The Sikh Renaissance

Sirdar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia (1723-1803) was the founder and most prominent leader of the legendary Ramgarhia Misl, one of the 11 Sikh confederacies that comprised the theocratic Dal Khalsa government. Famed for his realpolitik and strategic acumen, the Ramgarhia Sirdar was instrumental in leading the Panth through some of its darkest days during the genocidal era of the mid-late 18th century.His vision, much like that of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur before him, conflicted with that of his fellow Sirdars sparking heavy discord. After the fall of the Misls, Ramgarhia's image was unnecessarily attacked and vilified by detractors envious of his unprecedented success.We are joined by eminent researcher S. Gurdev Singh Rooprai in dispelling the allegations against Ramgarhia. S. Rooprai traces the genesis of these unfounded allegations and exposes the entrenched hatred of pristine Sikh history among those who slander Jassa Singh Ramgarhia.

Forty-one years ago, the Indian army stormed the sacred Sri Darbar Sahib in Amritsar to suppress the Sikh civil rights movement. The Indian state, subsequently, incited a Sikh genocide thereafter to arrest the fallout from the storming.Fast forward four decades later and Sikhs themselves are abetting their own continuing genocide by intermixing modernist/postmodernist ideologies with Sikhi that erode its religiopolitical base.We are joined by the plain-spoken Nihang Mangal Singh who denounces fractional infighting among Sikhs, pandering to anti-Sikh ideologies, and who identifies the Sikh hunger for moral validation as being the Panth's greatest Achilles heel in the 21st century.This episode is politically incorrect, has its fair share of pejoratives, is scathing in its denouncements of modern Sikh intelligentsia but it also showcases the anger many Sikh youth have towards their own elders who have failed in preserving the Khalsa's sacrosanct image as a warrior-saint rooted in this world.For otherworldly gains, we are betraying the sacrifices our forefathers made in this world for our liberty.Listen and be shocked.Disclaimer: *Disclaimer: views endorsed and voiced by our guests, on various Jathebandis and Sikh figures, are not necessarily our own.

First published on 8th June 1949, George Orwell's dystopian novel '1984' has ironic similarities with the state of the Sikhs today. In almost prophetic fashion, Orwell seems to have spelt out the subjugation and mental regression of the Sikhs to enslave them to the overarching agendas of Hindus and Muslims post-independence.This episode furnishes a Sikh-led reading of Orwell in the current context of the ongoing Indo-Pak conflict and how both nations are enacting the same charades that Orwell's states in '1984' enact to distract their populations by uniting them around a convenient external aggressor.Can the Sikhs not only survive but also thrive in this conflict? Listen to find out more.

A recent article by Karminder Dhillon PhD (Boston) castigating the Akal Takhat as a false Sikh institute, coupled with Harjinder Dilgeer's denial of his previous research on the authenticity of Akal Takhat, has incited much excitement among their age-group.What is problematic with their logic, however, is that it is rooted not in any incisive application of rigorous academic and intellectual standards but rather make-believe and superficial appeals to emotionalism.In this episode we are joined by savvy historian Anmol Singh Rode in exposing the canards of both these self-proclaimed Sikh preachers and how they misuse and misquote historical sources to push their own secularistic agenda.

With Sikh boomers ensuring that chairs defy gravity over issues of Diwali and spirituality, while traditionalists wile their lives away in meditation chambers-the temporal aspect of Gurmat is fast eroding. In this episode we analyze Gurmat's emphasis on warrior physicality and what this means for Sikhs today.

In this English episode, we sit down with Pablo Singh of the USA and discuss the difference between the theocratic Khalsa Raaj envisioned by the Gurus and the modern nation-state model of Khalistan that seems to be nothing more than India 2.0 minus the Sikh genocide. Can Constitutions and democracy truly ensure the survival of the Sikhs? Listen to find out.

We are joined by Nihang Singh Mangal Singh who discusses the fall of Sikh-Khalsa masculinity in the 21st century from a Nihang perspective. In a blunt 1-hour discussion, he lays bare the controversies that plague the Panth and how to resolve them.*Disclaimer: views endorsed and voiced by our guests are not necessarily our own.

An egregious myth-that Dalit leader B.R. Ambedkar was prevented from converting to Sikhi by casteist Sikh leaders-has resurfaced again after historian Tarlochan Singh's unverified claim that he has discovered correspondence from Gandhi dissuading Ambedkar from accepting Sikhi.In this episode, we not only surgically dissect this claim but also expose how Ambedkar was a willing pawn of the Hindutvadi forces when it came to chaining Sikhs to Indian tyranny.

