Sikh History

Sikh History

Videos

Tuesday
,
30
April
2024

1984 Path of the Warrior Saints

Join Harinder Singh and Mo Dhaliwal as they delve into the profound experiences of the Third Ghallughara (large-scale massacre) in India in 1984 and beyond.

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Monday
,
22
April
2024

Exploring the Sikh Genocide

Harinder Singh, Senior Fellow, Research and Policy, at the Sikh Research Institute, engages Sukhman Singh, Co-Founder and Director of Ensaaf, in a discussion on the occurrence, breadth and aftermath of the Sikh Genocide.

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Sunday
,
14
April
2024

Countdown to Vaisakhi 2024: Harinder Singh

Harinder Singh is the Co-Founder & Innovation Director at SikhRI. He appears on radio and television programs and speaks at universities, parliaments, museums, conferences, and civic institutions.

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Saturday
,
13
April
2024

Countdown to Vaisakhi 2024: Santbir Singh

Santbir Singh serves as a Research Associate with SikhRI. An avid student of Sikhi, he has spoken at retreats, conferences, and youth camps for over two decades.

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Friday
,
12
April
2024

Countdown to Vaisakhi 2024: Pritpal Singh

Dr. Pritpal Singh serves on SikhRI’s Board of Directors and facilitates workshops and projects that aim to fight religious and political oppression through reflection, self-introspection, and activism.

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Thursday
,
11
April
2024

Countdown to Vaisakhi 2024: Dr. Sohan Singh

Dr. Sohan Singh, the Panjabi Editor of The Guru Granth Sahib Project, shares his reflections on Vaisakhi.

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Thursday
,
19
May
2022

Explore Pahare l The Guru Granth Sahib Project

In this video Surenderpal shares about the newly launched annotation of two Sabads (Infinite-Wisdom) of Pahare by Guru Nanak Sahib in Sirirag. Sirirag is a rag (musical mode) that is serious in nature and thought-provoking.

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Friday
,
20
May
2022

Our Relationship with The Guru Granth Sahib

Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur speak about a Sikh's relationship with The Guru Granth Sahib.

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Monday
,
13
June
2022

Who was Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, and how is he significant to the Sikhs?

Watch as Pritpal Singh highlights Jassa Singh Ahluwalia’s selfless nature and strong leadership, which helped him navigate and lead the Sikh collective through the difficult times of the 18th century when genocidal campaigns were taking place.

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Wednesday
,
15
June
2022

What was the world that Jassa Singh was born into?

Jassa Singh was born in 1718 in Ahlu near Lahore when it was not safe to be a Sikh. The Mughal Empire controlled most of South Asia at this point. It was increasingly difficult for the Sikhs as they were being hunted.

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Wednesday
,
22
June
2022

What were the early influences of Jassa Singh as a child that set him on his path?

In this video, Pritpal Singh delves into the influences of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, from his mother to Mata Sundri. 

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Wednesday
,
22
June
2022

What is Guru? | The Guru: Connecting with 1-Light

Who is Guru? What is the need for a Guru? What role does a Guru play in one's personal life? Jasleen Kaur explores what Guru means in the Guru Granth Sahib, Sikh history, and tradition.

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Articles

Friday
,
4
August
2023

Journey to The Gur Sikh Temple

The article explores the captivating journey to The Gur Sikh Temple (Gurduara) in Abbotsford, BC, a revered National Historic Site.

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Monday
,
19
December
2022

The Fragrance of Bhai Vir Singh - Rana Surat Singh

When the Guru-oriented being attains all three—Nam, dan, isnan—this is what happens. Realization dawns and the being recognizes the self as the observer.

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Monday
,
12
December
2022

The Fragrance of Bhai Vir Singh - Rana Surat Singh

Love does not emerge through dedicated practice or method. Remembrance is one form of love. Contemplating remembrance develops love. Contemplating virtues, contemplating Nam (Divine-Identification, ਨਾਮ), is also a form of love.

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Monday
,
5
December
2022

The Fragrance of Bhai Vir Singh - Rana Surat Singh

Bhai Vir Singh’s poem “Rana Surat Singh” unveils the mysteries of mystical love via 14,270 lines of verse in thirty-five cantos. The poem artistically presents a passionate vision of a world beyond the divisions of time and space.

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Friday
,
20
May
2022

Jassa Singh Ahluwalia

Jassa Singh Ahluwalia (1718-1783) was one of the most outstanding leaders Sikhs have had. As a leader, he prepared the Sikh community to take control of its own destiny in the most troubled times and write a chapter on its own in the annals of history.

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Wednesday
,
21
July
2021

Miri-Piri: The Spiritual-Political Sikh Doctrine

Miri comes from Perso-Arabic “Amir” or “Emir” and signals political power. Piri comes from the Perso-Arabic “Pir” and signals spiritual power. Miri-Piri encapsulates the Political-Spiritual doctrine in Sikhi, rooted in both the worldly and the timeless...

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Sunday
,
8
March
2009

Woman: Gateway to Freedom

“The whole Guru Grantha is the voice of a wedded women or a maiden pining in love of the Beautiful. Her nobleness in Guru Grantha is infinite, her freedom is of the highest. Both man and woman as sexes are forgotten in her voice.

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Thursday
,
5
November
2009

Maharaja of Firangi

Last week I walked into the first exhibition to comprehensively explore the extraordinarily rich culture of the maharajas. “Maharaja – the Splendor of India‘s Royal Courts” is the feature exhibit at the Victoria & Alberta Museum in London...

