:

In a unique study, British forensic experts have used the Punjabi script Gurmukhi to develop a technique through which the origin and age of writers could be tracked, a method that could prove effective in profiling the criminal authors of documents.

Researchers at the University of Derby used a Punjabi pangram (sentence containing all the letters of the alphabet) to zero in on the identity of writers.

A popular example of a pangram in English is: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog, which uses all 26 letters of the alphabet.

The experts used a Punjabi pangram a paragraph in the Punjabi script Gurmukhi, which contained all 40 characters of the Indo-Aryan language as part of a study to see if written text could be used to help build up a profile of its author.

Studies of the same paragraph written by 200 volunteers showed the handwriting could be used to determine if someone was a native from a foreign country, a first-generation descendent (born in India or Pakistan but who has moved to the UK) or a second-generation (born in the UK).

The findings could have important implications for forensic science, for example, in a case where police needed to identify the author of a document or threatening letter.

Ian Turner, a Forensic Science lecturer at Derby, worked on the study with Forensic Science Programme Leader Julian Love and BSc (Hons) Forensic Science with Criminology student Rajvinder Kaur, who chose to concentrate on the Punjabi script.

"It wasnt quite a pangram we constructed, but a short paragraph which contained all of the characters of the Gurmukhi alphabet. The results were analysed and we have discovered these exciting trends in differences, which could help determine the writers origin," Turner said.

"The text the academics chose included not only all of the characters, but also the key matras (pronunciation) in order to gauge a comprehensive view of different writing styles," he said.

The first and second generation participants from across the UK, took part in a postal study where they submitted written passages for the scientists to examine, after an initial appeal for volunteers from among university students.

Other texts from residents native to Pakistan were also studied.

The team found clear class characteristics in each of the populations defined above in how individual letters are formed and general features of the text that is how cursive or joined-up the writing is.

The study, 'Investigation of Class Characteristics in the Gurmukhi Handwriting of first and second Generation Punjabis', identified up to eight major differences between the writing styles of first and second generation Punjabi populations as well as numerous individual character differences.

The researchers determined that the writing style of an individual is determined during childhood by factors such as the teaching systems and styles employed.

"There are several different writing systems used to write the Punjabi script, the use of these systems depends on a number of factors including geographical location, local dialect and religious beliefs," Turner added.

Rajvinder, 22, said: "Our work shows some interesting patterns and trends that could be applied to other foreign scripts."

Source: http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/mar/17gur.htm

"First, I would like to say Hello to everyone here and wish you all the Peace of God in your lives. I am a Christian who came here to learn about Sikhism, and I have never posted before, but I would like to do so now, as I have recently read some posts from the young people here about the difficulty of keeping hair, beard and turban in a western country.

"I am not young, I am 44 years old. The reason I wanted to learn about Sikhism is that during World War II, in Italy, my favorite, and very loving uncle was an American soldier. At the battle of Cassino, he was wounded, could not walk, and was buried so deep in the mud that when the American troops went by, they thought he was dead. When my uncle regained consciousness, he thought he was finished, and began what he thought were his final prayers. After some time, he saw the legs of soldiers, and he cried out in a weak voice "water". A Sikh soldier came to help him. He carried him over two miles on his own back under heavy gunfire to a medical aid station. If it was not for a Sikh, I would not ever have had the opportunity to know my Uncle Danny, who was very special to me. Uncle Danny did not know what a Sikh was, but he was very thankful for being saved. Before the Sikh soldier left him at the medical station, he asked him what his name was, all the soldier said was 'Singh.'

"Uncle Danny wrote from the hospital to his sister, my grandmother, about this soldier over 60 years ago, in a letter. He also wrote to his commanding officer to tell him that this man should get a medal, but all he knew was that his name was 'Singh,' and he could never locate him.
"Way back in 1965 when I was 5 years old, Uncle Danny took me to the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia because everyone else in the family was tired, and I was the 'baby' of the family, and his children were already grown at that time; he volunteered to keep me quiet:-) Well, when we were downtown at the parade, a man with a turban, beard and the biggest moustache I had ever seen walked by, and I asked my uncle to pick me up because I was frightened of him. Uncle Danny picked me up and said, 'Elena, don't be afraid of him. He is a 'Singh', and 'Singhs' are the bravest and kindest people I have ever known. They come from a far away country called India, where I know there are a lot of brave people, but they are the best.'
"Uncle Danny died of cancer in 1977, when I was in my first year in college. Before his death he was the father of two daughters, and grandfather of four children, not to mention loving uncle to my mother and all of us. If it were not for a Sikh, he would not have come home to us.

