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It
is a Sikh's sacred duty, without fear or anger The Sovereign Power And Grace of The Woman
MAI BHAGO KAUR - SANT SIPAHI Mata Mai Bhago Kaur also known as Mata Bhag Kaur was the Sikh woman who led 40 Sikh soldiers against the Mughals in 1705. She killed several enemy soldiers on the battlefield, and is considered to be a saint soldier by the Sikh Nation for over 300 years. She was the sole survivor of the battle of Khidrana, i.e. Battle of Muktsar, fought on 29 December 1705. She was the daughter of Bhai Mallo Shah, granddaughter of Bhai Pero Shah who had become a Sikh during the time of Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh Guru. She was the only sister of four brothers. Born at her ancestral village of Jhabal Kalan in the present day Amritsar district of the Punjab, she was married to Nidhan Singh Varaich of Patti. She was a Sikh by birth and upbringing. She became extremely distressed to hear in 1705 that some of the Sikhs of her village neighborhood, who had gone to Anandpur Sahib to fight for Guru Gobind Singh, had deserted him under adverse battle conditions. Finding these 40 men (now called the "Challi Mukta"), who had deserted Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, she persuaded them to find him. She convinced them to apologize for leaving Anandpur Sahib while it was under attack; further she persuaded them to seek the Guru's permission in order to be reinstated as Sikhs. Mai Bhago Kaur set off along with them and some other Sikhs to find the Guru, who had been pursued by Mughal forces since leaving Anandpur. They caught up with him in the area around Malva. Mai Bhago Kaur and the men she was leading stopped near Khidrana just as an imperial army was about to attack the Guru. The 40 sikhs who had asked the Guru for permission to leave Anandpur, had been allowed to leave, but the Guru had asked them first to leave the Khalsa and disavow him as their Guru. Now, fate gave them the chance to redeem themselves, never mind that even though they appeared as Sikhs, they were no longer Khalsa. But the Guru knew that they were not weak, that they would come back, and so he blessed them. So despite the fact that they faced certain death, the forty men along with Mai Bhago Kaur, waded headlong into the Muslim forces (around 10,000 soldiers) and inflicted many casualties. So much so that the Muslims were finally forced to give up their attack and retreat as darkness fell. Mai Bhago Kaur, was a great Sikh woman. She was the first woman In the history of the Punjab, to fight on a battlefield. The Guru had watched the battle from a nearby hill and had rained down a flurry of arrows on the Mughal fighters during the attack. Seeing little activity among the party that had come to his aid he rode to the battlefield. He found that the unit was composed of the forty men whom he had asked to sign a paper disavowing him as their Guru, all of them had died of their wounds except one, Mahan Singh Brar, who was mortally wounded, and had time only to look up at Guru Gobind Singh. It is said that the note the men had signed slipped out of the dying Sikh's clothing. It was picked up by the Guru who told Mahan Singh that all was forgiven and that they all died as true martyrs. The Guru then tore up their letter of resignation. Guru Gobind Singh blessed the forty men as the forty (Chali) liberated ones (Mukte) and that is still how the men are known today, the "Forty Liberated Ones", the Chali Mukte. Guru Gobind Singh took under his care Mai Bhago Kaur who had also suffered injuries during the battle. After recovering Mai Bhago Kaur stayed on with Guru Gobind Singh serving as one of his bodyguards, in warrior attire. She was one of many Sikhs who accompanied the Guru on his journey to Nanded. After the passing of Guru Gobind Singh at Nanded in 1708, she immersed herself in meditation and lived to old age. -- MAI BHAGO KAUR AND THE FORTY LIBERATED ONES
HARSANGAT RAJ KAUR KHALSA
