Miranda Lambert Essay Example for Free

Miranda Lambert Essay Although most will probably say someone close to them is inspiring, like their mother, grandmother, sister. In my opinion, they are your family, and you will always love and be inspired by them. Therefore I decided to write this on how a singer is inspiring to me. Her name is Miranda Lambert. Almost none of my friends have even heard of her. I guess because maybe she’s a country singer and they don’t really like country music? Who knows, but she is quite an amazing person. She grew up in a small town in Texas. â€Å"Not having money toughened me up a bit, but Ill always be grateful. Texas people are really strong in their roots. I started writing and playing guitar at 17. Ive always loved music, and my dad is a singer-songwriter. † Miranda once said. She was influenced personally by her father to take an interest in music. Her music is wonderful, and she has a beautiful voice. She writes almost all of her own songs, and they are full of meaning. For example a hit song of hers, ‘Gunpowder and Lead’, is about women and how they should not take any shit from any one, let alone a man who hits them. I’m even sitting here writing this, listening to her music. I mean not all of her songs have such a deep meaning, but they all are certainly songs you can just sit back, and rock out too. I’m in love with it, and such a huge fan. In my eyes, Miranda is unlike any star. She isn’t a skinny, overrated, prissy little bitch who is only popular for one song, or how pretty they are. Miranda isn’t even that main-stream, but still does what she loves. When she was a teen, she was on a show kind of like American Idol that got her career started. She went to Nashville, and came back to Texas almost immediately because she hated the â€Å"pop† sound of music, and wanted to stay original, and straight up country. She’s a country-rock girl, with meat on her bones, a strong head on her shoulders, and doesn’t take shit from anyone, and will speak up if she has too. I mean, I don’t know the woman personally, but she sure comes off as this way, and it rocks! Oh and who wouldn’t be inspired by her! She is only engaged in my opinon, to the best man in country music, Blake Shelton! Ha Ha. Well, anyways, I saw her in concert a few months ago, and it was outstanding. I was so close, and as crazy as it seems, I think she made eye contact with me at one point! I sound so cheesy, but she is a real role model for me. She is so successful in life, and just acts herself at all times. â€Å"There are a million blonde chicks who can sing. Ive always wanted to be different. This quote, straight from Miranda’s mouth, has inspired me a lot. I know I cannot sing what so ever, and I’m not blonde, but I want to be different, and for the most part I am. I am my own person, and I hope I can continue to be true to myself, and not let anyone tell me otherwise. I’m not here to please anyone, or do what they want, I’m here to please myself, and do what I like, and what makes me happy. And Miranda is a great example of this. This is why Country Singer, Miranda Lambert inspires me.

Introduction to Sikhism

Introduction to Sikhism Among all the religion found in the world, Sikhism is the youngest religion and is about 500 years old. This religion today has over 27 million people worldwide and is the worlds fifth largest religion. Sikhism was founded by the first Guru of the Sikhs, Siri GuruNanalDevJi. The following nine Gurus that succeeded the first Guru nurtured and developed his ideas and teachings. The tenth guru whom is also the last Guru of the Sikh, Sri Guru Granth SahibJi, brought to an end to the line of human Gurus and is installed as the permanent Guru of the Sikhs. The Holy Scriptures which included the writings of the Ten Gurus and their disciples only talks about one almighty god, WAHEGURU. The Sikhs do not believe in anything else, but their one and only god. However, the Sikhs have accepted that there are lots of names of God. Sikhs are taught to remain a free life and respect all religions. The homeland of Sikhs is Khalistan and it means land of pure people. Currently it is under the rule of the Indian government. The Sikhs rebelled in 1984 to get independence from the Indian government to get freedom and a separate country. To stop the freedom movement, the Indian government mobilizes the army to attack Darbar Sahib, the holiest shrine of Sikhs under an operation called Operation Blue Star. The freedom movement is still active and the Sikhs are struggling to get the free country Khalistan. 1.0 History In Sikhism history, Women are considered low in society and were treated as a servant and nothing more than an entertainer. There were also considered as seducers and distraction of spiritual path, treated badly among men and women. Besides that, in marriage, the man is allow to remarry to another women and the women was not allowed to remarry and if they do, they rather burn themselves on her husbands funeral (Sati) as low rankings do not deserve another man and only one. Also, child marriage is quite popular that time. Child marriage means children were force to marry their chosen fiancà ©e from the age of thirteen or so. Furthermore, women are not allowed to carry their family names and that causes the father of the family to throw baby girls into the streets. However, everything changed during 1469-1708, when one of the ten gurus, Guru Nanak came here to the rescue. This happens when he found out that, many women is worthy equally on man. Thus, Guru Nanak plans to declare women are equal to man. Of course men disagree with this and therefore, Guru Nanak spoke wise words to settle them down, one of this hymns are: From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married. Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come. When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound. So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all. O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman. That mouth which praises the Lord continually is blessed and beautiful. O Nanak, those faces shall be radiant in the Court of the True Lord. Although, Guru Nanak words are logical and fair, the society only realized this after the guru passed away. Although he sacrifices his life, his effort was not wasted and thanks to his effort, women nowadays stand equally to men and were given opportunity to do the impossible from the past. Nowadays, many women participate in work, education even at the battlefield. 2.0 The 10 Gurus Guru Nanak Dev Ji Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh guru, was born in 1469 in Talwandi. Guru Ji was always ready to help the poor and he served food to them. In fact, Guru Ji often invited the needy and the poor into his house. Guru Nanak Dev Ji took four long journeys. On these journeys, Guru Ji got many followers and was able to relate his message to many people. When Guru Ji left this world at the age of 70, in 1539, he had laid down the foundations for a great religion. (Guru Nanak Dev Ji also taught us that there is one God and he is the Truth and Ultimate Reality. God has created the universe and he is everywhere.) Siri Guru Angad Dev Ji Guru Angad was born in 1504 A.D. at Sarai Matta in Ferozepur district of the Punjab (India). Before becoming the Guru, his name was Lehna. When guru Angad Dev ji left this world, His soul crane-like flew crying in the midair for his Beloved that had passed the limit of the sky.   Months elapsed, and no one knew where Guru Angad of the people was. (Like Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and the subsequent Gurus selected and appointed their successors by completely satisfying themselves about their mystic fitness and capacity to discharge the responsibilities of the mission.) Siri Guru Amardas Ji Guru Amar Das was born in 1479 at Basarke village in Amritsar District. He is the disciple of Guru Angad Dev Ji that who the second guru in Sikhism is. Guru Amar Das purchased some land in Goindwal and laid the foundation of a Bawli (a well with descending steps) in 1559. Guru Amar Das proclaimed, Gods summons had come.   Let there be no mourning when I have gone. Sing Gods praises, read Gurbani, hear Gurbani and obey Gods will.   In 1574, Guru Amar Das left for his heavenly abode and the spirit blended with the Master spirit. (Guru Amar Das to believe that all persons, high or low, rich or poor, Brahmans or Sudras, king or the commoner, and Hindus or Muslims, must sit in the same row as equals to dine in the Gurus langar.) Siri Guru Ramdas Ji Guru Ramdas was born in Lahore into a Sodhi Khatri family residing in Mohalla Chuna Mandi in 1534A.D. Guru Ram Das acquired land falling in tung, Gumlata and Sultan Wind villages in 1574 A.D. and started the digging of the tank. Guru Amar Das installed him as Guru in 1574 A.D. Guru Ram Das left his old headquarters at Goindwal.   After a few days He left this world in 1581.   (Guru Ram Das started the digging work near Dukh Bhanjni Beri and the digging of   the tank was taken up in 1586 A.D.) Siri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Guru Arjan was born in Goindwal, a small town in Amritsar district, in 1563. Guru Arjan Dev built another great temple some twelve miles away from Amritsar and called it Taran Taaran; otherwise Guru Arjan Dev was that interested people were passing compositions of their own as those of the Masters. But The Fifth and the Sixth Gurus had done nothing beyond the extension and development of the foundations laid and the organisation built by Guru Nanak. Guru Har Gobin(1595-1644) -Justice Guru Har Gobin, the son of Guru Arjan Dev ji, was the sixth of the ten Gurus of Sikhism. He was merely 11 years old when his father was matryed after being jailed, tortured while under arrest by Jehangirs orders. At the time of installation of Gurus, he asked Bapa Buddha ji to discard the tradition of donning with him with the Seli of Guru Nanak, instead, to be donned with 2 swords, explaining signified his Miri Piri(Temporal power Spiritual power). Without mixing religion with politic, his Purpose was to take up the cause of exploited and defend against the oppression of rules. He was the first of the Gurus who took up arms to defend the faith. He also introduced martial arts and weapon training and create a standing military force for the defense. Built the Akal Takhat(the first Takhat in the history) in 1608 , this Takhat seated with all the regal adornments of a Mugal or Hiddun Ruler. In here where he listened to the woes and complaints of people and issue edicts. Guru Har Rai(1644-1661)-Mercy Guru Har Rai was a man of peace, but he never disbanded sikh warriors (sainted soldier) but to continue the military traditions started by his grandfather Guru Har Gobind ji. He kept 2200 mounted soldiers at all times However, he never indulge himself in any political and armed controversy . Gurus son, Ram Rai, distorted Bani in front of Mughak Emperor Auzangzeb, he then decided to make his other son Guru at the age of only 5 age. Guru Har Kishran(1661-1664)- Purity Guru Har Krishan was the youngest Gurus because he was installed as a Guru at his age of 5 years, when his father Guru Har Rai nominated him instead of his elder son, Ram Rai. Auranzeb summoned him to Delphi after receive the complaint against him from Ram Rai. Guru Har Khrishan went Delphi even though He was instructed publicly by his father never meet Auranzeb personally. When reach Delphi, Har Khrishan and his party were the guest of Raja Jai Singh, lot of Sikh devotee flocked to see the Guru. A smallpox Epidemic was raging in Delphi. He devoted his life for serving and healing people who suffer smallpox epidemic which result in many deaths in Delphi. The young Guru also began to attend the sufferers irrespective of cast and creed. Particularly, the local Muslim was much impressed with purely humanitarian deeds of this Guru Sahib, stop disturbing him and nicknamed him Bala Pir(Child Prophet). However, coming contact with many people every day, he too infected and taken seriously ill. He died at only age of eight. Guru Tegh Bahadur(1665-1675)-Tranquility Guru Tegh Bahadur was the eighth of the ten Gurus. He was the fifth and the youngest son of Guru Har Gobin. He was famous for