Show Posts
541
June 16, 2024, 12:08:20 AM
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1FMZlIIDSQ | |
Terry Funk vs. Tiger Jeet Singh in the second round of the legendary Death Match Tournament.
543
Sports Khelan / When Extreme Sports Go Wrong - Bloopers
« on: November 22, 2008, 09:44:15 PM »
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wck-tp19-A
545
Religous Videos / Videos: Khalistani Singhan di Kaveeshri
« on: November 20, 2008, 05:36:05 PM »In the following videos, we have Bhai Amandeep Singh and Bhai Tirath Singh
Kaveeshri 2
| [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMcqX6KHiZo#]Sardar | |
Kaveeshri 3
| [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ1YGkHzPdE#]Shaheed Sangha Saab | |
Kaveeshri 4
| [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC4cK2Elm70#]Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa | |
| [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JBP7jvdbI8#]Sachi Kahani | |
Sachi Kahaani (101% Truth)
//Contents:
0:00 Intro Shayer
0:34 Martyrdom Highlights
1:02 Truth about Gandhi
1:54 Sukha-Jinda Praying
2:23 Sukha-Jinda challenging Vaidya
2:58 Assasshination of Vaidya
3:40 Remembering Sant Jarnail Singh Ji
4:00 Devastation by Oper. Bluestar
4:22 Warrior Sikhs
4:44 Outro (Fateh Jakara)
546
Sports Khelan / American Football: crazy touchdown and reception
« on: November 18, 2008, 06:36:21 PM »548
Pics / Amazing Car pic sketched with MS Paint
« on: November 16, 2008, 09:38:41 PM »
This PixelGod guy is famous for lots of pics sketched through MS Paint. He's very talented for doing something so good looking in such a program.
Check this one, if you want more, let me know!
Check this one, if you want more, let me know!
| [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUWqRhReaZk | |
549
Pics / Ni Punjaban Kurhiye thalley aaja roti khala
« on: November 09, 2008, 10:41:35 PM »
Ni Punjaban Kurhiye thalley aaja roti khala
550
Cars / Insane Garages: Lambos, Ferraris, Hummers
« on: November 07, 2008, 10:49:31 AM »
Tour of Crown Prince of Dubai's Garage
5th Gear Top Garage
a huge dream garage which has it all
| [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl8sqQjEjsY | |
5th Gear Top Garage
| [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdftoIUIN8M | |
a huge dream garage which has it all
551
News Khabran / Amritsar politicians seek continuation of flights from Raja Sansi airport
« on: November 03, 2008, 10:30:03 PM »
my note: Jet Airways just shutdown Amritsar-London Route (info here: http://www.amritsarovar.com/blog/2008/10/28/jet-airways-drops-amritsar-london-route/ )
----
Amritsar politicians seek continuation of flights from Raja Sansi airport
MPs, Ministers, MLAs of Majha region led by Member Parliament Mr. Ratan Singh Ajnala and Information & Public Relations Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia today called on Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal requesting him that he should write to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Union Civil Aviation Minister, Mr.Praful Patel and Union Commerce Minister, Mr.Kamal Nath to take immediate steps to ensure that ongoing international as well as domestic flights to Raja Sansi Airport, Amritsar were not discontinued and expansion work of Amritsar Airport be completed at the earliest.
In a joint representation handed over to Chief Minister’s official resident, they pleaded that Union Civil Aviation Ministry should immediately lower the landing charges for flights in Amritsar and it should be lower than Delhi Airport. They said that the basic purpose of starting international flights from Amritsar was to decongest Delhi Airport as 29% international air traffic at Delhi was from Punjab. They said that presently Union Civil Aviation Ministry was charging Rs.1.54 lac landing charges per flight in Amritsar from Singapore Airlines as compared to Rs.75,000 charges by Delhi Airport. Similarly Jet Airways was shelling Rs.94,000 as compared to Rs.69,000 paid by them in Delhi. They said that nearly double the landing charges in Amritsar are making flights from this airport unviable for the airlines. They requested that the Ministry should immediately lower the landing charges and make it lower than Delhi Airport so that Delhi Airport could be decongested besides helping the NRI population of Punjab.
The legislators explained that the discontinuation of flights from Amritsar would hurt the business besides causing inconvenience to the pilgrims coming to Sri Darbar Sahib and Mata Vaishno Devi. They said that discontinuation of these two flights would cause inconvenience to thousands of passengers every month.
