Malerkotle Wale Pir Baba Ji

 Baba Hazrat Sheikh Malerkotla Wale

The Great Sufi Saint, Sheikh Sardarud-din Sader-e-Jahan (whom we know today as Baba Hazrat Sheikh; Baba Haider Sheikh & Malerkotle Wale Pir) was the son of Sheikh Ahmed Jinda Pir (the disciple of Hazrat Baha-ud-din Zakariya (R.A) & was a grandson of Shekh Ali Shahbaj Khan.

Sheikh Sardarud-din Sader-e-Jahan was born in Sherwan(in Pakistan) in 1434 & was popularly known as Sherwani Afghan. Sheikh Sardarud-din originated from Afghanistan and was the founder of Royal family of Malerkotla.

Sheikh Saddarud-din Sader-e-Jahan was spiritually inclined from his boyhood. Sheikh Sardarud-din Sader-e-Jahan got impressed from Hazrat Baha-ud-din Zakariya (R.A) and became his disciple. The full name of Hazrat Baha-ud-din Zakariya (R.A) was Al- Sheikh Al-Kabir Sheikh-ul-Islam Baha-ud-Din Abu Muhammad Zakaria Al-Qureshi Al-Asadi Al Hashmi. Hazrat Baha-ud-din Zakariya (R.A) was a Sufi of Suhrawardiyya order & a close friend of Great Sufi Baba Sheikh Farid who was deeply involved in spreading Islam in Multan. Sheikh Baha-ud-Din Zakariya (R.A) known as Bahawal Haq was born at Kot Kehror, a town of Layyah District near Multan, around 1170. For 15 years he went from place to place to preach Islam and after his wanderings Bahawal Haq settled in Multan in 1222. He left heavenly abode in 1267.

Both oral and written histories of Malerkotla usually begin with the arrival of the Sufi Sheikh, Sheikh Sadruddin Sader-e-Jahan. In a history of the dynasty written by Iftikhar Ali Khan, the last Nawab of Malerkotla, the Sheikh is described as a Sherwani Afghan from Khurasan, "a very pious man of much celebrity in his time." Baba Hazrat Sheikh; Baba Haider Sheikh, as he is popularly known, was sent to the region from Multan by his spiritual preceptor. In 1449 Baba Hazrat Sheikh settled on the bank of a Satluj river (Bhumsi) to engage in religious devotions.

In 1451 One night, Sultan Bahlol Lodhi camped at Maler on his way to conquer Delhi. It was a stormy night and the only lamp aflame was in the hut on the mound. Bahlol went to meet the man whose lamp the harsh winds could not extinguish. Sheikh Sardarud-din welcomed Bahlol into his hut and prophesied that Delhi would indeed be his. When Bahlol accomplished his mission (after conquering Delhi) the Sultan returned and in 1454 married his daughter Taj Murassa Begum to Sheikh Sardarud-din, and gave her a number of villages in the region as a marriage portion. The Sheikh and his Afghan wife had two children–a daughter, Bibi Mangi, and a son, Hassan. In 1458, Sheikh Sardarud-din also married the daughter of Rai Bahram Bhatti, the Rajput ruler of Kapurthala, a nearby principality, and had two more sons, 'Isa and Musa'.

The Sheikh left heavenly abode on 14 Ramadan, 922hijri/1515 C.E. He was buried at the same place where he always used to pray. Other family members of the family were also buried near the Mazaar of Sheikh Sardarud-din. According to a history written by Iftikhar Ali Khan, the last Nawab of the kingdom; Bayzid Khan (Six Generation of Baba Hazrat Sheikh) was responsible for the building of the tomb shrine for their forebear Baba Hazrat Sheikh.

One of the Historic Incidents of Sher Mohamad Khan (Nawab of Malerkotla), Heir (Waris) of Sheikh Sardarud-din is described as the rare occurrence, dates back to 1705, when Sahibzada Fateh Singh and Sahibzada Zorawar Singh, 9 and 7 year old sons of 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, were ordered to be bricked alive by the governor of Sirhind, Wazir Khan. Then the nawab of Malerkotla, Sher Mohammed Khan, who was present in the court, lodged vehement protest against this inhuman act and said it is against the glorious tenets of Quran and Islam. Then after this great act of Sher Mohamad Khan was named as "Ha Da Naara- Cry For Justice". Wazir Khan never the less had the Sahibzadas tortured and bricked into a section of wall while still alive. At this the noble Nawab of Malerkotla walked out of the court in protest. Guru Gobind Singh on learning this kind and humanitarian approach profusely thanked the Nawab of Malerkotla and blessed him with his Hukamnama, Kirpan etc.

