Miami Samagam, March 2007.

Charhdi Kala......

What exactly is Charhdi Kala? When we meet each other we often ask if we are in Charhdi Kala. I was surfing the net looking for the defination / or what is the state of Charhdi Kala and following is the answer I could find. I'm just quoting the whole text from that site.

Charhdi Kala signifies in the Sikh tradition a perennially blossoming, unwilting spirit, a perpetual state of certitude resting on the unwavering belief in Divine justice. The Kala of Sanskrit origin gives a dominant meaning which is ‘Energy’. Charhdi, in Punjabi means rising, ascending, soaring. So, Charhdi Kala would mean an intensely energized, ever–ascending state of the spirit of an individual or of a group. It is characterized by faith, confidence, cheerfulness, courage, fortitude, discipline and resolute willingness to uphold the cherished ideals and readiness to perform the assigned tasks even in the face of the most daunting challenge.

In Charhdi Kala there is confidence in the ultimate victory of Truth over falsehood and of Good over evil. Abiding Cheerfulness is its hallmark -

"Nanak Naam Charhdi Kala,Tere Bhane Sarbatt da Bhalaa".

Courage is that state or quality of mind and spirit which enables one to face dangers with self-possession and resolution. Discipline resulting from training that leads to controlled behavior, mentally and morally, is also an essential constituent of Charhdi Kala. Perpetual readiness to act is another - he pursues the ideals he cherishes, makes no noise over a good deed, and proceeds to another. Kala also means "fine art", so actions in Charhdi Kala become characterized by elegance and gracefulness. It also means playing a winning "Game" according to the accepted rules of the game.

To sum up , Charhdi Kala is not just high morale, but also unwavering faith in divine support, certainty of moral victory and sublimity of action. Even in the most adverse of circumstances, its constancy does not wane.

source:sikh.net

Shakol Bhagat Kabeer jee kay...

***Please click on the images to view in full screen for better readability***


Here Bhagat Kabeer jee is emphasizing on what to do so that one could be remembered even after he/she is gone.


Here Kabeer jee stresses on what in the end becomes of the body that we take so much time and pride in taking care of.

We Should Never Forget......

Indian Police High-handedness.......

For Bhai Balbir Singh Bains, a UK resident for 25 years, his last visit to his motherland (in 1999), turned out to be a nightmare, separating him from his family, including his mentally and physically challenged daughter.

His is the story of victimisation, false imprisonment and frustrating delays. He faced brutal treatment at the hands of the Indian authorities as well as the British Home Office.

Wrongfully imprisoned in June 1999 by the Indian authorities on the charge of “terrorism”, he was physically and psychologically tortured.

After three years in jail without a conviction, he was subsequently found innocent of all charges, which were declared improper and unjust by Delhi’s Special Court. Whilst exonerating him, Judge said in his final judgement: “A balloon of falsehoods…the prosecution story stands falsified…It is well said that a lie does not have legs to stand on…Accordingly, I acquit the accused of the charges framed against him.”

It was even more shocking when shortly afterwards, an internal investigation conducted by the Intelligence Bureau (I.B) proved that the RDX explosives allegedly ‘found’ on Bhai Balbir Singh’s person were, in fact, from an operation unit of the police.”

After his acquittal in May 2002 Bhai Balbir Singh Bains expected to be immediately reunited with his long-suffering family. However, to his horror, he discovered that he was yet to face another two years of heart-wrenching separation from his wife and five children. Since the UK Home Office continued to consider him a threat to national security.

Mrs Manjit Kaur Gill From Gravesend, who represented Bhai Balbir Singh Bains, appealed to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) on August 18, 2003, against the decision not to allow him into the UK for reasons of national security. Substantive evidence in response to the Secretary of States evidence was filed in June 2004 as a result of which the Home Office had no option but to withdraw the case against him and issue him a returning resident visa to the UK.

I believe Bhai Balbir Singh is now suing the Delhi Police for over Rupees 1.5 corore that is Rs. 15,000,000 (15 milliones) due to which this incident has surfaced again in lime light.

Janam Sahibzada Ajit Singh jee (Feb 11, 1687)

Sahibzada Ajit Singh, the eldest of four sons of Guru Gobind Singh jee, was born to Mata Jito jee (also known as Mata Sundari ji) at Paonta on 11 February 1687. The following year, Guru Gobind Singh returned with the family to Anandpur where Ajit Singh was brought up in the approved Sikh style. He was taught the religious texts, philosophy and history, and had training in the martial arts such as riding, swordsmanship, gatka and archery. He grew up to be a handsome young man, strong, intelligent and a natural leader of people.

