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Summer is just around the corner, and what better way to beat the heat than by taking a refreshing dip in your very own swimming pool? Not only do pools provide an escape from the scorching sun, but they also offer numerous health benefits for you and your family. From physical fitness to mental well-being, investing in a swimming pool can bring happiness and relaxation into your daily routine. In this blog post, we'll explore why owning a pool is worth it for both your health and overall enjoyment of life. Plus, we'll give you tips on how to choose the right pool for your family's needs and how to maintain it properly. Let's dive in.

Benefits of Swimming Pools

Swimming pools offer a wide range of benefits to both adults and children, making them an excellent investment for your overall health and well-being. For starters, swimming is an effective form of exercise that can help improve cardiovascular health, muscle strength, and endurance. Not only does it work out the entire body without putting too much strain on any one area or joint, but it's also low-impact and easy on the joints. Owning a pool is also an excellent way to encourage family time together while enjoying some fresh air in the comfort of your backyard. Kids love playing in the water with parents or friends while parents appreciate being able to keep an eye on their kids at all times. Having access to your own personal pool means you don't have to deal with crowded public areas where social distancing may be challenging during peak season - giving you peace of mind when it comes to safety concerns!

1. Health Benefits of Swimming

Swimming is one of the most effective and low-impact exercises that can improve overall health and wellness. It's an excellent way to maintain cardiovascular fitness, tone muscles, and increase endurance without putting too much pressure on your joints. One of the main health benefits of swimming is that it can help reduce stress levels by promoting relaxation throughout the body. The repetitive motion of swimming combined with deep breathing techniques helps lower cortisol levels, which in turn decreases stress hormones in our bodies. In addition to reducing stress, swimming also helps decrease blood pressure levels. This is because regular exercise strengthens the heart muscle, allowing it to pump more efficiently while lowering resistance within our arteries. Swimming is a great form of exercise for those who suffer from joint pain or injuries as it doesn't put excessive strain on your joints compared to other high-impact activities such as running or weightlifting. Additionally, studies have shown that consistent swimming can help alleviate chronic pain symptoms associated with conditions like arthritis. Incorporating swimming into your weekly routine provides numerous physical and mental benefits for individuals at any age or fitness level.

2. Mental Health Benefits of Swimming

Swimming is not only good for physical health, but it also has many mental health benefits. One of the most significant benefits is that swimming can reduce stress and anxiety levels. When we swim, our body releases endorphins which are natural feel-good chemicals that help to alleviate stress and promote relaxation. Additionally, swimming can also improve cognitive function as it requires a great deal of focus and coordination. By practicing these skills in the pool on a regular basis, individuals may see improvements in their overall mental clarity and ability to concentrate. Moreover, swimming can be an excellent way to boost self-confidence. Learning how to swim or improving upon existing skills can provide a sense of accomplishment and pride. This increased confidence can translate into other areas of life outside of the pool. Swimming provides an opportunity for socialization which is important for maintaining good mental health. Joining a local swim club or taking lessons with friends or family members allows individuals to connect with others who share similar interests while getting exercise at the same time.

3. Financial Benefits of Owning a Pool

Owning a swimming pool can be a significant investment, but it also comes with financial benefits. Firstly, having your own pool means you don't have to pay for expensive memberships or admission fees at public pools. Over time, these cost savings can add up and make owning a pool more economical in the long run. Another financial benefit of owning a swimming pool is that it can increase your property value. A well-maintained and attractive pool area adds appeal to your home, making it more desirable for potential buyers if you were ever to sell your property. Moreover, when compared to other outdoor entertainment options such as trips to water parks or theme parks which can be quite costly, especially during peak seasons; having access right in one's backyard is not only convenient but also provides cheaper alternatives that could last through several summers of fun.
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How to Choose the Right Pool for Your Family

Choosing the right pool for your family is an important decision that requires careful consideration. The first thing to think about is the size of your backyard and how much space you have available for a pool. You will also want to consider what type of pool best suits your needs, such as an in-ground or above-ground pool. Another factor to consider when choosing the right pool for your family is the style and design of the pool itself. There are many different styles and designs to choose from, so it's important to pick one that fits with your overall aesthetic preferences. You'll also want to think about any additional features or accessories you might want to include with your new swimming pool, such as lighting, waterfalls, slides, or diving boards. These can add both functionality and entertainment value to your new investment. When selecting a skimmer-based pool builder or swimming pool manufacturer in Hyderabad or India-wide, make sure they provide warranties on their products and services. This ensures that any potential issues with installation or maintenance will be covered by these guarantees. Take some time when considering which type of swimming pool would be best suited for you and invest accordingly - this could ultimately result in a lifetime of happy memories spent around this fun-filled addition!