"Although I have known Sikhs in the past, and was friendly with several especially during my college years, I became interested in understanding their beliefs because of two incidents; the first being the hate crimes committed against Sikhs after 9-11, and the second was inheriting the family photos and papers when my grandmother died in December 2003, three weeks away from her 92nd birthday. When I went through the box of papers and photos, I found the letters Uncle Danny had written to her during the War about the 'Singh' who saved his life. At the time I found the letters, I also recalled that Thanksgiving Day when I first saw a Sikh. The Sikhs I had known in the past were also very upstanding and decent people who would help anyone, of any faith, or race, and I became interested in what their religious teachings were, as I thought it may have something to do with the way they behave towards others. I also wanted to learn about Sikh beliefs because I live in an area where there has been a lot of prejudice after 9-11, and if there is anyway that I can help by teaching people, or even just saying something positive about my Sikh neighbors when I hear ignorance, I wanted to be able to tell them more than just, 'they are not Muslims.'So please, to all the Sikh youth out there that are considering giving up your hair, beards and turbans, I would ask you to reconsider, and keep your identity. Practice your faith, as it is very beautiful.

"Although I am a Christian, I am of Middle Eastern back ground, so I know what prejudice can do; I also belong to a Christian group that believes in head coverings, and after 9-11 it was frightening for a while. I really wanted to take off my headscarf, and look like everyone else. After much prayer and soul searching I came to the conclusion that God and my belief in my path to Him was the most important thing, not the opinions of others.
"All you need to do is to be a faithful Sikh, and let people get to know you, and the wonderful person you are, because you are faithful.
Thank you for allowing me to share with you, and I wish you all of God's blessings in your life."

From: http://www.mrsikhnet.com/index.php/2008/03/14/making-an-impression-a-true-story/

Chinese students in Hong Kong visit gurdwara for a lesson in inclusion. It’s dinner time at the Khalsa Diwan Sikh temple in Hong Kong and, as always, the community kitchen serves anyone who turns up for langar.

Today, however, that open-door spirit of inclusion has been taken to extraordinary lengths, as an uncommon group of visitors have dropped in. Beneath towering portraits of bearded Sikh gurus and warriors on horses, row upon row of Chinese students, their heads covered with scarves, are seated on the floor, eating the roti, dal and sabji that Sikh kar sevaks serve them.

“Eating with my bare hands is an interesting enough learning experience,” says social worker Nancy Law, tucking into a slice of roti. “But I’m learning so much more.” A lesson in cultural diversity, for instance.

Nancy and 28 other students of Hong Kong University are at the gurdwara as part of a field visit connected with an elective programme on ‘Working with Ethnically Different Communities in Hong Kong’, offered by the Social Work Department at the university.

“The course seeks to inculcate in students an understanding of the ethnic minorities who live in their midst, and to get them to appreciate the ethnic minorities’ contribution to Hong Kong society and the diversity they bring,” says Dr James Joseph Keezhangate at the university’s Social Work Department.

“A good many of them came generations ago as merchants, soldiers, low-paid manual workers or professionals, and helped transform Hong Kong from a fishing village into an economic powerhouse, but not all migrants have benefited from this growth,” notes Keezhangatte. Worse, some of them have been pushed to the margins and have become “socially invisible.”

Field visits — such as the trip to the gurdwara — are intended as “icebreakers” to help social work students gain exposure to ethnic minorities and to their cultural traditions, and to open their eyes to the instruments of institutionalised racism that doubtless exist.
For instance, during the visit, temple authorities introduced students — in fluent Cantonese! — to the tenets of Sikhism, the symbols associated with the religious practice and other aspects of the valorous faith.

Students also listened to some soulful kirtans, with live translation in English flashed on a giant screen!

Lok Poon, a social worker who has enrolled with the Hong Kong University programme, believes that the course will help him in his work: as someone who works with ethnic minorities, including new arrivals, he’s learning a fair bit from this priceless interaction.

“Sat Sri Akal,” he greets the temple administrators and kitchen staff. They beam back at him in delight.

WHAT WAS Guru Ji trying to achieve by calling the Sikh woman ‘a princess’ (literal meaning of Kaur)?

