gs_chana
SPNer
WJK WJF...
THE SINGH SABHA REFORM MOVEMENT, THE START OF THE KHALSA PANTH...both events and many moe illustrate how the SIKH SANGATSTOOD UP TO THOSE WHO WANTED TO MISLEAD SIKHI FOR THEIR OWN PERSONAL GAINS ...ETC. Guru Gobind Singh started the Khalsa Spiritual Movement in an attempt to unite the split umongst Sikhs, and to recognise and accept Guru Ji. The 1920's reform movement came as a result of the attempts by the British to convert SIKHI INTO CHRISTIANITY, the attempts of HINDUS TO MERGE OUR RELIGION WITH THEIRS (Modern Equivalent is the Rashstrya Sikh Sangat RSS), and also attempts of MUSLIMS TO CONVERT SIKHS TO ISLAM.
Today the state of the way WE practice SIKHI is unfortunantly to be questioned.
I believe such things are a result of the influences of other faiths wanting us to convert to their faiths.
INFLUENCE OF OTHER FAITHS/MOVEMENTS
We can see nowadays that muslims/hindus/christians all go around making false claims about Guru Granth, and its bani, they claim its inconsistent, they claim that we are a sect of their faith, or they allure us with promises like !!!CONVERT TODAY, AND YOU CAN EAT MEAT, YOU CAN DRINK, YOU CAN MARRY AS MUCH AS YOU WANT!!!, basically sikhs gave up their HEADS for sticking by Guruji, nowadays we give in to our stomachs and our selfish minds to quick and convert to faiths.
THE MESSAGE OF GURU GRANTH IS MORE MODERN, just read all the translations, and you will know yourself.
Guru Granth has already acknowledged Evolution and life starting in Water, LONG BEFORE DARWIN or OTHER SCIENTIST. Guru Granth has already acknowledged equallity for all, whereas such laws have only passed in western countries in the last 100 years to recognise such equality.
However, the essence of Gurbani in Sikhi has been taken our of the question. We no longer use gurbani as a means of guidance, Rather to perform rituals as a means of providing GOOD LUCK, WORDLY HAPINESS, etc.
This is why we need to question ARE WE ACTUALLY PRACTICING SIKHI HOW WE SHOULD?
I have been on many forums, reading various discussions by Learned Sikhs who are finally WOKEN UP to all the rutuals we are practicing in Gurdwaras and the General Sikh population.
Gurbani
With regard to Gurbani, many believe that reading 5 Bani (the 5 prayers) at the relevant times every day of our lives is the simple answer to gaining Muktee (Salvation/Oneness with God).
The thing I do not understand is why we do such things, e.g. we say that reading Kirtan Sohilla before we sleep will give us peace of mind and happy thoughts. WHEN I READ KIRTAN SOHILLA (Translated) it clearly states in the Bani that Meditating on the Lord's Name achieves peace of the Mind...NOTHING ELSE, in particular, READING THE BANI IN A RITUALISTIC MANNER.
HOWEVER, HAVE ANY OF US EVER EVEN READ GURBANI BY ACTUALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT, because frankly after reading a few translations, the general message is that to ACTUALLY gain MUKTEE, you have to MEDITATE on the Lord's Name, Waheguru.
People think that simply reading 5 Banis everyday is actually having a benefitial effect, DONT GET ME WRONG, it does, but when we blindly read the Gurbani everyday and not even understand it and apply its message to our life, THEN SUCH ACTS ARE JUST USELESS.
We simply on a special occasion pay x amount of money to a Giani/Granthi, to do an Ardas, or do Akhand Paath for our benefit. MAY I RAISE AWARENESS, that such rituals are of HINDU practicies, they do such acts in the belief that its benefitial to their minds.
BUT in Gurbani it states APP HATI AAPEH EH AAP KARAJ SAVAREHAH (matters dealt with ones own hands), in other words, we must do such acts ourselves, NOT THROUGH SOME GIANI.
Reform on Gurbani Practice
As it is apparent, therefore WHY DO NOT WE REFORM THE WAY IN WHICH GURBANI IS TO BE USED.
We see in Gurdwaras that the Giani up front reads out Bani in a melody which is supposivly meant to be Kirtan, and all the onlookers just sit there listening to it, not understanding it.