built the city called Anandpur Sahib. He traveled extensively throughout India. He sacrificed his own life, facing down the Emperor Aurangzeb on behalf of the Kashmiri Hindus, ending Aurangzeb s threat to them choosing to convert to islam or to be executed. He also contributed 115 hymns to the Sri Guru Grant Sahib. He was a firm believer in the right of people to the freedom of worship. This had caused that he faced martyrdom for the defense of the down-trodden Hindus. So pathetic was the torture of Guru Tegh Bahadur that his Body had to be cremated clandestinely at Delphi while his severed head was secretly taken four hundred kilometers away to Anandpur Sahib for cremation. This is just because he refuse to convert to Islam a threatened forced conversion of the Hindus of Kashmir was thwarted. Guru Gobin Singh (1675-1708)-Royal Courage Guru Gobin Singh was the tenth and the last of the ten human form of guru. He became guru after martyrdom of his father Guru Tegh Bahadur at the age of 9. His teachings are very scientific and most suitable for all times. Unlike other prophets, he called himself a slave or a servant of god, and, he called all the people the sons of God sharing His Kingdom equally. Guru Gobin Singh lived peacefully at Anandpur for his earlier life, practicing arms and exercises to complete his training as a soldier. He was good at Writing composition as well. He studied Persian and Sanskrit and engaged 52 poets to translate the Hindu Epics. He use what he had learned to translate stories of ancient heroes into Punjabi in order to create martial spirit among Sikh.He created the Khalsa in 1699, changing the Sikhs into a saint-soldier order with special symbols and sacraments for protecting themselves. He gave the Sikhs the name Singh (lion) or Kaur (princess). Guru lost his family(father, mother and four sons) during the battles with Mughal Tyranny.He then wrote a letter(the Zafarnama) to Aurangzeb, in which he indicted the Grand Mughal with his treachery and godliness after the attacking against the guru and Sikhs were called off.Aurangzeb died after read the letter. The rightful heir of Mughal Throne Sought the Gurus help in winning his kingdom. A sneak attack of the Pathan assasins of Wasir Khan who inflicted the wound which cause the Gurus death. 3.0 Symbol of Sikh The Khanda the Sikh symbol The Khanda is the main Sikh symbol. The  Khanda  has been interpreted symbolically in many ways. One is:The Sikh emblem, Khanda, contains a ring of steel representing the Unity of God, a two. It is composed of four items, all traditional Sikh weapons: A vertical double edged sword with a broad blade, also called a Khanda. Two curved swords, called kirpans. They are called miri and piri, after the names given to his personal kirpans by Guru Hargobind. A ring called a chakker (aka chakram). It is a very effective weapon, with a range of up to 50 meters (165 feet). This has been popularized in North America by the television series  Xena the Warrior Princess. Edged sword symbolizing Gods concern for truth and justice, and two crossed swords curved around the outside to signify Gods spiritual power.  4 Kesa (long hair, which is never cut). Baptised  Sikhs  are bound to wear the  Five Ks  (in Punjabi known as  paà ±j kakkÄâ€Å"  or  paà ±j kakÄ r), or articles of faith, at all times. The tenth guru, Gobind Singh, ordered these Five Ks to be worn so that a Sikh could actively use them to make a difference to their own and to others spirituality. The 5 items are:  kÄâ€Å"s  (uncut hair),  kaà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ghÄ Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  (small comb),  kaà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒâ€žÃ‚ Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  (circular iron bracelet),  kirpÄ n(dagger), and  kacchÄ Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  (special undergarment). The Five Ks have both practical and symbolic purposes.[45] Kacha (short pants) In  Sikhism,  Kesh  (sometimes  Kes) is the practice of allowing ones hair to grow naturally as a symbol of respect for the perfection of Gods creation. The practice is one of the  Five Ks, the outward symbols ordered byGuru Gobind Singh  in  1699  as a means to profess the  Sikh  faith. The hair is combed twice daily with a  Kanga, another of the Five Ks, and tied into a simple knot known as a  Joora, or  Rishi knot. This knot of hair is usually held in place with the Kanga and covered by a  turban. Kangah (comb) The  Sikhs  were commanded by  Guru Gobind Singh  at the  Baisakhi  Amrit Sanchar  in  1699  to wear asmall comb  called a Kanga at all times. Kanga must be worn by all baptised  Sikhs  (Khalsa), after a mandatory religious commandment given by  Guru Gobind Singh  (the tenth Guru of Sikhism)  in  AD 1699. This was one of five articles of faith, collectively called  Kakars  that form the external visible symbols to clearly and outwardly display ones commitment and dedication to the order (Hukam) of the tenth master and become a member of  Khalsa. The Khalsa is the Saint-Soldier of Guru Gobind Singh who stated the following:  He does not recognize anyone else except One Lord, not even the bestowal of charities, performance of merciful acts, austerities and restraint on pilgrim-stations; the perfect light of the Lord illuminates his heart, then cons ider him as the immaculate Khalsa.(Guru Gobind Singh in the Dasam Granth page 1350) Kara (metal bracelet) The kara is to constantly remind the Sikh disciple to do Gods work with the hands, keeping with the  advice given by the Guru. As the Sikhs  holy text  the  Guru Granth Sahib  says In the tenth month, you were made into a human being, O my merchant friend, and you were given your allotted time to perform good deeds.[2]  Similarly, Bhagat  Kabir  reminds the Sikh to always keep ones consciousness with  God: With your hands and feet, do all your work, but let your consciousness remain with the Immaculate Lord.