In the prolonged siege of Anandpur in 1705, Sahibzada Ajit Singh again displayed his qualities of courage and steadfastness. When, at last, Anandpur was vacated on the night of 5-6 December 1705, he was given command of the rearguard. As the besiegers, violating their solemn promises for a safe conduct to the evacuees, attacked the column, he stoutly engaged them on a hill feature called Shahi Tibbi until relieved by Bhai Ude Singh. Sahibzada Ajit Singh crossed the Sarsa, then in spate, along with his father, his younger brother, Jujhar Singh, and some fifty Sikhs. Further reduced in numbers by casualties at the hands of a pursuing troop from Ropar, the column reached Chamkaur in the evening of 6 December 1705, and took up position in a garhi, highwalled fortified house. The host, since swelled by reinforcements from Malerkotia and Sirhind and from among the local Ranghars and Gujjars, soon caught up with them and threw a tight ring around Chamkaur.

An unequal but grim battle commenced with the sunrise on 7 December 1705 in the words of Guru Gobind Singh's Zafamamah, a mere forty defying a hundred thousand (lakh). The besieged, after they had exhausted the meagre stock of ammunition and arrows, made sallies in batches of five each to engage the encircling host with sword and spear. Sahibzada Ajit Singh led one of the sallies and laid down his life fighting in the thick of the battle. He was 18 years old at the time of his supreme sacrifice for his faith. Gurdwara Qatalgarh now marks the spot where he fell, followed by Sahibzada Jujhar Singh, who led the next sally. An annual fair is held in commemoration of their martyrdoms.

source:sikhiwiki

This is Cricket:A Smashing reply......

***Please click the Play Button twice to play the Video***

This is the lower order, # 10 batsman Sreesanth, of India responding to the South African bowler Andre Nel's comment "Man, just don't swing your bat, ...have a heart to hit the ball", by hitting the very next ball for the maximum six runs and by showing his "heart" in front of Nel's face.... This was a test match played in South Africa sometime in mid Dec 2006. Indians performed pretty good and won the Test.

***Please click the Play Button twice to play the Video***

Another view of the same incident but this just shows the hitting of the ball for a six and then the dance performed by Sreesanth. The first video also gives the details of the previous ball when Nel instigated Sreesanth (which is a charecterstic of Nel) prior to hitting of the Six and the dance by Sreesanth.



This is a still shot of the shot played by Sreesanth that sent the delivery from Andre Nel over his (Nel's) head for Six runs. Brilliantly played.



And here is a still shot of the dance done by Sreesanth in the face of Andre Nel.

Greed for more....

When I was a child, I read/heard this story. I believe everyone must have read/heard of this story in their childhood, but I am still posting it here for the generation after mine's (as they may have missed it as reading books in not in style today) and as a refresher for those who have already read it...

Once there were four good friends. They were friends from childhood and their friendship was very deep. One day they were going on a journey through a forest. As they were walking, they felt as if something was buried under the ground. They decided to explore it and started digging. After digging, they found a big box, which was full of gold coins.

They decided to make four parts of the gold coins and distribute among them equally but deep in their hearts each one of them wanted to have the whole box of gold coins to themselves. They took the box of gold coins with them but with each step they would take, their desire of having the whole box of gold coins increased.

The sun was about to set and the four of them decided to take shelter under a tree and have some food followed by sleep and continue their journey the next morning. They sat under the tree and decided that two of them will go in search of food and other two will guard the box. As the first two went in search of the food, they began to talk about that box of gold coins. The first one said that he wants to have as much gold as possible. The second one wanted the same. So after gathering some food, an evil thought came in their mind. They added poison to the food, so that their other two friends will die and they would share the box half and half.

On the other end, the other two friends that were guarding the box started to talk about gold. They want the same thing, to have as much as possible. To do so, they made an evil plan too. They sharpened their knives so that when their first two friends will arrive, they would kill them.

The moment came, their first two friends came with the food, and they placed the food on the box and began to sit down. As they were sitting, the other two friends with knives beheaded them in a fraction of a second. Their bodies lay dead on the ground. The other two friends were happy that they now would get the half of the gold coins each. Within their heart they were still thinking to kill the other so that they can have the whole box of gold coins. There was complete silence as they were thinking of the plans of their own. Some time passed and they decided to have some food. Few minutes after they ate the poisoned food, their lifeless bodies lay dead on the ground and neither one of them could get the gold coins.

source:realsikhism.com