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Vaar Jaitsaree (705-710)
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Vaar Sat (841-843)
Chhant (843-848)
Vaar Bilaaval (849-855)
Bhagat Bani (855-858)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੋਂਡ | Raag Gond
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Dakhnee (929-938)
Sidh Gosat (938-946)
Vaar Ramkalee (947-968)
ਰਾਗੁ ਨਟ ਨਾਰਾਇਨ | Raag Nat Narayan
Gurbani (975-980)
Ashtpadiyan (980-983)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਲੀ ਗਉੜਾ | Raag Maalee Gauraa
Gurbani (984-988)
Bhagat Bani (988)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਰੂ | Raag Maaroo
Gurbani (889-1008)
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Kaafee (1014-1016)
Ashtpadiyan (1016-1019)
Anjulian (1019-1020)
Solhe (1020-1033)
Dakhni (1033-1043)
ਰਾਗੁ ਤੁਖਾਰੀ | Raag Tukhaari
Bara Maha (1107-1110)
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ਰਾਗੁ ਕੇਦਾਰਾ | Raag Kedara
Gurbani (1118-1123)
Bhagat Bani (1123-1124)
ਰਾਗੁ ਭੈਰਉ | Raag Bhairo
Gurbani (1125-1152)
Partaal (1153)
Ashtpadiyan (1153-1167)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਸੰਤੁ | Raag Basant
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Gurbani (1197-1200)
Partaal (1200-1231)
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Chhant (1236-1237)
Vaar Saarang (1237-1253)
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Gurbani (1254-1293)
Partaal (1265-1273)
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"Militant" Sikhs Ruin Wedding After Barricading Temple
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<blockquote data-quote="Archived_Member16" data-source="post: 167240" data-attributes="member: 884"><p><strong>Re: Militant Sikhs ruin wedding after barricading temple</strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red"><u>AS A MATER OF INTEREST</u></span>:</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: Navy">S.G.P.C. says a Sikh is one with untrimmed hair. And so makes half the community apostate. </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">This legal hair-splitting may strip Sikhs in Punjab and elsewhere of their religious identity. On January 16, the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (S.G.P.C.), which runs all Sikh religious institutions in Punjab and is commonly referred to as the Sikh parliament, filed an affidavit in the Punjab and Haryana High Court defining who is a Sikh. Going by this definition, all those with shorn or even partially trimmed hair are 'patit' or apostate, even if they practise the faith in all other ways. Given that a lot of Sikhs today trim their hair, and many have done away with the turban too, the S.G.P.C.'s definition would render more than 70 per cent of Sikhs apostates. </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">It all began quite innocuously, when some students from Amritsar filed a petition before the Punjab and Haryana High Court for being denied admission under the 'Sikh quota' in an S.G.P.C.-run educational institution on grounds that they did not qualify as 'Sikhs' because they had trimmed their hair. </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">The students contended that they were 'Sehajdhari Sikhs', a term loosely used for Sikhs with shorn hair. At this, the high court asked the S.G.P.C. to define a 'Sehajdhari Sikh' exactly and the importance of hair in Sikhism. Its response triggered a furious debate within the community on a subject that is vital to their identity. </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">The S.G.P.C. had filed an affidavit in December, where it said it wasn't mandatory for a 'Sehajdhari Sikh' (which it defined as novices entering the Sikh faith) to preserve body hair. However, if a Sehajdhari took the next step and became a 'keshdhari', any trimming of hair subsequently would make him 'patit'. Conservative Sikh religious bodies and institutions baulked at this accommodating definition, accusing the S.G.P.C. of diluting the faith and playing into the hands of 'R.S.S. elements within its ranks'. </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">Rattled, the S.G.P.C. filed an amended affidavit on January 16, categorically declaring that those with trimmed hair had no place in Sikhism. This, in effect, extended recognition to only two categories of Sikhs - Amritdharis, or baptised Sikhs, also called 'Khalsas'; and Sehajdhari or novice Sikhs. Amritdhari Sikhs, who are few in number, undergo an 'amrit chakhna' baptism, taking vows that bind them to a set of very stringent rules. The new definition puts those who are not baptised and also trim their hair, beard or eyebrows as 'patits' even if they are born Sikhs, believe in the Granth Sahib and the gurus, and perform prayers and other ceremonies as per Sikh traditions. An overwhelming number of rural Sikh youth and N.R.I.s born in Sikh homes fall in this category. </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">This amended definition, though it has appeased conservative religious bodies, has caused considerable unease, even disgust, within the wider Sikh community at what is being seen as increased rigidity and intolerance in a religion that was born out of a reaction to fundamentalist forces in medieval times. </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">Even some 'hardline' Sikhs have expressed disapproval. Declares advocate R.S. Bains, best