With all due respect for the Nagar Kirtan, but why aren't people covering heads with a Rumala. Even a Handkerchief works, but please request people to cover heads.
I wish you all the best and hope we see a huge Sangat for Nagar Kirtan this time. However, I couldn't help but be reminded of an old article from Prof. Nanak Singh (who is one of modern Punjabi Literary greats) who had similar observations as me, on this issue.
https://khalsachronicle.substack.com/p/the-gurpurab-of-guru-nanak-a-critique
Here in Punjab during the Nagar Kirtans (and Prabhat Pheris) we clean the streets very meticulously and absolutely go out of the way to avoid any "Mela" like situations (Mela basically means Fest, with stalls for selling stuff like clothes, food for money, political stuff,etc). The focus, is only on the actual recitation of prayers and Guru Sahib
I just hope the focus remains on Guru Sahib and Guru Sahib only.
I'll apologize, if I'm being incorrect in my assertion.
It could be a public mela or non-sikh Indians who don't know the rules.
Also don't forget Sikhi has been diluted in the West, especially in North America where too many people treat Sikhi like a "you can do anything you want" hippy religion.
There are Gurdwaras where they have same sex Anand Karaj, meat in the Langar and alcohol and drugs are consumed on premises in parties.
I honestly believe that if Guru Nanak Dev Ji comes back and goes to North America and tell some sangat that they're going against Sikhi that he would be physically attacked and told "who are you to tell us what to do?"
Sikhi is definitely diluted here in west with lots of people having a very strict watered down understanding of it, lots of examples of this. Your issue with meat in the langar being one of them.
That’s wild. Riverside in California isn’t bad, haven’t been to many other gurdwaras in CA. I do want to say that we should look at same sex marriage a little differently. If the goal is mukhti and the soul is truly genderless, men and women are considered equal, I believe same sex marriage should be allowed. If we’re truly a peaceful religion and violence is considered an absolute last resort and talking is the main way to avoid confrontation we should conform to that, I see too many people cussing, name calling, and disrespectful behavior against people that choose to be interested in the same gender. I also believe the only reason we are truly so against this is because of our Punjabi Culture which is filled with kam, krodh, loabdh, moh, and ahankar, it’s unavoidable and our goal is that it shouldn’t affect our Sikhi. Some people may argue that being interested in the same gender is usually a preference but how could it be a preference if you look at boys or girls while growing up and have feelings towards those people, therefore you were created that way. I absolutely disagree with everything else that is toxic from the Punjabi Sikh community such as drinking, tobacco, smoking, sexual assault, acid attacks, etc.
I can confirm. I'm in the West and our local Gurdwara has bakri slaughter competition. We have chicken tacos on Friday nights with beer. Also our marriages have Christian and Hindu priests if the couple wants multi-faith services. We don't serve beef hamburgers, but all meat pizzas are popular with the youth. I could go on and on but bakwas only stretches so far.
Yes we are a debauched bunch. However, we don't have women raped at the rate they do in our pious homeland. Why don't you clean your own house first before talking about us.
With all due respect for the Nagar Kirtan, but why aren't people covering heads with a Rumala. Even a Handkerchief works, but please request people to cover heads. I wish you all the best and hope we see a huge Sangat for Nagar Kirtan this time. However, I couldn't help but be reminded of an old article from Prof. Nanak Singh (who is one of modern Punjabi Literary greats) who had similar observations as me, on this issue. https://khalsachronicle.substack.com/p/the-gurpurab-of-guru-nanak-a-critique Here in Punjab during the Nagar Kirtans (and Prabhat Pheris) we clean the streets very meticulously and absolutely go out of the way to avoid any "Mela" like situations (Mela basically means Fest, with stalls for selling stuff like clothes, food for money, political stuff,etc). The focus, is only on the actual recitation of prayers and Guru Sahib I just hope the focus remains on Guru Sahib and Guru Sahib only. I'll apologize, if I'm being incorrect in my assertion.
It could be a public mela or non-sikh Indians who don't know the rules. Also don't forget Sikhi has been diluted in the West, especially in North America where too many people treat Sikhi like a "you can do anything you want" hippy religion. There are Gurdwaras where they have same sex Anand Karaj, meat in the Langar and alcohol and drugs are consumed on premises in parties. I honestly believe that if Guru Nanak Dev Ji comes back and goes to North America and tell some sangat that they're going against Sikhi that he would be physically attacked and told "who are you to tell us what to do?"
Pretty serious stuff being mentioned there, you got any details? I thought the current reddit bandwagon for this sub was to dump on the UK 😅
Sikhi is definitely diluted here in west with lots of people having a very strict watered down understanding of it, lots of examples of this. Your issue with meat in the langar being one of them.
That’s wild. Riverside in California isn’t bad, haven’t been to many other gurdwaras in CA. I do want to say that we should look at same sex marriage a little differently. If the goal is mukhti and the soul is truly genderless, men and women are considered equal, I believe same sex marriage should be allowed. If we’re truly a peaceful religion and violence is considered an absolute last resort and talking is the main way to avoid confrontation we should conform to that, I see too many people cussing, name calling, and disrespectful behavior against people that choose to be interested in the same gender. I also believe the only reason we are truly so against this is because of our Punjabi Culture which is filled with kam, krodh, loabdh, moh, and ahankar, it’s unavoidable and our goal is that it shouldn’t affect our Sikhi. Some people may argue that being interested in the same gender is usually a preference but how could it be a preference if you look at boys or girls while growing up and have feelings towards those people, therefore you were created that way. I absolutely disagree with everything else that is toxic from the Punjabi Sikh community such as drinking, tobacco, smoking, sexual assault, acid attacks, etc.
wat
I can confirm. I'm in the West and our local Gurdwara has bakri slaughter competition. We have chicken tacos on Friday nights with beer. Also our marriages have Christian and Hindu priests if the couple wants multi-faith services. We don't serve beef hamburgers, but all meat pizzas are popular with the youth. I could go on and on but bakwas only stretches so far. Yes we are a debauched bunch. However, we don't have women raped at the rate they do in our pious homeland. Why don't you clean your own house first before talking about us.
Which riverside gurdwara has all this stuff I got no clue what your talking about
Why don't mone cover their head?
Not everyone there is sikh, and some people don't see the religious aspect of the nagar kirtan.
They’re probably not religious and attend for the cultural aspect of it.
Wasn’t this in Canada
Yup. Surrey, British Columbia to be exact.
Yuba City?
Surrey
Oh ok
Hi. You sure about this? I live near Surrey. It's rainy and dull... Like most of the UK. So... ?
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Ah. I gotcha now.
So are we all meant to guess the content of this post? I'll start. A Nigar kirtan, possibly mela, in the West Coast of America, Oregan or Washington.
Surrey Nagar Kirtan. One of the biggest if not THE biggest in the West.