The Legislators also brought to the notice of Chief Minister that Rs.140 crores expansion work of Raja Sansi Airport was to be completed by 31st October, 2008 but till date not even 40% work has been completed causing inconvenience to passengers coming to airport. This was also resulted in drop of traffic in Amrtisar Airport. They requested the Chief Minister to write to Union Minister to get the work of airport completed at an early date.
Majha legislators also pointed out to Chief Minister that he should write a separate letter to Mr. Kamal Nath, Union Commerce Minister to direct his Ministry to issue requisite notifications so that duty drawback claims for cargo booked from Raja Sansi Airport were cleared within 7 days as being done in Delhi Airport. They said that presently duty drawback claims from Amritsar Airport were cleared in 3-4 months and businessmen were not opting this airport as they don’t want to block their money for a longer period.
The Chief Minister assured the delegation that he would take up these issued with Prime Minister for their early solution. He said that he would be speaking to both the Ministers to ensure that no international flight was discontinued from Amritsar Airport.
Those who called on Chief Minister included Member Parliament, S.Rattan Singh Ajnala, Ministers including S. Bikram Singh Majithia, S.Sucha Singh Langah, S.Gulzar Singh Ranike and MLAs Dr.Dalbir Singh Verka, S.Malkiat Singh AR, S.Amarpal Singh Ajnala, S.Inderbir Singh Bularia, S.Manjit Singh Mianwind, S.Virsa Singh Valtoha, S.Harmeet Singh Sandhu MLA, Anil Joshi, Lakhbir Singh Lodhi Nangal MLA, Gurbachan Singh Babehali MLA, S.Vir Singh Lopoke (Ex-MLA) and Rajinder Mohan Singh Chinna General Secretary BJP.
November 3rd, 2008
ref: http://www.punjabnewspaper.com/wordpress/2008/11/03/amritsar-politicians-seek-continuation-of-flights-from-raja-sansi-airport/
----
Amritsar politicians seek continuation of flights from Raja Sansi airport
MPs, Ministers, MLAs of Majha region led by Member Parliament Mr. Ratan Singh Ajnala and Information & Public Relations Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia today called on Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal requesting him that he should write to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Union Civil Aviation Minister, Mr.Praful Patel and Union Commerce Minister, Mr.Kamal Nath to take immediate steps to ensure that ongoing international as well as domestic flights to Raja Sansi Airport, Amritsar were not discontinued and expansion work of Amritsar Airport be completed at the earliest.
In a joint representation handed over to Chief Minister’s official resident, they pleaded that Union Civil Aviation Ministry should immediately lower the landing charges for flights in Amritsar and it should be lower than Delhi Airport. They said that the basic purpose of starting international flights from Amritsar was to decongest Delhi Airport as 29% international air traffic at Delhi was from Punjab. They said that presently Union Civil Aviation Ministry was charging Rs.1.54 lac landing charges per flight in Amritsar from Singapore Airlines as compared to Rs.75,000 charges by Delhi Airport. Similarly Jet Airways was shelling Rs.94,000 as compared to Rs.69,000 paid by them in Delhi. They said that nearly double the landing charges in Amritsar are making flights from this airport unviable for the airlines. They requested that the Ministry should immediately lower the landing charges and make it lower than Delhi Airport so that Delhi Airport could be decongested besides helping the NRI population of Punjab.
The legislators explained that the discontinuation of flights from Amritsar would hurt the business besides causing inconvenience to the pilgrims coming to Sri Darbar Sahib and Mata Vaishno Devi. They said that discontinuation of these two flights would cause inconvenience to thousands of passengers every month.
The Legislators also brought to the notice of Chief Minister that Rs.140 crores expansion work of Raja Sansi Airport was to be completed by 31st October, 2008 but till date not even 40% work has been completed causing inconvenience to passengers coming to airport. This was also resulted in drop of traffic in Amrtisar Airport. They requested the Chief Minister to write to Union Minister to get the work of airport completed at an early date.
Majha legislators also pointed out to Chief Minister that he should write a separate letter to Mr. Kamal Nath, Union Commerce Minister to direct his Ministry to issue requisite notifications so that duty drawback claims for cargo booked from Raja Sansi Airport were cleared within 7 days as being done in Delhi Airport. They said that presently duty drawback claims from Amritsar Airport were cleared in 3-4 months and businessmen were not opting this airport as they don’t want to block their money for a longer period.
The Chief Minister assured the delegation that he would take up these issued with Prime Minister for their early solution. He said that he would be speaking to both the Ministers to ensure that no international flight was discontinued from Amritsar Airport.