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Saturday
,
18
September
2010

Guru Angad

Today marks the gurgaddi divas, the Coronation Day of Guru Angad Sahib, the Second Sovereign of Sikhi. Guru Angad Sahib's unwavering devotion and obedience to Guru Nanak Sahib set a profound example for Sikhs.

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Monday
,
18
June
2012

The Messiah Is Here

We all suffer at times, weighed down with personal traumas, disappointments and regrets. According to the Buddhists, the primary truth of all of human existence is suffering. But in Sikhi, while our Guru acknowledges that there is much suffering in life, there is more to life and the universe than mere suffering. No, life is so much more than suffering.

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Tuesday
,
24
November
2015

Top Ten Truths About Guru Teghbahadar Sahib

Guru Teghbahadar Sahib’s life and legacy are unparalleled in the annals of world history. The Guru proclaimed: “Be very clear in your mind; the insightful person is the one who doesn’t fear anyone nor frightens anyone.”

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Sunday
,
30
April
2017

Hari Singh ‘Nalua’

Hari Singh Nalua (popularly Nalwa) was the Commander-in-Chief of the Sikh Khalsa Army in the North West Frontier in the Kingdom of Panjab, ruled by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

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Podcasts

Tuesday
,
7
March
2023

Sabad Hajare Patisahi 10 - Sabad 09: Divine Creator

In this tenth podcast, Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur explore Guru Gobind Singh Sahib’s utterances on the Divine Creator.

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Tuesday
,
28
February
2023

Sabad Hajare Patisahi 10 - Sabad 08: That One

In this ninth podcast, Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur explore Guru Gobind Singh Sahib’s utterances on the vastness of IkOankar. They discuss the Guru’s description of how even the holiest of people lost themselves in intense concentration...

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Friday
,
30
December
2022

Nam: Divine Identification

Join us as we delve into Bhai Vir Singh’s epic poem “Rana Surat Singh.” The poem unveils mystical love’s mysteries via 14,270 lines in thirty-five cantos. Mystical love is helical and circular in its workings.

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Friday
,
16
December
2022

Isnan: Cleansing

In the second podcast, we discuss:‍What is purification? What is cleansing? Is it necessary in the journey to becoming a Gurmukh, Guru-oriented?

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Thursday
,
19
May
2022

Jassa Singh Ahluwalia: Part 2

Jassa Singh Ahluwalia's leadership helped the Sikh community through multiple genocidal campaigns and turned out sovereigns in Panjab, a North-Western region in South Asia.

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Thursday
,
19
May
2022

Jassa Singh Ahluwalia: Part 1

This is the story of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia (1718-1783, of the most outstanding leaders Sikhs have had. As a leader of the Dal Khalsa, he prepared the Sikh community to take control of its own destiny in the most troubled times...

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,

Pakistan: Uncovering a Sikh Heritage

In this episode, our panel each draws from their specific expertise and experience to draw the connection of Sikh Heritage in Pakistan.

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,

The Sikhs and The Panjab

73 years ago, two nation-states were carved by the British mapmaking: Hindustan and Pakistan. The historical Sikh Homeland in The Panjab was divided by the Radcliffe line. In now truncated Indian Panjab, a proportion of the Sikhs led many campaigns to fight for economic, political, state, human, and religious rights. What’s next to secure the Sikh aspirations and the Panjab’s autonomy?

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Wednesday
,
11
January
2017

“Emperor-Prophet” - The Real Guru Gobind Singh Ji

The Panjab Digital Library was selected to develop an exhibition for the 350-year celebration of Guru Gobind Singh by the government of Bihar.

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Monday
,
24
April
2017

Everywhere I Go, Bithal is Present

Listen to Harinder Singh’s reflection on Bhagat Namdev’s evolution from deity worship to seeing Divinity pervading everywhere.

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Wednesday
,
18
December
2019

1984: Why should I care? – Amanpreet Kaur

I once met an elderly man who had taken pictures before and after 1984. I asked him: “What was it like photographing 84’?” His response: “I feel like I have been photographing 1984 my entire life.” His response shook me and it became a very significant moment for me. This experience led me to question - Why do I care about the violence that occurred during 1984…why should I care?

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Monday
,
30
March
2020

Sikh History in Afghanistan

Dr. Pritpal Singh discusses the importance, history, and significance of Afghanistan for Sikhs, from the time of the Gurus to now.

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Courses

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Resources

Getting to Know Rani Jind Kaur

"Getting to Know Rani Jind Kaur" is an extensive educational resource meticulously crafted to introduce students to the illustrious legacy of Rani Jind Kaur and the admirable qualities of Sikh leadership. Each lesson is thoughtfully paired with various "Advanced Learning Opportunities," catering to students of diverse proficiency levels and encouraging them to delve deeper into learning and contemporary discourse.

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A Special Report on Historical Context 1984

We present this Special Report to provide historical context to the Sikh experience from 1984 to the present day vis-a-vis the Indian and Canadian governments. The information provided narrates the wrongdoings against the Sikh community and Indian Panjab, which have been largely ignored and even perpetuated by the state and media.

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Getting to Know Jassa Singh Ahluwalia

Explore the life and lessons of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and his legacy through our downloadable education resource and our originally produced podcast and video series ‘Sikh History.’

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Getting to Know Hari Singh Nalua

Explore the life and lessons of Hari Singh Nalua and his legacy through our downloadable curriculum, as well as through our originally produced podcast and video series 'Sikh History'.

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