As per Guru Granth, Kirtan is meant to be PRAISE OF GOD, not reading out His Bani in a melodic format to the followers. WE SHOULD THEREFORE IN GURDWARAS SING PRAISES OF GOD, because there are countless prayers of God in Guru Granth, NOT READ THE GURBANI IN A BLIND FASHION.
Even Hukamnama which is meant to be the Guru Ji's message of the day is not understood. EITHER READ THIS IN ENGLISH, BOTH ENGLISH AND GURMUKHI...OR GURMUKHI...ENGLISH AND PUNJABI, because its meant to be knowledge for us, and we are going to gurdwara everytime and not even taking an ounce of knowledge back with us or gaining anything.
Gurdwara Reform
We are always asking the question...WHY ARE THE YOUTH TURNING AWAY FROM GURWARAS??
We should not ask questions to people, but ask a self reflecting question...what are we doing to drive them AWAY?
Google has become more of a means of the Youth learning about Sikhi and Gurbani...than a Gurdwara. WHAT HAPPENED HERE? The youth want to learn about Sikhi...but when we practice these empty rituals inside the walls of a so called Gurdwara, then what benefit is the youth gaining, they just sit there look at the SHOW and have a meal (LANGAR) at the end and go home...FREE ENTERTAINMENT...LOLZ..dare I say, because we all turn up to Gurdwara, and take nothing away.
EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO GIANIS, they turn up in their repective groups (JATHAAS), stay a few weeks or months at Gurdwara, earn a few bob (bit of money) and then just leave, THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT BENEFITING THE SIKH NATION, their GREED and PERSONAL GAINS come first. WE ARE IN NEED OF SIKH INTELLECTS, who are taught PROPER SIKHI from institutes not some uneducated Sikh from a pind in Punjab who looks for a way of making money. EVEN I DO NOT UNDERSTAND COMPLETLY GURBANI WHEN I READ IT, THAT IS WHY I RESOLVE TO TRANSLATIONS.
WE NEED INTELLECTS WHO WOULD EXPLAIN IN ENGLISH AND PUNJABI TO THE SANGAT WHAT THE MESSAGE OF GURBANI IS AND HOW TO UNDERSTAND IT.
Muslims teach their kids from early age Quran, expect them to memorise it, SAME THINGS WERE DONE IN OUR DAY BACK AT GURUJI TIME, kids were taught Gurbani and proper Sikhi, NOWADAYS none of that happens and on top of that those GIANIS who sit round in their spare time during the evening at Gurdwaras could take out time to teach Gurbani.
I have pleanty more things to say, but I will only continue this article with your opinions and also I will write more accordingly, I do not wish to write a whole DOSSIER on how to reform Sikhi. THIS IS AN OPENER FOR A DISCUSSION ON SIKH REFORM PLEASE MAKE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
THE REFORM MOVEMENT SINGH SABHA OF 1920's WAS THERE TO WIPE CLEAN OFF THE FACE OF SIKH PRACTICES ALL THE RITUALS AND RITES WHICH WERE IMPOSED BY THE BRITISH AND BRAHMINS who wanted to DESTROY SIKHI.
TODAY WE ARE FACED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM...SIKHI NOT BEING PRACTICED PROPERLY AND WRONGLY TIME FOR A NEW REFORM MOVEMENT AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THERE ARE MANY COUNTLESS AWOKEN INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE WHO HAVE OPENED THEIR EYES TO THE PROBLEMS...SO PLEASE BEFORE SIKHI GOES DOWN A PATH OF NO RETURN WHERE IT WILL LEAD TO A DEAD END...LETS GO BACK TO BASICS...RETRACE OUR STEPS...SEE WHERE WE WENT WRONG...AND WITH THE GUIDANCE OF GURU GRANTH...RUN SIKHI HOW ITS MEANT TO BE
WJK WJF
Gurdip Singh
SORRY FOR ANY MISTAKES, AND WHERE I MADE NO SENSE, I HAVE NOT WRITTEN THIS IN ESSAY FORMAT, JUST QUICK OPINION, BUT PLEASE I CALL ON THE PANTH...ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH TO GIVE THEIR OPINIONS, AND PLEASE DO NOT BE OFFENDED, WAKE UP TO SUCH BLIND FAITH, AND YOU WILL REALISE THAT SIKHI IN FACT IS NOT BEING PRACTICED, AND WE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF A REFORM BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.
