Sunday, October 24, 2010

Why Sikhs celebrate Diwali ?

Why Sikhs celebrate Diwali ?

"What is Diwali?" this is a common question asked by Sikhs isn’t Diwali just for Hindu’s, and the most common answer you will get is yeah it is but it also plays an important time for Sikhs also, read this….

While the young Guru Hargobind Singh's(The 6th Guru) force grew in strength, the enemies of time never held back in reporting the changes to Emperor Jehangir. They laid special emphasis on the Guru’s personal administration of justice and his command forbidding Sikhs to take their disputes to Mughal courts of law.

He saw in this the beginnings of a revolt, and he thought it wise to stop the movement quickly. So he sent two of his courtiers to Amritsar to ask the Guru to come to Delhi. The 17 year old Guru accepted this invitation and taking a band Singhs set out for Delhi.

There he was received with kindness and courtesy by the Emperor who realized that far from being cowed and subdued by the execution of Guru Arjan Dev, the Sikhs had become more bold and warlike. For some days he tried persuasion, to dissuade the Guru from recruiting Sikh soldiers and making other preparations for war.
 
But Guru Hargobind replied that his policy was to subdue nobody and be cowed by none, and that he would continue to fight all forms of oppression. Jehangir ordered 12 years imprisonment for him in the fort of Gwalior. Here the Guru joined 52 Hindu rulers of the hill-states of India who had been thrown in, on one excuse or another. He continued his daily programme of devotional songs and explanation of the Bani and soon raised the spirits of all the prisoners.

The Sikhs meanwhile became restless, and numerous groups kept coming to Gwalior fort, but as they were not permitted to go in, they would kiss the walls of the fort and depart. Baba Budha JI and Bhai Gurdas Ji were sent by Mata Ganga Devi and the two were allowed to go in. They were sent away by the Guru with the message to all Sikhs to remain in high spirits(Chardi Kaala), as all would be well. Deputations kept going to Jehangir not only from Sikhs but also from Muslim leaders, who had seen nothing but goodness in the Gurus so far.

One Muslim fakir Mian Mir, was greatly respected by all. On his plea, and after two years in prison, Guru Hargobind was told that he was free to go as he wished.

The Guru knew that his 52 fellow prisoners had done no crime. He sent a message to the Emperor that he would not leave without his 52 companions.  This posed quite a problem to Jehangir. Finally he gave the order to free as many as could hold on to the Guru’s person.

The rulers were quite downcast on hearing this, as they could not all hope to touch the Guru at the same time. But the young saviour soon put them at ease.
He had made a robe, which had 50 pleats at the hem, and he made each ruler hold one pleated edge. The last two rulers were given a hand each to hold and the whole constellation thus walked out of the prison gates to freedom.

This chivalry was symbolic of the love the Gurus had for all mankind and Guru Hargobind was known from that day as "Bandhi Sho-dr", the Saviour from Bondage. The Sikhs lit up Golden Temple(Harmandir Sahib) with thousands of oil lamps, to mark the Guru's arrival in Amritsar on the 1614 AD. This happened to be Diwali day, a Hindu festival, and thus Diwali too became significant for the Sikhs…………………….

wholehearted thanks to :- 
sikhphilosophy.net
sikhiwiki.org
*(sources)           

*KIMONG SHAW*

*KS*

Sunday, October 10, 2010

````ABC...YZ of Navratri

~~~"BHADRA KALI SHRI BHALEI MATA, CHAMBA"~~~

A: - AMBE

B: - BHAWANI

C: - CHAMUNDA

D: - DURGA

E: - EKRUPI

F: - FARSADHARNI

G: - GAYATRI

H: - HINGLAAJ

I: - INDRANI

J: - JAGADAMBA

K: - KALI

L: - LUXMI

M: - MAHAMAYA

N: - NARAYANI

O: - OMKARINI

P: - PADMA

Q: - QATYAYANI

R: - RATNAPRIYA

S: - SHITLA

T: - TRIPURA SUNDRI

U: - UMA

V: - VAISHNAVI

W: - WARAHI

Y: - YATI

Z: - ZYANA

"JAI MATA DI"