Tips for Maintaining and Caring for Your Pool

Maintaining and caring for your swimming pool is essential to ensure it lasts for years and continues to provide you with a safe and enjoyable experience. Here are some tips: 1. Keep the water chemistry balanced: Regularly check the pH level, chlorine levels, alkalinity, and calcium hardness of your pool. Maintaining proper chemical balance will prevent algae growth, keep the water clear, and maintain equipment longevity. 2. Clean the Pool Regularly: Skim debris off the surface of your pool regularly using a skimmer net or automatic cleaner. Brush walls and tiles weekly to remove dirt buildup that can cause stains. 3. Check Your Equipment: Inspect all equipment frequently including filters, pumps, heaters, etc., for leaks or damage so they don’t cost extra money on repairs later. 4.Regular Maintenance Schedule: Set up a regular maintenance schedule to perform routine checks like backwashing filter sand once every month or two depending upon usage patterns 5.Cover Up: Consider investing in a cover when not using your pool as this prevents leaves from falling inside while also reducing evaporation during hotter months thus saving precious water By following these simple steps regularly - you can enjoy crystal-clear waters without any problems.
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Conclusion

Investing in a swimming pool is undoubtedly worth it for you and your family's health and happiness. Apart from being an excellent source of exercise, swimming also offers significant mental health benefits that can help reduce stress levels. When choosing the right pool for your family, consider factors such as space availability, budget, safety features, maintenance requirements, and style preferences. Make sure to select a reputable manufacturer with experience in building high-quality pools that meet industry standards. Aakar Pools is Best Swimming Pool Builder in India that provides all types of pools in overall India at an affordable price.

Disclaimer: The point of these stories is to uncover missed and hidden tales that many new generation Canadians are unaware of and overlook. The storied histories of people, ethnicities, neighborhoods are never told and for good reason. The information presented will be sourced and open to full discussion. This 3 Part series will uncover The Indus Connection - The Bind that Punjab (Informally Khalistan), India and Sri Lanka have to the Canadian Government, RCMP & CSIS. I've done my best to piece the significant information together in a timeline that allows the reader to understand these events clearer. (Information is cited; avoiding going full in depth)
Kesur Singh was a Sikh officer of the 5th Cavalry who represented his regiment at Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee celebrations in London in 1897. This photo of him featured in The Navy and Army Illustrated of 10th Dec 1897. The description says 'He has on many occasions earned the praise of his superiors. He wears the medal and clasp for the Jowaki Expedition of 1877-78 and the medal with two clasps for Afghanistan (1878-80) where he was specially commended for devotion and courage on several occasions, and received the Order of Merit, and a special certificate from lord Roberts for his work at Sherpur.

Kesur Singh & The First Sikh Canadian Settlers in Canada - Ties to the British Raj & How the Queen Elizabeth II Awarded him for his Valor in the British Indian Cavalry (1897)

Kesur Singh, a Risaldar Major in the British India Army, is credited with being the first Sikh settler in Canada. He was amongst a group of Sikh officers who arrived in Vancouver on board Empress of India in 1897. They were on the way to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Sikhs found employment in laying the tracks of the Canadian Pacific Railway, in lumber mills and mines. Though they earned less than white workers, they made enough money to send some of it to India and make it possible for their relatives to immigrate to Canada.
Indian Cavalry Passing the House of Parliament for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee (1897)
A notable moment in early Sikh history in Canada was in 1902 when settlers first arrived in Golden, British Columbia to work at the Columbia River Lumber Company. This was a theme amongst most early Punjabi Sikh settlers in Canada to find work in the agricultural and forestry sectors in British Columbia. Punjabi Sikhs became a prominent ethnic group within the sawmill workforce in British Columbia almost immediately after initial arrival to Canada.
Punjabi Sikhs in Whitehorse, Yukon (April,1906)
The early settlers in Golden built the first Gurdwara (Sikh Temple) in Canada and North America in 1905, which would later be destroyed by fire in 1926. The second Gurdwara to be built in Canada was in 1908 in Kitsilano (Vancouver), aimed at serving a growing number of Punjabi Sikh settlers who worked at nearby sawmills along False Creek at the time. The Gurdwara would later close and be demolished in 1970, with the temple society relocating to the newly built Gurdwara on Ross Street, in South Vancouver.
As a result, the oldest existing Gurdwara in Canada today is the Gur Sikh Temple, located in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Built in 1911, the temple was designated as a national historic site of Canada in 2002 and is the third-oldest Gurdwara in the country. Later, the fourth Gurdwara to be built Canada was established in 1912 in Victoria on Topaz Avenue, while the fifth soon was built at the Fraser Mills (Coquitlam) settlement in 1913, followed a few years later by the sixth at the Queensborough (New Westminster) settlement in 1919, and the seventh at the Paldi (Vancouver Island) settlement, also in 1919.
Early Sikh pioneers also settled in the Abbotsford area in 1905 and originally worked on farms and in the lumber industry. By 1906, there were about 1,500 Sikh workers living in Canada, among about 5,000 East Indians in total. Although most of the immigrants from South Asia at the time were Sikhs, local ignorance of Eastern religions led to them frequently being assumed to be Hindus. About 90% of these Sikhs lived in British Columbia. While Canadian politicians, missionaries, unions and the press were opposed to Asian workers. British Columbia industrialists were short of labor and thus Sikhs were able to get an early foothold at the turn of the 20th century in British Columbia.
As with the large numbers of Chinese workers already present in Canada, many white workers resented those immigrants and directed their ill-will toward the Sikhs, who were easily recognized by their beards and turbans. Punjabis were accused of having a caste system, an idea that goes against the foundations of Sikhism. They were portrayed as being riddled with trachoma and as being unclean in general. To strengthen these racist characterizations, a song called White Canada Forever was created. All this eventually led to a boat of Sikhs arriving in Vancouver being sent to Victoria. In 1907, the year that Buckam Singh came to British Columbia from Punjab at the age of fourteen, Punjabis were forced to avoid the Anti-Oriental Riots of 1907 by staying indoors.
Punjabi & Canadian Boy Drinking Soda (1972)
Most of the Sikhs in Canada in 1907 were retired British army veterans and their families. These Punjabis had proved themselves as loyal soldiers in the British colonies in Asia and Africa. However, the Canadian Government did not prevent the use of the illegal scare tactics being used to monitor immigration and prevent Sikhs from seeking employment, and this soon resulted in the cessation of all Indian immigration to Canada. The Canadian Prime Minister, Sir Wilfrid Laurier claimed that Indians were unsuited to life in the Canadian climate. However, in a letter to the viceroy, The Earl of Minto, Sir Wilfred voiced a different opinion, stating that the Chinese were the least adaptable to Canadian ways, whereas Sikhs, which he mistakenly referred to as Hindus, were the most adaptable. This sentiment changed after Buckam Singh's role in World War 1, which enabled more Sikhs to migrate to Canada.
Takeaways During this Period:

1. The Immigration Act, 1910 came under scrutiny when a party of 39 Indians, mostly Sikhs, arriving on a Japanese ship, the Komagata Maru, succeeded in obtaining habeas corpus against the immigration department's order of deportation. The Canadian Government then passed a law intended to keep labourers and artisans, whether skilled or unskilled, out of Canada by preventing them from landing at any dock in British Columbia. As Canadian immigration became stricter, more Indians, most of them Sikhs, travelled south to the United States of America.
2. The Komagata Maru Incident involved the Japanese steamship Komagata Maru, on which a group of people from British India attempted to immigrate to Canada in April 1914, but most were denied entry and forced to return to Budge Budge, Calcutta (present-day Kolkata). There, the Indian Imperial Police attempted to arrest the group leaders. A riot ensued, and they were fired upon by the police, resulting in the deaths of 22 people.
3. Buckam Singh - Buckam Singh enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the spring of 1915. Buckam Singh was one of the earliest known Sikhs living in Ontario at the time as well as one of only 9 Sikhs known to have served with Canadian troops in the First World War. Private Buckam Singh served with the 20th Canadian Infantry Battalion in the battlefields of Flanders during 1916. Here, Buckam Singh was wounded twice in battle and later received treatment at a hospital run by one of Canada's most famous soldier poets the Doctor Lt. Colonel John McCrae. While recovering from his wounds in England, Private Buckam Singh contracted tuberculosis and spent his final days in a Kitchener, Ontario military hospital, dying at age 25 in 1919. His grave in Kitchener is the only known First World War Sikh Canadian soldier's grave in Canada. Despite being forgotten for ninety years and never getting to see his family again, Buckam Singh is now being celebrated as not only a Sikh hero, but a Canadian hero.

Legacy of Buckam Singh (1972)

The Events Leading Up To an Independent Punjab State Precursor to Operation Bluestar - Post Independence Period of India (1956)

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Punjabi Suba Speeches (1956)
The Punjabi Suba Movement After Independence from British Rule (1956)
The Punjabi Suba movement was a long-drawn political agitation, launched by Punjabi speaking people (mostly Sikhs) demanding the creation of autonomous Punjabi Suba, or Punjabi-speaking state, in the post-independence Indian state of East Punjab. The movement is defined as the forerunner of Khalistan movement.
Borrowing from the pre-partition demands for a Sikh country, this movement demanded a fundamental constitutional autonomous state within India. Led by the Akali Dal (a centre-right Sikh-centric state political party in Punjab, India. The party is the second-oldest in India, after Congress, being founded in 1920.), it resulted in the formation of the state of Punjab. The state of Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh were also created and some Pahari-majority parts of the East Punjab were also merged with Himachal Pradesh following the movement. The result of the movement failed to satisfy its leaders due to regions in Northern Haryana with Punjabi speaking and Sikh populations like Jind, Karnal, Ambala, Fatehabad and Sirsa being left out of Punjab. Many Sikh leaders saw this as falling short of the promise of a fully autonomous Sikh State that they felt was promised to them by Nehru and Gandhi in exchange for joining the Indian Union.
In the 1950s the Punjabi Suba movement for linguistic reorganization of the state of Punjab and status for the Punjabi language took place, which the government finally agreed to in 1966 after protests and recommendation of the States Reorganization commission. The state of East Punjab was later split into the states of Himachal Pradesh, the new state Haryana and current day Punjab.
The process of Sikh alienation from the national mainstream was set in motion shortly after Independence due to the communalism of national and regional parties and organization including the RSS, Jan Sangh, and the Arya Samaj, exacerbated by Congress mishandling and local politicians and factions. According to Indian general Afsir Karim, many observers believed that separatist sentiments began in 1951 when Punjabi Hindus disowned the Punjabi language under the influence of radical elements, and "doubts on the concepts of a Punjabi Suba" created mutual suspicion, bitterness, and further misunderstanding between the two communities. The 1966 reorganization left the Sikhs highly dissatisfied, with the unresolved status of Chandigarh and the distribution of river waters intensifying bitter feelings.
While the Green Revolution in Punjab had several positive impacts, the introduction of the mechanized agricultural techniques led to uneven distribution of wealth. The industrial development was not done at the same pace of agricultural development, the Indian government had been reluctant to set up heavy industries in Punjab due to its status as a high-risk border state with Pakistan. The rapid increase in the higher education opportunities without adequate rise in the jobs resulted in the increase in the unemployment of educated youth. The resulting unemployed rural Sikh youth were drawn to the militant groups, and formed the backbone of the militancy.
After being routed in 1972 Punjab election, the Akali Dal put forward the Anandpur Sahib Resolution in 1973 to address these and other grievances, and demand more autonomy to Punjab. The resolution included both religious and political issues. It asked for recognizing Sikhism as a religion It also demanded that power be generally devaluated from the Central to state governments. The Anandpur Resolution was rejected by the government as a secessionist document. Thousands of people joined the movement, feeling that it represented a real solution to demands such as a larger share of water for irrigation and the return of Chandigarh to Punjab.
The 1978 Sikh-Nirankari clashes had been within the Sikh community, but the pro-Sant Nirankari stance of some Hindus in Punjab and Delhi had led to further division, including Jan Sangh members like Harbans Lal Khanna joining the fray, who, in a protest against holy city status for Amritsar, raising inflammatory slogans like "Kachha, kara, kirpan, bhejo inko Pakistan" ("those who wear the 5Ks (Sikhs), send them to Pakistan"), led to aggressive counter demonstrations.

