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Damdami Taksal
The Damdamī Ṭaksāl, Jatha Bhindra(n), or Sects of Sikhism, Sampardai Bhindra(n) is an orthodoxy, orthodox Khalsa Sikhism, Sikh cultural and educational organization, based in India. They are known for their teachings of ''Vidya (philosophy), vidya'' as well as ''gurbani'' ''santhiya''. Its headquarters are located in the town of Mehta Chowk, approximately 40 km north of the city of Amritsar. It has been described as a seminary or “moving university” of the Sikh countryside. The Damdami Taksal borrows many foundational aspects from the Giani Samparda (headed by the Giani family), the Girivari Samparda, the Damdami Samparda, the Namdhari Samparda and the Dera Naurangabad. History In 1706, after the Battle of Muktsar, the Khalsa Fauj, Khalsa Army of Guru Gobind Singh camped at Sabo Ki Talwandi. This acted as a ''damdamā'', or halting place (lit. "breathing place"), and is now the site of Damdama Sahib, Takht Sri Damdamā Sahib. That year, Guru Gobind Singh is said ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shabda
''Shabda'' (, ) is the Sanskrit word for "speech sound". In Sanskrit grammar, the term refers to an utterance in the sense of linguistic performance. History In classical Indian philosophy of language, the grammarian Katyayana stated that ''shabda'' ("speech") is eternal (''nitya''), as is ''artha'' "meaning", and that they share a mutual co-relation. According to Patanjali, the permanent aspect of ''shabda'' is ("meaning"), while ''dhvani'' ("sound, acoustics") is ephemeral to ''shabda''. Om, or Aum, a sacred syllable of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, is considered to be the first resonating vibrational sound within an individual being. It also denotes the non-dualistic universe as a whole. In Buddhism, Om corresponds to the crown chakra and white light. Bhartrihari, on the other hand, held a ''shabda- advaita'' position, identifying ''shabda'' as indivisible, and unifying the notions of cognition and linguistic performance, which is ultimately identical to B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh (; born Gobind Das; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708) was the tenth and last human Sikh gurus, Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the Sikhs after his father Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed by Emperor Aurangzeb. His father was the ninth Sikh Guru. His four biological sons died during his lifetime – two in battle and two executed by the Mughal Empire, Mughal governor Wazir Khan (Sirhind), Wazir Khan.; Among his notable contributions to Sikhism are founding the ''Sikh'' warrior community called ''Khalsa'' in 1699 and introducing ''the Five Ks'', the five articles of faith that Khalsa Sikhs wear at all times. Guru Gobind Singh is credited with the ''Dasam Granth'' whose hymns are a sacred part of Sikh prayers and Khalsa rituals. He is also credited as the one who finalized and enshrined the ''Guru Granth Sahib'' as Sikhism's primary holy religious scripture and the eternal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Panj Takht
A takht, or takhat (), literally means a throne or seat of authority and is a spiritual and temporal centre of Sikhism. There are five takhts (), which are five gurudwaras that have a very special significance for the Sikh community. Three are located in Punjab whilst the remaining two are located outside of it. The first and the most important takht was established by Guru Hargobind in 1609: Akal Takht (the Throne of the Timeless God), located just opposite the gate of Harmandir Sahib (The Golden Temple), in Amritsar. While the Harmandir Sahib, or Golden Temple, represents Sikh spiritual guidance, the Akal Takht symbolizes the dispensing of justice and temporal activity. It is the highest seat of temporal authority of the Khalsa and the seat of the Sikh religion's earthly authority. There, the Guru held his court and decided matters of military strategy and political policy. Later on, the Sikh Nation (Sarbat Khalsa) took decisions here on matters of peace and war and settled ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jathedar
A jathedar () is a leader of high regard chosen to head and ensure discipline within a jatha, a troop of Sikhs. In modern-times, the term is used to in-reference to leaders of Sikh spiritual organizations, such as any of the Panj Takhts. History During the early-to-mid 18th century, the term was used to refer to a leader of a Jatha. However, it began to be replaced by titles, such as ''Sardar'', due to Afghan influence from the mid-18th century onwards. The terms "jatha" and "jathedar" were revived during the Singh Sabha Movement to refer to "bands of preachers and choirs", an association which survives until the present-day. However, during the later Gurdwara Reform Movement, the terms began to take on a martial tone once again, resuscitating and harking back to the 18th century's context for the word. Jathedars of the Akal Takht # Gurdas Bhalla Usurped by Minas from 1640 to 1698 # Mani Singh # Darbara Singh # Kapur Singh Virk # Jassa Singh Ahluwalia # Phula S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Golden Temple
The Golden Temple is a gurdwara located in Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is the pre-eminent spiritual site of Sikhism. It is one of the Holy place, holiest sites in Sikhism, alongside the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Kartarpur, Pakistan, Kartarpur, and Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib. The Temple tank, ''sarovar'' (holy pool) on the site of the gurdwara was completed by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das, in 1577. In 1604, Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh Guru, placed a copy of the Adi Granth in the Golden Temple and was a prominent figure in its development. The gurdwara was repeatedly rebuilt by the Sikhs after it became a target of Persecution of Sikhs, persecution and was destroyed several times by the Mughal Empire, Mughal and invading Durrani Empire, Afghan armies. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, after founding the Sikh Empire, rebuilt it in marble and copper in 1809, and overlaid the sanctum with gold leaf in 1830. This has led to the name the Golden Temple. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Granthi
A Granthi (, ) is a person, female or male, of the Sikh religion who is a ceremonial reader of the Guru Granth Sahib, which is the holy book in Sikhism, often read to worshipers at Sikh temples called a Gurdwara. The name Granthi comes from the Sanskrit granthika, which means a relater or narrator. Any Sikh individual appointed the title of being a Granthi is considered a principal religious official of Sikhism. Although they are considered religious officials in Sikhism, they are not considered to be the equivalent of a priest, as the belief is that there are no such religious intermediaries. History According to Sikh lore, the first Granthi was Baba Buddha, whom had been appointed by Guru Arjan to recite the then newly-compiled Adi Granth when it was first installed in the Harmandir shrine. Kavi Santokh Singh, in '' Suraj Prakash'', describes this moment: Qualifications To be appointed a Granthi, one of the main qualifications is the commitment to the Sikh religion by b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gyani
A gyani or giani ( Punjabi: ਗਿਆਨੀ ) is an honorific Sikh title used by someone learned in Sikhism and who often leads the congregation in prayers, such as Ardas, or in singing (kirtan). The word means "knowledge" in Punjabi, being a derivative of the Sanskrit word . So a "gyani" is one who has spiritual and religious knowledge and can help the congregation, the Sadh Sangat, in understanding the Sacred Texts and the history of the religion. Characteristics A gyani can be a male or a female, as the Sikh religion gives equal rights to both sexes. He or she will have undergone an intensive course of study and evaluation at an academic or religious institute, will have a thorough knowledge of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Holy Scripture, and will have the ability to translate the words of sacred text into simple everyday language. Gyanis can also communicate in English (not always the case), a major bonus to western children who are not fluent in Punjabi or Gurmukhi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bhinder Kalan
Bhinder Kalan (ਭਿੰਡਰ ਕਲਾਂ) is a village in Punjab, India located in Dharamkot tehsil of Moga district. Earlier its name was Bhinder, but in 1823, some people from this village settled a new village Bhinder Khurd due to the increase in population and its name was changed to Bhinder Kalan. The village was founded in the 15th century by Sardar Chanan of the Toor tribe on the advice of a sanyasi sadhu Suman. Its PIN code is 142041. The village has a higher secondary school, a girls' high school and a primary school. The village was in media headlines after the village sarpanch was accused of performing exorcism on a teenage girl that eventually led to her death. The village is also notable for the previous base of Damdami Taksal The Damdamī Ṭaksāl, Jatha Bhindra(n), or Sects of Sikhism, Sampardai Bhindra(n) is an orthodoxy, orthodox Khalsa Sikhism, Sikh cultural and educational organization, based in India. They are known for their teachings of ''Vidya (phi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ludhiana District
