#Sikh Knowledge

[gsmedia121]

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[handweavers]

i have an immense fondness for interfaith dialogue and particularly in finding common ideas and vocabulary across religious and cultural practices, i think especially due to having been raised in an interfaith and multicultural/multinational family where reaching across this seeming 'divide' to shared experience and understanding is a daily and necessary act of love.

my babaji (my paternal grandfather) was born in 1917 in a small town in negeri sembilan, malaysia, orphaned at a young age and worked as a child labourer on a palm oil plantation, and by the end of his life he was a respected gyani who did a phd in sikh theology and accrued an extensive library on sikhi, and was renown in our community for his knowledge of not just sikhi but many religions (aside from his primary career as a lawyer)

my other grandfather, my poppy, was born and raised in donegal, ireland in the 1930s and the only way he received an education was due to a sponsorship by an anglican protestant clergyman who hosted him, even though he wasn't from a religious family, and as a result he became intensely protestant and equally conservative. but after my parents married and my mom moved to malaysia, my grandfathers met and they quickly developed a great respect for each other. they would sit and debate theology, and poppy was impressed by babaji's knowledge of christian scripture and in turn learned a lot about sikhi from him. poppy was enchanted by babaji, and to this day (he's 93 and with dementia) he still speaks of him highly, and remembers their conversations late into the night regarding religion.

i never met babaji, unfortunately he passed away a couple years before i was born, and i've always felt that loss profoundly. all of my cousins are much older than me and have strong memories of him, and i'm the only grandchild who never got to meet him. malaysia outlawed the traditional sikh practice of cremation by funeral pyre, but i've been told that they made an exception for him, but i don't know if that is true. i've been told that thousands attended his funeral, but i don't know if that is true either. but once my cousin had a vision of him holding me as a baby under the mango trees in the yard, and i like to think of a world where that might have happened. and i like to think of a world where i got to sit with him the way my poppy did all those years ago and talk deep into the night about these things we both think so much about.

[cryptotheism]

Long time reader, first time writer. I'm a Sikh and religion nerd and you also seem like a religion nerd with a lot of fun insights about the religions of the world.

I play academic trivia and there's always a lot of questions about Sikhi, like a LOT and I've somewhat joked that the reason for this is that Sikhi is the largest religion that most people know next to nothing about, so I'm curious what your general knowledge of Sikhi is.

Keep making cool posts 🙏🏽🙏🏽

I know like, slightly more about Sikhism than average but its not something I've ever done a deep dive on.

I will say, I like how religious services sometimes involve making a fuckload of food for people. That's based. We should do more of that.

[abyssalaquarist00]

do you have any thoughts on alhazred vis a vis his religious beliefs? i legit thought he might be lapsed sikh or some fantasy mash up of sikh/muslim, but i wanna hear your thoughts!

oh i have a lot of thoughts about alhazred's religion.

firstly, i'm coming at this with my own agnostic catholic muslim background.

second, ive also layered it with historical influence from the Islamic Golden Age as i hc him to be from a sort of fantasy al-andalus (with his ancestor being the original author of the necronomicon, something he would not find out until he began the path to the occult). abrahamic religious scholars, regardless of book, talked to each other so theres some overlap to be considered.

third, this may or may not come up but also another consideration: religious doesnt necessarily mean spiritual. religious, and religion, in a theological and historical context basically means a way of life.

that all being said, lets get into it

may or may not be coherent lol

i think wrt his religion, he was raised muslim but ultimately is agnostic and has been influenced by other abrahamic religions, and non-abrahamic philosophies, in his practice. i think he was drawn to mysticism through astronomy, as astrological "magic" was a feature in those medieval texts like the picatrix (ghayat al hakim) and knowledge of the sun (shams al maarif). Let's Talk Religion has a video on astrological "magic" that ive yet to watch but i trsut him about the topic bc hes very respectful and has worked with liana alsaif b4 (who is very prominent in the west rn for her studies in the islamicate occult sciences)

its also important to recognize the way religion gets interwoven with culture (hence religion as a way of life, and not just an organization), and that can be hard to separate from anyone. i know plenty of people who dont practice islam anymore but will have some sentiments or practices that remain bc of their upbringing.

i think he talks to the priest at the hamlet's church, and that he prays toward Mecca on a few occasions. i think he sits in the pews and participates on a sunday every now and then. he makes use of holy verses and the names of god, or the prophets and angels, for his talismans.

when he prays, sometimes the black beast or some other entity answers instead. if prayer is like a one-way communication to God, his meddling in the occult has obscured that and opened a two-way with entities from beyond. the true test of strength would be if he can ignore them and fight to deliver his prayer to God

i also wouldnt be surprised if the "dark" entities could maybe be classified as djinn, since in islamic canon djinn live on another dimension on earth and are typically invisible (but can make themselves shown)

i think he also feels some guilt, or shame, for having opened thet connection especially bc his students had to die for it. its buried so deep inside of him thats hes almost over it. maybe. the path he went differs from standard islamic occult science, but he keeps justifying it because he's using it for good. if anything will keep him up at night, it's this. he might pray about it.

since its ramadan ive been thinking about whether or not he fasts for it and i think on any other year he does, but since hes fighting all the time he wont be doing it traditionally. he'll have some goals to work on instead.

whether or not he does, he will follow a lunar calendar. for both religious practices or scientific practices.

i think he and the vestal get along w religious talks, but talking to reynauld is hell (lol) bc hes deadset on his specific way of religion that alhazred avoids the topic altogether with him or does small things to piss him off on purpose.

he will never judge anyone for their religious practices so long as they dont judge him for it. i like to think he is very patient and merciful, as those are some important elements to islam.

i personally operate on the fact that God, according to islam, is the Most merciful entity out there and that whatever i do can be forgiven if i seek redemption. there's a story about a serial killer who goes to heaven about that, one of my faves to pick at the philosophy of. kind of goes with the pope's "i hope hell is empty" statement.

i think alhazred would be the same way though. theres a tiny part of him banking on the probability that God DOES exist, that he will be forgiven because he's ultimately fighting for good. he has also accepted that there is a chance that he will suffer, and that he would deserve it because of what happened to his disciples. he has accepted that his fate will he what it is, and that he will continue his path to find out his end.

when he gets stressed out he counts his prayer beads, and if hes REALLY stressed, guilty or shameful then he'll start meditating (which can be a form of prayer also)

at the end of the day, he is just a scholar fighting to keep the world alive. he's muslim when he has to defend the faith, he may or may not be on any other day.

