Er GuRmukh GuRu

When you type ‘Sikhism’ on Google, some of the popular searches include “What is the highest caste in Sikhism?”, “What is a chamar Sikh caste?” Sikhism was envisioned as an order free from the anomalies created due to social structures that sanctions a false sense of entitlement to some and a life of indignity to others. With  separate places of worship , cemeteries and other socio-cultural institutions, the reality is far from the vision with which it was formed “Malwa region reports the majority of caste discrimination cases where Bant Singh’s case made it to headlines because of the cruelty and severity of the crime against him. Some goons from upper caste group tortured him because of his involvement in political and social activities regarding the upliftment of Dalits. In this region, Dalits face social ostracism and are not given work in the village if they try to assert themselves. So if one wants to understand the situation of Dalits in Punjab, one cannot ignore these regio...

After the passing of Dr Ambedkar on 6 December 1956, L.R. Balley quit his job, and never looked back. He revived the Scheduled Castes Federation with the support of Charan Dass Nidharak, another veteran Ambedkarite, and soon established the Punjab unit of the Republican Party of India as envisioned by Dr Ambedkar, writes Prof Ronki Ram  Lahori Ram Balley (20 July 1930 – 6 July 2023)   Lahori Ram Balley, a veteran Ambedkarite and social activist, who passed away on 6 July 2023, was a household name among the Scheduled Castes of Punjab, a state known for its largest concentration of SC population in India. He was held in equally high regard elsewhere in the country as well as among the SC diaspora. Born on 20 July 1930 to Premi Devi and Bhagwan Dass at Nawanshahr, Balley inherited political activism from his grandfather, Chaudhary Inder Ram, an associate of Babu Mangu Ram Mugowalia, founder of the historic Ad Dharm movement. This movement generated social and political conscious...

Some hold that there are 84 known Mahasiddhas in Tibetan Buddhist traditions, with some overlap between the two lists. Each Maha Siddha has come to be known for certain characteristics and teachings, which facilitates their pedagogical use. One of the most beloved Maha Siddhas is Virupa, who may be taken as the patron saint of the Sakyapa sect and instituted the Lamdré (Tibetan: lam 'bras) teachings. Virupa (alternate orthographies: Birwapa/Birupa) lived in 9th century India and was known for his great attainments  Some of the methods and practices of the Maha Siddha were codified in Buddhist scriptures known as Tantras. Traditionally the ultimate source of these methods and practices is held to be the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, and often it is a trans-historical aspect of the Buddha or deity Vajradhara or Samantabhadra who reveals the Tantra in question directly to the Mahasiddha in a vision or whilst they dream or are in a trance. This form of the deity is known as a sambhogak...