Carpe Diem

ooohhh Atam Ras is back?! yay! This year is defo lookin up :s

Basava Premanand is India's leading guru-buster. He believes that the country's biggest spiritual leader, Sri Satya Sai Baba, is a charlatan and must be exposed. Basava Premanand says Sai Baba's 'miracles' are just magic tricks Basava Premanand has been burgled... again. It is the third time in just one month. But he is in no doubt of the thieves' motives. He suspects they were looking for evidence that he has collected for over 30 years against India's leading spiritual guru, Sri Satya Sai Baba. Mr Premanand believes this evidence proves the self-proclaimed "God-man", Sai Baba, is not just a fraud, but a dangerous sexual abuser. "Sai Baba is nothing but a mafia man, conning the people and making himself rich", he says of his bete noire. Secret Swami Thursday, 17 June, 2004 BBC Two, 2100 BST in the UK As India's leading guru-buster, Basava Premanand is the scourge of all miracle-makers. He is the founder of the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations and the editor of a monthly periodical called The Indian Sceptic. He believes that it is his duty to dispel the "curse of gullibility blighting his country in the form of myth and superstition", and replace it instead with the "gospel of pure, scientific understanding". Since 1976, he has waged a bitter war against Sai Baba, a man who commands a following of millions both in India and abroad. His devotees believe him to be an Avatar, or incarnation of God in human form. But to Mr Premanand, this God is anything but holy. Allegations Rumours about Sai Baba sexually abusing young male devotees have been circulating for years. In 1976 a former American follower,Tal Brooke, wrote a book called Avatar of the Night: The Hidden Side of Sai Baba. In it, he referred to the guru's sexual exploits. But Brooke's allegations were dismissed out of hand by the tightly controlled Sai Baba Organisation. Dr Michael Goldstein, chairman of the international Sai Baba organisation, admitted he had heard rumours, but told us that he did not believe them. He said: "My heart and my conscience tell me that it is not possible." The attacks on Sai Baba are wild, reckless and concocted Former Indian PM Vajpayee But in the last four years, and with the growth of the internet, the tide of claims against Sai Baba has become a groundswell. Former devotees such as Alaya Rahm and Mark Roche, featured in the the BBC film Secret Swami, are coming forward with increasingly graphic stories of the guru's serious sexual exploitation. Their own experiences bear an uncanny resemblance, yet span a time frame of almost 30 years. Both had been subjected to Sai Baba rubbing oil on their genitals. "He took me aside", said Alaya Rahm, "put the oil on his hands, told me to drop my pants and rubbed my genitals with the oil. I was really taken aback." All the allegations against Sai Baba so far have been made by Westerners. But Mr Premanand says that there are many Indians who also claim to have been abused but are too afraid to speak out. Well-connected It is no surprise that Indian victims are scared of reprisals. Sai Baba's influence among the power elite of India is impressive. Prime ministers, presidents, judges and generals, have all come to the ashram (religious retreat) in Puttaparthi in southern India, to pay their respects. Sai Baba often performs 'miracles' for his devotees in the ashram The previous prime minister of India, Mr Atal Vajpayee, once issued a letter on his official notepaper calling the attacks on Sai Baba "wild, reckless and concocted." Sai Baba also enjoys a close relationship with the state police. A former head of police once acted as his personal chauffeur. None of this, however, deters Mr Premanand who has doggedly pursued Sai Baba over the years through the courts, the media and several embarrassing books and exposures. Little wonder that his campaign has enraged some of the holy man's supporters. To date, Basava Premanand has survived four murder attempts and bears the scars from several savage beatings. In 1986, he was arrested by the police for marching to Puttaparthi with 500 volunteers for a well-publicised confrontation with Sai Baba. Four male devotees broke into Sai Baba's private quarters late at night armed with knives Later that year, he took Sai Baba to court for violating the Gold Control Act by producing gold necklaces out of thin air without the permission of a Gold Control Administrator. When his case was dismissed, Mr Premanand appealed on the grounds that spiritual power is not a defence recognised in law. Break-in In June 1993, the peace of the ashram was shattered when a gruesome incident took place. Four male devotees, who were close to Sai Baba, broke into their guru's private quarters late at night armed with knives. Their motives are unclear. Some say they were going to warn their guru about corruption among the higher echelons of the ashram. Others say they were going to kidnap or even kill Sai Baba. They were stopped by Sai Baba's personal attendants and in the violent struggle that ensued, two of the attendants were killed and two left seriously wounded. Mr Premanand is determined to continue with his lone crusade Sai Baba managed to escape through a secret flight of stairs and raise the alarm. Just before the police arrived, the four men escaped to Sai Baba's bedroom. It was there, the police say, they shot the intruders out of self defence. Mr Premanand claimed a cover up and went to court. He says: "The central government stopped the investigation, because if the investigation takes place, a lot of things will come out like economic offences and sex offences." He was outraged that Sai Baba - one of the key witnesses to the events of that night - had not been questioned. Over the next three years, he took his case all the way to the Supreme Court, before he was eventually defeated. Today, this sprightly septuagenarian is as busy as ever, collecting and collating more information. Mr Premanand is preparing for another battle. "This", he says mischievously, "is going to be the greatest fight of my life." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/this_world/3813469.stm

http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=33625 :TH:

Yup, i agree. It is injustice to those that really truly want to learn the warrior art. Its almost disillusioning people.

I agree. However, Gatka has provided a platform for youth to come, network, learn about Sikh history and battles, recite naam and bani, and learn how to live the life of a true Sant-Sipahi. I do feel sorry for some youth though because they spend years learning it but its not really practical - in my opinion, in the long run Gatka is a waste compared to the art of true Shastervidiya. And from what ive seen, many Gatka akharas just dont have the discipline required to get them off the sticks and on to swords. Those are my views anyway.

www.sikhsangeet.com www.saintsoldiers.net www.sridasam.org www.damdamitaksaal.org

Every year. Every year when the Yudh comes around, people have to bicker about it. Every year, its the same old thing. Nihangs who eat meat and drink cannot be openly allowed to take part. Gatka is about jeevan as well, not just swinging some sticks around. You will also notice a lot of youth present at the Yudh - what kind of message would u be sending out if you done veechaar to youth not to eat meat or drink etc when you teach them Gatka, but then allow such people to take part in a gatka tournament? The only argument, in my honest opinion, that such people can argue with is that SOME kids that to take part in the Yudh are not vegetarian or are eggetarian. However, they are kids and it is up to organisers of such events to put forward role models who they can look up to - which they are TRYING to do if it wasnt for the silly few who have to cause a rukuss every year. No one is perfect so please forgive me if i have offended anyone.

Are there any other people who can speak up against the commitee-vala to say he was drunk? U need a more solid case because these people can easily say you are fabricating this - and without sufficient backup and evidence, they will make it seem as though you are seeking vengence for something. If the commitee vala was drunk, are there others who saw him in that state and prepared to stand up against them in a meeting? In regards to the kalgi, was it removed before the laavaan? Again, please try and get hold of the wedding film once made, if it wasnt removed before the laavaan. IN regards to the laavaan being recited wrong, first thing to do when u spot a mistake is to inform the person quietly after the ceremony that they read it wrong and see how they respond. If it was a Granthi, they shouldnt be hostile and listen to you. IF not, then you can take that issue further and the integrity of the Granthis gurmat education can be questioned.

boley so nihaal....

Well its interesting because whereas we wouldnt put a gutka on the floor, we have no problem with putting laptops etc on the floor when using STTM for example. I guess the argument is that its all digital and binary ie. consisting of digits such as 1000100110110001. And therefore its ok as its not written by a "soul". U know have PDA's with Gurbani on and people carry Guru Jee around on it. Its kinda... weird thinking about it. There would be a big ethical debate if ever scientists tried to download a persons thoughts etc on to machine and i reckon Sikhs would be against that BUT we have no problem allowing Guru Granth Sahib Jee to be downloaded on to a machine. Just goes to show we dont really treat Guru Jee as our living Guru... we just wannabe's...... so im kinda divided on the thing on a personal level. But i still continue to use digital Gurbani because it doesnt seem the panthic leaders condemn it and chardhi kalaah singhs (who i wud class as CK) also seem to use it... guess that makes me a sheep... following the flock :s

Gimme the tickets n i'll go n test it out for u. See how kind i am?! :s

Passages sung from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee, Bhai Gurdas Ji's vaars, and Dasam Granth (maybe more) are classed as Shabads. Anything written by non-Bhagats, Fakeers, Gurus etc are mainly classed as Kavi's (poems) or Dharmik Geet (Religious Songs). Forgive my mistakes

Look - be whatever, do whatever.... but BE a good person. A good human being. when you say give up Sikhi, you can give up ure saroop... but tell me, wud u reli love to start drinking? eating meat? sleep around? I would think the answer is no - u just want to be "normal" right? You can give up on Sikhi... but Sikhi wont give up on you no matter what. You cut your hair? it will grow back! you can pierce ure ears but what happens after a while of not wearing any earings? It seals back up to its natural form. So go - quit on Sikhi... but Sikhi wont quit on you.

It is the effects of alcohol which are damaging - and i dont think you had enough to make you drunk or anywhere near "tipsy" so you shouldnt need to go pesh - just be more careful in the future and do more simran and paath.

Gosh Okay its not that much of a big deal really. If u cant beat em, join em lol - it wud have been better to have two programmes on different days in the same city - that was my only point. I am sorry if i spoke out of turn before though. Chatanga, u were joking about the Rehansbhai being cancelled at Wednesfield right? Coz thats jus confused me propa now!