Those who called on Chief Minister included Member Parliament, S.Rattan Singh Ajnala, Ministers including S. Bikram Singh Majithia, S.Sucha Singh Langah, S.Gulzar Singh Ranike and MLAs Dr.Dalbir Singh Verka, S.Malkiat Singh AR, S.Amarpal Singh Ajnala, S.Inderbir Singh Bularia, S.Manjit Singh Mianwind, S.Virsa Singh Valtoha, S.Harmeet Singh Sandhu MLA, Anil Joshi, Lakhbir Singh Lodhi Nangal MLA, Gurbachan Singh Babehali MLA, S.Vir Singh Lopoke (Ex-MLA) and Rajinder Mohan Singh Chinna General Secretary BJP.
November 3rd, 2008
ref: http://www.punjabnewspaper.com/wordpress/2008/11/03/amritsar-politicians-seek-continuation-of-flights-from-raja-sansi-airport/
552
Sports Khelan / Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa Sports Festival concludes at Nanded
« on: November 03, 2008, 10:22:35 PM »
Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa Sports Festival concludes at Nanded
The Two day Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa Sports Festival concluded with an indelible impact on the minds of the thousands spectators came from the various parts of the country to pay homage to the Great Guru on the historical occasion of tercentenary Gur-Gaddi Diwas of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
Union Minister for Sports Manohar Singh Gill while giving away the prizes to the winning teams said that sports occupy an important place in the Sikh Culture and tradition. “That is the reason, the Punjabis and particularly the Sikhs have glorious achievements in the field of sportsâ€, he said. He reminded the sacred edict of the Sikh Gurus that one should not only be spiritually strong but physically fit and mentally alert also and the sports are an important medium to follow it.
Earlier in the morning Industries and Tourism Minister of Maharashtra Goverment Ashok Chauhan inaugurated the Martial Art Games and lauded the efforts of the SGPC to organize such a unique sports festival at the sacred place of Nanded. The star attraction of the today’s events was the Gatka, Folk Dance of Banzara Community and Open Style Kabbaddi especially the final match played between Punjab and Haryana.
Sikh Players of international eminence Ajitpal Singh (Hockey), Pargat Singh (Hockey) and Kartar Singh (Wrestling) were honoured with a cash prize of Rs.51,000/-, a citation and memento for bringing laurels to the Sikh Community at global level.
Presenting the vote of thanks, Dalmegh Singh Secretary SGPC appreciated the contribution made by Kanwarjit Singh Sandhu of Sandhu Group of Companies, Mumbai for making this sports event a great success. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, former union minister, Punjab PWD minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Dr. P.S. Pasricha and Director Education SGPC Dr. Gurmohan Singh Walia also graced the occassion.
Results:
Punjab Style Kabbaddi (Men): Punjab winner, Haryana Runner Up
Punjab Style Kabbaddi (Women): Haryana Winner, Punjab Runner Up
National Style Kabbaddi (Men): Maharashtra Winner, Punjab Runner Up
National Style Kabbaddi (Women) Punjab Winner, Maharashtra Runner Up
Wrestling:
Vishav Khalsa Kesri Khitab amounting to RS. 3 Lakh won by Palwinder Cheema defeating Rajiv Tomer.
120 KG: Rajiv Tomer UP (First), Palwinder Cheema Punjab (Second), Satinder Chandigarh (Third)
84 KG: Rambir Singh (First), Naresh Delhi (Second), Muhammad Shuab Pakistan (Third)
74 KG: Ramesh Kumar RSPB (First), Gurdial Singh SSCB (Second), Rajinder Bhatti UP (Third)
66 KG: Amit Kumar Haryana (First), Ajay Tomar UP (Second), Sudhir Rana Third
60 KG Yogeshwar Dutt Haryana (First), Kirpa Shankar (Second), Mohsin pakistan (Third)
55 KG Vinod Kumar Haryana (First), Anil Tomer (Second), Sombir (Third)
ref: http://www.punjabnewspaper.com/wordpress/2008/11/02/guru-gobind-singh-khalsa-sports-festival-concludes-at-nanded/
The Two day Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa Sports Festival concluded with an indelible impact on the minds of the thousands spectators came from the various parts of the country to pay homage to the Great Guru on the historical occasion of tercentenary Gur-Gaddi Diwas of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
Union Minister for Sports Manohar Singh Gill while giving away the prizes to the winning teams said that sports occupy an important place in the Sikh Culture and tradition. “That is the reason, the Punjabis and particularly the Sikhs have glorious achievements in the field of sportsâ€, he said. He reminded the sacred edict of the Sikh Gurus that one should not only be spiritually strong but physically fit and mentally alert also and the sports are an important medium to follow it.
