Vaheguruu ji ka khalsa, Vaheguruu ji ki fateh
We are recently being putting up old Youth Kirtan Darbars, Akhand Kirtan Jatha Smagams, Rare Kirtanee Files, and will soon be putting other old files that use to be up on other sites. A lot of sangat have been waiting for these files to be up again, we hope everyone takes max laha from these recordings. We may not be able to recover all files so, if you have some files you would like to contribute, please get in touch with us at sikhvibes@gmail.com
We will be uploading new kirtan files MANY times a week, please keep checking back.
Vaheguruu ji ka khalsa, Vaheguruu ji ki fateh
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
4th Annual Waterloo Sikh Youth Camp 2009
Vaheguruu ji ka khalsa, Vaheguruu ji ki fateh !
This years 4th annual
Waterloo Sikh Youth Camp 2009
will be from
will be from
Friday, June 26th - Monday, June 29th
Kitchener Gurughar Saahib
2070 Snyders Rd. East
Petersburg, Ontario
(519) 634-5681
This Sikh Youth Camp has been designed to bring all the Youth together to share knowledge of Sikhi and to promote Sikhi to our young future! Camp will be run by YOUTH from all over. Working together we shall achieve an important element in Sikhi, which is Sangat. Including in Sangat, the youth will have inspiring role models who are enthusiastic about instilling the Sikhi spirit within these young minds.
For More Information, please visit our BLOG:
http://waterloosikhyouthcamp.blogspot.com
http://waterloosikhyouthcamp.blogspot.com
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
The Importance of Kaur
The Importance of Kaur
Jayati Chakraborty, 01 March 2008, Saturday
Have you ever thought why Guru Ji, Guru Gobind Singh, gave the Kaur surname to Sikh women? Why did he not accept the status quo and keep the tradition of the woman's surname being determined by her family's name?
WHAT WAS Guru Ji trying to achieve by calling the Sikh woman 'a princess' (literal meaning of Kaur)?
To try to understand the possible reasons behind Guru Ji's decision, we need to look at the situation at the time in different cultures. In Indian society, the brides first and last name was often changed after her marriage. This still happens today. However, this tradition of name changing does not occur just in India. It is a phenomenon, which occurs across the whole world today. Why are women's surnames changed? The reason is family linkage. Surnames allow others to identify you and your family. In some cases the surname can tell others much more about you, such as your caste.
For women the linkage to family is different in comparison to men. Their identity changes with marriage. They are no longer associated with their parents, but with their husband's family. Unsurprisingly, the man's name never changes. Some cultures go as far as considering the woman to be the property of others. This was so for the Hindu Law giver, Manu, who claimed that no woman should ever be independent. Christianity considered woman to be a product of man as Eve had come from 'the rib' of Adam.
Psychologically, women have accepted these unjust rules. They are resigned to male dominance and allowed themselves to become second-class citizens. Guru ji changed all this with the revelation of the Khalsa. He gave women the opportunity to live life free of the chains of a dogmatic society. It was God's Hukam (will).
Once initiated into the Khalsa, Sikh women obtain the surname Kaur. The surname Singh (Lion) is given to men, but Kaur (princess) is reserved solely for women. This difference in names is not about inequality. Rather, Guru ji recognises the difference between men and women. As individuals we are all different from each other, but this difference does not imply inequality.
Women and men are different but remain equals. Guru ji considered women and men to be unique. He respected the sexes and, therefore, made the distinction in surnames.
When you take 'amrit' you are told to consider Guru Gobind Singh as your father and Mata Sahib Kaur as your mother. By joining the Khalsa you abandon all previous chains of linkage. You become the direct descendants of Guru Gobind Singh and Mata Sahib Kaur. You become their sons and daughters. The Khalsa becomes your family. Thus, from the day you are born to the day you die your name remains the same. You do not have to change it due to marriage.
Unfortunately, the tradition of using the 'Kaur' surname has all but disappeared amongst Sikh women. It is either dropped, in favour of caste surnames, or misused as a middle name. Guru Ji never designed it as such. Have we not belittled his concepts? Have we lost so much self-esteem that we must copy the bigoted traditions of others?
Sikh women are today demanding equal rights. Rightly so. However, they fail to realise that they themselves create inequality by not considering themselves princesses. They no longer consider themselves as daughters of the Khalsa. Why should Sikh women feel that they must change their names after marriage?
