CdnSikhGirl

Handwritten Bir of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji which I had the privilege to photograph at Gurdwara Mattan Sahib in Kashmir. This Bir does not come out often (for obvious reasons) so I feel very fortunate to have had this chance! Photos are my copyright (Harkiran Kaur) but feel free to use if credit given. 

Handwritten Bir of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji which I had the privilege to photograph at Gurdwara Mattan Sahib in Kashmir. This Bir does not come out often (for obvious reasons) so I feel very fortunate to have had this chance! Photos are my copyright (Harkiran Kaur) but feel free to use if credit given. 

The way this person insults paapiman is like how Satkiran would insult him lol.

Handwritten Bir of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji which I had the privilege to photograph at Gurdwara Mattan Sahib in Kashmir. This Bir does not come out often (for obvious reasons) so I feel very fortunate to have had this chance! Photos are my copyright (Harkiran Kaur) but feel free to use if credit given. 

Handwritten Bir of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji which I had the privilege to photograph at Gurdwara Mattan Sahib in Kashmir. This Bir does not come out often (for obvious reasons) so I feel very fortunate to have had this chance! Photos are my copyright (Harkiran Kaur) but feel free to use if credit given. 

Handwritten Bir of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji which I had the privilege to photograph at Gurdwara Mattan Sahib in Kashmir. This Bir does not come out often (for obvious reasons) so I feel very fortunate to have had this chance! Photos are my copyright (Harkiran Kaur) but feel free to use if credit given. 

Handwritten Bir of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji which I had the privilege to photograph at Gurdwara Mattan Sahib in Kashmir. This Bir does not come out often (for obvious reasons) so I feel very fortunate to have had this chance! Photos are my copyright (Harkiran Kaur) but feel free to use if credit given. 

Handwritten Bir of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji which I had the privilege to photograph at Gurdwara Mattan Sahib in Kashmir. This Bir does not come out often (for obvious reasons) so I feel very fortunate to have had this chance! Photos are my copyright (Harkiran Kaur) but feel free to use if credit given. 

there are truck load of historical evidence that sikhs consumed non veg diet particularly in 18th and even in 19th century . lacto vegetarianism gained popularity in latter half of 19th century and 20th century but you don't want to accept it.I don't think think that there is any historical evidence that sikhs did not ate chopri roti's.but one thing is clear that gurbani always propagated simple diet which today's sikhs have forgotted. You can go to any gurdwara and see that 99% of over 25 sikhs have pot belly's. so sikhs are already suffering in pain because of high calories of oil and ghee.
I was just showing you that if you just take literal meaning of tuks then you can find many of them which say something but had deeper meaning
 
I don't think the kabeer ji's tuk you are showing  is against non veg food. It is more reference to type of persons like sharabai kababi  and go to prostitute's .Also kabeer ji 's tuk mention paan , can you please tell me what is wrong in paan if tobacco is not put it in as many people just eat sweet paan after food

How far are we going to get with trying to hammer a community made up of hordes of pretty much independent-minded people into one shape?
 
Like has been said before, it's been tried before and any new maryada will only become an addition to the existing ones. Better to try and educate people about diversity in practice and differing levels of commitment in my opinion. But then we'll have the usual issues of people pushing their own cultures into the agenda like whites with homosexuality in the US. 

One Rehet Maryada will never happen anyway.... Sikh Rehet Maryada was best attempt we had, which took over 13 years and over hundred of most prominent Sikhs of that time participating, and still there are cry babies who won't accept it - some to the point of continually even using degrading language like 'so-called' whenever they refer to it... which is sickening because whether or not they follow SRM themselves, it IS the only RM accepted by Akal Takht.
 

One Rehet Maryada will never happen anyway.... Sikh Rehet Maryada was best attempt we had, which took over 13 years and over hundred of most prominent Sikhs of that time participating, and still there are cry babies who won't accept it - some to the point of continually even using degrading language like 'so-called' whenever they refer to it... which is sickening because whether or not they follow SRM themselves, it IS the only RM accepted by Akal Takht.
 

The key to this is in the second line which you have posted and gives the context for the first line. In fact, it's actually an incomplete sentence in the first line....