Malerkotla-an alleged oasis of communal harmony in Indian Punjab. But the reality is different. Contradicting the alleged harmony, Malerkotla has played a pivotal role in the historic and current genocide of Sikhs. In this episode, we chart the anti-Sikh past of the locus and how the myth of peaceful co-existence was born.

We are joined by the SGPC's media-savvy social media expert Jaskaran Singh who exposes the RSS's myth of saving Darbar Sahib from Muslim marauders in 1947.

After our recent episode on Islamic rape gangs operating in Britain, a Pakistani Muslim convert to Sikhi reached out to us to share his views. Under condition of strict anonymity, he divulges to us the tragic condition of Sikhs in Pakistan; Pakistani collaboration with Indian intelligence in dismantling the Khalistan movement and the stupidity of Sikh liberals who actually believe that Islam is a sacred cow and above criticism.

Guramit Singh (UK) joins us on the Sikh Renaissance to discuss Islamic grooming gangs in the UK and the rise of political correctness impeding justice for the victims.

A significant milestone in Sikh history, the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur (the ninth Sikh Nanak) is misrepresented by Sanataan chauvinists and Islamic radicals to denounce Sikhi. In this episode, we uncover the truth to see why the Guru really laid down his life. Related episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I3Q36xyRso&t=1s

As the persecution of Sikh reached genocidal proportions in mid-18th century Punjab, two daring young Singhs-Bhai Bota Singh and Garja Singh-died in a herculean last stand fighting against Islamic fanatics. What compelled them to make this daring final stand? What were their motivations? Listen to find out.

Reading history delivers insightful lessons. Our current crop of religious leadership is, however, maliciously invested in keeping Sikhs from reading their history by causing unnecessary controversy over it. One such text is the Sri Gur Panth Prakash of Ratan Singh Bhangu. Listen to this episode to see how Bhangu predicted the current fate of the Sikhs today almost 2 centuries prior.

With coordinated efforts by Muslim groups to deface and defame Sikh scriptures on social media, we sit down with the man exposing these actions to discuss several pressing issues: the grooming of Sikh girls, misconceptions about Sikh-Muslim unity, and the role of Pakistan in undermining the Khalistan movement. Join us as we explore these often-overlooked topics that many in the Sikh community prefer to forget rather than address, with none other than the well-known Singhgill of TikTok.

In the 18th century, the Sikh mystic and generalissimo Vadbhag Singh resided peacefully in Jalandhar before being maliciously attacked by Islamic zealots. His lands were ruined, and his religious sanctuaries desecrated, with Vadbhag Singh barely escaping with his life. However, Vadbhag Singh was not one to remain passive. He returned to Jalandhar with a massive force of Khalsa warriors, unleashing an unprecedented wave of violence in retaliation. In today's context, where acts of Beadbi (sacrilege) are occurring frequently, Vadbhag Singh's actions may offer a practical solution to consider.

Kangana Ranaut, the CISF Constable's slap changed her life. It was a life-awakening moment for her. But now, with her film 'Emergency' Kangana is trying to reclaim her lost glory. While Sikhs are arguing for a total ban on the film, they are yet to discern that Kangana is a symptom. Her 'Emergency' is the latest in a string of media attacks on Sikhs going back decades.

The Badal clan's recent drama at Akal Takhat Sahib is a long standing tradition for them. Do the deed and then apologize for round two. But is this how the Khalsa leadership has always functioned? In this episode, we chart the devolution of the Akal Takhat from its primacy during the Guru era to its regression in the post-Dal Khalsa Maharajah Ranjit Singh era until now and what solutions can be devised to restore it to its pristine state.

Men are under pressure in today's world: to conform or die. It is only the exceptionally rare male who can withstand society's insidious pressures and remain true to his ideals. In this episode, we explore the life of the legendary 18th century Sikh martyr Bhai Sukha Singh Shahid and discuss how he can serve as a positive role model for Khalsa men of today.

The Dal Khalsa was the pinnacle of Khalsa governance. Its sanguinary rise in 18th century Punjab and dominance of its foes paved the way for the eventual rise of Ranjit Singh's Sikh Empire in the early 19th century. But why did the Dal Khalsa fade away? Listen to find out more.

In this episode, we trace the history of the Dasam Granth and its purpose among the broader Sikh literary heritage. We answer allegations levelled against the Charitropakhyan by non-Sikh detractors of the Panth seeking to convert non-Sikhs to the falsity of their faith. Knowledge is power, and it's high time we leverage it to defend our Sikhi and our heritage.

Operation Panja Sahib: Discover the untold story of the final effort for Sikh sovereignty in 1947. Led by Bhai Randhir Singh and the Nirban Khalsa Jatha, this daring plan aimed to restore Khalsa-Raaj post-British rule. Learn how historical mistakes from a century earlier sealed its fate. Watch to uncover the hidden history and lessons learned.