known for his determined defence of Khalistan extremists in the courts: 'I am a shorn Sikh and till his retirement, my father, Justice (retd.) Ajit Singh Bains (a well-known Khalistan sympathiser too), also had shorn hair. If we are not Sikhs, then who is? Even at the height of the Khalistan movement, most militants were clean-shaven. By ignoring reality, our religious clergy is risking cutting itself off from the mainstream with its narrow vision.' </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">The all-pervasive presence of 'shorn Sikhs' was starkly brought before the courts when, in the course of a hearing, one of the judges noticed that the counsel for the S.G.P.C., Gurminder Singh Gill, was himself an apostate, as per the definition he had placed before the court. Nevertheless, Gill told Outlook: 'For myself, I am very clear that if I am in a faith, then I should conform or be prepared to be tagged as an apostate. The physical form of a Sikh is manifested through unshorn hair. Not only does he have the duty to keep his own hair unshorn but also that of keeping his child's hair intact.' </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">Well-known theatre director Neelam Mansingh, who hails from a prominent Sikh family of Amritsar that boasted of several priests, adopted a more liberal interpretation of her faith when she agreed to the wish of her two growing boys to shed their turbans. 'Soon after the boys had cut their hair,' she recalls, 'my father came to live with us. I was very apprehensive of his reaction. But he did an 'ardas' for the boys and told me that Guru Nanak never had long hair. And that it is written in the Guru Granth Sahib, 'Baal mein na dharam hota hai, na karam' (Neither duty nor honour lies in the hair)'. Mansingh added: 'We Sikhs need to become more open, and preserve the beauty of our faith rather than get dogged about external forms. The S.G.P.C. is alienating a whole generation of youngsters . . . It does not really represent the vast majority of Sikhs.' </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">One of the first to raise his voice against the new definition of Sikhs was the resident editor of the Hindustan Times Chandigarh edition, Kanwar Sandhu. In a candid weekly column, he wrote about his own failure to adopt the rigorous rules followed by a baptised Sikh, yet argued persuasively that it didn't affect his right to be a believing Sikh. </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">Opposition to the S.G.P.C.'s rigid stance is also coming from within the clergy. Bhai Ranjit Singh, a former jathedar of the Akal Takht, told Outlook, 'As I see it, 'patits' or apostates are only those who have defaulted (trimmed their hair) after getting baptised. It does not apply to non-baptised Sikhs. The rights of a Sikh, born into a Sikh family, cannot be taken away on these grounds.' </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">Almost everyone agrees that the S.G.P.C., having been far too busy with politics, has done precious little to inculcate Sikh norms and values among the community, and is now trying to assert itself by dictating rigid rules and conditions. Sandhu, for instance, points to the inability of the ruling Akali Dal, the all-powerful political limb of the S.G.P.C., to enforce Sikh rules and tenets despite having been in power several times over in Punjab. 'Though all forms of Sikhs can enlist in the armed forces, only those who strictly follow the Sikh Rehat Maryada (religious code) can enlist in the Sikh regiment . . . Ironically, there is no such stipulation in any wing of Punjab's own police!' he points out. </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">As for the down-to-earth Punjabi farmer, he couldn't care less about quibbling theologians. He would rather go by what the state's best-known floriculturist Avtar Singh Dhindsa has to say: 'Whether I display the outward forms of my religion or not is a personal matter. It does not take away my Sikhism from me.' In fact, he adds, 'I may be a better Sikh than them in many ways.' Amen. </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"><a href="http://www.sikhtimes.com/news_021609a.html" target="_blank">http://www.sikhtimes.com/news_021609a.html</a></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">************************************************************</span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"><strong>The Code for Anand Sanskar (Marriage Ceremony): </strong></span></p><p> <span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">English version:</span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">Code 2: Anand Sanskar (K): The marriage of a person of other religion cannot be solemnized according to the customs of Anand. </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">Such marriages where one spouse does not belong to Sikhism are being performed by many Gurdwaras without any realization that they are violating the code of Anand Sanskar. This type of marriage is becoming common among the Sikhs especially in the Western world. Yet no Gurdwara has ever refused to perform such marriages and even no Sikh authority has ever raised any objection to the violation of this code. If "unmat walian" is interpreted as "Non-Kesadharis" or "Non-Amritdharis" then the violation of that code becomes more prevalent and serious one that has been ignored by many Gurdwaras and the Sikh authorities.