Ludhiana district is one of the 23 districts in the Indian state of Punjab. It is Punjab's largest district by both area and population. Ludhiana, the largest city in Punjab, is the district headquarters. The main industries are bicycle parts and hosiery. Ludhiana is a hub of ladies footwear manufacturing, with around 10,000 small-scale units. The district is made up of seven tehsils, seven sub-tehsils and twelve development blocks. Ludhiana district has the highest HDI in Punjab at 0.761 (2004 UNDP). History Ludhiana gets its name from the Lodhi Dynasty, which is believed to have founded the city in 1480. During the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar, the area formed part of the Sarkar of Sirhind. Chakar, Talwandi Rai in 1478 AD, Raikot in 1648 AD and Jagraon in 1688 AD were founded by the Rai family of Raikot. It is said that one of the Rai rulers of Raikot, named Rai Kalha ( chaudhary of Raikot and Jagraon), gave sanctuary to Guru Gobind Singh in 1705 in the afterma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sant (religion)
A ''sant'' (; IAST: ; ) is a human being revered as a "truth-exemplar" for their abnormal level of "self, truth, ndreality" in Indian religions, particularly Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism. In Sikhism it is used to describe a being who has attained spiritual enlightenment and divine knowledge and power through union with God. Etymology "''Sant''" is sometimes translated as "saint", but this is a false cognate (there is no etymological commonality) as "''sant''" is derived from the Sanskrit root ''sat'', which can mean "truth, reality, essence", while "saint" is derived from the Latin word , which means "holy, sacred",William Pinch (1996), Peasants and Monks in British India, University of California Press, , page 181 footnote 3 derived from Indo-European root ''sak-'', "to sanctify". Schomer and McLeod explain ''sant'' as preceptor of ''Sat'' or "truth, reality", in the sense of "'one who knows the truth' or 'one who has experienced Ultimate Reality', that is a per ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mint (coin)
A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures coins that can be used as currency. The history of mints correlates closely with the history of coins. In the beginning, hammered coinage or cast coinage were the chief means of coin minting, with resulting production runs numbering as little as the hundreds or thousands. In modern mints, coin dies are manufactured in large numbers and planchets are made into milled coins by the billions. With the mass production of currency, the production cost is weighed when minting coins. For example, it costs the United States Mint much less than 25 cents to make a quarter (a 25 cent coin), and the difference in production cost and face value (called seigniorage) helps fund the minting body. Conversely, a U.S. penny ($0.01) cost $0.015 to make in 2016. History The first minted coins The first mint was likely established in Lydia in the 7th century BC, for coining gold, silver and electrum. The first coins known to be minted on E ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sikh Scriptures
The principal Sikh scripture is the Adi Granth (First Scripture), more commonly called the Guru Granth Sahib. The second most important scripture of the Sikhs is the Dasam Granth. Both of these consist of text which was written or authorised by the Sikh gurus, Sikh Gurus. Within Sikhism the Sri Guru Granth Sahib or Adi Granth is more than just a scripture. Sikhs consider this Granth (''holy book'') to be a living Guru. The holy text spans 1430 pages and contains the actual words spoken by the Gurus of the Sikh religion and the words of various other Saints from other religions including Hinduism and Islam. Terminology Bir The word 'bir' (; alternatively spelt as 'birh') in Sikhism refers to a complete volume of a Sikh scripture as an individual corpus. The term "Bir" is derived from the Sanskrit verb ''vīḍ'' which means "to make strong or firm, strengthen, fasten, or to be strong, firm or hard." The word ''puratan biran'' refers to an ancient manuscript of a Sikh scriptu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
