Diwali – the festival of light and which generally marks the beginning of winters, as my dad puts it, has always been my favourite.
The house smells beautiful from diyas (small earthen bowls filled with purified oil for lighting using a cotton wicker), candles and incense sticks.
It’s the time in the year when the whole family gets to do a proper long prayer together. And I absolutely love to sit with my parents and sisters to do the pooja (prayer).
I am not a very religious person but yes I definitely love to listen to my parents voice chanting hymns & mantras. I love the stories my mom recites for our benefit, mostly repeated from the last year or previous.
But I love the family atmosphere and then dinner followed by our long drive!
We as a family have always been averse to the use of fireworks and so its always limited to a few at the society level, if any.
It’s been a few years I have been on my own for the festival because of my studies and then job, but I still follow the rituals I have grown up with - Candles, Diyas, incense sticks, prayers and Prasad (holy offerings to god).
This time I was in UK again and so it always includes a visit to the Gurudwara (if u have read my old posts u will know I have turned into a half-Sikh already – courtesy H). We light candles there and pray to Babaji.
So its like, H knows about the Hindu Hymns through me and she (H) helps me understand the prayers read at the Gurudwara.
I had made dinner at home this time because I was home first from work. I made semolina halwa, lentils, brown rice and pasta. Yeah pasta on Diwali because I felt for it!!
This time it was the coldest day of the month and it actually snowed! I was out in the snow moving around candles so that they don’t blow out. When I came back into the house I was looking like a Santa Clause myself with fake beard & moustache from the snow flakes. My skull cap had turned white from cream and all I had to say was the traditional Ho-Ho-Ho.
Diwali celebrated Christmas way!
The high wind factor couldn’t mellow down the festive mood. We had friends over for meal and the day ended beautifully way past midnight.
Diwali is still my favourite festival will always be!
NB: Oh! and did I tell u about my new boots I got on Diwali day after like a real long impatient wait. Well, that has to come in as a seperate blog, a very interesting story to order my boots.
Showing posts with label Religion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Religion. Show all posts
Friday, 7 November 2008
Monday, 23 June 2008
Sardarji 12 baj gaye !
The other day I was browsing through the Internet pages and stumbled across this wonderful piece of information; couldn’t help myself and hence comes this blog.
This blog brings the true meaning of "Sikh-12o’clock" teasing into the limelight. A many thanks to whosoever researched on this in the first place … a very enlightening one!
During 17th Century, when Hindustan was ruled by Mughals, the Hindus were humiliated and tortured like animals. Mughals treated the Hindu women as their own property and were forcing Hindus to accept Islam and used to kill those who refused to accept. That time, the ninth Guru, Sri Guru Teg Bahadurji came forward, in response to the request of some Kashmiri Pandits, to fight against all these cruel activities. Guruji told the Mughal emperor that if the emperor succeeds in converting the Guruji to Islam, all the Hindus would accept the same. But, if the emperor fails, he will stop all conversion activities.
The Mughal emperor happily agreed to this. Guruji, along with his other four fellow members, was tortured and mistreated. Since the Mughals were unable to convert Guruji to Islam he and his followers were assassinated and Guruji sacrificed his life for the protection of Hindu religion.
Can anybody lay down his life and that too for the protection of anotherreligion? This is the reason he is still remembered as "Hind Ki Chaddar", The Shield of India.
None of the people, for whom Guruji laid down his life, came forward to lift his body, fearing that they would also be assassinated. Seeing this incident our 10th Guruji, Sri Guru Gobind Singhji (Son of Guru Teg Bahadarji) founder of khalsa made a resolution to give birth to a new cult (followers), who will not be able to hide themselves and could be easily located in thousands. Thus came into existence the “beard & moustache men”!
At the start, the Sikhs were very few in numbers but as the fight against the Mughal emperors took momentum many joined into this special cult. At that time, Nadir Shah raided Delhi and was carrying the treasures and thousands of Hindu women along with him outside the country.
The news spread like a fire and was heard by Sardar Jassa Singh who was the Commander of the Sikh army at that time. He decided to attack Nadir Shah's Kafila at midnight. He did so and rescued everything; the Hindu women were safely sent back home. It didn't happen once but thereafter whenever any outsider attacked the country (to carry the treasures or Hindu women along with them for selling in their markets) the brave Sikh army, although fewer in number, attacked them at midnight 12 O'clock.
