Anand Karaj In The Context Of Guru And Western Culture

[SinghStation 72]

When Ram Rai, the eldest son of Mata Krishen Kaur and Guru Har Rai Ji, changed a word of a Gurbani tukh to appease (the usurper of the Mughal Raj) Arungzeb, Guru Har Rai Ji excommunicated him from Sikhi. Baba Ram Rai was Guru Sahib’s own son yet he had disrespected Gurbani which is considered the highest form of direspect in the Sikh Faith. Baani Guru, Guru Hai Baani.

BUT we forget one important thing, Baba Ram Rai was punished so severely because he KNOWINGLY did the wrong thing. Being Guru Sahib’s son he was well aware of the crime he was committing and therefore it was a choice.

Sadly majority of our community today is ignorant of our faith and it’s history. So how then can we hold individuals responsible when they disrespect Gurbani and thereby the True Guru unknowingly? Our response must be different because the Guru is just and never angry toward those who commit a mistake unknowingly. It is counterproductive to curse the bride and say “she deserves to rot in hell” or that “she is a stupid <banned word filter activated> who should die”. This only perpetuates ignorance and division within our community.

We must as a community take responsibility and educate ourselves and others to make sure incidents like this never occur again. As for incidents regarding to Anand Karaj, Anand Karaj is a very big commitment that we have dumbed down to “the Punjabi Marriage Ceremony” and by doing so we have turned it into a ritual, something often the bride and groom do without true knowledge.

The Anand Karaj is a commitment ceremony that binds the souls of the couple, you are not only committing to each other but making the HUGE commitment of accepting Guru Sahib as your Guru, to follow “his” teachings and keep “him” in the center of your new married life. Each part of the Lavaan gives you a different teaching which you hear out while you revolve around the Guru like the earth revolves around the sun and you commit to that teaching, saying you fully agree with it and will embody it the moment you bow your head before the Guru and Matha Tek.

The “pheray” or parkarma around Guru Granth Sahib was not always part of the ceremony, it was added and is merely mirroring your commitment. The palla shows the connecting of two souls, you walk around Guru Sahib to show “he” is the center of your life. The reason walking side by side doesn’t work is because you both will not be equidistance from Guru Sahib, one person will be further. The woman walking behind the man is not inequality because it simply mirrors a Gurbani tukh. Also in the greater context of Anand Karaj one can see inequality is not an issue. As I stated before, we are viewing our religion through a western perspective without the knowledge and historical context of our religion. Furthermore, another way to look at in a western perspective is “Behind every man is a strong woman…and boom now it’s liberating.

I would like to state once again that ignorance is the root of all the confusion and division in our community. If it pains you to see Guru Granth Sahib disrespected then take it upon yourself to educate others of Gurbani and Sikh History. Do your research so you can know about the faith and institution you claim to be a part of. I would like to end this by saying once again, disrespect to Gurbani and thereby the true Guru is the highest crime.

I will leave you with one other example of how much respect our Gurus had for Gurbani. They were always stating that they are nothing, Gurbani, the word of Waheguru is everything, worship and follow Gurbani not their physical forms. Baani Guru, Guru Hai Baani.

When Guru Arjun Dev Ji, the 5th Guru was bringing Aad Granth (half of Guru Granth Sahib organized into a saroop) to Amritsar, Baba Buddha ji carried Aad Granth on his head while Guru Arjun Dev Ji did chaur seva (waving of peacock feathers). This shocked the sangat that was walking alongside Guru Sahib because chaur seva was something that was only done to the Guru or to Kings and yet here was the Guru doing chaur seva to what appeared to be a book! Then when they ended the daily events at Amritsar, the Sikhs asked Guru Arjun Dev Ji where they should put Aad Granth for the night. Guru Sahib responded, Aad Granth will rest on my bed, I will sleep on the floor beside it. OUR GURUS SHOWED TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT GURBANI IS THE HIGHEST. Today we have largely forgotten this and disregard Guru Granth Sahib, we neglect our Guru by remaining ignorant of “his” teachings.