By keeping your unique and beautiful Sikh identity you are maintaining the freedom given to you by Guru ji. Ultimately, only those who keep the 'Kaur' surname can truly understand its importance. Others will make excuses about the difficulty of having such a common surname It makes paper work and identification difficult! Why make such excuses? We do not hear Patels or Smiths complaining. Mere excuses.
The importance of 'Kaur' is truly inexpressible. It is something very unique in the history of the world. Of late more and more Sikhs are dropping Singh and Kaur from their names. They probably are not aware of the Blessings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji who gifted these decorations to them.
Removing or abbreviating the decorations with S and K is to ape the western culture. In India surnames were initially introduced by the Brahmins to distinguish people of four varna as per their belief. Subsequently the British introduced the system for all those enrolled in government services.
Today, abbreviating the middle name or totally eliminating it has become a fashion. People who are settled abroad have degraded their self-respect to such levels that they feel elated to be called Garry for Gurpreet, Harry for Harpreet, Harmeet, Harbhajan, etc.
Common reason given for such an attitude is that the Westerners cannot understand, pronounce or remember the difficult Indian names. My suggestion to all such Sikhs is to introduce themselves merely as Singh and Kaur, which are very simple and short names. Even in India Sikhs are generally called by a single name of Sardar Ji. Why can't a similar procedure be adopted universally?
Source: http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=130679
Jayati Chakraborty, 01 March 2008, Saturday
Have you ever thought why Guru Ji, Guru Gobind Singh, gave the Kaur surname to Sikh women? Why did he not accept the status quo and keep the tradition of the woman's surname being determined by her family's name?
WHAT WAS Guru Ji trying to achieve by calling the Sikh woman 'a princess' (literal meaning of Kaur)?
To try to understand the possible reasons behind Guru Ji's decision, we need to look at the situation at the time in different cultures. In Indian society, the brides first and last name was often changed after her marriage. This still happens today. However, this tradition of name changing does not occur just in India. It is a phenomenon, which occurs across the whole world today. Why are women's surnames changed? The reason is family linkage. Surnames allow others to identify you and your family. In some cases the surname can tell others much more about you, such as your caste.
For women the linkage to family is different in comparison to men. Their identity changes with marriage. They are no longer associated with their parents, but with their husband's family. Unsurprisingly, the man's name never changes. Some cultures go as far as considering the woman to be the property of others. This was so for the Hindu Law giver, Manu, who claimed that no woman should ever be independent. Christianity considered woman to be a product of man as Eve had come from 'the rib' of Adam.
Psychologically, women have accepted these unjust rules. They are resigned to male dominance and allowed themselves to become second-class citizens. Guru ji changed all this with the revelation of the Khalsa. He gave women the opportunity to live life free of the chains of a dogmatic society. It was God's Hukam (will).
Once initiated into the Khalsa, Sikh women obtain the surname Kaur. The surname Singh (Lion) is given to men, but Kaur (princess) is reserved solely for women. This difference in names is not about inequality. Rather, Guru ji recognises the difference between men and women. As individuals we are all different from each other, but this difference does not imply inequality.
Women and men are different but remain equals. Guru ji considered women and men to be unique. He respected the sexes and, therefore, made the distinction in surnames.
When you take 'amrit' you are told to consider Guru Gobind Singh as your father and Mata Sahib Kaur as your mother. By joining the Khalsa you abandon all previous chains of linkage. You become the direct descendants of Guru Gobind Singh and Mata Sahib Kaur. You become their sons and daughters. The Khalsa becomes your family. Thus, from the day you are born to the day you die your name remains the same. You do not have to change it due to marriage.
Unfortunately, the tradition of using the 'Kaur' surname has all but disappeared amongst Sikh women. It is either dropped, in favour of caste surnames, or misused as a middle name. Guru Ji never designed it as such. Have we not belittled his concepts? Have we lost so much self-esteem that we must copy the bigoted traditions of others?
Sikh women are today demanding equal rights. Rightly so. However, they fail to realise that they themselves create inequality by not considering themselves princesses. They no longer consider themselves as daughters of the Khalsa. Why should Sikh women feel that they must change their names after marriage?
By keeping your unique and beautiful Sikh identity you are maintaining the freedom given to you by Guru ji. Ultimately, only those who keep the 'Kaur' surname can truly understand its importance. Others will make excuses about the difficulty of having such a common surname It makes paper work and identification difficult! Why make such excuses? We do not hear Patels or Smiths complaining. Mere excuses.
The importance of 'Kaur' is truly inexpressible. It is something very unique in the history of the world. Of late more and more Sikhs are dropping Singh and Kaur from their names. They probably are not aware of the Blessings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji who gifted these decorations to them.
