SURYADEV

Apparently Fauja Singh is a torchbearer. He will be running in Borough of newham, london.

http://www.london2012.com/torch-relay/torchbearers/community=the-london-borough-of-newham/index.html

You will see that there are many similarities betwenn the dieties, belifs, and myths between all cultures, places and races of the world.

SOme would call it Sanatan Dharma ie the original, ancient 'religion' that has been on this world since dawn of time.

Seems like an interesting mission you're proposing Chatanga!

Anyone know where this gurdwara is in Rajasthan/gujrat?

Methinks i should start sending out Direct Debit forms to everyone so that you can send your daswand to me to help pay for this seva.

I always thought that Reheraswas a composite bani, and that there is no proper, original version. I do the Nanaksar/Hazoor Sahib version yet I 've also heard Nihangs of Hazoor Sahib add chunks of Chandi di Vaar to their Reheras path.

As Dalsingh stated, I also believe the 'more is better' philosophy of Reheras.

The word is made up of two parts. Reh and ras. Meaning Correct/rightful and route('rasta'), respectively. Meaning it is a bani that puts you on the correct path. It is read at sunset/evening times because that is when traditionally one would start going on the 'wrong' path ie bring out the glassy, visit prostitutes, sit down with mates for idle gossip/nindiya etc. If you spend more time reading rehras then you will have less time to commit other deeds.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2151143/Climate-change-wiped-worlds-great-civilisations-4-000-years-ago.html

Latest research shows that climate change caused the decline of Indus Valley civilisation and Saraswati river!

So it wasn't the 'Aryan Invasion' that caused thier demise!? as western historians always claimed.

I see where you are coming from, but if you ask any fighter, whether eastern martial artist or western. They will all agree that there is nothing 'martial' about stick twirling/gatka. No way on gods earth can this be utilised in any form of combat.

If one were to state that its a martial sport - ie games or a play derived from a fighting system, then yes I would agree with that.

But really no way can you still argue that gatka is a martial art!!

Good work Dalsingh.

You've earned yourself a year in sawarg for this.

Anyone got any more sources about indian history/archaeology from Indian perspective, rather than European perspective?

An interesting site I came across about ancient Indian history. I haven't read the scholars papers but sounds interesting from what I've watched on youtube.

He's a Vedic scholar though ethnically a Greek.

From what I gather he takes a Indo-centric approach to indian pre-history, ie counter argues the Aryan Invasion theory etc.

BTW when he talks of Sapt Sindu, he is on about Panjab! Incase you want any relevance to this site.

http://www.omilosmeleton.gr/en/default_en.asp

You dont have a proper English or Panjabi version of this letter?

Just replace her name with Mrs Kaur, her language as Panjabi (Gurmukhi), her tribe as Panjabi. And this my fellows is the exact report your great, great grandhildren will be reading in years to come:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17537845

Nepal's mystery language on the verge of extinction

By Bimal GautamBBC News, Nepal

Gyani Maiya Sen, a 75-year-old woman from western Nepal, can perhaps be forgiven for feeling that the weight of the world rests on her shoulders.

She is the only person still alive in Nepal who fluently speaks the Kusunda language. The unknown origins and mysterious sentence structures of Kusunda have long baffled linguists.

As such, she has become a star attraction for campaigners eager to preserve her dying tongue.

Madhav Prasad Pokharel, a professor of linguistics at Nepal's Tribhuwan University, has spent a decade researching the vanishing Kusunda tribe.

Professor Pokharel describes Kusunda as a "language isolate", not related to any common language of the world.

"There are about 20 language families in the world," he said, "among them are the Indo-European, Sino-Tibetan and Austro-Asiatic group of languages.

"Kusunda stands out because it is not phonologically, morphologically, syntactically and lexically related to any other languages of the world.

'Very sad'

He warns that if the Kusunda language becomes extinct, "a unique and important part of our human heritage will be lost forever".

Even if some of the lofty intellectual arguments for preserving the Kusunda language are lost on Ms Sen, she is acutely aware of how its demise affects her personally.

"Fortunately I can also speak Nepali, but I feel very sad for not being able to speak my own language with people from my own community," she said.

"Although there are still other people from the Kusunda tribe still alive, they neither understand nor speak the language.

"Other Kusunda people... can only speak a few Kusunda words, but can't communicate [fully] in the language."

Ms Sen fears there will be no-one to speak the Kusunda language after her death.

"The Kusunda language will die with me," she reflects, while lamenting the failure of the government and academics to help transfer the language to the next generation.

Although no detailed figures are available, the Central Bureau of Statistics says that only about 100 Kusunda tribespeople remain - but only Ms Sen can speak the language fluently.

A few years ago, there were two other people - from a mid-western Nepalese village - who spoke the Kusunda language fluently.

They were Puni Thakuri and her daughter Kamala Khatri.

But since then Puni Thakuri has died and Kamala has left the country in search of a job.

Ms Sen - despite her age - still ekes out a living as a stone-crusher. But outside of the workplace she finds that she is increasingly in demand from linguistics students wanting to learn the Kusunda language with her help.

They are documenting it in a bid to keep this rare language alive.

Researchers have so far identified three vowels and 15 consonants in the Kusunda language.

Threat to tribe

The Kusunda tribe to which Ms Sen belongs is nomadic. As hunters and gatherers, they live in huts in the jungle and carry bows and arrows to hunt wild animals.

While the males of the tribe hunt, women and children stay at home and search for wild fruits.

The Kusunda - a short and sturdy people - refer to themselves by the word "myak" in their language. They kill monitor lizards ("pui") and wild fowls ("tap").

Linguists and tribal campaigners are now demanding that the government introduce specific programmes to uplift the Kusunda tribe and protect their language.

But no such policy is on the cards, at least in immediate future.

"We do not have any specific programme to preserve this language," admitted Narayan Regmi, spokesperson of the Ministry of Culture.

The National Ethnographic Museum had meanwhile conducted a study on 10 different Nepalese ethnic groups including the Kusunda.

Its research has reached a grim conclusion. The entire Kusunda tribe is on the verge of disappearing along with its last fluent speaker in Nepal.

another thing...

to start off with we can have local reading group get togethers where we recite panjabi poetry, stories even plays. Eventually , individuals can write and perform their own works.

Have fortnightly/monthly meet ups to perform; meet and greet new people - maybe find a wife (note to self)- , get the sikh channels to broadcast some of these programmes as opposed to the current obbsession with vasakhi nagar kirtans from around the world.

Once every year we can have a inter/national meet up........

Just think guys.....what could we achieve.......................

Problem is, our Punjabis are becoming Sanskritised while the Pakistanis are becoming Persianised/Arabicised in knowledge of the Punjabi language. We got to preserve our sabhyacharak pehchaan and ithaas (cultural identity and history).

If panjabi is becoming sanskritised, then isn't it just going back to its original form; its own mother-tongue? That can only be a good thing IMO.

One way we may be able to get wider audience for Panjabi is to publish high quality themed books on Panjabi poetry. I'm thinking along the lines of original love/philosophical poems in Panjabi translated into English. Think of the works of Rumi, Khalil Gibran, Tagore etc etc.

There must be an audience for this type of literature , whether Punjabis or non Indians. Once they fall in love with the translated works maybe they will want to study the original texts in its native language.

#Just look at the amount of love stories we have : Heer ranjah, Sassi Punno , the list goes on .

Then there is the works of Gurbani which is about the ultimate expression of love and passion. What a way to increase awareness and knowledge of Panjabi AND spread the spiritual message of Guru Nanak!

I think that was the time i actually became a panjabi lingual activist, if there is such a term.

well you've coined the phrase now.

So what are the ideals of a PANJABI LINGUAL ACTIVIST?

What is the ultimate goal of the PLA? (sounds like some terror organisation)

By what methods does a PLA achieve their goals?

How do we go about creating awareness and then greater activism?

If you are the boss of the PLA how do I nominate myself for meeth-pardhan?

I can see the point of it if this was done in India but abroad oh come on now? Do they know, they are dealing with different mindset abroad, they don't understand nor they expected to understand ust an small glimpse demonstration of sikh chivalry....According to their mindset, rightly so they see child being abused.

I think before we show our sikh chivalry we need to go back to basics educate about sikhs and sikh philology etc...i hate when our apne think or assume they can walk anywhere with an sense of entitlement everywhere expecting positive media coverage by pulling out an stunt like this by automatically assuming people already know about sikhs and our history or expect people to automatically know about them.

true said.

yep.

Neither do I see any martial prowess.

its the simply stuff you see at the visiting circus freak show.

But having said that....everyone is entitled to their 15mins of fame and money, however they achieve that. So fair play to them.

I agree with you there.

I'm questioning the way the GOI or Indan prison system seems to be working regarding rajoana.

You say it would be starnge if they stopped all his communications now to the outside world, I would say that is normal for a regime holding a political prisoner. As soon as they find that they cant control the flow of information or popularity dont you think they would try to silence him by transferring him from gaol to gaol (like they did with many men in Pb) or placing him incommunicado?

To me the actions of the govt just seem too liberal or PC. Even too observant of his Human Rights!

One thing that is confusing me are these letters that are periodically being sent out by Rajoana.

Knowing that his case is politically volatile and has agitated the people in Pb and knowing what 'power/influence' he wields.

Why is the govt allowing him to write letters to the outside world? Normally anyone on death row is kept virtually in isolation, yet he is apparently mixing in with other convicts, sending messages outside and even able to make media interviews (unless those are old clips being shown). Also physically he has put on a lot of weight whilst inside and looks very healthy.

Somehow these are not things I expect from the Indian judicial/prison system. Maybe I've just got it all wrong and they do look after their prisoners?!

Some would say that they can smell a macchi.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140759/Days-Raj-Huge-collection-photographs-showing-life-India-century-ago-shoebox.html

Also a pic of some Bengali hindus playing gatka.

When do these things change from being 'cool' to being 'silly' to being simply 'child abuse'?

Not able to post the article, so heres the link:

http://www.dailymail...t-year-old.html

Bharosa and Dhubda.

Thats what i was thinking.

I'd say the modern analogy would be the 'Law of Attraction'. ie Having the belief and expectation of certain things happening. I would say thats the whole purpose of the mindset of Chardi Kala too.

I recall someone posting those but the lingo seemed very modern Panjabi. DOnt know whether it was supposed to be the original words or just modern translation.

Yep my mind is that open you can see my brain.

Haha, you're both wrong ... It's actually SudoCREM' and for total respect it's 'Sri Sudocrem Sahib Jee'

Oh Twadi..... better go to pesh then before they make me a tankhaya..... Now where did I leave my Kakar??

Not early been at it since last night!!!!

Sort of a 24hr Rhen sabhai thingy.