dalsingh101 Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 (edited) Before the advent of matches (sinkaan), do we know how nihangs/Singhs would have started fires for cooking etc. say whilst in the jungles when temporarily camping? DO we know or have we lost this knowledge? Edited January 21, 2011 by dalsingh101 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SURYADEV Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 Rubbing wood and tinder with a bit of saltpetre/gunpowder?! IMO knowledge of making fire isn't a major thing in itself, as a piece of knowledge to preserve by sikhs. Pick up any survival book and you'll get plenty of ideas. Though I must admit, making fire is a lot harder than its generally made out to be. Took me about 2 hours of rubbing wood together....cold food seemed a better idea. Personally I'd carry a disposable fag lighter or a flint stick. Plus to make fire you need to be prepared, in terms of already having dry tinder with you at hand . otherwise you'll be spending days just drying out grass, tinder etc. before even starting a fire. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chatanga1 Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 maybe once they did the hard part of getting a fire, going, they tried to keep it burning by adding butter etc. like a deeva, you know just to keep the fire from going out. That seem reasonable? Remember in the Chhota Ghallughara, the Moghals set fires to the jungle where the Sikhs were hiding, so i would imagne that they had the ability to start large fires at their disposal, and it wouldnt be no problem in starting a fire. I think that whatever methods they used, were widely known to common people at that ktime. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laalsingh Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 I still remember, few decades back, when use of matches was not that common, people used to keep paathi (made of cow dung) after they are done with kitchen. They keep it ਸੁਲਗਦੀ ( i don't know the English word), so that it can be used next day or next meal. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsingh101 Posted January 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 They keep it ਸੁਲਗਦੀ ( i don't know the English word), so that it can be used next day or next meal. I think the English word you are looking for is 'smoulder'. Thanks for this but I was actually wondering about how they would have started fires whilst on the go, moving from place to place. One could do what you mention if one was staying in one location, but it wouldn't be feasible whilst on the move. I presume they knew about flint stones? (And I don't mean the Yabba daba do type!). If they had gunpowder (black powder), which was likely given the warfare going on, they could have used some of that to help as well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laalsingh Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 I think the English word you are looking for is 'smoulder'. Thanks for this but I was actually wondering about how they would have started fires whilst on the go, moving from place to place. One could do what you mention if one was staying in one location, but it wouldn't be feasible whilst on the move. I presume they knew about flint stones? (And I don't mean the Yabba daba do type!). If they had gunpowder (black powder), which was likely given the warfare going on, they could have used some of that to help as well. Two small stones or piece of iron plus very dry wood. Once you get reddish sign, use bhookna to make it full fire. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SURYADEV Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 I think the English word you are looking for is 'smoulder'. Thanks for this but I was actually wondering about how they would have started fires whilst on the go, moving from place to place. One could do what you mention if one was staying in one location, but it wouldn't be feasible whilst on the move. I presume they knew about flint stones? (And I don't mean the Yabba daba do type!). If they had gunpowder (black powder), which was likely given the warfare going on, they could have used some of that to help as well. Even smouldering embers can be used if you are one the move. They are simply stored in a metal container with ventilation. The embers are just topped up with little bit more paathi/hardwood/coal to keep it smouldering. I recall reading about this technique being used by some ancient culture. I cant remember which. In some deras these days. Smouldering paathis are still kept overnight in the choola, sometimes with a wood log placed on top to keep it going till morning. Otherwise, if all fails, you can still rely on your BRAHAM-ASTRA! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chatanga1 Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Otherwise, if all fails, you can still rely on your BRAHAM-ASTRA! why do it the hard way? just invoke Agni Dev. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsingh101 Posted January 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Otherwise, if all fails, you can still rely on your BRAHAM-ASTRA! why do it the hard way? just invoke Agni Dev. I think this is the type of stuff that makes kids think this forum is Hindu/sanatan? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SURYADEV Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 I think this is the type of stuff that makes kids think this forum is Hindu/sanatan? Oh.....but.....isn't it???? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsingh101 Posted January 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Oh.....but.....isn't it???? No **** told me! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSD1 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Judging by how haphazard many nihangs were they probably used their flintlock muskets or pistols. Pulling the trigger with the gun upside down near some tinder may have started a fire, though if they were all using matchlocks then I'm not sure how they would have done it. But did they need to use fire? Someone once told me that nihangs used to eat cold spiced chick peas (i dont know what they're called in punjabi) because they didnt have time to go hunting or carry cookable food with them. You'd think on a predominantly sanatan site someone would know a bit more about this lol. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SURYADEV Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 If the Chick Peas (sholae) are anything like the stuff that you get from EastEnd or Natco then the Nihangs of old must have lost all their teeth. Those things are stone hard! Though I think the fresh sholae are softer like normal peas. However being natural and fresh they can't have lived off those before they went off. Living through the winters of Pb I would think that they must have had hot food and drink just to survive the cold. If anyone gets to meet the old native indians of America learn from them how to cook then preserve foodstuff for seasons at a time. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsingh101 Posted January 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) Judging by how haphazard many nihangs were they probably used their flintlock muskets or pistols. Pulling the trigger with the gun upside down near some tinder may have started a fire, though if they were all using matchlocks then I'm not sure how they would have done it. Interesting. I read some quote by Malcolm I think (well it was from the first half of the 19th century whoever wrote it), and it specifically referred to nihangs bowling about with matchlocks even then. I'm wondering when flintlocks became common in Panjab? In anycase, from what I understand even with a flintlock you had to stick gunpowder in the 'pan' with every shot. That is some long arse process! lol Someone once told me that nihangs used to eat cold spiced chick peas (i dont know what they're called in punjabi) What - gol guppay? lol If the Chick Peas (sholae) are anything like the stuff that you get from EastEnd or Natco then the Nihangs of old must have lost all their teeth. Those things are stone hard! Try soaking them overnight first pendu! lol Hang on. Are you talking about those dry roasted spicey ones? Actually I remember a very early Euro account of Singhs mentioning that they mainly ate 'vetches and tares' whatever the heck they might might be. If I recall rightly the way it described the nihang 'luxury dish' was some roti broken into pieces and soaked in daal...... and that's when they were in 'full leisure' apparently. Those nihangs were a spartan lot....wonder what happened to make so many of them become pot bellied? Too much 'full leisure' I guess? If anyone gets to meet the old native indians of America learn from them how to cook then preserve foodstuff for seasons at a time. I saw a Ray Mears show once and I think they used to make thin strips of raw meat and then salt them heavily, leaving them out to dry in the sun on lines. They would start a small smokey fire underneath the drying meat, to keep flies off through the ਧੂੰਆਂ. Edited January 23, 2011 by dalsingh101 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsingh101 Posted January 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) Just out of interest. A slowed down flintlock firing. Forgive the waspy apparel but this is a good one showing the whole process of firing a flintlock. Here's a matchlock being set up and fired: Edited January 23, 2011 by dalsingh101 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SURYADEV Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) Try soaking them overnight first pendu! lol Hang on. Are you talking about those dry roasted spicey ones? I saw a Ray Mears show once and I think they used to make thin strips of raw meat and then salt them heavily, leaving them out to dry in the sun on lines. They would start a small smokey fire underneath the drying meat, to keep flies off through the ਧੂੰਆਂ. Haha. If nihangs had the luxury to soak chickpeas overnight then general nihangi haute cuisine shouldn't be a problem - even including cooking over a fire. Your almost right there. First Nation warriors would salt and smoke the meat slowly. Once cooked the meat would be cooled and put into bags made of leather or some other innards of an animal, eg stomach. That bag would then be stashed in a small pit underground during the harsh winter. If and when the warriors would later pass that area they would have a ready supply of food waiting for them (unless the wild beasts got there first!). All they had to do was eat it by chewing for a long while to soften it up. Edited January 23, 2011 by SURYADEV 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSD1 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Are you talking about those dry roasted spicey ones? Yes. Though I'm now beginning to think the old singh who told me this may have been pulling my leg as I dont know if they had snacks like that back then. wonder what happened to make so many of them become pot bellied? Too much 'full leisure' I guess? Oi, enough of the sarcasm. You do know that the very presence of the pot-bellied nihangs today is what keeps the mughals, afghans, marathas and EIC from attacking us?;D 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSD1 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) Interesting. I read some quote by Malcolm I think (well it was from the first half of the 19th century whoever wrote it), and it specifically referred to nihangs bowling about with matchlocks even then. I'm wondering when flintlocks became common in Panjab? In anycase, from what I understand even with a flintlock you had to stick gunpowder in the 'pan' with every shot. That is some long arse process! lol I think the french mercenaries or EIC brought them as gifts to the Lahore Court. They were then mass produced at places like Wazirabad gun works and the other factories/foundries. Though in Niddar's Book 'In The Master's Presence' the nihangs had all sorts of muskets/rifles/blunderbusses/carbines etc. Edited January 23, 2011 by HSD 2 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amardeep Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 look this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLVy05rnck0 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsingh101 Posted January 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 This is straight crazy! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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