Prime Minister of Canada, Pierre Elliot Trudeau Visits India; Prime Minister of India, Indira Ghandi Visits Canada - The India-Canada Bonds Stay in Tact (1971)

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Indira Gandhi of India and Pierre Trudeau of Canada-walk through the lobby of the new $3 million Shaw festival Theatre at Niagar-on-the-Lake last night during intermission. After the play; Mrs. Gandhi joined Trudeau and his wife; Margaret; on state for presentation of a plaque.
Prime minister Pierre Trudeau touched down in India. For five days in January, 1971, Pierre Elliott Trudeau toured the country, rode a camel, petted a bullock, went up the Ganges and into a locomotive factory, visited the tombs of Indian notables, saw the Taj Mahal and wore a hat that would have made a Rajput proud. He then sat down with the emerging, redoubtable Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to discuss the state of the world and the sorry state of Canada’s economic relationship with India. Even nuclear weapons were discussed in 1971 with the Canadian prime minister in a press conference opining “there is no expressed desire on (the Indian) part to explode such a (nuclear) device nor I believe the technological ability to do so.” Three years later, in May 1974, the Indians did explode such a device – cheekily codenamed Smiling Buddha – in the Rajasthan desert, using plutonium from the research reactor Canada had built for it in 1956 for peaceful purposes. The bilateral relationship dropped into a diplomatic pit with every leader since expressing sorrowful but hopeful words that things would improve.
The one issue not on Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s agenda was anything to do with the Punjab and Sikhs. At the time, both were good news stories. The Punjab, home to most Sikhs, was the centre of an agricultural Green Revolution with new strains of wheat moving India from a food-deficient country to one of self sufficiency, with exports contemplated. Economically, Sikhs were the main beneficiaries and their biggest political problem was whether or not their beards met the requirements of flying fighter jets for the Indian Air Force. The emergence of India as a legitimate and serious geopolitical counterweight to China, not only in Asia but globally, has dramatically changed the bilateral agenda. Over the years, very little energy was expended by either India or Canada to put the relationship on a footing reflective of this changed status. There have been large and small bumps on that road since. Sikhs have been a significant part of the Canadian mosaic since the late 19th century. Their numbers increased dramatically with the mid-1970s changes to the Immigration Act and today they represent close to half of the 1.2 million Canadians with ancestry from the subcontinent. Their wealth, energy and self-deprecating humour, along with a monotheistic theology, were dominant features and over time the use of Sardar and Sardarji became terms of appreciation for the community as a whole. Towards the end of European colonial dominance, they were a military mainstay of the British Raj. As one Indian researcher wrote, “the success-story of the Sikh community as a whole has taken the form of a deep-rooted anxiety in the collective minds of the non-Sikh majorities especially the Hindus of India.” The present prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, has achieved political success exploiting this and other anxieties alongside the promotion of Hindu ascendency.
IMPORTANT EXCERPT BY CSE AFTER AIR INDIA BOMBING (1985):India’s government knows more of what goes on in the Canadian Sikh community than the combined forces of the RCMP, CSIS and CSE. This was evident in the aftermath of the 1985 Air India bombings and it was rare if a visit by the Indian High Commissioner (he a Sikh) to the Department of Foreign Affairs did not provide details on some nefarious action within the community.

