Growing Hair is Not Only Sikh Traditions

Not Only in Sikhism, Kesh is the practice of allowing one's hair to grow but some other religions practice for the Same 


                                             

A proud Sikh man entered the Guinness Book of World Records

 

Ram Singh Chauhan the proud Indian man from Rajasthan holds the Guinness record for World’s Longest Mustache.

The 58-year old says one of the secrets to impressive facial hair growth is starting early. ”As you grow old your hormones grow weak, so the speed slows down,” Ram says, but even now he still adds a few centimeters to his mustache every year. He stopped shaving his mustache back in 1970, after being inspired by a fellow mustache enthusiast from Rajasthan, resuming to trimming the split ends every once in a while. In the early years Chauhan and his wife Asha used to fight over his abnormally long facial hair, because he used to take a long time to wash and groom it, and people stared at them every time they went out. But as soon as her husband started getting recognition for his efforts, she began to respect his commitment, and says she now considers the mustache part of the family and shares his pride in it. Thanks to his long mustache, Ram Singh Chauhan appeared in big movies like 1983's ”Octopussy”, starring Roger Moore, as well as numerous Bollywood productions. He has also traveled around the world, to show off his amazing whiskers.

Ram’s mustache currently stands at over 4.30 meters, and taking proper care of it is no easy task. The Rajasthan state tourism official takes between one and two hours a day to clean and comb his precious facial hair. ”I massage it and oil it regularly and I wash it every 10 days which takes a long time,” he told BBC News. “My wife helps me.” Walking around with over 4 meters of hair hanging from your face is also pretty tough. When the mustache was shorter, Chauhan used to wrap it around his ears, but these days he has to roll both ends around his neck. But he knows there’s no gain without pain and he wouldn’t dream of getting rid of it. It’s what makes him special, and that makes everything worth it.

Ram Singh Chauhan’s biggest regret is that his son doesn’t share his passion for long facial hair. He doesn’t even have a tiny mustache.

Remembering Oak Creek

One moment in Time - One Year Later

One moment, one touch, one person can bring light to the world. And it can bring the deepest darkness. On August 5, 2012, a year ago, the Oak Creek Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, experienced the worst and the best of humanity.

Sangat and Pangat.

Guru Nanak felt that the real cause of the misery of the people was their disunity born of diversity of belief. He therefore, refused to recognize any distinction between man and man and tried to bring his followers together both in thought and deed. He inculcated a common mode of worship and a common social institute by laying the foundation of Sangat and Pangat. 

Sangat means "association". It is getting together of noble and good people. Pangat literally means a same row. It stands for people sitting and eating together in the same row in Guru-ka-langar. From the time of Guru Nanak, Sangat and Pangat have gone together, for the Sikhs, both in percept as well as in practice. Wherever there was a Sangat there also was a Langar, as these Sangats were 'not merely places of worship but also way side refectories which gave food and shelter to indigent wayfarers.

 

The Institution of Langar:

The institution of Langar in Sikhism is commonly known as Guru-Ka-Langar which means langar of the Guru, langar in the name of the Guru or langar attached to Gurdwara. Langar is Persian word meaning: 'an alms house', 'an asylum for the poor and the destitute', 'a public kitchen kept by a great man for his followers and dependents, the holy men and the needy.' Guru-Ka-Langar conveys more the last meaning then other meanings as it was 'run by the Guru' and is being 'run in the name of the Guru'.    Bhai Kahan Singh and Kapur Singh are of the opinion that the word langar is from Sanskrit analgrah, meaning 'the cooking place'. Kapur Singh says Guru-ka-langar was an Aryan institution which was revived by the Sikh Gurus. He writes that this institution was used by the Gurus as powerful lever for equalitarian uplift of the people, by demolishing caste barriers and the economic apartheid of Varan-asram-dharma is a pristine Aryan institution, non-Brahmic, but having Vedic sanction. A reference to the Community Kitchen or the Guru-ka-langar occurs in the Artharva Veda, which says, "Identical shall be your drink, in common shall be your share of food".

 

27th Spring Festival

Panchkula Gatka Performance

Worship your Weapons

ਲਲਿਤਪਦੁ ਛੰਦ – ਹੁਕਮ ਕੀਨਿ ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪੂਰੇ ‘ਸ਼ਸਤ੍ਰ ਨਿਕਾਸੋ ਸਾਰੇ ।

ਮੈਲ ਨਿਵਿਰਤਹਿਂ ਮਾਰਵਾਰਿਯੇ ਪੂਜਹਿਂ ਬਹੁਰ ਸੁਧਾਰੇ’ ।੨।

ਖਾਸ ਖਜਾਨੇ ਲਗੇ ਨਿਕਾਸਨ ਜਾਤੀ ਖੜਗਨਿ ਨਾਨਾ ।
ਤੇਗੇ ਆਯੁਧ, ਖੜਗ ਦੁਧਾਰੇ, ਤੋਮਰ, ਸੈਫ, ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਨਾ ।੩।

Guru Gobind Singh ji Call to Arms

                               ਯਾਂਤੇ ਸਰਬ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਸੁਨੀਅਹਿ । ਆਯੁਧ ਧਰਿਬੇ ਉਤੱਮ ਗੁਨੀਅਹਿ 

The Guru then said to his Sikhs, "All of the Khalsa should listen [to this directive], carrying weapons is the highest action

ਜਬਿ ਹਮਰੇ ਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਕੋ ਆਵਹੁ । ਬਨਿ ਸੁਚੇਤ ਤਨ ਸ਼ਸਤ੍ਰ ਸਜਾਵਹੁ ।।੭।

When you come to have my Darshan, adorn your body with weapons.

ਕਮਰ ਕਸਾ ਕਰਿ ਦੇਹੁ ਦਿਖਾਈ । ਹਮਰੀ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਹੋਇ ਅਧਿਕਾਈ । 
When showing yourself to me have your Kamar Kasa [waist band which holds weapons] tied, in such a way I shall be extremely happy.

ਸ਼ਸਤ੍ਰ ਕੇਸ ਬਿਨ ਪਾਉ ਲਖਹੁ ਨਰ । ਕੇਸ ਧਰੇ ਤਬਿ ਆਧੋ ਲਖਿ ਉਰ ।।੮।। 
Those men who do not have Kesh [unshorn hair] or Shastars [weapons], do not recognize those men as full men. Those who have Kesh [unshorn hair], recognize those as half-men.

ਕੇਸ ਸ਼ਸਤ੍ਰ ਜਬਿ ਦੋਨਹੁਂ ਧਾਰੇ । ਤਬਿ ਨਰੁ ਰੂਪ ਹੋਤਿ ਹੈ ਸਾਰੇ । 
Those who have adorned themselves with Kesh [unshorn hair] and Shastar [weapons], those men have attained their full form."

ਅਸ ਉਪਦੇਸ ਗੁਰੂ ਤੇ ਸੁਨਿ ਕਰਿ । ਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਪਰਸਤਿ ਆਯੁਧ ਧਰਿ ਧਰਿ ।।੯।। 
After listening to this discourse by the Guru, Sikhs would come to the Guru adorning various weapons.

ਸਿੰਘ ਰੂਪ ਸ਼ਸਤ੍ਰਨ ਜੁਤਿ ਹੇਰੈਂ । ਹੋਤਿ ਗੁਰੂ ਕੀ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਬਡੇਰੈ । 
The appearance of a Singh [is complete] with weapons, when the Guru see's this He becomes extremely happy.

ਕਮਰ ਕਸੇ ਬਿਨ ਜੋ ਸਿਖ ਜਾਇ । ਤਿਸ ਪਰ ਰੁਖ ਨਹਿ ਕਰੈਂ ਕਦਾਇ ।।੧੦।। 
Those Sikhs who went towards the Guru without wearing a Kamarkasa [waist band which holds weapons], the Guru would never look towards them. 


Source: http://www.manglacharan.com/2010/02/guru-gobind-singh-jis-call-to-arms.html

Khalsa Fauj

           ਖਾਲਸਾ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਸੌਜ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਮੌਜ

        ਖਾਲਸਾ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਚਾਲ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਢਾਲ

               ਖਾਲਸਾ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਘਾਲ ਭੋਗ ਮੋਖ ਦਾਨੀ ਹੈ

                  ਖਾਲਸਾ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਜਾਨ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਆਨ

                      ਖਾਲਸਾ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਖਾਨ ਮੋਦ ਕੀ ਸੁਹਾਨੀ ਹੈ

                       ਖਾਲਸਾ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਜਾਤਿ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਪਾਤਿ