Who said Girls cant Rep it?

Raminder Kaur Bedi, 22, from Patti feels proud of the fact that she is a sole woman gatka performer in her area. One of the two sisters in the family, she is employing this art not only to protect this important piece of the rich Sikh heritage, but also to take cudgels against the menace of female foeticide.

Bedi, who started performing the gatka at a very young age, has vivid memories of an event that inspired her to pursue martial arts. I was very young at that time, but I remember watching an inspiring performance during a religious procession, which motivated me to learn the skill, she said. From that moment, she has been using most of her spare time practicing gatka.

At other times she is busy imparting knowledge of the martial skills to the boys in her neighbourhood. Initially not many people in her circle thought much of her desire to learn the skill, but were forced to take notice when she put up one impressive show after the other and won accolades in different district and state-level events. Though well-versed in almost every nuance of the art, her most awe-inspiring feat in this discipline includes her routine with a sword and shield.

Raminder, meanwhile, laments that now-a-days very few people bother to take some time out from their busy lives and learn gatka, without realising that it is an integral part of the Sikh heritage.

Her objective, however, is to use the art as a weapon against female foeticide. Our Gurus always raised their voice against the killing of girls and women, but many people are still indulging in it, she said referring to foeticide menace. She maintained that she wanted to make the society realise what wrong that it was committing by killing girls even before they were born.

I have brought laurels to my families name and want people to realise that their daughters can make them proud too if only they would give them a chance, added Bedi.

Panthic Alert

Riyat & Sukh Nagra Present...

VAISAKHI 2008 Asian Ball/Dinner & Dance


JAZZY B'S FIRST TIME EVER PERFORMING
FROM HIS BRAND NEW ALBUM "RAMBO"

SUKSHINDER SHINDA PERFORMING
FROM HIS SELL OUT "LIVING THE DREAM"

JASSI-J SINGING FROM HIS NEWEST ALBUM "NACHNA"

MESHI FROM XLNC SINGING FROM "NACHNA"

KIKLI ROADSHOW HOSTING THE NIGHT

DHOL ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WITH A LIVE STAGE SET

SHAAN PANJABI BHANGRA TEAM PERFORMING LIVE!!

As Well As
Professional Photography...
Mendi Artist...
Chocolate Fountain...
& a Full 3 Course Meal With a Fully Licenced Bar!!!!

Event Info Name: Vaisakhi Asian Ball 2008
Tagline: The Most Anticipated Event of the Year
Host: Riyat and Sukh Nagra
Type: Party - Dinner Party
Time and Place Start Time: Friday, April 11, 2008 at 7:00pm
End Time: Saturday, April 12, 2008 at 3:00am
Location: RAMGARHIA HALL
Street: Ulverscroft Road
City/Town: leicester, United Kingdom
View MapGoogleMapQuestMicrosoftYahoo
Contact Info Phone: 07792173243

The hall is made from sangats money, the money that the Sangat gave Guru JI. So basically these masands will be allowing Drink, meat and hoes dancing in Guru JIs property. What a piss take, cant even call it disrespect.

For more information visit and how the sangat will deal with this visit:

www.khalsayouthmovement.blogspot.com

http://www.petitiononline.com/12ab12ab/petition.html

What A Cheek!!!!!

The Akal Thakt Jathedar is chilling and playing golf.

He is relaxing because of all the hard work he has done, all that travelling to the RSS programmes must take it out of him. I mean the Panth is doing so good init we have freedom and there is no disrespect going on. Therefore the Jathedar can have a little break.

NOT

The situation the Panth is in and the problems the panth is facing, the jathedar shouldn’t even have time to sleep. I mean families of shaheeds are suffering in poverty. People are still locked up for no reason. The killers of the anti Sikh riots have not been brought to justice. The youth in Punjab are cutting their hair and taking drugs. Our history is being rewritten and is being replaced with slanderous versions. But the jathedar has time and money to take his family to Canada for holiday and play golf.

I say Vedanti should be taken down from his position!

We need a real Jathedar like Akali Phoola Singh. Who became Shaheed for the Panth!

The great Sikh General, Jathedar Akali Phoola Singh, was born in 1761. His father Ishar Singh was fatally wounded during the great massacre of Sikhs (Wada Ghalughara) in 1762. Before his death he charged Bhai Narain Singh of Misl Shaheedan with the responsibility of raising his infant son.