Source: http://singhstation.net/2014/12/anand-karaj-in-the-context-of-guru-and-western-culture/

[JSinghnz 1,086]

The “pheray” or parkarma around Guru Granth Sahib was not always part of the ceremony,

When Ram Rai, the eldest son of Mata Krishen Kaur and Guru Har Rai Ji, changed a word of a Gurbani tukh to appease (the usurper of the Mughal Raj) Arungzeb, Guru Har Rai Ji excommunicated him from Sikhi. Baba Ram Rai was Guru Sahib’s own son yet he had disrespected Gurbani which is considered the highest form of direspect in the Sikh Faith. Baani Guru, Guru Hai Baani.

BUT we forget one important thing, Baba Ram Rai was punished so severely because he KNOWINGLY did the wrong thing. Being Guru Sahib’s son he was well aware of the crime he was committing and therefore it was a choice.

Sadly majority of our community today is ignorant of our faith and it’s history. So how then can we hold individuals responsible when they disrespect Gurbani and thereby the True Guru unknowingly? Our response must be different because the Guru is just and never angry toward those who commit a mistake unknowingly. It is counterproductive to curse the bride and say “she deserves to rot in hell” or that “she is a stupid <banned word filter activated> who should die”. This only perpetuates ignorance and division within our community.

We must as a community take responsibility and educate ourselves and others to make sure incidents like this never occur again. As for incidents regarding to Anand Karaj, Anand Karaj is a very big commitment that we have dumbed down to “the Punjabi Marriage Ceremony” and by doing so we have turned it into a ritual, something often the bride and groom do without true knowledge.

The Anand Karaj is a commitment ceremony that binds the souls of the couple, you are not only committing to each other but making the HUGE commitment of accepting Guru Sahib as your Guru, to follow “his” teachings and keep “him” in the center of your new married life. Each part of the Lavaan gives you a different teaching which you hear out while you revolve around the Guru like the earth revolves around the sun and you commit to that teaching, saying you fully agree with it and will embody it the moment you bow your head before the Guru and Matha Tek.

it was added and is merely mirroring your commitment. The palla shows the connecting of two souls, you walk around Guru Sahib to show “he” is the center of your life. The reason walking side by side doesn’t work is because you both will not be equidistance from Guru Sahib, one person will be further. The woman walking behind the man is not inequality because it simply mirrors a Gurbani tukh. Also in the greater context of Anand Karaj one can see inequality is not an issue. As I stated before, we are viewing our religion through a western perspective without the knowledge and historical context of our religion. Furthermore, another way to look at in a western perspective is “Behind every man is a strong woman…and boom now it’s liberating.

I would like to state once again that ignorance is the root of all the confusion and division in our community. If it pains you to see Guru Granth Sahib disrespected then take it upon yourself to educate others of Gurbani and Sikh History. Do your research so you can know about the faith and institution you claim to be a part of. I would like to end this by saying once again, disrespect to Gurbani and thereby the true Guru is the highest crime.

I will leave you with one other example of how much respect our Gurus had for Gurbani. They were always stating that they are nothing, Gurbani, the word of Waheguru is everything, worship and follow Gurbani not their physical forms. Baani Guru, Guru Hai Baani.

When Guru Arjun Dev Ji, the 5th Guru was bringing Aad Granth (half of Guru Granth Sahib organized into a saroop) to Amritsar, Baba Buddha ji carried Aad Granth on his head while Guru Arjun Dev Ji did chaur seva (waving of peacock feathers). This shocked the sangat that was walking alongside Guru Sahib because chaur seva was something that was only done to the Guru or to Kings and yet here was the Guru doing chaur seva to what appeared to be a book! Then when they ended the daily events at Amritsar, the Sikhs asked Guru Arjun Dev Ji where they should put Aad Granth for the night. Guru Sahib responded, Aad Granth will rest on my bed, I will sleep on the floor beside it. OUR GURUS SHOWED TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT GURBANI IS THE HIGHEST. Today we have largely forgotten this and disregard Guru Granth Sahib, we neglect our Guru by remaining ignorant of “his” teachings.

