Gurmat Overrules Malpractice In Leeds Gurdwara

[msjskb]

press_release_01_1__1_.pdf

Gurmat Overrules Malpractice in Leeds Gurdwara

In a great triumph by Akal Purakh Waheguru for the panth, with the grace of Satguru Ji, Gurdwara ‘Sikh Temple Chapeltown’, Leeds will no longer allow parties, alcohol, and meat on any of its premises, and as a result the anti-gurmat activity that had been ongoing for more than 25 years has now come to an end.

The Sikh community is indebted to the local sangat and the management committee for their momentous and principled decision and is grateful for the guidance and direction from Akal Takhat Sahib for helping resolve this longstanding issue. A Sandesh from the Akal Takht that party halls should not have any association to Gurdwaras was issued in April 2006 and Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti personally condemned the actions of the Leeds Gurdwara setup. Upon being requested by the Sikh Sangat both locally and nationally the committee previously said that they would make efforts to change the setup. However nothing to date had been done.

Leeds Chapeltown Gurdwara complex had for some years been the scene of disgraceful, anti-Gurmat scenes. The complex consists of the Gurdwara with a party hall about 15 metres adjacent to it. The fact such activities were allowed to carry on in a building which is part of the Gurdwara estate was bad enough, however visitors to the hall would regularly smoke and drink in the shared car park, and sometimes the loud beats from music played in the building next door would be heard over the sublime kirtan inside Guru Ji’s Durbar.

Originally there were discussions about moving these activities into a community centre across the road about 50 metres away and to turn the building next door into a school. But this again proved unacceptable as the property would still be part of the Gurdwara estate and as purchased through Guru Ji’s golak an inappropriate use of Satguru Ji’s assets.

On Sunday 21st January 2007, many concerned Sikh sangat from around the country travelled to the Gurdwara and a representative was allowed to share their concerns with the Sangat and appeal to the conscience of the wider local sangat. With Satguru ji’s grace, the local Sangat unanimously decided that these anti-Gurmat activities should no longer be allowed to continue in any part of the Gurdwara estate, be it next door or across the road.

Upon the decision by the sangat, the Gurdwara Pardhan reflected: “They (sangat from outside the area) came and they did their duty in front of us (sadhsangat) today. We apologise that we didn’t do what they have achieved. We were asleep until they woke us up and exposed what has been going on in front of you. We thank them on behalf of all the sangat for this day.

We feel ashamed today as we knew the goings on in the hall were wrong and against Sikh maryada, but we still allowed it to carry on. We are happy today that the issue was raised with us and that the parties, alcohol or meat will not be allowed on any of our premises.”

This decision was made by the sangat in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. A written agreement was also made and all future parties cancelled. The Gurdwara will assist those who have already booked parties and obviously apologise for the inconvenience caused.

Of course these activities at Leeds Gurdwara are not isolated to this Gurdwara. The message that was sent out by Akal Takht Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti, the Gurdwara Parbhandaks, and the Sangat is that anti-Gurmat activity will no longer be tolerated on any part of the Gurdwara estate. Resonating this move in Leeds, an appeal goes out to all Gurdwara Committees that wherever such activities are allowed these must be brought to an end if we truly call ourselves Sikhs of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

There are many needs within the community which can be served by such halls without needing to compromise Gurmat and contradict the divine values enshrined in Gurbani. Teaching of Gurmat, our children’s education, needs of elders, activities for women and young people, are all too often neglected in favour of halls for parties. The Sikh community needs to re-assess its priorities and quite rightly the first priority must be satkar and respect for Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and the upholding of Sikhi Gurmat values.

[Sikh Soldier]

[Sarbloh]

As a lazy community the majority of us are stuck in this trap that presumes (out of convenience) that the Prabhandak Committee can formulate maryada, rules and protocols, which we seem to so readily accept no matter how absurd. In reality it’s the attitude of the Sangat that craft the Sikhi within that Gurdwara, where the sangat have a weak mind-set or poor appreciation of Sikhi, then manmat activities occur in abundance.

All these acts of manmat or “beadbi” stem from one problem, the lack of comprehension of what Gurmat is by all of us, not just the members of the Prabhandak committee. The Gur pyaray with a greater understanding and knowledge of Gurbani need to spread their own Sikhi through parchaar and interaction, maybe re-locate to areas where Sikh parchaar is weak in order to help nurture our communities in those areas. In short there needs to be a long term missionary approach in the Gurdwaras/areas where Manmat takes place. Large groups of naujwaan can turn up week in week out, temporarily push a declaration through applying pressure on the Committee or the Sangat but what happens next month or a few months down the line. Can the manmat creep back in again?

The Prabhandak committee come up with the ludicrous idea that a party hall is needed to serve the local sangat, hence create the supply. But what is even more worrying is that there is a demand out there where the sangat start utilising these facilities!! So stopping the supply is one approach, but we cannot ignore the fact that we need to sway the demand for the party halls too!!

[kuljeet]

THIS IS JUST GREAT KIRPA FROM GURU JI

[S.S.F]

THIS IS JUST GREAT KIRPA FROM GURU JI

[AK-47]

Fantastic!!!!

Just the way things should be done, pyar, parchar and dedication!

I understand that the singhs spent nearly a year in discussions with the gurwara committee and local sangat in order to achieve this result!!

Congratulations to all the local sangat at leeds who for years have been trying to get this issue resolved. And congratulations to the gurdwara organisers who finally made the brave step of doing the right thing, it takes courage to accept ones faults and to change your stance after 20 plus years.

Lets hops other places take note and follow by example!

[piddu]

its brilliant news....well done to all involved in resolving this issue.

other comittees shud take note and stop taking bookings now.

for years i thought this was not possible...but Guru Ji has shown us again that we can achieve great things if we put our heart and mind into it.

[kkaur123]

It is good to see a mixture of sangat at Leeds on sunday. Women, men, and elderly were present. Women travelled from London to help stop this beadbi. The hard work must continue. It was good to see how the sangat was so well behaved. All naujawan present must be comended, they never raised thier voice once. I am happy to see my brothers are so well matured and can accept victory with so much humility. Contrary to what we read on here and in papers the youth seem to understand they are representing the Khalsa, and can refrain from agression. If you believe what you read on here everytime we have an issue the 'naujawan' take out their kirpans and fight. What I saw with my own eyes impressed me very much.

:TH:

[karamthedon]

It is good to see a mixture of sangat at Leeds on sunday. Women, men, and elderly were present. Women travelled from London to help stop this beadbi. The hard work must continue. It was good to see how the sangat was so well behaved. All naujawan present must be comended, they never raised thier voice once. I am happy to see my brothers are so well matured and can accept victory with so much humility. Contrary to what we read on here and in papers the youth seem to understand they are representing the Khalsa, and can refrain from agression. If you believe what you read on here everytime we have an issue the 'naujawan' take out their kirpans and fight. What I saw with my own eyes impressed me very much.

:TH:

thanks penji...some ppl wud have u belive that we r all monsters

i was amazed to see so much normal sangat agree that the beadbi shud stop

[akaash]

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