Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Komarpant Community Talks

Komarpanth Community Talks was started on 1st January 2021. 

Our first recording of Komarpanth Community Talks was done on 11th April 2021. Two eminent persons of our district have been interviewed and their views are recorded under the Komarpanth Community Talks initiative.

Prominent personalities with background in history or who have research background have been selected for these video interviews that are uploaded and produced by and for www.kshatriyakomarpanth.com.


If you have any queries or suggestions regarding the Community Talk Initiative please write to kshatriyakomarpanth@gmail.com or call at 8668731833.


Tuesday, January 19, 2021

The Legend of Guru Gobind Singh

Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti is a religious festival of the Sikh community that is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh. It is a religious celebration where prayers for prosperity are offered. 


Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708 C.E.) was the tenth Guru out of total 10 Sikh Gurus. He was born in Patna, Bihar on Saptami, Paush, Shukla Paksha, 1723 Vikram Samvat (Hindu calendar) which roughly corresponds to December 22, 1666.

Legend:

Gobind Singh was the only son of the ninth Sikh guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Mata Gujri. He was born in Patna, Bihar. He was named Gobind Rai at his birth. A shrine called Takht Sri Patna Harimandar Sahib marks the site of the house where Guru Gobind Singh was born and spent the first four years of his life. His family returned to Punjab in 1670, and two years later they moved to Chakk Nanaki in the Himalayan foothills of north India where he had completed his school education.

Gobind Singh's father Tegh Bahadur founded the city of Chakk Nanaki, also known as Anandpur Sahib, in 1665. 

In 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded on the orders of Aurangzeb for refusing to convert to Islam. After his martyrdom, the young Gobind Singh was named by the Sikhs as the tenth Sikh Guru on Vaisakhi day, (March 29, 1676).

Guru Gobind Singh was also trained in martial arts such as horse riding and archery. In 1684, he wrote Chandi di Var a book in the Punjabi language which describes a war between the good and the evil, as described in the ancient Sanskrit text Markandeya Purana. He spent his life in Paonta, near the banks of river Yamuna, till 1685. Guru Gobind Singh had three wives. At the age of 10, he married Mata Jito. They had three sons: Jujhar Singh, Zorawar Singh, and Fateh Singh. At the age of 17, he married Mata Sundari. The couple had one son, Ajit Singh. At the age of 33, he married Mata Sahib Devan who played an influential role for Sikhism. Guru Gobind Singh named her as the Mother of the Khalsa.

Significance of Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti:

The life example and leadership of Guru Gobind Singh has an immense influence on the Sikhs. He institutionalized the Khalsa which played the key role in protecting the Sikhs long after his death during the nine invasions of Panjab and holy war led by Ahmad Shah Abdali (1747 and 1769).

Guru Gobind Singh's teachings have a great impact on Sikhs. He stood against the Mughal Rulers and fought against injustice. In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh baptized five men from the lower caste as his Five Beloveds, endowing them with courage and devotion to God. His dedication to God, his fearlessness and his desire to protect the people from being oppressed made Guru Gobind Singh to establish the Khalsa, a military force of saint-soldiers. In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh Ji initiated the Five K’s tradition of the Khalsa, Kesh – uncut hair; Kangha – a wooden comb; Kara – an iron or steel bracelet worn on the wrist; Kripan – a sword or dagger; and Kacchera – short breeches.

Under Guru Gobind Singh's guidance and inspiration, the Khalsa followed a strict moral code and discipline. Through his courage, the people rose against the oppression of the Mughal ruler in India. Aside from being a spiritual and a military leader Guru Gobind Singh was also a writer. Before his death in 1708, he declared Sikhism's Holy Scripture, Guru Granth Sahib to be the permanent Sikh Guru.

26th December 1705 is the day Zoravar Singh, aged 9 and Fateh Singh, aged 6, the two sahibzade (sons) of Guru Govind Singh attained Veer Gati, bricked alive by Aurangzeb’s fauzdar of Sirhind.

His example inspires people to this day and his writings and poetry still encourage people around the world. On this day, Sikhs around the world go to Gurudwaras where prayer meetings are organized in honor of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Many families participate in processions organized by the Gurudwaras, hold kirtans and do Seva, which is a significant part of the Sikh religion. Food is also distributed among the needy and poor on this day.


"Chun kar az hameh heelate dar guzasht, Halal ast burdan bi-shamsheer dast." When all has been tried, yet Justice is not in sight, It is then right to pick up the sword, It is then right to fight" Shri Guru Govind Singh (Zafarnama)

May Guru Govind Singh Ji give us, the courage and strength to fight evil, and always stand by the side of truth. Happy Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti!


Thursday, June 25, 2020

Saving the Komarpanth Kannada (Halegannada)

I had posted a query on Quora : 

Can anyone guide me in preserving the Kshatriya Komarpant Halegannada language spoken by a few thousands in Karwar Ankola region.


To elaborate on the question:

Our Kshatriya Komarpant - Wikipedia Halegannada (Old Kannada) is unique :

Bande (coming) - bandi (Coming) - batti (Coming / will come)

Yenu (what) - Eenn / yenn (what)

Aaythu (okay / done) - Aaith (okay / done)

Hoguttiyaa (going?) - Hottya (Going?)

“Hoy-Sala” - The word "strike" literally translates to "hoy" in Hale Kannada (Old Kannada). This word “Hoy” is even today used in this Komarpanth-Halegannada language with the same meaning and context.

Nammadu (Ours) - Naamked (ours)

Naavu (we) - Naav (we)

Ollage (inside) - Wallg (inside)

Horage (outside) - Hyaarg (outside)

Naanu (I/me/myself) - Naa (I/me/myself)

I could go on like this. 

This Halegannada (or, may correspond to Nadugannada) does not match with the Halimidi Inscription and may have been changed over a period of time. 

That Kannada has metamorphised into a language that is now taught in the text books.

However, within the Kshatriya Komarpant community this language is dying, and I need to find methods to record it.

Konkani has made inroads into the Komarpant families, to a large extent, so much that many think Konkani is their default language. There are Kannada speaking families too, as you move away from Karwar towards Ankola, Kumta or even Yellapur.

One reply from a fellow Quoran has directed me towards the Endangered Languages Project, backed by Google whose mission is to preserve endangered languages, and also the Central Institute of Indian Languages - Wikipedia in Mysore which may be a place to explore too.

Ref: How to save a dying language - Times of India