The Path to Operation Bluestar: How the Assassination of Indira Ghandi led to the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots (Black November)

Deceased Sikhs - Result of the Clashes
The Sikh-Nirankari clashes - Precursor to Operation Bluestar (1978)
The 1978 Sikh-Nirankari clash occurred between the Sant Nirankari Mission (An Indian backed Sikh Organization) and Sikhs of Damdami Taksal and Akal Kirtani Jatha on 13 April 1978 at Amritsar, Punjab, India. Sixteen people—thirteen traditional Sikhs and three Nirankari followers—were killed in the ensuing violence, occurring when some Akhand Kirtani Jatha and Damdami Taksal members led by Fauja Singh protested against and tried to stop a convention of Sant Nirankari Mission followers. This incident is considered to be a starting point in the events leading to Operation Blue Star and the 1980s insurgency in Punjab.
Operation Bluestar - Indhira Ghandi's Plot to Eliminate Akhan Kirtani Jatha & Damdami Taksal Leaders (1984)
Visual Depiction of Operation Bluestar (Preliminary Footage - AP News)
Operation Blue Star was an Indian military operation carried out between 1 and 8 June 1984, ordered by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to remove religious leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the buildings of the Harmandir Sahib complex in Amritsar, Punjab. In July 1983, the Sikh political party Akali Dal's President Harcharan Singh Longowal had invited Bhindranwale to take up residence in Golden Temple Complex. Bhindranwale later on made the sacred temple complex an armoury and headquarters. In the violent events leading up to the Operation Blue Star, the militants had killed 165 Nirankaris, Hindus and Nirankaris, even 39 Sikhs opposed to Bhindranwale were killed. The total number of deaths was 410 in violent incidents and riots while 1,180 people were injured.
Counterintelligence reports of the Indian agencies had reported that three prominent figures in the operation, Shabeg Singh, Balbir Singh and Amrik Singh had made at least six trips each to Pakistan between the years 1981 and 1983. Intelligence Bureau reported that weapons training was being provided at gurdwaras in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Soviet intelligence agency KGB reportedly tipped off the Indian agency RAW about the CIA and ISI working together on a Plan for Punjab with a code name "Gibraltar". RAW from its interrogation of a Pakistani Army officer received information that over a thousand trained Special Service Group commandos of the Pakistan Army had been dispatched by Pakistan into the Indian Punjab to assist Bhindranwale in his fight against the government. A large number of Pakistani agents also took the smuggling routes in the Kashmir and Kutch n for three days ending on 8 June. A clean-up operation codenamed as Operation Woodrose was also initiated throughout Punjab.
The army had underestimated the firepower possessed by the militants. Militants had Chinese made rocket-propelled grenade launchers with armor piercing capabilities. Tanks and heavy artillery were used to attack the militants using anti-tank and machine-gun fire from the heavily fortified Akal Takht. After a 24-hour firefight, the army finally wrested control of the temple complex. Casualty figures for the Army were 83 dead and 249 injured. According to the official estimate presented by the Indian government, 1592 were apprehended and there were 493 combined militant and civilian casualties. High civilian casualties were attributed by the state to militants using pilgrims trapped inside the temple as human shields. According to Indian army generals, it was "doubtful" that Bhindranwale had any assurance of help or promise of asylum from Pakistan, as he made no attempt to escape with any associates, in additions to traditions of martyrdom.
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale (Damdami Taksal Leader - Killed)

Assassination of Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi By Her Sikh Bodyguards (1984)

Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated at 9:30 a.m. on 31 October 1984 at her residence in Safdarjung Road, New Delhi. She was killed by her bodyguards. Satwant Singh and Beant Singh in the aftermath of Operation Blue Star, an Indian military action carried out between 1 and 8 June 1984 ordered by Indira Gandhi to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers from the Golden Temple of Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, Punjab. The collateral damage included the death of many pilgrims, as well as damage to the Akal Takht. The military action on the sacred temple was criticized both inside and outside India.
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The 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots (Sikh Genocide/Black November) in Response to Indian Prime Minister Indira Ghandi's Assasination - 17,000 Sikhs Dead [This Event Gave Rise to the Punjabi Insurgency Movement, Babar Khalsa & Flight Air India 182 Bombing in Canada]

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The 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots - Resulted in 17,000 Deceased Sikhs
The 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots, also known as the 1984 Sikh Genocide, 1984 Sikh Massacre or Black November, was a series of organized pogroms against Sikhs in India following the assassination of Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. Government estimates project that about 2,800 Sikhs were killed in Delhi and 3,350 nationwide, whilst independent sources estimate the number of deaths at about 8,000–17,000.
The assassination of Indira Gandhi itself had taken place shortly after she had ordered Operation Blue Star, a military action to secure the Harmandir Sahib Sikh temple complex in Amritsar, Punjab, in June 1984. The operation had resulted in a deadly battle with armed Sikh groups who were demanding greater rights and autonomy for Punjab and the deaths of many pilgrims. Sikhs worldwide had criticized the army action and many saw it as an assault on their religion and identity. In the aftermath of the pogroms, the government reported that 20,000 had fled the city; the People's Union for Civil Liberties reported "at least" 1,000 displaced persons. The most-affected regions were the Sikh neighborhoods of Delhi. Human rights organizations and newspapers across India believed that the massacre was organized. The collusion of political officials connected to the Indian National Congress in the violence and judicial failure to penalize the perpetrators alienated Sikhs and increased support for the Khalistan movement. The Akal Takht, Sikhism's governing body, considers the killings a genocide.
In 2011, Human Rights Watch reported that the Government of India had "yet to prosecute those responsible for the mass killings".According to the 2011 WikiLeaks cable leaks, the United States was convinced of Indian National Congress' complicity in the riots and called it "opportunism" and "hatred" by the Congress government, of Sikhs. Although the U.S. has not identified the riots as genocide, it acknowledged that "grave human rights violations" occurred. In 2011, the burned sites of multiple Sikh killings from 1984, were discovered in Hondh-Chillar and Pataudi areas of Haryana. The Central Bureau of Investigation, the main Indian investigative agency, believes that the violence was organized with support from the Delhi police and some central-government officials. After 34 years of delay, in December 2018, the first high-profile conviction for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots took place with the arrest of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court. Very few convictions have taken place in the pending 1984 cases, with only one death penalty conviction for an accused, Yashpal in the case of murdering Sikhs in the Mahipalpur area of Delhi.
To Be Continued in Indus Connection (Part 2 - Punjabi/Sikh History) - Flight Air India 182

