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Goindwal Sahib
Goindwal ( pa, ਗੋਇੰਦਵਾਲ, meaning ‘City of Govind’, an epithet of God), also known as Goindwal Sahib and alternatively transliterated as Goindval, is located in Taran Taran district in the Majha region of the state of Punjab in India about 23 km from Tarn Taran Sahib. In the 16th century it became an important center for the Sikh religion during the Guruship of the Guru Amar Das Ji. Goindwal is on the banks of the river Beas and is one of the focal points of small scale industries of Tarn Taran district. Guru Amar Das (the third Guru or the third Nanak) stayed in Goindwal for 33 years where he established a new centre for preaching Sikhism. A ''Baoli'' (stepwell), paved with 84 steps was constructed there. Sikh’s believe that by reciting Japji Sahib, the divine ''Word'' revealed to Guru Nanak, at each of the 84 steps after taking a bath in the Baoli provides Moksha, liberation from 84,00,000 cycles of life of this world and unity with God (mukhti). Goindva ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
States And Territories Of India
India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, with a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions. History Pre-independence The Indian subcontinent has been ruled by many different ethnic groups throughout its history, each instituting their own policies of administrative division in the region. The British Raj mostly retained the administrative structure of the preceding Mughal Empire. India was divided into provinces (also called Presidencies), directly governed by the British, and princely states, which were nominally controlled by a local prince or raja loyal to the British Empire, which held ''de facto'' sovereignty ( suzerainty) over the princely states. 1947–1950 Between 1947 and 1950 the territories of the princely states were politically integrated into the Indian union. Most were merged into existing provinces; others were organised into ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moksha
''Moksha'' (; sa, मोक्ष, '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'' and ''mukti'', is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriology, soteriological and eschatology, eschatological senses, it refers to freedom from ''saṃsāra'', the cycle of death and Reincarnation, rebirth. In its epistemology, epistemological and psychological senses, ''moksha'' is freedom from ignorance: self-realization, self-actualization and self-knowledge. In Hindu traditions, ''moksha'' is a central concept and the utmost aim of human life; the other three aims being ''dharma'' (virtuous, proper, moral life), ''artha'' (material prosperity, income security, means of life), and ''kama'' (pleasure, sensuality, emotional fulfillment). Together, these four concepts are called Puruṣārtha in Hinduism. In some schools of Indian religions, ''moksha'' is considered equivalent to and used interchange ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gurbani
Gurbani ( pa, ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ) is a Sikh term, very commonly used by Sikhs to refer to various compositions by the Sikh Gurus and other writers of Guru Granth Sahib. In general, hymns in the central text of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib, are called ''Gurbani''. Among Amritdhari Sikhs, a few texts from Dasam Granth which are read as Nitnem, like ''Tav-Prasad Savaiye'' and ''Chaupai'', are also considered ''Gurbani''. In Adi Granth, Gurbani is a sound which comes directly from the Supreme and the text is a written form of the same in worldly language and scripts. It is also called ''Guru´s Bani''. Gurbani are explanations of qualities of the Primal Lord and Soul which a Sikh should comprehend and with which they can attain the supreme state. Sikh historical writings, unauthentic writings or apocryphal compositions written under the names of Sikh Gurus and other writings by Sikhs are not considered Gurbani and are referred to as ''Kachi Bani'' (ਕੱਚੀ ਬਾਣੀ; ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anand Sahib
