Browsing Tag: Weapons

I am glad Sukhbinder has added another dimension to my passionate research about the General.

These are Sikligar Sikhs, a community of Sardars that believes in the teachings of Guru Nanak, keeps their hair uncut and wears their turbans high, but has almost nothing else in common with the mainstream Sikhs from Punjab.

Going back more than five centuries, Sikhism is a religion founded on peace, but forged by self-defence, resilience and defiance.

But what about the country at the other end of the spectrum? What is the role of guns in Japan, the developed world's least firearm-filled nation and perhaps its strictest controller?

There is likely little doubt that over 300 years ago when the 10th Master’s presence graced the earth and he led Sikhs and others into necessary battle, that Sarb Loh (pure iron) was the preferred blade material for Kirpans and possibly swords that might have seen duty in the protection of oneself and the innocent.

To be an artist, one must draw from their creativity, experience, ability and I often believe from their soul.

“The sense of pride that this timeless martial science has brought me, reconnecting me with my ancestors, is immeasurable. The ability to communicate through this wonderful art the subtle sophistication and awe-inspiring martial and spiritual greatness of my Indian Sikh culture to the world is the greatest of rewards.

The Englishman was asked by someone the reason for his adopting the Sikh form. "Was it due to respect for the weapons or was there any other reason?" The explanation given by him at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib is...

A former factory worker from the British Midlands may be the last living master of the centuries-old Sikh battlefield art of shastar vidya. The father of four is now engaged in a full-time search for a successor.

Some have referred to this Kirpan as one that might be called the finest ever created. My experience with historic weapons, including Kirpans, is that fabrication standards held in the past are not near as high as those held by my contemporary knife and swordmaking colleagues as well as myself.

The Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commission has raised concerns over planned changes to weapons laws which will explicitly forbid school students from carrying knives for religious reasons. Although baptised Sikhs will be allowed to carry a small kirpan,...the allowance does not extend to schools.

A group of Milton High School students bring weapons to school, and no one is complaining. But don’t worry, it’s the school’s fencing team and the blades must be in locked containers and supervised when brought to school or tournaments.

The museum till now has succeeded in procuring 75 weapons mentioned in the “Shastar Naam Mala”. These include shamsheer, marthi, sela barchha, baaghnakha, faadi guraj, saithi, kadara, safajang, bugda, kirch, karauti, khanda, wadkari, kattas, shikarga, badamcha to name a few.

Jot Singh Khalsa is a master. His handmade weapons are prized all over the world. But he has always longed to make a kirpan that could be available to everyone.

Banned by the Raj, the world's original martial art is being revived by British Asians. Jerome Taylor reports...

Opinion by Professor Nirvikar Singh.