After that time whenever any similar incidence occurred, people started to contact the Sikh army for their help and Sikhs used to attack at Midnight, 12 O'clock.
Nowadays, people say that at 12 O'clock, the Sikhs go out of their senses, but I say thankfully to their madness that we are still the nation we are.
So when next time you hear someone say those lines ‘sardarji 12 baj gaye’ just think, smile and thank the founders of this cult for their sacrifices for the Indian community!
This blog brings the true meaning of "Sikh-12o’clock" teasing into the limelight. A many thanks to whosoever researched on this in the first place … a very enlightening one!
During 17th Century, when Hindustan was ruled by Mughals, the Hindus were humiliated and tortured like animals. Mughals treated the Hindu women as their own property and were forcing Hindus to accept Islam and used to kill those who refused to accept. That time, the ninth Guru, Sri Guru Teg Bahadurji came forward, in response to the request of some Kashmiri Pandits, to fight against all these cruel activities. Guruji told the Mughal emperor that if the emperor succeeds in converting the Guruji to Islam, all the Hindus would accept the same. But, if the emperor fails, he will stop all conversion activities.
The Mughal emperor happily agreed to this. Guruji, along with his other four fellow members, was tortured and mistreated. Since the Mughals were unable to convert Guruji to Islam he and his followers were assassinated and Guruji sacrificed his life for the protection of Hindu religion.
Can anybody lay down his life and that too for the protection of anotherreligion? This is the reason he is still remembered as "Hind Ki Chaddar", The Shield of India.
None of the people, for whom Guruji laid down his life, came forward to lift his body, fearing that they would also be assassinated. Seeing this incident our 10th Guruji, Sri Guru Gobind Singhji (Son of Guru Teg Bahadarji) founder of khalsa made a resolution to give birth to a new cult (followers), who will not be able to hide themselves and could be easily located in thousands. Thus came into existence the “beard & moustache men”!
At the start, the Sikhs were very few in numbers but as the fight against the Mughal emperors took momentum many joined into this special cult. At that time, Nadir Shah raided Delhi and was carrying the treasures and thousands of Hindu women along with him outside the country.
The news spread like a fire and was heard by Sardar Jassa Singh who was the Commander of the Sikh army at that time. He decided to attack Nadir Shah's Kafila at midnight. He did so and rescued everything; the Hindu women were safely sent back home. It didn't happen once but thereafter whenever any outsider attacked the country (to carry the treasures or Hindu women along with them for selling in their markets) the brave Sikh army, although fewer in number, attacked them at midnight 12 O'clock.
After that time whenever any similar incidence occurred, people started to contact the Sikh army for their help and Sikhs used to attack at Midnight, 12 O'clock.
Nowadays, people say that at 12 O'clock, the Sikhs go out of their senses, but I say thankfully to their madness that we are still the nation we are.
So when next time you hear someone say those lines ‘sardarji 12 baj gaye’ just think, smile and thank the founders of this cult for their sacrifices for the Indian community!
Thursday, 16 August 2007
Gurudwara Social Service
The effect of staying with a Sikh family is slowly BUT steadily showing off in me!
“Chak – de - Phatte”
I stay in Hounslow and the centre of attraction of the area is this massive and beautiful gurudwara – a Sikh place of worship.
Harry goes there daily and I love the desi ghee ka halwa she gets for me … absolutely sumptuous
Yesterday after a long wait I called Harry to find her whereabouts as she was not back from office and it was way past her regular time. The lady was in the gurudwara doing the voluntary service of serving food to the people – langar
Oh and yes our gurdwara serves 3 meals a day, every day of the year, free for anyone and everyone – and you do see a lot of Europeans in our Gurudwara!
Coming back to my dear Harry, chunni over her head, was busy serving food, flashing that gorgeous smile of hers which increased when she saw me (I required a lot of convincing over the phone to get out of my night dress and come out of the house when it was pouring heavily - She thought I will never make it)
All that Hello and Hi was enough to make us start one of our long chatty sessions – the never ending ones.
She served me langar which needless to say tastes next to what a mother can cook … nothing can beat it!
Once I was over with my dinner, I took over from her to do the service while she eats her dinner. Yes, I did service in the gurudwara …
I REPEAT: I stay with a Sikh family …
I have done community service before but this was a very different experience in itself. It is not easy to serve food into someone’s plate especially when you don’t know the persons taste and appetite.
