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Summary of Question:Nihangs-Right/Wrong?
Category:Sikh History
Date Posted:Friday, 11/01/2002 10:30 AM MDT

Whaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa Whaheguru Jee kee Fateh.


i am a practising sikh and although i haven't taken amrit i was very offended by your comment about nihang singhs giving a bad name to Sikhi. WHAT ARE THEY DOING WRONG? my family are very proud nihang singhs.

to my best knowledge guru gobind singh created different Jatha's (groups)and the nihang singhs emerged as the strongest fighting group. At India my Mama have various prizes given to their ancestors for there bravery during the GUru's time. IF THEY WER GIVING A BAD NAME TO SIKHI WHY DID THEY GET THESE PRIZES?!

As for the story of weed,(bang)to the best of my knowledge nihang singhs did take this and it was recommended by de Guru himself, just as ppl 'ave pain killers these days it was used as a medication. i think many sikhs r hesitant to mention the truth as they r afraid young ppl will start taking drugs, just as many ppl do NOT ADMIT Guru Gobind singh had three wives. the point i am trying to amke i that wat wer told about sikhi these days is biased, rather than the truth. well my brothers and sisters nihang singhs did take baang, but i think the reason should be understood rather than thinking they did that, then it is Ok for me too.

let me tell u another story.
Guru Gobind Singh was surrounded by a mugal army and he seeked refuge in a muslim house. now wat happens is that the mugals order the ppl of the house to com out. the only way the guru could save himself is to take his turban off and pretend to be a muslim saint. right/wrong?
the point is there was a reason and jst cos the Guru let his hair out once does it mean we should? there is a reason 4 doing things that seem wrong- but in the end they are for the greater good. without the nihang warriors who knows whos family would ave been shredded 2 bits by the Muguls?

Forgive my mistakes.

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REPLY
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Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh! I believe I was the one who made that comment, and forgive me if I offended devout nihangs everywhere. While nihangs may have been recommended to take baang as pain killer during the mughal wars, there is certainly NO need for them to continue to do so today. Nihangs are not out fighting physical battles against mughal enemies today and needing pain killer to keep moving. I can assure you that taking baang messes up the brain and the aura and makes a pure connection to the God within practically impossible; you cannot seriously meditate when high. This is what has irked me so about nihangs today; I saw many high nihangs in Anandpur in 1999 and it really upset me. So my prayer is for those nihangs who are clean and sober to educate the general Sikh public about their path and what is and isn't proper as nihang.

You are right that there are many rumors that pass as truth out there in Sikh history, and the reverse is also true! The 10th master indeed had 3 wives and this is hard for many of us to accept, but it is a fact. So what! Let's move on. It doesn't mean one should have 3 wives today, does it?

Whenever we are in doubt, we must look to Gurbani and to the rehit, and NOT to conflicting stories in our history, as a guide for what is right for Sikhs in today's world. I PERSONALLY cannot imagine that 10th Guru told any warriors to smoke baang, but I refuse to spend time arguing the point (no offense meant). Guru Gobind Singh made it clear in the rehit that we should not take addictive substances, known then as things smoked and drunk. This rehit has been practiced for 300 years and is the practical technology for developing our discipline and our minds to understand the teachings of Gurbani. I very much appreciate a warrior conciousness, and that conciousness has been cited by Kabeer, Guru Nanak, and Guru Gobind Singh all: the true battle is the one fought within, the one where the real enemy is EGO. Let us all put our heads on a plate and offer them to Guru. Guru ang sang,
-DKK



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