[talonabraxas]

Seventh Body - The Auric Body

In the teachings of Kundalini Yoga, the human being has 10

bodies, not 1. Each body has its own attributes, and the 7th body is the Auric Body.

Seventh Body: Auric Body

The aura is the electromagnetic field that surrounds your body; it contains, projects, and interacts with the energetic life force, it usually extends three to nine feet beyond the physical body.

Qualities: Mercy, security, love, celestial charisma.

Key phrase: “Platform of Elevation”

Mastery: Projects positivity and repels negativity, like a shield; illness cannot penetrate your physical body; radiates magnetic security and an inspiring, merciful presence

If weak: constrictive, paranoid, lack of self-trust; negativity can penetrate into the psyche and physical body; there may be a tendency to conform to please others by overexpressing yourself

Key to Balancing Auric Body: practice meditation, pranayama, vigorous yoga, and martial arts. Wearing white clothing made of natural fibers gives about a 12-inch boost to the aura. Work on the Eighth Chakra. A strong auric body sustains the health of the pranic body. And it is the health of the pranic body that allows the auric body to emanate out as a magnificent force field to be reckoned with. The two together keep our physical body and immune system strong and allow us to walk and work fearlessly as who we are. Be mindful of the positive effects of water, internally and externally.

Each of the ten bodies relates specifically to the qualities of one of the ten Sikh gurus.

Guru Har Rai the seventh Sikh Guru. Read and study the life of Guru Har Rai Sing out loud, often, and joyfully. Elevate others with your singing. Wear white clothing made of natural fibers. A question to ask the Seventh Body? Do I allow myself to elevate myself and others?

FEELING In a challenging position, this may manifest as a person with low self-esteem. They may feel that shine comes from outward appearance rather than from within. They may also feel that people expect them to be more independent and nurturing and that they have to live up to their expectations.

Threatened by other’s energy or situations, overwhelmed by other’s energy, not true to own principles, has “Thin skin” can be Isolating, not able to uplift oneself, have weak boundaries, lays awake trying to fix loved ones and overwhelmed with all negative aspects of their life.

The inner desire is to be oneself, regardless of anyone’s expectations.

In a strong position, this will manifest as an intelligent person, a wise person. They are independent. They like to read, and they like music. This may represent a nun or priest living in seclusion. This is someone who has obtained intense knowledge through many lifetimes. They also have learned to uplift themselves, and they can be good teachers and very good parents because their presence uplifts environments and circumstances. They can work in relative seclusion, i.e. a scientist in a laboratory, a park ranger in the forest, a priest, or a nun.

They may seek financial security, a platform of elevation, security, mercy self-contained, secure, like to sing, uplifting to self and others, elevates themselves with ease, self-contained, and has strong boundaries.

The seventh body is the auric body, which is the electromagnetic field that surrounds a person. Most children are able to see auras at a very early age between 2 and 4. After that, the pituitary gland changes and this makes it more difficult to see them. You can do certain meditations to develop this quality.

A regular aura can be somewhere between three and nine feet. Between three and seven is the most common. A nine-inch aura is rare. Wearing white clothes increases the aura by 12 inches.

People with strong auras can be very uplifting to be with. They put you in that state too, it’s contagious.

There are many benefits of a strong aura. The person is surrounded by this electromagnetic field that protects him/her and gives them projection. Auras are nurturing, compassionate, charismatic, and “human forklifts”. That’s why the key phrase is “platform of elevation”.

Meditation Meditation for the Aura. Sit in an easy pose and place your hands on your knees. Now concentrate on the space around your body, the electromagnetic field. Feel it getting bigger. The following affirmations should be repeated, keeping the focus on the electromagnetic field: I AM LIGHT. I AM STRONG. I AM BRIGHT. I AM BEAUTIFUL. I AM KIND. WHA HE GURU. Repeat 7 times

Aura: Electromagnetic field around the body. It protects us as well as helps us project from the heart.

[utilitycaster]

Hello there!! I have just this week finally caught up with campaign 3 after starting it very very late as a self admitted Mighty Nein girly the most noticeable difference to me was how the Bells Hells don't really feel as connected to Marquet as the Might Nein did to Wildemount.

You could not have created a Fjord without the Menagerie Coast and you could not have made a Caleb without the Empire or a Jester without Nicodranas as a whole, but Bells Hells kinda feel to my brain like they could've been plucked away and put anywhere and it would still fit, which was a little bit of a personal disappointment.

Now that I'm interacting with fandom tho I saw that you are very very knowledgeable about lore and out of campaign content and such so I wanted to ask if you know of any supplements or anything similar that could allow me to learn a little more of Marquet away from the Hells cause I was fascinated by what you have been seeing.

Hi anon! Thank you! Here's a few resources for more on Marquet:

The biggest one is Call of the Netherdeep, which is specific to Ank'Harel. It's still a useful portrait of a major city (and addresses many of the Orientalism issues from C1), and a lot of the Netherdeep creators also worked on Marquet more generally for the campaign.

The Explorer's Guide to Wildemount and Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn don't have much, but check them out for a very high level overview if you haven't already.

Exquisite Exandria is obviously limited in what it shares since it is, ultimately, a cookbook, but honestly it's just a good cookbook anyway so it's worth checking out.

The Re-Slayer's Take podcast is set in Issylra, but Heera is Marquesian and played by Jasmine Bhullar (who was also a designer/consultant for Marquet and is Punjabi and Sikh). There's not a ton yet, but there's been some small hints. (Also it's just a great podcast, all the characters are fantastic, and it's not a huge time commitment).