SUMMARY OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON’S GOVERNORSHIP (1798-1800)
Cabinet
Attorney General: Charles Lee (1798-1800)
Secretary of Foreign Affairs: John Jay (1798-1800)
Secretary of Finance: Oliver Wolcott Jr. (1798-1800)
Secretary of War: James McHenry (1798-1800)
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Preparation
With the grand success of the National Party in the Assembly, Hamilton got to work with waging his war against France. Securing an alliance with Britain through the Treaty of London, America would soon find itself at war with France and its ally Spain.
Through a combination of France and Spain being stretched too thin to fight effectively, and America possessing a gargantuan military thanks to its levée en masse policy, the Gulf of Mexico was successfully blockaded, and the colonial forces starved. America would then conquer its way through Louisiana, Florida, and the Caribbean until it stood as a champion.
However, instead of making peace and consolidating the new territories, Hamilton had committed to a great gamble by, with the approval of the British, sending American troops directly to Europe to help put down the French Revolution for Good.
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Stability
The American Revolution was a revolution of intellectuals; elites coming together to organize an overthrow of British rule, guiding the people along the way. The end result was initially instability, under the mob rule provided by the Articles of Confederation, but when the new Constitution came into effect, stability came and America prospered. The same could not be said for France.
The French Revolution was a revolution of the mob; angry men coming out to vent themselves by storming buildings, ransacking cities, and plunging the nation into a sea of blood. Royals, nobles, religious figures, anyone suspected of being an opponent of the revolution was sent to the guillotine. It was one thing to throw off the shackles of tyranny; it was another thing altogether to frenziedly execute anyone associated with the old order.
Though the Jacobin Club had been dissolved long ago, its ideals have not. There are still many radicals in the world who continue to unwaveringly support such ideals even in the face of the French themselves rejecting it; the Committee of Public Safety had been overthrown many years ago in favor of the more moderate Directorate. Chief among these remaining Jacobins was Thomas Paine, the head of the Country Party’s radicals. It was one thing to be a Jacobin; it was another thing entirely to be a Hébertist like him.
With the damage done by Jacobinism as clear as day, Hamilton knew what he had to do. For the sake of not just America, for the sake of not just Europe, but for the sake of the world, the French Revolution had to be stamped out for good. McHenry was shortsighted. It was too risky to just indirectly assist the British. As Jay had prescribed, America had to go to Europe and take the fight directly to France’s shores.
This would be a watershed moment in American history; Alexander Hamilton, the first governor of the United States, had held the burden of every one of his actions setting a precedent for future governors to follow, yet none would be quite like this one. America was destined to be actively involved in the world, and for sure every governor following Hamilton would look back to him to deal with their foreign policy. God save America, for there was no turning back now.
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Outrage
Just as Charles Lee was about to strike at the heart of the Friendly Tribune and make an example of their leaders, Hamilton requested a meeting with him. Happy to finally be in contact with someone else in the executive branch, he complied and met with the governor.
Hamilton met with Lee regarding public order; sending troops abroad was highly unpopular. Even the newspapers which usually backed Hamilton even in his darkest times were questioning the wisdom of sending troops across the sea. What business would America have fighting in Europe? It made sense to punish the French and their allies in Madrid for their misdeeds and to seize their North American holdings, but there was no land to gain in Europe. The land there was not to colonize, for it was the homeland of colonizers.
Hamilton had a simple request for Lee: don’t let the newspapers know a thing about the war in Europe. If anything bad happened, even if it was small, the newspapers would go nuts over it, and the people would follow. Hamilton specifically requested that the Security Act be invoked as soon as any newspaper started speaking up, and that the use of National Marshals against such papers be liberal.
“The papers are your enemy, the papers are your enemy. The isolationists are your enemy, the pacifists are your enemy, the pacifists are your enemy. Write that in your journal 100 times.” was what Lee was told by Hamilton. So, with gusto, he got to work keeping every goddamn paper in-line.
Unfortunately for Hamilton, it wasn’t just the public he had to worry about, as he had to now contend with the sole cabinet member who opposed his decision: Secretary of War James McHenry. This was inevitable. If he sided with McHenry, he’d have to confront Jay. Regardless, he had to get McHenry to support this since waging a war was going to be difficult without the secretary of war supporting said war.
The meeting was brief, as McHenry’s opposition stemmed less from the idea of sending troops to Europe and more so because he believed that it wasn’t winnable and also that the troops would be better off pacifying the newly-occupied territories. Hamilton reassured him of victory being possible, citing the army’s size swelling to almost 6-digits from its already massive size of 80,000 at the war’s start. Furthermore, Hamilton reminded McHenry of the Security Act’s potency in dealing with uppity non-citizens and Attorney General Lee’s efficiency in enforcing the act. National Marshals would be fine enough to secure the territories while the bulk of the army was in Europe, though a small force would be left behind to deal with it.
