WASHINGTON DC, USA—Representatives of over 30 gurdwaras and Sikh organizations across the East Coast of the United States gathered at the Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Fairfax to call for the boycott against Kuldeep Singh, the head of Sikh Sangat of Virginia, who altered the age old traditional ceremony of Amrit Sanchar (Sikh initiation ceremony).
On May 21, 2016, this meeting was hosted by the Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Fairfax, Virginia. On April 15, 2016, Kuldeep Singh had organized a ceremony in which he changed the recitations of the prescribed hymns. He deleted the Jaap Sahib, Swayyea, and Benti Chaupai and replaced them with other hymns. Gurdwaras of Washington and Baltimore came together on May 9th and denounced the move by Kuldeep Singh and his associates, namely Bhai Surinder Singh, Amarjit Singh Narula, Gurdeep Singh Ahluwalia, and Rajinder Singh Bakshi.
Bhai Surinder Singh, Granthi of the Sikh Gurdwara of Washington, DC since then has apologized in the congregation and is willing to submit to the institution of Panj Pyare to atone for his mistake. DC Gurdwara management acted immediately after the controversy broke and took action in confronting Surinder Singh, who then regretted his joining Kuldeep Singh.
Pavan Singh, Coordinator of the Washington Gurdwaras dealing with this issue, conducted the meeting of the gathered representatives. Deliberations were mainly on three issues: to boycott Kuldeep Singh and his associates until they either abandon their positions and submit to Panj pyare admitting their mistake, to organize a weekly demonstration near where the community members gather at Sikh Sangat of Virginia, a gurdwara headed by Kuldeep Singh, and to explore legal means of challenging Kuldeep Singh’s attempt to change the Sikh traditional observances. A team was selected to explore and plan action for the two latter resolutions. All gathered representatives expressed their consent for the first two resolutions. Kuldeep Singh should be boycotted organizationally and socially. Representatives also strongly condemned the Indian group headed by Paramjit Singh Khalsa of announcing $50,000 for punishing the violators of Amrit maryada. This they all termed as “cheap tactic to gain publicity and also a dangerous move to tarnish the image of Sikhs in America and across the globe.”Â
Gurdev Singh Kang, President of the Sikh Cultural Society of New York, said, “We are outraged by the actions of these individuals. Nobody can alter or change the way the traditions are maintained in Sikhism.”
Rajinder Singh, a Sikh activist from New Jersey, narrated his meeting with Kuldeep Singh and said, “He is adamant and his not willing to change his position. He wants to engage in unnecessary debate. He did not even take his own congregation in confidence before changing the tradition.”
Dr. Rajwant Singh, Secretary of Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, said, “Kuldeep Singh has acted irresponsibly and we as a community must reduce his chances of creating confusion. The Sikh Rehat Maryada was formed after years of deliberations and has kept the community together from last 8 decades. There is unity on the Amrit Ceremony among Sikhs and we as a community must stand together in the face of people trying to muddle waters thoughtlessly. They are acting without keeping the long term consequences in mind.”
Sajjan Singh of Sant Sagar Gurdwara proposed that Panj Pyare be selected in order to have Surinder Singh submit according to Sikh tradition and carry out any sewa (service). He said, “It is pertinent that the community from all across the nation act in unity and educate all community members so they are not misled again.”
Pavan Singh thanked the gathered Sikhs and also announced that Singh Sabha Gurdwara will take the responsibility of logistical support of langar when the protests will be carried out. Some of the prominent Gurdwaras which took part were Sikh Gurdwara of Carteret, Singh Sabha Carteret New Jersey, Sant Sagar Gurdwara, New York, Sikh Center of Flushings New York, Nanak Naam Jahaj Hai Gurdwara, Philadelphia Sikh Society, Sikh Society of Baltimore, Sikh Center of Manassas, and Sikh Foundation of Virginia.
Pavan Singh said, “We are grateful to all the representatives for their participation and also for showing their maturity in handling this very sensitive issue. We are also acting together since this issue arose in Washington. We wanted to solve this at the local level and take this matter to its logical conclusion according to Sikh tradition. Once again, we appeal to Kuldeep Singh and his associates to return to their senses and join the mainstream of the Panth.” Himmat Singh, a Sikh activist in New York, had also organized a gathering of Gurdwaras in NY leading up to the meeting in Washington. Himmat Singh, Rajinder Singh, Pavan Singh and Rajwant Singh appeared on Jus Punjabi, Global Punjab and TV 84 TV channels to discuss this issue last week.Â
Guru gobind Singh ji gave Amrit to punj pyare and the panj pyare gave Amrit to the Khalsa! Panth is the body of Guru Granth Sahib ji, Panth gives bachan Amrit has jaap sahib svaiyye and chaupai sahib. IF YOU WOULD NEVER DREAM OF DISOBEYING GURU JI THEN ACCEPT GURU KHALSA PANTH ORDERS! Panth gav Sikh rehit Maryada published by sgpc as minimum rehit. That we could all agree on as a minimum. IF YOU THINK THERE IS ANY CONTRAVERCY ABOUT AMRIT BANIS YOU ARE AGAINST THE PANTH! Guru Khalsa Panth has established a minimum Maryada, take a hukamnama from Guru Granth Sahib ji about if you should follow the Khalsa panths minimum Sikh rehat Maryada ,if you call yourself a Sikh.