Sat Nam. Born to a Christian mother and Muslim father of Iranian descent in Texas, Harsangat Raj Kaur should have been just another kid in the U.S., dealing with issues that come with growing up in an interracial family. Instead, she has adopted a totally different identity and lifestyle now. Kaur is one of the rarest white Sikhs who has become a Nihang, member of the armed Sikh warrior order famous for its victories in historical wars. Inspired by a Nihang Sikh, Kaur not only adopted the lifestyle but also completed the ritual baptism of to become a Nihang Singhni. She was baptized by Baba Budda Dal Jathedar Joginder Singh in 2012 during his first visit to the UK. She told TOI that she has been riding horses since she was five. Trained as an archer too, she was fascinated by what she calls "the brotherhood of the horse" and slowly got attracted to the Nihang way of life. She says she finds this lifestyle to be natural, and today, she can easily recite Gurbani. Kaur has also visited Takht Shri Damadama Sahib and tried her hand at Gurmukhi, a Sikh script, by writing the letters in sand. "My father's native tongue is Farsi so it's an advantage for me with Gurmukhi at times," she says. On how her family reacts when they see her in the flowing robes of a Nihang, she says, "It's not their favorite image of me." However, she admits that ever since she embraced Sikhism, there have been several changes in her lifestyle. "My life has changed for the better and I give my thanks to Wahe Guru each day," she says. Kaur is not surprised that Sikhs were attacked in the US. "Growing up, I had to hide the fact of being Persian. I personally don't like the attention that it (dressed as a Nihang) can bring," she says. Kaur aspires to have her own dal (group) of Nihangs in Texas with horses. "I want a place where the Sangat can come and meditate," she says. -- Source. More About Harsangat Raj Kaur. SIKH WOMAN CLAIMS RIGHT TO WEAR TURBAN
HOW TO QUICKLY TIE A WOMAN'S TURBAN
See Turban Is Bana. See DualityOptics.com. See The Essence of Kaur. See The Turban Is A Bigot Detector. See BroadPoints.com. See But Where Are The Women? See The Role And Status of Sikh Women. See U.S. Sikhs Want Women To Sing At Golden Temple. See Bibi Kiranjot Kaur On Women's Rights. See A Muslim Woman Teaches Kirtan. See Women Are Not Allowed To Play Kirtan. See Sikhism And Homosexuality. See Why Do You Not See Any Sikh Women? See Sikh Identity Is For Men Only. See When Will Sikh Men Stand Up. See Sikh Women's Issues. See Women And The Sikh Religion. See My Response To The Sikh Minister Survey. See How To Make Yoga Classes LGBT Friendly. See Punjabi Sikh Optics Do Matter. See What's With Sikhs And Gender Equality? See Circumstance. See The Woman Pope. See Women Are Much More Than This. See The Question of Authority Within Sikhism. See Should Mixed Faith Marriage In Sikh Temples Be Banned? See Balvinder Kaur Saund. See Maharani Jind Kaur: Saint Soldier. See Sudha Kaur Chopra On Gurdwara Security. See Why Don't Sikh Women Tie Turban? See Life According To Hari Nam Kaur. See I Fight Like A Girl. See Dastaar For Sikh Women. See The Turban Is A Crown. See The Essence of Kaur. See Life According To Joan Baez. See Menstruation From A Woman's Perspective. See Granny Stops Burglar. See Life According To Andrea Mitchell. See 'Sikh' And Ye Shall Find. See The Story Behind My Turban. See We Are We, We Are One. See SikhsShine.com. See Women Wimps Or Warriors.
POINTS TO PONDER "Don't secure me, secure my "We never started a war before, "I honor and obey the saints and punish the "Your value is not in how many experiences you have had. "Human
is a blend of Saint and Soldier (Sant Sipahi); this is a complete person. OTHER NOTEWORTHY WOMEN Ching Shih: 1775-1844, one of the most ferocious pirates of all time. When her pirate captain husband died in 1807, she took control of the Red Flags Fleet and implemented a few rules of her own. Ching Shih must OK any and all attacks. If you do it anyway? You’re gonna lose that head of yours. Don’t loot from a town that provides assistance to the pirate fleet - otherwise you’re gonna lose that head of yours. And DEFINITELY don’t rape a female captive because… well, you already know what's gonna happen then.
Under her command, the fleet was unstoppable. She evaded the many attempts the Chinese government made to kill her but when it was finally time to put down her sword and give it all up, she still was smart enough to strike a deal which let her retire peacefully. Ching Shih, we salute you. Jeanette Rankin: 1880-1973, one of those women Jeanette was the first woman ever to serve in the U.S. Congress when she was elected in 1916. What makes this impressive? It happened four years before women had the right to vote in America. Jeanette was also instrumental in helping U.S. women to get their vote, by pushing for the 19th Amendment.
Despite clearly being fierce, Jeannette was a pacifist. After opposing her country entering World War One, she said 'no!' when the U.S. was considering going to war with Japan after Pearl Harbor in 1941. She was the only person to speak out.
See How Khalsa Women Transform Me Into We. GURDWARA SECURITY
"Don't secure me, secure my environments." Yogi Bhajan
General Protocols
Security does not happen by accident.