Earlier in the morning Industries and Tourism Minister of Maharashtra Goverment Ashok Chauhan inaugurated the Martial Art Games and lauded the efforts of the SGPC to organize such a unique sports festival at the sacred place of Nanded. The star attraction of the today’s events was the Gatka, Folk Dance of Banzara Community and Open Style Kabbaddi especially the final match played between Punjab and Haryana.
Sikh Players of international eminence Ajitpal Singh (Hockey), Pargat Singh (Hockey) and Kartar Singh (Wrestling) were honoured with a cash prize of Rs.51,000/-, a citation and memento for bringing laurels to the Sikh Community at global level.
Presenting the vote of thanks, Dalmegh Singh Secretary SGPC appreciated the contribution made by Kanwarjit Singh Sandhu of Sandhu Group of Companies, Mumbai for making this sports event a great success. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, former union minister, Punjab PWD minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Dr. P.S. Pasricha and Director Education SGPC Dr. Gurmohan Singh Walia also graced the occassion.
Results:
Punjab Style Kabbaddi (Men): Punjab winner, Haryana Runner Up
Punjab Style Kabbaddi (Women): Haryana Winner, Punjab Runner Up
National Style Kabbaddi (Men): Maharashtra Winner, Punjab Runner Up
National Style Kabbaddi (Women) Punjab Winner, Maharashtra Runner Up
Wrestling:
Vishav Khalsa Kesri Khitab amounting to RS. 3 Lakh won by Palwinder Cheema defeating Rajiv Tomer.
120 KG: Rajiv Tomer UP (First), Palwinder Cheema Punjab (Second), Satinder Chandigarh (Third)
84 KG: Rambir Singh (First), Naresh Delhi (Second), Muhammad Shuab Pakistan (Third)
74 KG: Ramesh Kumar RSPB (First), Gurdial Singh SSCB (Second), Rajinder Bhatti UP (Third)
66 KG: Amit Kumar Haryana (First), Ajay Tomar UP (Second), Sudhir Rana Third
60 KG Yogeshwar Dutt Haryana (First), Kirpa Shankar (Second), Mohsin pakistan (Third)
55 KG Vinod Kumar Haryana (First), Anil Tomer (Second), Sombir (Third)
ref: http://www.punjabnewspaper.com/wordpress/2008/11/02/guru-gobind-singh-khalsa-sports-festival-concludes-at-nanded/
553
Pics / Indian Express
« on: November 03, 2008, 05:38:43 PM »
ah dekho ki kam karde lok, jidda keerhiyan di bhon hovey
554
Forum Dehshiyat / Rules Regulations / PJ Update Oct 29, 2008
« on: October 29, 2008, 11:42:09 PM »
Sorry for the slow/broken PJ tonight (Oct 29, 2008)... but our work for today is done!
- We've added a new page: PJ Team (You can see all the members of our team and contact them about any problems)
- We've updated PJ to fix some bugs behind the scenes
Finally, We will apply more fixes at a later date!
PJ Team
- We've added a new page: PJ Team (You can see all the members of our team and contact them about any problems)
- We've updated PJ to fix some bugs behind the scenes
Finally, We will apply more fixes at a later date!
PJ Team
555
Religion, Faith, Spirituality / Time Mag: Balbir Singh Seechewal - Heroes of the Environment 2008
« on: October 29, 2008, 08:23:48 PM »
Activists: Balbir Singh Seechewal - Time Magazine - Heroes of the Environment 2008
By MADHUR SINGH
EK Onkar Charitable Trust
One of Balbir Singh Seechewal's favorite verses from the Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book, venerates the elements. "The wind is our guru," it reads, "water is father, and the earth, mother." But four decades after the Green Revolution dramatically boosted India's agricultural production and made Punjab the nation's breadbasket, the state's once bountiful rivers and aquifers are depleted and polluted, thanks to the ever growing demands on groundwater, and the industrial and agricultural chemicals and raw effluent that find their way into local water sources.
Take the Kali Bein, a 99-mile-long (160 km) river considered sacred by the state's majority Sikh population. Over the past couple of decades it was reduced to a filthy drain into which six towns and more than 40 villages emptied their waste. Parts of the river dried up, leaving neighboring farmlands parched. Its polluted waters also seeped underground, contaminating the groundwater and causing lethal diseases.