Those mortals who consume marijuana, fish, and wine (speaking of useless rituals); no matter what pilgrimages, fasts and rituals (the qualifier referring to the previous line) they follow, they will all go to hell (obviously not literal hell, as all that exists is the ONE, but Hell for Sikhs is to be separated from God, so it's saying these things won't help you to become One with God.)
In other words, the Gurus admonished blind rituals and taught that they were useless in our pursuit of merging with Waheguru.  There were many ritualistic practices involving mind alerting substances like marijuana (bhang), opium, and wine (alcohol) - and yes even fish in India...  It is the useless ritual which is being scorned in the above...it's saying all these fake blind useless rituals will get you nowhere.
Example of a Ritual Fish:

We can see further down in the same shabad that it was no the act of eating fish or meat which is being scorned but the ritualistic behaviour... when it's stated that the Brahmins may be the Gurus of the physical world, but they still 'rot and die' in the useless complexities of the rituals in which they partook, but still no closer to God:

ਕਬੀਰ ਬਾਮਨੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਹੈ ਜਗਤ ਕਾ ਭਗਤਨ ਕਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਹਿ ॥
Kabīr bāman gurū hai jagaṯ kā bẖagṯan kā gur nāhi.
Kabeer, the Brahmin may be the guru of the world, but he is not the Guru of the devotees. 
ਅਰਝਿ ਉਰਝਿ ਕੈ ਪਚਿ ਮੂਆ ਚਾਰਉ ਬੇਦਹੁ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੨੩੭॥
Arajẖ urajẖ kai pacẖ mū▫ā cẖāra▫o beḏahu māhi. ||237||
He rots and dies in the perplexities of the four Vedas. ||237||
And finally again in the same shabad, Kabeer qualifes it all by saying that God is not foind through useless rituals etc. because God is within everyone and everything... in every grain of sand, and states there is no difference between himself and God:

ਸੁਨੁ ਸਖੀ ਪੀਅ ਮਹਿ ਜੀਉ ਬਸੈ ਜੀਅ ਮਹਿ ਬਸੈ ਕਿ ਪੀਉ ॥ सुनु सखी पीअ महि जीउ बसै जीअ महि बसै कि पीउ ॥ Sun sakẖī pī▫a mėh jī▫o basai jī▫a mėh basai kė pī▫o. Listen, O my companions: my soul dwells in my Beloved, and my Beloved dwells in my soul. 
ਜੀਉ ਪੀਉ ਬੂਝਉ ਨਹੀ ਘਟ ਮਹਿ ਜੀਉ ਕਿ ਪੀਉ ॥੨੩੬॥ जीउ पीउ बूझउ नही घट महि जीउ कि पीउ ॥२३६॥ Jī▫o pī▫o būjẖa▫o nahī gẖat mėh jī▫o kė pī▫o. ||236|| I realize that there is no difference between my soul and my Beloved; I cannot tell whether my soul or my Beloved dwells in my heart. ||236||

ਹਰਿ ਹੈ ਖਾਂਡੁ ਰੇਤੁ ਮਹਿ ਬਿਖਰੀ ਹਾਥੀ ਚੁਨੀ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥
Har hai kẖāʼnd reṯ mėh bikẖrī hāthī cẖunī na jā▫e.
The Lord is like sugar, scattered in the sand; the elephant cannot pick it up.  (permeates everything)
ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਗੁਰਿ ਭਲੀ ਬੁਝਾਈ ਕੀਟੀ ਹੋਇ ਕੈ ਖਾਇ ॥੨੩੮॥
Kahi Kabīr gur bẖalī bujẖā▫ī kītī ho▫e kai kẖā▫e. ||238||
Says Kabeer, the Guru has given me this sublime understanding: become an ant, and feed on it. ||238||
 
So we can easily see this shabad is not saying anything about the act of eating meat or fish for sustenence.  It's speaking about useless rituals / pilgrimages / fasts etc as a means to find God, saying all these methods are fruitless when God is in everything and even yourself.  Don't worry about outward shows (rituals), instead focus within your own self, where God is merged like sugar in the sand... immerse yourself in the creation and God by realizing that God is everywhere.  The elephant can't see it because he is separate from the sand... instead if we become like the ant and immerse ourselves within the sand then we will realize we are surrounded by Waheguru.

