BRAMPTON, Ontario, Canada—A display of reverence became a calamity of disrespect as yet another so-called high profile person visits Guru Granth Sahib ji’s darbar (court), but this time in the Canadian city of Brampton.
Priyanka Chopra, a Bollywood star, pompously stepped into Gurdwara Dasmesh Darbar Sahib, with a number of photographers and other individuals in her entourage, disturbing the serenity of the Darbar Sahib as the large convoy stopped and started for phopto opportunities down the obeisance aisle.
The scenes caused upset on social media circles as Sikhs viewed footage of the visit showing blatant disregard for the sanctity of an otherwise spiritually serene atmosphere.
Photographers and members of the entourage stood with their backs faced towards Guru Nanak’s form – Guru Granth Sahib Ji, as they gave much attention to the Bollywood visitor.
This latest incident adds to a long list of so-called VIPs who have spoiled and disrespected an obvious etiquette when seeking the blessings from the house of Guru Nanak. A number of such visits to even Harmandar Sahib – Amritsar Sahib have also resulted in similar flamboyant self-pomposity… a stark contrast to the intended self-effacing moments of humility and self-reflection that presenting oneself before Guru Sahib would usually deliver.
Priyanka was very respectful and so was her entourage! The photographer is Sikh, he should know better not to turn his back while taking pictures. If you want to blame someone, blame him. However, photographers do this at every wedding too but no one says anything… i guess since a celebrity is involved here this site is trying to make an issue. Priyanka was not at fault at all. She never even announced she will be at the Gurdwara. She should be allowed to come and pay her respects. Please don’t discourage her or any other celebrity! It makes Sikhs look bad and unwelcoming. Also I don’t think we should be so harsh on fans that pulled out their phones to take a picture either. No need to exaggerate such a minor issue.
Don’t be harsh? ‘It makes Sikhs look bad and unwelcoming’? You are supposed to turn off your mobile phone when you go into the darbar of a Gurdwara in the same way you must cover you head so no ‘fans’ have any business taking out their phones to take pictures of her or selfies when they are in the presence of our Guru and supposedly meditating on Gurbani. This again totally illustrates the gulf between those are Sikhs and those who presume that our religion has no more spiritual relevance than their own veneer of religiosity and are surprised when we take grave offence . The photographer is NOT a Sikh if he turns his back on our Guru – having a beard and turban does not make you a Sikh, you must both look like and act like a Sikh to be a Sikh. I ask you again if she is just coming to pay her respects why has she come with an entourage, why has she not taken the trouble to disguise herself ( a simple chunni and glasses would be enough), why has she not come when the Gurdwara is most likely to be empty? We don’t need celebrities or politicians coming along to the Gurdwara to ‘pay their respects’ – she would do better to play positive Sikh parts in her films to counter all the decades of disrespectful Santo Banta propaganda that has been created by her industry and the TV media in India.
committee should educate them before entering into gurdwara, this is the only thing we need to attention.
This gurdwara does NOT HAVE A COMITEE AND THIS WAS A PLANNED CELEBRITY PUBLICISTY STUNT WHICH IS REALLY PATHETIC
Where the hell is the committee? This is completely the fault of the committee. Sale Bandar should have told these clowns this is not a photo op!!! Get some literate educated committee members to run the Gurudawara. Sick of these moron clowns with no sense, allowing this to happen at a Gurudawara. What about the chump wearing a ramal with pot leaves all over it. Are Sikhs all dead, then the ones in this Gurudawara should go jump in a well. She purposely removes her chunni infront of Guru Granth Sahib. Bloody “D” rated actress, go the mandir next time. She should have been slapped straight right there. Look hindus we got nothing for you anymore, we recognize your Nazi agenda against Sikhs. You may fool your own citizens with state controlled media, but the rest of the world has access to real journalism and truth.
This gurdwara apparently doesn’t have a committee, it is privately run, however, Sikhs in general need to be smarter and more respectful to Siri Guru Granth Sahib and publicly denounce these sorts of things, she’s obviously allowed to come to gurdwara but it is very unclassy and distasteful for someone to use this as a publicity stunt to get attention and obviously the media peopl were informed by her publicist that she was coming with amrinder gill
WOW So 1 Hindu women does something bad, and you blame that on the entire Hindu community
You even said “Look hindus we have nothing for you”
Whatever disrespectful stuff pryianka chopra does in her free time isn’t in my hands,
so WHY are you blaming all Hindus for this?
