MisterrSingh

I won't beat around the bush. There are a few members -- from what they've shared on this forum -- who are going through a rather tough time in terms of spiritual issues related to their personal lives. That's probably an understatement. But it's at times where we begin to feel doubtful about certain things; when we feel alone and abandoned, the vulnerable of us are the most susceptible to outside forces that choose to capitalise on that vulnerability for nefarious purposes. These so-called beacons of hope offer so-called support and understanding; a shoulder to cry on. Don't fall for it, and end up in a situation where you're drawn into the web and the schemes of a wolf in sheep's clothing. Such people will approach as a friend, but their intentions are less than friendly or honourable. I refer in particular to the bibiya on this forum who are at their lowest ebb, and are perhaps most susceptible to these types of individuals. Those from other non-Sikh communities can read everything you post here about your struggles and experiences. Be smart.

Work's very stop-start, so I decided to install a wired network at home. Passing ethernet cable behind plasterboard and ceilings is so much fun, not, lol.

I'm guessing OP is a young guy who's being hyped up by prophecies detailing the return or the emergence of a Sikh warrior to lead the Panth in 2020. I guess most of us have been there one time or another. I grew out of it after the 12th successive year of the leader of our little group convincing us that "this" year was finally when it was going to happen. We were young kids and we started to suspect we were being taken for a ride. ??

He had a brilliant mind and achieved great things in a secular sense. For some reason, Sikhs have never produced a personality that plays the secular game on an equal footing with the best non-Sikhs, yet has the spiritual ability and decorum of a mahapurash, etc. I'm asking for too much, lol.

Also, don't get me wrong, I'm not being an armchair general after the fact. I can only imagine the mental toil and physical exertion of fighting for a kingdom and ruling over it for a while. It takes an extraordinary personality to even get that far. In matters of war, statesmanship, etc., I can express regret at missed opportunities and other issues, but again I don't envy anyone who had to deal with those myriad situations on a daily basis. But when it comes to leading by example in religious matters, there's no excuse for not at least making more of an effort to push Sikhi in a Sikh kingdom, numbers or not, and that comes from the top. I'm sure the Mughal emperor's weren't model Muslims in some of the more subtle and less noticeable matters of their faith, but by heck they enforced the edicts of their religion in the areas that it mattered. We seem more concerned with keeping others happy and contented, only to be betrayed at a later date, or at best be treated with a mild contempt at our gullibility.

That's fair, but being married to a supposed Sikh in Ranjit Singh, one would imagine his non-Sikh wives adhering to their husband's belief system in something as fundamental as the life or death of the wife. He could've forbade these acts as a final command. Seems like it was a multicultural hellhole! ? This act of sati is something modern British Empire defenders have latched onto, and they've started to make it known that, when the British took control of India, they outlawed sati as part of a progressive social agenda for the population. I have no doubt as the aggression towards historical white imperialism and colonialism increases, these defenders will turn their attention to specific instances in that period where they actually did do some good for the people in those countries.

It's a myth that pro-Hindu anti-Sikh activists have latched onto as being a narrative promoted by Sikhs, as well as it being an event that's lamented by us, and these activists are certainly determined to bust this particular myth.

Would a trek through the Himalayas, from Europe into North India, be certain suicide for an invading army in those days?

I agree. Historians and rationalists will point to other more sobre reasons for its fall, but I think, on a metaphysical level, the decline came about because it wasn't a Sikh empire at all. I think blessings were withdrawn; this phenomenon is not unique or unheard of in Sikhi. Sikhs aren't permanently endowed with God's grace even when the Sikh crosses over into doing wrong. God's grace remains for as long as the individual or the group lives according to His spiritual decrees. Once the deviation occurs, it's game over. The Sikh empire was, to my mind, nothing more than a secular, multi-religious Punjabi Empire with an obviously perfunctory Sikh front. Sikh population numbers are largely irrelevant. If it's being lauded as a Sikh empire, then its priority should be to bring non-Sikhs into the fold. If only Hari Singh Nalwa possessed a little less honour, maybe he'd have been more of what SIKHS needed as a king.

Free barfi and jalebiyan.