To try to understand the possible reasons behind Guru Ji’s decision, we need to look at the situation at the time in different cultures. In Indian society, the brides first and last name was often changed after her marriage. This still happens today. However, this tradition of name changing does not occur just in India. It is a phenomenon, which occurs across the whole world today. Why are women’s surnames changed? The reason is family linkage. Surnames allow others to identify you and your family. In some cases the surname can tell others much more about you, such as your caste.

For women the linkage to family is different in comparison to men. Their identity changes with marriage. They are no longer associated with their parents, but with their husband’s family. Unsurprisingly, the man’s name never changes. Some cultures go as far as considering the woman to be the property of others. This was so for the Hindu Law giver, Manu, who claimed that no woman should ever be independent. Christianity considered woman to be a product of man as Eve had come from ‘the rib’ of Adam.

Psychologically, women have accepted these unjust rules. They are resigned to male dominance and allowed themselves to become second-class citizens. Guru ji changed all this with the revelation of the Khalsa. He gave women the opportunity to live life free of the chains of a dogmatic society. It was God’s Hukam (will).

Once initiated into the Khalsa, Sikh women obtain the surname Kaur. The surname Singh (Lion) is given to men, but Kaur (princess) is reserved solely for women. This difference in names is not about inequality. Rather, Guru ji recognises the difference between men and women. As individuals we are all different from each other, but this difference does not imply inequality.

Women and men are different but remain equals. Guru ji considered women and men to be unique. He respected the sexes and, therefore, made the distinction in surnames.

When you take ‘amrit’ you are told to consider Guru Gobind Singh as your father and Mata Sahib Kaur as your mother. By joining the Khalsa you abandon all previous chains of linkage. You become the direct descendants of Guru Gobind Singh and Mata Sahib Kaur. You become their sons and daughters. The Khalsa becomes your family. Thus, from the day you are born to the day you die your name remains the same. You do not have to change it due to marriage.

Unfortunately, the tradition of using the ‘Kaur’ surname has all but disappeared amongst Sikh women. It is either dropped, in favour of caste surnames, or misused as a middle name. Guru Ji never designed it as such. Have we not belittled his concepts? Have we lost so much self-esteem that we must copy the bigoted traditions of others?

Sikh women are today demanding equal rights. Rightly so. However, they fail to realise that they themselves create inequality by not considering themselves princesses. They no longer consider themselves as daughters of the Khalsa. Why should Sikh women feel that they must change their names after marriage?

By keeping your unique and beautiful Sikh identity you are maintaining the freedom given to you by Guru ji. Ultimately, only those who keep the ‘Kaur’ surname can truly understand its importance. Others will make excuses about the difficulty of having such a common surname It makes paper work and identification difficult! Why make such excuses? We do not hear Patels or Smiths complaining. Mere excuses.

The importance of ‘Kaur’ is truly inexpressible. It is something very unique in the history of the world. Of late more and more Sikhs are dropping Singh and Kaur from their names. They probably are not aware of the Blessings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji who gifted these decorations to them.

Removing or abbreviating the decorations with S and K is to ape the western culture. In India surnames were initially introduced by the Brahmins to distinguish people of four varna as per their belief. Subsequently the British introduced the system for all those enrolled in government services.

Today, abbreviating the middle name or totally eliminating it has become a fashion. People who are settled abroad have degraded their self-respect to such levels that they feel elated to be called Garry for Gurpreet, Harry for Harpreet, Harmeet, Harbhajan, etc.

Common reason given for such an attitude is that the Westerners cannot understand, pronounce or remember the difficult Indian names. My suggestion to all such Sikhs is to introduce themselves merely as Singh and Kaur, which are very simple and short names. Even in India Sikhs are generally called by a single name of Sardar Ji. Why can’t a similar procedure be adopted universally?

An Article by Jayati Chakraborty, 01 March 2008, Saturday

Taken From: http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=130679

Interview with Tenpa Yung Drung The Young Tibetan Buddhist who came to Baru Sahib to take back his learning to his Monastery. Interview by Kiran Thakur, Baru Sahib, June 09, 2006


When did you come to Baru Sahib?
I came here at Akal Academy on 17th May 2006 joining Class XI-D. I was previously at the Centre School for Tibetans, Dholanji, Solan.

Where do you come from?
I come from the Himalayan region - on the border of Tibet and Nepal. I was staying at the Menri Monastery, Solan District for the past thirteen years.