The 'she' referred to is Maya. Since witches were always thought to be one who steals souls then its no wonder Maya is being compared to as a witch.  (It doesn't mean the idea of witches are real by the way, just the idea of a witch is being used to describe the qualities of Maya)
 
ਏਕ ਸੁਹਾਗਨਿ ਜਗਤ ਪਿਆਰੀ ॥
Ėk suhāgan jagaṯ pi▫ārī.
The world loves only the one bride, Maya. 
ਸਗਲੇ ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਕੀ ਨਾਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Sagle jī▫a janṯ kī nārī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
She is the wife of all beings and creatures. ||1||Pause||
ਸੋਹਾਗਨਿ ਗਲਿ ਸੋਹੈ ਹਾਰੁ ॥
Sohāgan gal sohai hār.
With her necklace around her neck, this bride looks beautiful. 
ਸੰਤ ਕਉ ਬਿਖੁ ਬਿਗਸੈ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥
Sanṯ ka▫o bikẖ bigsai sansār.
She is poison to the Saint, but the world is delighted with her. 
ਕਰਿ ਸੀਗਾਰੁ ਬਹੈ ਪਖਿਆਰੀ ॥
Kar sīgār bahai pakẖi▫ārī.
Adorning herself, she sits like a prostitute. 
ਸੰਤ ਕੀ ਠਿਠਕੀ ਫਿਰੈ ਬਿਚਾਰੀ ॥੨॥
Sanṯ kī ṯẖiṯẖkī firai bicẖārī. ||2||
Cursed by the Saints, she wanders around like a wretch. ||2|| 
ਸੰਤ ਭਾਗਿ ਓਹ ਪਾਛੈ ਪਰੈ ॥
Sanṯ bẖāg oh pācẖẖai parai.
She runs around, chasing after the Saints. 
ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਮਾਰਹੁ ਡਰੈ ॥
 Gur parsādī mārahu darai.
She is afraid of being beaten by those blessed with the Guru's Grace. 
ਸਾਕਤ ਕੀ ਓਹ ਪਿੰਡ ਪਰਾਇਣਿ ॥
Sākaṯ kī oh pind parā▫iṇ.
She is the body, the breath of life, of the faithless cynics. 
ਹਮ ਕਉ ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਪਰੈ ਤ੍ਰਖਿ ਡਾਇਣਿ ॥੩॥
Ham ka▫o ḏarisat parai ṯarakẖ dā▫iṇ. ||3||
She appears to me like a blood-thirsty witch. ||3|| 
 
In other words, Maya is all enticing even to Kabir Ji, and he can see that the allure of Maya can easily lead him astray as nobody is completely immune except by Gurus grace...

I seriously can't explain it that easily. It's like you have to feel it..  I had just been doing simran for a few hours and was feeling quite elevated and lightweight and then I logged on here and saw this topic, looked at the shabad.........and all I can say is that I felt it immediately.  (Sometimes, the fog in front of our eyes just clears up!)
As Bhai Gurdas ji .."satguru Nanak pargataya, mitti dhundh(fog) jag chanan hoa"
I was chatting with someone the other day, and we both confirmed that bani's depths keep getting more clearer the more abyiaas you do. ..Besides, the message and meaning I put up their above is what it says to ""me"" at this very moment of where I am.  That's what gurbani is about and it speaks to each of us if we listen carefully... Just like the same hukamnaama will have completely different messages and meanings for the whole sangat!
There are always a few meaning on the surface, but there are also more ddeper meanings that go deeper and deeper....and these always move away from directions of dualities and physical/maya properties to sukham/subtle aspects.
 
 
 
 
 

It's talking about Desires.......(that's what I see)
One may be dictating or encouraging a desire(woman)the woman quality within us... and the animal quality(hunter) ..goes hunting outside to satisfy this desire.
Guys...this is deeper than you think. It is the BOTH the woman and man qualities that WE possess.....that Guruji is referring to.
Desires--->Tongue-->taste--->sexual as well...which is why it goes on to discuss modesty, purity and honor.........see below

ਮਃ  ੧  ॥
Mėhlā 1.
First Mehl:
 
ਰੰਨਾ  ਹੋਈਆ  ਬੋਧੀਆ  ਪੁਰਸ  ਹੋਏ  ਸਈਆਦ  ॥
Rannā ho▫ī▫ā boḏẖī▫ā puras ho▫e sa▫ī▫āḏ.
Women have become advisors, and men have become hunters.
 