[3] In India, warrior Sikhs are still seen wearing several karas of large sizes, designed to be used as a weapon in hand to hand combat. Kachchhera Kachchhera  (Punjabi:à  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ  Ã‚ ©Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¾) or  Kachchha  (Punjabi:à  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¾) are specially designed short,  shalwar  (pant-like), loose  undergarments  with a tie-knot (nara =  drawstring) worn by  baptized  Sikhs. It is one of the five  Sikh  articles of faith, called the  Five Ks (à  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ªÃƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã…“ à  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ©Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ °), and was given as a gift of love by  Guru Gobind Singh  at the  Baisakhi  Amrit Sanchar  in  1699. Kachaera have been worn by baptizedSikhs  (Khalsa) since a mandatory religious commandment given by  Guru Gobind Singh  (the tenth Guru of Sikhism)  in  AD 1699. Both male and female Sikhs wear similar undergarments. This is one of five articles of faith-collectively called Kakkars-that form the external, visible symbols clearly and outwardly displaying ones commitment and dedication to the order (Hukam) of the tenth master. Kirpan (a ceremonial dagger) The  Kirpan  (English pronunciation:  /kÉ ªÃƒâ€°Ã¢â€ž ¢rˈpÉ‘Ë n/;  Punjabi:  Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ªÃƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¨Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  kirpÄ n) is a sword or dagger carried by many  Sikhs. According to a mandatory religious commandment given by  Guru Gobind Singh  (the tenth Guru of Sikhism)  at the  Baisakhi  Amrit Sanchar  (a holy religious ceremony that formally baptizes a Sikh) in  CE 1699, all baptised  Sikhs  (Khalsa) must wear a kirpan at all times. Prohibitions of Sikhism Cutting hair Cutting hair is strictly forbidden in Sikhism. Sikhs are required to keep unshorn hair. This is because Sikhs believe that long hair as a beautiful part of their bodies. Besides that, Sikhs must always wash their hair due to maintain cleanliness. Without wear turban For Sikhs people, they must wear the turban no matter is male or female. This is because this religion was founded over 500 years ago, only wealthy men wore turbans as a sign of status and many kings wore turbans. Since Sikhs have believed in the equality of all people since the creation of their religion, all Sikhs wear the turban as a sign of equality. Cannot consume intoxication Sikhs cannot consume alcohol, drugs, tobacco is not allowed due to alcohol can slow down nervous system that causes damaging their ability to respond appropriately. Adultery Sikhs must faithful and loves each other and try to reduce conflict among each other even though are different cultures or races. Eating meat Sikhs cannot eat meat because the meat is offered to God only. Therefore, Sikhs must consume vegetarian. Besides that, they strictly prohibited from eating meat killed in a ritualistic manner. Sikh Festivals Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the founder of Sikhism; celebrate on November 24 every year. Before his birthday, Akhand Path which is read Guru Granth Sahib in 48 hour non-stop that held in Gurdwara (Sikhs temple). On that day, the program or activity is begins early in the morning about 4 am. In this program, they would sing the Asa-di-Var (morning hymns) and hymns from the Sikh scriptures followed by Katha (expositon of scripture) and lectures and recitation of poems in the praise of Guru. Then, celebration will until about 1 to 2 pm. Lohri Lohri is Punjabi winter harvest festival acts as a Hindu winter celebration which is celebrates on January 13. In the morning on Lohri day, children will go from door to door singing and demanding Lohri loot such as seeds, peanuts, jiggery, or sweets and so on. Vaisakhi Vaisakhi known as Baisakhi is an ancient harvest festival in Punjab region which marks beginning of new solar year. Vaisakhi is celebrated on April 13. Baisakhi is a  Sikh  religious festival.  It falls on the first day of the  Baisakh  month in the solarNanakshahi calendar, which corresponds to April 13 in the  Gregorian calendar. Diwali Sikhs also celebrate Diwali popularly known as Festival of Lights. It is an important 5-day festival in Hinduism,  Sikhism  and  Jainism, celebrate between mid-October and mid-November. The name of Diwali which translate into row of lamps that involves the lighting of small clay lamps (diyas) filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. The Skih Ceremonies All the Sikh Ceremonies like birth, baptism, marriage and death are held in simple, inexpensive and religious manner. The presence of holy Guru Granth Sahib is very important to every ceremony performance. And of course, singing of hymns, Ardas or a formal prayer cannot be excluded in the ceremonies. Other than that, Hukamnama, a random reading from the Guru Granth Sahib is also presented as the oder of the day. Every guest will be given Karah Parshad, some sacred pudding made from flour, butter, sugar and water as well as langar. Sikhs no longer seek blessing from god and renew the spirit of devotion and service. Besides that, some major Sikh Ceremonies must be held in certain time, Naam Karan (Naming Ceremony), Dastar Bandi, Marriage Ceremony, Amrit Sanchar (Baptism) and Funeral/Death Ceremony. Naam Karan (Naming Ceremony) Khanda Mool MantraNaming Ceremony, an important ceremony held after a child is born. This happens when the child and the mother are in good health, they will go to the Gurdwara with their family, relatives and friends for the naming ceremony. The Granthi or the senior member of the congregation stirs water and sugar crystals in a bowl with a Khanda placed in front of the Guru Granth Sahib while reading the Mool Mantra (the basic belief of the Sikhs and it begins the Sri Guru Granth Sahib) and the first five verses of the Japji Sahib. The holy water is mainly dedicated for the child, but just a few drops are given to the child, the remaining is given to the mother. Finally, hymns are recited to bless the child. Dastar Bandi This is a very important event when a Sikh boy is ready to start tying the