In 2000, Seechewal, a Sikh holy man, set out to clean up this mess. Drawing on the Sikh tradition of kar sewa (voluntary service) he and his followers taught locals why they should clean the Kali Bein, enlisting volunteers to do the physical work and raising funds for equipment. At the height of his movement, people from more than two dozen villages were pitching in. The scale of the task was gigantic — volunteers cleared the entire riverbed of water hyacinth and silt, and built riverbanks and roads alongside the river. When appeals to government and municipal bodies failed to stop dirty water flowing into the river, Seechewal launched a public-awareness campaign to encourage villagers to dispose of their sewage elsewhere. Some villages revived traditional methods of waste disposal and treatment, and farmers lined up for a share of the treated water. A government order to divert water from a nearby canal was eventually obtained. As the riverbed was cleared, natural springs revived and the river began to fill up. Since then, trees have been planted along its banks and fishing has been banned to preserve biodiversity.
Today, the Kali Bein is thriving. Families head there for picnics and the devout bathe during religious festivals. Seechewal has turned his sights onto the tanneries and other factories that dispose of untreated waste in rivers. He is also leading efforts to get residents and the government to clean up rivers and creeks in a more systematic way across the state. "We have proved that it is possible to restore our rivers to a pristine condition if we all come together," says Seechewal. "It is time to do that on a bigger scale."
ref: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1841778_1841781_1841808,00.html
By MADHUR SINGH
EK Onkar Charitable Trust
One of Balbir Singh Seechewal's favorite verses from the Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book, venerates the elements. "The wind is our guru," it reads, "water is father, and the earth, mother." But four decades after the Green Revolution dramatically boosted India's agricultural production and made Punjab the nation's breadbasket, the state's once bountiful rivers and aquifers are depleted and polluted, thanks to the ever growing demands on groundwater, and the industrial and agricultural chemicals and raw effluent that find their way into local water sources.
Take the Kali Bein, a 99-mile-long (160 km) river considered sacred by the state's majority Sikh population. Over the past couple of decades it was reduced to a filthy drain into which six towns and more than 40 villages emptied their waste. Parts of the river dried up, leaving neighboring farmlands parched. Its polluted waters also seeped underground, contaminating the groundwater and causing lethal diseases.
In 2000, Seechewal, a Sikh holy man, set out to clean up this mess. Drawing on the Sikh tradition of kar sewa (voluntary service) he and his followers taught locals why they should clean the Kali Bein, enlisting volunteers to do the physical work and raising funds for equipment. At the height of his movement, people from more than two dozen villages were pitching in. The scale of the task was gigantic — volunteers cleared the entire riverbed of water hyacinth and silt, and built riverbanks and roads alongside the river. When appeals to government and municipal bodies failed to stop dirty water flowing into the river, Seechewal launched a public-awareness campaign to encourage villagers to dispose of their sewage elsewhere. Some villages revived traditional methods of waste disposal and treatment, and farmers lined up for a share of the treated water. A government order to divert water from a nearby canal was eventually obtained. As the riverbed was cleared, natural springs revived and the river began to fill up. Since then, trees have been planted along its banks and fishing has been banned to preserve biodiversity.
Today, the Kali Bein is thriving. Families head there for picnics and the devout bathe during religious festivals. Seechewal has turned his sights onto the tanneries and other factories that dispose of untreated waste in rivers. He is also leading efforts to get residents and the government to clean up rivers and creeks in a more systematic way across the state. "We have proved that it is possible to restore our rivers to a pristine condition if we all come together," says Seechewal. "It is time to do that on a bigger scale."
ref: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1841778_1841781_1841808,00.html
558
Pics / PJ Forum Opening and Closing Times
« on: October 14, 2008, 08:08:46 PM »
maybe this should be a sticky, it tells everybody if the forum is open or not
559
News Khabran / Harimander Sahib may turn off-limits for Bollywood
« on: October 06, 2008, 05:58:44 PM »
Golden Temple may turn off-limits for Bollywood
3 Oct 2008, 1111 hrs IST,TNN
LUDHIANA: Angered by the soaring list of film shootings at the Golden Temple, the most revered shrine of the Sikhs, priests have said the gurdwara
could soon be put out of bounds for most of Bollywood.
The development comes days after Shah Rukh Khan shot for his film Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi at Harmandir Sahib.
"Everybody wants to shoot at the Golden Temple," an angry Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar complained on Wednesday. "They (the film crew) make it inconvenient for the devotees and just don’t care about maryada."
