New: Blog at Punjabi Heritage News by 3 Singhs and a Kaur

A new look for Punjab Heritage News

October 13th, 2009 by Amandeep Madra Source: news.ukpha.org

Punjab Heritage News has a new look and a fantastic new feature that will ensure that this site continues its role as the principle source of information and news about the heritage of the Punjab.


The two-decade rich archive of hundreds of news stories which has made Punjab Heritage News an invaluable resource will remain. This archive is being steadily expanded with new stories added on a regular basis and archived stories being added as they are uncovered in archives.
An invaluable new feature added to the refreshed site is a Punjab Heritage Blog which is a exciting new source of opinion and commentary from eminent experts and writers about matters relating to Punjabi and Sikh heritage


The contributors to the Punjab Heritage Blog are a broad mix of writers, experts and commentators who will provide a regular mix of stories and opinions about the heritage of the Punjab. Occasionally we will blog about a broader scope of issues reflecting the diversity of our readers and the specific interests that each of us has.


Amandeep Madra

Parmjit Singh

Parmjit Singh. Parmjit is a founding member of UKPHA. With Amandeep Madra, he co-authored ‘Warrior Saints’ and co-edited their second work, ‘Eyewitness Accounts of the Sikhs’. More recently he collaborated with Nidar Singh Nihang on the book ‘In the Master’s Presence (Kashi House, 2008). More recently, Parmjit worked as special consultant for the BBC series ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’, The Discovery Channel and other media outloets. Parmjit will blog about Sikh martial heritage


Bibi Kiranjot Kaur

Bibi Kiranjot Kaur. Kiranjot Kaur is a senior SGPC member and has previously held the position of General Secretary of the SGPC. Kiranjot Kaur has deep personal interest in Sikh material heritage and has championed high profile conservation causes. Kiranjot’s rich family heritage include her mother Bibi (Dr) Rajinder Kaur a member of the Rajya Sabha and editor of Sant Sipahi and her grandfather Master Tara Singh. Kiranjot will blog about heritage issues in addition to wide variety of Sikh political issues.
Read More:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27073 (New: Blog at Punjabi Heritage News by 3 Singhs and a Kaur)
Introducing Bibi Kiranjot Kaur : Amritsar Notes

By Kiranjot Kaur on October 12, 2009

Editor : Punjab Heritage news is delighted to introduce Bibi Kiranjot Kaur as a leading member of the blog team. Her insight into the heritage of the city of Amritsar and Sikh politics will be an invaluable addition to this site’s aims. Kiranjot Kaur explains her reasons in this opening piece…

Why Blog?

Sikhs are no longer limited to Punjab, they are a global community with its headquarter at Akal Takht Sahib Amritsar. Any Hukamnama from Akal Takht is binding on the Sikhs and affects the whole community.

Therefore happenings at Akal Takht are always of interest to the Sikhs. In the changing times new issues are being thrown up that need a discussion within the community. Technology has made it possible to overcome physical distance and build religious and spiritual closeness within the Sikhs.

On this platform I want to share my point of view and learn about the other viewpoints to be able to give a balanced input for issues that arise within the community at the relevant platforms whether at the level of SGPC or Akal Takht.

No Topic is Taboo

The life of a Sikh cannot be compartmentalized. A Sikh cannot say he is only religious and not political because Sikh Philosophy says to fight against injustice is also part of religion. Injustice is meted out by those who wield power.To bear injustice under the garb of non-violence is cowardice ! Political injustice has to be fought out politically. Sikh cultural heritage is under threat… architectural, panjabi language, sikh traditions, Sikh swaroop, etc in modern times.

Change is inevitable with time, what we need is to form an opinion upon how much and on which issues is change acceptable.

Kiranjot Kaur is a senior SGPC member and has previously held the position of General Secretary of the SGPC. Kiranjot Kaur has deep personal interest in Sikh material heritage and has championed high profile conservation causes. Kiranjot’s rich family heritage include her mother Bibi (Dr) Rajinder Kaur a member of the Rajya Sabha and editor of Sant Sipahi and her grandfather Master Tara Singh.