I had no intention of getting into war of words with anyone. The above mentioned incidence gave me an opportunity to ask question and get correct information. Let me be clear on one thing that I am not a parcharak or belong to any jathebandhi. I am a sikh and I follow the orders of Guru Gobind Singh ji. He told us in no uncertain terms that after his passing on who our Guru till eternity is ? and I am trying to follow the same.I will not even dream of disobeying Guru ji. Please guide me or tell me where any document describing how to perform Amrit ceremony signed off by Guru Gobind Singh ji exists which an ignorant person like me can go and check it out and then there is no controversy.If your information is in third person that doesn’t help. Again let me be clear I am not against Khalsa panth. But here is question for you. I am pretty sure you have read gurbani in Guru Granth Sahib ji, and accordingly man and woman are created equal , then why amrit ceremony performed for women is different for men. Some places for men more than five baanis are read and some places for women only one baani is read and even kirpan is used instead of khanda, This is happening at our most reverend takhats (Is this was also prescribed by our Guru Gobind Singh ji) I don’t know what else is happening in deras. So which maryada one has to follow. I wish maryada was established by the Gurus and there would have been no controversy. Since it was established by mortals who are prone to make mistakes and if new information comes along then these can be corrected.I have a humble request please get together and sort this out before it is too late. To Mr Inder Singh Gurubani teaches us to be humble and Guru Gobind Singh ji had only one bank called TRUTH. May Waheguru bless us all .Rajinder Singh
“There is no need to get angry over it. Rather than showing your frustration, kindly refer to his doubts.” Shruti kaur it is not anger that makes one defend ones gurus bani and ones gurus amrit. We have every right to criticise those who attack our gurus amrit and gurus bani. We have every right as a panth to kick those out who attack that which makes us khalsa the amrit given to us by guru gobind singh ji. The time to satisfy his doubts was before he insulted and attacked the foundation of the khalsa, the amrit sanchaar. The khalsa is satisfying his doubts with actions not words, untill he goes back into the panthic maryada the panth will have nothing to do with him. My khalsa family is khalsa because of this amrit, you attack this amrit you attack family. Rajinder Narang has some doutbs, seems to be against the panthic rehet maryada, if you cant take the maryada get out of the panth. how else do we define our panth?
Every sikh should watch these videos on youtube:
Bibi Jugraj Kaur talks about Dasam Granth on Gurbani Program
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYtV9LBSYaM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drFjkGlu7iE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYUfklfrMEQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncuylNbYa3o
Rajinder Narang’s has made good points. If there are any concerns, it should be resolved peacefully and keeping true facts in mind. There is no need to get angry over it. Rather than showing your frustration, kindly refer to his doubts. And if you don’t have answers to his questions, you don’t have any right to criticize him either.
Hey Sikh Missionaries, can you guys like go away? We have been ordered to complete the panj banis from the beginning and will continue till our last breaths. Just cause you don’t like it, doesn’t mean you can change the process of Amrit Sachar.
Rajinder narang, persons like you are bitten by induced ignorance.I am sure you do not even know the difference between bachitter natak and sri Dasam Granth.Read sikh history and you will come across same five banks were read by Guru sahib in 1699 that are being read today. Stop comparing a two penny ragi kuldip to Prof Gurmukh singh.
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh, Rajinder naranj the panth has spoken you and your kind who doubt the bani that makes amrit are not to be associated with, Your are not guru you dont get to decide what is not bani that is up to the panth. and you have insulted the panths amrit. “Kuldeep Singh has raised some legitimate points and these should be answered properly” Kuldeep singh has attacked the panth that is what he has done, there will be no answering the doubts of his mind. the panth has drawn a line that is to be crossed at someone’s own peril. the khanda de pahul cannot be changed by someone as they cant stomach guru gobind singh jis bani. Who are you people to change amrit? you think your better then guru gobind singh ji? better then the panth? You are not part of the panth if you cant follow its maryada.
Dear Saad Sangat ji, Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh, I used to think that the congregations in Punjab are gullibale and will accept anything but that is not the case. Most of the persons who are heading these organisations listed above seem to be very well educated and capable of analytical thinking. I would have expected a better resolution from these people than the one they passed.Although I give them credit for condemning the statement of S. P.S. Khalsa. Now coming to issue at hand. S. Kuldeep Singh has raised some legitimate points and these should be answered properly. You cannot hide behind a document which was drafted based on probabilities and hearsay and not on any concrete evidence. So far I have not come across any evidence that so called Bachittar natak etc was written by Guru Gobind Singh ji Please let me know if you have information to the contrary . These words Mukhwak Patshahi Dasmi doesnt cut. I am interested in originals only.The beauty of our religion is that we can get together in the form of Sarbat Khalsa and sort these things out.Little bit of history, As you all know the last reform movement in our religion was in early 1900 led by Prof Gurmukh Singh and others who saved our sikhi as we know it now.As you all know Prof Gurmukh Singh was declared tankhia by the then Jathedars. The same story is being repeated all over again( for last 40 years or so). If someone questions anything instead of replying logically to the question raised as a sikh is supposed to do we condemn these people and then go behind these jathedars and throw the concerned persons out of the religion.( one can write volumes about the accomplishments of these jathedars on how much damage they have done to our religion). I can understand the emotional letdown when a person finds out the things one has been following most of ones life as true turn out to be false.( Iam also in the same boat) But that is what sikhi is all about . If we made a mistake lets correct it and ask for forgiveness from Waheguru and pray we don’t repeat the same again.May Waheguru bless us all. Rajinder Singh
How one can dare to change Amrit Sanchar And other things which had been included by Our Respected Gurus is beyond my imagination.All Sikh Maryadada must b observed as ordered by Guru Sahibans.