We Need To Embrace The Dera Culture

[joker]

The Dera culture is sweeping through punjab. gathering converts from the main religions.Their success can not be denied.What is their pulling power attraction.I beleive they serve a bigger function than a few wise words from a charamatic baba leader.In a failed state like punjab, where social and economic problems are so intense.Theses DERAs offer a walk in one stop family crisis campus.They help the people in their hour of need.They are a mini welfare state for the people.

Sikhs have to learn from this, and start their own sikh deras .An campus for sikhi learning, health free food, counselling, voluntary work and many more needs

[pardesanbibbi]

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[MisterrSingh]

Agree with the jist of OP's argument. The socialist aspects of dera culture, whilst clearly suspect and riddled with vested interests to ensnare desperate people requiring help of various sorts, is what Sikhi SHOULD ALWAYS have been to this present day, I.E. taking care of the disadvantaged; giving the hopeless a semblance of hope, and a basic sense of Sarbat da Bhalla starting with our Punjabi brothers and sisters back home.

I know they aren't the easiest people to get on with, and yes, they have certain unique personality traits that have burnt a lot of NR Sikhs who've come into close contact with them, but those aren't the kind of people who need assistance. It's the poor and the needy that our attention must turn to. Don't do it to expect anything in return, but offer help because there's nobody else who's willing to do it. But how? Throwing money at them isn't the solution? Attaching them to Sikhi is a start, but they also need day-to-day support with life that these deras are providing. SGPC should be at the forefront of such action. Unfortunately, we all know what they're up to. So much money that's generated by sangat all across Punjab that could change lives, but where is it going?

[simran345]

Agree with the jist of OP's argument. The socialist aspects of dera culture, whilst clearly suspect and riddled with vested interests to ensnare desperate people requiring help of various sorts, is what Sikhi SHOULD ALWAYS have been to this present day, I.E. taking care of the disadvantaged; giving the hopeless a semblance of hope, and a basic sense of Sarbat da Bhalla starting with our Punjabi brothers and sisters back home.

I know they aren't the easiest people to get on with, and yes, they have certain unique personality traits that have burnt a lot of NR Sikhs who've come into close contact with them, but those aren't the kind of people who need assistance. It's the poor and the needy that our attention must turn to. Don't do it to expect anything in return, but offer help because there's nobody else who's willing to do it. But how? Throwing money at them isn't the solution? Attaching them to Sikhi is a start, but they also need day-to-day support with life that these deras are providing. SGPC should be at the forefront of such action. Unfortunately, we all know what they're up to. So much money that's generated by sangat all across Punjab that could change lives, but where is it going?

Free health checks at Gurdwaras would be a start. Gurbani reading sessions with the Sangat and Kirtan, so they can participate in a Sangat atmosphere. Education and awareness talks of drugs and alcohol. What else are the deras providing ?

[jkvlondon]

Our religion's goal is not converts, it's quality over quantity.

i think you need to go back and reread history manji system...

[jkvlondon]

Free health checks at Gurdwaras would be a start. Gurbani reading sessions with the Sangat and Kirtan, so they can participate in a Sangat atmosphere. Education and awareness talks of drugs and alcohol. What else are the deras providing ?

the deras initially promise money and a listening ear ... sikh can do so much more look at SOPW KhalsaAid etc if we offer to fix poor people's home so they are secure especially if they are elderly or sick this will make their neighbours also openhearted to our message. Need to definately do action on gurmatta to do with jatt paat in gurdwara it will help reduce the pressure of maintaining security for 4 to 5 gurdwarey per pind. I mean the corruption of the four doors of GUrdwara architecture to mean each varan has use a seperate door is so insulting to Guru ji's ideas it is insane.

[simran345]

the deras initially promise money and a listening ear ... sikh can do so much more look at SOPW KhalsaAid etc if we offer to fix poor people's home so they are secure especially if they are elderly or sick this will make their neighbours also openhearted to our message. Need to definately do action on gurmatta to do with jatt paat in gurdwara it will help reduce the pressure of maintaining security for 4 to 5 gurdwarey per pind. I mean the corruption of the four doors of GUrdwara architecture to mean each varan has use a seperate door is so insulting to Guru ji's ideas it is insane.

Yes SOPW and Khalsa Aid are doing good. Good ideas penji, also taking langar to their houses like meals on wheels but without paying for it obviously. A community spirit is what's needed so they feel confident that the faith Guru Nanak Dev Ji created is as it started out.

If they can't get to the Gurdwara, then sewadaars should go to them.

I'm not sure what the parents do with their kids school books when they grow older, but there should be a collection point at the Gurdwara where one can donate their used books, literature, so they can be given to those that need them.

Definitely the gurmatta on jaat paat.

[Koi]

Sant Giani Gurbachan Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindran Wale Mahapurkh used to say that when someone is thirsty and they don't have access to clean water, they drink dirty water to survive. In that same way, those people who do not have access to the true Giaan of Sikhi, will start looking elsewhere, i.e. deras

[kazimakazima]

Our religion's goal is not converts, it's quality over quantity.

Sikhism does not preach conversions but deras do. For them it is, "more the merrier."

[goggy]

You can imagine who are the followers. If you really want to know about their *pulling power attraction* you need to speak to those that joined them and then left them all because of what they found out. They might be doing everything you mention above but they are also doing one more extra thing and that is leading their followers away from sikhi and straight into wilderness. This is a disservice to mankind on a very large scale.

Lots of people are saying some really bad things about them on the internet.