Akali Ji, by the age of ten, could recite Nitnem and other Gurbani hymns. At Anandpur Sahib, he always kept himself busy doing sewa or reading Gurbani, and he became very popular with the sangat. Because of his scholastic attitude and commitment to Panthic welfare, he was made the leader (Jathedar) of the Misl after the death of Bhai Narain Singh. In 1800, he came to Amritsar and made the Mahants improve the management of the Gurdwaras. The major credit for extending the boundaries of the Sikh Raj goes to Akali Ji, the legendary general of the Sikhs.

In 1808, a British representative was sent to Amritsar for talks for developing better relations between the two governments. A Muslim platoon with the British emissary organized a procession to celebrate their festival chanting loud slogans. When passing near the Akal Takhat, they were advised not to create noise, because it disturbed the Sikh congregation. However, the leaders of the procession insulted the Sikhs instead of listening to their suggestion. On hearing this disturbing news, Akali Ji himself went to settle the matter with the British platoon. The soldiers apologized and behaved respectfully in the future. No more noisy processions were taken near the Gurdwara again.

Akali ji fought in many battles for the protection of Sikhi. He also received the honour of becoming a shaheed for the Panth on the Battlefield.

He was a fearless and skilled commander. He maintained the Sant-Sipahi (Saint-Soldier) tradition of the Khalsa. Akali Phoola Singh Ji remains a role model for all Sikhs.

SIkh Body Demands Progress

’84 Riots
Convert affidavits into FIRs, demands Sikh body
Naveen S. Garewal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 12
The All-India Sikh Conference has demanded that all affidavits filed before various commissions and courts by eyewitnesses of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots should be converted into FIRs.

“There is sufficient evidence available against 10,000 people who continue to roam about freely on Delhi roads after massacring 5,000 innocent Sikhs. But, powerful politicians are preventing courts from bringing justice”.

Stating that successive government have been trying to help people like Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar, Kamal Nath, who were in the forefront of the anti-Sikh riots, president of the All-India Sikh Conference (Babbar) Gurcharan Singh Babbar said if the affidavits available with the government forming the part of various commissions and instigations were converted into FIRs, many witnesses would come forward to retreat their submissions.

“How is it possible that the director of revenue intelligence (DRI) raided my house and offices and took away all material I had collected against those guilty of perpetuating crimes against Sikhs and subsequently destroyed it? After all this was not a matter that related to revenue, he was directed by Jagdish Tytler and Gulam Nabi Azad to do so”, Babbar alleged.

Babbar said he had received fresh threats from those responsible for the riots for his sustained campaign to pressurise the government to book the guilty.

He demanded that he be provided a licensed weapon to defend himself. But, he made it clear that if something were to happen to him, Jagdish Tytler would be responsible.

“I have definite and specific information that an assassin has been hired to eliminate me”, he said.

The Delhi-based Sikh activist also appealed to the Sikh community across the world to persuade Jasbir Singh, who is based in California, to come to India and appear before the Delhi High Court to state what he had witnessed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

“The next hearing is scheduled for February 27 and Jasbir must tell the court what he saw, or else thousands of criminals and their henchmen will go scot free”.

The CBI is telling the government that it does not have any evidence to nail the culprits, “I appeal to Jasbir and others like him to come forward and tell the world what they saw”.

Gurcharan Singh, who was himself declared a “wanted” person by the government, said he had suffered humiliation and atrocities at the hands of those who did not want him to pursue the “killers of Sikhs in Delhi”, but his crusade to expose the criminals will continue.

Meanwhile, the All-India Sikh Student’s Federation, has claimed that it has managed to persuade yet another eyewitness, Surinder Singh, to come and make a statement on what he saw during the riots.

Converting by lies and Deception (Hindu Gangs target Sikh Girls)

It is well know and established fact that Sikh girls openly marry and convert to Hinduism on a mass scale in India and all over the world. Last year alone their were 1500 Sikhs girls marring Hindus. At a rate of 4 conversions a day In India. From Scotland to England it is the same story every where.

Questions we must ask ourselves?

• Is it expectable in Sikh religion for Sikh girls to marry a Hindu? • Is this all a common Sikh practice or is it done by deception and fraud?