It seemed the meeting was over, but McHenry had one last concern to mention, on behalf of Secretary of Finance Wolcott, who had been frequently absent for “personal reasons” since the passage of the Fourteen Points. The problem was that of funding such an operation. Funding was generally fine for most of the war due to the Economic Reorganization Act, but fighting such a war in Europe was risky from a fiscal perspective. Hamilton reassured McHenry that he had a plan in mind just in case the money ran dry, though he wouldn’t elaborate. Satisfied, the meeting ended, and Hamilton got to speaking with Britain over the Jay Plan.
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Cooperation
For once, William Grenville would see the governor himself, as opposed to John Jay. He could only hope that whatever happened here would leave a good impression; he had high expectations for such a man like Hamilton. Though, he knew little about why this meeting was called on such short notice, and why Hamilton himself was even there to begin with.
So, the meeting began. Hamilton first began to ask questions about what was going on regarding the European theater. Grenville answered by bringing up the two main campaigns: the slightly successful campaign in Holland, and the stalemating campaign in Italy and Switzerland. The former was only successful due to the arrival of Prussian forces, which had been turning the tide of war, while the latter was a stalemate due to mountainous terrain making offensives nearly impossible against the might of the French Army.
The Battle of Novi, which resulted in a victory for Austro-Prussian forces in Italy.
With that now known, Hamilton informed Grenville of his intention to send American troops over to Europe in order to assist in putting down the French Republic. Furthermore, to surely get Grenville’s approval, he even claimed he intended to go himself. This completely stunned Grenville. Though he knew that Hamilton had a preference for Britain over France, he was still a revolutionary, and him outright planning to send troops across the Atlantic to put one down seemed completely backwards. Still, help was help, and so he happily informed Hamilton that such action would be appreciated.
Of course, the devil was always in the details. The American Army was an extremely large army. If there was one similarity between America and France, it was that they both practiced levée en masse. With all of those troops, lots of food, ammunition, and other supplies were going to be needed to keep them supplied enough to fight. Hamilton acknowledged that he could only give them so many supplies. The bulk of their supplies once they arrived would have to be from Britain and other nations in the Coalition. Wanting nothing more than the final destruction of the French Revolution, Grenville promised logistical support for the troops.
Viewing the meeting as successful, the two ended it there. Hamilton was set to take an unprecedented action; America was going to fight across the sea. Such an action had untold rewards, but doing so possessed unbelievable risks. If anyone could prevail, however, it would be Hamilton.
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Leaked
American troops had landed in Europe, ready to fight. The journey took a bit longer than expected; the seas were rougher than usual, but they still made it. This was it. This was the twilight of the French Revolution.
Unfortunately, back at home, the press caught wind of the staggering number of America’s men landing in Europe. While nothing bad had happened to them yet, Hamilton had underestimated just how much the public opposed any action in Europe.
Despite the best efforts of Attorney General Lee, the press was able to make hay with this. Particularly, that damned Friendly Tribune, right before its final shutdown after Lee had discovered its headquarters in the basement of a building that was supposed to be for textile manufacturing. The whole damn place was run by Quakers. Lee felt incredibly stupid for not making the blatantly obvious connection earlier. Regardless, the newspaper was destroyed in one fell swoop, and those who worked for it were subsequently arrested and convicted.
But this wasn’t going to be the end of it. Absolutely not. The news was out there. Shutting down the papers wouldn’t make that any less true. Already, people were visibly angry about it. Protests began popping up in Philadelphia, and Quakers were running amok denouncing the intervention in Europe. Lee had failed his one job, God help him.
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Timing
What a disaster. Hamilton was all the way in Europe fighting, the people had just gotten wind of the highly unpopular direct intervention, and worst of all, it was election season. Whether Hamilton forgot or simply didn’t care was up in the air. Regardless, for the first time since the Whiskey Rebellion, Hamilton’s allies felt like they would lose.
The National Party was very divided on the direct intervention. They were already divided on the matter of war to begin with; passing the Mobilization Act was no easy feat. But taking the fight to Europe? Many in the party had privately found Hamilton to be insufferable, and a small few in the Assembly began to openly criticize the war. Senate President Pinckney, who acted as governor in Hamilton’s absence, could only thank God that the Senate Nationals had more party discipline.
The Country Party, on the other hand, was vehemently opposed to the war from day one. They saw it as completely ridiculous and counterproductive considering they were a revolutionary nation; what kind of revolutionary nation fights other revolutionary nations? The initial war in North America swayed some of them and the anti-war public into supporting it due to the successes, but war in Europe was insane.
Yet this war was so controversial, that it broke the two-party system. The Quakers, who found no home in either party due to their opposition to mobilization and war as a whole, which made the National Party unfit for them, and their opposition to slavery and Revolutionary France’s worst excesses made the Country Party unfit for them. So, under the leadership of famed abolitionist Elias Hicks, a new party was born from the ideals of the Quakers: the Friendship Party.
Elias Hicks, Quaker, abolitionist, and founder of the Friendship Party.
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THE 1800 UNITED STATES ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
National Party
The cockade of the National Party.
The National Party stands as the nation’s dominant party. With a supermajority in the Assembly and a working supermajority in the Senate, the nation bows to the whims of the party; more often than not the wishes of Governor Hamilton. The Nationals support Hamilton’s entire domestic program of the Fourteen Points, high tariffs, internal improvements, and defending the Bank.
The party, however, stands in its most divided state since the Whiskey Rebellion. With many members already skeptical of the Mobilization Act and the prospect of war with France, Hamilton’s decision to personally lead American troops into Europe has caused factionalism to once more present itself in the party, with a noticeable chunk of the party opposing such action.
The Louisianans are the less dominant, more moderate faction of the party, headed by Massachusetts Governor John Adams. While still remaining mostly loyal to Governor Hamilton, they do hold some opposition to his domestic policies, most notably the levée en masse provision of the Mobilization Act. Most notably, however, is their opposition to Hamilton’s current foreign policy. The Louisianans are highly opposed to directly intervening in Europe, believing that consolidating the newly conquered territories, most notably Louisiana, is much more beneficial to the nation than recklessly sending American troops overseas, instead favoring indirectly supporting the Coalition through giving arms and loans.
The Rejuvenationists are the current dominant faction of the party, and are obstinately loyal to Governor Hamilton. Headed by Senate President Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, they dance to the tune of Hamilton’s every word as they lend their support towards his complete domestic agenda alongside supporting rigorous enforcement of the Mobilization Act’s levée en masse provision. On foreign policy, they believe in continuing the war until the French Revolution is fully stamped out, in order to destroy the threat of Jacobinism one and for all and rejuvenate America’s standing in the global community. Most controversially, some radicals in the faction have even proposed a postwar military alliance with Britain in order to ensure a maintenance of the postwar order.
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Country Party
The cockade of the Country Party.
The Country Party has, for most of its history so far, been a joke of a party. Opposing Hamilton’s popular agenda and being dominated by radicals alienated many voters, resulting in it never finding a true mandate in the Assembly. However, with Hamilton’s direct intervention in Europe causing the greatest uproar against the governor since the Whiskey Rebellion, the party may finally find a chance to win.
Opposing Hamilton’s domestic agenda, the party calls for a reduction in tariffs, an end to the whiskey tax, and an exit from the war paired with an immediate repeal of the Mobilization Act. However, the party still holds factions, with radicals calling for an end to national internal improvement programs, the bank, and even the standing army, while moderates wish to see a continuation of internal improvements, a reduction in the power of the bank, and the maintenance of a voluntary standing army.
The Normalists are the moderates, headed by Assembly Minority Leader DeWitt Clinton. Calling for a return to normalcy from the turbulent rule of the National Party, the Normalists call for an immediate peace, a repeal of the Security Act, a reduction in tariffs and the whiskey tax, and the pursuit of American neutrality. However, unlike their more radical counterparts, they still believe in national internal improvement programs and only weakening the Bank. Furthermore, they don’t believe in abolishing the standing army, viewing it to be necessary to fight both domestic and foreign threats to national sovereignty.
The Brumaireians are the radicals, headed by former Assembly Minority Leader Thomas Paine. The Brumaireians support a peace treaty with France and Spain containing compensation for the conquered territories, and an issuing of arms shipments and loans to Revolutionary France, viewing them as fellow revolutionaries fighting a fight not so different from America’s own decades prior. On domestic affairs, they favor a complete repeal of the entire Fourteen Points and the Mobilization Act, alongside abolishing the Bank, national internal improvements, the whiskey tax, all protective tariffs, and the standing army, viewing them all as threats to liberty and proof of the urban class conspiring to dominate the common farmer.
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Friendship Party
*Note: This is a write-in option only.*
The cockade of the Friendship Party.
The newest party to join the American political scene, the oddly named Friendship Party seeks to further the interests of the Quaker cause, and especially the cause of pacifism. Headed by famed abolitionist Elias Hicks, the party seeks to combine various ideas from both parties paired with abolitionism. They take from the National Party’s disdain for Revolutionary France and their high support for merchants. They take from the Country Party’s support for peace and their opposition to the Mobilization Act, the Security Act, and the standing army. Their syncretic ideals are further represented by their notable members, with Moses Brown representing the merchants, William Savery representing the pro-Indian rights activists, and Robert Pleasants representing the rural folk.
However, due to the party’s affiliation with a small religious group, their hardline pacifism and abolitionism, and the fact that they’ve only just formed, the party is not even known to most voters, and is not projected to get many, if any seats. Furthermore, Quakers are mostly based in the Mid-Atlantic, and consequently, the Friendship Party is only able to run candidates in that area, with all of the candidates requiring write-ins due to not being included on the ballot.
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