Discover Seetal's journey from sentimental to realist, depicting rural Punjab with novels like 'Jug Badal Gya' and earning the Sahitya Akademi Award.
Discover the essence of Var Majh Ki in Guru Granth Sahib, a devotional piece by Guru Nanak sung in the Majha raga, guiding spiritual enlightenment.
ALAHNIAN, Guru Nanak\'s composition in measure Vadahans in the Guru Granth Sahib. Alahni, generally used in its plural form alahnian, is a dirge wailingly sung in chorus by women mourning the death of a relation. Etymologically, the word means an utterance in praise (of the departed person). The sorrowful singing of alahnian is part of the mourning custom of siapa. The women assemble at the house of the dead person and cry aloud beating their breasts while standing, or sit together and bewail.
Discover Anhad Bani, the mystic melody of yogis, symbolizing divine bliss. Learn how inner music connects with higher truths in spirituality.
BENI, BHAGAT is one of the fifteen saints and sufis some of whose compositions have been incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib. Very little is known about his personal life except that he spent most of his time in prayer and contemplation. Nabhaji`s Bhagatmal, which includes him in its roster of well known bhaktas or devotees, narrates a popular anecdote about how Beni absorbed in meditation often neglected the household needs and how the Deity himself intervened and physically appeared to help him. Bhai Gurdas (Varan, X. 14) has referred to Bern`s single pointed meditation in solitude enriched by moments of spiritual edification. Bern`s three hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib are marked by an intense spiritual longing.
BAD TIRATH SAHIB GURUDWARA, VILLAGE HARIPURA Gurdwara Bad Tirath Sahib is associated with the First Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji as well as the Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. A deep pool of water to the north of the village, was an ancient place of pilgrimage known as Bad Tirath. Guru Nanak Dev Ji along with Bala and Mardana , visited this place during his First Udasi while Guru Gobind Singh Ji came here after the battle of Muktsar. When Guru Nanak Dev Ji came here, a demon, or a rakhsasa, had terrorized the people of village Haripura. The villagers narrated their tale of woe to Guru Ji, who blessed them and told them not to worry hence forth.
DERA SAHIB, GURDWARA, commonly pronounced Dehra Sahib is located in the revenue limits of Lohar village, 10 km east of Naushahra Panvan (31° 20`N, 74° 57`E), in Amritsar district of the Punjab. It marks the site of a village called Patthevind where Guru Nanak`s ancestors had lived. Guru Nanak himself often visited the village. An old well within the Gurdwara compound is said to be the one near which he had once stopped. The shrine was first established by Guru Hargobind (1595-1644), who also had the nearby pond converted into a sarovaror holy tank.
FIVE KHANDS or Panj Khands, lit. realms (panj == five, khand == region or realm), signifies in the Sikh tradition the five stages of spiritual progress leading man to the Ultimate Truth. The supporting text is a fragment from Guru Nanak`s Japu, stanzas 34 to 37. The Five Realms enumerated therein are dharam khand, the realm of righteous action (pauri 34), gian khand, the realm of knowledge (pauri 35), saram khand, the realm of spiritual endeavour (pauri 36), karam khand, the realm of grace, and sach khand the realm of Truth (pauri 37).