Is it expectable in Sikh religion for Sikh girls to marry Hindu?
Answer: No, it’s against the Sikh rehait maryada. As it states very clearly

Article XVIII

a. A Sikh man and woman should enter wedlock without giving thought to the prospective spouse's caste and descent.
b. A Sikh's daughter must be married to a Sikh.
c. A Sikh's marriage should be solemnized by Anand marriage rites.

http://www.sgpc.net/rehat_maryada/section_...hap_eleven.html

Is this all a common Sikh practice or is it done by deception and fraud?
Answer: yes it is done under false pretences deception and fraud.

Their main argument is that Sikhs are Hindus and its okay as Sikhism is a part of Hindu religion. Hindus openly wears karas and kanda chains to pretend to be half Sikhs and lure Sikh girls into this false scene of security. Then sikhi becomes history, when these Hindu gangs tell our girls the following things:

• There is no need to be Sikh any more as we have are own country. The Sikhs were created as an army of the Hindus to protect the Brahmins

• We don’t need to be protected by Sikh army anymore as we have the Indian army, we know that Indian army is better then Sikhs as we learn in 1984.

We are the Stupid ones that allow Non-Sikhs to marry our Girls In Gurdwaras. These Gangs must be think we can go to the Gurdwara and get free food, but these fools are letting us marry their girls to!

Below is a real life story of a Sikh Girl:

Amanpreet Kaur Marries a Hindu


http://www.realsikhism.com/testimonies/amanpreet.html

By Amanpreet Kaur
June 2003

I am Amanpreet Kaur, a 22 year old girl born in Ludhiana, Punjab. When I was 19, studying BCA, I fell in love with a Hindu boy named Sameer. We would talk for hours and it was clear that he loved me back. We would always talk about living a happy life together but never really discussed religion.

Religion is a big part of life in India. Indians are very religious people. My family was religious but they hardly told me anything about Sikhism. Everything I learned about Sikhism was from the school in which I studied ‘till twelfth grade. I knew about Guru Nanak Dev Ji and his teachings and that Sikhs are to worship one God only. I knew a little bit of the history, Sikhs fighting with Muslim emperor Aurengzeb to save Hindus. But little did I knew about differences between Sikhism and Hinduism. All I knew was Sikhs do not believe in caste system and do not worship Hindu Gods like Brahma, Krishan, Ganesh, Durga, Kali etc, as mukti (salvation) can only be attained through the meditation on One God, who is above all.

Sameer told me that I do not have to convert to Hinduism in order to marry him. He told me that I can still practice Sikhism if I wanted to. Marrying a Hindu didn’t seem a big of deal to me but my parents told me that I should marry someone with the similar belief system, a Sikh. There arose a huge fight in our family but blinded by love I insisted to marry Sameer only.

Anyway, we got married. Our marriage was conduct according to Hindu marriage ceremony. Everything was going well for the first couple of weeks until his parents started forcing me to do Durga Puja (worship). I resisted but they said it is the practice of their family and I have to do it. I told Sameer and found him surprisingly in agreement with his parents. He said I can perform Sikh practices but being in their family I have to do Durga Puja.

The conflict started arising not only because of Durga Puja but also due to daily Hindu rituals. For example always referring to Hindu Gods while talking, fasting for certain periods, considering fire as sacred, and much more.

They kept forcing me and taunting me and I started performing Durga Puja. I felt very awkward worshipping the stone statue of Durga. One day I decided to search the online version of Guru Granth Sahib about what my Guru says about performing other worships. I found out that Guru Ji condemns the worship of anyone else except God.

As I read more and more of Guru Granth Sahib and some of the articles written by Sikhs, my eyes lit and I was amazed that my Guru offers such beautiful and true teaching. I felt embarrassed for not knowing it until now. Everything a girl could ever imagine is in Sikhism. Guru ji gave women equal status as of men, equal rights and self-respect. My Guru made me a princess by giving me the last name, Kaur. I felt really ashamed and embarrassed having betrayed my Guru.

The next morning I told Sameer that I will no longer perform Durga Puja. When my mother-in-law heard this from Sameer, she became furious and started cursing me. And started telling Sameer that he should leave me. That morning I did not perform Durga Puja. One day Sameer came home and told me to get ready. I asked him the reason and he said it is a surprise. I had no idea where he was taking me until he took me to a mandir (Hindu Temple). He had tricked me to go to the mandir to do Durga Puja. I refused to get out of the car. He kept trying and even tried to drag me. Watching my resistance, he became furious and drove back home. He did not say a word and when we went in our room he slapped me. The slap was so unexpected and hard that I fell on the ground. I started crying and he started yelling. I wept for the whole night.