Wiki plug! You should always check citations, but this will serve as a catch-all for information that came out via tweets from Matt and the team of worldbuilders (eg: the Filipino origins of Bassuras's name)

Anyone else have recs?

[burrowswomen]

as someone who's not indian: could you expand on the history?

https://www.tumblr.com/burrowswomen/782754650469416960?source=share

hi!

diljit’s outfit was inspired by maharaja bhupinder singh of patiala, a famous indian king from the early 1900s. this maharaja was known for his grand style, including some of the most luxurious jewelry in the world. one of his most famous pieces was the patiala necklace, a massive diamond necklace made by cartier in 1928. now from what i've seen across social media, the necklace was stolen around 1948, BUT then emma chamberlain was seen wearing at a previous met gala. (im not 100% sure this is true, it's just something I've seen around) EDIT : i just came across a tiktok and it was confirmed that emma was allowed to wear it but diljit was infact denied. here is the tiktok explaining : link

for the met gala, diljit wanted to honor this royal style and his punjabi sikh heritage. he wore a royal-looking outfit with a turban, cape, jewelry, and even a kirpan (a traditional sikh sword), showing pride in his culture. the cape had golden embroidery with the map of punjab and gurmukhi script, which is the sacred punjabi writing system. gurmukhi has been around since the 1500s, but fewer people read it now because of changes in education and culture. the map on his cape showed post-partition punjab, split in two by british colonization which led to the india-pakistan parititon (really the partition of punjabi if anything)

this is all from my knowledge so forgive me if i did a terrible job explaining, but their have been tiktoks made, and some Instagram posts!

here are my two favorite instagram posts and some tiktoks of this rn:

instagram 1 instagram 2

tiktok 1 (this one has a picture of who the look was inspired by!)

[andmaybegayer]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/29/india-assassination-raw-sikhs-modi/

cool cool cool

(full text below the cut)

An assassination plot on American soil reveals a darker side of Modi’s India

Greg Miller, Gerry Shih, Ellen Nakashima

The White House went to extraordinary lengths last year to welcome Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a state visit meant to bolster ties with an ascendant power and potential partner against China.

Tables on the South Lawn were decorated with lotus blooms, the symbol of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. A chef was flown in from California to preside over a vegetarian menu. President Biden extolled the shared values of a relationship “built on mutual trust, candor and respect.”

But even as the Indian leader was basking in U.S. adulation on June 22, an officer in India’s intelligence service was relaying final instructions to a hired hit team to kill one of Modi’s most vocal critics in the United States.

The assassination is a “priority now,” wrote Vikram Yadav, an officer in India’s spy agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, or RAW, according to current and former U.S. and Indian security officials.

Yadav forwarded details about the target, Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, including his New York address, according to the officials and a U.S. indictment. As soon as the would-be assassins could confirm that Pannun, a U.S. citizen, was home, “it will be a go ahead from us.”

Yadav’s identity and affiliation, which have not previously been reported, provide the most explicit evidence to date that the assassination plan — ultimately thwarted by U.S. authorities — was directed from within the Indian spy service. Higher-ranking RAW officials have also been implicated, according to current and former Western security officials, as part of a sprawling investigation by the CIA, FBI and other agencies that has mapped potential links to Modi’s inner circle.

In reports that have been closely held within the American government, U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that the operation targeting Pannun was approved by the RAW chief at the time, Samant Goel. That finding is consistent with accounts provided to The Washington Post by former senior Indian security officials who had knowledge of the operation and said Goel was under extreme pressure to eliminate the alleged threat of Sikh extremists overseas. U.S. spy agencies have more tentatively assessed that Modi’s national security adviser, Ajit Doval, was probably aware of RAW’s plans to kill Sikh activists, but officials emphasized that no smoking gun proof has emerged.

Neither Doval nor Goel responded to calls and text messages seeking comment.

This examination of Indian assassination plots in North America, and RAW’s increasingly aggressive global posture, is based on interviews with more than three dozen current and former senior officials in the United States, India, Canada, Britain, Germany and Australia. Citing security concerns and the sensitivity of the subject, most spoke on the condition of anonymity.

That India would pursue lethal operations in North America has stunned Western security officials. In some ways, however, it reflects a profound shift in geopolitics. After years of being treated as a second-tier player, India sees itself as a rising force in a new era of global competition, one that even the United States cannot afford to alienate.

Asked why India would risk attempting an assassination on U.S. soil, a Western security official said: “Because they knew they could get away with it.”

The foiled assassination was part of an escalating campaign of aggression by RAW against the Indian diaspora in Asia, Europe and North America, officials said. The plot in the United States coincided with the June 18 shooting death of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C., near Vancouver — an operation also linked to Yadav, according to Western officials. Both plots took place amid a wave of violence in Pakistan, where at least 11 Sikh or Kashmiri separatists living in exile and labeled terrorists by the Modi government have been killed over the past two years.

The Indian intelligence service has ramped up its surveillance and harassment of Sikhs and other groups overseas perceived as disloyal to the Modi government, officials said. RAW officers and agents have faced arrest, expulsion and reprimand in countries including Australia, Germany and Britain, according to officials who provided details to The Post that have not previously been made public.

The revelations have added to Western concerns about Modi, whose tenure has been marked by economic growth and rising global stature for India, but also deepening authoritarianism. A recent report by Freedom House, a human rights organization, listed India among the world’s practitioners of “transnational repression,” a term for governments’ use of intimidation or violence against their own citizens — dissidents, activists, journalists — in others’ sovereign territory.

India is part of an expanding roster of countries employing tactics previously associated with China, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other repressive regimes. It is a trend fueled by factors ranging from surging strains of nationalism and authoritarianism to the spread of social media and spyware that both empower and endanger dissident groups.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs declined to respond to detailed questions submitted by The Post or provide comment for this article. Responding to questions raised by a Post reporter at a news briefing last week, spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said that India was still investigating the allegations and that the Pannun case “equally impacts our national security.”