From last many years many festivals are celebrated at Tomb Shrine of Baba Hazrat Sheikh. On first Thursday of every month there is small or big religious gathering but the most famous and big fair at Tomb shrine is in May-June (Popularly Known as Jeth & Hadd Chaunkis, Thursday) when Millions of people across India gather and pray at Holy Shrine. During his entire life Baba Hazrat Sheikh not only preached to Muslims but also to all the people belonging to other religions. That is the reason people belonging to many religions like Hindus, Sikhs reach in millions and pray at Holy Sufi Shrine of Baba Hazrat Sheikh. The Gate of Holy Sufi Shrine is never locked and pilgrims can go at any time (24 Hours) and take the blessings of Baba Hazrat Sheikh. Pilgrims pay tribute to Baba Hazrat Sheikh by offering cloth Sheets (Chader), Prasad (Sweet Rice, Batase & Gulgule).

Lakh Data Pir Baba Ji

Hazrat Sakhi Sarwar Syed Ahmed Sultan

  

Syed Ahmad Sultan (سیداحمدسلطان), also known as Sakhi Sarwar, Lakh Data, Nigah wala Pir and Lalan Wali Sarkar, was the son of Hazrat Syed Zain ul Abiden, who migrated from Baghdad and settled in Shahkot, near Multan in 1126 A.D., which is now called Sarwar Shahkot. The Holy shrine of Hazrat Zainul Abiden is in Sarwar Shahkot with the tomb of his second wife Hazrat Bibi Aysha, the mother of Hazrat Sakhi Sarwar and Abdul Ghani . 

His first wife is Bibi Aimna, the mother of Hazrat Sultan Qaisar(Tomb in Bukhara), Hazrat Syed Mahmood(Tomb in Sarwar Shahkot), Hazrat Syed Sairra (Tomb in Bukhara). He studied from Syed Muhammad Ishaq, known as Miran Badshah who came from Iran and settled in Lahore during the time of the Tughlaq dynasty and is buried in the courtyard of Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore. Syed Ahmed later went to Dhaunkal, Wazirabad.

From Dhounkal, Sakhi Sarwar came to Dera Ghazi Khan and settled in Nagaha, now named after him, Sakhi Sarwar. His shrine was built in Sulaiman Mountains, 35 kilometres (22 mi) from Dera Ghazi Khan city in Pakistan. It is located in a small village named Muqam.

Tomb of Sakhi Sarwar

The tomb of Hazrat Sakhi Sarwar was built in the 13th century in Sulaiman Mountains, 35 kilometres from Dera Ghazi Khan city. It is located in a small village named Muqam. Later, Mughal king Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur amended his tomb. It is a unique building of Mughal architecture. Thousands of people from all over the Subcontinent come here on the Annual Celebrations of Birth of Sakhi Sarwar in March every year.

Sangh Mela, is a Vaisakhi fair during March and April, is celebrated in Sakhi Sarwar by people coming from Jhang and Faisalabad since centuries. This festival is celebrated by Hindus and Muslims especially at the time of wheat harvesting and at some places it is called as Basant. Throughout history, a large number of followers coming from different religions became the followers of Sakhi Sarwar. Max Arthur Macauliffe, a colonial office appointed in Punjab, observed in 1875 that not only Muslims but Hindus also visited the shrine. In the 1911 census of India, 79,085 Sikhs reported to be the follower of Sakhi Sarwar. The annual Dhaunkal fair in Wazirabad, Jhanda fair in Peshawar and Kadmon fair in Anarkali, Lahore are also connected with Sakhi Sarwar. Many villages in Punjab, India have shrines of Sakhi Sarwar who is more popularly referred to as Lakha Data Pir.

Yoghurt Vs. Curd

What Is Difference between Yoghurt and Curd?

Key difference: Yoghurt and curd are two different types of dairy products. These two are two different forms of milk that are created by fermenting milk in some way. Yogurt is a diary product that is created by fermenting milk using bacteria. The bacteria that is used to ferment milk is known as ‘yogurt cultures’. Curd is a dairy product obtained by curdling with an edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar, and then draining off the liquid portion.

Yoghurt and curd are two different types of dairy products. These two are two different forms of milk that are created by fermenting milk in some way. Yoghurt and curd play an important part in cooking and diet in many different cultures around the world. These are completely different from each other in almost every aspect.

Yogurt is a diary product that is created by fermenting milk using bacteria. The bacteria that is used to ferment milk is known as ‘yogurt cultures’. The bacteria ferment the lactose in the milk causing it to produce lactic acid, which gives yogurt is tangy and acidic taste. Yogurt has been dated back to India and Iran circa 500 B.C. In India, yogurt and honey are known as "the food of the gods" and are a part of festivals and offerings. The word ‘yogurt’ is derived from the Turkish word, ‘yoğurt’, which means “to curdle or coagulated; to thicken” Yogurt is also spelled in various other ways such as yoghurt, yoghourt, yogourt, yaghourt, yahourth, yoghurd, joghourt, and jogourt.

Yogurt is most commonly created using cow’s milk; however it can also be created using water buffalo, goats, ewes, mares, camels, and yaks. In order to create yogurt, bacteria such as Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus bacteria culture are used. To create yogurt, the milk is first heated to about 80 °C in order to kill any additional bacteria that may be present and to denature milk proteins. The milk is then left to cool to around 45 °C, the bacteria is then added (when bacteria is not present, a spoonful of yogurt will also do the trick), the milk is then left to ferment at room temperature. The yogurt can be consumed raw, or flavored with sugar, salt, spices and any other flavors.