Slowly our marriage grew apart and we got divorced. I still regret my decision of getting married to Sameer. Sometimes our emotions make us blind and all we want to see is what suits our eyes and we ignore everything else, unaware of what we ignored will come back to haunt us. My advice to all Sikh girls is to marry a Sikh so that there would be no room for religious conflicts.

School rejects Pupil with Turban (allegation)

Durban: A Sikh woman has alleged that her son was turned away admission in two schools here because he had a long hair and wore a turban.

Beena Singh said that her son, Harkit, had been rejected admission by the Durban High School and Glenwood High School last month on religious grounds, according to The Extra, a supplement with the National Sunday Times.

A spokesperson for the provincial education department told the newspaper that the incident was a "serious matter" and they would investigate.

"An official would visit both schools to get to the root of the problem," he said.

Singh alleged that both schools rejected her application on the grounds that her son had a long hair and wore a turban, which is mandatory for Sikhs.

Both schools are former whites-only schools and have started admitting other race students since 1994. She subsequently succeeded in getting him admitted to Durban's Crawford College.

"He has been emotionally scared by this, but he is very happy at his new school. He is a good cricketer and has been accepted by his peers on the cricket field," Singh was quoted as saying by the paper.

However, the principals of both the schools have denied that there had been discrimination against the boy.

"It is totally incorrect to say that he was denied access because he is a Sikh or that he refused to cut his hair or take off his turban. We never even met the boy," Durban High School principal David manger told the newspaper.

Frontline comments:

Alot of schools and Governments tend to be taking the piss out of Sikh rights. I reckon its because we got no base, any nation without a homeland is doomed and will be slaves through out the world!

Mock slaughter in Parliament Square

Hundreds of students and Hindu representatives are to descend on Parliament Square to carry out a mock slaughter.

Those gathered will re-enact the RSPCA's killing of the temple cow Gangotri just as scores of orange-robed Hindu monks will make a tumultuous sound by blowing on sacred conch-shells outside Parliament Square.

The Hindu protest against the actions of the RSPCA will be held on the same day that a British delegation will pay their final respects to Gangotri by scattering her ashes in the holy river Ganges in the ancient pilgrim city of Varanasi in India.

The procession which will start from Parliament Square and finish outside DEFRA will include singing, chanting, slogans, drums, cymbals, costumes, colorful robes and banners, and culminate in the mock killing of a 'cow' by protestors dressed as RSPCA officers.

On the same day, Hindu priests in India will chant ancient Sanskrit verses, light lamps and offer prayers as British Hindu monks scatter Gangotri's ashes into the sacred river.

"Our travel to India is our final act of respect to Gangotri," said Gauri Dasa, President of Bhaktivedanta Manor.

"We are agonized by her killing and British Hindus also wish to voice their concern on the same day. Their protest in London is an expression of this desire."

"The temple nursed Gangotri in a way no farmer could ever afford to do. The RSPCA seem to have missed the point that Gangotri was not being made to suffer.

"On the contrary, she had survived so long precisely because of the quality of care she had received. Our society must be able to recognize that just as we do not allow the euthanizing of human beings, Hindus do not accept the euthanasia of cows." said Barry Gardiner MP for Brent North, who had initiated an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons against the killing of Gangotri.

Rickie Sehgal, a member of the Justice for Gangotri Taskforce and Chair of the Hindu Forum of Britain's Membership Committee, said, "The RSPCA do not seem to be aware of the levels of resentment and anger in our community as a result of this despicable killing of Gangotri. We do really want some answers from them."

Organisations that will take part in the protest include the Hindu Forum of Britain, National Council of Hindu Temples, Hindu Council UK, VHP UK, Hindu Council of Brent, ISKCON, Swaminarayan Hindu Mission and several other national and regional Hindu institutions.

Frontline comments:

The cow was killed due to an injury, what if a human is injured do we just kill them. The Rspca have the cheek to say they protect the welfare of animals. Its seems like powerful Governments and organisations seem to be able to get away with anything! The common people have no say!