Source: http://singhstation.net/2014/12/anand-karaj-in-the-context-of-guru-and-western-culture/

Like I have said before, little knowledge is dangerous and that clearly shows in your article.

You are knowingly trying to confuse readers by saying,

"The “pheray” or parkarma around Guru Granth Sahib was not always part of the ceremony,"

Either you are playing dumb or just have no knowledge of basics of Sikhi.

To add to your knowledge,, this is what the Sikh Rehat Maryada says about "pherey."

The boy and girl should bow before the Guru Granth Sahib to betoken their acceptance of these instructions. Thereafter, the girl's father or the principal relation should make the girl grasp one end of the sash which the boy is wearing over his shoulders and the person in attendance of the Guru Granth Sahib should recite the matrimonial circumambulation stanzas {Lavan of the fourth Guru in the Suhi musical measure section of the Guru Granth Sahib } (Pp. 773-4). After the conclusion of the recitation of each of the stanzas, the boy, followed by the girl holding the end of the sash, should go round the Guru Granth Sahib while the ragis or the congregation sing out the recited stanza.

So in this case the Gurdwara's Granthi, the Ragis, the Committee, the Sangat, the families of the boy and the girl and the boy and the girl knowingly broke the Sikh Rehat Maryada .

Your "ignorance" card does not work in this case.

As an author of a Sikh Newspaper, you ought to do much more research before writing to give a correct picture to all instead of confusing

others with your shallow knowledge.

[jkvlondon 5,001]

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh

From what I have been told by Gursikhs and my bajurg , Guru Nanak Dev ji did parkarma of ik Ongkar , thus setting precedent of doing pherey aroung GurBani for marriage ceremony. Also where the couples did not go around was purely to save the bibi from falling or stumbling due to the lengthy programs prior to completion of Anand Karaj as legs would fall asleep or she was nervous .i.e. manmat.

p.s. they used to do koond (manmatt again) I remember my Mamas' weddings and that was seventies and two Mamis had koond in front of Guru ji, if you can't see you're gonna trip

[Not2Cool2Argue 500]

The pheray or parkarma around Guru Granth Sahib was not always part of the ceremony,

Like I have said before, little knowledge is dangerous and that clearly shows in your article.

You are knowingly trying to confuse readers by saying,

"The pheray or parkarma around Guru Granth Sahib was not always part of the ceremony,"

Either you are playing dumb or just have no knowledge of basics of Sikhi.

To add to your knowledge,, this is what the Sikh Rehat Maryada says about "pherey."

The boy and girl should bow before the Guru Granth Sahib to betoken their acceptance of these instructions. Thereafter, the girl's father or the principal relation should make the girl grasp one end of the sash which the boy is wearing over his shoulders and the person in attendance of the Guru Granth Sahib should recite the matrimonial circumambulation stanzas {Lavan of the fourth Guru in the Suhi musical measure section of the Guru Granth Sahib } (Pp. 773-4). After the conclusion of the recitation of each of the stanzas, the boy, followed by the girl holding the end of the sash, should go round the Guru Granth Sahib while the ragis or the congregation sing out the recited stanza.

So in this case the Gurdwara's Granthi, the Ragis, the Committee, the Sangat, the families of the boy and the girl and the boy and the girl knowingly broke the Sikh Rehat Maryada .

Your "ignorance" card does not work in this c]

Yes Sikh rehat maryada says to do parkarma/pherey But in Punjabi Sikh history, this has not always been part of the wedding ceremony. As many ppl even on this forum will tell u,pherey have been reintroduced recently. my grandparent n Taiya got married in a gurudwara after an akhand path at home but sat thru all of the laavan. Yes Guru Nanak Dev Ji did pherey, but at the time of Sikh rehat maryada there were many different customs done on weddings and SRM unified it.

[JSinghnz 1,086]

Yes Sikh rehat maryada says to do parkarma/pherey But in Punjabi Sikh history, this has not always been part of the wedding ceremony. As many ppl even on this forum will tell u,pherey have been reintroduced recently. my grandparent n Taiya got married in a gurudwara after an akhand path at home but sat thru all of the laavan. Yes Guru Nanak Dev Ji did pherey, but at the time of Sikh rehat maryada there were many different customs done on weddings and SRM unified it.

We are talking of the present Sikh Rehat Maryada and there is no confusion about taking pherey. We are not discussing the past here.

[13Mirch 1,154]

We are talking of the present Sikh Rehat Maryada and there is no confusion about taking pherey. We are not discussing the past here.

The present Sikh Rehat Maryada may not necessarily define what is right in light of historicity and Gurbani, how then can we conclude that it is conducive for Sikhi as a whole presently?

[JSinghnz 1,086]

The present Sikh Rehat Maryada may not necessarily define what is right in light of historicity and Gurbani, how then can we conclude that it is conducive for Sikhi as a whole presently?

Go ahead and start a morcha to change it then.

[Jonny101 4,152]

Yes Sikh rehat maryada says to do parkarma/pherey But in Punjabi Sikh history, this has not always been part of the wedding ceremony. As many ppl even on this forum will tell u,pherey have been reintroduced recently. my grandparent n Taiya got married in a gurudwara after an akhand path at home but sat thru all of the laavan. Yes Guru Nanak Dev Ji did pherey, but at the time of Sikh rehat maryada there were many different customs done on weddings and SRM unified it.

If Guru Jee did it like this, then why argue against it?

If our Taya Jee or other uncles or Grand parents did something one way and Guru Jee did something another way, then as Sikhs we should always say what Guru Jee did was the correct way because Bhulan Anbar Sabh Ko, Abhul Guru Kartar, everyone is fallible, except Guru and Kartar who are infallible

[SinghStation 72]

The “pheray” or parkarma around Guru Granth Sahib was not always part of the ceremony,

Like I have said before, little knowledge is dangerous and that clearly shows in your article.

You are knowingly trying to confuse readers by saying,

"The “pheray” or parkarma around Guru Granth Sahib was not always part of the ceremony,"

Either you are playing dumb or just have no knowledge of basics of Sikhi.

To add to your knowledge,, this is what the Sikh Rehat Maryada says about "pherey."

The boy and girl should bow before the Guru Granth Sahib to betoken their acceptance of these instructions. Thereafter, the girl's father or the principal relation should make the girl grasp one end of the sash which the boy is wearing over his shoulders and the person in attendance of the Guru Granth Sahib should recite the matrimonial circumambulation stanzas {Lavan of the fourth Guru in the Suhi musical measure section of the Guru Granth Sahib } (Pp. 773-4). After the conclusion of the recitation of each of the stanzas, the boy, followed by the girl holding the end of the sash, should go round the Guru Granth Sahib while the ragis or the congregation sing out the recited stanza.

So in this case the Gurdwara's Granthi, the Ragis, the Committee, the Sangat, the families of the boy and the girl and the boy and the girl knowingly broke the Sikh Rehat Maryada .

Your "ignorance" card does not work in this case.

As an author of a Sikh Newspaper, you ought to do much more research before writing to give a correct picture to all instead of confusing

others with your shallow knowledge.

Respected JSingh ji

Not sure, what part actually prompted your comments, but as already answered by few other Sikh members on this post, I hope it clarifies that Laavan were not always part of the Maryada but were added later on.

We apologise if you think its adding to any confusion at your end....but I believe that at the same time, it is clarifying that that though it was never part of in the past, but it is INDEED A PART of current Sikh Rehat Maryada.

Also the article above has also mentioned:

Each part of the Lavaan gives you a different teaching which you hear out while you revolve around the Guru like the earth revolves around the sun and you commit to that teaching, saying you fully agree with it and will embody it the moment you bow your head before the Guru and Matha Tek.

[S1ngh 1,686]

People nowdays are playing with fire. Why we want to challenge sgpc rehat maryada when it was approved by panth as the basic requirement of sukh dharam.