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Yes we Sikhs need urgently to look into how our heritage is being slowly but surely sidelined and even destroyed. The KAAR SEWA BABAS have done a "wonderful" job of buldozing all ancient historical buildings, artifacts , wells, trees, etc remaining from the Gurus Period INTO THE GROUND and erected simialr looking huge marble edifices all over them...all this destruction in the name of rebuilding Gurdwaras...
Read More:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27073 (New: Blog at Punjabi Heritage News by 3 Singhs and a Kaur)
2. An other group of Kaar sewa babas is actively seeking and DESTROYING all Old and handwritten manuscripts, sggs birs etc etc under the guise of SASKAAR of BIRDH Birs. NO Kaum destroys its books, birs and granths in this callous way simply by beleiving these are like Old HUMAN BODIES..so must be BURNT on "death". What a travesty of truth and bare faced destruction of valuable granths. Whatever the 1984 Army Attack on the Sikh Reference Library could not do these babas have done OUTSIDE the reference Library. Of late they are even into going FOREIGN Lands to seek out such old birs, gutkas etc to take back to Kirtapur and burn them.
3. A third group is now looking into doing the same ..level and rebuild with marble trick on ancient sites of Pakistani Guru Ghars...these should be stopped in their tracks..before we lose the pakistani history as well.

But What we DONT NEED is for the Bachitar Natak Granth and associated writings to "enter" through the "heritage" doorway...there are ongoing attempts to misuse the word "heritage" to promote the BNG.( Bachitar natak Granth) ....the BNG may be translations of ancient Hindu mythology, markande puran etc etc BUT its definitely not Sikh "heritage".

Gyani Ji

Gur Fateh

You are absolutely right. We have a very poor record of preserving our heritage.

I was hugely disappointed when in 1990 I visited some historical places for the first time including, Suba Sirhind, Chamkaur Sahib, Anand Pur Sahib amongst many. One site looked very much like the other and did not reflect an iota of what I had read in the books. The same has happened at Nanak Jheera, Bider – the fountain now has an enclosure incapable of arousing or caressing any sentimental attachment/feelings (shradda or sharda) welled up inside.

Regards

Rajinder Singh ‘Arshi’

When I visited Sirhind..now called Fatehgarh Sahib..my children wnated to see the Sirhind dee deewaar..where the Chhoteh Sahibzadehs were martyred ? Nowhere to be seen..finally found a small piece enshriend in a bhora inside a glass case on which a SGGS was Paraksh....they wanted to see the Thanda Burj where Mata Gujar Kaur Ji was kept prisoner...transformed into a marble enclosure..no more kachi garrhee at chamkaur..no more Bebeh nanakis House and khooh..marbled over..all Historic Khoos all marbled up and DRY..jands rooted out, kilas, forts all are crumbling..the Forts at Anandpur Sahib are just places on a map...and on the other hand in numerous historical Gurdwaras i saw GHOR MANMATT..trees wrapped in red cloths, tharras and marhees, etc etc all with "signboards" placed nearby giving a distorted version of history (fake tall tales) signed by the Manager. and so on to give an air of authority. This Holy tree was used by so and so to tie his horse...what remains is a DEAD STUMP, with Marble Tharra around it, a red cloth/rumallas covering it, enclosured and people matha teking money into the goluck placed nearby...EVERY CORNER you TURN..there is a GOLUCK...some even having LIVE BABAS with tokrees who stare at you if you pass by without donating...all this is VAPAAR..plain and simple..DAY LIGHT ROBBERY of sikh sangats FOOLISH enough to matha tek to dead tree stumps.

I am amazed that the article drew replies. But very happy it did. Bibi Kiranjot Kaur you know has taken her share of flack for her efforts having been accused of misdirection of funds. I am not sure if she was fired but she had been the General Secretary of the SGPC. Maybe she resigned. Maybe she is still there. However, she is the only person who made a stand with the recent (2007?) attempt of the Badal Government to remove " believes in one God" from the proposed SRM revision, by tabling the discussion. That is why we don't hear about it any more. Parmjit Singh is co-author of "In the Master's Presence" with Nihang Niddar Singh and has taken a lot flack from the GS Lamba crowd for doing that. I do not know too much about Amandeep Madra so cannot say anything. These are actually individuals with strong fibre. That is why I posted this article.

the Lamba crowd has named its Bachitar natak promo sites "heritage"..this and heritage that. That is what i drew attention to. Knowing that "heritage" strikes a chord in some sikhs..they hope to get some of that traffic to their sites, which are rehashed bng propoganda and not really sikh heritage at all.