Jaiswal referred reporters to previous ministry statements that targeted killings are “not our policy.”

For the Biden administration, which has spent three years cultivating closer ties with India, the assassination plots have pitted professed values against strategic interests.

Last July, White House officials began holding high-level meetings to discuss ways to respond without risking a wider rupture with India, officials said. CIA Director William J. Burns and others have been deployed to confront officials in the Modi government and demand accountability. But the United States has so far imposed no expulsions, sanctions or other penalties.

Even the U.S. criminal case reflects this restraint. Senior officials at the Justice Department and FBI had pushed to prosecute Yadav, officials said, a step that would have implicated RAW in a murder-for-hire conspiracy. But while a U.S. indictment unsealed in November contained the bombshell allegation that the plot was directed by an Indian official, it referred to Yadav as only an unnamed co-conspirator, “CC-1,” and made no mention of the Indian spy agency.

Justice Department officials who took part in the White House deliberations sided against those urging criminal charges against Yadav. Administration officials denied any undue influence. “Charging decisions are the prerogative of law enforcement alone,” said National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson, “and the Biden NSC has rigorously respected that independence.”

The only U.S. charges made public to date are against an alleged middleman, Nikhil Gupta, who is described in the indictment as an Indian drug and weapons trafficker enlisted to hire a contract killer. Gupta, an Indian national who has denied the charges, was arrested in Prague on June 30 and remains in prison. He is awaiting a Czech court ruling on a U.S. request for his extradition.

Even in recent days, the Biden administration has taken steps to contain the fallout from the assassination plot. White House officials warned the Modi government this month that The Post was close to publishing an investigation that would reveal new details about the case. It did so without notifying The Post.

Laying a trap

For decades, RAW was regarded as a regional player, preoccupied by proxy wars with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency. Under Modi, however, RAW has been wielded as a weapon against dissidents in India’s vast global diaspora, according to current and former U.S. and Indian officials.

The U.S. operation shows how RAW tried to export tactics it has used for years in countries neighboring India, officials said, including the use of criminal syndicates for operations it doesn’t want traced to New Delhi. It also exposed what former Indian security officials described as disturbing lapses in judgment and tradecraft.

After the plot against Pannun failed, the decision to entrust Yadav with the high-risk mission sparked recriminations within the agency, former officials said. Rather than joining RAW as a junior officer, Yadav had been brought in midcareer from India’s less prestigious Central Reserve Police Force, said one former official. As a result, the official said, Yadav lacked training and skills needed for an operation that meant going up against sophisticated U.S. counterintelligence capabilities.

Attempts by The Post to locate or contact Yadav were unsuccessful. A former Indian security official said he was transferred back to the Central Reserve Police Force after the Pannun plot unraveled.

The U.S. affidavit describes Yadav as an “associate” of Gupta who procured the alleged drug trafficker’s help by arranging for the dismissal of criminal charges he faced in India. Gupta had a history of collaborating with India’s security services on operations in Afghanistan and other countries, according to a person with knowledge of his background, but he had never been used for jobs in the West.

Petr Slepicka, a lawyer in Prague who represents Gupta, declined to comment on the case except to say that his client denies the charges against him. In court filings in India, Gupta’s family members described him as an innocent “middle-class businessman” whose arrest was a case of mistaken identity. They said he traveled to Prague “for tourism” and to explore new markets for a “handicraft” business, according to the court filings.

Yadav and Gupta spent weeks trading encrypted texts about the plot to kill Pannun, according to a U.S. affidavit filed in support of the request for Gupta’s extradition. To find a willing assassin, Gupta reached out to someone he had been in touch with for at least eight years and understood to be a drug and weapons dealer. In reality, according to the affidavit, the supposed dealer was an informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

The two were discussing “another potential firearms and narcotics transaction,” according to the affidavit when, on May 30, Gupta abruptly asked “about the possibility of hiring someone to murder a lawyer living in New York.”

From that moment, U.S. agents had an inside but incomplete view of the unfolding conspiracy. They orchestrated Gupta’s introduction to a supposed assassin who was actually an undercover agent, according to court filings. They captured images of cash changing hands in a car in New York City — a $15,000 down payment on a job that was to cost $100,000 when completed.

At one point, the indictment said, U.S. agents even got footage of Gupta turning his camera toward three men “dressed in business attire, sitting around a conference room,” an apparent reference to Indian operatives overseeing the mission. “We are all counting on you,” Gupta told the purported assassin on the video call, according to the indictment.

Yadav indicated that there would be more jobs after Pannun, including one “big target” in Canada. But a separate hit team got to that assignment first, according to the U.S. indictment, suggesting that RAW was working with multiple criminal elements.

Hours after Nijjar was gunned down in his car on June 18 outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple in Surrey, Yadav sent a video clip to Gupta “showing Nijjar’s bloody body slumped in his vehicle,” according to the indictment.

The message arrived as U.S. authorities were laying a trap for Gupta. Seeking to draw him out of India and into a friendly jurisdiction, U.S. agents used their DEA informant to persuade Gupta to travel to the Czech Republic for what he was led to believe would be a clandestine meeting with his American contact, according to officials familiar with the operation.

Gupta arrived in Prague on June 30 — 11 days after Czech authorities, acting at the behest of U.S. officials, had secretly issued an arrest warrant for him.

As he exited Vaclav Havel Airport, Gupta was intercepted by Czech police, who ushered him into a vehicle in which two U.S. federal agents were waiting, according to court filings submitted by Gupta’s family in India. He was questioned for hours while the car meandered around the city. His laptop was seized and his phone held to his face to unlock it, according to the family petition.

Gupta was eventually deposited in Prague’s Pankrac Prison, where he remains awaiting possible extradition. Seeking help, Gupta’s family tried to reach Yadav last year but could find no trace of him, according to a person familiar with the matter. After months of near-constant contact with Gupta, the person said, CC-1 had “disappeared.”

