Shastars and Dasvandh

Can dasvandh be used for shastars? and if so why/ details?

If you are buying shasters for sangat then yes if you are buying for
yourself then no. After Guru Arjan DEv Jis Shaheedi , Guru Hargobind
Sahib told sangat that instead of giving money as dasvand they should
give weapons and horses. So it is evident from history that dasvand
has been in other forms besides currency.

so how would one give these shastars to sangat

Shasters are usually given to Abhilakhees during Amrit Sanchar, or they are
given for the purpose of Dharma Morcha as was the case during Sri Guru Hargobind
Sahib times throughout Dasmi Paathshaas time, and onwards.

Also, I forgot to add one can also give shasters to Gatka Akaharas who are learning
Shaster Vidya.

Awhile back aVeer Ji from the UK was mentioning
to me that there is a family of sword makers whos ancestors were the main weapon producers
during Dasmi Paatshahs time. Unfortunately, this family does not get much business these days. One because
there is a scarcity of Sikhs in the area they live , secondly many people prefer to buy the
cheap generic factory made weapons made by machine or poor craftsmanship.
I noticed that the Sri Sahibs that come from India are much more dull, weak and impractical compare
to the high class swords coming from Japan. The reason being the sword makers in Japan
get much more support locally and internationally then the swords makers in India. I dont know
much info. about this family in India perhaps you can PM me for more info.

Thats a good idea singh Let's see if fremont kids need any more shastars

Tarun Singh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thats a good idea singh Let's see if fremont
> kids need any more shastars


I think its good to support local sangat , but bear in mind
Fremont Sangat is full of resources. Fremont Sangat is one of the
wealthiest sangats since they are close to silicon valley. However, Punjab on the
other hand it not so rich in resources.
In Punjab, many of the youth have taken up Gatka,
and through the discipline of Gatka they have given up intoxicants. Some have
even taken AMrit. If people who teach Shaster Vidya were better funded they
would be more effective in doing GUrmat Parchar. Tarna Dal ( HarianVela)
is a well respected institution which goes to different villages and does parchar of Gurmat.

sukhdeep singh, can you hit me up with info about that family? kids at fremont die over just having darshan of quality shastar, perhaps we can get some nice ones made to wear with bana

same here.... can u give me more info on this family...? perferably their phone number...

Please PM me for details.

Thanks to "Nirmata" for providing the following information.

source: SikhWiki

Sikligars Sikhs were the lohars (ironsmiths/blacksmiths) who once specialized in the craft of making and polishing weapons. Once more commonly known as Gaddilohars the term Sikligar was bestowed on these men who fashioned iron by Guru Gobind Singh who turned Lohgarh (the Iron fort at Anandpur Sahib) into the Sikh Armoury. The word is derived from the Persian - saqi/sakli, lit. polishing, furnishing, making bright (a sword), the term saqlgar means a polisher of swords. In medieval India, Sikligars were in great demand for manufacturing spears, swords, shields and arrows. What the world knows as Damascus steel, used in making some of the finest swords known to man, was manufactured by Indian lohars and shipped to Damacus as layered iron pellets.

Recently a piece of Gold embellished steel armour decorated with Sikh Bani (Hinted to be posibly once owned by Guru Gobind Singh) was made of this type of steel, which in India was called watered steel as its surface reminds one of flowing water. A lohar by the name of Ram Chand, initiated as a Sikh by Guru Gobind Singh, became Ram Singh the first Sikligar Sikh. Though not one of the Panj Piares he was with the Panj Piaras and Guru Gobind Singh fighting in the battle of Chamkaur and accompanied the Guru out of the fort in the night.

But now adays this is their condition:


The advent of modern weapons and industrial technology has hit the Sikligars hard economically. Engaged in the pursuit of an obsolete occupation, they are now a poor and backward people forming one of the scheduled castes as defined under the Indian Constitution.

Also known as gaddilohars they roam about in small groups carrying their `meagre possessions on specially designed carts (gaddi, in north Indian dialects) making and selling small articles such as knives, sickles, betelnut cutters, sieves, locks, buckets and toys which they often manufacture from wastemetal. The influence of Sikhism is still clearly discernible in the dress and social customs of some of the Sikligars. The males, especially those of the older generation, wear their hair long. Their womenfolk wear salvar (loose trousers) and kamiz (shirt) like Punjabi women or lahinga (skirt) and choli (bodice) like Rajasthani women, but the use of dhoti and san is rare.

On the annual Takht ishnan (lit. bath ceremony) at the Takht Sahib, it is the special privilege of Sikligar Sikhs to clean and oil the old weapons preserved there as sacred relics.