Rumallas...what to do with them ????

Gyani Jarnail Singh · #1 (**permalink**) 05-Apr-2010, 15:47 PM

All Sikhs know that...millions of Rumallahs are offered to the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in Gurdawras all over the world.... SO MANY in fact that in some places like Harmandar sahib Amrtisar..each Rumallah only gets a BRIEF 10 SECOND TOUCH to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji..and is then packed OFF..to the Store room...or back to the Shop to be RESOLD...again and again..and again....
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/29839-rumallas-what-to-do-with-them.html

Gurdawaras all over have store rooms chock full of rumallahs....Its become a RITUAL ...blindly followed...to offer a rumallah to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji at every ocassion..bhog of paath...bhog of akhand paath..etc etc...
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=29839

This Months Gurmatt Parkash...monthly organ of the SGPC offers a suggestion that ...ALL old rumallahs be CREMATED and their Holy ASHES be put in flowing water....almost simialr to what is done in Human cremation... WHAT a COLLOSAL WASTE of PRECIOUS RESOURCES of the SIKH COMMUNITY..when MILLIONS of POOR go without CLOTHES on their Backs ???

1. All Sikhs should donate a sum of cash in lieu of a rumallah...
2. WHY not donate a piece of Good Cloth....which can then be used by the Gurdwara to make tents..chadars..usable in other ways...
3. Why not donate the cloth to the POOR to wear...

Gurdawars have SHABAD LANGGAR...for GYAN of Guru...

Gurdwaras have FOOD Langgars to feed the hungry...

Gurdawaras should have the CLOTH LANGGAR..to cover/clothe the Needy and the Naked...

ROTI...KAPPRRA...aur MAKAAN !!!.....housing for the needy can come next...

Astroboy · #2 (**permalink**) 05-Apr-2010, 22:13 PM

Can a rumalla actually pardeh dhakk ?

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=29839
What are they pardeh dhakk-ing from ?
Definitely not nakedness. But for family honor, or ego.

Astroboy · #3 (**permalink**) 05-Apr-2010, 22:34 PM

Quoted by Tejwant Singh (Ref:#6)
Quote:

How many of us can walk freely by wearing 6 shirts and 6 trousers on and feel comfortable about it? And add about 6 pugs as well.

Let us not forget to colour coordinate our layers of clothing.

Just a thought!

Tejwant Singh

I agree with your statement as appears in this thread :
http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-g...-amritsar.html
if Guru Ji was in human form.
But as our Guru is the SHABAD, how can we then even begin to treat Guru Ji as a perishable being ?
SHABAD being the guru, the following SHABAD explains further:-

ਲਖ ਟਕਿਆ ਕੇ ਮੁੰਦੜੇ ਲਖ ਟਕਿਆ ਕੇ ਹਾਰ ॥
लख टकिआ के मुंदड़े लख टकिआ के हार ॥
Lakẖ taki▫ā ke munḏ▫ṛe lakẖ taki▫ā ke hār.
They wear earrings, and necklaces worth thousands of dollars.

ਜਿਤੁ ਤਨਿ ਪਾਈਅਹਿ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸੇ ਤਨ ਹੋਵਹਿ ਛਾਰ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=29839
जितु तनि पाईअहि नानका से तन होवहि छार ॥
Jiṯ ṯan pā▫ī▫ah nānkā se ṯan hovėh cẖẖār.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=29839
Those bodies on which they are worn, O Nanak, those bodies turn to ashes.

Ang 464

Tejwant Singh · #4 (**permalink**) 05-Apr-2010, 23:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by namjap

Quoted by Tejwant Singh (Ref:#6)
Quote:

How many of us can walk freely by wearing 6 shirts and 6 trousers on and feel comfortable about it? And add about 6 pugs as well.

Let us not forget to colour coordinate our layers of clothing.

Just a thought!

Tejwant Singh

I agree with your statement as appears in this thread :
http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-g...-amritsar.html
if Guru Ji was in human form.
But as our Guru is the SHABAD, how can we then even begin to treat Guru Ji as a perishable being ?
SHABAD being the guru, the following SHABAD explains further:-

ਲਖ ਟਕਿਆ ਕੇ ਮੁੰਦੜੇ ਲਖ ਟਕਿਆ ਕੇ ਹਾਰ ॥
लख टकिआ के मुंदड़े लख टकिआ के हार ॥
Lakẖ taki▫ā ke munḏ▫ṛe lakẖ taki▫ā ke hār.
They wear earrings, and necklaces worth thousands of dollars.

ਜਿਤੁ ਤਨਿ ਪਾਈਅਹਿ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸੇ ਤਨ ਹੋਵਹਿ ਛਾਰ ॥
जितु तनि पाईअहि नानका से तन होवहि छार ॥
Jiṯ ṯan pā▫ī▫ah nānkā se ṯan hovėh cẖẖār.
Those bodies on which they are worn, O Nanak, those bodies turn to ashes.

Ang 464

Namjap ji,

Guru Fateh.

Pardon my ignorance but can you please elaborate what you mean by the above which is in BOLD?

Secondly, can you explain the connection between that and the Shabad you have quoted?

Thanks and regards.

Tejwant Singh

Astroboy · #5 (**permalink**) 05-Apr-2010, 23:25 PM

Tejwant Ji,

I am more ignorant than anyone else. But Guru Ji (SHABAD) enlightens me thus,

ਨਾ ਹਉ ਜਤੀ ਸਤੀ ਨਹੀ ਪੜਿਆ ਮੂਰਖ ਮੁਗਧਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਭਇਆ ॥
ना हउ जती सती नही पड़िआ मूरख मुगधा जनमु भइआ ॥
Nā ha▫o jaṯī saṯī nahī paṛi▫ā mūrakẖ mugḏẖā janam bẖa▫i▫ā.
I am not celibate, nor truthful, nor scholarly. I was born foolish and ignorant into this world.

ਪ੍ਰਣਵਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਿਨ ਕੀ ਸਰਣਾ ਜਿਨ ਤੂ ਨਾਹੀ ਵੀਸਰਿਆ ॥੨॥੩॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=29839
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=29839
प्रणवति नानक तिन की सरणा जिन तू नाही वीसरिआ ॥२॥३॥
Paraṇvaṯ Nānak ṯin kī sarṇā jin ṯū nāhī vīsri▫ā. ||2||3||
Prays Nanak, I seek the Sanctuary of those who have not forgotten You, O Lord! ||2||3||

Tejwant Singh · #6 (**permalink**) 05-Apr-2010, 23:28 PM

I agree with Gyani ji. There are closets and rooms stuffed with rumallahs around the world depending on the number of visitors.

For the Gyani ji's excellent idea of money and other usable things to be donated rather than the rumallahs, some radical steps should be taken by the Akal Takhat, SGPC and other authourities sitting crossed legs on their high chairs.They should ban the donations of rumaallahs and urge the devotees for money and this should start this at Harmander Sahib. As this will take sometime to gets its footing, I have another idea to fill the gap in the meantime.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=29839
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=29839

My idea is to turn these rummallahs into quilts to be donated to the needy, especially to the so called outcast, homeless and others who live on the streets. The people who deliver these quilts to them make sure they cover these poor people with them. Once their bodies are covered with these quilts, no caste oriented person including Sikhs will try to buy these from them because they touched the bodies of the untouchable despite the fact that they will be beautiful quilts.

Tejwant Singh

Astroboy · #7 (**permalink**) 05-Apr-2010, 23:35 PM

Quote:

Can a rumalla actually pardeh dhakk ?

What are they pardeh dhakk-ing from ?
Definitely not nakedness. But for family honor, or ego.

However, it is a common human trait to make an offering which I personally feel may render the requester in a state of helplessness because SHABAD GURU says,

Page 694, Line 18
ਤੇਰੋ ਕੀਆ ਤੁਝਹਿ ਕਿਆ ਅਰਪਉ ਨਾਮੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਤੁਹੀ ਚਵਰ ਢੋਲਾਰੇ ॥੩॥
तेरो कीआ तुझहि किआ अरपउ नामु तेरा तुही चवर ढोलारे ॥३॥
Ŧero kī▫ā ṯujẖėh ki▫ā arpa▫o nām ṯerā ṯuhī cẖavar dẖolāre. ||3||
Why should I offer to You, that which You Yourself created? Your Name is the fan, which I wave over You. ||3||
Devotee Ravidas - view Shabad/Paurhi/Salok

Astroboy · #8 (**permalink**) 05-Apr-2010, 23:58 PM

The offerings ain't going to stop as human beings haven't devised a method to educate themselves in a logical way.
Most offerings are done on an emotional level. GURU JI explains correctly:

Page 327, Line 10
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=29839
ਕੰਚਨ ਸਿਉ ਪਾਈਐ ਨਹੀ ਤੋਲਿ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=29839
कंचन सिउ पाईऐ नही तोलि ॥
Kancẖan si▫o pā▫ī▫ai nahī ṯol.
He cannot be obtained by offering your weight in gold.
Devotee Kabir - view Shabad/Paurhi/Salok