Engaging with the underworld

Though Yadav served as RAW’s point man, current and former officials said the operation involved higher-ranking officials with ties to Modi’s inner circle. Among those suspected of involvement or awareness are Goel and Doval, though U.S. officials said there is no direct evidence so far of their complicity.

As RAW chief at the time, Goel was “under pressure” to neutralize the alleged threat posed by Sikh extremists overseas, said a former Indian security official. Goel reported to Doval, and had ties to the hard-line national security adviser going back decades.

Both had built their reputations in the 1980s, when the country’s security services battled Sikh separatists and Muslim militants. They were part of a generation of security professionals shaped by those conflicts much the way their U.S. counterparts came to be defined by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Doval, 79, has claimed roles in undercover missions from the jungles of Myanmar to the back alleys of Lahore, Pakistan — tales that contributed to his frequent depiction in the press as the “James Bond of India.”

He also exhibited a willingness to engage with the criminal underworld. In 2005, after retiring as head of India’s domestic intelligence service, he was inadvertently detained by Mumbai police while meeting with a reputed gangster. Doval was seeking to enlist one crime boss to assassinate another, according to media reports later confirmed by senior Indian officials.

Before being tapped as national security adviser by Modi in 2014, Doval publicly called for India’s security apparatus to shift from “defense” to “defensive offense” against groups threatening India from other countries, especially Pakistan.

Goel, who was then rising into the senior ranks at RAW, shared Doval’s instincts. Police forces under Goel’s command in the early 1990s were tied to more than 120 cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances or torture, according to a database maintained by Ensaaf, an Indian human rights group based in the United States. Goel was so closely associated with the brutal crackdown that he became an assassination target, according to associates who said he took to traveling in a bulletproof vehicle.

Former Indian officials who know both men said Goel would not have proceeded with assassination plots in North America without the approval of his superior and protector.

“We always had to go to the NSA for clearance for any operations,” said A.S. Dulat, who served as RAW chief in the early 2000s, referring to the national security adviser. Dulat emphasized in an interview with The Post that he did not have inside knowledge of the alleged operations, and that assassinations were not part of RAW’s repertoire during his tenure.

U.S. intelligence agencies have reached a similar conclusion. Given Doval’s reputation and the hierarchical nature of the Indian system, CIA analysts have assessed that Doval probably knew of or approved RAW’s plans to kill Sikhs his government considered terrorists, U.S. officials said.

A fierce crackdown

India’s shift to “defensive offense” was followed by a series of clashes between RAW and Western domestic security services.

In Australia, two RAW officers were expelled in 2020 after authorities broke up what Mike Burgess, head of the Australian intelligence service, described as a “nest of spies.”

Foreign officers were caught monitoring “their country’s diaspora community,” trying to penetrate local police departments and stealing information about sensitive security systems at Australian airports, Burgess said in a 2021 speech. He didn’t name the service, but Australian officials confirmed to The Post that it was RAW.

In Germany, federal police have made arrests in recent years to root out agents RAW had recruited within Sikh communities. Among them, German officials said, were a husband and wife who operated a website purportedly covering local Sikh events but who were secretly on RAW’s payroll.

In Britain, RAW’s surveillance and harassment of the Sikh population — especially a large concentration near Birmingham — became so egregious in 2014 and 2015 that MI5, Britain’s domestic security service, delivered warnings to Goel, who was then serving as RAW’s station chief in London.

When confronted, Goel scoffed at his counterparts and accused them of coddling Sikh activists he said should be considered terrorists, according to current and former British officials. After further run-ins, British authorities threatened to expel him, officials said. Instead, Goel returned to New Delhi and continued to climb RAW’s ranks until, in 2019, he was given the agency’s top job.

RAW’s record of aggressive activity in Britain has fanned suspicion that the agency was involved in the death of Sikh activist Avtar Singh Khanda, who died in Birmingham last year, three days before Nijjar was killed in Canada. British officials have said Khanda suffered from leukemia and died of natural causes, though his family and supporters have continued to press for further investigation.

A U.S. State Department human rights report released this month catalogued India’s alleged engagement in transnational repression. It cited credible accounts of “extraterritorial killing, kidnapping, forced returns or other violence,” as well as “threats, harassment, arbitrary surveillance and coercion” of overseas dissidents and journalists.

RAW’s operations in Western countries during Modi’s tenure have been overwhelmingly aimed at followers of the Sikh religion, especially a minority faction seeking to revive the largely dormant cause of creating a separate state called “Khalistan.”

That movement had peaked in the 1980s, when thousands were killed in violent skirmishes between the Indian government and Sikh insurgents. One brutal sequence beginning in 1984 included an Indian assault on the Sikh religion’s holiest site, the Golden Temple; the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by Sikhs in her security detail; and the bombing of an Air India flight widely attributed to Sikh extremists. A fierce crackdown quashed the insurgency, prompting an exodus of Sikhs to diaspora communities in Canada, the United States and Britain.

As Sikhs settled into their new lives abroad, the Khalistani cause went quiet until a new generation of activists — whose leaders included Pannun and Nijjar — sought to rekindle the movement with unofficial referendums on Sikh statehood and with protests that at times have seemed to glorify violence. A parade in Canada last year included a float depicting Indira Gandhi’s assassination, and Khalistan supporters have stormed and defaced Indian diplomatic facilities in Western cities.

The effort has seemed to gain little traction beyond a minority within the diaspora communit

[newsfromstolenland]

What dogwhistles should non Indian people look out for to not be manipulated by Hindu nationalists? I was reading what you reblogged about how cultural apprioation is weaponized by Hindu nationalists and reactionaries or something.

honestly, this is not my area of expertise. I was born on the other side of the world and despite my heritage I have never been to India. also I'm Muslim and my knowledge of Hinduism is limited to what I know from my great grandfather being Hindu and some research I've done

what I can say is that Hindu nationalists really really like to use cultural appropriation and british colonialism to make themselves synonymous with India and the oppression that Indian people face. there's a tendency to never acknowledge that Indian people have mistreated minorities in India.