Removing or abbreviating the decorations with S and K is to ape the western culture. In India surnames were initially introduced by the Brahmins to distinguish people of four varna as per their belief. Subsequently the British introduced the system for all those enrolled in government services.
Today, abbreviating the middle name or totally eliminating it has become a fashion. People who are settled abroad have degraded their self-respect to such levels that they feel elated to be called Garry for Gurpreet, Harry for Harpreet, Harmeet, Harbhajan, etc.
Common reason given for such an attitude is that the Westerners cannot understand, pronounce or remember the difficult Indian names. My suggestion to all such Sikhs is to introduce themselves merely as Singh and Kaur, which are very simple and short names. Even in India Sikhs are generally called by a single name of Sardar Ji. Why can't a similar procedure be adopted universally?
Source: http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=130679
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
raakh laehu....save me..
iblwvlu ]
rwiK lyhu hm qy ibgrI ]
sIlu Drmu jpu Bgiq n kInI hau AiBmwn tyF pgrI ]1] rhwau ]
Amr jwin sMcI ieh kwieAw ieh imiQAw kwcI ggrI ]
ijnih invwij swij hm kIey iqsih ibswir Avr lgrI ]1]
sMiDk qoih swD nhI khIAau srin pry qumrI pgrI ]
kih kbIr ieh ibnqI sunIAhu mq Gwlhu jm kI KbrI ]2]6]
bilaaval
raakh laehu ham thae bigaree
seel dharam jap bhagath n keenee ho abhimaan ttaet pagaree 1 rehaao
amar jaan sanchee eih kaaeiaa eih mithiaa kaachee gagaree
jinehi nivaaj saaj ham keeeae thisehi bisaar avar lagaree 1
sandhik thohi saadh nehee keheeao saran parae thumaree pagaree
kehi kabeer eih binathee suneeahu math ghaalahu jam kee khabaree 26
Bilaaval:
Save me! I have disobeyed You.
I have not practiced humility, righteousness or devotional worship;
I am proud and egotistical, and I have taken a crooked path. 1Pause
Believing this body to be immortal, I pampered it, but it is a fragile and perishable vessel.
Forgetting the Lord who formed, fashioned and embellished me,
I have become attached to another. 1
I am Your thief; I cannot be called holy. I have fallen at Your feet, seeking Your Sanctuary.
Says Kabeer, please listen to this prayer of mine,
O Lord; please do not send me sommons of the Messenger of Death. 26
rwiK lyhu hm qy ibgrI ]
sIlu Drmu jpu Bgiq n kInI hau AiBmwn tyF pgrI ]1] rhwau ]
Amr jwin sMcI ieh kwieAw ieh imiQAw kwcI ggrI ]
ijnih invwij swij hm kIey iqsih ibswir Avr lgrI ]1]
sMiDk qoih swD nhI khIAau srin pry qumrI pgrI ]
kih kbIr ieh ibnqI sunIAhu mq Gwlhu jm kI KbrI ]2]6]
bilaaval
raakh laehu ham thae bigaree
seel dharam jap bhagath n keenee ho abhimaan ttaet pagaree 1 rehaao
amar jaan sanchee eih kaaeiaa eih mithiaa kaachee gagaree
jinehi nivaaj saaj ham keeeae thisehi bisaar avar lagaree 1
sandhik thohi saadh nehee keheeao saran parae thumaree pagaree
kehi kabeer eih binathee suneeahu math ghaalahu jam kee khabaree 26
Bilaaval:
Save me! I have disobeyed You.
I have not practiced humility, righteousness or devotional worship;
I am proud and egotistical, and I have taken a crooked path. 1Pause
Believing this body to be immortal, I pampered it, but it is a fragile and perishable vessel.
Forgetting the Lord who formed, fashioned and embellished me,
I have become attached to another. 1
I am Your thief; I cannot be called holy. I have fallen at Your feet, seeking Your Sanctuary.
Says Kabeer, please listen to this prayer of mine,
O Lord; please do not send me sommons of the Messenger of Death. 26
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Bibi Gurleen Kaur Ji (Mohali)
Gurleen Kaur expresses herself through the spiritual music of Gurbani Kirtan. She is a trained singer in Indian Classical Music and Gurbani Kirtan. Spiritual music, the Gurbani Kirtan is her forte. Gurleen is an accomplished singer of Gurbani and Gurbani Kirtan who sings in great depth in both Indian Classical Music and the popular Sangati Style Gurbani Kirtan in which all can sing along and experience it. Spiritual Singing of Gurbani Kirtan is the ultimate spiritual experience and spiritual expression for her.