Yogurt is also very healthy as a part of daily diet. It is a good source of calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin-vitamin B2, iodine, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid-vitamin B5, zinc, potassium, protein and molybdenum. Yogurt is also high in probiotics that can help a person live longer. The bacteria can also help boost the immune system. People who have allergies to dairy products are advised to consume yogurt as it does not produce the allergy that is caused by lactose. Yogurt is also a good option for people who suffer from stomach ailments, such as diarrhea. Consumption of low-fat yogurt can also aid in weight loss.

Curds are another type of dairy product. Curds are made by curdling or coagulating the milk. This can be done by mixing edible acidic substances in to the milk, such as lemon juice or vinegar. Introducing these substance to the milk, will allow the milk to curdle and separate into two parts. The liquid part is the whey and the milk solids will be the curds. The whey contains the whey proteins of the milk, whereas the curds are the milk proteins or casein. Sometimes old milk might sour and separate without the added acidic substances.

Once the curds are separated, they may be eaten as is, or flavored with sugar, salt, spices and any other flavors, or it may be further processed into cottage cheese, quark and /or Indian paneer.

Curds can be made from cow, water buffalo, sheep/ewe, yak, reindeer, llama, camel, and goat's milk. A type of curd in Spain is made from ewe's milk.

Curd is nutritious. According to Livestrong, “Four ounces of fresh cottage cheese or curd contains: 111 calories; 13 g protein, 5 g fat and 3 g carbohydrate in the form of lactose. It also contains measurable amounts of vitamins A, E and K; thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, folate and vitamin B12. It also contains calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, fluoride and selenium, as well as saturated fats, and oleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fat.” Curds also have a healthy content of probiotics.

However, some claim that curds have a high content of protein, which may acidity the blood. In order to nullify this acid, the body seeps calcium from the bones and releases it into the blood. Over time and excessive acid in the blood may increase chances of osteoporosis.

In South Asia, the term curd refers to yogurt. Sometimes the term may even refer to non dairy products that appear to have a texture similar to the dairy curd. These include curds made from soy milk, as well as curdled eggs, bean curds and lemon curds.

Art Vs. Craft

What is the difference between Art and Craft? 

Key Difference: Art requires skill to create works that have a more aesthetic and decorative purpose. Crafts are objects that have an aesthetic purpose as well as a functional purpose.

Arts and crafts are terms that are almost always used synonymously in today’s world. The lines between the two words have been significantly blurred to the point where both are interchangeable. Arts and crafts combined include creative activities that require skill and an imagination. Crafts are considered as type of art, while art encompasses anything that has to with creative and artistic activities. However, if one looks at the strict definition of both art and craft, they differ from each other in the traditional sense.

Art is a term that is used to refer to a diverse range of activities that require artistic abilities, imagination and unique perspective. This requires an artist to look at the world in a different way from other people. Any person that has the ability, skill and vision can be called an artist. Though in the ancient times, the word artist was limited to visual arts such as paintings, sculpting, printmaking and photography, these days the word arts have been expanded to include graffiti, cooking, designing, sewing, acting, dancing and almost everything. Until the 17^th century, art referred to, “any skill or mastery and was not differentiated from crafts or sciences.” Art is usually noted as decorative art, which only serves an aesthetic purpose not a utilitarian purpose.

However, the definition of what art is blurs when it comes to architecture as it falls in visual arts, but serves a purpose and is useful. Art requires a person to be creative, imaginative, expressive and show technical skill. A piece of art is expected stimulate a person’s feelings and is free for individual interpretation depending upon the person. The word art is used to refer to many things including a study of creative skill, a process of using the creative skill, a product of the creative skill, or the audience's experience with the creative skill. The definition of art is under constant debate and is constantly changing to adapt to the new forms of art that are rising. Another type of art in addition to visual arts is creative arts which includes decorative arts, plastic arts, performing arts, or literature.

Craft is a profession that requires skilled work. According to the definition set by institutions, craft should serve two purposes: decorative as well as functional. Historically, this term was used to refer to people that part-take in a small-scale production of goods that could be used for functional purposes. Craftsmen were those people would make objects using straw or would weave clothing or rugs. These people would form a guild and travel from towns to cities in order to sell their goods for a profit. Craft includes objects such as ceramic pottery, glass, fiber, metal works and jewelry as they serve both an aesthetic purpose as well as functional purpose.

Crafting required a higher level of education in the particular craft, with the business being passed down generation to generation in families. In order to become a craftsman, a person would require to first go through extensive study of the material and then complete an internship under a craftsman with a similar trade, following which he could then become a part of the guild and be able to sell or exchange goods or he could travel by himself and create his own shop. Craft is described as being something between an art (which relies on talent and skill) and a science (which relies on knowledge). The definition of craft also changes depending on new and upcoming skills. The definition of craft has also been expanded to include graphic and package.