You have to name the dish being served, then serve as requested (quantity and the exact place in the plate :-) ), remember the rules of quantity management and you should always be polite - inspite of who is on the other side being served.
I also served people who understood only Punjabi or a strange dialect they called English … Sign language comes to aid then ;-)
* Other Option: Start talking real fast n loud with a big gleaming smile on your face … serve everything then
I slept peacefully yesterday … No, not because of what you are thinking but because I was quite tired after those hrs of standing to serve food ;-)
“Chak – de - Phatte”
I stay in Hounslow and the centre of attraction of the area is this massive and beautiful gurudwara – a Sikh place of worship.
Harry goes there daily and I love the desi ghee ka halwa she gets for me … absolutely sumptuous
Yesterday after a long wait I called Harry to find her whereabouts as she was not back from office and it was way past her regular time. The lady was in the gurudwara doing the voluntary service of serving food to the people – langar
Oh and yes our gurdwara serves 3 meals a day, every day of the year, free for anyone and everyone – and you do see a lot of Europeans in our Gurudwara!
Coming back to my dear Harry, chunni over her head, was busy serving food, flashing that gorgeous smile of hers which increased when she saw me (I required a lot of convincing over the phone to get out of my night dress and come out of the house when it was pouring heavily - She thought I will never make it)
All that Hello and Hi was enough to make us start one of our long chatty sessions – the never ending ones.
She served me langar which needless to say tastes next to what a mother can cook … nothing can beat it!
Once I was over with my dinner, I took over from her to do the service while she eats her dinner. Yes, I did service in the gurudwara …
I REPEAT: I stay with a Sikh family …
I have done community service before but this was a very different experience in itself. It is not easy to serve food into someone’s plate especially when you don’t know the persons taste and appetite.
You have to name the dish being served, then serve as requested (quantity and the exact place in the plate :-) ), remember the rules of quantity management and you should always be polite - inspite of who is on the other side being served.
I also served people who understood only Punjabi or a strange dialect they called English … Sign language comes to aid then ;-)
* Other Option: Start talking real fast n loud with a big gleaming smile on your face … serve everything then
I slept peacefully yesterday … No, not because of what you are thinking but because I was quite tired after those hrs of standing to serve food ;-)
Wednesday, 21 February 2007
What does the Swastika means now ?
The other day I learnt that Germany has put a ban on the use of the swastika symbol because it represents Nazism … Hitler has turned swastika into hatred !!
This equatorial cross with its arms bent at right angles, all in clockwise direction, is the symbol of eternity & continuity of life and since time immemorial has been the auspicious symbol of the Hindus. swastika has symbolic meaning for the Jains and Buddhists as well.
Some authorities have interpreted swastika as the symbol of good luck in the old Mesopotamian culture and symbol of deity during the old iron age. Another interpretation of the symbol attaches it with power, strength & symbol of sun … and I guess that is what made Adolf Hitler pick it up for the Nazi flag !!
In Mein Kampf , Hitler described the Nazis' new flag: "In red we see the social idea of the movement, in white the nationalistic idea, in the swastika the mission of the struggle for the victory of the Aryan man, and, by the same token, the victory of the idea of creative work, which as such always has been and always will be anti-Semitic."
For decades, the swastika meant life and good luck. But because of the Nazis, it has also taken on a meaning of death and hate. Can there be two completely different meanings for a symbol?
This equatorial cross with its arms bent at right angles, all in clockwise direction, is the symbol of eternity & continuity of life and since time immemorial has been the auspicious symbol of the Hindus. swastika has symbolic meaning for the Jains and Buddhists as well.
Some authorities have interpreted swastika as the symbol of good luck in the old Mesopotamian culture and symbol of deity during the old iron age. Another interpretation of the symbol attaches it with power, strength & symbol of sun … and I guess that is what made Adolf Hitler pick it up for the Nazi flag !!
In Mein Kampf , Hitler described the Nazis' new flag: "In red we see the social idea of the movement, in white the nationalistic idea, in the swastika the mission of the struggle for the victory of the Aryan man, and, by the same token, the victory of the idea of creative work, which as such always has been and always will be anti-Semitic."
For decades, the swastika meant life and good luck. But because of the Nazis, it has also taken on a meaning of death and hate. Can there be two completely different meanings for a symbol?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