She has performed Gurbani Kirtan for various voluntary organizations like Sikh Missionary College, Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle etc. She has been teaching Gurbani Kirtan as a Seva to a large number of students for last more than ten years. She also performs seva as an occasional teacher and examiner in the institutions run by a voluntary organization, Sikh Missionary College.
-----
Live Kirtan recordings of bibi jee have been added to kirtan section here:
KIRTAN RECORDINGS
You can also visit her personal site at: http://www.gurleenkaur.com
She has performed Gurbani Kirtan for various voluntary organizations like Sikh Missionary College, Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle etc. She has been teaching Gurbani Kirtan as a Seva to a large number of students for last more than ten years. She also performs seva as an occasional teacher and examiner in the institutions run by a voluntary organization, Sikh Missionary College.
-----
Live Kirtan recordings of bibi jee have been added to kirtan section here:
KIRTAN RECORDINGS
You can also visit her personal site at: http://www.gurleenkaur.com
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Inspirational Thoughts: Tune your Soul and Mind
As fragrance abides in the flower,
As the reflection is within the mirror,
So doth thy Lord abide within thee,
Why search Him without? (Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji)
The subject on which I meditate is truth.
The practice to which I devote myself is the truth.
The topic of my conversation is truth.
My thoughts are always in truth.
For lo! my self has become the truth (Lord Buddha)
Being asked by the Pharisees when the
kingdom of God was coming, he answered them,
"The kingdom of God is not coming with signs
to be observed; nor will they say, 'Lo, here it is!' or
'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Jesus Christ)
He who knows his own self, knows God. (Prophet Mohammed)
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed. (Albert Einstein)
A remarkable people the Sikhs, with their Ten Prophets, five distinguishing marks and their traditional rite of water stirred with steel: a people who have made history and will make it again. (F Yeats-Brown 1945)
Win as if you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change.
"The effects of kindness are not always seen immediately. Sometimes it
takes years until your kindness will pay off. Sometimes you never see
the fruits of your labors, but they are there, deep inside of the soul
of the one you touched." (Dan Kelly)
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it. (Mother Teresa)
To begin again means that you won't give up.
To begin again means you're trying.
You can either start over and live your life
Or spend the rest of your life slowly dying.
It is never the falling that makes us fail.
It is never the pain or the crying.
You can never fail in life, my friend,
Unless you give up trying. (Bob Perks)
Source: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=43363
As the reflection is within the mirror,
So doth thy Lord abide within thee,
Why search Him without? (Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji)
The subject on which I meditate is truth.
The practice to which I devote myself is the truth.
The topic of my conversation is truth.
My thoughts are always in truth.
For lo! my self has become the truth (Lord Buddha)
Being asked by the Pharisees when the
kingdom of God was coming, he answered them,
"The kingdom of God is not coming with signs
to be observed; nor will they say, 'Lo, here it is!' or
'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Jesus Christ)
He who knows his own self, knows God. (Prophet Mohammed)
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed. (Albert Einstein)
A remarkable people the Sikhs, with their Ten Prophets, five distinguishing marks and their traditional rite of water stirred with steel: a people who have made history and will make it again. (F Yeats-Brown 1945)
Win as if you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change.
"The effects of kindness are not always seen immediately. Sometimes it
takes years until your kindness will pay off. Sometimes you never see
the fruits of your labors, but they are there, deep inside of the soul
of the one you touched." (Dan Kelly)
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it. (Mother Teresa)
To begin again means that you won't give up.
To begin again means you're trying.
You can either start over and live your life
Or spend the rest of your life slowly dying.
It is never the falling that makes us fail.
It is never the pain or the crying.
You can never fail in life, my friend,
Unless you give up trying. (Bob Perks)
Source: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=43363
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Vaheguru tera shukar hai
mai niraguniaarae ko gun naahee aapae tharas paeiouee
I am unworthy - I have no worth or virtues at all. You have taken pity on me.
What a beautiful tuk this is! This tuk is filled with the feeling of ultimate egolessness, ultimate thankfulness and gratitude, and ultimate surrender. I am nothing by myself, You Yourself took pity on me and saved me. You Yourself chose me and made me what I am. You Yourself put me on this path that I am on, I have no credibility by myself. And why did You do that? That only You know, I don’t. So what do I say now? What else can I say except Vaheguru tera shukar hai.
kabeer maeraa mujh mehi kishh nehee jo kishh hai so thaeraa
Kabeer, nothing is mine within myself. Whatever there is, is Yours, O Lord.
thaeraa thujh ko soupathae kiaa laagai maeraa 203
If I surrender to You what is already Yours, what does it cost me? 203
Another beautiful tuk that has the divine fragrance of total surrender. On several instances in life, we lose a lot. One loses material possessions, one loses people (friends, relatives, loved ones), one may even lose honor and social status. The pain that is experienced is because we were under the impression that we had achieved it all, and thus get attached to all of these mentioned gifts of Vaheguru. If one has the avastha of what this tuk teaches us, we would never lose anything, or anyone! Because then we would know that whatever I had/got, whoever I had/got, was gifted to me by Vaheguru. Now He has taken it/them back. Sahib-E-Kamaal Dhann Dhann Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj Sachay Patshah thanked Vaheguru even after the shaheedi of all 4 of His Sahibzaade. If we could have even a speck of that avastha, our janam would be fulfilled. Then we would always be saying Vaheguru tera shukar hai.
kaethiaa dhookh bhookh sadh maar
So many endure distress, deprivation and constant abuse.
eaehi bh dhaath thaeree dhaathaar
Even these are Your Gifts, O Great Giver!
This is the height of accepting Vaheguru’s Hukam. What kind of avastha would this be when even pain seems sweet? This is what Sahib Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj Sachay Patshah meant when He said
thaeraa keeaa meet(h)aa laagai
Your actions seem so sweet to me
This is the avastha of all those Shaheed Singhs and Singhnees who faced the most brutal tortures. They accepted even pain and death as His gifts, and what is even more amazing is that they thanked Him. All they had in their minds was Vaheguru tera shukar hai.
I feel like a hypocrite writing all this, as I am myself unable to live this way. It’s very easy to write things, but becoming a living example is the real challenge. And that is where I fail.
But its ok. I still say Vaheguru tera shukar hai :)
~ Mehtab Singh
I am unworthy - I have no worth or virtues at all. You have taken pity on me.
What a beautiful tuk this is! This tuk is filled with the feeling of ultimate egolessness, ultimate thankfulness and gratitude, and ultimate surrender. I am nothing by myself, You Yourself took pity on me and saved me. You Yourself chose me and made me what I am. You Yourself put me on this path that I am on, I have no credibility by myself. And why did You do that? That only You know, I don’t. So what do I say now? What else can I say except Vaheguru tera shukar hai.
kabeer maeraa mujh mehi kishh nehee jo kishh hai so thaeraa
Kabeer, nothing is mine within myself. Whatever there is, is Yours, O Lord.
thaeraa thujh ko soupathae kiaa laagai maeraa 203
If I surrender to You what is already Yours, what does it cost me? 203
Another beautiful tuk that has the divine fragrance of total surrender. On several instances in life, we lose a lot. One loses material possessions, one loses people (friends, relatives, loved ones), one may even lose honor and social status. The pain that is experienced is because we were under the impression that we had achieved it all, and thus get attached to all of these mentioned gifts of Vaheguru. If one has the avastha of what this tuk teaches us, we would never lose anything, or anyone! Because then we would know that whatever I had/got, whoever I had/got, was gifted to me by Vaheguru. Now He has taken it/them back. Sahib-E-Kamaal Dhann Dhann Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj Sachay Patshah thanked Vaheguru even after the shaheedi of all 4 of His Sahibzaade. If we could have even a speck of that avastha, our janam would be fulfilled. Then we would always be saying Vaheguru tera shukar hai.
kaethiaa dhookh bhookh sadh maar
So many endure distress, deprivation and constant abuse.
eaehi bh dhaath thaeree dhaathaar
Even these are Your Gifts, O Great Giver!
This is the height of accepting Vaheguru’s Hukam. What kind of avastha would this be when even pain seems sweet? This is what Sahib Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj Sachay Patshah meant when He said
thaeraa keeaa meet(h)aa laagai
Your actions seem so sweet to me
This is the avastha of all those Shaheed Singhs and Singhnees who faced the most brutal tortures. They accepted even pain and death as His gifts, and what is even more amazing is that they thanked Him. All they had in their minds was Vaheguru tera shukar hai.
I feel like a hypocrite writing all this, as I am myself unable to live this way. It’s very easy to write things, but becoming a living example is the real challenge. And that is where I fail.
But its ok. I still say Vaheguru tera shukar hai :)
~ Mehtab Singh
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
