Mesmerised with the world of Nihangs

Manav Ghuman
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 4
Today, some people see Nihangs as a relic, but others recognise them as a colourful and important part of the Punjabi heritage.

Gurbir Singh Brar, a photo artist also feels that there is no colourful subject as compared to Nihangs. Nihangs belong to a martial tradition started by the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. A photo exhibition by Brar under the theme “The Valiant Ones” was inaugurated today at Dr MS Randhawa Art Gallery, PAU.

Their way of life, style of dress, and weaponry has not changed much over the centuries and this was what capitulated Brar to spend five months with Nihangs around Punjab. During this period, he lived with them, learnt their way of living and captured them in his camera. Brar is all praise to the sense of discipline that prevails among Nihangs.

“They are very hospitable and are strict when it comes to disciple. Watching their practice session was the thing I enjoyed most during my five months stay with them all over Punjab,” adds Brar.

Brar said they are a semi-nomadic people and are organised into armies and live in camps known as cantonments. Men and women both train in horsemanship, swordsmanship, and in the Punjabi martial art known as ‘gatka’. During times of persecution in the past, the Nihangs defended Sikh shrines and the Sikh way of life and become known for their bravery against all odds.

In times of peace, they travel to festivals and fairs throughout India, staging displays of horsemanship and martial skills. The annual Hola Mohalla fair held at Anandpur Sahib on Baisakhi is especially notable for the Nihangs' colourful displays of pageantry.

Brar has also formed an organisation “Sava Lakh Foundation” with the help of Nihangs. With the active involvement of Akal College Council Gursagar Mastuana Sahib and ace horseman Maghar Singh, a training programme in traditional horsemanship and martial arts has been initiated at Mastuana Sahib.

“In today's competitive world, Sava Lakh Foundation exhorts the younger generation to live up to the ideals of the Gurus. The endeavour is to instil pride and enthusiasm in the present day youth, a youth morbidly impressed by the wrong influences and drawn towards drugs and wallowing in mediocrity,” he adds.

The black and white sing of you

ਫਰਾਂਸੀ ਫਿਰੰਗੀ ਫਰਾਂਸੀਸ ਕੇ ਦੁਰੰਗੀ ਮਕਰਾਨ ਕੇ ਮ੍ਰਿਦੰਗੀ ਤੇਰੇ ਗੀਤ ਗਾਈਅਤੁ ਹੈ ॥फरांसी फिरंगी फरांसीस के दुरंगी मकरान के म्रिदंगी तेरे गीत गाईअतु है ॥

The Persians and the residents of Firangistan and France, people of two different colours (black and white) and the Mridangis (inhabitants) of Makran sing the songs of Thy Praise.
ਭਖਰੀ ਕੰਧਾਰੀ ਗੋਰ ਗਖਰੀ ਗਰਦੇਜਾ ਚਾਰੀ ਪਉਨ ਕੇ ਅਹਾਰੀ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਈਅਤੁ ਹੈ ॥भखरी कंधारी गोर गखरी गरदेजा चारी पउन के अहारी तेरे नामु धिआईअतु है ॥

The people of Bhakkhar, Kandhar, Gakkhar and Arabia and others living only on air remember Thy Name.

ਪੂਰਬ ਪਲਾਊਂ ਕਾਮ ਰੂਪ ਔ ਕਮਾਊਂ ਸਰਬ ਠਉਰ ਮੈ ਬਿਰਾਜੈ ਜਹਾਂ ਜਹਂਾ ਜਾਈਅਤੁ ਹੈ ॥पूरब पलाऊं काम रूप औ कमाऊं सरब ठउर मै बिराजै जहां जहंा जाईअतु है ॥

At all the places including Palayu in the East, Kamrup and Kumayun, wherever we go, Thou art there.

ਪੂਰਨ ਪਰਤਾਪੀ ਜੰਤ੍ਰ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਤੇ ਅਤਾਪੀ ਨਾਥ ਕੀਰਿਤ ਤਿਹਾਰੀ ਕੋ ਨ ਪਾਰ ਪਾਈਅਤੁ ਹੈ ॥੧੪॥੨੬੬॥पूरन परतापी जंत्र मंत्र ते अतापी नाथ कीरित तिहारी को न पार पाईअतु है ॥१४॥२६६॥

Thou art perfectly Glorious, without any impact of Yantras and mantras, O Lord ! The limits of Thy Praise cannot be known.14.266.