"We have decided to be more wary and circumspect in granting permission to film crews for shoots at the Golden Temple," said SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar. "Only those films or programmes that help the Sikh cause will be allowed to be shot inside the Harmandir Sahib," he added.
The SGPC's announcement on keeping the temple out of bounds for film crew has shocked Bollywood. Film-maker and cinematographer Manmohan Singh said, "How can they do that? There's only one Golden Temple and one can only go there and shoot. The SGPC needs to rethink this. At the most, it can frame guidelines for people like us."
Speaking to TOI from London, Vipul Shah, the maker of 'Namaste London', said, "It's a pious place and we respect the teachings of Sikhism. But there has to be some way out of this so that directors are allowed to shoot. The SGPC, though, can set guidelines. A committee can perhaps be set up to devise a strategy. Our purpose is to showcase the opulence of the temple, so that non-Sikhs also get to know about Punjabi culture."
Award-winning director Madhur Bhandarkar, too, is not amused. "There has to be a solution to this. Maybe they can earmark some spaces for shoots along with specific days on which to do so," he said. On the complaint relating tomaryada, he said, "There can be no compromises on that. Only those who provide an assurance that the shoot will take place in accordance with norms should be allowed."
Director Satish Kaushik, for whom Punjab is a favourite theme as well as a location ground, said banning shoots at the Golden Temple would not solve the problem. "Shooting at the gurdwara is a different experience altogether," he said.
While actor-turned-politician Dara Singh said the SGPC could perhaps have scripts read to them for approval, director Aaditya Bhatt said, "I was also planning to shoot at the Golden Temple. Let's see what happens now. The SGPC could make the process more stringent rather than imposing an outright ban."
The SGPC's reservations, which could derail the plans of a host of Bollywood directors intending to shoot at the picturesque gurdwara, may have been triggered by Raj Kanwar's Sadiyaan, starring Rekha and Rishi Kapoor, getting into the crosshairs of the priests. During the shooting of the film in March, the SGPC had taken exception to a scene in which the leading actress is shown feeding prasad to her co-star. Offended, the temple management had ordered the director to scrap the scene.
Here are some comments from the people:
reference: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Golden_Temple_may_turn_off-limits_for_Bollywood/articleshow/3555158.cms
3 Oct 2008, 1111 hrs IST,TNN
LUDHIANA: Angered by the soaring list of film shootings at the Golden Temple, the most revered shrine of the Sikhs, priests have said the gurdwara
could soon be put out of bounds for most of Bollywood.
The development comes days after Shah Rukh Khan shot for his film Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi at Harmandir Sahib.
"Everybody wants to shoot at the Golden Temple," an angry Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar complained on Wednesday. "They (the film crew) make it inconvenient for the devotees and just don’t care about maryada."
"We have decided to be more wary and circumspect in granting permission to film crews for shoots at the Golden Temple," said SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar. "Only those films or programmes that help the Sikh cause will be allowed to be shot inside the Harmandir Sahib," he added.
The SGPC's announcement on keeping the temple out of bounds for film crew has shocked Bollywood. Film-maker and cinematographer Manmohan Singh said, "How can they do that? There's only one Golden Temple and one can only go there and shoot. The SGPC needs to rethink this. At the most, it can frame guidelines for people like us."
Speaking to TOI from London, Vipul Shah, the maker of 'Namaste London', said, "It's a pious place and we respect the teachings of Sikhism. But there has to be some way out of this so that directors are allowed to shoot. The SGPC, though, can set guidelines. A committee can perhaps be set up to devise a strategy. Our purpose is to showcase the opulence of the temple, so that non-Sikhs also get to know about Punjabi culture."
Award-winning director Madhur Bhandarkar, too, is not amused. "There has to be a solution to this. Maybe they can earmark some spaces for shoots along with specific days on which to do so," he said. On the complaint relating tomaryada, he said, "There can be no compromises on that. Only those who provide an assurance that the shoot will take place in accordance with norms should be allowed."
Director Satish Kaushik, for whom Punjab is a favourite theme as well as a location ground, said banning shoots at the Golden Temple would not solve the problem. "Shooting at the gurdwara is a different experience altogether," he said.
While actor-turned-politician Dara Singh said the SGPC could perhaps have scripts read to them for approval, director Aaditya Bhatt said, "I was also planning to shoot at the Golden Temple. Let's see what happens now. The SGPC could make the process more stringent rather than imposing an outright ban."