What about your family Tenpa?
My father is alive but my mother passed away. I have one younger brother who is staying at home and tries to do farming. One younger brother and younger sister are also staying in Menri Monastery, Solan.

What are your hobbies Tenpa?
I like table tennis, listening to music.

What would you like to do later?
I would like to become a Chartered Accountant and then I want to go back and serve in Menri Monastery.

Where did the inspiration to come to Baru Sahib come from?
My Guru - His Honorable 33 rd Bonism and Menni Trizin Rinpoche. He is now in the USA for two months to tell people about our teachings. (Bonism existed before Buddhism. It was taken over by Buddhism but some of its beliefs and rituals have been taken up in regions like Tibet along with Buddhism)

What was his thinking in sending you to Baru Sahib?
He told me that here the education and discipline are very good. By living here, you will not go on the wrong track. As a result of the education which you will get from here, you will become a good human being all your life.

How do you find the school and the children?
I am very much fascinated by the methodology of the teachers and there is a lot of love from the students. They are all very much cooperative.

How do you feel in Darbar Sahib, because of the first time in visiting a Sikh holy place? Is that right?
I can read paath in Hindi but not in Punjabi. Eventually I will learn it properly. I feel very calm in Darbar Sahib.

Thanks to Tenpa for sharing his thoughts with us.

Source: http://www.akalacademy.in/Young_Tibetan_Buddhist.html

A vichaar by Bhai Bhagwan Singh Johal, a panthik Sikh scholar and Kathaavachik who explains the effects of Gurbani. If you can understand Panjabi then please listen to the audio below:

http://www.4shared.com/account/file/35416048/6460d37d/Guru_Granth_Sahib_Ji_and_NASA.html

otherwise carry on

Talking is the affects of Gurbani on individuals' lives. In one example, he mentions that there have been two Panjabi sisters who have worked as Astronauts at the NASA space station in America - Kalpana Chawla and Sunita William.

Kalpana Chawla was a space shuttle mission specialist. She was the first Panjabi to travel into space. Unfortunately, she was killed on 1st February 2003 with 7 crew members in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Whilst in India, Bhai Bhagwan Singh was in Uttranchal (Haryana) where he met Kalpana Chawla's father, Banarsi Lal Chawla. As you would do, Bhai Bhagwan Singh offered his condolences and shared the grief of the loss of a fellow Punjabi sister.

Kalpana's father was a Hindu, however the family have devotion (shardaa) for the House of Guru Nanak. Bhai Sahib asked Kalpana's father to share something about Kalpana's life with him. He replied that she did Nitnem (daily prayers) every morning (as well as being a vegetarian). The family were fortunate enough to have darshan (glimpse) of the late Baba Nand Singh jee in Uttaranchal. Baba jee had an affect on the family and since then they have practised Nitnem and had love for Gurbani.

"Tell more," said Bhai Bhagwan Singh. The father replied, "Kalpana also recited Japji Sahib whilst she worked, and she recited Japji Sahib in space as well." Guru Nanak Sahib Ji explains in

Japji Sahib:
ਪਾਤਾਲਾ ਪਾਤਾਲ ਲਖ ਆਗਾਸਾ ਆਗਾਸ ॥

Pāṯālā pāṯāl lakẖ āgāsā āgās.
There are nether worlds beyond the nether worlds and lacs of skies over skies.


ਓੜਕ ਓੜਕ ਭਾਲਿ ਥਕੇ ਵੇਦ ਕਹਨਿ ਇਕ ਵਾਤ ॥

Oṛak oṛak bẖāl thakė vėḏ kahan ik vāṯ.
The scriptures say one thing: searching for God's limits and bounds, (without success) people have grown weary.
(Ang 5)


Not only did she read this, but she experienced this. Guru Nanak Sahib Ji was also present in space (whilst she read Japji Sahib).


Her father said that he had an opportunity to visit the NASA centre at San Jose, America (in September 2004). During his visit he was shown a volume of an English translation of Guru Granth Sahib jee kept at the NASA library. Her father was told that when scientists get tired of searching and searching the universe, when they seek inspiration and need to uplift their souls they turn to read the translations of Guru Nanak's poetry and divine-songs which magnificently describe the awe and wonder of the Universe. There is no other poetry, no other divine-song, no other Scripture, such as the Bani of Guru Nanak Sahib Ji -- Guru Granth Sahib jee.

Source: http://manvirsingh.blogspot.com/2008/01/nasa-gurbani.html