The Anand Sahib (Gurmukhi: ਅਨੰਦ ਸਾਹਿਬ ''anada sāhiba'') is a collection of hymns in Sikhism, written in the Ramkali Raag by Guru Amar Das Ji, the third Guru of the Sikhs. It appears on the pages 917 to 922 in Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The word Anand means complete happiness. The Anand Sahib is a part of the Nitnem (daily prayers) which are read by Amritdhari Sikhs before dawn. Anand Sahib is chanted at all the religious ceremonies of the Sikhs irrespective of the nature of the event. There are two versions of Anand Sahib: one which extends 40 pauries and one shorter version often called Chhota Anand Sahib which comprises the first five pauries and then skips to the last one. This shorter version of Anand Sahib is usually recited at the closing ceremonieshttp://www.globalsikhstudies.net/pdf/Nitnem%20by%20Dr.%20Kulwant%20Singh.pdf {{Bare URL PDF, date=March 2022 before Ardas. The Chhota Anand Sahib is included at the end of Rehras Sahib Rehras Sahib ( pa, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sati (practice)
Sati or suttee is a Hindu practice, now largely historical, in which a widow sacrifices herself by sitting atop her deceased husband's funeral pyre. Quote: Between 1943 and 1987, some thirty women in Rajasthan (twenty-eight, according to official statistics) immolated themselves on their husband's funeral pyre. This figure probably falls short of the actual number. (p. 182) Although it is debated whether it received scriptural mention in early Hinduism, it has been linked to related Hindu practices in the Indo-Aryan speaking regions of India which diminished the rights of women, especially those to the inheritance of property. A cold form of sati, or the neglect and casting out of Hindu widows has been prevalent in India from ancient times. Quote: Sati is a particularly relevant social practice because it is often used as a means to prevent inheritance of property by widows. In parallel, widows are also sometimes branded as witches – and subjected to violent expulsion fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Langar (Sikhism)
In Sikhism, a langar ( pa, ਲੰਗਰ, 'kitchen'Pashaura Singh, Louis E. Fenech, 2014The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies/ref>) is the community kitchen of a gurdwara, which serves meals to all free of charge, regardless of religion, caste, gender, economic status, or ethnicity. People sit on the floor and eat together, and the kitchen is maintained and serviced by Sikh community volunteers. The meals served at a langar are always lacto-vegetarian. Etymology ''Langar'' is a Persian word that was eventually incorporated into the Punjabi language and lexicon. Origins Concept of charity and providing cooked meals or uncooked raw material to ascetics and wandering yogis has been known in eastern cultures for over 2000 years. However, in spite of institutional support from several kings and emperors of the Delhi sultanate (up to the Mughal empire), it could not be institutionalized into a sustainable community kitchen, but continued as volunteer-run free food opportunities. Suc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi ( Punjabi: ), also pronounced Baisakhi, marks the first day of the month of Vaisakh and is traditionally celebrated annually on 13 April and sometimes 14 April as a celebration of spring harvest primarily in Northern India. Further, other Indian cultures and diaspora celebrate this festival too. Whilst it is culturally significant as a festival of harvest, in many parts of India, Vaisakhi is also the date for the Indian Solar New Year. For Sikhs, in addition to its significance as the harvest festival, during which Sikhs hold kirtans, visit local Gurdwaras, community fairs, hold ''nagar kirtan'' processions, raise the Nishan Sahib flag, and gather to socialize and share festive foods, Vaisakhi observes major events in the history of Sikhism and the Indian subcontinent that happened in the Punjab region. Vaisakhi as a major Sikh festival marks the birth of the Khalsa order by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhism, on 13 April 1699. Later, Ranjit Singh was procla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Khadur Sahib
Khadur Sahib is a town and a nagar panchayat in Tarn Taran district of Khadur Sahib tehsil of the Majha region of Indian state of Punjab. Khadur Sahib is a historical place in view of eight out of ten sikh gurus having visited this place. The postal index number of Khadur Sahib is 143117. History Khadur is a village associated with the second ''guru'' of the Sikhs, Guru Angad (1504–1552). He moved the early Sikh community's centre from Kartarpur to Khadur after becoming the guru after Nanak's passing and due to opposition from Nanak's sons. After Guru Angad passed, the community's headquarters was again moved by Guru Amar Das (1552–1574) to Goindval for similar reasons, them namely being challenges he faced from Angad's sons. Demographics As per 2011 Census of India The 2011 Census of India or the 15th Indian Census was conducted in two phases, house listing and population enumeration. The House listing phase began on 1 April 2010 and involved the collection ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asa Di Var
Asa Di Var, (Gurmukhi: ਆਸਾ ਦੀ ਵਾਰ) meaning “A ballad of hope,” is a collection of 24 stanzas (''pauris'') in the Guru Granth Sahib, from ang 462 to ang 475. Some people argue that the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev, wrote the first 9 stanzas together on one occasion and later wrote 15 more on a different occasion; however, some Sikh scholars believe that the whole ''vaar'' was written at the same place as the ''vaar'' itself proceeds in a definite uniformity. The whole ''vaar'' was compiled by Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru, in 1604 AD. Overview When Guru Arjan was compiling the Guru Granth Sahib, he added a few ''sloks'' of Guru Nanak and in some cases Guru Angad, the second Guru. These sloks are tied together in a way that they relate to the same theme as highlighted in the pauri. In its present form, the ''Asa Di Var'' contains a few more shabads recited by Guru Ram Das Guru Ram Das (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਰਾਮ ਦਾਸ, pronunciation: ; 24 Se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guru Amar Das
Guru Amar Das (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਅਮਰ ਦਾਸ, pronunciation: ; 5 May 1479 – 1 September 1574), sometimes spelled as Guru Amardas, was the third of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Sikh Guru on 26 March 1552 at age 73. Before becoming a Sikh (Shishya from Sanskrit), on a lovely pilgrimage after having been prompted to search for a ''guru'', he heard his nephew's wife, Bibi Amro, reciting a hymn by Guru Nanak, and was deeply moved by it. Bibi Amro was the daughter of Guru Angad, the second and then current Guru of the Sikhs. Amar Das persuaded Bibi Amro to introduce him to her father and in 1539, Amar Das, at the age of sixty, met Guru Angad and became a Sikh, devoting himself to the Guru. In 1552, before his death, Guru Angad appointed Amar Das as Guru Amar Das, the third Guru of Sikhism. Guru Amar Das was an important innovator in the teachings of Guru who introduced a religious organization called the Manji system by appointing trained clergy, a system th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guru Angad Dev Ji
Guru Angad (31 March 1504 – 29 March 1552; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਅੰਗਦ, pronunciation: ) was the second of the ten Sikh gurus of Sikhism. After meeting Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, becoming a Sikh, and serving and working with Guru Nanak for many years, Guru Nanak gave Lehna the name Angad ("my own limb"), and chose Angad as the second Sikh Guru. After the death of Guru Nanak in 1539, Guru Angad led the Sikh tradition. He is remembered in Sikhism for adopting and formalising the Gurmukhi alphabet. He began the process of compiling the hymns of Guru Nanak and contributed 62 or 63 hymns of his own. Instead of his own son, he chose his disciple Amar Das as his successor and the third Guru of Sikhism. Biography Early life Guru Angad was born with birth name of Lehna (also transliterated as Lahina) in village of Harike (other sources state his birthplace as Khadur) in the Punjab region. He was the son of a small but successful trader named Pheru Mal. His mother's n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri ( ps, شیرشاه سوری) (1472, or 1486 – 22 May 1545), born Farīd Khān ( ps, فرید خان) , was the founder of the Sur Empire in India, with its capital in Sasaram in modern-day Bihar. He standardized the silver coin to the weight of 178 grams and named the currency as rupee based on the ancient Sanskrit term for silver. An ethnic Pashtun ruler, Sher Shah took control of the Mughal Empire in 1540 CE. After his accidental death in 1545 CE, his son Islam Shah became his successor. He first served as a private before rising to become a commander in the Mughal army under Babur and then the governor of Bihar. In 1537, when Babur's son Humayun was elsewhere on an expedition, Sher Shah overran the state of Bengal and established the Suri dynasty. A brilliant strategist, Sher Shah proved himself as a gifted administrator as well as a capable general. His reorganization of the empire laid the foundations for the later Mughal emperors, notably Akbar, son of Hu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