turban. The Granthi will explain why the turban is needed to be tied on the head. Amrit Sanchar (Baptism) Baptism brings the best or worst to the Sikhs, it can help the Sikhs in life if the Baptism is done in a proper and complete manner. This is the initiation ceremony for the Sikhs to become a true Khalsa (purified or chosen one). It is something like Christian at confirmation acquires full membership of the Sikh brotherhood. As the ceremony culminates in the drinking of  Amrit (specially prepared sweet Holy water) so the term Amrit-dhari Sikh is often used. However, a Sikh should only take Amrit when he or she is mature enough to realize the nature of the obligations he or she has chosen to accept. Marriage Ceremony The Sikh marriage is also one of the most important ceremonies in Sikhs life. The Sikh marriage is also known as Anand Karaj which means the ceremony of joy. Normally the wedding is held in the morning in a Gurdwara. The groom will be dressed in fine clothes and accompanied by his family and friends. Then he will head to Gurdwara Sahib where the brides family and friends receive them. After certain ceremony called Milni ceremony where close relatives of the couple garland each other in a spirit of goodwill, some refreshments are said to be done. Then everyone enters the Gurdwara congregation hall where bride sits alongside the groom facing the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. A short prayer is meant to be done then the wedding ceremony begins and the Ragees sing the hymn of Palla which is grooms scarf. The brides father hands the Palla over the brides hands which is symbolizing of giving away the bride. After a long run, the ceremony is followed by Lavaan, the wedding ceremony. Itself consists of four verses. The first verse is recited by the Granthi while the couple sits next to each other. Then the Ragees sing the same verse and the couple walk gracefully clockwise around the Guru Granth Sahib the bride following the groom. Same way the other three verses are recited. The six verses of Anand Sahib (the hymns of joy) are then sung followed by the Ardas. Order of the day is read from Guru Granth Sahib Ji followed by the distribution of Karah Parshad. Usually, lunch is always provided by the brides family and there is also a reception held later in the evening in a hall. Funeral/Death Ceremony Sikhs are very easygoing and simple in this kind of funeral ceremonies. They do not tend to spending too much money or resources on this sort of ceremonies as this is their basic custom. When a Sikh passes away, firstly the body is taken to be washed and cleaned up and finally dressed with new clothes. Then the body is carried to the cremation ground in procession. Meanwhile, appropriate prayers are said before the funeral pyre to smoothen the Sikhs death path. Then the body will be lit by close relatives. There is a crematorium built in Britain for this purpose. Later, the cooled ashes will be collected and immersed into or presented to natural running water- a river. Until this stage, the ceremony is not complete yet. To complete to ceremony, either in the home or in the Gurdwara, the daily reading of the Holy Granth begins. This runs continuously in about ten days. When all the 1430 pages have been read, the final service is held. Relatives and friends gather to join in the final prayers. The  Kara Parshad  (holy food) is served and the people disperse. This marks the end of mourning. The Sikh Marriage For Sikhs, marriage is not merely a physical and legal contract but is a holy union between two souls where physically they appear as two individual bodies but in fact they are united as one. Like what has been mentioned earlier, the Sikh marriage ceremony is known as Anand Karaj meaning blissful union. According to Sikhism, when a girl attains certain maturity, her parents are obligatory to find a match for her. It is neither desirable nor proper to marry a girl at tender age. The daughter of a Sikh should marry a Sikh. If a man is a Sikh believer, is humble by nature, and earns his bread by honest means, with him matrimony may be contracted without a question and without consideration for wealth and riches. As Sikh marriages are usually arranged, so they have different views from the people from other cultures. They do not interpret arranged as forcing man or woman into wedlock of parents choice only. It is also about agreeing to marriage proposed by mutual discussion between the mans and the womans family. This is to select the right partner with the approval of all. Most importantly, the man and woman themselves must get to know each other to convey their agreement to their parents. Last but not least, no Sikh marriage is regarded as truly complete unless the bride and groom present themselves before the  Holy Granth  and are blessed by the Guru, as well as by the congregation or the families present. 8.0 Roles and status of Sikh women In fourteenth century, before Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Indian women were looked down at by society. They were given no education, and they only function to give birth, do housework and serve men. Female infanticide, the act of killing a female baby, was common as the men of the family considered them useless and an embarrassment to the family. Sati, which is the act of burning a widow alive with her husbands body was encouraged and sometimes forced. Guru Nanak Dev Ji shocked the entire society by preaching that women were equal to men and should be treated in such way. Guru Nanak Dev Ji conveys this through his scripture as follows: Man is born from a woman; within woman, man is conceived; to a woman he is engaged and married. Man is friends with woman; through woman, the future generations exist. When his woman passes away, he seeks another woman; to a woman a man is bound. So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. From a woman, woman is born; without woman there would be no one at all (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 473). Thus, in Sikhism, all men and women have equal status, all human beings are only judged by their deeds, not their race or gender. Women were encouraged and allowed to join in religious and social activities. They were given freedom of speech and were also allowed to read the Guru Granth Sahib (the holy scripture of Sikhism). Famous Women in Sikhism The first famous woman in Sikhism is the mother of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Mata Tripta Ji. It is said that she meditated while carrying the child Nanak. She brought him up with love, and also protected him from his father Mehta Kalu. The elder sister of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Bebe Nanaki Ji, is also another famous woman in Sikhism. She supported her brother throughout her life and gave him respect as she would a Guru. She was an intelligent and spiritual woman who recognised her brothers divine light before anyone else could. 