Where To Sit?

[Guest Kaur]

Vaheguru ji ka Khalsa vaheguru ji ke fateh

I have a question I hope you can help me with. At my local gurdwara in the langar hall there is mostly tables and chairs, and a very small area for eating langar whilst sitting on the floor, say for about ten people max. Hardly anyone sits on the floor to eat langar, however I choose to sit there and also my children sit with me too. Many times we are the only ones eating langar whilst sitting on the floor, whilst rest of the sangat is sitting at the tables and chairs.

Now should langar be eaten all at the same level? Therefore should I be joining the majority by sitting at a table and chair? I do feel sometimes feel I am singling myself out by sitting on the floor.

I did speak to one of the committee guys as to why there are more table and chairs then floor area and he said that it's what the majority of the sangat wanted.

[guptkuri]

Bhena Ji, I would continue to sit on the floor with your children. I know the space is crowded and your singling yourself out but that should not matter because your doing what Guru Ji would have wanted. If anyone questions you on why you sit on the floor just say, ' I am the dust of the feet of Guru Ji and his sangat, your part of his sangat, so I choose to sit at your feet'. Don't tell them that they are wrong, don't let them mock you either. Just be a good Sikh and keep doing what Guru Ji would have wanted.

Also explain to your kids why it is important to follow what Guru Ji wanted, even if no one else does. Remind them of Harmandir Sahib and show them pictures of the famous people that visited and sat on the floor and ate. Let them be proud of doing the right thing.

[Singhstah]

Which Gurdwara Sahib is this? Its not about Sangat's choice its Guru Hukam and Akal Takht Hukam that we sit on the floor.

[simran345]

If u feel comfortable bhenji carry on the floor, I feel seating should be for those who have disabilities or elderly who have problems sitting on floor. Others may think twice and think why is this family sitting on the floor, and may come and ask you, then that is ur moment to explain to them why, then they may realise that they want to sit on th floor too. ITs great u and ur family are sitting on th floor for langar. I dont think u are singling urself out, I feel that is the way everybody used to sit from beginning, even in gurdwaras today people sit on the floor.

Dont worry waheguruji would be proud of you that u are singled out like that, as u are having langar which to others may be in a harder way.

[Guest Kaur]

Thank you all for ur reassurance, I just didn't want it to come across to other sangat that were better then anyone by choosing to follow hukam of sitting on floor because I know someone people do look but never approach us. Nor did I just want to follow others and sit at the table and chairs. Even when I am not with my children they choose to go and sit on the floor, and sometimes other children have followed them, never the parents though.

[simran345]

Bhenji if it was me that saw u, I wouldnt think ur trying to be better, but would be proud of u that you are sitting on the floor. good that u feel better about it now.

There maybe other reasons y they dont approach u, they may not know wat to say, and I wouldnt take it as a bad thing, for all u know others maybe admiring the fact of ur love for god. Its very hard to tell what one in thinking. When ur children are followed by other children that is wonderful as the children are learning from ur children, and th parents may just not follow as they dont want to disturb th company of th children sitting together. I'd be proud of ur children, and its all due to u in teaching them lovely ways.

[whyhellothere]

Thank you all for ur reassurance, I just didn't want it to come across to other sangat that were better then anyone by choosing to follow hukam of sitting on floor because I know someone people do look but never approach us. Nor did I just want to follow others and sit at the table and chairs. Even when I am not with my children they choose to go and sit on the floor, and sometimes other children have followed them, never the parents though.

Don't ever care what anyone thinks of you, if your heart tells you to sit on the floor then do it, do what you truly believe the guru would want you to do becauase thats whats right- not what any other person thinks whether they claim to be right or not.

[BenaresKaThug]

Great job Bhia Sahib for your Sikhi

your doing it out of respect of Guru Sahib and his teaching but there doing it out of ignorance.