What Our Gurdwaras Have Become

[sat]

I think that this is just done to attract more people i see nothing wrong with it but if people are coming in only when these items are being offered or going straight to the langar hall upon arrival than i think we have a problem. In calgary our main Gurdwara Damesh Cultural Centre also offers pizza and i think its more of a treat for kids but even then we do have ppl who only come for the food which is a shame

Yes i have noticed this many people come into Darbar after Matha tekh, their bums hardly touch the floor to sit down and they are off to the langar hall, but then at least they have come there are many so clled sikhs who dont even come to bow before Maharaj SGGS ji how unfortunate are they :waheguru:

[N30S1NGH]

Yes i have noticed this many people come into Darbar after Matha tekh, their bums hardly touch the floor to sit down and they are off to the langar hall, but then at least they have come there are many so clled sikhs who dont even come to bow before Maharaj SGGS ji how unfortunate are they :waheguru:

To tackle this problem, traditionally many gurdwaras (atleast the ones i know- hotimardan samparda)- used to wait until ardas and sukhasan is done and wait until 5 minute mool mantra jaap is done- before distributing langar to ensure basic sanctity of maharaj darbar is kept.

[ssinghuk]

To tackle this problem, traditionally many gurdwaras (atleast the ones i know- hotimardan samparda)- used to wait until ardas and sukhasan is done and wait until 5 minute mool mantra jaap is done- before distributing langar to ensure basic sanctity of maharaj darbar is kept.

With Guru's kirpa there are a number of GuruGhar which still adhere to this Maryada.

After the final ardas, all of the sangat sit in the pangat and do Satnaam Waheguroo jaap whilst sewadars, with their mouths covered with a sapha, serve langar. Until a jaikara is done none of the sangat can partake in langar.

After a member of the sangat has finished eating, they wait for a couple of sewadar to come round and wash their hands. Their joothay taal are also picked up by sewadaar leaving the person who has just eaten langar free to do a shukrana ardas.

This is much better in every aspect to the typical catering system which we see in the majority of Gurdwaray these days.

In India I've seen it go a step further with buffet style "langar" where people just help themselves.

These subtle failings are quite detrimental as they slowly eroding our jeevan.

[sat]

This is certainly the correct way langar after ardas but our greedy committees would be afraid that some people may not come due to this hence less maya in the golak !!

[Bundha]

Personally I do not see anything wrong with it. At least the people are coming to the gurdwara! At least they are not going to a pub or a club or anywhere like this. At least they are coming to the Gurdwara.

This is the house of Nanak, let everyone go fulfilled. Let everyone go with a smile on their face. If they come for pizza, the welcome them with open arms, if they come for langar welcome them with open arms, what is wrong with you people ?

If they come to gurdwara for pizza then maybe one day they will come for the kirtan and the paath, at least they are on the right path. How difficult will it be to prise them away from a pub or a club?

We are so judgmental, look at your own life, look at your own path. Everyone is under His hukam, everyone is doing what he does because He wills it. The stealer, the robber, the slanderer, they all have His jyiote in them. So what if they come for pizza, the gurdwara is full and car park is full, would it be better if there was just tubbleweed in the car park?

Welcome all to the house of Nanak, let them eat and be happy, one day they will realise that they now need to do simran and jaap, their time will come, but in the meantime serve them like you would serve food to your Guru.

[sat]

i think we are all saying the same thing good and better people come to Gurdwara than not even if only for food better than those who dont come at all and maybe the food will lead to kirpa to jaap naam. i dont think anyone is being judgemental just hoping that we all show more respect to Guru ji and not just his food. :biggrin2:

[JasSinghKhalsa]

Aren't you then making Simran a chore rather than a blessing? Do you really think that people are solely there for the pizza and chips when they could easily get these at a local Iceland store for a few quid? I think we need to praise the Gurdwaras who are showing foresight to get as many people there as possible. Even if people are going there solely for the Pizza and Chips then by just going to the Gurdwara it should bring some change in their lives. Just hearing Kirtan or Katha while eating is likely to have more of an impact than being forced to sit in the dewan hall for an hour with their stomachs rumbling salivating over the pizza and chips to come.

Fully agreed Bhaaji, just reminds me of a Katha of Bhagat Fareed Jee, who used to like KHAND, and his mother used to remind him to do NAAM-SIMRAN before or after consuming KHAND, and Vaheguru will place KHAND for him, which she used to place secretly. One day she forgot to keep the KHAND secretly, but almighty did cared of his Bhagat and placed the KHAND secretly for his Bhagat. Later on, Bhagat Fareed Jee's Baani says - "Farida shakar khand nivat , gud makheyo manjha dudh, sabe vasta mithiya rabb na pujan tudh". Implies same Bhagat Fareed who got attached to Prabhu Naam-Simran through some prashad/sweet, now deems the same KHAND not so sweet as compared to Prabhu-simran. KATHA - COURTESY BHAI SAHIB JASBIR SINGH JEE KHALSA KHANNE VALE.

In my childhood I used to have a craze of specific prashad during Prabhat-Pheris, doing seva in joda ghar's, but later this tied me much closer to Guru Sewa, so I would say, attaching children or any body through such means - what's wrong in this? Yes, don't mandate, but this and similar sortf of attractions keep children attached to Guru ghar.

[S1ngh]

I think we need effort to phase out buffet style table distribution. Sangat should sit and sewadar bring up the plates/food. This takes care of the sucham issue. Once in my local gurdwara i saw rat poison bottle nearby the salt/masalay box. Just a big tragedy waiting to happen as any bibi without english can pull up rat poison instead of salt. Rab hi rakha !

Personally I do not see anything wrong with it. At least the people are coming to the gurdwara! At least they are not going to a pub or a club or anywhere like this. At least they are coming to the Gurdwara.

This is the house of Nanak, let everyone go fulfilled. Let everyone go with a smile on their face. If they come for pizza, the welcome them with open arms, if they come for langar welcome them with open arms, what is wrong with you people ?

If they come to gurdwara for pizza then maybe one day they will come for the kirtan and the paath, at least they are on the right path. How difficult will it be to prise them away from a pub or a club?...

Hanjee.. if we look at that way then yes it makes sense..