A festival that Sikhs, Hindus and Jains celebrate, Diwali fell this year on Saturday October 17.

For Sikhs, says the BBC, it is particularly important because it celebrates the release from prison of the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind, and 52 other princes with him, in 1619.

The Sikh tradition holds that the Emperor Jahangir had imprisoned Guru Hargobind and 52 princes. The Emperor was asked to release Guru Hargobind which he agreed to do.

However, Guru Hargobind asked that the princes be released also. The Emperor agreed, but said only those who could hold on to his cloak tail would be allowed to leave the prison. This was in order to limit the number of prisoners who could leave.

However, Guru Hargobind had a cloak made with 52 pieces of string and so each prince was able to hold on to one string and leave prison.

Sikhs celebrated the return of Guru Hargobind by lighting the Golden Temple and this tradition continues today.

Time for spring cleaning

In Britain, as in India, the festival is a time for thoroughly spring-cleaning the home and for wearing new clothes and most importantly, decorating buildings with fancy lights.

The date of Diwali is set by the Hindu calendar and so it varies in the Western calendar. It usually falls in October or November.

Diwali is also used to celebrate a successful harvest.

Jains celebrate the attaining of Moksha (Nirvana, or eternal bliss) by the founder of Jainism, Lord Mahavira.

The name of the festival comes from the Sanskrit word dipavali, meaning row of lights.

Decorated with oil lamps

Diwali is known as the ‘festival of lights’ because houses, shops and public places are decorated with small earthenware oil lamps called Diyas. These lamps, which are traditionally fueled by mustard oil, are placed in rows in windows, doors and building exteriors. Nowadays electric lights are often used in these displays.

In India oil lamps are often floated across the Ganges – it is regarded as a good omen if the lamp manages to get all the way across river.

Fireworks also play a big part, although in recent years there has been a move against them because of noise and atmospheric pollution and a number of accidental deaths and injuries.

Like Christmas in the West, Diwali is very much a time for buying and exchanging gifts.

Traditionally sweets and dried fruit were very common gifts to exchange, but the festival has become a time for serious shopping, leading to anxiety that commercialism is eroding the spiritual side of the commemoration.

In most years shopkeepers expect sales to rise substantially in the weeks before the festival.

With thanks to the BBC

It is an event that incorporates the Sikh’s new year celebrations but above all commemorates 1699, the year the Sikh faith was born in the Punjab.

Centrepiece of the festival is the carrying of the Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, in procession to a place of honour.

It was in 1699 that the tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, chose Vaisakhi, which already existed as a harvest festival in the Punjab, as the occasion to transform the Sikhs into a family of soldier saints, known as the Khalsa Panth. He founded the Khalsa in front of thousands at Anandpur Sahib.

An inspirational leader, Guru Gobind Singh came out of a tent carrying a sword and challenged any Sikh who was prepared to sacrifice his life to come into the tent.

He entered with one volunteer, then reappeared with his sword covered in blood. He invited another volunteer to step forward and repeated the same sequence three more times. So five men disappeared into the tent, leaving the crowd to fear the worst until they saw the men emerge wearing turbans with the Guru.

History has it that he had sacrificed a goat although, as they stepped forward, this was not known to the five volunteers, who were to become known as the Panj Piare, or ‘Beloved Five’.

They were baptised into the Khalsa by the Guru who sprinkled them with nectar, or Amrit (the Sikh term for holy water) and said prayers. This ritual gave shape to today’s Sikh baptism ceremony.

Vaisakhi is a day on which many choose to be baptised into the Khalsa brotherhood.

Gurdwaras are decorated and there are nagar kirtans, processions through the streets of cities and towns, which are a key aspect of the faith. The parades feature the chanting of scriptures and singing of hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib.

The holy book is carried into the temple by Panj Piaras in traditional dress.

Vaisakhi has another significant meaning for Sikhs.

In the process of offering followers the purity of Khalsa membership, Guru Gobind Singh also eliminated the differences of high and low castes. He pronounced that all human beings were equal.

