On a sleepy Saturday afternoon in Slough, a borough west of London, Nidar Singh Nihang knows how to keep a group of young men awake.

Inside an empty hall of a church in London Road, Singh Nihang is an authoritative figure. As 20 men, most of them from the Sikh community, surround him in a semi-circle, he demonstrates some self-defence skills. With subtle hand and body movements, he exhibits a form of martial art that he has mastered over 25 years.

But more than 5,000 years after its inception, this form of Sikh martial art known as Shastar Vidiya could soon be relegated to the pages of a history book. There aren't many practitioners and there is a sole surviving master who embodies the technical and traditional expertise: Singh Nihang.

"My aim as a Gurudev [teacher] is to ensure the art, in all its totality, survives," says Nihang Singh.

In Slough, throughout the three-hour session, the man with an intimidating body structure standing at 6-feet-one-inch, explains about the various techniques and also history behind Shastar Vidiya to casually dressed men, most of them in their traditional turban and beard.

"It's a science of weapons," he says, pausing it to describe it more eloquently, "which involves advancing upon the enemy, hitting in a striking range, misaligning his strikes and cutting them down."

As his students engage in different unarmed fighting techniques, an array of weapons neatly lay on the table. Singh Nihang steps forward, picks up a Maddu, a small weapon akin to a knuckleduster, and tells how it was used during wartime to attack the enemies.

"In the old days, you had to fight people to show your art. Nowadays we can be sensible. We can demonstrate so we can show the art and science behind it," he says.

Singh Nihang himself is draped in a blue Chola, a kurta-like robe, with white Kachera, knee-length breaches, and sneakers. His sword and a traditional dagger are neatly tucked between the blue Kamarkasar (cloth belt) wrapped around his waist.

His traditional get-up and a long beard with streaks of white hair might give an intimidating first impression, but he isn't as fierce as he appears.

funny

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Quick hits after the Celtics practiced Sunday at HealthPoint:

* Rondo injures ankle: Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo sprained his right ankle and did not finish the session. Coach Doc Rivers said the injury is nothing major, but that Rondo landed awkwardly on a teammate's foot while shooting and took the rest of the practice off.

* Thin on bodies ... still: With Rondo departing and captain Paul Pierce sidelined for a second session due to a sore right heel, the Celtics closed practice with a mere eight available bodies. Even though the team announced his deal Saturday, Jeff Green was not able to participate in the session. But he is expected to be on the court Monday (he observed Sunday's practice, then did light shooting drills with teammate Avery Bradley after the session).

* West sign-and-trade is dead: As ESPN.com's Marc Stein noted, the potential sign-and-trade deal that would have brought David West to Boston died Sunday, seemingly because of New Orleans' inability to find a team to take Jermaine O'Neal. West instead signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Larry Bird wins this battle with old friend Danny Ainge.

* What's the hold-up?: Rivers said paperwork is holding up Boston's ability to get players on the court. That includes rookies JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore, though you can't help but wonder if the Celtics were not exactly in a rush for those deals to get pushed through while exploring potential trade opportunities. Once a rookie is inked, he cannot be traded for 30 days. Why is Brandon Bass not able to practice after being acquired from Orlando in a sign-and-trade for Glen Davis? Remember that Von Wafer was a late addition to that deal and Joshua Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel noted that Davis was unable to practice this weekend while the Magic waited for Wafer's letter of clearance from the Italian team he played for during the lockout. Expect an influx of bodies on Monday when most of those paperwork issues can be resolved.

* Loose balls: Players drawing large media crowds included Chris Wilcox and Ray Allen ... Training camp invite Jamal Sampson came onto the floor to stretch with strength and conditioning coach Bryan Doo ... Sampson, Michael Sweetney and Gilbert Brown are the camp invites still waiting for clearance to join practice activities.
first game is  12/18  Celtics vs Raptors  - 01:00pm (ET)
good luck Celtics

SIKHI NAAL PYAR

WASHINGTON: Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, the first turbaned US Sikh soldier in last 30 years has received Bronze Star Medal, the fourth-highest combat award for his meritorious services in Afghanistan.

Kalsi, a doctor, received the medal for "exceptionally meritorious service as an emergency medicine physician" while deployed in Afghanistan during the first half of 2011, the Sikh Coalition said in a statement yesterday.

He was the first Sikh to be allowed to go on active duty with a turban, beard and unshorn hair in more than 20 years.

Working for the rights of Sikhs in the US, Sikh Coalition was instrumental in Kalsi joining the US Army after he was refused an entry on religious grounds.

Among other reasons for receiving the Bronze Star, an official recommendation from Major Kalsi's superiors cites his resuscitation back to life of two patients who were clinically dead on arrival; his "expert" emergency care of over 750 soldiers and nationals; coordination of 5 mass casualty exercises.

Major Kalsi had set up camp-wide Internet access for over 200 soldiers at Camp Dwyer in Helmand, Afghanistan where he was deployed.

After his service, he was promoted from Captain to Major. "It continues to be a tremendous honour to serve my country," said Kalsi.

At present, US military policy forces Sikhs to remove their religiously-required turbans and facial hair in order to join the military.

Over the past two years, the Army granted Major Kalsi and two other Sikh soldiers individual accommodations, which allow only them to maintain turbans and beards.

When Gagandip Singh, millionaire owner of Britain’s satellite channel Sikh TV and president of the British Sikh Student Federation, got a call from a woman he had been ``besotted’’ with inviting him to her house he could not believe his luck and drove all the way from London to Brighton. Hours later, his charred body was found in the boot of his own car.

At the time, his death was sought to be linked with the murder of his father Charanjit Singh in a contract killing in India two years ago, but a court on Tuesday heard that he was a victim of a ``honey trap’’ laid by a young Punjabi medical student, Mundil Mahil, who wanted to punish him for attempting to rape her a few months ago.

It was alleged that she ordered two men Harvinder Shoker, known as Ravi,and Darren Peters to kill Singh (21). They were ``lying in wait for him’’ when he arrived at Ms Mahil’s house.

Aftab Jafferjee, QC, for the prosecution told the court: “He was attacked and beaten unconscious. He was then wrapped in Mahil’s duvet and dumped into the boot of the Mercedes. Petrol was poured into the car as he lay either still unconscious from the beating, or completely helpless inside the boot. He was still alive at this point.

The car was then set alight with him shut in the boot. That is how his life was ended.”

The car was then driven to Blackheath, south-east London, it was stated.

Describing Ms Mahil as an “intelligent and attractive young woman”, Mr Jafferjee said her role was ``central’’.

``If she had agreed not to lure him to Brighton that fateful evening, the deceased would have been safe and alive today,” he said.

The court heard that Ms Mahil and Singh had been friends since 2009 when both began a degree at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. The murder of Singh’s father brought them closer and at the end of August 2010, he stayed the night in the house she shared with fellow female medical students.

“It is common ground in this case that he tried to have sex with her by getting into her bed. Both she and he were to describe it as an attempted rape. She forced him away and he broke down in tears and left. She reacted both then and over time in a way you would expect any young woman to react. She was extremely upset and angry at what she, with some justification, perceived as a great betrayal of trust,” Mr Jefferjee said.

She cut off all links with him though he tried desperately to contact her, bombarding her with texts and calls. In February this year, she “lured him to Brighton” by suggesting a meeting at her house where ``lying in wait for him were Ravi and Peters,’’ the court was told.

Sat sir akal janta, so  janta are you randy christmas  and new year!!!!

jazzy b and sherry maan

Rab Nu Lekha Dena [Full Song] Saada Punjab

U.S. Military Rejects The Sikh Identity