THE SINGH SABHA REFORM MOVEMENT, THE START OF THE KHALSA PANTH...both events and many moe illustrate how the SIKH SANGATSTOOD UP TO THOSE WHO WANTED TO MISLEAD SIKHI FOR THEIR OWN PERSONAL GAINS ...ETC. Guru Gobind Singh started the Khalsa Spiritual Movement in an attempt to unite the split umongst Sikhs, and to recognise and accept Guru Ji. The 1920's reform movement came as a result of the attempts by the British to convert SIKHI INTO CHRISTIANITY, the attempts of HINDUS TO MERGE OUR RELIGION WITH THEIRS (Modern Equivalent is the Rashstrya Sikh Sangat RSS), and also attempts of MUSLIMS TO CONVERT SIKHS TO ISLAM.
Today the state of the way WE practice SIKHI is unfortunantly to be questioned.
I believe such things are a result of the influences of other faiths wanting us to convert to their faiths.
INFLUENCE OF OTHER FAITHS/MOVEMENTS
We can see nowadays that muslims/hindus/christians all go around making false claims about Guru Granth, and its bani, they claim its inconsistent, they claim that we are a sect of their faith, or they allure us with promises like !!!CONVERT TODAY, AND YOU CAN EAT MEAT, YOU CAN DRINK, YOU CAN MARRY AS MUCH AS YOU WANT!!!, basically sikhs gave up their HEADS for sticking by Guruji, nowadays we give in to our stomachs and our selfish minds to quick and convert to faiths.
THE MESSAGE OF GURU GRANTH IS MORE MODERN, just read all the translations, and you will know yourself.
Guru Granth has already acknowledged Evolution and life starting in Water, LONG BEFORE DARWIN or OTHER SCIENTIST. Guru Granth has already acknowledged equallity for all, whereas such laws have only passed in western countries in the last 100 years to recognise such equality.
However, the essence of Gurbani in Sikhi has been taken our of the question. We no longer use gurbani as a means of guidance, Rather to perform rituals as a means of providing GOOD LUCK, WORDLY HAPINESS, etc.
This is why we need to question ARE WE ACTUALLY PRACTICING SIKHI HOW WE SHOULD?
I have been on many forums, reading various discussions by Learned Sikhs who are finally WOKEN UP to all the rutuals we are practicing in Gurdwaras and the General Sikh population.
Gurbani
With regard to Gurbani, many believe that reading 5 Bani (the 5 prayers) at the relevant times every day of our lives is the simple answer to gaining Muktee (Salvation/Oneness with God).
The thing I do not understand is why we do such things, e.g. we say that reading Kirtan Sohilla before we sleep will give us peace of mind and happy thoughts. WHEN I READ KIRTAN SOHILLA (Translated) it clearly states in the Bani that Meditating on the Lord's Name achieves peace of the Mind...NOTHING ELSE, in particular, READING THE BANI IN A RITUALISTIC MANNER.
HOWEVER, HAVE ANY OF US EVER EVEN READ GURBANI BY ACTUALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT, because frankly after reading a few translations, the general message is that to ACTUALLY gain MUKTEE, you have to MEDITATE on the Lord's Name, Waheguru.
People think that simply reading 5 Banis everyday is actually having a benefitial effect, DONT GET ME WRONG, it does, but when we blindly read the Gurbani everyday and not even understand it and apply its message to our life, THEN SUCH ACTS ARE JUST USELESS.
We simply on a special occasion pay x amount of money to a Giani/Granthi, to do an Ardas, or do Akhand Paath for our benefit. MAY I RAISE AWARENESS, that such rituals are of HINDU practicies, they do such acts in the belief that its benefitial to their minds.
BUT in Gurbani it states APP HATI AAPEH EH AAP KARAJ SAVAREHAH (matters dealt with ones own hands), in other words, we must do such acts ourselves, NOT THROUGH SOME GIANI.
Reform on Gurbani Practice
As it is apparent, therefore WHY DO NOT WE REFORM THE WAY IN WHICH GURBANI IS TO BE USED.
We see in Gurdwaras that the Giani up front reads out Bani in a melody which is supposivly meant to be Kirtan, and all the onlookers just sit there listening to it, not understanding it.
