Today morning I briefly heard some interesting points being made by a Kathakar at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib telecast on Chardikalan Channel regarding giving of reverence and respect to SGGS.
The Kathakar rightly pointed out that when we show respect to SGGS, it is the Gyan in it and not its physical form. Sikhs are mistakenly according respect to its physical form completely forgetting its contents and rightly inviting critisism of replacing one idol worship with another.
Some examples very boldly cited by him:
Food for thought especially for Sikhs in India
The Kathakar rightly pointed out that when we show respect to SGGS, it is the Gyan in it and not its physical form. Sikhs are mistakenly according respect to its physical form completely forgetting its contents and rightly inviting critisism of replacing one idol worship with another.
Some examples very boldly cited by him:
- While carrying Guru swarup on our head from one place to another, the person carrying it and those accompanying are always barefoot. Being barefoot was prescribed only under limited circumstances when this was indoors or in a clean area. Wearing footware would mean carrying outside dirt. But when carrying it outdoors, it makes little sense to be barefoot since the outside dirt would stick to the feet and it would be carried along to the destination. So its always advisable to have the footware on and remove it at the destination.
- During Nagar Kirtans also the Panj Pyaras go barefoot. Again this makes little sense on the cold streets of Canada or blistering hot streets of delhi or Amritsar. The attention of Panj pyaras would be focussed on the discomfort which is not correct.
- When we say Guru is immortal and diseaseless it is the Gyan in it that is so. Otherwise the physical forms of our gurus were disease prone and always mortal.
- Some devotees press and massage the Guru Palki because the Guru would be "tired"! This of co{censored} is ridiculous.
Food for thought especially for Sikhs in India