I'm not saying everything was their fault. the British did awful things and white people love to appropriate anything Indian and/or Hindu.

but Hindu nationalists are the people that you will see blaming the entire caste system on the british, blaming all colourism on the british. and without a doubt the brits made things worse, but these are already issues that existed in India long before white men set foot on that land

the rhetoric that I would say to watch out for (and again, this is from my limited knowledge as a non Hindu member of the diaspora) is things like "Islamophobia and anti-Sikh discrimination were started by the british" and "the caste system is new and the fault of the west" and that's when they don't deny these issues altogether

what I'm saying is that India as a state is built on the supposed supremacy of Hindus, members of higher castes, and lighter skinned northern Indians. there are many many ways that people who benefit from it will deflect blame, and many powerful people in India who descend from collaborators with the british. there are regions of India that have wanted independence for a very long time, that are being denied it and killed for it in the name of the power of the Indian state

so to answer your question? watch out for the deflection of blame for the ongoing treatment of marginalized communities in India, the idea that India and Hinduism are synonymous, the defense of the refusal of the Indian government to cease occupation of the parts of the subcontinent that have been fighting for independence, and the idea that Hindus are the ultimate victims of the colonialism and racism experienced by Indian people

[gsmedia121]

ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਲਈ ਨਵਾਂ ਸਾਲ ਕਿਹੜਾ ਹੈ ਤੇ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਮਨਾਇਆ ਜਾਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ ?

[handweavers]

i've been reading some essays about the history of what is called 'modern sikh theology' and how the idea of sikhi having a theology - which is a specifically western phenomenon, a concept of 'theology' as a distinct idea - was created out of the singh sabha movement from the late 19th and early 20th century whose primary historical-material goals were to create an interpretation of sikhi that would allow sikhs to retain a special status under the british colonial rule, aligning ourselves with christian ideas and understandings of what a religion is, what a theology is, and to emphasize our difference and therefore superiority to both hindus and muslims in the eyes of the british empire. and how the ideas of the singh sabha movement have become the primary ways in which we understand sikhi, the language we use to talk about sikhi in english, the ways in which we choose to translate sikhi and the teachings of the gurus into english. prior to that the concept of 'gurmat' (the teachings of the gurus, the fundamental ideas of sikhi) did not have an english translation which it is now equated to 'theology'. like prior to this sikhi was not emphasized as a monotheistic religion, because those terms and concepts are english ones, and these ideas have penetrated our understanding of sikhi as sikhs even when reading the original punjabi text, within our communities. and i'm kind of interested in a way of conceptualizing sikhi that does not appeal to western understandings of religion or theology, that does not necessarily try to situate itself as inherently distinct from either islam or hinduism but part of a greater cultural continuum, while acknowledging (and reiterating, expanding) the doctrinal emphases on equality among all, and the explicit rejection of caste that gurmat takes. because we know that while casteism is rejected from a religious standpoint, within sangat and langar, it absolutely is still present outside of the gurdwara within our communities. my own understanding of sikhi is monist or pantheistic, and from what i have read prior to british rule in punjab that kind of understanding of sikhi was more common; it has been heavily compared with the vedanta school as well as sufism, and both are practices i feel a lot of intellectual fondness for. and i feel incredibly limited by my extremely rudimentary punjabi language abilities, and i feel that without gaining that specific language knowledge there really isn't a way for me to engage more deeply with this subject because it will always be filtered through english.

[kings-highway]

Ohh ok your HC isn't Hindu Iwa so none of the wedding traditions apply. Sikhs and other communities in India have extremely different wedding traditions. Happy fic writing though :)

noooooooooo come back come back dont leave me

My headcanon is specifically of Punjabi Iwa, most of my Punjabi friends being Sikh, so that was what I was dominantly pulling from in terms of background knowledge. I actually dont know so much about the difference between them anyway so its pretty likely that I was blending a lot of Hinduism in in my assumptions (I know for sure thats where I got the red from)

Headcanons are not set in stone! Having been gifted (assuming this is the same anons as before) such a great jumping off point I've been having a blast reading up on the Hindu wedding traditions so I was pretty much going to end up switching anyway if I wrote it. I just need to betray all my Sikh friends. Not that they'd ever read it. But.

[barbielore]

Please note that I am not Hindu nor from any culture that celebrates Diwali. If I say something culturally insensitive in this post please feel free to bring this to my attention.

Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, and a cultural celebration for Hindu, Sikh and Jain diaspora. According to my admittedly very limited knowledge, it is a five day festival, with the midpoint of the festival taking place in 2024 from the night of October 31st to the evening of November 1st.

In 2024, Mattel made the decision to release a Barbie in celebration. This was described as "for the first time ever" and the "first Diwali designer collab", which seems to imply without saying outright that they intend to create these annually as they do with the Dia de Muertos Barbies and Holiday Barbies.

This Barbie was designed by Anita Dongre and Edna Vogel-Amezcua. Anita Dongre is a fashion designer, who founded the Indian fashion label House of Anita Dongre in 1995. In 2017 she opened her first international store in Manhattan; and she has dressed such celebrities as Beyonce, the Jonas Brothers, and the Duchess of Cambridge. She is also a vegan activist.

Edna Vogel-Amezcua, on the other hand, is much harder to find any information about; all I can find is that she is credited as a co-designer on this doll.

Although this is the first designer collaboration for Diwali, this is not the first Barbie that has been themed around Diwali. As part of the Dolls of the World: Festivals of the World collection, Mattel released a Diwali Barbie in 2006.

[talonabraxas]

Seventh Body - The Auric Body

In the teachings of Kundalini Yoga, the human being has 10

bodies, not 1. Each body has its own attributes, and the 7th body is the Auric Body.

Seventh Body: Auric Body

The aura is the electromagnetic field that surrounds your body; it contains, projects, and interacts with the energetic life force, it usually extends three to nine feet beyond the physical body.

Qualities: Mercy, security, love, celestial charisma.