From misappropriating the Sikh dastaar even though the Bible forbids head coverings for men to being unable to heal their own family members while claiming to heal others, Christian pastors have become a controversial aspect of the Punjabi religious landscape. Carrying on from our previous episode, in this sequel we continue exposing their tactics and the contradictions of the Bible.

Punjab is undergoing a sweeping Christian missionary offensive where its poverty-stricken citizens are being manipulated into converting to Christianity either through bribery or threats. A Singh reached out to us from Gurdaspur requesting information to refute Christian attacks on Sikhi. We responded with this episode. Defend your Sikhi, defend yourself against the falsities of false faiths. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

What comes first? ancestral loyalty or religious loyalty? In this episode, we explore the saakhi of Sham Singh Nihang, from the Sri Gur Panth Prakash, a Jatt warrior who was so strong in his dedication to Sikhi that he refused to honor the requests of fellow Jatts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

Building on our recent episode on the negative impacts of ghetto music on Punjabi artistry, in this episode we explore how media itself is being weaponized against Sikhi by non-Sikh actors and how we can protect ourselves and our children. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

An analytical look at the career and assassination of Sidhu Moosewala and the infamy of the Rap genre and how it is weaponized against target communities. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

A retrospective analysis of the Sikh-Pakistan relationship and how Pakistan betrayed the 1984 Sikh armed struggle on religious grounds in Punjabi. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

In an era of divergent and often conflicting identities permeating the Punjabi social sphere, the upholders of Punjabi nationalism are unwilling to answer the question: which community is the true heir to Punjab's sanguinary tradition of standing for one's rights and slaying the imposers of tyranny? For us, the answer is simple; only Sikhs are worthy of being declared the true heirs to Punjab. Listen to find out why. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

A brief analysis of our foreign-based western Sikh preachers and their agenda-based preaching. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

A wake up call for Punjabi listeners regarding the recent events in an UK Sikh school and the ensuing fallout. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

Irfan Habib- a controversial figure in subcontinental historiography. In early 2001, Habib captained the publication of Sikh History From Persian Sources. Though the text was praised by Sikh personalities at the time, its content reflected Habib's long term tendency of misinterpreting historical facts with convenient alterations to cast doubt on the history of non-Muslims. Listen to find out how Habib and his father were co-opted by the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty in altering Sikh history. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

An analytical episode on what our forefathers exactly fought for and how modernity regresses their sacrifices. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

Niccolo Machiavelli, the infamous author of the equally infamous The Prince. Contrary to the popular view of his immorality, Machiavelli argues that power is amoral and only its execution can be bifurcated into immorality or morality. The Prince is highly relevant to the Sikhs today considering their unceasing pursuit of power. What can we learn from Machiavelli as Sikhs and is the man's reputation deserved? As we say, listen to find out. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

The enforced regression of Sikh societal values as a political policy and its adverse impacts on Punjabi culture, overall, are unmissable today. From ludicrous stunts on tractors costing lives unnecessarily to high-handed caveman antics abroad, Sikh youth lack the foundational cornerstone of Sikhi: Responsibility. So then what is the solution if a lack of responsibility is the problem? Listen at your own peril. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

Hate it or love it, but it is fast becoming a conspicuous fact that the smarter generation of Sikhs was finished off in the 80's and by some seeming design the incompetent were allowed to escape and spread abroad. These vestiges of a fallen generation now control Gurudwaras and Panthic institutes captaining the Khalsa ship to oblivion due to their lack of guile and an even more atrocious lack of vision. How did this situation arise and what are the cures, if any? Listen at your own peril! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

Would you trust a serpent to repay its dues to you after you save its life? Or would you be realistic enough to acknowledge that the serpent is venomous by nature and strikes both friend and foe alike? If the latter is your answer and not the former, then ask yourself: why would you trust individuals or communities whose beliefs emphasize your eternal damnation in hellfire because you do not conform to their way of life? Why then would you help the arbitrators and disciples of such belief systems and philosophies when they have multiple nations of their own and we Sikhs have not a single one? In this episode we explore: (a) Why we allow the serpent of Bhaichara to strangle us. (b) Why we seek validation from others. (c) The consequences of Bhaichara. (d) A brighter future without Bhaichara. (e) How Bhaichara fanatics are usually seeking validation for their own inferiority complex. Listen at your own peril. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