Film about Sikh awareness made by non-SIkhs

Within six months after its official release, the film MISTAKEN IDENTITY won three first prize awards (The Golden Lion Award for best documentary), The Remi Statuette for "creative excellence" competing with 4,500 entries and the NYIIFV Festival's (debut director for documentary) at American Film Festivals.With the announcement of the "global media event" in Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA., screenings were held across the USA (over 33 States completed); Canada (Ottawa's House of Commons; etc.,), and now the film will move across the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean to have its India premiere on Doordarshan TV, after the successful screenings in across the major cities in the United Kingdom where large communities of Sikh reside.

Vinanti Sarkar

The film is but "a drop in the ocean" ­ about one ethnic community while promoting the identity of over 500,000 British Sikhs. MISTAKEN IDENTITY is the first film (six part series) produced by two non-Sikh women, who have been producing dramatic culturally diversified films to inform and educate North Americans.

Hosted by 22-year old Host Amanda Gesine (who conceived the idea of the TV program) the one hour film shows how she discovers her Sikh neighbors five days after 9/11.

Amanda Gesine was the inspiration behind Mistaken Identity. A 22-year-old student at Georgetown University, Amanda passed away in a tragic accident on 14 June 2002.

Never having had a Sikh friend in school or college, she saw how American Sikhs were immediately, racially profiled, verbally abused and physically assaulted simply because they wore turbans and beards and mistaken for terrorists.

A white girl, sheltered like so much of the mainstream populations in North America and the UK, she existed behind the whitepicket fence, which separate "the others". As the Youth of the new millennium, she immediately saw the light at the end of the tunnel and sought to break new grounds in promoting films of cultural diversity to mainstream populations, because she felt they are more relevant now than ever, especially as her favourite class at Georgetown University (Washington DC) was "cultural diversity."

The film demystifies the enigma of Sikhs (first ethnic group filmed) and shares the hopes and desires of people from all walks of life who seek to close ranks against bigotry and hate, and take a united stand against terrorism which results from fear and ignorance. It focuses directly on the concerns of multicultural diversity and tries to educate people about new strange immigrants "and asks for tolerance, respect and understanding of next door neighbors."

The film is Amanda Gesine's legacy to the world as she had a freak accident, after spending ten months of her young life working on completing the film. It is her contribution to inform and educate … by sharing her own efforts of distancing ignorance and fear about fellow neighbours … Visit www.cultural-diversity.co.uk where you can review 3-4 min of the film on streaming video …

Sponsored by UK's Jean Bartlett, Managing Director of The Bag Lady www.bagladyit.com in Cardiff, Wales. For more information contact: Ms Nims Sarkar, Managing Director, Celebrating Cultural Diversity (CCD), 59 Vicarage Road, Harborne, Birmingham B17 0SR Tel: 0121-427-5991 Email: Producer/Director vsarkar1@earthlink.net for availability of DVD.

Frontline comments: RIP AMANDA, the work you did for the Sikh Community will never be forgotten God Bless Your Soul!

RSS show their ARMS OFF

The Indian EXPRESS

Arms on show at RSS rally

Milind Ghatwai

Posted online: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 2323 hrs IST

BHOPAL, JANUARY 29
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh broke new ground in Madhya Pradesh on
Sunday when its gun-wielding volunteers fired in the air at the end of
an orderly Path Sanchalan (route march) in Satna town.

The procession of more than 150 volunteers carrying guns, swords and
lathis began from the Sangh office behind the Kotwali Police Station and
concluded at the same spot after a round of the main bazaar as onlookers
watched in awe.

The firing was reserved for the end. "It was the work of some young
volunteers who were overwhelmed by the occasion," explained RSS
prant sanchalak Shankarprasad Tamrakar. "It's not illegal
because all weapons were licensed," he told The Indian Express on
Tuesday.

Tamrakar admitted that firing happened for the first time, but justified
the display of weapons as necessary and integral part of the procession.
Only those volunteers who are part of the Dhwaj Vahini carry weapons, he
claimed.

According to him, the firing took place after everything was over, and
hence, cannot be treated as part of Path Sanchalan. The local
authorities turned a blind eye to the incident saying no one complained
about firing. A local television channel showed volunteers in
celebratory mood loading their guns and firing in the air. "They are
following in (Narendra) Modi's footsteps," said Satna's
Congress unit president Pradyumna Singh Saluja.

