Play This Word Association Game!

[chatanga]

Scroll down and see the words I have typed at the bottom. Then post the first word that comes into your mind.

Gurdwara Committee

[Wingz23]

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!

[Singh559]

Sangat-so-thirsty

[Wingz23]

PAAAAANIIIIIIIIIIII

[chatanga]

Thanks to all that played, or even looked at this.

I was discussing this issue with another committee member who does a lot of sewa in the gurdwara. about how gurdwara committees have got such a bad name, how they do not inspire younger Sikhs to join committees etc.

But although we criticize committees, i personally feel that the youth are not able to handle being in the committee, because for some it is a thankless task, and a continous head ache.

But it can (and eventually will) change, if more youths, especially educated ones were to join committees in numbers and experience running a gurdwara( it is no easy task believe me). Numbers is the main thing, 1 or 2 youths cannot make a change by themsleves, as committees work mainly on democracy. Y

You cant really have any faith in the weaker members of the committee because although they may perform their sewa to a good standard, they are reluctant to tackle any issues/members who are wrong, for the sake of harmony. Nobody like to fight in the gurdwara.

But im just thinking about the potential of parchar in gurdwaras and how it would make a difference to the younger generation, if more youths were to get involved. But to do this, youths have got to sort themsleves out.

I am sick and tired of hearing about committees did this and they stopped that etc from young people. The only thing stopping them joining the committee is their cowardice, or feeling that the time they have is for themselves personally and not the panth.

as much as i despise the elders and their arrested development in sikhi and our community, i am beginning to despise the attitude of younger sikhs who are content to neglect their duties for the panth, and instead of joiing the committees and changing things, prefering to goto smagams on the other side of the country, stay at home on a sunday, or get some overtime in, etc.

There was a time when we could rightfully claim that the elders were holding our community back, but now we have to look at how the attitudes of youngsters are holding our community back as well.

[satbachan96]

good topic veer ji. to be honest my first word that came out was chor=theif.... saying that reading your post i for one can say im not doing much at all to change things... apart from what you are saying i feel with your emphasis on educated youths running the show makes me convinced we look at gurdwaras as a business/institute rather than a dharmshala... i appreciate this topic requires more than a paragraph on a forum but a more in depth conversation....i personally feel 5 singh who are jagiasoo/giani and take control and cater for like minded with emphasis on santhiya/bhram vidiya..this will cover everyon including those for material gains etc...saying this i also appreciate you need one foot in the material world and one foot in the spiritual world.. miri/piri...one thing that needs to be addressed, which i have no answer or opinion to is in the uk where sikhs are in majority we have 10 gurdwaras in a 5 mile radius area....singh sabha/ravidas/ramgharia etc the core of the problem is in the root of the panth and until we identify and recognise this as a problem only then will we find a solution to committies/gurdware... fateh

[Wingz23]

i was honestly just playing the game

[chatanga]

apart from what you are saying i feel with your emphasis on educated youths running the show makes me convinced we look at gurdwaras as a business/institute rather than a dharmshala... i appreciate this topic requires more than a paragraph on a forum but a more in depth conversation...

.i personally feel 5 singh who are jagiasoo/giani and take control and cater for like minded with emphasis on santhiya/bhram vidiya..this will cover everyon including those for material gains etc..

What it requires more bhaji, is that youths actually take a look at themselves and see what skills they can offer the Guru's house in terms of their western education, as well as their sikh faith. Rather than let uneducated people take control.

I know bhaji of singhs , who are very good sewadars, give a lot of time for the Guru's house, and have a lot of bhavna, but when it comes to parchar, or dealing with modern issues, they are useless.

So we need to find a balance. at the moment it is one-sided, and that is causing a lot of damage.

[satbachan96]

good points veer ji, would just like to add that theres a group inbetween the old commitee and the youth who in my opinion have abetter chance in blending in with the old and young generation....sorry veer if this was meant to be a fun/joke post and hope this continues with positive ideas..

veer when you say educated sikh need to step up are you implying better finacial/business plans etc...?

inthat Sense i dont think the older lot have done too wrong...it just comes to vidiya and unity i feel things are messed up... also dont mean to sound pessimistic but ideas are realky running out, sikh camps, weekly simran sessions, gym etc have all been introduced in most uk gurdwareh from my understanding...but theres still alot of people born in panjabi/sikh families in uk that at best could name 3-4 gurus names, gyan/ maryada at basic level is out the question...

balance as you say is the key as in all aspects in life....

[chatanga]

Satbachan bro, this topic is serious but started with a game, a bit of a joke, because essentially that what committees have become, They are a joke, but now the serious aspect is that how can we change things short term and long term?

Im talking educated sikhs who will have a better understanding of the world we wlive in with all it colours, and can hgelp the new generation to adapt better than those people who were born in panjabi villages.

There is apart from the things you hgave mentioned, a lot of potential for the growth of sikhi. What scares me is that the elders have done all they can for the community, they have come to a dead-end, but the younger sikhs are unprepared, or unwilling to step into their shoes and expand on the base (gurdwaras) that the elders have built.