Security is defined as those actions or systems, American Sikhs are free to pursue happiness, SPECIAL NOTE: American Sikhs are free to pursue happiness, but there's no guarantee we will achieve it. We can view the subject of Security as an unpleasant, even terrifying concept, or as a fearless, even exhilarating exercise in courage. We can choose to be passive, wimpy victims, or proactive, fearless survivors. To those members of the Sadh Sangat who choose to remain in denial with regard to matters of Security and Safety, who either claim that Gurdwara Security is unnecessary, or who dismiss any thought of improving Gurdwara Security, I suggest that you not only recall the tragic events of the August 5, 2012 Gurdwara assault in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, the Sandy Hook Elementary School killings in Newtown, Connecticut, December 14, 2012, and the U.S. Navy Yard massacre of September 16, 2013, but that you recall the days of Operation Blue Star, the tragic assault on the Guru in Amritsar, India, June 1-6, 1984, a week which will live in infamy... the event that involved the desecration of the Golden Temple, and the destruction of the Akal Takht. (See video.) Going back much farther,remember Aurangzeb?
Keep in mind also that the Siri Singh Sahib of Sikh Dharma established a policy whereby a Security and Safety Sevadar is posted at the door of the House of Guru Ram Das Gurdwara in Los Angeles, California, even to this day. His vision being that Gurdwara Security and Safety is not about acting out of fear or anger, it is about selflessly serving the Guru and the Sangat while fearlessly defending the weak and protecting the innocent for which Sikhs have a sacred duty. See Sikh Youth Deserve Leadership Training.
See Refuse To Be A Victim Course. See World's Worst Mass Shootings. See How To Build A Team at Plus1Equals11.com. See Women: Wimps or Warriors?. See Are You Among The 'Unchurched'? See The 12 Signs of Kali Yuga. SANT SIPAHI - SAINT SOLDIER Karam khand ki bani jor. Tithai hor na koi hor. PSALM 82:3-4
"Human
is a blend of Saint and Soldier (Sant Sipahi); this is a complete person. "I
can think of a number of fanatical, over-zealous religious groups
who Sat Nam, Khalsa ji! The Siri Singh Sahib was asked to express his priorities for a community gathering in the early ‘70s. His reply, “Security, Security, Security.” I share his vision. I have the concern that with the passage of time, nay, even as we speak, the memory of the Oak Creek massacre will fade away just as the memory of the infamous 1984 Operation Blue Star attack on the Sikhs in India seems to have disappeared from our recollection. Many Sikhs simply tag these events as the will of God and Guru, which is true, but we cannot stop there. There is a deeper message, a challenge, that has apparently gone unnoticed, i.e., our sacred duty to fearlessly "defend the weak and protect the innocent," just as Guru Gobind Singh taught us. So, I am requesting that the Sikh ministers act to meet our present day challenges. Not out of a sense of fear or apprehension, but with the same courage and fearlessness as did Guru Gobind Singh and our beloved Siri Singh Sahib. I urge my fellow ministers to answer this call by purchasing the Active Shooter Survival Training DVD shown below, and sharing it with their respective sangats. See Jai Jagdeesh Kaur's Ad Guray Nameh. Humbly, Mukhia Singh Sahib Hari Singh Bird Khalsa -- Open Letter To The Saadh Sangat of Sikh Dharma
Security does not happen by accident!
Security is defined as those actions or systems, Sat Nam, Brothers and Sisters! I am a former U.S. Marine and someone who has been involved with Gurdwara and Solstice security for decades. I would like to address what I see as a general absence of security/soldier consciousness within Sikh communities by quoting the Siri Singh Sahib, who said: “Human is a blend of Saint and Soldier (Sant Sipahi); this is a complete person. If you are not a Soldier your sainthood will be kicked around. If you are only a Soldier, not a Saint, you will start kicking others around.” The Siri Singh Sahib was once asked to express his priorities at a 3HO Solstice Sadhana gathering in the early ‘70s. His reply was, “Security, Security, Security.” And since the establishment of the Guru Ram Das Ashram in Los Angeles, and until this very day, a sevadar is posted at the door of the gurdwara as ordered by the Siri Singh Sahib. Security has been a priority consideration since the earliest days of 3HO/Sikh Dharma. While recently speaking with a sangat member regarding the subject of Gurdwara Security and Safety, she mentioned how she thought she would engage an active-shooter incident within her community. She said her first instinct would be to physically cover any potential victims with her body as a shield. I advised her that this would be exactly the wrong action to take. I suggested that she think about the instructions given by airline attendants concerning an in-flight emergency. Passengers are advised to take self-saving actions first by utilizing their oxygen mask on themselves before attempting to assist anybody else. It may seem counter-intuitive, but self-preservation must be the first response in order for other potential victims to be protected and defended. Contrary to the unfortunate outcomes of numerous recent horrific events, an active-shooter event is not a situation where potential victims are without recourse. This is addressed in numerous, simple, and surprising ways in a survival training video called Survival Edge: Active Shooter Survival, available at ACTCert.com (ACT stands for Attack Countermeasures Training), which I urge all communities to acquire and view. This DVD provides a reality-based, step-by-step training program that covers how to protect yourself and others from extreme violence, including responding to an active shooter, managing workplace violence, improving Gurdwara security and safety, becoming better prepared, saving innocent lives and surviving terrorism. Though the outcome of the shooting event in Oak Creek, Wisconsin in 2012 was horrific, those murders might have been preventable to a significant extent. There are specific actions (some even at the time of the attack) that could have possibly mitigated the outcome. My concern is that with the passage of time, the memory of the Oak Creek massacre and other tragedies will fade away. I strongly encourage all members of the Sikh community – and especially Sikh Dharma Ministers – to act now to meet this ever-present challenge – not out of a sense of reactionary fear, but with the same attention and fearless dedication as our beloved Siri Singh Sahib. As a member of the 3HO Solstice Security and Safety advisory team, I am working to help develop programs and awareness, and I am happy to receive communication from sangat members. My web site at www.GurdwaraSecurity.com provides resources, tips, and thoughts about this important topic. Also see Sikh Youth Deserve Leadership Training. Humbly, Mukhia Singh Sahib Hari Singh Bird Khalsa -- Open Letter To The First Teachers of Sikh Dharma
Sat Nam, Khalsa ji! In the wake of the attention now being given for and against gun ownership, I have frequently recalled a scene from many years ago with a wince, even a shudder on one hand, and a smile with a head-shake on the other. Women: Wimps or Warriors?
I was conducting a survival and gun safety course in a mixed group of women and men. While discussing gun safety I observed a young woman reluctantly pick up a handgun between her thumb and forefinger as if picking up a dead mouse. The vision has stuck with me ever since. The frequent media attention and talk about guns and gun violence causes me to recall that silly albeit sad scenario to this day. Silly because it looked so comical; sad because it is so indicative of where I see the mind set of too many women, today. Wimps Warriors
If
a woman is attacked by a gun-toting assailant, her Security is defined as those actions or systems, which prevent or Regardless
of where you stand on gun control, knowledge of firearms and martial arts equates with strength; ignorance
of firearms and martial arts equates with weakness.
OUR YOUTH DESERVE LEADERSHIP TRAINING Those who shall not learn to obey shall never be A woman who is not a leader is a miserable person… A leader has three things. Create dependable
children, not dependent children. Give your children The basic aspect of you as woman is not in your sensuality and in your dramas. Your reliability will give people the courage to trust you. Children are born with intrinsic leadership traits, which prepare them for life. Sat Nam, Khalsa ji! I am a passionate proponent of more balance between our claims to accept and understand the concept of Saint-Soldier, and actually living our lives as authentic Sant-Sipahi. To this end I strongly urge Khalsa parents, especially our women, the first teachers of our children, to consider the following points. WOMEN ARE
New Mexico Military Institute offers an outstanding two year college option for your sons and daughters after they complete their time at Miri Piri Academy. For those families for which MPA is not an option, NMMI has an excellent four year high school college prep program in addition to their two year college program. New Mexico Military Institute has been ranked No. 5 on a list of the nation’s top 50 community colleges by an independent organization, i.e., TheBestSchools.org, which has described the Roswell, New Mexico school as the “only state-supported, coeducational, military boarding school in the United States.” The school offers college prep, a four-year high school and a two-year junior college. See NMMI Strategic Measures Statistics. Each of the former Sikhi students/graduates of NMMI provide a testament to the advantages of attending NMMI, which include a rigorous and challenging lifestyle, camaraderie and fellowship, and outstanding leadership training especially, along with NMMI's excellent scholastic program. This experience prepared them for additional university training, and exciting careers all over the world. NMMI is the only American prep school I know that has a history of accommodating the Sikhi lifestyle, i.e., sadhana, kesh, turban, sipahi training, and vegetarian diet. And it is an excellent environment for Sikhi youth to learn leadership and soldiering skills for which the Siri Singh Sahib was a passionate proponent. The NMMI program offers MPA students and other Sikh youth
a unique and reasonably cost-effective opportunity to transition
from the Indian program into the American experience as a unit, and the obvious advantage of continued
bonding with their peers. See NMMI
Admissions, or click admissions@nmmi.edu, or call 800-421-5376.