Only a day before, Jabalpur—the headquarters of Mahakaushal region
that includes Satna — witnessed another huge procession of
gun-wielding volunteers. Though there was no incident of firing, the
number of weapons on display was large.

Earlier, Path Sanchalan used to be restricted only to Dusshera
celebrations. RSS leaders said only urban areas carry out processions on
the occasion of Vijaya Dashami while in rural areas the local units
organise them as per convenience.

Madhya Pradesh has seen an unusual spurt in Path Sanchalans after the
BJP wrested power from the Congress in late 2003.
Ten days ago, RSS insisted on taking out Path Sanchalan in Badnawar in
Dhar district that saw communal violence two days before. The violence
ensued when RSS volunteers on "awareness rally", ahead of the
Path Sanchalan, entered a Muslim locality. The route chosen by the RSS
coincided with the one planned by Muslims for their Tazia procession. A
few RSS activists are behind bars in connection with the Dhar violence.


Sidhique Poocholamad,

Police scam innocents in vicious scam

Moga Sex Scam
Probe indicates nexus between cops, girls
Innocent persons trapped to extract money
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 11
Less than three months after the Punjab and Haryana High Court observed that the Moga sex scam was apparently "nothing less than the Jammu sex scandal", investigations in the matter indicate a nexus between the police top brass and the girls for framing innocent persons in rape cases to extract money.

The modus operandi that has emerged from the investigations is that senior police functionaries after booking innocent persons accepted money, part of which was paid to the girls.

Later, one of the girls would not identify the accused. Or, the police after completion of legal formalities would give the accused a clean chit.

A senior police officer, whose name had surfaced during the hearing of the matter before the High Court, also finds mention in the statements of witnesses.

The "witnesses", including two advocates, have categorically stated that money was demanded and passed on directly or indirectly to the girls and the senior police functionary for letting the accused off the hook.

An advocate-cum-witness has asserted that he was engaged as a counsel by an accused. A friend of the accused said he was innocent and should be helped out; adding that another accused got his name dropped by giving Rs 3 lakh to the senior police officer.

The advocate also claimed that he requested another advocate to approach the police officer for getting the name of the accused struck off.

The other advocate met the police officer and found that the cop was demanding Rs 4.5 lakhs. The money was arranged through the friend of the accused.

As per the directions of the senior police officer, a subordinate cop submitted an application on May 12, 2007, to the chief judicial magistrate, Moga, for the identification of the accused and the same was allowed the same day.

The advocate has concluded the sequence of events by saying the identification parade was conducted on May 19, 2007, where one of the girls did not identify the accused. He was declared innocent and shown in Column number two.

In another statement, the other advocate has claimed that the first lawyer approached him with a request to help the accused.

The advocate added he had friendly relations with the police officer and was sure he could help the accused. He talked to the senior police officer who had demanded Rs 4.5 lakhs for removing the name of the accused from the case.

He has added that the first lawyer gave him the amount in two instalments on May 7, 2007 and May 9, 2007 and got an application moved from the wife of the accused to the top cop.

After that on May 9, 2007, he went to the officer’s house at Moga and handed over the money personally to him by putting the same in an envelope. The top cop returned Rs 1.5 lakhs and asked him to give the amount to one of the girls. He kept the remaining amount of Rs 3 lakh. The money was handed over the next day. After some days, the police discharged the accused from this case.

He has also given details of another matter in which the officer called him to his house, where another senior police functionary was also present. In that matter, the top cop, subsequently, gave Rs 3 lakh to him for handing it over to one of the girls. Three persons were, later on, discharged after obtaining legal opinion in the matter.

Frontline comments:

A wise man only seeks protection from God and their weapons!

What a NUTCASE?

NEW DELHI -- A man in southern India married a female dog in a traditional Hindu ceremony as an attempt to atone for stoning two other dogs to death -- an act he believes cursed him -- a newspaper reported Tuesday.

P. Selvakumar married the sari-draped former stray named Selvi, chosen by family members and then bathed and clothed for the ceremony Sunday at a Hindu temple in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, the Hindustan Times newspaper said.

Selvakumar, 33, told the paper he had been suffering since he stoned two dogs to death and hung their bodies from a tree 15 years ago.

"After that my legs and hands got paralyzed and I lost hearing in one ear," he said in the report.