9.0 Sikhs Sacred Places Harmandir Sahib The Harmandir Sahib, informally known as The Golden Temple because it is partly made from gold, is the most sacred shrine of the Sikhs. It is located in the city of Amritsar, India (Northern Punjabi). The name Harmanidir Sahib literally means temple of God. The Golden Temple in built in the centre of a large lake of water. The sacred pool of water around the Golden Temple is also known as Sarovar. It is a place where Sikhs perform Isnaan, which means to bathe, cleanse and purify. The Golden Temple has been constructed with four doors which is different from traditional Indian temples. This signifies that everyone is allowed in the temple regardless of race and gender. There are two forms of contribution all Sikhs had in the construction of the temple: Voluntary labour and a donation of ten percent of their income. These traditions are still kept alive till today as Sikhs contribute towards the improvement of their Gurdwara (Sikh temples). Anandpur Sahib The city of Anandpur Sahib, informally known as the holy city of Bliss, is the holy city of the Sikhs; it is an important and sacred place for the Sikhs. It is located on the lower spurs of the Himalayas. Guru Gobind Singh ji spent almost 25 years staying at Anandpur Sahib. It is famously known as the place where five Sikhs voluntarily gave their heads to Guru Gobind Singh ji, which shows the values of self-abnegating and bravery. The city mainly comes to life during Hola Mohalla, a Sikh festival celebrated to remember the courage of the Sikhs in fighting the enemies of Sikh. It is also a community festival that brings people together. 10.0 History Of The Golden Temple The Golden Temple of Amritsar is located in India. This temple is one of the most ancient and brilliant piece of engineering of all time. Amritsar is also under one of the main cities in India There is about five thousand sq. km and a total population of about 2.5 million. The main language that is spoken in this place is Hindi or English while the average temperature of this city is about 30 to 46 degree Celsius every day of the year. The temple was founded in the year 1574 by the fourth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Ramdas and completed by his successor Guru Arjan Dev. The land for the temple was bought by guru ramdas for only 700 rupees at that time from the owner of the village Tung. (Earlier Guru Ram Das Sahib had begun building Santokhsar Sarovar, near erstwhile village of Sultanwind in 1564 {according to one source in 1570}. The temple is also known as the Shri Darbar Shaib, it is in the center of the old part of Amritsar. The Golden Temple sits on a rectangular platform, surrounded by a pool of water called the Amrit Sarovar

F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

Nick Carraway’s Look at Man   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nick Carraway, the first character introduced in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, is primarily acts as the â€Å"guide and pathfinder†; he relates the story from what others have told him. He strives at all times to be objective, and his comments are balanced. His amusingly contemptuous remarks show his sense of humor, and although he is straight-laced, he does not bore the reader. Nick is introduced directly, but Gatsby remains a distant character for a good while. The establishment of Nick’s reflective, tolerant personality is essential, as are his limitations, so the reader doesn’t just dismiss him as Fitzgerald’s mouthpiece. The fact that he disapproves of Gatsby so early on helps the reader to go along with his judgments when he tells of Gatsby and unfolds the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first mysterious glimpse of Gatsby prepares the reader for much of what is to come. The imagery of â€Å"silhouette,† â€Å"moonlight,† and â€Å"shadow† in this passage prepares the reader for Gatsby’s shadowy, dark character. Many more of his actions appear to the reader, and Nick, as â€Å"curious.† The fact he is‘ trembling’ shows he is intense in his emotions-- and none of this is for show; Gatsby believes he is alone. His concentration on the â€Å"single green light† represents his determination to succeed, his constant drive; everything is designed so he can be with Daisy. He then vanishes; echoing the end of the book.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nick is unlike the other characters of the book; he is not one of the â€Å"careless people.† He has a conscience, he is not selfish-- he has decency, which is well demonstrated in his efforts for Gatsby’s funeral. His down-to-earth character shows how superficial Daisy and Tom are. They are ruthlessly practical, where as Gatsby is a hopeless dreamer. Nick guides the reader between these two extremes while remaining a detached observer whilst being involved in the action-- â€Å"I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nick’s aim to be truthful and objective makes the reader trust him. When Nick says Gatsby has a â€Å"rare smile with a quality of eternal reassurance in it,† the reader knows his riches or parties, but is telling it to the reader straight aren’t charming Nick. His contempt for much of what Gatsby says, but also Nick’s tolerance, is emphasized when Nick doesn’t mock him-- ‘â€Å"I lived . .

Gendered Ideals of Body Form Essay -- Gender Studies

Gendered bodies in the West are bodies of contrasts. A masculine, sharp, inverted triangular body is contrasted to the feminine, soft, hourglass shape. Humans, throughout history, have resorted to drastic measures to meet and exemplify gendered ideals of body form. One such measure that has been in place since the Victoria era is the wearing of corsets. In attempting this research, I thought that wearing a corset would provide an insight into the ways feminine bodily ideals are appropriated by women in a Western context. Putting on the corset proved to be a challenge; only with the assistance of my roommate could I put it on. She laced the back up to as tight as it went and I wore it underneath my normal daily clothes. My first thought when wearing it was that it felt like a hug, when your body is encapsulated within something; it was quite pleasant and had an almost motherly feeling about it. As soon as I wore it, I immediately realized that I had to learn to control my breathing be cause the corset would feel extremely tight every time I exhaled. Travelling in the car and on the train proved to be a challenge because the corset forced my body to arch my back and sit up straight, which is not the way I normally sit. When I slouched or moved in a way that the corset did not allow, it would dig into my stomach and ribs in a painful way. While walking, I realized that I was pushing my chest out and standing very straight. This made me feel like I was embodying the typical ‘empowered woman’ image that shows a woman as sexy, confidently striding along an urban landscape, independent and beautiful. However, as the day went on, the uncomfortable sweatiness that it brought me made me loath wearing it. Coming home, I took it off and wonder... ...er and Power at a Treatment Center. London: Duke University Press. Riordan, G. (2007). The Corset Douglas, M. (1966). External Boundaries. In Purity and Danger. (pp. 140-159). New York City: Routledge Classics . Savacool, J. (2009). The World Has Curves: The Global Quest for the Perfect Body. New York City: Rodale Books. Steele, V. (1985). Fashion and Eroticism. New York City: Oxford University Press. Turner, B. S. (1996). The Body and Society. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. Controversy: Author(is)ing the Subject in/ of Tight-lacing.Social Semiotics, 17(3). Urla, J., & Swedlund, A. C. (1995). The Anthropometry of Barbie: unsettling ideals of the feminine body in popular culture. In J. Terry & J. Urla (Eds.). Deviant Bodies. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Wolf, N. (1991). The Beauty Myth. New York City: William Morrow and Company Inc..

Ghost Story of the Haunted Abandoned Factory :: Ghost Stories Urban Legends

Ghost stories and urban legends have a power over people that other types of stories lack. These stories can deeply scare people and lead them to question certain things in life. The fashion in which the story teller delivers the story can greatly affect how haunting the story is and how long it lingers in the listeners’ heads. Urban legends pertaining to a certain region have even more of an effect on people’s beliefs. That scary house on the corner may never be the same to somebody after they are told about the gruesome murder that supposedly happened there many years ago. The ghost story chosen for this paper was told by a 19 year-old Caucasian male college student. The story involves a supposedly haunted building in the nearby town. He heard the story from a friend but does not recall when or where he first heard the story. He recounted the story in the afternoon while sitting in his room with a few other students watching television. According to his story, the haunted building was once used as a factory. One day there was a fire which burned down a good portion of the building and killed all the workers inside. The ruins can still be seen and are alleged to be haunted by ghosts of the deceased factory workers. The teller once tried to locate the factory ruins at night with a few friends but had trouble doing so. He said they found people looking for the same place and joined them to find it. They found an old building in an isolated area but were not sure if it was the correct place. The story teller recalls having an eerie feeling when a rriving at the isolated building. He and his friends soon left without exploring further because the uneasiness about the area began to scare them. The teller told the story in a rushed manner, quickly telling the details. Upon recalling his eerie feelings while searching for the building, he broke into nervous laughter, and one could tell he was somewhat unnerved by the experience. This conclusion led the listeners to believe that searching for the old factory would be a scary experience. From research, it is apparent that Ellicott City has numerous areas believed to be haunted, along with legends behind these areas.