Another instance when a cultural practice that was unequivocally forbidden by the Gurus was perpetuated without remorse by the very people who should have shunned it. What exactly was "Sikh" about this kingdom aside from superficial surface traits and adornments? The more I read about it, the more it pi55es me off.

Should've done this to the "traders": THIS IS PUNJAB!

This needs to become an axiom that every Sikh should know.

Yet any European arrivals into India would've still come by sea, therefore their attack would not be a secret, meaning preparations could be made on the Indian coastline to head off any sea-faring armada.

What a star! Exactly what I had in mind when I made the post. Those Japs were something else.

Definitely. I've always thought the Mughals and the Sikhs (under Maharaja Ranjit Singh) should've been way more aware of this fact. Instead of wining and dining these Europeans under the guise of trading, etc., they should've sent their heads back to their home countries as a warning not to interfere in matters. That would've forced the Europeans' hand, and then when a hostile force would arrive by sea, the Easterners could've at least tried to destroy them before they set foot on Indian soil.

I can only speak for myself but respect and appreciation for Sant Jarnail Singh is not the same as worshipping him as a demigod or an incarnation of someone or another. I appreciate there are some Sikhs who have a few theories as to his origins, etc., but that's not relevant to me. In regards to the general point about the intent and character of Sant Jarnail Singh and the way he's portrayed by certain quarters (i.e. he's a ruthless anti-Hindu, anti-India militant), there's a rather interesting real-life example which opened my eyes to an important issue. My cousins are born and raised in Punjab. They're from respectable families; none of the boisterous, loose behaviour we've come to expect from our people in recent times. But I remember them being very, very intolerant of even the merest positive mention of Sikh separatism and Sant Jarnail Singh. I also observed how nearly everything they would say about politics and social issues were verbatim everything they heard and saw in the India media. Eventually, both moved to a European country in their late teens. They're getting married and having kids now, and seeing the transformation in their attitude and understanding is spectacular. Their WhatsApp statuses are passionately pro-Sikh. They send me links to articles in Punjabi about Sikh independence and self-determination. They've started to appreciate and understand Sikhi MORE since leaving India than they ever did when they lived there. It's as if since escaping the bubble of Indian brainwashing they've suddenly started to think for themselves. You Indian guys don't realise how strongly Indian state propaganda has pervaded the resident Sikh's consciousness. You've been conditioned to despise the one true hero of the quom of the previous century, and therefore despise his aims for our collective future. They have your balls in a vice, and you can't see it. It's not your fault. The Indian machine is insidiously powerful. Don't be fooled by the mistaken belief that these harmless, third-world, dhoti-wearing little brown people are soft. Physically, they may be cowards, but they are no less cunning and conniving than any other similar races on this planet.

I really like this art style. It's a cross between the classic Indian side-on style with the added detail of the European. If this was commonplace around the time of Guru Gobind Singh we probably would've got a fairly accurate indication of their facial features. The European feller looks like Shakespeare, lol.

Whenever you feel the urge to j4ck off a storm, hit the floor and crank out 20. When I say 20, I'm referring to push-ups, not 20 j4ck-offs!

Sikhs who have family members who've served in the Indian armed forces also tend to be quite hostile towards such figures. I think they see them as traitors and troublemakers. I'm familiar with a few of these families, and they tend to be rather wary of overly religious people, too. Their loyalty to their country, a belief that's instilled in them during their training, seems to supercede any religious affiliations when religious matters overlap political and national issues. It's quite an interesting thing to observe.

Start simple. Don't pressure yourself into going all-in overnight. Just start doing something that will help you learn.

You're entitled to believe that, bro. A lot of it is a confusing mess. Maybe I'm confused, lol. I made a benti, and it was answered. As a Sikh there's not much more I can ask, is there?

I had a similar experience in my early 20s regarding Sant Jarnail Singh. I had my head turned by the "He was a Congress agent" conspiracy talk, and started believing it although on some level I knew it was slander designed to besmirch a man who, I later realised, was a victim of one of the greatest character assassinations of the previous century. I'm not a Taksali or belonging to any other jatha, I just wanted to know the impartial truth whatever it was, good or bad.

I never said it had to be all or nothing. Yes, it's allowed darshan for us, but the numerous benefits this act of "generosity" grants Pakistan in its "cold war" with India are obvious. We just happened to be the convenient piece that was put forward in their game.