The paper said an astrologer had told Selvakumar the wedding was the only way he could cure the maladies. It did not say whether his situation had improved.

Deeply superstitious people in rural India sometimes organize weddings to dogs and other animals, believing it can ward off certain curses.

The paper showed a picture of Selvakumar sitting next to the dog, which was wearing an orange sari and a flower garland.

The paper said the groom and his family then had a feast, while the dog got a bun.

Frontline comments:

Some people have lost the plot man, i wonder where they are going for their honey moon!

Non-Sikh Marriages in Gurdwara Sahibs

For the protection of Sikh ethics, the Respectful conduct of Guru Granth Sahib Ji and the preservation of the Khalsa Panth in the UK, the issue of Non-Sikh marriages in Gurdwara Sahibs was addressed by Akal Thakt.

Yes the Sikh Gurdwara is open to all faiths, colours, castes and backgrounds. Sikhs believe that God exists in everyone therefore serving the creation is like serving the creator. How ever Sikhs do have a code of conduct which has been put in place to maintain the respect of Sikh principals.

Some Gurdwara sahibs in the Uk allow a non- Sikh to get marries to a Sikh in front of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Reasons why some feel this practice is making mockery of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji:

In order to be a Sikh you must have faith in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and recognize Maharaj as the true Guru. You may not be a fully practicing Sikh, but one day you aim to become one. SO one point is that if a person is not a Sikh, why would they want a Sikh wedding? (There is no logic in this).

If you live in England, you can’t play for Brazil world cup team. Because that would be making a mockery of the national team, yet we allow non Sikhs who have no faith in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji to make a oath in front of Guru Ji. (Where is the logic?)

In a court of Law a Bible is presented to a Christian, a Quran to a Muslim on which an oath is sworn, and not vice versa. A marriage is also an oath, and in the presence of ‘Jaag di Jhot’ Dhan Guru Granth Sahib Ji only those who have accepted Guru Granth Sahib Ji as their Guru should be taking marriages vows - otherwise it’s a mockery of the system, and disrespect to Guru Sahib”

We do not oppose interfaith marriages, but we will not tolerate the abuse of the Sikh Gurdwara code of conduct. Those wanted to have a interfaith marriage should have a wedding some where else and not bring their unlogical, piss taking activities into the Gurdwara.

What is the traditional code of Conduct laid by Guru Ji and the Sikh Rehatnamas?

Have relations with a Sikh of the Guru. (Rehatnama Bhai Chaupa Singh)

Killing a daughter or to give a daughter (in marriage) to a non-Sikh, such a person commits great offence. Sikh should give his daughter (in marriage) to a Sikh. Thus Gurmukh meets a Gurmukh. Giving a daughter to a Bhadni (non-Sikh) is like giving nectar to a snake. (Rehatnama Bhai Desa Singh)

A Sikh gives (in marriage) his daughter to a Sikh and does not accept any money in exchange. He is my Sikh and will reach in my presence. – Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji

When the daughter comes of age only then relations should be contracted, not for a very young girl. And the relations should be Sikhs of the Guru. (Prem Sumagar)

On the 16th of August 2007 after sustained campaigning by UK Sikh youth, Sri Akal Takht, Amritsar reiterated the Reht Maryada for Anand Karaj ceremonies.
Sri Akaal Takht Sahib is the Throne of the Almighty and the orders issued by it are called Hukamnamas. Hukamnama literally means "Royal Order."

The existing Code of conduct regarding persons of other religions participating in an Anand Karaj ceremony is as follows:-
THE CODE OF SIKH CONDUCT AND CONVENTIONS
k. Persons professing faiths other than the Sikh faith cannot be joined in wedlock by the Anand Karaj ceremony.

Despite this many Gurudwara Committees across the UK are choosing to abuse this Maryada for financial gains.

As of 16th August 2007 new guidelines issues by Sri Akal Takhat

Any persons previously of a religion other than Sikhism must show his/her commitment to the PERSUIT of Sikhi by applying the following criteria:

Include Singh or Kaur in the name - Changing by Deed Poll including Passport & Driving License.


Translation of royal order:

Ik Ongkar Sri Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, Sri Amritsar
Giani Joginder Singh, Jethadar

Date: 16-8-2007

Anand Sanskar"Marriage Ceremony"

This is a message to all the Sikh Sangat that according to the Rehat Maryada only Sikh couples (male/female) can engage in the Anand Karaj Ceremony. If the couple or either one of them is not a Sikh, then they must embrace the Sikh faith.