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, alternatively known as the Amritsar Massacre, was named after the Jallianwala Bagh (Garden) in the northern Indian city of Amritsar where, on April 13, 1919, while attending one of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s meetings, British Indian Army soldiers under the command of Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer opened fire on an unarmed gathering of men, women and children.

The firing lasted about 10 minutes and 1650 rounds were fired, or 33 rounds per soldier. Official British Raj sources placed the fatalities at 379. According to private sources there were over 1000 deaths, with more than 2000 wounded,[1] and Civil Surgeon Dr. Smith indicated that there were 1,526 casualties.

Modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, church celebrations, and the display of various decorations—including the Christmas tree, lights, mistletoe, nativity scenes and holly. Santa Claus (also referred to as Father Christmas, although the two figures have different origins) is a popular mythological figure often associated with bringing gifts at Christmas. Santa is generally believed to be the result of a syncretization between Saint Nicholas and elements from pagan Nordic and Christian mythology, and his modern appearance is believed to have originated in 19th century media.

Christmas is celebrated throughout the Christian population, but is also celebrated by many non-Christians as a secular, cultural festival. The holiday is celebrated around the world. Because gift-giving and several other aspects of the holiday involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, Christmas has become a major event for many retailers.

Source: WikiPedia

Sikhs Online would like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas
Have a great holiday.

“Out of the cotton of compassion, spin the thread of contentment”

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was the founder of the Sikh faith; he was born on the 20th October 1469 in Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi in the present Shekhupura District of Pakistan, now known as Nanaka Sahib. Guru Nanak stressed:

“There is but one human race”.

Although Guru Nanak was born in the month of October his birthday falls on Kartik Puranmashi (full moon) of the month of Kartik. It is based on the traditional dates of the Indian calendar; the date varies year to year. The birthday usually comes in this month of November.

“Let compassion be your mosque, let faith be your prayer mat”

Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birthday celebration usually last for about 3 days in Nanaka Sahib. Generally two days before the birthday, Akhand path (a forty eight hour non stop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs) is held in the Gurdwaras.

Next; Kirtan, the singing of hyms, begins before the dawn and continues for 24 hours throughout the full moon lit night as fireworks explode. Finally, Shri Guru Granth Sahib is praded down the streets on a float throughout the town for several hours in a Nagar Kirtan where the demonstration of Gatka is also performed. Gatka is the name of the Sikh martial arts using swords and many other weapons this was introduced by the 9th Guru, Guru Har Gobind Singh Ji. This is concluded by returning to the Gurdwara.

All the while, Langar, the Guru’s divine sacred meal service, is available for any person.

The celebration in Punjab and Haryana are especially colourful.

“Accept all people as your equals and let them be your only sect;
conquering ourselves, we conquer the Worlds”

Guru Nanak Dev Ji founded and formalised three aspects of Sikhism:

Naam Japna: Chanting the holy name and thus rembering God at all times (ceaseless devotion to God)

Kirat Karo: Earning/making a living honestly, without exploitation or fraud.

Vand Chokko: Sharing with others, helping those with less who are in need.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji said

“We remember God in times of difficulty but boast of our cleverness when things go well”

Related stories:

Gatka Warriors

Diwali marks new beginnings and a renewal of commitment to family values, and represents joy, love, reflection, resolution, forgiveness, light and knowledge.

The Sikh Festival of Diwali

Sikhs celebrate Diwali to express joy at the return of the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Ji, to Amritsar in 1620. Emperor Jahangir had imprisoned him along with 52 Hindu kings. The Guru was granted freedom but refused to leave until the kings were also released. To commemorate his determination and undying love for Sikhism, people lit the way to the Golden Temple in his honour.

The Hindu Festival of Diwali

Hindus observe Diwali over a period of five days.

The first day of Diwali, called Dhanvantari Trayodasi, sees Hindu families offering prayers to the Goddess of wealth (Lakshmi) to remember that wealth is considered a benediction from God.

The second day, called Narak Chaturdasi is associated with the defeat of the demon king Narakasura by Lord Krishna, who freed 16,000 captive women. This day reminds us to not abuse our power and to channel our strength for the greater benefit of humankind.

The third day is actually the day of Diwali. According to the Ramayana, the people of Ayodhya illuminated the kingdom with earthen lamps (diyas) to celebrate the return of their king, Lord Rama after he defeated the demon king Ravana who had captured His wife Sita.

The fourth day is the Hindu New Year or Govardhana Puja, and is a time for reconciliation and forgiveness. On this day, Hindus offer thanksgiving to cows and worship Lord Krishna with offerings of food arranged in the form of Govardhana, a hill in Vrindavana.

The fifth day of Diwali is called Bhaiya Duj and is dedicated to the relationship between a brother and sister. It is the day when every brother takes time to visit the home of his sister and her family.

The Jain Festival of Diwali

Jains celebrate Diwali as festival of light, a symbolic representation of the knowledge that was given by Lord Mahavira for the peace and welfare of all living beings. It marks the anniversary of the attainment of moksha by Mahavira in 527 BCE and achievement of omniscience by his chief disciple Gautam Indrabhuti.

WATCH THE PRIME MINISTER’S DIWALI MESSAGE HERE

Many other Gurdwaras worldwide will also be celebrating this important milestone in Sikh history with their own special events and festivities. The main Sikh Gurdwara situated in Nanded where the tenth Guru handed over the Guruship to the Guru Granth Sahib are undergoing a huge rebuilding exercise to facilitate the large inflow of pilgrims for this rare, hugely important and once-in-a-lifetime occasion for the Sikhs and also for the whole of the world. Many new facilities are being created to cater for this unprecedented occasion.

This event is of great relevance to the worldwide Sikh Community and will involve the remembrance of the 300th years of consecration of Guru Granth Sahib as the final and perpetual Guru of Sikhs as ordained by Guru Gobind Singh in 1708. The event will also commemorate the 300th anniversary of the accession of Guru Gobind Singh to his heavenly abode. The Guru Granth Sahib is regarded as the guiding light for the Sikh. Many non-Sikhs also have tremendous respect for the teachings contained within the pages of this Holy Scripture. On this momentous occasion, both non-Sikhs and Sikhs alike will join hands in millions to honour the high principles of peace, equality, unity, forgiveness and the many other high and noble messages promoted by the Guru.

The main celebrations at Nanded will be over 8 days and will be conducted in the month of October 2008. It is estimated that this event will attract 2,500,000 to 3,000,000 visitors from all over the world during the last three months of 2008. Many new facilities are being built and the State Government has great plans for this event.

Source: SikhiWki.org

Bhangra was first started during Vaisakhi Sikh festival celebrations of Punjabis, and found its way to the performance stage after the division of the Punjab in 1947. The Punjabi dance performed at this time in ecstasy with the beat of Dhol came to be known as Bhangra. The tradition spread slowly to other parts of the region and developed into a unique folk dance form. Bhangra has come of age and is now performed at every major celebration and in clubs etc.

Traditional Bhangra is a fusion of music, singing and the beat of the dhol drum, a single stringed instrument called the iktar (ektara), the tumbi and the chimta. The accompanying songs are small couplets written in the Punjabi language called bolis. They relate to current issues faced by the singers and (dil the gal) what they turly want to say. In Punjabi folk music, the dhol’s smaller cousin, the dholki, was nearly always used to provide the main beat. Nowadays the dhol is used more frequently, with and without the dholki. Additional percussion, including tabla, is less frequently used in bhangra as a solo instrument but is sometimes used to accompany the dhol and dholki. The dholki drum patterns in Bhangra music bear an intimate similarity to the rhythms in Reggae music. This rhythm serves as a common thread which allows for easy commingling between Bhangra and Reggae as demonstrated by such artists as the UK’s Apache Indian.

Major migrations of Punjabis to the UK brought with them the Bhangra music, which became popular in Britain during the 1980s, although heavily influenced in Britain by the infusion of classic Moroccan films and Islamic chants

Costumes

Traditionally, men wear a chaadra while doing Bhangra. A chaadra is a piece of cloth wrapped around the waist. Men also wear a kurta, which is a long Indian-style shirt. In addition, men wear Pugdee – also known as turbans – to cover their heads.
In modern times, men also wear turla – the fan attached to the pugdee. Colorful vest are worn above the kurta. Fumans – small balls attached to ropes – are worn on each arm.
Women wear a traditional Punjabi dress known as a ghagra. A ghagra is a long colorful skirt which fans out into a gaint disk as a woman twirls. Women also wear duppattas, colorful pieces of cloth wrapped around their neck. Many Bhangra songs make references to the duppatta. Also, women wear suits called salwars kamiz; long baggy pants tight at the ankle (salwars) and a long colorful shirt (kamiz)

Cultural Impact

The interpretation of Bhangra must exist in the space where Asian, UK and hip hop cultures meet. Oversimplification of the genre by outsiders is detrimental to the music’s message, but artists are responsible for how they express their music’s content as well.  In “Bhangra’s Ambassador, Keeping the Party Spinning” from the New York Times, DJ Rekha is conscious of her cultural accountability to her music. She suggests that “because I’m working with my culture, and it’s being accessed or consumed by other cultures, then I have a strong responsibility to how that message is made.”
Bhangra followers often feel that the music is an expression of identity. As the movement gains momentum, Bhangra music has also gained international recognition. “Asian fusion is a melding of the sounds of the sub-continent with hip hop beats and R&B influences, and it’s no longer destined to be tucked away in the World Music section of your record store.”

Source: Wikipedia.org

This custom originated in the time of Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) who held the first march at Anandpur on Chet vadi 1, 1757 Bk (22nd February, 1701). Unlike Holi, when people playfully sprinkle color, dry or mixed in water, on each other the Guru made Hola Mahalla an occasion for the Sikhs to demonstrate their martial skills in simulated battles. This was probably done forestalling a grimmer struggle against the imperial power following the battle of Ninnohgarh in 1700. Holla Mahalla became an annual event held in an open ground near Holgarh Fort across the rivulet Charan Ganga, northwest to the town of Anandpur sahib.

The popularity of this festival may be judged from the fact that out of five Sikh public holidays requested by the Khalsa Diwan, Lahore in 1889, the Government approved only two – Holla Mahalla and the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. Hola Mahalla is presently the biggest festival at Anandpur. It will be appropriate here to discuss briefly the town and the participants of this festival.

Anandpur

Literally the City of Bliss, Anandpur is situated on one of the lower spurs of the Shiwalik Hills in Ropar District of Punjab and is well connected with the rest of the country both by road and rail. It lies 31 Kms north of Rupnagar (Ropar) and 29 Kms south of Nangal Township. Being one of the supremely important pilgrimage centers of the Sikhs it has been reverently called Anandpur Sahib. It will not be out of place here to mention that it was at Anandpur that on Baisakhi of 1699, Guru Gobind Singh carried out the supreme task of creating the Khalsa. It was here that the Guru announced the baptism of the Panj Piare and inaugurated the Khalsa, or the brotherhood of the holy soldiers who would henceforth be distinguished by five symbols all beginning with the letter “K” viz. kes (uncut hair), kangha (comb), kachcha (pair of shorts), kara (steel bracelet) and kirpan (sword). Sikhs were further instructed to live to the highest ethical standards, and to be always ready to fight tyranny and injustice.

Holla Mahalla festival

Having been the abode of the last two Sikh Gurus for two score years, the town was witness to many momentous events of Sikh history, including the Hola Mahalla festival, which is an annual feature. The festival has now lost much of its original military significance, but Sikhs in large numbers still assemble at Anandpur Sahib on this day and an impressive and colorful procession is taken out in which the Nihangs, in their traditional panoply, form the vanguard while parading their skill in the use of arms, horsemanship, tent-pegging, and other war-like sports.

Source: SikhiWiki.org