Happy Diwali - Red-Letter Day for Sikhs!

Gyani Jarnail Singh · #19 (**permalink**) 18-Oct-2009, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Narayanjot Kaur

Kookar Guru da ji

A really interesting thesis you are making. I never saw the connection until you pointed it out.

This connection is absolutely correct...With one "observation"...the PAGANS are no more...to "celebrate" Christmas as Day of the SUN. Seen nay Posters in shopping Malls about the SUN ?? SO is SUNday..its for going to CHURCH..not pooja of the SUN !! on MONday no one even thinks about the MOON..or THURSday..about THOR God of thunder...

SIKHS are a MINORITY....while the Christians BECAME the MAJORITY very soon and thus "conquered" the Pagan festivals and annihilated the Pagans.
SIKHS have no such hope..not even in the distant future...

A poor man passing by the shopfront of a Bannia (money lender) was astonished to see a HUGE PILE of Cash Notes/coins in the Shop Window behidn the Glass. Nearby was a Ntice that announced" Paiseh nu paissah khichda hai"..MONEY ATTRACTS MONEY. The poor man was wonderstruck and wnated to TEST this theory..but he ahd ONLY 1 Rupee...anyway he went into the shop and holding out hsi 1 Rupee note asked the Banniah..SHOW ME HOW my Rupee cna attract that PILE of Rupees over there . The Banniah grabbed the rupee from the poor mans hand..and TOSSED IT OVER TO HIS PILE..and announced..THERE YOU SEE..my PILE being BIGGER and more powerful...attracted YOUR RUPEE. Now go and leave me in PEACE.

The SIKHS have the ONE RUPEE in hand....the Banniah will Never let them attract away his DIWALI with their one rupee bandi chhorr Divas...they are however FREE to JOIN the HEAP !! as many actually do JUST THAT..sheepishly smiling..Bnadi chhorr divas hai nah ji...

:roll eyes:

Lucy Ahmed · #20 (**permalink**) 18-Oct-2009, 14:17 PM

I SAY......

LIGHT UP YOUR HOMES AND ENJOY THE CELEBRATION!!!!!! HAPPY DIWALI!!

The "meaning" is borne in upon your attitude my fellow SPN friends.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/27078-happy-diwali-red-letter-day-sikhs.html

........I think....... Comes Christmas...there are many none Christians family are having Christmas trees up these days (in the Western world)....for the only reason...... BECAUSE OF OUR KIDS!!

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27078

PEACE BE UPON THE EARTH..

GOD IS FOR EVERYONE.

Lucy Ahmed · #21 (**permalink**) 18-Oct-2009, 14:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kanwardeep Singh

There is myth associated with Diwali that if you do pooja keep your house clean and do lighting of your house then goddess Laxmi(money) will come to your home.It is one of the main reason that it is celebrated in such a large way.After all directly or indirectly we all are worshipper of money.

Even hindu's who are hardly practising their religion turn religious on this day
as they even can't afford money to go from their house

Kanwardeep Singh......HAPPY DIWALI TO YOU.

Just DON'T pray to that Mr. Money ok.

Kookar Guru da · #22 (**permalink**) 18-Oct-2009, 15:11 PM

Vahiguru Jee Ka Khalsa
Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh !

I understand the sentiment of sister Lucy Ahmed, which is essentially to relax/chill and just enjoy the diwali celebrations. Fair enough, but should we do the same for Eid? What about the various Jain, Buddhist and Muslim holy days?

I think most people simply celebrate the diwali day to let off some paTake (fireworks), have some pakoRe and miTthiyai (sweets). I went to my local Gurdwara last night and the Giani was explaining the story of the bandi chhoR of Guru Hargobind Sahib. The sangat was large and most were listening attentively. In fact, it was a very nice atmosphere and I felt proud to be sitting with my Sikh brothers and sisters. The Giani stressed what the significance of the day is for Sikhs, distinct from the hindu ram chandar myth. I don't imagine many people there were bothered about the hindu myths.

Our local Gurdwara has the main diwan hall upstairs and the langar hall downstairs. In the langar hall there were various candles being lit, especially by children. After ardas and langar, outside in the car park the fireworks began. In the Croydon area we have a fair number of fresh Indians from Bombay etc. who travel into London to work in IT. They do not come to the Gurdwara except on diwali. Again, I don't think they are looking to celebrate some ram/sita myth, they just want an Indian feeling of paTake/pakoRe on diwali.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27078

So, my experience is that once Sikhs understand the importance of the day in Sikh history, they get the point. At least there is some kind of logic, therefore, in the Sikh celebration of bandi chhoR diwas. What do the hindus have except a bunch of myths? This is why I would say to Veer Jarnail Singh that the Sikh kaum may have only one rupee but ours is khara paissa (genuine currency), while the hindus' is khoTa paissa (counterfeit money).
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27078

Enjoy this paTaka-pakoRa period!

- Kookar Guru da

Vahiguru Jee Ka Khalsa
Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh !

Lucy Ahmed · #23 (**permalink**) 19-Oct-2009, 01:53 AM

[quote=Kookar Guru da;113735]Vahiguru Jee Ka Khalsa
Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh !

I understand the sentiment of sister Lucy Ahmed, which is essentially to relax/chill and just enjoy the diwali celebrations. Fair enough, but should we do the same for Eid? What about the various Jain, Buddhist and Muslim holy days?
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27078
==========

I say...
There's nothing as to be "should or should not". I think, if one lives in the community...then one should respect each other culture. By the way, why one should make a celebration of what is not part of one's culture? In other words, Eid is NOT part of your culture so by all means enjoy it with the community. Should you dress up like the Muslim and start cooking lamb briani...? The answer is, "NO".
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27078

In regards with lighting the candles, why not? It's part of everyone's culture in community. It is not everything about religion but it is also as part if what is ingrain in the culture of all Indians.

p/s correct me if I am wrong please..
I don't mean of any disrespect.

Narayanjot Kaur · #24 (**permalink**) 19-Oct-2009, 02:09 AM

Lucy ji
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27078

There are different levels to the discussion. I enjoy celebrations with people of other faiths and agree that there is something uplifting in doing that. The other level is directed at those of us who have forgotten the significance of the day in their practice of Sikhism -- it is a day of "liberation." Both can happen side by side, as long as the "light" is not forgotten and sad to say some forget it.

Kookar Guru da · #25 (**permalink**) 19-Oct-2009, 04:23 AM

Vahiguru Jee Ka Khalsa
Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh !

Sisters Lucy Ahmed and Narayanjot Kaur Jees, I agree with you both. I'll happily join in and celebrate other people's religious festivities, but there's a matter of degree.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27078

For example:

- Will I light a candle on diwali? Yes, OK.
- Would I like a saffron mark thumbed on my forehead? Not really.
- Will I bow to some idol? I will politely decline.
- Will I declare my undying allegiance to religion X? I will decline, not so politely.
- Will I yield to force? I think we know the answer to that one.

More complicated, and more likely, than the above is when a hindu suggests that the Sikh celebration is merely one of the many facets of his faith. When this happens, I no longer have any desire to share in his joy of some half-baked, made up, concocted myth.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27078

Even worse, when a Sikh does not understand his own religion and clings to mistaken notions of a greater hindu family, I have a reeeeal problem. I'll explain, I'll make the case, I'll cajole, but if they choose not to change, then my desire to indulge in a hindu diwali diminishes to zero. I leave the mistaken Sikh to wallow in his ignorance, but inside I feel troubled that another son of The Rider of the Blue just doesn't get it.

- Kookar Guru da

Vahiguru Jee Ka Khalsa
Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh !

Gyani Jarnail Singh · #26 (**permalink**) 19-Oct-2009, 07:29 AM

Gurbani advises us to LIGHT up the INTERNAL Lamp of GYaan - KNOWLEDGE.

IF this is alight inside of Us..then we can light a million candles or none...it doesnt matter...because we are Always in the LIGHT.

IF this Internal Candle is not lighted inside of us..then we can also light a million candles or NONE..it still doesnt matter..Because we are always in DARKNESS.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27078

The CHOICE is OURS.

Surprisingly I was listening to a proponent of SHIV YOG on TV this morning and he said the EXACT SAME THING. Also he said that IF a person is into Practsiing Shiv Yog..then his "internal Diva Lamp - is LIGHTED UP...and outside lamps dont matter at all..just childs play...BUT If his Internal Diva is OUT..then no matter how many divas he lights outside hsi house.mandir.Gurdawra/church..he is in utter DARKNESS. Further he also rubbished all that HOROSCOPE, DESTINY astrology etc stuff. He said that Shiv YOG Practise leads one towards the Path on which we WRITE OUR NEW DESTINY...we burn our horoscopes and write New Ones..we are REBORN and Masters of our own FUTURE....to me this sounded so familiar...its what Gurbani also says...once we take to PRACTISING GURBANI..we CHANGE our LIVES, we Wipe OUT past Karmas, past deeds, we write NEW destinies, New future and we take Mastery of our LIFE..we are REBORN...Khnadey Batee Dee Pahul gives us REBIRTH ...
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27078
Only the foolish continue to live on in darkness..lighting perishable lamps again and again every YEAR.

Gyani Jarnail Singh · #27 (**permalink**) 22-Oct-2009, 19:25 PM

Gurmit Ji,

You are absolutely RIGHT. SIKHS dont allow humans to portray our Gurus..their Sahibzadahs, Mehls....not even Sikhs like Maharaja Ranjit Singh or Baba Banda Singh bahadur or Shaheeds like Bhai mani Singh are allowed to be played by humans. That is why they have ANIMATED FILMS...NO ONE has ever DARED to make a Film and have live actors playing Sikh Gurus, sahibzadahs or Martyrs.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27078
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27078
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