The SGPC's reservations, which could derail the plans of a host of Bollywood directors intending to shoot at the picturesque gurdwara, may have been triggered by Raj Kanwar's Sadiyaan, starring Rekha and Rishi Kapoor, getting into the crosshairs of the priests. During the shooting of the film in March, the SGPC had taken exception to a scene in which the leading actress is shown feeding prasad to her co-star. Offended, the temple management had ordered the director to scrap the scene.
Here are some comments from the people:
Quote
saabi, sydney, says: bollywood has worldwide audiences. not only the indians but whole world is watching hindi movies these days. so it could be a good medium to showcase the holiness of Golden temple to whole world..but MARAYADA (sikh practice) should nt be a compromise at all while doing so..i think proper plan can be devised to over come this problem..
[3 Oct, 2008 1521hrs IST]
inderjit sahota, united kingdom, says: Film makers need to be aware that the Golden temple is not a movie lot for their commercial purposes. The Golden temple is first and foremost a place of worship and is the holiest shrine for Sikhs. I hope SPGC and the film makers can work out an understanding, as i Sikh i would be very happy if there no films shot there.
[3 Oct, 2008 1509hrs IST]
sam, petrosa, says: That's not a bad idea at all. The money makers and the policy makers should be kept away from places of worship while at work
[3 Oct, 2008 1444hrs IST]
bharat, India, says: congratulations SGPC. right decision at right time. Keep filmwalas out of a holy an pious place.
[3 Oct, 2008 1443hrs IST]
Buta Singh Chauhan, Germany, says: I think instead of total ban on shooting of Bollywood films at Golden Temple, SGPC should lay out strict regulations concerning Sikh Maryada. It is matter of proud for Sikhs that so many non-sikhs are interested in our religious place. So, Bollywood directors should be allowed for shooting at Darbar Sahib Amritsar.
[3 Oct, 2008 1432hrs IST]
PCLUTHRA, NEW DELHI, says: GOLDEN TEMPLE IS PRECIOUS AND LIFE TO US "SANCTUM SANCTORUM". BAN FILM INDUSTRY NOT TO PICTURISE FILMS AT GOLDEN TEMPLE IS AGAINST LOVE PREACHED BY OUR GURUS.WE NEED TO TAKE A VERY REAL AND IMPARTIAL VIEW OF THE MATTER. WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
[3 Oct, 2008 1424hrs IST]
Inder Pal Singh Vaid, London, says: It is a place to worship not Film city, they should not be allowed to shoot in Golden Temple, only 1 movie per year is more than enough. It is always full of devotees and shooting everytime will create more hassle for people who are visiting Golden Temple.
[3 Oct, 2008 1344hrs IST]
Prabhjot, London, says: Surely it must be extremely difficult for the Golden Temple management to serve the film industry as well as thousands of devotees who visit the shrine every day. With all the money in the industry why can't Bollywood create one within the studios?
[3 Oct, 2008 1331hrs IST]
Vikram singh, delhi, says: The SGPC is right in a way. The Golden Temple is a place of sikh history and not a tourist spot for film shooting. Also people should not be coming there with bodyguards as all are equal.
[3 Oct, 2008 1323hrs IST]
Sunny, Delhi, says: Dear SGPC, Please form strict guidelines for film crew to follow but PLEASE do not ban it completely. I think bollywood is promoting our great religion and we are tying to block it...
[3 Oct, 2008 1313hrs IST]
Gurmeetsingh, Mumbai, says: I cannot understand why bollywood operates like a herd. They are so crazy to make money that they would go for any idea that worked. If the golden temple is going to be shown in every second movie, its surely going to become common place. It is a religious shrine. Non-sikhs also have great respect and regard for it. People visit the shrine with great devotion. We should ensure that its stature does not get reduced by over exposing it through hindi cinema
[3 Oct, 2008 1259hrs IST]
PS Lally, New Delhi, says: I totally agree with the suggestions that suitable guidelines should be framed by the SGPC, by taking into confidence the film producers who wish to visit/ shoot in the Gurudwara, so that the (i) the general public is not inconvenienced, (ii) no act/activity, like love scenes, hugging/kissing, bare headed actions, songs, prejudicial to Sikh identity takes place on the Parikarma of Harimandir Sahibji, and (iii) shoot inside the main Gurudwara, where Holy Guru Granth Sahibji is installed, is allowed only in very very rare occasions. The guidelines being followed by RETC and CTC Punjabi who are telecasting live Kirtan from Harimandir Sahib could be very helpful. Complete ban on shooting in not necessary or desirable at all.