</span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"><a href="http://www.iuscanada.com/journal/articles/art003.html" target="_blank">http://www.iuscanada.com/journal/articles/art003.html</a></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">**************************************************************</span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"><strong>Q: What are Sikh beliefs on Inter-Faith marriage?</strong></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">A: Sikh: A follower of Sikhism. Sikh is a word derived from Sanskrit. Literally translated, the word means disciple or student. In the Sikh faith, the word Sikh means someone who strives to learn about God, is a seeker of God and truth, and someone who follows Guru Granth Sahib Ji to achieve such goals.'). Sikh Guru: A spiritual leader sent by God. Gu means Darkness and Ru means Light. Literally translated, Guru means \'The Light that dispels darkness\'. Guru is a highly spiritual teacher who has been sent to Earth by God and is in direct communion with God. There has been a total of 10 living Sikh Gurus, who brought knowledge of God. The eternal Guruship (spiritual and temporal authority) lye in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji (the Sikh Holy Scripture compiled by Sikh Gurus and other devotees who themselves have attained salvation).')Gurus showed a lifestyle which one can follow to meet God. It is better to get married to someone with whom you share similar beliefs than to marry out of religion. Sikhism does not state that marrying out of religion is wrong or a sin. However, the marriage has a far better chance of success if the couple belongs to the same religion. Since beliefs can differ and can cause conflicts, it is better to be with someone with the same belief system.</span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">The more a married couple has in common, the more likely their marriage will be successful. When a couple disagrees on basic core values and beliefs, it can lead to additional stress, conflicts, and disappointment. The issue of how kids are raised can be especially problematic. The decision regarding which teaching and beliefs should the children be taught can become difficult to deal with.</span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">Sikhism is a modern religion, and instructs that all humans are created equal. In no way Sikhism states that one should not marry another human because they are less of human or inferior. All humans are equal but people from different religions have different beliefs. The difference in beliefs system and lifestyle is the main reason to marry within the religion.</span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">A Sikh: A follower of Sikhism. Sikh is a word derived from Sanskrit. Literally translated, the word means disciple or student. In the Sikh faith, the word Sikh means someone who strives to learn about God, is a seeker of God and truth, and someone who follows Guru Granth Sahib Ji to achieve such goals.')". Sikh can get married out of the religion if they choose to, however they cannot do so in the Gurdwara Sahib: Sikh place of worship or Sikh Church.</span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p> <span style="color: Navy">Gurdwara Sahib is a compound word created by combining Gur, meaning Guru and Dwara, meaning door or house. Thus the word Gurdwara means the door or house of the Guru. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is always present at the Gurdwara Sahib.')" "Gurdwara Sahib since Anand Karaj: Anand Karaj is the Sikh Marriage Ceremony. Anad Karaj is held in the present of the Sikh Scripture, Guru Granth Sahib Ji by reciting four verses. Sikh Marriage is a spiritual bond between a man and a woman in the presence of God.')" .Anand Karaj (Sikh Marriage Ceremony) is very spiritual, religious and a promise with God. </span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy">In order to live a peaceful lifestyle to accomplish the purpose of the human life, one should get married to a Sikh so that the couple can together carry on their journey on the path showed by Sikh Gurus.</span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"></span></p><p><span style="color: Navy"><a href="http://realsikhism.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1253135932&ucat=7" target="_blank">http://realsikhism.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1253135932&ucat=7</a></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Archived_Member16, post: 167240, member: 884"] [b]Re: Militant Sikhs ruin wedding after barricading temple[/b] [B][COLOR="Red"][U]AS A MATER OF INTEREST[/U][/COLOR]:[/B] [COLOR="Navy"]S.G.P.C. says a Sikh is one with untrimmed hair. And so makes half the community apostate. This legal hair-splitting may strip Sikhs in Punjab and elsewhere of their religious identity. On January 16, the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (S.G.P.C.), which runs all Sikh religious institutions in Punjab and is commonly referred to as the Sikh parliament, filed an affidavit in the Punjab and Haryana High Court defining who is a Sikh. Going by this definition, all those with shorn or even partially trimmed hair are 'patit' or apostate, even if they practise the faith in all other ways. Given that a lot of Sikhs today trim their hair, and many have done away with the turban too, the S.G.P.C.'s definition would render more than 70 per cent of Sikhs apostates. It all began quite innocuously, when some students from Amritsar filed a petition before the Punjab and Haryana High Court for being denied admission under the 'Sikh quota' in an S.G.P.C.-run educational institution on grounds that they did not qualify as 'Sikhs' because they had trimmed their hair. The students contended that they were 'Sehajdhari Sikhs', a term loosely used for Sikhs with shorn hair. At this, the high court asked the S.G.P.C. to define a 'Sehajdhari Sikh' exactly and the importance of hair in Sikhism. Its response triggered a furious debate within the community on a subject that is vital to their identity. The S.G.P.C. had filed an affidavit in December, where it said it wasn't mandatory for a 'Sehajdhari Sikh' (which it defined as novices entering the Sikh faith) to preserve body hair. However, if a Sehajdhari took the next step and became a 'keshdhari', any trimming of hair subsequently would make him 'patit'. Conservative Sikh religious bodies and institutions baulked at this accommodating definition, accusing the S.G.P.C. of diluting the faith and playing into the hands of 'R.S.S. elements within its ranks'. Rattled, the S.G.P.C. filed an amended affidavit on January 16, categorically declaring that those with trimmed hair had no place in Sikhism. This, in effect, extended recognition to only two categories of Sikhs - Amritdharis, or baptised Sikhs, also called 'Khalsas'; and Sehajdhari or novice Sikhs. Amritdhari Sikhs, who are few in number, undergo an 'amrit chakhna' baptism, taking vows that bind them to a set of very stringent rules. The new definition puts those who are not baptised and also trim their hair, beard or eyebrows as 'patits' even if they are born Sikhs, believe in the Granth Sahib and the gurus, and perform prayers and other ceremonies as per Sikh traditions. An overwhelming number of rural Sikh youth and N.R.I.s born in Sikh homes fall in this category. This amended definition, though it has appeased conservative religious bodies, has caused considerable unease, even disgust, within the wider Sikh community at what is being seen as increased rigidity and intolerance in a religion that was born out of a reaction to fundamentalist forces in medieval times. Even some 'hardline' Sikhs have expressed disapproval. Declares advocate R.S. Bains, best known for his determined defence of Khalistan extremists in the courts: 'I am a shorn Sikh and till his retirement, my father, Justice (retd.) Ajit Singh Bains (a well-known Khalistan sympathiser too), also had shorn hair. If we are not Sikhs, then who is? Even at the height of the Khalistan movement, most militants were clean-shaven. By ignoring reality, our religious clergy is risking cutting itself off from the mainstream with its narrow vision.' The all-pervasive presence of 'shorn Sikhs' was starkly brought before the courts when, in the course of a hearing, one of the judges noticed that the counsel for the S.G.P.C., Gurminder Singh Gill, was himself an apostate, as per the definition he had placed before the court. Nevertheless, Gill told Outlook: 'For myself, I am very clear that if I am in a faith, then I should conform or be prepared to be tagged as an apostate. The physical form of a Sikh is manifested through unshorn hair. Not only does he have the duty to keep his own hair unshorn but also that of keeping his child's hair intact.' Well-known theatre director Neelam Mansingh, who hails from a prominent Sikh family of Amritsar that boasted of several priests, adopted a more liberal interpretation of her faith when she agreed to the wish of her two growing boys to shed their turbans. 'Soon after the boys had cut their hair,' she recalls, 'my father came to live with us. I was very apprehensive of his reaction. But he did an 'ardas' for the boys and told me that Guru Nanak never had long hair. And that it is written in the Guru Granth Sahib, 'Baal mein na dharam hota hai, na karam' (Neither duty nor honour lies in the hair)'. Mansingh added: 'We Sikhs need to become more open, and preserve the beauty of our faith rather than get dogged about external forms. The S.G.P.C. is alienating a whole generation of youngsters . . . It does not really represent the vast majority of Sikhs.' One of the first to raise his voice against the new definition of Sikhs was the resident editor of the Hindustan Times Chandigarh edition, Kanwar Sandhu. In a candid weekly column, he wrote about his own failure to adopt the rigorous rules followed by a baptised Sikh, yet argued persuasively that it didn't affect his right to be a believing Sikh. Opposition to the S.G.P.C.'s rigid stance is also coming from within the clergy. Bhai Ranjit Singh, a former jathedar of the Akal Takht, told Outlook, 'As I see it, 'patits' or apostates are only those who have defaulted (trimmed their hair) after getting baptised. It does not apply to non-baptised Sikhs. The rights of a Sikh, born into a Sikh family, cannot be taken away on these grounds.' Almost everyone agrees that the S.G.P.C., having been far too busy with politics, has done precious little to inculcate Sikh norms and values among the community, and is now trying to assert itself by dictating rigid rules and conditions. Sandhu, for instance, points to the inability of the ruling Akali Dal, the all-powerful political limb of the S.G.P.C., to enforce Sikh rules and tenets despite having been in power several times over in Punjab. 