Key phrase: “Platform of Elevation”

Mastery: Projects positivity and repels negativity, like a shield; illness cannot penetrate your physical body; radiates magnetic security and an inspiring, merciful presence

If weak: constrictive, paranoid, lack of self-trust; negativity can penetrate into the psyche and physical body; there may be a tendency to conform to please others by overexpressing yourself

Key to Balancing Auric Body: practice meditation, pranayama, vigorous yoga, and martial arts. Wearing white clothing made of natural fibers gives about a 12-inch boost to the aura. Work on the Eighth Chakra. A strong auric body sustains the health of the pranic body. And it is the health of the pranic body that allows the auric body to emanate out as a magnificent force field to be reckoned with. The two together keep our physical body and immune system strong and allow us to walk and work fearlessly as who we are. Be mindful of the positive effects of water, internally and externally.

Each of the ten bodies relates specifically to the qualities of one of the ten Sikh gurus.

Guru Har Rai the seventh Sikh Guru. Read and study the life of Guru Har Rai Sing out loud, often, and joyfully. Elevate others with your singing. Wear white clothing made of natural fibers. A question to ask the Seventh Body? Do I allow myself to elevate myself and others?

FEELING In a challenging position, this may manifest as a person with low self-esteem. They may feel that shine comes from outward appearance rather than from within. They may also feel that people expect them to be more independent and nurturing and that they have to live up to their expectations.

Threatened by other’s energy or situations, overwhelmed by other’s energy, not true to own principles, has “Thin skin” can be Isolating, not able to uplift oneself, have weak boundaries, lays awake trying to fix loved ones and overwhelmed with all negative aspects of their life.

The inner desire is to be oneself, regardless of anyone’s expectations.

In a strong position, this will manifest as an intelligent person, a wise person. They are independent. They like to read, and they like music. This may represent a nun or priest living in seclusion. This is someone who has obtained intense knowledge through many lifetimes. They also have learned to uplift themselves, and they can be good teachers and very good parents because their presence uplifts environments and circumstances. They can work in relative seclusion, i.e. a scientist in a laboratory, a park ranger in the forest, a priest, or a nun.

They may seek financial security, a platform of elevation, security, mercy self-contained, secure, like to sing, uplifting to self and others, elevates themselves with ease, self-contained, and has strong boundaries.

The seventh body is the auric body, which is the electromagnetic field that surrounds a person. Most children are able to see auras at a very early age between 2 and 4. After that, the pituitary gland changes and this makes it more difficult to see them. You can do certain meditations to develop this quality.

A regular aura can be somewhere between three and nine feet. Between three and seven is the most common. A nine-inch aura is rare. Wearing white clothes increases the aura by 12 inches.

People with strong auras can be very uplifting to be with. They put you in that state too, it’s contagious.

There are many benefits of a strong aura. The person is surrounded by this electromagnetic field that protects him/her and gives them projection. Auras are nurturing, compassionate, charismatic, and “human forklifts”. That’s why the key phrase is “platform of elevation”.

Here are some examples of Exercises to connect to the Auric Body.

Balancing the Aura. Meditation for the Divine Shield. Strengthening the Aura. Ego Eradicator, Breath of Fire, Jumping Jacks.

Meditation Meditation for the Aura. Sit in an easy pose and place your hands on your knees. Now concentrate on the space around your body, the electromagnetic field. Feel it getting bigger. The following affirmations should be repeated, keeping the focus on the electromagnetic field: I AM LIGHT. I AM STRONG. I AM BRIGHT. I AM BEAUTIFUL. I AM KIND. WHA HE GURU. Repeat 7 times

Aura: Electromagnetic field around the body. It protects us as well as helps us project from the heart. Platform of Elevation by Talon Abraxas

[earthdoves]

transcript:

A few days ago, I received an invite from the Biden administration for a Diwali event being held by the VP on Nov 8 2023. I'm surprised this administration finds it acceptable to celebrate Diwali, when their support of the current atrocities against Palestinians represent the exact opposite of what this holiday means to many of us.

Diwali is celebrated by people of South Asian heritage worldwide. In the Hindu & Jain traditions, Diwali is the celebration of righteousness over falsehood and knowledge over ignorance.

In the Sikh tradition, during the time of Diwali, our 6th guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, helped free 52 fellow political prisoners from unjust imprisonment. We call this day Bandi Chhor Divas. I have always used this day to reflect on what it means to fight for freedom against oppression.

Today, the American government is not only funding the bombardment of Gaza, they continue to justify this genocide against Palestinians-regardless of how many refugee camps, health facilities, and places of worship are blown to bits. They reject the call for a humanitarian ceasefire- a baseline action being demanded by the United Nations, organizations like Doctors Without Borders, Red Cross, and a majority of countries. Over 10,000 Palestinians have been killed. The UN says 70% of the dead are women and children. We have seen Israel use white phosphorus bombs, which Amnesty International says must be investigated as a war crime. We've seen footage on CNN of Israeli settlers kicking out and occupying the homes of Palestinians in the West Bank. (Cont'd...)

I implore my South Asian community to hold this administration accountable. As a Sikh woman, I will not allow my likeness to be used in whitewashing this administration's actions. I refuse any invitation from an institution that supports the collective punishment of a trapped civilian population-50% of whom are children.

As a community, we cannot remain silent or agreeable just to get a seat at the table. It comes at too high a cost to human life. Many of my contemporaries have told me in private that what's happening in Gaza is awful, but they aren't going to risk their livelihood or "a chance at creating change from the inside". There is no magical change that will happen from being on the inside. We must be brave. We must not be tokenized by their photo-ops. The privilege we lose from speaking up is nothing compared to what Palestinians lose each day because this administration rejects a ceasefire.

When a government's actions dehumanize people anywhere in the world, it is our moral imperative to call for justice. Do not be afraid. Stand with the world and demand a humanitarian ceasefire. Many voices will join you when you speak. Let us sign petitions. Attend protests. Boycott. Call our reps and say- stop the genocide.

