Diwaan Hall Rules

[Carpe Diem]

Fateh everyone

If you were to give out a leaflet to everyone going into a Gurdwara about what the rules are and WHY those rules are in place, what would you say?

I got some down myself but need help!

1. No talking - self explanatory

2. Please remove shoes AND socks before entering. (To reduce the intake of dirt going into the hall)

3. Please cover your head... (why cover your head? Is "respect" the only reason?)

4. No running.

5. Please control your kids and keep them with you at all times.

6. Mobile Phones must be switched off or put on silent.

7. Do not answer or make calls on your mobile phones whilst in diwaan hall.

8. Please bow before Guru Granth Sahib Jee upon entering and leaving the hall.

9. Do not sit with your back towards Guru Granth Sahib jee

................

anyone else help?

[True_Singh]

Fateh everyone

If you were to give out a leaflet to everyone going into a Gurdwara about what the rules are and WHY those rules are in place, what would you say?

I got some down myself but need help!

1. No talking - self explanatory

2. Please remove shoes AND socks before entering. (To reduce the intake of dirt going into the hall)

3. Please cover your head... (why cover your head? Is "respect" the only reason?)

4. No running.

5. Please control your kids and keep them with you at all times.

6. Mobile Phones must be switched off or put on silent.

7. Do not answer or make calls on your mobile phones whilst in diwaan hall.

8. Please bow before Guru Granth Sahib Jee upon entering and leaving the hall.

9. Do not sit with your back towards Guru Granth Sahib jee

................

anyone else help?

They are self explanatory, except number 5. I have 2 toddlers and keeping them quite and in control is very difficult. Is also find this type of control non expansive for children, yes children need boundries etc but for there evolution and education, play and exploration is the key.

They are neither the age to understand gurbani nor understand the procedures and conduct of the temple. If children are constantly told off and disciplined they will only feel resentment towards going to the gurdwara and will disasociate at a young age.

In the case of my kids, they enjoy the paath, and kirtan to them it's music but at the same time like to play, and unfortunately I get told off on numurous occassions for my kids playing etc but I never tell them off but I do try and calm them down. In the ideal world there would be nurseries or play areas at a gurdwara!!

[Guest G.Kaur]

Waheguru ji ka khalsa Waheguru ji ki fateh.

I got this e-mail 3 years ago.. Thought I'd share it with you...

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Gurdwara Etiquette

Here are some basic rules that should be enforced in the Gurdwara Sahib. Please try to follow as many as you can, MOST of them are common sense. If you have any questions about anything, ASK SOMEONE. If you don’t know anyone to ask, ask the heads of your gurdwara. Feel free to add anything you think needs to be added, but please ensure that it is in line with Gurmat. Lastly, please forward this to anyone who goes to the gurdwara. You may also want to print it out and post it up at your gurdwara. >>>> Basics:

1. Cover your head

2. Wash hands (if your feet are dirty wash them too. Many gurdwaray have a separate place for washing feet. If not, wash them in the sink or with water on your hands.)

3. Take shoes and socks off Other stuff: **most of these are common sense if you pay attention to number 4.

4. Keep in mind that sitting in darbaar where Guru Granth Sahib Jee is is the same thing as sitting in darbaar where Guru Nanak Dev jee/any other guru sahib is.. this point cant be stressed enough...most people would be more careful as to how they behave in darbaar if it was any other guru than guru granth sahib jee. Have as much respect, humility etc. in Guru Granth Sahib Jee's darbaar as you would in Guru Gobind Singh Jee's darbaar.

5. If someone has their eyes closed DO NOT DISTURB THEM (unless absolutely necessary). They are most likely concentrating on whats going on.. not sleeping.

6. When matha tekking, do it as if guru nanak dev jee is there... because he is.

7. Dont wear inappropriate clothing (i.e. tight clothes, shirts with low necks, shirts that show half your stomach, bright flashy sparkly suits, multicoloured suits, extravagant suits...)

8. Cover your head PROPERLY at all times. "it slipped off my head" shouldnt be an excuse.

9. Don't talk while in the darbaar, even if you can't understand doesnt mean other people aren't paying attention. Your talking will disturb them. Try to listen to whats going on and you'll catch onto a few things. Even if you dont, ask your parents or just keep quiet and do simran.

10. If you see a friend sitting nearby or walking across, dont start frantically waving at him/her. If you must talk to him/her right then, go outside and do it.

11. NO TALKING whatsoever during ardaas.

12. When getting parshad, put your hands up high so that its easier for the sevadaar and make sure to use both hands.

13. When eating parshad, dont play around with it.. just accept it and eat it.

14. Do not DANCE, or even move your shoulders to the beat when kirtan is going on. Its not bhangra.

15. Dont pay attention to what other people are wearing.

16. LISTEN to what is going on.

17. keep cellphones, pagers etc off.. or if you must, keep it atleast on vibe so that it disturbs no one but you.

18. If your cell DOES ring, take it out immediately and turn it off. Don't leave it ringing in your pocket/purse thinking that no one else can hear it. DO NOT EVER talk on your phone in teh darbaar.

19. If you see someone else talking, kindly ask them to quiet down.

20. for ANY seva in the darbaar, your hands MUST be washed and you should have a hazooria (long piece of cloth around your neck)

21. For deg di seva, hands obviously must be thoroughly washed. When giving out deg, don't talk to people.. dont even sing "satnam vaheguru" (or whatever they're singing) with the rest of the sangat because its possible that some spit from your mouth could fall into the deg. the best thing to do would be to wrap your hazooria around your mouth.

22. In the langar hall, while doing seva, hands MUST once again be thoroughly washed. This is very important.

23. If you're serving langar, dont talk to teh people unnecessarily.

24. When your serving OR eating langar, your head must be covered.

25. Dont go boasting to people of how much seva you do (or how many times you go to the gurdwara), this just defeats the whole purpose.

26. The Gurdwara is not a social place. You dont go to meet up with people or to show off your new suit.

27. Don't push when you're in line to matha taak. This seems to be more of a problem with the women.

28. Do not bow down to anything other than Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee; this is considered an insult to Maharaj jee. Even if there is another pothi in the darbaar with other bani in it, the ultimate jyot of Guru Sahib is in SGGS.

29. Try to sit cross legged when in the gurdwara.

30. Don’t sit against the wall, please reserve this area for the elderly.

31. Don’t sit at the back, find a nice spot from where you can pay attention to what is going on.

32. Dont bring any food into the darbaar

33. Teach your kids the proper way to matha tek. Some kids throw money towards SGGSJ like they're doing Guru ji a favor and then don't even bow down.

34. NO GUM!!!!!!

35. Try to stay inside the gurudwara at most times. You disturb people when you go in and out ....or if you know you're going to leave in the middle of the services, sit near the exit.

36. Participate in the programme currently going on in Gurudwara sahib like if Kirtan is going on then sit and listen and try to understand the Kirtan. Many people start doing other Paath (sukhmani sahib or others) in the Gurudwara Hall when Kirtan or katha (lectures on gurmat) are going on. A student (Sikh) should listen to what is going on (katha/ kirtan) in classroom (gurudwara) at that particular period of time. If any body really needs to do other paath then they should go to a separate room instead of doing it in the main hall.

37. The Gurdwara is not a playground, if you wanna play, play outside, not in the guru darbar or guru ka langar.

38. No Gameboys or any other portable game consoles or mobile phones with games. I have seen teenagers playing these during a diwan (session in the gurdwara).

39. No T-shirts or clothes with offensive writing like FCUK tops or beer ads or anything anti-Gurmat.

40. When coming to the Gurdwara, try to spend more time in the darbar rather then spending more time outside talking. Some people might spend 15mins in the darbar and then 2-3 hours talking outside. As mentioned before, the gurdwara is not a social meeting place.

41. Teach younger kids to sit inside the darbar... they're never going to learn anything if they play outside during kirtan!!

42. Try to stay in the darbar for as long as the program is going on. Stay to listen to the hukamnama, even if you don’t understand. If Guru Gobind Singh jee was giving an order to his Sikhs, you would most likely want to stay and hear what he has to say. Same thing at the gurdwara.

[Wicked Warrior]

I think most of the issues would be resolved if people realised they are sitting in the presence of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. But because they can't see that, they act in whatever way they want.

[Bhai Sahib]

Please remove shoes AND socks before entering. (To reduce the intake of dirt going into the hall)

Socks?

What if they have a verruca??

[Guest Papi]

socks might be stinky

[Bhai Sahib]

socks might be stinky

If socks on and socks off aren't acceptable then scientifically, what would be a good solution?

[Bhai Sahib]

Segregate stinky people???

[Guest Papi]

thats y sikhs are told to take a bath everyday and thats why (atelast) in india, we have facilities to wash feet before entering guru ghar

[B4ND4]

Dress modestly