This includes that they must change their second name to Singh or Kaur in their official document (e.g. driving licence, identity card, and passport) before the marriage.

(Signed)

(Joginder Singh)Jathedar

Frontline comments:

We must all keep in mind we only become a true sikh once we take amrit and follow rehat maryada. only then do we become a real Singh and Kaur.

Ex-cop quizzed over inaction during 1984 anti-sikh riots.

A random member of Dehli Police

A retired Delhi Police inspector, who was a member of the team that probed an anti-Sikh riot case, today found himself on the back foot when he was asked questions on alleged police inaction at the time when a mob killed a victim.

Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Kumar deferred the matter for tomorrow as Mamchand, posted in the Riot Cell constituted to look into the 1984 riots cases, expressed his inability to respond to the queries as to why the armed policemen refrained from using force when the mob killed Gurbakshish Singh.

Singh was killed outside his house at Paschim Vihar here by a mob in the riot that had followed the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

Mute spectators?

The FIR names Ishwar Singh, Jagdish Singh and Sajjan Singh as the accused in the case and Singh's father Swaran Singh Bhatia had identified the trio before the court and further claimed that the policemen remained mute spectators during the entire episode.

During the investigation, Mamchand had examined inspector Rana, who was present at the crime scene but allegedly did nothing to save the victim or his family from the irate mob.

After Mamchand testified that he was asked to handle the present case and he recorded statements of a few victims and witnesses in the case, the prosecutor asked him as to what was the explanation given by Rana regarding his alleged inaction.

The prosecutor further asked him if any criminal case was pending against Rana for alleged negligence and dereliction of duty as he failed to help the victims.

Mamchand, who had earlier said that no action was taken against Rana as his explanations were found satisfactory by him and other senior officers, sought some time to respond.

Midlands Event

With Dhan Dhan Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharajh's beant kirpa, a number of Singhs in the UK have completed their santhia of Dasam Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

The singhs were very fortunate to have Ustad Bhai Balkar Singh from Damdami Taksal come from the Punjab to the UK specifically in order to teach santhia to these singhs.

To celebrate the completion of the santhia, the singhs are holding a small programme on Saturday 23rd February 2008 at; Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji Gurdwara Tividale, Birmingham

Guru Gobind Singh Ji's Akal Ustat will be read from Dasam Granth Sahib Ji and this will then be followed by Katha and kirtan. Everyone is welcome to attend and take laha from Guru Maharajh's Gurbani.

The programme will start at around 18:00 and will finish at around 22:30

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh

Who knows when death will strike

Kim Sjostrom wanted a real-life version of the film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which played in the background as friends fixed her hair and makeup before her own marriage ceremony.

But less than an hour after she and Teddy Efkarpides were wed, Sjostrom crumpled in her husband's arms during a Greek song that means "Love Me."

At 36, Sjostrom was dead from heart disease.

The wedding had became a project at Davie Elementary School, where Sjostrom taught first grade. Fellow teachers provided the wedding gown, the flowers and decorations. One of them, an ordained minister, performed the ceremony.

"It was perfect for her," said Dominic Church, the minister friend.

Sjostrom carried blue and white flowers during the ceremony — the colors of the Greek flag — as she exchanged vows with Efkarpides, a 43-year-old carpenter and Navy veteran. They had met three years to the day before the Jan. 19 wedding.

During the couple's first dance, Sjostrom complained of being lightheaded. Efkarpides thought his wife, a diabetic, needed sugar, but she collapsed.

Wedding guests, paramedics and doctors at a nearby hospital were unable to revive her.

She had a previous cardiac episode in her 20s and was a poster child — literally — for juvenile diabetes, relatives and friends said. Efkarpides recalled seeing the poster featuring her on New York subways.

He consoles himself by reading a list of "101 Reasons Why I Love You" that Sjostrom gave him on their first Christmas together. "Number 1. You make me smile."

No. 98 is especially difficult: "You're the one I want to grow old with."

Without God, our Husband, our Lord and Master, all friends and companions are like the Messenger of Death. Ang 133 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

In the love of duality, the soul-bride is ruined; around her neck she wears the noose of Death. Ang 134 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Some do not think of death; they entertain great hopes. Ang 143 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji