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Good point. In fact, in the old days, there simply were not enough birs of Gur Granth Sahib ji to go around. So prakash of shasters was done in some Gurdwaras. You can matha tek to a Gutka Sahib, too.

When you are at home, you can do ardas in front of sastar as well.

Umm, so you're upset that this jatha did Chaupai the same way it's being done at Harimandar Sahib for 100 years? Shouldn't you be upset at the manager of Darbar Sahib? I'm not saying that Sikhs who are aware of certain issues shouldn't do the longer Chaupai, but there are only so many battles you can fight. Instead of calling some jatha traitors because they're doing the (for better or worse) "standard" Chauapai published by the SGPC, it would be better to change things from the central point. You can't fault the average Sikh for picking up the average Gutka and doing paath.

Basically, Harimandir Sahib is holy because it's a place of singing praise of God: ਗਉੜੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥ Gauri 5th Guru. ਧੰਨੁ ਇਹੁ ਥਾਨੁ ਗੋਵਿੰਦ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਏ ॥ Blessed is this place, where they sing praises of the World Master. ਕੁਸਲ ਖੇਮ ਪ੍ਰਭਿ ਆਪਿ ਬਸਾਏ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ The Lord Himself Blesseth them with peace and pleasure. But a photo isn't that. It's not the real thing. Similarly, a statue of a deity is not the deity. So we shouldn't be worshipping the photo. One type of partakh (immediate) darshan of Guru ji is going to the Gurdwara to see Guru Granth Sahib ji. Because the Book is the abode of God: ਪੋਥੀ ਪਰਮੇਸਰ ਕਾ ਥਾਨੁ ॥ This Holy Book (the Adi Granth) is the abode of the Transcendent Lord. ਸਾਧਸੰਗਿ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਗੁਣ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਪੂਰਨ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਗਿਆਨੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ Whosoever sings the World-Lord's praise in the society of the saints, he is blessed with the perfect Divine knowledge. Pause. p1226 There is another level of Darshan which Guru ji pines for and which is above merely going to the Gurdwara: ਕਰਿ ਦਇਆ ਮਇਆ ਦਇਆਲ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਹੋਹੁ ਦੀਨ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਰਾ ॥ Show compassion and kindness, O Merciful Lord, and by king to the meek. ਬਿਨਵੰਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਦਰਸ ਪਿਆਸੇ ਮਿਲਿ ਦਰਸਨ ਸੁਖੁ ਸਾਰਾ ॥੧॥ Supplicates Nanak, I am thirsting for a sight of Thee. By obtaining a view of Thine I receive all the happiness. This Darshan is found through Bani and worship: ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਬਾਣੀ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਤੇਰੀ ॥ My Lord God! Thy Gurubani is Nectar. ਸੁਣਿ ਸੁਣਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਪਰਮ ਗਤਿ ਮੇਰੀ ॥ By continuously hearing it, I have obtained the highest rank. ਜਲਨਿ ਬੁਝੀ ਸੀਤਲੁ ਹੋਇ ਮਨੂਆ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਪਾਏ ਜੀਉ ॥੧॥ The burning within me is extinguished and my soul is rendered cool on having the sight of the True Guru

The picture of Harimandir is not Harimandir Sahib. Best is to go to Gurdwara and do ardas at a quiet time. Just stand to the side to allow people to matha tek if they are coming in. While it's true that God's everywhere, we don't have the eyes to see him at our current spiritual level so the patakh darshan of Guru Ji is important. ਜੀਅ ਕੀ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਗੁਰ ਪਹਿ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ਕਰਿ ॥ Regarding thy mind's woe, make supplication before thy Guru. p519 ਤੁਧੁ ਆਗੈ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਜੀਉ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਸਭੁ ਤੇਰਾ ॥ Before Thee is my supplication. My soul and body are all Thine. p383

Lol this is so common. This is the average wedding. Plus nowadays auntiyaan and young girls are dressing half naked in lenghas and saris and stuff or literally sometimes even a western dress. Men freely dance with women. Plus they hire some naked belly dancer or hire some Bhangra team dancing like monkeys at ur wedding. It’s awful. I assume it’s Punjabi culture. Let’s not mention all the men getting drunk and trying to hit on the women at the weddings. So many young folks skip the gurudwara wedding too because it’s boring and they can’t get lit even though that’s the main part of the wedding & most important. Amritdhari men and women are less likely to engage in such activities tho, I don’t see them doing this, when they get invited to such weddings they sit in the corner and refuse to engage or dance and such. I’m marrying into a non Punjabi family and me and my partner went to a Sikh wedding recently because he’s never experienced one and he was shocked and said he thought Sikhs were way more conservative.

Leaving aside Guru ji, the general question of taking afeem (opium) in limited quantities for war/medical wounds is simply unproblematic. When you go to the hospital, they give you morphine. What do you think morphine is? It's an opiate. Even codeine (cough syrup) is an opiate! Ever had a cough? Granted, it is against Gurmat to take opium or other drugs for the fun of it.

back then was waaaay different. ppl didn’t attend higher education or have much to do after the age of like… 13, lol. you’d have 13 year olds boys and girls that know how to do kethi, cook entire meals, etc nowadays even 22 year olds are extremely immature and can be sheltered. the average person doesn’t know how to do anything except their 9-5 which they are probably half arsing as well.

Good to know that our morning prayers don't disrupt your morning shaving routine.