The Court of Guru Gobind Singh

The Guru had fifty-two full-time poets in his court. The Guru was very fond of them all. He paid them handsomely for their efforts. They translated many Persian and Sanskrit works into Punjabi and Braj Bhasha. The court poets praised Guru Gobind Singh in their various compositions. An extract is translated below.

Amrit Rai:
Some say you are the most virtuous, and the silent sage adorned with jewels of knowledge;
Some say you are the greatest of all givers and the eradicator of pain.
One says that you have the way of the most wisest being;
One says your glorious beauty is the greatest ever known.
One says you are the greatest warrior and the greatest helper;
One says you are loaded with Dharma that all people sing of.
You are the vehicle of humility Sri Gobind Singh! The King of today;
mankind in the universe, obtains all of the above from you!

translated by Das Kamalroop Singh

A Nihang Singh from the early 20th century

A nostalgic past: Nihang Sampuran Singh

The true armour....Covering ourselves.......

Says Nanak, do those deeds that will cover you. If we do good deeds for ourselves and others, our life will be fruitful and joyous. This is the armour against Kalyug,negativity...... If we do bad deeds for ourselves and others, our life will be miserable.....here we add to Kalyug..... May Guru Ji bless us all with good thoughts, good intentions, and good deeds.

Nanak Naam Chardikalah Tere Bhaney Sarbatt Da Bhalla

Mysticism of Marley (c)

Dedicated to all those power hungry people who are poisioning everything they touch, the planet, humanity, spiritual paths, the economy, nature, the air, the water, you and me and our children, the corrupt company bosses, corrupt MPS, corrupts priests, the corrupt policemen, presidents, nations, ideologies, etc, you cant run forever.....

for Modern day mystical rap see:

Sikh Unit are London (all parts) based Rap artists that vocally paint a picture of situations that are happening around the world and in their local communities. All the Mixtapes have being made in a basement with no professional equipment

http://www.sikhunit.co.uk/index.html

Ya running and ya running And ya running away. Ya running and ya running And ya running away. Ya running and ya running And ya running away. Ya running and ya running, But ya can't run away from yourself Can't run away from yourself - Can't run away from yourself - Can't run away from yourself - Can't run away from yourself - Can't run away from yourself. Ya must have done (must have done), Somet'in' wrong (something wrong). Said: ya must have done (must have done), Wo! Somet'in' wrong (something wrong). Why you can't find the Place where you belong? Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do (running away); Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do (running away); Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do (running away); Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do (running away); Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do (running away). Every man thinketh his Burden is the heaviest (heaviest). Every man thinketh his Burden is the heaviest (heaviest). Ya still mean it: Who feels it knows it, Lord; Who feels it knows it, Lord; Who feels it knows it, Lord; Who feels it knows it, Lord. Ya running and ya running And ya running away. Ya running and ya running And ya running away. Ya running and ya running And ya running away. Ya running and ya running But ya can't run away from yourself. Could ya run away from yourself? Can you run away from yourself? Can't run away from yourself! Can't run away from yourself! Yeah-eah-eah-eah - from yourself. Brr - you must have done somet'in' - Somet'in' - somet'in' - somet'in' - Somet'in' ya don't want nobody to know about: Ya must have, Lord - somet'in' wrong, What ya must have done - ya must have done somet'in' wrong. Why you can't find where you belong? Well, well, well, well, ya running away, heh, no - Ya running away, ooh, no, no, no, I'm not (running away), no, don't say that - don't say that, 'Cause (running away) I'm not running away, ooh! (running away) I've got to protect my life, (running away) And I don't want to live with no strife. (running away) It is better to live on the housetop (running away) Than to live in a house full of confusion. (running away) So, I made my decision and I left ya; (running away) Now you comin' to tell me (running away) That I'm runnin' away. (running away) But it's not true, (running away) I am not runnin' away. (running away) /fadeout/

Wise words from Sheikh Farid Ji Sufi

If I had known that my Husband Lord was so young and innocent, I would not have been so arrogant. 4