Dining in vs. Dinging Out

Informative Speech Dining Out VS. Dining In INTRODUCTION I. Attention getter/relevance: The Price of food has TRIPLED, Which results in the price of fast food has double just form the past two years. II. Establish Credibility: I have gained knowledge and tips on how to save money by cooking your meals at home by doing so you can save over a 1000$ a month. III. Thesis Statement: By the end of my presentation, you will have the knowledge to cut the cost of food and you will think twice before you visit your local fast food restraint. IV.Preview: The focus of my speech is to give you pointers on how to cut the cost of food, and getting a home cook meal in a convenient amount of time. BODY I: First (signpost), why is preparing food at home less expensive then dining out. The cost of fast food has double in the past two years. A today's economy has changed, meaning that all living expenses like rent food and gas prices has gone up as well. b. Studies has shown that dining out three times a week for a family of four can cost up to 400$. c. Money can be saved by cutting back on dining out and fast food by simply cooking from home. I. 2.Second (signpost) the main reasons why people dining out because of their busy life styles. a. There are many adults that work over 40 hours a week, or has resign back in school or some are doing both all while supporting there families. b. Most people way of thinking is it’s much easier to buy per pared food rather than slave over a hot stove daily. c. Little do they know it’s a lot of things you can cook from home with in convenient amount of time. Transition: Let’s review home cooked meals are cheaper than dining out every night. When you prepare your food from home, your relocked to save over a 1000$ monthly.There are meals that you can prepare at home in a convenient amount of time. II. Continue following format for remainder of main points†¦ CONCLUSION I. Signal/summarize main points: because of today's e conomy living expenses like rent food and gas prices has gone up. Preparing food at home less expensive then dining out. II. Thesis statement/Relate to introduction: Now that you know more information on how to save money and time by cooking a prepped meal at home, I hope that you take what you learned and put it into use. I promise you want be sorry.

Nz Fitness Industry

Within New Zealand a growing number of people are using the fitness industry as a convenient means of improving and maintaining their well-being. In recent times a market boom has taken place with more and more gyms being built throughout the country, and with them new business opportunities arising. One of the most renown gyms in New Zealand, Les Mills is an example of one of these modern business franchises.In the 43 years since Phillip Mills family started running their first Les Mills gym in New Zealand, the gym has since gone international with over 14,000 gyms now spread throughout 75 countries worldwide and an estimated net worth of (†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ) (citation). It is estimated that in New Zealand alone the gym industry generated over (†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. ) in 2008 (citation). Along with the increase in gyms being established a large proportion of the fitness industry is now focusing on nutrition as an additional market for generating profit.This report serves to a nalyse and interpret both individual markets along with relevant figures, and will outline the potential future business prospects for investment or creating a new franchise in both markets. New Zealand has a large fitness industry as exercise has become a very important part of everyday life. Today’s gym goers are opting for low frills operators trading away high end services in favour of convenience, price and flexible contracts.With more than 10% of New Zealand’s population now seeing an exercise professional regularly, there is a total of 400,000 people on average seeing 1500 exercise professionals on a regular basis. (cited) Some of the top gyms in New Zealand are Les Mills, Next generation and Jetts. Les Mills has a competitive advantage of having fun while exercise via the fitness classes that are suitable for all ages and sizes, such as Body Combat. Les Mills is a large firm that has privately owned companies headquarters in Auckland only which are valued at $1 30 million.Les Mills believes that by 2020 they will open a further of 10 gyms in Auckland (cited Mills). The health and fitness market has been described as blandly premium as there is little deffirentiation between service offerings, indicating that there is opportunity for competitive advantage to be achieved through quality. In order to open a new franchise sufficient funds must be available. Competition exist with a newly opened Les Mills Britomart, which was set up with a total cost of $10 million dollars. Margins are very slim for smaller gyms, so would need to be a large player to be successful. Nz Fitness Industry Within New Zealand a growing number of people are using the fitness industry as a convenient means of improving and maintaining their well-being. In recent times a market boom has taken place with more and more gyms being built throughout the country, and with them new business opportunities arising. One of the most renown gyms in New Zealand, Les Mills is an example of one of these modern business franchises.In the 43 years since Phillip Mills family started running their first Les Mills gym in New Zealand, the gym has since gone international with over 14,000 gyms now spread throughout 75 countries worldwide and an estimated net worth of (†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ) (citation). It is estimated that in New Zealand alone the gym industry generated over (†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. ) in 2008 (citation). Along with the increase in gyms being established a large proportion of the fitness industry is now focusing on nutrition as an additional market for generating profit.This report serves to a nalyse and interpret both individual markets along with relevant figures, and will outline the potential future business prospects for investment or creating a new franchise in both markets. New Zealand has a large fitness industry as exercise has become a very important part of everyday life. Today’s gym goers are opting for low frills operators trading away high end services in favour of convenience, price and flexible contracts.With more than 10% of New Zealand’s population now seeing an exercise professional regularly, there is a total of 400,000 people on average seeing 1500 exercise professionals on a regular basis. (cited) Some of the top gyms in New Zealand are Les Mills, Next generation and Jetts. Les Mills has a competitive advantage of having fun while exercise via the fitness classes that are suitable for all ages and sizes, such as Body Combat. Les Mills is a large firm that has privately owned companies headquarters in Auckland only which are valued at $1 30 million.Les Mills believes that by 2020 they will open a further of 10 gyms in Auckland (cited Mills). The health and fitness market has been described as blandly premium as there is little deffirentiation between service offerings, indicating that there is opportunity for competitive advantage to be achieved through quality. In order to open a new franchise sufficient funds must be available. Competition exist with a newly opened Les Mills Britomart, which was set up with a total cost of $10 million dollars. Margins are very slim for smaller gyms, so would need to be a large player to be successful.