As per Guru Granth, Kirtan is meant to be PRAISE OF GOD, not reading out His Bani in a melodic format to the followers. WE SHOULD THEREFORE IN GURDWARAS SING PRAISES OF GOD, because there are countless prayers of God in Guru Granth, NOT READ THE GURBANI IN A BLIND FASHION.
Even Hukamnama which is meant to be the Guru Ji's message of the day is not understood. EITHER READ THIS IN ENGLISH, BOTH ENGLISH AND GURMUKHI...OR GURMUKHI...ENGLISH AND PUNJABI, because its meant to be knowledge for us, and we are going to gurdwara everytime and not even taking an ounce of knowledge back with us or gaining anything.
Gurdwara Reform
We are always asking the question...WHY ARE THE YOUTH TURNING AWAY FROM GURWARAS??
We should not ask questions to people, but ask a self reflecting question...what are we doing to drive them AWAY?
Google has become more of a means of the Youth learning about Sikhi and Gurbani...than a Gurdwara. WHAT HAPPENED HERE? The youth want to learn about Sikhi...but when we practice these empty rituals inside the walls of a so called Gurdwara, then what benefit is the youth gaining, they just sit there look at the SHOW and have a meal (LANGAR) at the end and go home...FREE ENTERTAINMENT...LOLZ..dare I say, because we all turn up to Gurdwara, and take nothing away.
EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO GIANIS, they turn up in their repective groups (JATHAAS), stay a few weeks or months at Gurdwara, earn a few bob (bit of money) and then just leave, THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT BENEFITING THE SIKH NATION, their GREED and PERSONAL GAINS come first. WE ARE IN NEED OF SIKH INTELLECTS, who are taught PROPER SIKHI from institutes not some uneducated Sikh from a pind in Punjab who looks for a way of making money. EVEN I DO NOT UNDERSTAND COMPLETLY GURBANI WHEN I READ IT, THAT IS WHY I RESOLVE TO TRANSLATIONS.
WE NEED INTELLECTS WHO WOULD EXPLAIN IN ENGLISH AND PUNJABI TO THE SANGAT WHAT THE MESSAGE OF GURBANI IS AND HOW TO UNDERSTAND IT.
Muslims teach their kids from early age Quran, expect them to memorise it, SAME THINGS WERE DONE IN OUR DAY BACK AT GURUJI TIME, kids were taught Gurbani and proper Sikhi, NOWADAYS none of that happens and on top of that those GIANIS who sit round in their spare time during the evening at Gurdwaras could take out time to teach Gurbani.
I have pleanty more things to say, but I will only continue this article with your opinions and also I will write more accordingly, I do not wish to write a whole DOSSIER on how to reform Sikhi. THIS IS AN OPENER FOR A DISCUSSION ON SIKH REFORM PLEASE MAKE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
THE REFORM MOVEMENT SINGH SABHA OF 1920's WAS THERE TO WIPE CLEAN OFF THE FACE OF SIKH PRACTICES ALL THE RITUALS AND RITES WHICH WERE IMPOSED BY THE BRITISH AND BRAHMINS who wanted to DESTROY SIKHI.
TODAY WE ARE FACED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM...SIKHI NOT BEING PRACTICED PROPERLY AND WRONGLY TIME FOR A NEW REFORM MOVEMENT AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THERE ARE MANY COUNTLESS AWOKEN INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE WHO HAVE OPENED THEIR EYES TO THE PROBLEMS...SO PLEASE BEFORE SIKHI GOES DOWN A PATH OF NO RETURN WHERE IT WILL LEAD TO A DEAD END...LETS GO BACK TO BASICS...RETRACE OUR STEPS...SEE WHERE WE WENT WRONG...AND WITH THE GUIDANCE OF GURU GRANTH...RUN SIKHI HOW ITS MEANT TO BE
WJK WJF
Gurdip Singh
SORRY FOR ANY MISTAKES, AND WHERE I MADE NO SENSE, I HAVE NOT WRITTEN THIS IN ESSAY FORMAT, JUST QUICK OPINION, BUT PLEASE I CALL ON THE PANTH...ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH TO GIVE THEIR OPINIONS, AND PLEASE DO NOT BE OFFENDED, WAKE UP TO SUCH BLIND FAITH, AND YOU WILL REALISE THAT SIKHI IN FACT IS NOT BEING PRACTICED, AND WE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF A REFORM BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.