- rupi kaur

[lemedstudent2021]

Where should Jews live? Where do they belong? Where do you consider their native land to be? Honest question.

an honest question deserves an honest answer so here ya go:

Anywhere and everywhere. Jews- the followers of the Abrahamic religion Judaism- along with Muslims, Christians, Atheists, Sikhs, Vegans, and literally any human being under the sun have the right to live wherever they please (given certain criteria are met like visas and that it isnt a military station/ off limits area etc).

Yes my dear reader(s) you read that right; ones faith or lack thereof shouldnt be an obstacle in any aspect of ones life, be it medical services, education, job opportunities, so on and so forth. How novel.

That answers where they 'should' live (although I dont by any means impose anything on anyone; y'all do whatever as long as its legal and harms no one including yourself. God bless). Could is more accurate.

As for where they 'belong', this in my opinion is one of the beauties of religion: people from all walks of life can belong to a religion. Diversity lies at the heart of our existence as human beings and denying it is like denying the existence of the sun. Tolerance is a must if we are ever going to get along with each other. And this belonging isn't irrevocabley tied to geography. But I digress :)

Quick aside just so we're all on the same page: converting to a religion renders you just as valid and equal as someone born into a religion. Most if not all religions preach equality between their followers regardless of background, so i wont hear anything of 'oh theyre not real xyz' or 'they dont count' or any of that bs.

By this logic (religious demographics are, generally speaking, very diverse), there is no 'this set of people belong here, and those over there' ...and proof of that in a sense would be atheists/ agnostics; where would they 'belong'? Antarctica? Outer space? alright ill stop XD

If that were the case, most of the planet would be crammed in the Middle East lol [Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon alone are home to 34M (as of 2023), and the followers of the 3 main Abrahamic religions are an estimated 3.4B (as of 2020) globally. We wouldnt fit even if we used one of these]. Yeah nationality/ race/ ethnicity/ background influence and maybe even dictate one's religious identity, but it isn't the all or nothing we may think it to be.

Which brings us nicely to the next point, and here if you'll allow me i'd like to correct it to native land of Judaism (where it originated/ flourished/ spread whatever) as opposed to native land of Jews because as i mentioned above, a religion doesnt (or shouldnt) differentiate nor discriminate between its followers. By restricting them to one geographical location (and for some using it as an indicator of their authenticity) we do them great disservice as well as contradict the teachings themselves. A demonstration:

Im Jordanian right, (dad's maternal side are from bilad al sham; Syria) and im a born Muslim alhamdulillah. My dads Malaysian roommates from his uni days are also born Muslims (and have the best food lol, my all time favourite is lemak cili padi) and seperating us on the basis of them not being Arab or Middle Eastern is unislamic, intolerant, xenophobic, and wrong on every level. Alternatively, im just as Muslim as someone from Mecca or Medina. We're all Muslim. we are the world...

Circling back, Judaism the religion is native to the Holy land (I guess you can say it started in Egypt till it moved there but idk. Regardless), and Jews (adherants of the faith) can't in my humble opinion be fairly categorised as one monolithic unit... just like any and every other faith out there.

Another quick aside; this is merely a tumblr post that cant do the history and culture and intricacies and so much more of this matter a portion of the justice it deserves. I am but a tired medical student answering to the best of my abilities a question I was asked with my limited knowledge in theology and perspective in general, so do me a favour and keep that in mind. And to anyone reading this if you have questions or corrections or resources or anything you want to mention be my guest :)

If you're still here, I'm both grateful and amused. Here's what you probably came for, the piece de resistance if you will: 🍉israel🍉

Disclaimer: thanks for reading this far, but if you disagree in any way shape or form with any of the 30 human rights articles, you may as well stop reading and put your device through the shredder. Bigots, racists, fascists, anti vaxxers etc. dni

So far ive seen this idea, call it what you will, two times (which isnt a lot but its weird that it happened to me twice consecutively), that claims the freedom of Palestine equals a genocide of the Jews.

Er, no? No ma'am. One does not solve a genocide by comitting another genocide. What part of 'never again' are we missing here?

Before we get into politcal nominations and factions and other territories i dont plan on invading (pun intended) but might accidentally cross anyway (I forgot where i was going with this) i want to remind everyone that Judaism is not synonymous with Israel nor zionism (if u disagree with this go ahead and shred ur device too).

A refresher: Judaism is a religion, Israel is an illegal-occupying-apartheid-state, and Zionism is a movement/ ideology

So 'genocide of the Jews' is both wrong (diction) and more wrong (factually incorrect) in that the liberation of Palestine means freedom from oppression, discrimination, settler colonialism... the whole nine yards. Enough bloodshed already its been nearly 76 years.

When Netenyahu is eventually drop kicked out of office (and hopefully hung, drawn, and quartered for his plentiful warcrimes) what happens to the (illegal) citizens of Israel? Well first off, return the stolen homes and land to their rightful owners who have the keys (and documents if they werent tampered with or erased) to prove it.

As for the illegal-under-international-law settlements and new also illegal establishments; I have no idea what international laws will decree (not that I have that much faith in the judiciary system), but I assume they will be seized and evicted of the illegal tenants (how you like me now?) and given to those who have been displaced or homes ruined etc. because its theirs and theirs alone and it was unlawfully and cruelly taken away from them and not because the (remaining lol) former Israeli citizens can't or shouldn't live in palestine. they can go live somewhere where its legal. the priority is Palestinians tho.

What about the indigenous everyone else? As long as their houses aren't stolen or illegal they can should stay because its legal and its theirs and thats that. you cannot kick someone out of their home to give it to another (which was the basis of the creation of Israel.) because its ✨i l l e g a l✨

And the people who dont belong so to speak? I think this one's case by case; like I said at the very, very beginning; people have the right to live wherever as long as its legal and ok to do so regardless of faith or background, and no one should be denied their right to live in Palestine as a country like any other, but they certainly must be denied living in homes stolen and given to them because thats, say it with me now, illegal <3