Shri Guru Amardas Ji

Name: Shri Guru Amardas Ji
Date of Birth: May 5, 1479 A.D.
Place of Birth: Village Basarke in Dist. Amritsar
Father: Bhai Tej Bhan
Mother: Mata Sulakhani
Mahal (Wife): Bibi Mansa Devi
Sons: Baba Mohan, Baba Mohari
Daughters: Bibi Dani, Bibi Bhani
Accession to Gurugaddi: 1552 A.D. at Khachir Sahib.
Bani: Total number of hymns 869 in 17 Ragas
City Founded: Goindval on the banks of river Bias in 1552 A.D.
Succession to Gurugaddi: Guru Sahib nominated Bhai Jetha, his son-in law, with the name of Guru Ram Das, as the fourth Guru of the Sikhs.
Date of Eternal Rest: September 1, 1574 A.D.
Place of Eternal Rest: Goindval, Dist. Amritsar.

Guru Amardas Sahib, the Third Nanak was born at village Basarke Gillan in Amritsar district on Vaisakh Sudi 14th, (8th Jeth), Samvat 1536 (5th May 1479). (Some chronicles mention the month of April 1479). His father Tej Bhan Bhalla and mother Bakht Kaur (also reffered as Sulakhani and Lakhmi Devi) were orhtodox Hindus and used to pay annual visits to the Ganges river at Haridwar. Guru Amadas Sahib was married to Mata Mansa Devi ji and had four childern: two daughters; Bibi Dani ji and Bibi Bhani ji (she was married to Guru Ramdass Sahib), and two sons; Mohan ji and Mohri ji.

Once Guru Amardas Sahib heard some hyms of Guru Nanak Sahib from Bibi Amro Ji, the daughter of Guru Angad Sahib. He became too much impressed and immediately went to see Guru Angad Sahib at Khadur Sahib. Under the impact of the teachings of Guru Angad Sahib, Guru Amardas Sahib adopted him as his spiritual guide (Guru). Then he started living at Khadur Sahib. He used to rise early in the morning, bring water from the Bias River for Guru's bath and fetch wood from the Jungle for 'Guru ka Langar'.

Guru Angad Sahib appointed Guru Amardas Sahib as third Nanak in March 1552 at the age of 73. This was a result of his services and devotion to Guru Angad Sahib and his teachings. He established his headquarters at newly built town Goindwal. There he propagated the Sikh faith in a very planned manner. He divided the Sikh Sangat area into 22 preaching centres. (Manjis), each under the charge of a devout Sikh.He himself visited and sent Sikh missionaries to different parts of India to spread Sikhism.Read more...

Rehras

The rehras is the evening prayer of the Sikhs. It is recited at the end of a working day. Its purpose is to add energy to one's being, and covers a Sikh's business actions and living environments. It is intended to help with physical weakness, poverty of money, property and other earthly matters, and feelings of hopelessness, unsuccessfulness or worthlessness.

Rehiras Sahib: Five different Gurus contributed to the evening prayer Guru Nanak Dev Ji; Guru Amardas Ji; Guru Ramdas Ji; Guru Arjan Dev ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Each one enlightens another aspect of God.The Bayntee Chaopaee is Guru Gobind Singh Ji's personal prayer for protection and is said to liberate the soul. It is related to the element of water.

This evening Bani is recited by many Sikhs after a hard days work. When feeling tired, Sikhs, upon returning to home, have a wash and change into their indoor clothing and then together with the rest of their family recite this Bani. The recitation of Rehras Sahib adds energy to your body and mind. It allows you to conclude the day and thank the Almighty for the completion of another successful day. The verse speaks of the greatness of Waheguru and the ways in which ones actions will assist in attaining spiritual elevation. This Bani assists the person when he or she is weak physically,or financial,or with any other material and earthly matters. When you feel hopeless, unsuccessful or worthless, it will elevate you mentally and give you a fresh and positive view of things. Bayntee Chaopaee, which forms a part of Rehiras Sahib, is a Bani attributed to Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It is a Gurbani that is a personal prayer for physical and mental protection. It will also help liberate the mind and soul.

