Friday, April 4, 2008
Myth About Punjabis
Main ik Punjab di Kudhi ! Te mera naa ha ..................... Wait a second What did you think? My name is some XYZ Kaur? No. I am Neeru Gupta and I am a Punjabi. I am a proud Punjabi.
Yep, I get the same impression whenever I tell some one my name and my place. People all through world think that all Punjabis are Sikhs and have their last name either Kaur (for gals) or Singh (For Guys). But actually it is not the case.
There is no doubt that Punjab is the land of Ten Gurus. Main religion is Sikhism. Almost everyone is aware of this. But how many people know about ‘Sikhism’. What it actually means? How did it originate?
Sikhism was actually founded by Tenth and last Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699 AD. So who are the rest of nine Gurus. What religion they followed?
All of them were originally Hindus. Sikhism was not started as separate religion but it was originated for a purpose. It was the time of Mugal emperors Aurganjeb. He was forcing people to convert Islam. At that time Guru Teg Bahadur ji (Father of Guru Gobind Singh ji) was fighting against the evil. After his 'shahidhi' Guru Gobind Singh ji was chosen as new Guru.
Guru Gobind Singh ji was fighting against the Mugals. He built his army. He asked his people to send one of their son to army. These army men were called ‘Singh' (The Lion). This way Guru ji started building the army. Over a period of time it became difficult to differentiate between 'Singhs' and 'Mugal' army men. Many of the ‘Sikhs’ were getting killed by mistake by their own men. To recognize 'Sikhs' Guru ji founded Khalsa panth. He asked his ‘Shers’(Lions) to keep 'kais' long hair and wear 'paghdhi' (turbon) . It made the identification easier. He asked them to keep 'kirpaan' (sword ) with themselves all the time. This was a sign of being ready to attack the enemy any time. He asked them to wear kadha, kangi (comb) and kacha. Then they took oath to serve their nation and fight against evil. Till now sikhs follow these customs. This is called 'Amrit Chhakna' (Baptism) .
So this was how Sikhism was originated. This tradition of sending one son to army continued for long time and then their next families started following it as religion. Over a period of time it became a different religion. A religion in which wearing turban became a symbol. People forgot the purpose.
This is the story of origin of a beautiful religion. A religion which was originated for the purpose of service. Till date Sikhs and people of Punjab have fought bravely in every war. War against terrorism or war against cross border enemies. I am so proud to be a part of this Land. I am proud to the sikhs and proud to be a Punjabi.
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2 comments:
yeh neeru you are so right , i have also felt same way . I had a sikh friend who insisted that sikhism was a separate religion and me always that sikhism is form and development of hinduism . although many muslims may have fought in Gurus army ( mostly agan merceneries who fourght for money } it was hindus who willingly converted to the cause and in Ranjit singhs time the hindus volunteered to give eldest son to sikhism ,tell me ever did muslims did this except for killing and trobling the Gurus . but lo behold these gurudwara preachers in their eagerness to establish vice grip oversikhism overdo their part by manufacturing imaginary history and facts that tend to say omehow otherways than what facts stand for ....punjab is not just sikhs ...
Hey Kudis!! thanks 4 da comment :) yeah, u r right...as humans, v tend 2 go back n forth like ping-pong balls ;) but as u grow older, u realise time n again tht childhood was a state of purity and unconciousness...like nothing mattered except tht moment of trying 2 catch a butterfly or playing a game of hide n seek. n u yearn 2 be a child once again...hai na?
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