Celebrating the Birth of Sikhism's Classical Hero
The New Indian Express|January 06, 2025
I received a beautiful New Year message from a Sikh friend: "End 2024 with shukrana (thanksgiving), start 2025 with ardas (petition for well-being)." This naturally brought to mind that January 6 is the 358th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh.
RENUKA NARAYANAN
Celebrating the Birth of Sikhism's Classical Hero

Date-wise, after Rana Pratap and Shivaji Maharaj, Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, is India's last great classical hero, and Hindus revere him as devotedly as Sikhs do.

Among his many brave deeds, he founded the Khalsa, the Sikh army created to fight injustice and oppression. I can never forget the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Khalsa in 1999. Delhi was a festive sight, with thousands of cars flying saffron pennants with 'Ik Onkar' (God is One) in Gurmukhi script. To offer respect, I went to Delhi's seven historic Sikh shrines and was deeply moved by the sincerity of devotion there, the soothing sound of the shabad kirtan, the cleanliness, and the characteristic generosity with which the gurdwaras fed everyone langar, the free community meal.

Growing up in Delhi, I had the subconscious assurance that, should the need arise, I would never go hungry in my hometown. All I had to do was show up at one of the great gurdwaras, and I would be fed. This assurance gives a certain confidence to those who know it—I have never seen a Sikh beggar.

Of these historic Delhi gurdwaras, the one that hit me hardest in the gut was Gurdwara Shishganj in Chandni Chowk. It was built on the site of Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom. He was the ninth Sikh Guru, the father of Guru Gobind Singh, and was petitioned by a group of Kashmiri Hindus to save them from the religious persecution of the Mughals.

Esta historia es de la edición January 06, 2025 de The New Indian Express.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición January 06, 2025 de The New Indian Express.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESSVer todo
Rajkumar Periasamy teams up with Bhushan Kumar
The New Indian Express

Rajkumar Periasamy teams up with Bhushan Kumar

AMARAN filmmaker Rajkumar Periasamy and T-Series managing director and producer Bhushan Kumar, have announced a new project.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
'Independent cinema doesn't have a support system in India'
The New Indian Express

'Independent cinema doesn't have a support system in India'

Producers Guneet Monga and Achin Jain reflect on the shrinking space for indie projects in the country, the rising costs of filmmaking and distribution, and why Kill got a lukewarm response

time-read
3 minutos  |
January 07, 2025
The New Indian Express

GOOD BAD UGLY TO HIT THEATRES IN APRIL

ON Monday, the makers of ajith Kumar and adhik ravichandran’s Good Bad Ugly announced that the film is all set to hit the theatres on april 10.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
First look out for GV Prakash's Kingston
The New Indian Express

First look out for GV Prakash's Kingston

ACTOR Sivakarthikeyan, on Monday, unveiled the first look poster of actor-music composer GV Prakash's Kingston.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
BRING IN SOME BURSTS OF COLOUR
The New Indian Express

BRING IN SOME BURSTS OF COLOUR

If you've visited a plant nursery recently, chances are you've spotted petunias everywhere. Colourful and vibrant, these stunning blooms are hard to resist.

time-read
1 min  |
January 07, 2025
Growing roots of an urban home
The New Indian Express

Growing roots of an urban home

\"I USED to be like many urban people, dreaming of moving to the mountains, owning an acre of land, and growing food,\" muses Anita Tikoo, a landscape architect by profession, urban gardener by passion, and home chef and blogger by delight.

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 07, 2025
Saddled up for success
The New Indian Express

Saddled up for success

FOR most of us, the idea of riding a horse sounds like a fairy tale - galloping through fields, wind in our hair, like something out of a movie. But for the young riders at the Chennai Equitation Centre (CEC), this is reality.

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 07, 2025
A Legend Celebrated
The New Indian Express

A Legend Celebrated

Known for revolutionising Carnatic music by emphasising laya control and simplifying gamakas, Gudalur Narayanaswamy Balasubramaniam's (GNB) contributions to the art form have left an indelible mark.

time-read
2 minutos  |
January 07, 2025
The New Indian Express

Seeking the divine in steps

According to mythology, Lord Krishna is believed to have said that among the months He is Margazhi, indicating its auspiciousness.

time-read
2 minutos  |
January 07, 2025
Raising the bar pays off for hockey coach Sangwan
The New Indian Express

Raising the bar pays off for hockey coach Sangwan

A SNUB can either break one down or spur the individual on to scale new heights. Unfortunately, a majority of people end up heartbroken. But a better future awaits those who manage to swallow the bitter pill. Haryana hockey coach Sandeep Sangwan falls under the second category.

time-read
2 minutos  |
January 07, 2025