our camera person (Sunita) happy :P