[3 Oct, 2008 1255hrs IST]
VS, Delhi, says: People should respect the Maryada of the holy shrine while shooting there.... They shouldn't behave as they are on some Picnic or thy are above GOD.... If thy are allowed to shoot, thy should behave in proper way.... Disrespecting The Holyness of Place shouldn't take Place......
[3 Oct, 2008 1154hrs IST]
reference: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Golden_Temple_may_turn_off-limits_for_Bollywood/articleshow/3555158.cms
560
News Khabran / Standing Up for the Truth: Narinder Singh
« on: September 28, 2008, 10:33:18 PM »
Standing Up for the Truth
Laugh if you want to, but I began performing comedy to educate Americans about my religion.
By Narinder Singh | NEWSWEEK | http://www.newsweek.com/id/160078
A sign in the back of the comedy club boasted that many of the comics who performed there had also appeared on Letterman and Leno. It was "new talent" night, and I watched people quickly fill the seats. As the show progressed, I was worried that I might be heckled— especially by a group of rowdy boys who laughed sarcastically when jokes failed. When their comedian friend took the stage, some of them got up and roared. I wasn't sure how I would handle the crowd if they shouted over me. When the comic stepped down from the stage, his friends kept yelling his name, even when the emcee tried to tell a joke.
The emcee didn't command any authority. He waited for them to calm down before he introduced me: "Our next comic is very funny. He's a regular American, a slice of Middle America, someone who came right out of 'Leave It to Beaver'."
I tried to take the mike off the stand, but pulled it so hard that the stand toppled over. I caught it just in time and began right away: "Let me explain the turban." I pointed to my head, paused for a second, and widened my eyes and let them roam around the room. "I just came back from an extreme makeover! "When they laughed, I quickly added, "And maaaaan, do I look sexy!"
It didn't go at all smoothly when I began performing stand-up comedy. The slicing sounds of silence in response to my jokes felt emasculating. Afterward, my friends told me that I had rushed my material, and that I was too mild, defanged almost.
I began doing stand-up to educate my fellow Americans about my religion. I wanted to show that Sikhs were not fanatical Muslims. I laced jokes with facts conveying that 99 percent of people with turbans in America were Sikhs, that Sikhism started in India 500 years ago and was now the fifth largest religion in the world. We believed in one God and equality for all, regardless of race, color, gender, religion and caste. But I was not funny.
I started reading books on stand-up comedy. After performing on each new-talent night, I stayed till the end to watch other comics and studied the audience to see how each age group reacted differently. At home I watched professional comedians on Comedy Central for hours and changed my material, making it more biting and provocative.
"A lot of people ask me why I wear a turban," goes one of my jokes. "I tell them it's because it contracepts my vices. But you know what, turbans are great contraceptives … I haven't had sex in five years!"
I became more ambitious. I now wanted to show the entire audience that Indians, Muslims or brown people in general were affable and moderate. Because I received my first couple of threats from Sikhs, I had to convince myself that my fellow Sikhs were in fact also moderate. But it felt strangely exciting reading the verbal barbs posted on my first YouTube clip: I was having an impact.
I e-mailed some of the overzealous Sikhs and told them that I was making fun of prejudice against those who wear turbans, not the turban itself, which seemed even more sacred now. After 9/11, many Sikhs had cut their hair and stopped wearing turbans. The menacing looks and discrimination were too much. Our visible identity in numbers was dwindling in both America and India. Bollywood films had reduced Sikhs to fools and caricatures. In America we were being taken too seriously; in India, not enough. It sometimes made me feel compelled to conform and fit in, too.
But I realized that Sikh symbols, like the turban, were important, just as all religious symbols are. And a symbol can no more be destroyed by humor than a word's meaning can be torn by a paper shredder. The only thing one had to worry about was mitigating one's faith, the act of countering darkness with bare-knuckle punches.
Yet religious symbols don't always serve as a catalyst for truthful living. Wearing one for the sake of wearing it reduces religion to superstition. Sikh society and many others in India remain divided by tribalism, female infanticide and gender discrimination. So many take the religious symbols as garbs and amulets of salvation alone, rather than as a palette to paint understanding and soften the edges.
Still, I completely understood my fellow Sikhs' sensitivity and their fear of being marginalized further. I really didn't mind the death threats and the heckling, as long as I continued not having sex.
Singh lives in Williston Park, N.Y.
© 2008