KIMONG SHAW
*ks*

Friday, October 8, 2010

```Shiva TEMPLE Baijnath

~~~~Beliefs About The Temple~~~~

~~~~~ The Shiva Temple of Baijnath~~~~~

According to the legend, it is believed that during the Treta Yug, Ravana in order to have invincible powers worshiped Lord Shiva in the Kailash. In the same process, to please the almighty he offered his ten heads in the havan kund. Influenced by this extra ordinary deed of the Ravana, the Lord Shiva not only restored his heads but also bestowed him with powers of invincibility and immortality.
On attaining this incomparable boon, Ravana also requested the Lord Shiva to accompany him to Lanka. Shiva consented to the request of Ravana and converted himself into ling. The Lord Shiva asked him to carry the ling and told him that he should not place the ling down on the ground on his way. Ravana stared moving in south direction and reached Baijnath where he felt the need to answer the nature’s call. On seeing a shepherd, Ravana handed over the ling to him and went away to get himself relieved. On finding the ling very heavy, shepherd kept the ling on the ground and the ling got established there and the same is in the form of ardhnarishwar.
                  In the town of Baijnath, Dussehra Festival in which traditionally the effigy of the Ravana is consigned to flame is not celebrated as a mark of respect to the devotion of Ravana towards Lord Shiva. Another interesting fact about the town of Baijnath is that there is no shop of Goldsmiths.

-KimongShaw
*ks*

Sunday, October 3, 2010

```Historical Background HP Lagislative Assembly

"The Himachal Pardesh Vidhan Sabha, Shimla"
The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly has no pre-constitution history-the State itself is a post-Independence creation. It first came into being as a centrally administered territory on April 15, 1948 by the integration of 30 erstwhile princely States. It was administered by a Chief Commissioner, aided and advised in the discharge of his functions by an Advisory Council Consisting of Nine members, three of whom represented the erstwhile princely States and Six being public representatives. In 1951, it became a part 'C' State. Vide Section 3 of Part 'C' State's Act, 1951 Himachal Pradesh was brought under a Lt.Governor with 36 members Legislative Assembly. First election to the Assembly were held in 1952. In 1954 Bilaspur, another part-C State, was merged with Himachal Pradesh and the strength of its Assembly was raised to 41. In 1956, despite majority recommendation of the States Reorganization Commission for its merger with Punjab, Himachal Pradesh retained its separate identity, thanks to the famous dissenting note of the Chairman of the Commission, Justice Sh. Fazal Ali which found favour with the Centre. But a great price had to be paid as Himachal was made a Union Territory sans Legislative Assembly and was placed under an Administrator designated as Lt. Governor. Instead of a Legislative Assembly it was provided with a Territorial Council with limited powers. Thereafter, the people and the political leadership of the State had to literally move heaven and earth for the restoration of democratic edifice. Their efforts finally bore fruit in 1963, when a bill was passed by the Union Parliament for providing Legislative Assemblies and Council of Ministers to certain Union Territories including H.P. It was enforced in the case of Himachal Pradesh from Ist July, 1963 after receiving President's assent. The Territorial Council which was a replica of a dyarchical form of government was converted into a Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory. The strength of the Assembly was fixed at 43 including 2 nominated members. The Assembly held its first sitting from Ist of October 1963. Continuity of the Assembly is considered from this date hence its silver jubilee was celebrated in the year 1988. With the merger of new areas into Himachal Pradesh in 1966, the number of Members in the House rose to 56 including 2 nominated. The strength of the House was further raised to 63 (60 elected and 3 nominated) after section 24 (3) of Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966 (Act No. 31 of 1966) came into force in 1967. Finally it was on January 25, 1971 that a big leap forward was taken and the abode of gods ('Devbhumi' as Himachal is called) made its debut as the 18th State of the Union of India. The declaration of a fully fledged State came from none other then the Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Gandhi from the historic Ridge Maidan. After delimitation of Assembly seats in the year 1971-72, the number of Members in the Assembly now stands at 68.

THE COUNCIL CHAMBER:-
The Council Chamber, the building which houses the Legislative Assembly has a past as well as a present to be proud of. The edifice was completed and was inaugurated by Lord Reading, the then Viceroy of India, on August 27, 1925. The need of this building arose for the simple reason the British chose SHIMLA as the Summer Capital of the Imperial Govt. to save themselves from the blistering summer of Delhi. The Central Assembly had, therefore, to be provided an appropriate accommodation. The construction of the building was started in 1920 near the 'Kennedy House' which was built by the founder of Shimla, Major Kennedy on this new found hill resort.' The Council Chamber was incidentally one of the last important buildings to be built by the British and it was completed at the cost of approx Rs. 10 lacs. The main Hall at that time provided seats for 145 Central Assembly Members (104 elected and 41 nominated) with the President's (the Speaker was then called as President) dias flanked by Viceroy's box (now called the Governor's box) in the left and box for the officers on the right. The Chair for the President is said to have been gifted by the Government of Burma. It is a throne like chair with a high back and with two columns at the sides and flower like decorations at the top. It is made of the renowned Burma teak wood and is still in use in the H.P. Legislative Assembly. However, the Crown that topped the Canopy being symbol of the Imperial Empire was replaced by 'Ashok Chakra' after Independence. The Council Chamber as the building has come to be known changed many a hands after Independence. At the time of Partition, the Punjab Govt. was shifted to Shimla & its Assembly held its meetings in this building. When the Punjab Assembly was shifted to Chandigarh, the Assembly of Part 'C' State of H.P. got the pride of having its sittings in this Chamber. Before that it used to hold its meetings in Vice-Regal Lodge (later named 'Rashtrapati Niwas'). Sh. Jaiwant Ram was the first Speaker of the Pradesh Assembly to occupy the Chair. On October, 31, 1956 when H.P. Assembly was dissolved following the Report of the State's Reorganization Commission, the Govt. Secretariat was shifted in this building when 'Himachal Dham' (the building in which Secretariat was housed) was gutted in fire in mid 1957. During this period the main Chamber was converted into temporary Cabin like structures. For few years, "All India Radio" was also housed in the lower part of the building. The premises were at last restored to the original position on July 1, 1963 when Legislature was revived. First Session of the Assembly after its restoration was held in the Council Chamber from Oct.1, 1963.It need to be mentioned here that the Council Chamber was first renovated in 1963. In 1988 the complete furniture of the Chamber was replaced, when Silver Jubilee of the State Legislative Assembly was celebrated. Besides adding new furniture, the shape of the Hall has been changed from rectangular to U shape with the sitting capacity for 72 Members keeping in view the future requirements. While speaking of this historic Chamber, mention must be made of the fact that it has seen many vicissitudes of fortunes and has been an eye-witness to many an epoch-making event. As aforesaid, in successive years, it has housed the Central Legislative Assembly, the Punjab Legislative Assembly, the Himachal Pradesh Govt. Secretariat and the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly. It has seen the grandeur of the Viceroys and the dignity, grace and glory of Vithalbhai Patel, the first elected President (or Speaker) of the Central Legislative Assembly. In fact the first historic event that took place in the Council Chamber was his election to the Chair as first non-official candidate, in accordance with the recommendations of the Joint Select Committee of the British Parliament on the Govt. of India Act, 1919. Sh. Vithalbhai Patel held office from 1925 to 1930. He is known to have been truely assertive and for laying down the foundation for an independent/impartial Chair. It was he who declared in this Chamber that the person who occupies this Chair in the Assembly should be above all suspicions or being even unconsciously biased in favour of any Party or Govt. It was, therefore, here in this Chamber that he emphasized need for a non-party President/Speaker and on his 1st election to the Chair he observed; "FROM THIS MOMENT, I CEASE TO BE A PARTY MAN. I BELONG TO NO PARTY. I BELONG TO ALL PARTIES...".With a view to strengthen the independence of the office of President/Speaker he declined to accept a ticket from any party for his re-election to the Central Legislative Assembly. Instead, he fought and won as an Independent Member and was soon re-elected unanimously to the Chair. Unfortunately this healthy convention of a non-party Speaker was neither followed by his successors nor encouraged by the leadership of ruling parties in this country. It was also in this Chamber that President Patel got a resolution passed by the Central Legislature for creation of a separate Legislative Assembly Department under the President himself. He said: - "I AM RESPONSIBLE TO THE ASSEMBLY AND TO NO OTHER AUTHORITY “It is hence because of his Endeavour that today each Legislature is having a separate and more or less independent Secretariat. Provisions to this regard was also made later in the Constitution itself under Article 98 (1) and Article 187 (1). This Chamber has also been witness to various important Resolutions being passed by the Central Legislature. By one of these resolutions, Pt. Motilal Nehru reminded the British Government that ultimate goal of the Indians was Independence. The contents of the resolution asunder: - “INDIA IS DETERMINED TO WIN FREEDOM. THE MANNER AND MEASURE AND THE TIME EITHER YOU DETERMINE IN A REASONABLE SPIRIT OR ELSE SHE WILL DETERMINE FOR HERSELF".

Data Source & Compile from:- http://www.hpvidhansabha.nic.in/

*ks*

Friday, October 1, 2010

```Aisi Kounsi Chiz...

Aisi kaunsi chiz hai jo gili rehti hai to 1KG, sukhane ke baad 2KG, aur jalaane ke baad 3KG ho jaati hai?....
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answer is..
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"RICE"
*ks*

DESCLAIMER:

KIMONGSHAW (RAVINDER SINGH c/o Principal, GDC Chamba, Distt Chamba himachal pradesh 176311 india) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THOUGH i TRY TO REPORT ACCURATELY, i CANNOT VERIFY THE ABSOLUTE FACTS OF EVERYTHING POSTED. POSTINGS MAY CONTAIN FACT, SPECULATION OR RUMOR. i FIND IMAGES FROM THE WEB THAT ARE BELIEVED TO BELONG IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. IF ANY STORIES OR IMAGES THAT APPEAR ON THE SITE ARE IN VIOLATION OF COPYRIGHT LAW, PLEASE EMAIL or call me AND i WILL REMOVE THE OFFENDING INFORMATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. contact me kimongshaw@yahoo.co.uk