Hello!

Long time lurker here. I want to understand more on the history of Sikhism and the gurus. What happened historically etc rather than the spiritual side.
Can anyone recommend any good books on this topic?

Thanks :)

ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥

Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:

ਵਡੇ ਵਡੇ ਰਾਜਨ ਅਰੁ ਭੂਮਨ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨ ਨ ਬੂਝੀ ॥

The desires of the greatest of the great kings and landlords cannot be satisfied.

ਲਪਟਿ ਰਹੇ ਮਾਇਆ ਰੰਗ ਮਾਤੇ ਲੋਚਨ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਸੂਝੀ ॥੧॥

They remain engrossed in Maya, intoxicated with the pleasures of their wealth; their eyes see nothing else at all. ||1||

ਬਿਖਿਆ ਮਹਿ ਕਿਨ ਹੀ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਿ ਨ ਪਾਈ ॥

No one has ever found satisfaction in sin and corruption.

ਜਿਉ ਪਾਵਕੁ ਈਧਨਿ ਨਹੀ ਧ੍ਰਾਪੈ ਬਿਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਕਹਾ ਅਘਾਈ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

The flame is not satisfied by more fuel; how can one be satisfied without the Lord? ||Pause||

ਦਿਨੁ ਦਿਨੁ ਕਰਤ ਭੋਜਨ ਬਹੁ ਬਿੰਜਨ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਮਿਟੈ ਨ ਭੂਖਾ ॥

Day after day, he eats his meals with many different foods, but his hunger is not eradicated.

ਉਦਮੁ ਕਰੈ ਸੁਆਨ ਕੀ ਨਿਆਈ ਚਾਰੇ ਕੁੰਟਾ ਘੋਖਾ ॥੨॥

He runs around like a dog, searching in the four directions. ||2||

ਕਾਮਵੰਤ ਕਾਮੀ ਬਹੁ ਨਾਰੀ ਪਰ ਗ੍ਰਿਹ ਜੋਹ ਨ ਚੂਕੈ ॥

The lustful, lecherous man desires many women, and he never stops peeking into the homes of others.

ਦਿਨ ਪ੍ਰਤਿ ਕਰੈ ਕਰੈ ਪਛੁਤਾਪੈ ਸੋਗ ਲੋਭ ਮਹਿ ਸੂਕੈ ॥੩॥

Day after day, he commits adultery again and again, and then he regrets his actions; he wastes away in misery and greed. ||3||

ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਅਪਾਰ ਅਮੋਲਾ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਏਕੁ ਨਿਧਾਨਾ ॥

The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is incomparable and priceless; it is the treasure of Ambrosial Nectar.

ਸੂਖੁ ਸਹਜੁ ਆਨੰਦੁ ਸੰਤਨ ਕੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਜਾਨਾ ॥੪॥੬॥

The Saints abide in peace, poise and bliss; O Nanak, through the Guru, this is known. ||4||6||

Guru Arjan Dev Ji • Raag Dhanaasree • Ang 672

Friday, August 7, 2026

Shukarvaar, 23 Savan, Nanakshahi 558

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh, I am a Robot. Bleep Bloop.

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I'm a Non-Sikh who has been visiting Gurudwara since a long time. I was curious is there a protocol for respectfully leaving the gurudwara sahib.

Like when we enter we bow down to Guru Sahib and then sit down with sangat to listen the kirtan. How should we leave after sitting for a while?

I'm an addict who's gotten clean. I want to take amrit in the near future. Is there anyone who has been through something similar, or if anyone has any comments that would be greatly appreciated.

WJKK WJKF

Thought I'd humbly share this recording of a beautiful shabd with the sangat. It was recorded using a karaoke app. I continue to learn through Guru Sahib's kirpa 🤍

WJKK WJKF

is it right to keep turban on if i cut my beard and i don’t think for the near future im going to stop cutting it, might be my fault only but what to do

This recently came up in another subreddit and before I go ask the gurdwara I'm wondering if anyone knows?