A True Warrior is...........................

beeraa aapan buraa mittaavai
One who eradicates his own evil is a brave warrior;

The devotion of Bhagat Sain Ji

The Bhagat Mal contains a legend which at once illustrates Sain’s devotion to saints and the estimation in which he was held for his piety. When going one day to perform his usual ministrations for King Raja Ram, he met some holy men on the way. He thought it was his first duty to attend to them, He took them with him, and began to render them with the customary services. With the greatest mental satisfaction to himself he gave them consecrated and secular food to relieve their souls and bodies. In thus acting Sain disregarded his duty to the king and braved his displeasure. The legend states that a holy man, by God’s favour, in order to avert the king’s wrath and save Sain from punishment, assumed his appearance, and having gone and performed the customary duties for the king, took his departure. Soon after Sain arrived and began to apologise for the delay. The king said, “Thou hast only just gone after the usual services to me; why apologise?” Sain replied, “ I have not been here. Perhaps thy majesty sayest so to excuse my absence.” The Raja then knew that a special providence had intervened and performed for him the usual tonsorial duties. He was at once converted, fell at Sain’s feet, worshipped him as his guru, and thus sought an asylum in God. The following hymn of Sain is found in the Guru Granth Sahib, Raag Dhanasari, Sri Sain, p.695 :
Having made an oblation of incense, lamp, and clarified butter,
I go to offer to Thee, O God.
Hail to Thee, O God, hail!
Ever hail to Thee, O Sovereign God!
Thy name is the best lamp, meditation theron the purest wick;
Thou art alone the Bright One, O God.
It is the saints of God who feel divine pleasure;
They describe Thee as all-pervading and the Supreme Joy.
Thou, of fasniating form, O God, float us over the ocean of terror.
Sain saith, worship the Supreme Joy.

(taken from Sikiwiki) (photograph of Bhagat Sain kindly allowed by Sikh Museum Darbar Sahib)

Dhan Dhan Baba Ajit Singh Ji Dhan Baba Deep Singh Ji

In the vicinity of Anandpur Sahib, is Gurudwara Shahidi Bagh pictured in the images. This Shaheedi Bagh is different to the one opposite the Anandghar fortress next to Keshgarh Sahib.
A Farladhari Nihang Singh Khalsa, Akali Baba Tara Singh Ji. The head Mahant of this historical Gurudwara Sahib.

At this holy place, the Gurudwara is built in memory of the Shahid Singhs. The Singhs gave up their lives following the order of their master, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Guru Ji had ordered the Singhs to stop Jabbar Khan from intercepting the marriage procession and taking the newly wedded wife of Pandit Devi Das. For those of you who have seen brave heart, the Moghuls had the same law of primae noctis, e.g sexual rights of any newly married bride on the first night of marriage. The girls father went to the Guru and asked him for his help. The Guru sent the Singhs with Sahibzada Baba Ajit Singh Ji and Akali Baba Deep Singh Ji who guarded the marriage procession. The Moguls attacked and many Singhs gave their heads for righteousness. Jabbar Khan was confronted in battle and slain, as he lay dying he asked for a last request before the Guru, he asked that he may be remembered. The Guru replied you will be remembered as a scoundrel by the Sikhs, and they will strike a memorial stone with their shoes in memory of your evil deeds, at this exact place where you have fallen. Thus Jabbar Khan did not die by being killed by a sword like a true warrior, the final blow that killed him was with a shoe to the head. The girl seeing the inability of the local Hill Princes, and inhabitants to protect their women, went with her husband to live at Anandpur Sahib. There she became a Singhanee and her husband a Singh.

The parkash of Adi Guru Granth Dasam Granth, and a Nishan inside and a view of the Gurudwara from the fields.

A Video view of the Gurudwara is below. For those who wish to visit it is next to the village, Dumeywal at Anandpur Sahib.

Great Great are the deeds of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Great Great are the deeds of the Shahid Singhs.

Jo Gajh Key Bulavey Nihal Ho Javey Guru Gobind Singh Shahido Singho Man Nu Pavey Sat Sri Akal Gurbar Akal Degh Tegh Fateh Panth Ki Jeet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!