A Picture From Punjab

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh,

Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaaj, our living Guru, the spiritual light of our 10 Guru’s, King of Kings, the ones who give us everything and have all the answers. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji deserves the utmost respect. Unfortunately this has not been happening.

We hear stories of people keeping saroops of Guru Ji in closets or on shelves. People taking Guru Sahib to halls and other inappropriate places where Guru Sahib would never want their children to be seen let alone themselves. Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s horse knew better than to step in a tobacco field, but yet we take Guru Sahibs saroop to where alcohol and tobacco is served or is stored. This just breaks my heart. Where has the respect for our Guru gone, they’ve blessed us with everything, and this is how we repay them?

In olden times people use to walk to the gurdwara every morning to have darshan of Guru Sahib. This was such a big deal for them. Now we have been printing of so many saroops of Guru Sahib that people don’t have that respect or excitement of going to see Guru Sahib. We have forgotten how to treat Guru Sahib with respect. When people have weddings they do shagan in front of Guru Sahib, wear kalgi’s, and uncles and aunties put their hands on top of the couples head as if they can give more blessings than guru sahib. How lost we are.

Even people who have Guru Sahibs saroop at home, they don’t have the time to properly attend to Guru Sahib. They spend their day watching tv, entertaining guests, but they don’t have time to sit with Guru Ji. When Guru Ji is at your house it is not a small thing, it requires lots of time and devotion. You have such an important guest at your house, you have to devote your time to. People make food for themselves but they don’t think to do bhog to it and offer it to Guru Sahib before eating it themselves.

In India people take Guru Sahib to marriage palaces and sit on tables and chairs, with their head uncovered and shoes on their feet, drinking alcohol and eating meat. With no care in the world, not caring that Guru Sahib is there with them watching everything. They may enjoy now but this is just sowing bad karms for their future.

What can be done about this. First we can try to educate our families and ourselves about Sikhi and Guru Sahib. Another solution could be instead of people keeping Guru Sahibs saroop at home they can bring home sancheeya and do paath from them, and than go to Gurdwara for darshan. SGPC should stop printing so many saroops and instead print sancheeya.

The Respect For Guru Granth Sahib Ji Campaign in England has done a great amount of work in educating people about not taking Guru Sahib to halls and other inappropriate places. We should support them fully and start up similar campaigns in our own areas. If not than if we see something wrong happening in our family we should at least educate them.

Below is the Hukamnama from Akal Takht prohibiting taking Guru Sahib to Marriage Palaces and Hotels.