WHoever made the Hindu comment just said this out of anger., but … how about all the majority Hindus in India who supported Indira Gandhi when she invaded Punjab and killed so many people and pointed tanks at gurdwaras throughout Punjab? How about after she was killed, the congress planned genocide against Sikhs was supported by the majority of Hindus, yes some Hindus wanted to help Sikhs but the MAJORITY thought this was justified and even Amitabh Bachman who was a very very close friiend of the Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi families said Sikhs killed our mother now they must pay the price, blood for blood…. this is the attitude many Hindus in India had against Sikhs because they were brainwashed by Indian propaganda and RSS HINDUS even danced and cheered outside the darbir sahib and fed the murderious soldiers ladoos…. Hindus in India have been killing Sikhs, discriminating against them and Indian government allows rss Hindu right wing party openly make threats against Sikh community and other minorities and they do nothing about these threats
It was not her .it was other people who disrespect ,turn their back.follow God’s words and respect.do’nt point on each other.who we are to point .
Do you not understand what publicity means for celebrities? She should have some class and not use religious places for publicity and why you using my username??????
Who are we to point? We – you imposter who can’t even be bothered to make the effort to come up with an original pseudonym under which to post – are Sikhs and are duty bound to protect the dignity of our Guru and Gurbani.
Seriously??? This Bollywood celebrity is that desperate for publicity that they pull this little gurdwara stunt in Brampton…. disgusting…. show some class people! Assembling the Indian media and paparazzi to take a pic of some actress bowing her head to the guru is a new Low for how far people go for publicity, such a shame
This is absolutely disgusting, her publicist and manager obviously told the media outlets to be there at the gurdwara, such a shame. And all the ppl taking pics with their phones are really stupid.
At least she paid respect at the Gurdwara.
Her last name is Chopra. Sikhs should not disrespect someone who may not know the exact social mores, we should be happy that she came and is providing positive coverage.
She bowed and donated, what is there to complain about.
Positive coverage is positive cover.
‘What is there to complain about?’ She bowed and gave a donation’? That kind of ignorant comment exactly typifies the point outraged Sikhs are trying to make. Our living eternal Guru is sitting in that Darbar Sahib. You are not showing respect by just bowing and putting a coin in the golak – that is manmukh thinking. And how is she giving ‘positive coverage’ (other than to herself) by creating a celebrity melee situation which she will not be unused to in fans and photographers fawning over her where my Guru Sahib is openly disrespected by people – some of whom again aren’t even Sikhs – turning their backs on Guru Ji and raising their voices in the darbar? You want to worship bollywood actors – and millions of Indians do regard them as living deities – do that in the cinema and surround her hotel, don;t do it in our Gurdwaras where the only ‘star’ is Guru Granth Sahib who doesn’t need ‘positive coverage’.
There is really nothing so complex to know about how to behave in any religious place! It is a matter of having common sense and a real sense of respect for the place.
“She bowed and donated”..so everything else should be ignore!..that just goes to show what a shallow person you are!
Priyanka didn’t walk in pompously and no one from her entourage disrespected anything. It was the photographers and fans that came in front and started taking pictures. She has no control over what they do. Don’t blame the celebrity here. Fix your article.
Ummmmmmm how did you thes many media people know that she was coming???? This was a pathetic typical celebrity publicisty stunt
How did the photographers and fans know she was going to be there? Surely if you are sincerely going to pay obeisance you would take measure to go incognito (wear a head covering, glasses to disguise yourself, go to the Gurdwara at a time when it is going to be quiet, etc) so as not to court publicity and cause upset? The fact that is not even a Sikh makes her paying respects to Guru Granth Sahib even more suspect that this was just an exercise to court Sikh favour in the same politicians and bollywood actors do when they publicy go visiting the Harminder Sahib in Amritsar. The Gurdwara committee needs to take a good hard look at itself for the disrespect it has allowed to be showered on our Guru.
Oh really? She has no control? ? How come we don’t see pictures of her having personal down time with her family??