Again, our children need leadership training going forward. I know of no readily available source of formal leadership training available to our Sikh youth other than the New Mexico Military Institute. Humbly, Mukhia Singh Sahib Hari Singh Bird Khalsa --
See Women Warriors. See Jai Jagdeesh Kaur's Ad Guray Nameh.
POINTS TO PONDER If you cannot walk together, you Those who shall not learn to obey shall never The synergistic equation is 1 plus 1 equals 11.
"All
security is local.
The
Sikh Anthem
In
the heart of a lion, We've
never started a war before, In
the heart of a lion, Enemies
come and enemies go, In
the heart of a lion, On
every side the world will pull; In
the heart of a lion,
See The 'Turbanators'. See SikhTribes.com. See Turban Is Bana. See Why Do Sikhs Wear Turbans? See DualityOptics.com. See The Essence of Kaur. See The Turban Is A Bigot Detector. See BroadPoints.com. See But Where Are The Women? See The Role And Status of Sikh Women. See U.S. Sikhs Want Women To Sing At Golden Temple. See Bibi Kiranjot Kaur On Women's Rights. See A Muslim Woman Teaches Kirtan. See Women Are Not Allowed To Play Kirtan. See Sikhism And Homosexuality. See Why Do You Not See Any Sikh Women? See Sikh Identity Is For Men Only. See When Will Sikh Men Stand Up. See Sikh Women's Issues. See Women And The Sikh Religion. See My Response To The Sikh Minister Survey. See How To Make Yoga Classes LGBT Friendly. See Punjabi Sikh Optics Do Matter. See What's With Sikhs And Gender Equality? See Circumstance. See The Woman Pope. See Women Are Much More Than This. See The Question of Authority Within Sikhism. See Should Mixed Faith Marriage In Sikh Temples Be Banned? See Balvinder Kaur Saund. See Maharani Jind Kaur: Saint Soldier. See Sudha Kaur Chopra On Gurdwara Security. See Why Don't Sikh Women Tie Turban? See Life According To Hari Nam Kaur. See I Fight Like A Girl. See Dastaar For Sikh Women. See The Turban Is A Crown. See Life According To Joan Baez. See Menstruation From A Woman's Perspective. See Granny Stops Burglar. See Life According To Andrea Mitchell. See 'Sikh' And Ye Shall Find. See The Story Behind My Turban. See We Are We, We Are One. See SikhsShine.com. See Women Wimps Or Warriors. See Women Warriors. See Jai Jagdeesh Kaur's Ad Guray Nameh. See Refuse To Be A Victim Seminar. See Amazon Women. See How The Marines Transform Me Into We. See Life According To Hoda Katebi. See Memories of Khalsa Women's Rifle Drill Team. See How We Define Tribalism. See GurdwaraSecurity.com. See Gurdwara Security Toolkit.
Science and Practice of Meditation and its Benefits Sing Along With These Born Again Americans All About Sikhs From the U.S. Dept. of Justice The 1974 Transition of Bhai Sahib Dyal Singh Ek Ong Kar Sat Nam Siri WhaHe Guru.com See Why Sikhs Keep Their Hair Unshorn See What Happens When You Meditate To The First Teachers of Sikh Dharma Life According To Yogi Bhajan.com Why Don't Sikh Women Tie Turban If Your Dad Doesn't Have A Beard History of Sikhs In America Video Lessons Learned From The Sikhs The New York Times About Sikhs Americans Get An 'F' In Religion Ardas According To Valarie Kaur
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Monitor all activities occurring in the presence of 
Assist Sangat members in the performance of their worship and other activities, especially to include the arrival and departure of families with young children, giving aid and comfort to the elderly and the infirm, and greeting visitors.
Take direct Protective and/or Defensive action in the event of emergency circumstances such as fire and emergency medical response, disruptive or disorderly activity, or any act of aggression occurring within or around the Gurdwara or amongst Sangat members, and ensure security of building perimeter (doors and windows) while maintaining appropriate access for Sangat members and guests.
Gather and disseminate intelligence data, and subsequently alert Sangat members, and appropriate local authorities to the existence of issues or circumstances involving imminent or potential risk to the security of the Guru, Sangat members, or Gurdwara property.
Interface with and assist Local Fire and Medical Emergency or Law Enforcement Response Team members in order to maintain appropriate and respectful decorum in any emergency conditions occurring in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib or upon the Gurdwara property, circumstances permitting.
.) I urge you to consider enrolling our children at the 
.) I urge you to support a resurgence of the 
.) I urge you to reflect on the Siri Singh Sahib's words, "Human
is a blend of Saint and Soldier (
FACTOID
