Ramgharia Gurdwara disrespect Maharaj !!!!!!

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http://www.panthic.org/news/124/ARTICLE/1902/2005-10-23.html

A Disgrace – Gurdwara Sahib neglects Guru Ji’s Saroops

Sunday 23rd October, 2005

Panthic Weekly News Bureau

Forest Gate, London (KP) – Last week it was brought to Panthic Weekly’s attention that Ramgarhia Gurdwara, Neville Road, Forest Gate, London had done the beadbi (violated the sanctity) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji by neglecting Guru Ji’s Saroops kept at the Gurdwara Sahib. It was claimed by members of the Sikh Sangat that ‘the Management Committee of this Gurdwara are unaware of what their role is towards Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.’

The Gurdwara Community Centre, which is paid and sustained by the money of Saadh Sangat is used for booking marriage receptions. This is not a new practice. The abuse and total disregard for the property of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and the funds of the Saadh Sangat by funding halls which cater for alcohol, meat and manmat music (i.e. lured music) is being practiced by Leeds Ramgarhia Gurdwara, Leamington & Warwick Gurdwara Sahib, Swindon Gurdwara Sahib and I am sure other Gurdwaras run by a mixture of drunkards, and greedy money-making Masands are also doing the same.

Though the Community Centre is used for wedding reception and parties, there are apparently 14 Guru Ji’s Saroops placed on a shelf in the Sukhaasan Room. Concerned members of the Sikh community went to visit the Sukhaasan Room in the Ramgarhia Community Centre. On Singh described their findings as, “I couldn’t believe what we saw. 14 Saroops of Maharaaj were on a shelf, rumallas & manji sahibs [were] thrown on the floor, there were layers of dust and filth everywhere in the Sachkhand.”

The pictures below show how bad a state the Sukhaasan Room. Altogether the Community Centre houses 47 Saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

The Community Centre makes so much money with weddings and programmes, however the Gurdwara Parbandhaks are unable to create a nice environment for keeping Guru Ji’s Saroops. It is disheartening for the whole Sikh community to see the detoriation of our Gurdwaras and the Management Committees whose aims are supposed to be maintain the Sikh Rehat Maryada.

The concerned members of the Sikh community who went to visit the Ramgarhia Community Centre took it upon themselves to place another bed in the Sukhaasan Room in order to remove the 14 Saroops off the dingy shelf. It took a whole day for the group of Gursikhs to tidy the Sukhaasan Room from taking Guru Ji’s Saroops off the shelf, re-clothing all the Saroops and neatly stacking the rumalla sahibs (draperies for covering Guru Ji). By merely tidying up, enough space was created for more Rumalla Sahibs to be stored.

The Sukhaasan Room which is Guru Ji’s room, ended up in abhorrent state as a result of lack of care and attention from the Granthi Singhs and Gurdwara Sewadaars. The fifth Nanak, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, gave the Shabad Guru so much respect and high regard that Guru Sahib placed the Pothi Sahib on his bed, and he would sleep on the floor. However, today some Gurdwaras and Sikhs have to started to believe that they know more than Guru Arjan Dev Ji, and have started to keep Saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in cupboards, shelves and placing Guru Ji's saroops in suitcases. This violation of sanctity must stop. History is witness to the fact that Guru Arjan Dev Ji showed us the protocol and discipline of how to maintain and regard the ‘Granth Sahib’. We call the ‘Granth Sahib’ our ‘Guru’, however if this is the amount of respect we give to our Guru, then what do we expect in return?

Recently the Ramgarhia Gurdwara opened a Gurdwara Sahib at a new location further down Neville Road. The Gurdwara Parbandhaks wish to make the old Community Centre into a reception and party hall. However the Gurdwara would still book Anand Kaaraj’s at this venue. Is this not sheer madness?

Most modern day Gurdwaras are run by self-style Masands who believe that they are answerable to the local Sangat. Swindon, Leeds and Leamington Spa Gurdwara Sahibs have violated the property of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji by allowing drinking alcohol, and men and women to dance to lured manmat songs on Gurdwara owned premises, just as Massa Rangar danced prostitutes and drank alcohol in Sri Darbaar Sahib complex. All the Sikh community are asked to respond to the call of the Guru Khalsa Panth and maintain the dignity and respect of our Gurdwara Sahibs. Everyday we mention this in our Ardaas. Now is the time to act.

If your local Gurdwara Sahib has violated the sanctity and dignity of the Gurdwara then please take photographs showing the beadbi and send Panthic Weekly details of the incident. Together we can reclaim our Gurdwara Sahibs back to the Khalsa and upkeep the Sikh Rehat Maryada, which at the moment is being undermined by various Gurdwara up and down the country.

Panthic Weekly editors can be reached at editors@panthic.org