Freed Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 Gurfateh ! I get many messages from people asking where I get the pictures from that I post - there is no secret I just get them from books and from the net. I grew up in the 1970s - those who think there is a dearth of material on Sikhi nowadays should of seen what it was like then ! I have never been able to get enough material on Sikhi - it borders on OCD ! I am not very computer 'savvy' - but ever since the internet I have collected loads of pics - unfortunately my computer was "corrupted" (don't know what that means) and I lost loads of stuff !! ever since then I have tried to share as many of the interesting pics I have found - I have also learnt how to use a scanner ( yes I am living in the stone age! a proper Luddite ) so I can share pictures that have moved me and perhaps others will enjoy ! Anyway enough of the Biog !!! Here are some of my most favourite images - They are Underwood and Underwood Stereoscopic images from the early 1900s. Most images of Amritsar are Static pictures of the Harimandir Sahib - I love these as they show the real people of Amritsar. The smiling faces and clothes are fascinating - I especially love the Bookseller picture - which shows Sikhs have always bought Sikh pictures as souvenirs of Amritsar (perhaps they had more taste in the last century as you don't see any of the 'cartoon' type calender portraits of today !) The faces seem so familiar, it feels like you know them. Enjoy the pictures and share them with your friends (hope that doesn't infringe any copyright !!!) !! Bookseller of Amritsar c.1900 Schoolboys of Amritsar c.1900 'Fakirs' at Amritsar c.1900 Bhangian da tope - Kim's Gun - Lahore c.1900 Symbol of the Sikhs' Victory over the Afghans - the 'Zamzama' or 'taker of strongholds' has the Persian inscription "a destroyer even of the strongholds of Heaven". Cast by Shah Nazir for Ahmad Shah Durrani it was paid for by a tax, imposed on the Sikhs and Hindus of Lahore in 1760- every family had to contribute a copper or brass vessel towards it's manufacture. It was used in the 3rd battle of Panipat 1761. When the Bhangi Misl led by Sardar Hari Singh attacked Lahore they took the Gun - hence it is called the 'Bhangian di Tope' It changed hands among the misaldaars and was used against the Ramgarhia and Kanhaiya Misls by the Bhangis - eventually it fell into the hands of Maharaja Ranjit Singh - who used it in his famous campaigns & victories such as Kasoor and Multan. It now lies on the Mall Road opposite the Panjab University at Lahore Pakistan. Those of you who were probably made to read the very 'un PC' Kim by Kipling at school (like I did) will know the gun as 'Kim's Gun' Beautiful Pictures - each one tells hundreds of stories !! ENJOY! Ranjit Singh 'Freed' 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freed Posted April 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 *I forgot to add - These pictures are from the Collection of the Ames Library - University of Minnesota USA 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
challenge_everything Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 freed man ure too wikid- balle tere - keep looking thru the books! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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