'Though all forms of Sikhs can enlist in the armed forces, only those who strictly follow the Sikh Rehat Maryada (religious code) can enlist in the Sikh regiment . . . Ironically, there is no such stipulation in any wing of Punjab's own police!' he points out. As for the down-to-earth Punjabi farmer, he couldn't care less about quibbling theologians. He would rather go by what the state's best-known floriculturist Avtar Singh Dhindsa has to say: 'Whether I display the outward forms of my religion or not is a personal matter. It does not take away my Sikhism from me.' In fact, he adds, 'I may be a better Sikh than them in many ways.' Amen. [url]http://www.sikhtimes.com/news_021609a.html[/url] ************************************************************ [B]The Code for Anand Sanskar (Marriage Ceremony): [/B] English version: Code 2: Anand Sanskar (K): The marriage of a person of other religion cannot be solemnized according to the customs of Anand. Such marriages where one spouse does not belong to Sikhism are being performed by many Gurdwaras without any realization that they are violating the code of Anand Sanskar. This type of marriage is becoming common among the Sikhs especially in the Western world. Yet no Gurdwara has ever refused to perform such marriages and even no Sikh authority has ever raised any objection to the violation of this code. If "unmat walian" is interpreted as "Non-Kesadharis" or "Non-Amritdharis" then the violation of that code becomes more prevalent and serious one that has been ignored by many Gurdwaras and the Sikh authorities. [url]http://www.iuscanada.com/journal/articles/art003.html[/url] ************************************************************** [B]Q: What are Sikh beliefs on Inter-Faith marriage?[/B] A: Sikh: A follower of Sikhism. Sikh is a word derived from Sanskrit. Literally translated, the word means disciple or student. In the Sikh faith, the word Sikh means someone who strives to learn about God, is a seeker of God and truth, and someone who follows Guru Granth Sahib Ji to achieve such goals.'). Sikh Guru: A spiritual leader sent by God. Gu means Darkness and Ru means Light. Literally translated, Guru means \'The Light that dispels darkness\'. Guru is a highly spiritual teacher who has been sent to Earth by God and is in direct communion with God. There has been a total of 10 living Sikh Gurus, who brought knowledge of God. The eternal Guruship (spiritual and temporal authority) lye in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji (the Sikh Holy Scripture compiled by Sikh Gurus and other devotees who themselves have attained salvation).')Gurus showed a lifestyle which one can follow to meet God. It is better to get married to someone with whom you share similar beliefs than to marry out of religion. Sikhism does not state that marrying out of religion is wrong or a sin. However, the marriage has a far better chance of success if the couple belongs to the same religion. Since beliefs can differ and can cause conflicts, it is better to be with someone with the same belief system. The more a married couple has in common, the more likely their marriage will be successful. When a couple disagrees on basic core values and beliefs, it can lead to additional stress, conflicts, and disappointment. The issue of how kids are raised can be especially problematic. The decision regarding which teaching and beliefs should the children be taught can become difficult to deal with. Sikhism is a modern religion, and instructs that all humans are created equal. In no way Sikhism states that one should not marry another human because they are less of human or inferior. All humans are equal but people from different religions have different beliefs. The difference in beliefs system and lifestyle is the main reason to marry within the religion. A Sikh: A follower of Sikhism. Sikh is a word derived from Sanskrit. Literally translated, the word means disciple or student. In the Sikh faith, the word Sikh means someone who strives to learn about God, is a seeker of God and truth, and someone who follows Guru Granth Sahib Ji to achieve such goals.')". Sikh can get married out of the religion if they choose to, however they cannot do so in the Gurdwara Sahib: Sikh place of worship or Sikh Church. Gurdwara Sahib is a compound word created by combining Gur, meaning Guru and Dwara, meaning door or house. Thus the word Gurdwara means the door or house of the Guru. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is always present at the Gurdwara Sahib.')" "Gurdwara Sahib since Anand Karaj: Anand Karaj is the Sikh Marriage Ceremony. Anad Karaj is held in the present of the Sikh Scripture, Guru Granth Sahib Ji by reciting four verses. Sikh Marriage is a spiritual bond between a man and a woman in the presence of God.')" .Anand Karaj (Sikh Marriage Ceremony) is very spiritual, religious and a promise with God. In order to live a peaceful lifestyle to accomplish the purpose of the human life, one should get married to a Sikh so that the couple can together carry on their journey on the path showed by Sikh Gurus. [url]http://realsikhism.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1253135932&ucat=7[/url][/COLOR] [/QUOTE]
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