ਸੀਲੁ  ਸੰਜਮੁ  ਸੁਚ  ਭੰਨੀ  ਖਾਣਾ  ਖਾਜੁ  ਅਹਾਜੁ  ॥
Sīl sanjam sucẖ bẖannī kẖāṇā kẖāj ahāj.
Humility, self-control and purity have run away; people eat the uneatable, forbidden food.
 
ਸਰਮੁ  ਗਇਆ  ਘਰਿ  ਆਪਣੈ  ਪਤਿ  ਉਠਿ  ਚਲੀ  ਨਾਲਿ  ॥
Saram ga▫i▫ā gẖar āpṇai paṯ uṯẖ cẖalī nāl.
Modesty has left her home, and honor has gone away with her.
ਨਾਨਕ  ਸਚਾ  ਏਕੁ  ਹੈ  ਅਉਰੁ  ਨ  ਸਚਾ  ਭਾਲਿ  ॥੨॥
Nānak sacẖā ek hai a▫or na sacẖā bẖāl. ||2||
O Nanak, there is only One True Lord; do not bother to search for any other as true. ||2|| 
 
read it very carefully... The 1st line can easily be read on the surface. BUT think what you are doing when reading as such ???....You are reading in further duality of the duality we already live in.. NOTE-Guru NANAK Ji's shabads very rarely talk in exoteric duality, except when he is praising. They are mostly Esoteric and inwardly directed to each and every one of us and the nutty minds we possess!
Your MIND -->enveloped in the feminine MAYA-->this is the ->she/the woman.
Hunter--->animal instinct---all about getting what you desire, ...you search for satisfaction to  quench thirst of desires..desires of tongue...which also lead to desires of genitalia......so when Guruji has used male/female--->also implies sexual desire and sexual hunger as well as hunger/desire of tongue.
You have to note that the TONGUE and genitalia are the TWO organs that are single, and in the middle of our dualistic bodies..(we have 2 arms,hands,eyes,ears, nostrils..etc..)  But TONGUE is ONE and when one can learn to control carnal desires by using it to JAP the ONE name, then the dishonorable sexual/lower down energies get transformed as well to purer and higher energies..  (it is fact that one who can control cravings of tongue/taste.. chocolate, sweets  etc  also has very little problem controlling carnal desires
 
So what is the last line saying ??
Well, Guruji is saying that your mind, your instincts, will send you around sniffing and biting trying to find that ultimate desire.......we foolishly know that we need something to quench this unknown thirst... It's unknown because whatever we find, consume and enjoy.....we are still NEVER satisfied..... WHY?? because what the Mind is really in search for is the Jyot Saroop, ...the TRUTH ..the Sach itself......and we don't even know it and will waste our whole life consuming everything we think tastes good.
 
ONLY the SACH is what we SHOULD BE HUNTING FOR......Nothing else !
 
my answer-->the tuk is nothing about women being desires or blaming the kalyug age we live in. When you really love and have True prem for Akaal Purakh, then you don't care if the light is from the moon or sun, whether it is dark or day, whether you are born in kalyug age or not,  because you should be thankful you have benn given this ONE chance to come out of lakh chaurasi.
 
 
 
 
 

Well this is obvious, in how you view women so much lower than yourself.  You are actually the poster child for the definition of "male chauvenist".
Even if you can't yet SEE that God resides in women the same as you... it's still YOUR CHOICE to at least TREAT women equally.  
Nobody is asking you think women and men are identical.  Even two men are never identical... What Sikhi is asking you to do though is to TREAT EVERYONE EQUALLY.  Give EVERYONE the same respect and give EVERYONE the same opportunities.  Don't limit some while giving privilege to others based on stupid things like physical strength.  Those who have less physical strength are likely stronger mentally, or scientifically, or mathematically, or artistically, or musically etc.  No two people will ever be identical.  Get past gender as the only difference.  Learn to appreciate others based on their merits and what they personally bring to the table instead of judging them based on what's between their legs.  Having a penis or extra testosterone doesn't make you better, or worthy to be seen as a demi God.  You need to get over it... even if you can't yet SEE that God is in everyone equally, you can start by at least TREATING everyone equally!!!!  At least you would be espousing the qualities of God.  How you treat people is purely your own choice.  And you don't have to be a Brahamgyani to treat people equally! 
God exists in ALL.  This even includes minerals (rocks). There are different levels of unfolding consciousness ---- mineral > plant > animal > human. You are right in that the same divine light is in everything.  The difference is, and it is explained in Gurbani as such:  This HUMAN body is our CHANCE to meet and merge to Waheguru Ji.  Gurbani does NOT say this MALE body... it merely says this HUMAN body.  That pretty much says that male / female does not matter.  The human form is the highest spiritual state we can achieve to merge back with the Creator... know why???? Because as human we can finally contemplate God and ask the very questions "Who am I?" and "Why am I here?"  As animal, individual consciousness is less developed though telepathic species consciousness exists stronger.  But animals lack the developed individuality to ask those questions... in short... they can't contemplate God.  A plant even less so...   To compare the difference between male and female with the difference between human and animal is hugely wrong!!!!  Both female and male human can equally contemplate Waheguru.  And Gurbani says this HUMAN body is our chance to meet God and is RARE.  It doesn't say that only males can merge back with God... it says HUMAN.  In order for plants / animals / minerals to get to this point they too must go through spiritual unfolding consciousness and descend into individuality... because only in this SEPARATE form, with fully individual consciousness, can we actually contemplate God.  Throughout this process, gender means very little outside of propagation of the species.  
 