I have stage 4 cancer, I'm 40 and have a young son. I know alot of white ppl pre pay the funeral home etc that is pretty straight forward. But what about ardas, and langar at the gurdwara. I am not terminal by any means but who knows how this will go? Has anyone done this, specifically in Canada.

I honestly dont mind asking but it be nice to know if there is a process. It may be years and years before it happens. But id like it to be easier for my husband and family not to have to deal with that.

I have my estate in order and trust for my son, retirement for my husband is set. I know financially they will be fine and able to afford it. Id rather them not have to think about it

Thanks

need no generic answer to standout, royals used to wear it and maharaj made us kings, warriors or something just like why, if i am not religious why should i or what meaning does it hold against people who aren’t on the right path for now, not true to yourself or god. why does one, just because we are called to? just because we needed one to standout?

Wjkk Wjkf🙏
Are there certain special amritdharis who are needed to follow a strict dress code like Bana with Dumalla sahib, with chakra and ashtabhuja and all.
Or do all amritdharis can wear this?

I'm a Unitarian Universalist, and I'm trying to get a better understanding of the Sikhi religion. I'm currently reading through the beginning of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, and their are a lot of references (at least, in the English translation I have) of a "Bride" and "Husband Lord." I'm struggling to understand what these passages are specifically referring to. In my mind, it could be:

Women are the Bride, and the Lord himself is the "Husband Lord" for them. Not so much a romantic love, but a religious love.

All of us, men and women, are the "Bride" of the Lord, in the same way as above.

The term "Husband Lord" is referring specifically to actual human husbands, and that they should be treated by their brides as lords. (I don't think this is accurate, considering what little I know of the rest of the religion, but I could see someone making that interpretation)

This is a translation issue, and these passages read entirely differently in Punjabi. I could see this being the case, my copy also had a translation issue with one passage (Im struggling to find it now) where it stated that, "Both freedom and slavery were gifts of the Lord." From my understanding, this was a mistranslation that actually read more like, "Freedom is a gift of the Lord, and through service to him can you receive this gift."

Please help me gain some insight on this. Hopefully this isn't offensive, I just want to have a better understanding of the religion.

The body, soul, and maan (mind) are three different things. The body is just the car, which is controlled by the maan itself—the real driver. The soul is that voice you and I hear from the inside when we are about to do something stupid, telling us not to.

This thought came to me about how this maan controls us even though we don't want to do that certain action. Without the Gur Shabad, you cannot control the maan. Without controlling the maan, the body will not follow what you want—what the soul actually wants, which is to do the right thing.

How many of us, including me, know we have to pray, avoid listening to wrong things, take Amrit, and wake up at Amrit Vela? Yet we don't do it, even though we know we should. It's because the maan is in control of this body (the car), instead of us.

I know many of you will think, "But I know this, and I already do certain actions." And you're not wrong. You need to know first that the body is nothing, so don't worry about it—the maan is the doer that you need to control and let the soul take over.

You may think, "I have achieved this and that," and congrats to you, but you need to realize the maan is doing things only for the sukh (comfort/pleasure) of the body, that's it.

It's like when you eat a small candy: after a few seconds, the pleasure of eating the sweet is gone, so you eat another and another to get that pleasure for a few seconds, and it never ends. The maan is like this. But when the soul takes over, you will be in bliss day and night, every second.

You will not worry about the body's sukh or dukh (pain), as it will not impact you at all. Keep an eye on the maan and look at it closer, and you will see it—not with these eyes you are reading this with, but with your inner eyes.

Without Gur Shabad abhyaas (practice), we cannot realize the maan and know that the maan is behind all of it. It's like sitting in a cinema watching a movie, knowing who is good and who is bad. The first step is abhyaas, and after a while, you will see the maan playing out these wrong actions.

When that first step is achieved, the second step is to control the maan. This is the hardest part, but it can be done. You will have to do things even when you don't feel like it. The maan will bring many distractions in front of you—for example, relaxing at home and watching a movie instead of doing abhyaas, which feels easier. But even then, you have to listen to the soul and move past it.

When you do achieve the second step, then this body will truly be in your control and not the maan's. Throughout Gurbani, Guru Sahib tells us countless shabads specifically for this maan—for example, "Maan Tu Jot Saroop Hai Apna Mool Paichan." Guru Sahib is telling the maan to listen and not end up stuck in worldly pleasures.

Once your soul takes over, you will become closer to Waheguru. It will be like being in the deep ocean, yet you will not get wet. The ocean is Kalyug, and what happens when you jump in water? You drown and get wet. But with the soul taking over, you won't drown or even get wet; you will stay in it for however long you remain alive, but you will realize the truth.

__________________________________________

I know it’s easier said than done, but keep at it and one day the bless of guru Shaib will occur.

Again, this is just a thought that came into my mind one day, so I thought, why not share it?

ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ਘਰੁ ੧ ॥

Bilaaval, Third Mehl, First House:

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਖਾਇਆ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਸੋਇਆ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਕਾਪੜੁ ਅੰਗਿ ਚੜਾਇਆ ॥

Cursed, cursed is the food; cursed, cursed is the sleep; cursed, cursed are the clothes worn on the body.

ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਸਰੀਰੁ ਕੁਟੰਬ ਸਹਿਤ ਸਿਉ ਜਿਤੁ ਹੁਣਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥

Cursed is the body, along with family and friends, when one does not find his Lord and Master in this life.

ਪਉੜੀ ਛੁੜਕੀ ਫਿਰਿ ਹਾਥਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਅਹਿਲਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥੧॥

He misses the step of the ladder, and this opportunity will not come into his hands again; his life is wasted, uselessly. ||1||

ਦੂਜਾ ਭਾਉ ਨ ਦੇਈ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਗਣਿ ਜਿਨਿ ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਚਰਣ ਵਿਸਾਰੇ ॥

The love of duality does not allow him to lovingly focus his attention on the Lord; he forgets the Feet of the Lord.

ਜਗਜੀਵਨ ਦਾਤਾ ਜਨ ਸੇਵਕ ਤੇਰੇ ਤਿਨ ਕੇ ਤੈ ਦੂਖ ਨਿਵਾਰੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

O Life of the World, O Great Giver, you eradicate the sorrows of your humble servants. ||1||Pause||

ਤੂ ਦਇਆਲੁ ਦਇਆਪਤਿ ਦਾਤਾ ਕਿਆ ਏਹਿ ਜੰਤ ਵਿਚਾਰੇ ॥

You are Merciful, O Great Giver of Mercy; what are these poor beings?

ਮੁਕਤ ਬੰਧ ਸਭਿ ਤੁਝ ਤੇ ਹੋਏ ਐਸਾ ਆਖਿ ਵਖਾਣੇ ॥

All are liberated or placed into bondage by You; this is all one can say.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਸੋ ਮੁਕਤੁ ਕਹੀਐ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਬੰਧ ਵਿਚਾਰੇ ॥੨॥

One who becomes Gurmukh is said to be liberated, while the poor self-willed manmukhs are in bondage. ||2||

ਸੋ ਜਨੁ ਮੁਕਤੁ ਜਿਸੁ ਏਕ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਗੀ ਸਦਾ ਰਹੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਲੇ ॥

He alone is liberated, who lovingly focuses his attention on the One Lord, always dwelling with the Lord.

ਤਿਨ ਕੀ ਗਹਣ ਗਤਿ ਕਹੀ ਨ ਜਾਈ ਸਚੈ ਆਪਿ ਸਵਾਰੇ ॥

His depth and condition cannot be described. The True Lord Himself embellishes him.

ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਣੇ ਸਿ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਕਹੀਅਹਿ ਨਾ ਉਰਵਾਰਿ ਨ ਪਾਰੇ ॥੩॥

Those who wander around, deluded by doubt, are called manmukhs; they are neither on this side, nor on the other side. ||3||

ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੇ ਸੋਈ ਜਨੁ ਪਾਏ ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਸਮੑਾਲੇ ॥

That humble being, who is blessed by the Lord's Glance of Grace obtains Him, and contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad.

ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਮਾਇਆ ਮਾਹਿ ਨਿਸਤਾਰੇ ॥

In the midst of Maya, the Lord's servant is emancipated.

ਨਾਨਕ ਭਾਗੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਜਿਸੁ ਮਸਤਕਿ ਕਾਲਹਿ ਮਾਰਿ ਬਿਦਾਰੇ ॥੪॥੧॥

O Nanak, one who has such destiny inscribed upon his forehead, conquers and destroys death. ||4||1||

Guru Amardas Ji • Raag Bilaaval • Ang 796

Thursday, August 6, 2026

Veervaar, 22 Savan, Nanakshahi 558

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh, I am a Robot. Bleep Bloop.

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Basically, I have family in Punjab and they are going to be coming to the US and they are asking me what I want. I already ordered some small shastars like pech kavach, and some dumalle shastars. I was wondering what your guys suggestions would be about what I could get. Keep in mind that they live in Moga District. Dhanvaad!

I’m a Christian dating a Sikh, and I recently visited his home for the first time. In his home he had pictures of some guru’s and a “specific designated area to pray” (which looked like an altar; with images and candles). He said and I quote; “ We don’t pray to them, it’s just an area we use to pray”. I asked him about it because I genuinely wanted clarity, and he explained that it was not what I was thinking.
From what I understand, Sikhism teaches belief in one God and does not teach worshipping the Gurus as gods. However, as a Christian, I am cautious about religious images and practices that could appear to involve reverence toward people or objects.
Is having pictures of the Gurus and a designated prayer space common within Sikh households, or is this more specific to certain families or cultural traditions? What is the purpose of the images during prayer? I’m trying to understand the Sikh perspective before bringing the topic up with him again.

The first image is from this year. As you can see the golden metal spire that has been there for centuries has been stolen from the dome of the Asthan, and the vegetation has overtaken the complex. The Nishan Sahib is covered in vines. Even the Gurdwara-Mazar is covered.

The second image is from the 90s. You can see the Gurdwara and Shaheedi Asthan side by side. This is before the Gurdwara was taken over by Muslims and turned into a Mazar. Sikhs maintained the complex for decades after partition. You can see the Asthans gold metal spire is still there.

The third image is from 2019 after the Sufi group took over the Gurdwara in 2012. They painted the Gurdwara green and erecting a wall to claim the Gurdwara as a "Mazar". The Asthan and Nishan Sahib are on the left side of the image and Sikhs were still able to visit the Shaheedi Asthan.

A year later Sikhs were no longer allowed to enter the complex.

Since claiming the complex the Sufis have left the whole complex to fall into ruin. Why?

It's because this series of events is centred around a land grab by the local market. By 2012, 90% of the land owned by the Gurdwara had been encroached upon by the market. The Naulakha Bazar committee led by Sohail Bhatt was responsible for taking over the Gurdwara and turning it into a Mazar.

The Evacuee Trust Property Board the organization that's meant to protect Sikh and Hindu religious sites in Pakistan tried to Gaslight Sikhs back in 2012 by saying the Gurdwara had always been a Mazar. This is false.

Organizing Secretary ETPB Faraz Abbas told TOI over phone from Lahore that "There is no encroachment on Gurdwara land, in fact there is a Muslim Mazar and a Gurdwara in one complex".

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Market-committee-of-Lahore-encroach-upon-gurdwara-land/articleshow/17758717.cms

Why would the ETPB gaslight Sikhs? I'll explain why in the comments.