Jokes

Jokes Collection

• Isn't it funny
• Diplomacy is the
• Two peanuts were
• Sterility is not
• Never argue with
• My parents were
• Money can't buy
• Microsoft is to
• The safest place
• The best exercise

Bhangra Instruments

Bhangra Instruments Bhangra Instruments: Many different Punjabi instruments contribute to the sound of Bhangra. Although the most important instrument is the dhol drum, Bhangra also features a variety of string and other drum instruments. The primary and most important instrument that defines Bhangra is the dhol. The dhol is a large, high-bass drum, played by beating it with two sticks. The width of a dhol skin is about fifteen inches in general, and the dhol player holds his instrument with a strap around his neck.

The string instruments include the tumbi, sarangi, sapera, supp, and chimta. The dhad, dafli, dholki, and damru are the other drums. The tumbi, famously mastered by Amar Singh Chamkila, a famous Punjabi singer, is a high-tone, single-string instrument. Although it has only one string, mastering the tumbi takes many years. The sarangi is a multi-stringed instrument, somewhat similar to the violin. The sapera produces a beautiful, high-pitched stringy beat, while the supp and chimta add extra, light sound to Bhangra music. Finally, the dhad, dafli, dholki, and damru are instruments that produce more drum beats, but with much less bass than the dhol drum.

Bhangra Today: Bhangra has come a long way in the 20th Century and has recently taken the entertainment industry by storm. In the 1970s and 1980s, many Punjabi singers from Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom emerged, setting the stage for Bhangra to become a hot new trend in dance music. Modern Bhangra artists, in addition to recording and performing traditional Bhangra, have also fused Bhangra with other music genres, such as hip-hop, reggae, house, and drum-and-bass. Bhangra in the 1980s: It was not until the early eighties that Bhangra moved from "secluded halls and venues to the bright lights of the clubs and cities of England." First generation Asians were intrigued by their musical heritage, and helped bring Bhangra to the mainstream in their new country. Gurdaas Mann also had a huge impact on Bhangra music. He started his career in 1982 with his first album, Dil Da Mamla. Since then he has become an idol for many, not only for his musical talent, but also his acting ability. He appeared in the Punjabi film Long Da Lishkara, which included the mega hit Challa (recently remixed by Punjabi MC on his album Legalised). Since 1982 Gurdass Mann has released a number of hit albums, performed at sold-out concerts around the world and recently released the hugely popular single, Apna Punjab. Bhangra in the 1990s: Bhangra took massive steps toward mainstream credibility in the 1990s, especially among youths. At the beginning of the nineties, many artists returned to the original, folk beats of Bhangra, often incorporating more dhol drum beats and tumbi. This time also saw the rise of several young Punjabi singers. Bhangra in North America: Punjabi immigrants have encouraged the growth of Bhangra in the western hemisphere. However the Bhangra industry has not grown in North America nearly as much as it has grown in the United Kingdom. Indian Lion, a UK Bhangra artist explains why: he reasons there`s a lot of bands in England is because there`s a lot of work in England. However, with the emergence of North American Bhangra artists such as Jazzy Bains, Bhinda Jatt, and Sangeet Group, and the growth of the remix market, the future for Bhangra in this continent looks good.

Bhangra

Bhangra

Bhangra is a lively form of music and dance that originated in the Punjab region in Southeast Asia. As many Bhangra lyrics reflect the long and often tumultuous history of the Punjab, knowledge of Punjabi history offers important insights into the meaning of the music. While Bhangra began as a part of harvest festival celebrations, it eventually became a part of such diverse occasions as weddings and New Year celebrations. Moreover, during the last thirty years, Bhangra has enjoyed a surge in popularity worldwide, both in traditional form and as a fusion with genres such as hip-hop, house, and reggae. As Bhangra continues to move into mainstream culture, an understanding of its history and tradition helps to appreciate it.

Bhangra Costumes: Traditionally, men wear a lungi while doing Bhangra. A lungi is a colorful piece of cloth wrapped around the waist. Men also wear a kurta, which is a long Punjabi-style shirt. In addition, men wear Bhugaris - also known as turbins - to cover their heads. Women wear the traditional Punjabi dress, salvar kameez. A salvar kameez is composed of a long colorful shirt and baggy, vibrant pants. Women also wear duppattas, colorful pieces of cloth wrapped around the neck. Many Bhangra songs make references to the duppatta.