Paapiman is an idiot...and the one who I'd be leery of making ANY decision especially where Sikhi is concerned.  He has an obvious hate for women, is misinterpreting Gurbani for his own selfish women hating motives and it needs to stop because people do come to these forums to learn about Sikhi.  Can you imagine if a gori like me, came here to actually learn about Sikhi and saw his drivel?  She would think Sikhi sees women as not only inferior to men, but so vastly inferior to men that men are demi-Gods above  women and that women should have no say in Sikhi or in their marriage and have to be blindly obedient mindless reproductive robots that treat their husbands like the Gods they are.  
Admins: Do you REALLY want this WRONG picture of Sikhi presented in this way??? 
Page 599, Line 2
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਏਕ ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਕਰਿ ਦੇਖਹੁ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਮੋਈ ਜੀਉ ॥੨॥
Gurmukẖ ek ḏarisat kar ḏekẖhu gẖat gẖat joṯ samo▫ī jī▫o. ||2||
As Gurmukh, look upon all with the single eye of equality; in each and every heart, the Divine Light is contained. ||2||
It doesn't say look upon only men with single eye of equality or that the divine light is only in men's hearts.... And it's speaking to ALL Gurmukhs... anyone who doesn't follow it is Manmukh and is going directly against what the Gurus taught about Equality.  Paapiman thinks the above command is only for a Brahamgyani... that's his excuse so he never has to follow things he doesn't like from SGGSJ.  Therefore Paapiman is definitely decidedly MANMUKH!!!!!!!
Sikhi does NOT teach that women have to see husbands as demi-Gods.  That's a self serving lie!!!! Sikhi does not say women can't lead, and it doesn't say women must become doormats of their husbands in marriage.  In fact, marriage is supposed to be "one soul in two bodies" both equal halves of one whole.  If one is playing servant to a demi God, how they can they fulfill that one soul in two bodies analogy when one is busy inflating his Ego and the other is busy inflating it for him! while putting herself as a vastly inferior person???
Admins please do something about this!!! 
Sikh Womens Rights.pdf

It might be human psychology,
 
but seriously, a true sikh who wants to realize and experience the truth within them (Waheguru), they are seeking to go beyond everything that you write.
 
to recognize and literally see Waheguru in All...because the truth behind all the characters in this play is....that only Waheguru exists. take off the costume and see what underneath!
so, if you are stuck in this..the male needs to be like this, in order that the female to be like this and that, or else this or that might happen.....you have pretty much lost the point of where sikhi is trying to take you...
human life has been given to you to rise above all that and see the truth. Equality, because we are all one and the same in our Core...behind the drama of the world...if everything is Waheguru...who is the leader and who is the follower...He is both...when you realize that, then the leader and follower dissolves and only the One remains.
 
 
 

Paapiman is an idiot...and the one who I'd be leery of making ANY decision especially where Sikhi is concerned.  He has an obvious hate for women, is misinterpreting Gurbani for his own selfish women hating motives and it needs to stop because people do come to these forums to learn about Sikhi.  Can you imagine if a gori like me, came here to actually learn about Sikhi and saw his drivel?  She would think Sikhi sees women as not only inferior to men, but so vastly inferior to men that men are demi-Gods above  women and that women should have no say in Sikhi or in their marriage and have to be blindly obedient mindless reproductive robots that treat their husbands like the Gods they are.  
Admins: Do you REALLY want this WRONG picture of Sikhi presented in this way??? 
Page 599, Line 2
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਏਕ ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਕਰਿ ਦੇਖਹੁ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਮੋਈ ਜੀਉ ॥੨॥
Gurmukẖ ek ḏarisat kar ḏekẖhu gẖat gẖat joṯ samo▫ī jī▫o. ||2||
As Gurmukh, look upon all with the single eye of equality; in each and every heart, the Divine Light is contained. ||2||
It doesn't say look upon only men with single eye of equality or that the divine light is only in men's hearts.... And it's speaking to ALL Gurmukhs... anyone who doesn't follow it is Manmukh and is going directly against what the Gurus taught about Equality.  Paapiman thinks the above command is only for a Brahamgyani... that's his excuse so he never has to follow things he doesn't like from SGGSJ.  Therefore Paapiman is definitely decidedly MANMUKH!!!!!!!
Sikhi does NOT teach that women have to see husbands as demi-Gods.  That's a self serving lie!!!! Sikhi does not say women can't lead, and it doesn't say women must become doormats of their husbands in marriage.  In fact, marriage is supposed to be "one soul in two bodies" both equal halves of one whole.  If one is playing servant to a demi God, how they can they fulfill that one soul in two bodies analogy when one is busy inflating his Ego and the other is busy inflating it for him! while putting herself as a vastly inferior person???
Admins please do something about this!!! 
Sikh Womens Rights.pdf

So, the wife is always supposed to be follower?  Why can't a wife lead her husband down the right path?  
I always thought marriage was equal partnership where both lead each other down the right path.  Both have equal respect toward each other and equal love.  
Not a relationship of master / servant where the wife always has to be 'follower' and 'obey' while the husband is always 'in charge'.
Also what about symbolism that the husband will stay faithful to the wife? 
I know I certainly did not 'symbolize' myself becoming a doormat.... any more than he would!
 

1) Obviously if you work early etc, you can work around this
2) Music is fine.. as long as its not hatred inspired etc.  Just get in habit of asking Waheguru to help you writing your music
3) Eggs are fine as per SRM
4) start by adopting them one at a time so its not all at once.  Start with stopping cutting keh, then add a kara, then a few weeks later add kachera, then start carrying a kanga, etc.  Leave kirpan for till just before you take Amrit. Carry a small light one especially at first with a narrow gatra so you wont even notice it under your shirt.
5) Waheguru Ji knows our intent, so if you miss some nitnems I am sure you will be forgiven.  Myself I have to listen to MP3 version or youtube ones a lot - and that too WHILE I get ready for work as I already work VERY VERY early in the AM.  Key is the intent... missing a nitnem bani is not a bujjar kurehit that will nullify your Amrit.  Obviously on your days off etc make full attempts.
6) Same here... So I use iNitnem on my iPhone which displays Gurmukhi, Roman transliteration so I can see how to pronounce it, and also English translation all three at once!  It's awesome app!
 

We didn't have cake actually....
Reception was at Nageen Club right on the lake in Srinagar (Nageen Lake is attached to Dal Lake) and we had 9 varieties of veg dishes including a few local ones from kashmir like Nadru Yakhni (lotus stems) and Brinjol (they are small eggplants) and also about 6 non veg dishes for the meat eaters present on a separate table.  Also a salad table, and a staion set up for jalabies (not sure if I spelled it right) and icecream.  And dessert was actually pineapple pastry.  Also kashmiri khava (hot drink made with saffron and crushed almond).  There were over 250 people present and we had fireworks :) My hubby planned all this since I was in Canada... and he made it a memorable night! 
At the Anand Karaj, we only had about 50 people present as he didn't want it to be too much stress / pressure especially on me.  
Here is a pic... we didn't exactly match... But I wanted blue. I normally don't wear much jewelry but the necklace was from his Mother (I have never had so much real gold on me at one time, I was nervous wearing it as it's 22k solid gold. I guess it's a normal tradition for MIL to give the DIL bridal set gold jewelry - but new to me as I was not expecting it! She gave me also 4 gold bangles and the ring which covers half my finger that match the necklace but no earrings because they know I don't wear them and they are all amritdhari and piercing prohibited).  But I normally would not wear such a large necklace... now I will take it out only on very special occasions. 
By the way it's almost impossible to do anand karaj where we did :) Since it's a historical gurdwara there.. but he has connections!
 

This is not intended to spark another debate that we will only disagree on forever anyway... 
1. I got married... to the best Singh on the planet, who fully supports equality of everyone.  
2. I took Amrit. 
3. Though Panj Pyaras were five males that day, the Gurdwara where I took it, has had a woman do this seva before.  Further to this, the five addressed the women who took Amrit that day.  They said there is absolutely NO limitations placed on women in Sikhi.  They directly stated "Women who attain this level can just as easily be in the same place we are"  Even better, they then made a direct challenge to the women present with this statement "We want to see at least some of you Singhnis who are here today, be in the same place we are and do seva as Panj Pyaras someday!"  As if my day was not already awesome, THAT WAS ICING ON THE CAKE THAT MADE IT SPECTACULAR!
4. They also clarified some things:  You do NOT have to be vegetarian. It's your choice if you are (I am) but if you choose to eat meat, it can not be killed the Muslim way.  They also stated that piercings are not allowed because of the association to slavery in the past, however all other jewelry is perfectly fine. Makeup is also not prohibited.  Understanding this, I still don't wear makeup vast majority of the time anyway as I think it looks fake... except once in awhile if I have a blemish I will cover it up with some makeup.    
5.  During our Anand Karaj, we did a few things that challenged the status quo... I only had one friend and her husband present as my family could not make it.  My friend (a female) handed the palla.. A few Singhs went to object and tried to get her husband to do it, but my husband stopped them and said he wanted my friend to do it.  So thats how it happend! This was my husbands idea btw.  Though I did follow in the lavans... I would not have known enough to guage anyway when to stop as there is no screen there with translations.  For me the lavans themselves are not one leading and one following... they are both moving as one unit around Guru Ji.  It's a circle... and a circle anyway has no beginning or end, so there is no front or back.  if he moved further around who would he find in front of him?? And besides, I had more control over his movements, than he did of mine, since I controlled the slack in the palla and could make him move slower or faster based on how much slack I let get in it.  So when Singhs spout that lavans having the male in front is to denote the male's authority that she is supposed to be subject to... I laugh.  I had control over his movements, he didn't have control over mine lol.  To me it's more like a horse and chariot rider... where the male is the horse, pulling the chariot rider to the destination, but the chariot rider is the one who was in control LOL.  (I know some of you will be upset at my analogy, and try to turn it back into male 'leading' female 'following' in order to prove some point of husbands having authority or higher status over their wives but I really don't care.) 
6. My husband suggested I should stop coming here... as certain mindsets will never change and it's so not worth it to stress over opinions of others.  
 
 
 
 
 

Modelling I think is a career based entirely on false show... so I am not interested in it.  However, there are different types of modelling... Not all modelling is high fashion where the models need to be anorexic size 0 and 5'9" or taller.  In fact, that industry is HIGHLY unrepresentative of the real population!  It's fantasy... and it's entire premise is based on false illusory 'beauty' and outward show which are unsikh-like.  Regular fashion industry has models of all shapes and sizes right up to plus sizes included.  But anyway I am uninterested in endeavours which only serve to perpetuate a false reality.
Also not interested in Basketball... I'm more interested in individual sports, including horse racing, where a professional jockey can't be any taller than 5'4"!  But I still played basketball all through school in gym class... and still made quite a few hoops.  As a woman, most pro sports are not an option anyway, as nobody wants to watch women play sports.  Plus I really don't think playing a game and getting paid millions qualifies as 'earning bread by honest means' especially since much of the pro sports industry is dishonest and players 'bought' anyway.
Even in my shortness, I have driven a motorcycle (cruiser, full motorbike not a scooty).  I have skydived many times including freefall jumps, I have taken flying lessons leading to pilot license, I joined the Navy, became one of the first women to serve on submarines, taken taekwon do and kicked the butts of many taller larger guys (and I had pink sparring gear which made it all the worse for them lol), I play squash, badminton, alpine skiing, bungee jumped, ice skating, a bit of speed skating... I really dont think my height has hindered me at all. Only thing is when I was younger I was teased a lot.  People can be cruel...