Bhaichara, a term fast devolving into a pejorative for asinine solidarity in which Sikhs suffering from inferiority complexes splurge the community's precious resources on non-Sikhs whose religious ideology emphasizes that we will burn in hell for our non-conformism to their beliefs. We are joined by the legendary historian S. Inderjeet Singh in discussing the fate of Sikhs outside Punjab and how several sections of diasporic and Punjabi Sikhs whitewash the atrocities inflicted upon them for Bhaichara or one-sided brotherhood. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

We are joined once again by the legendary Anmol Singh Rode, Ranneeti Punjab, for another exciting episode. This time we discuss the discipline of historiography, a field bordering on an art form in which academics and intellectuals study how and why history is formed in our minds. We delve deep into the fundamentals of historiography, its relation to Sikh academia and its implications for the future of the Panth. We are greatly indebted to Sirdar Anmol Singh Ji for taking the time out of his busy schedule to privilege our listeners with his priceless wealth of knowledge. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

In this brief episode we look at a marvellous incident from the Sri Gur Sobha of the poet Sainapati, a contemporary of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Sainapati was an eyewitness to the Guru's destruction of a village called Alsoon in the vicinity of Anandpur Sahib after the 1691 battle of Nadaun. The Sikhs had triumphed and were returning home when the Guru passed near Alsoon. He immediately ordered it destroyed with his forces driving out all inhabitants and razing it to the ground. What had the inhabitants of Alsoon done to deserve such a fate and was it justified? Listen to find out. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

This idea for this episode originated after a heated debate between a team member and an evangelical zealot. The zealot in question ,Shahi 1987, adopted the position that death could not be divine and was not brought into existence by God. Such fictional mythologizing runs against the grain of reality that Sikhs accept as being Hukam, divine will. In this episode we distill the gist of what this debate taught us but also how Sikhs can answer evangelical missionaries using their own baseless scriptures. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

In 1781 the fanatical Mughals attacked the Punjab for the last time. Bested by the maverick general Baghel Singh of the KaroraSinghiyaa Confederacy they were effectively routed and beat a hasty retreat never to return. But the KaroraSinghiyaa was an unique body of Khalsa men who swore to get even and in 1783 launched a massive campaign which resulted in Delhi, the subcontinental capital, being raided by the major Sikh Confederacies. Who were the KaroraSinghiyaas and what made them unique? Listen to find out! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sikh-renaissance/message

December, a month of remembrance for the Sikhs who pay tribute to the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh Ji's family and four sons while treading the path of Guru Nanak. However, do we still retain their militant spirit? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-sikh-renaissance/message

Bhai Bota Singh and Bhai Garja Singh are two of the most conspicuous Martyrs of 18th century Sikh history. In this episode we explore their lives and the relevance they hold for the Sikh world today. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-sikh-renaissance/message

Professor Audrey Truschke, the Hindu Right and Islamists-these three seemingly disparate entities are united in denying and disparaging the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur the ninth Sikh Guru. In this episode not only do we answer their allegation that no contemporary source exists to evince this martyrdom, but we also cite contemporary Persian sources written by those nearest to Aurangzeb substantiating the lead-up to the event and its aftermath. We are joined in this episode by eminent Sikh historian and researcher S. Inderjeet Singh (Afghan Hindus And Sikhs) who rediscovered these sources in the late 2010s. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-sikh-renaissance/message

A Punjabi episode on how disparate gender ideologies and second wave feminism harm the Sikh nuclear family unit. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-sikh-renaissance/message

Life is cruel, so is reality. But what if we make this Cruelty our mentor like Guru Nanak emphasizes? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-sikh-renaissance/message

The Sri Gur Panth Prakash is a 19th century Sikh chronicle delineating the historic ascendance of Khalsa sovereignty in 17th-18th century Punjab. In this episode we explore all the information available on the text; discuss its history and compilation as well as refuting H.S. Chopra's specious allegations (made in 1988) that the polemic Bhai Vir Singh altered it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-sikh-renaissance/message

Society overtly favors professional victimhood. The Khalsa opposes this. Listen to how this war plays out today. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-sikh-renaissance/message

We are joined by eminent guest Dr. Joginder Singh Ji Tej Khurana who is the foremost historian of the Afghan Sikhs. An ex-serving member of the Afghan Grand Assembly, medical specialist and unrivalled intellectual-Dr. Tej Khurana charts the past, present and potential future of Afghanistan and its Sikh populace. Since the seeding of Sikhi among the Afghans, Sikhs have confronted hostility and sanguinary persecutions. Yet their unwavering faith in Sikhi has seen them surmount even the most titanic of obstacles. We appeal to the Sangat at large that Dr. Khurana's efforts to rescue the Afghani Sikh populace be further strengthened by contributing in any way and form to the Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation in Canada which is involved in all amnesty and refuge initiatives for this community whose glorious history is unheard of today. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-sikh-renaissance/message