British MP helps Sikhs re British Library campaign

[Harpartap Singh]

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh!

Brent North MP, Barry Gardiner has expressed support for the campaign by UK Sikhs to have the British Library accord proper respect to Stri Guru Granth Sahib ji, Dasam Granth and other manuscripts which contain Gurbani.

In his letter, he stated that he had written to the Department of Culture head, Teresa Jowell, and the Chief Executive of teh British Library.

Sangat ji, please make an effort to help in this worthwhile campaign - make this one of the small ways we can pay tribute to the majesty that is our Satguru ji, Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji.

This is what you can do:

1. Sign the online petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/beadbi04/petition.html. 443 members of the Sangat have signed already...

2. Sign the postcards which are being distributed in various Gurdwaras around the UK over the next two weekends. Just fill in your name, sign it and hand it back to the sevadar - no stamp needed! They will make sure that it gets sent to the Chief Executive of the British Library

Please forgive all the mistakes we have made...

Sent on behalf of Gurjeevan Singh

Respect for Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji Campaign

Tel: 07743-211135

Email: sikhalerts@yahoo.co.uk

Website: www.GuruGranthSahibji.com (work in progress - so please bear with us!)

[Respect For Sri Guru Granth Sahi]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

I have just received this reply from the British Library:

Dear Mr Gurjeevan Singh

I hope that you have already received our reply to your fax of 13 August explaining the Library's position in relation to the Dasam Granth. The Chief Executive has asked me to reply to your email containing the petition which you have organized.

If you wish to present this to the British Library, then we are happy for you to do so. You may hand it in at your convenience at the Information Desk in the Front Hall where one of our professional colleagues will be pleased to receive it.

Yours sincerely

Graham Shaw

Head, Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections

Looks like the Library are not willing to even discuss the issues!!

I will keep you posted with further developments.

GurFateh!

[TavPrasad Singh]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

I think its time to protest outside the Library!! The Library continue to be arrogant and unwilling to resolve this situation.

Sangat Ji, please sign the postcards and the online petition.

[GurSa Singh]

MP for Ilford South Mike Gapes has also written to the British Library on behalf of the Ilford Sikh Community.

We have just found out from Graham Shaw that the the British Library has 53 GurMukhi Scriptures and 17 Guru Granth Sahib Ji Saroops in their storage vaults.

This is a much bigger issue than we orginally anticipated!!

[Respect For Sri Guru Granth Sahi]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

Currently the Campaign in relation to the British Library has the support of 3 MPs:

Mike Gapes (Iford South)

Barry Gardiner (Brent North)

Nick Palmer (Broxtowe)

Also over 650 have signed the online petition! The pressure is building for the Library, they will have to submit to the Sikh Community.

The postcard campaign is in full swing. Sevadars will be present at the Leceister & Ilford Nagar Kirtans, please support by signing them.

Please can the sangat inform us of any other Nagar Kirtans happening. If you wish to take on this seva at Nagar Kirtans or Gurdwaras please contact me.

GurFateh!

Gurjeevan Singh

[Respect For Sri Guru Granth Sahi]

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh!

The British Library has finally responded to the hundreds of letters, postcards, emails and phone calls by sending the following letter.

As can be seen they have said they understand the importance of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji to Sikhs but have not answered the most important question that was asked of them: what procedures do they have in place to ensure that proper respect is given to Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji? - this means they have NOTHING in place to ensure Maryada is followed in relation to the SEVENTEEN saroops they have.

We have the backing of FOUR UK MP's at the moment and this list is growing.

If you have not already done so, please sign the online petition at:

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/sig...ed.cgi?beadbi04

The total is now 827.

Also, thousands of pre printed postcards have been distributed around the UK and some have been sent to USA and India. If you wish to order some, please email sikhalerts@yahoo.co.uk.

GurJeevan Singh

Respect for Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji Campaign

Tel: 07743-211135

Email: sikhalerts@yahoo.co.uk

"Dear Mr. Singh,

Thank you for your letter of 13 August, to which the Chief executive, Mrs. Lynne Brindley, has asked me to reply.

As you will have seen from our prompt and unequivocal decision to remove the Guru Granth Sahib manuscript from display, the British Library has no wish or intention whatsoever to cause offence to the Sikh community. We recognise the unique position of Guruship which the Guru Granth S

ahib holds.

Most responses from within the Sikh community which we have received to date have expressed satisfaction at our response. We have not received any widespread request to remove the Dasam Granth from display, and understand that within the Sikh community itself there is no unanimity regarding its authority and status. It should be pointed out that manuscripts of the Dasam Granth have been displayed previously, for instance in the V&A’s highly successful The Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms exhibition in 1999. Like other cultural institutions in the UK holding items relating to many world faiths, we think it important that we do continue to display materials reflecting the religious diversity of modern Britain, not least Sikhism itself

You also ask about the Libraiy’s holdings of manuscripts of the Guru Grantli Sahib and the Dasam Granth. We have 17 complete manuscript copies in the Library’s collections and detailed descriptions have long been in the public domain. See J.F. Blumhardt, Catalogues of Hindi, Paniabi and Hindustani manuscripts in the Library of the British museum (London 1899), and C. Shackle, Catalogue of the Paniabi and Sindhi manuscripts in the India Office Library ( 1977)

The Library is very conscious of its duty of care towards sacred texts of all religions in its collections. The manuscripts of the Guru Granth Sahib and the Dasam Granth are kept within the Library’s flagship building at St Pancras which has a 24-hour security presence and strictly controlled access to all non-public areas. The Library also ensures that all manuscripts in its care are kept in the optimal environmental conditions in conformity with the relevant British standard (B.S. 5454 as revised in 2000).

I hope that this additional information is useful.

Yours sincerely

Graham Shaw

Head, Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections"

[Mkhalsa]

24 hour watch and climate control is great and all, BUT ITS NOT MARYADA..

explain to them that we arent worried about its historical significance as much as we are about disrespect..

ie there should be NO SHOES in the room where guru shaib is kept, guru sahib should be kept on beds, there should be sheets on the floor and chananis on the ceiling. This is the LEAST they can do.

[GurSa Singh]

The BBC documentary 'SIKHS IN THE CITY', which was broadcast last night, interviewed Jevan Deol.

He blantly said that there are NO PROCEDURES in place for the correct treatment of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Saroops the British Library currently have in their possesion.

[sall]

don't forget Jeevan Deol also mentioned the word "ritualist" when describing how SGGS is kept in a Gurdwara. The guy seems to be a kala afgana type. :lol: