Will Guru Sahib Darbar become like a Church?

Recently in the past 2 years or so... i have noticed a growing concern of what is happening in guru sahibs darbar.

From what i know when sangat sits in guru sahibs darbar everyone is supposed to be sitting at the same level, and guru sahib is supposed to be at the highest position, and the gursikhs that are singing the praises of akaal purakh are usually sitting on the ground on a white chadar or are sitting on stage, which is in my view perfectly fine.

However, my concern is that i have noticed that the degh sevadaar have started to put small little cusions underneath themselves to make more comfortable for them to sit on. The cusion that they sit on makes them basically sit a couple of inches higher than the sangat which i believe is disrespectable, and i dont understand why they need a cusion...its not like there sitting down for 8 hrs straight or smthing, a person should be able to sit with there legs crossed for at least 1 hr minimum, so i dont think cusions are necessary for degh di seva.

Furthermore, my main concern is with benches and plastic boxes being placed at the back of the darbar for people to sit on, mainly for old people. In india when i was at bangla sahib i saw a large bench placed at the back of the darbar, and i saw people sitting on their that had no sign of any disability, and were just literally chatting on their cell phones. In addition, now in canada i have noticed that in the gurdwara sahibs mainly in BC, almost all the gurdwara's have some sort of bench, stools, and/or plastic boxes for people to sit on.

In my opinion, even if old people cant sit down they have no right to sit on a stool/bench in guru sahib darbar. For example does anybody think that any person that entered Guru Gobind Singh Jee darbar in anandpur sahib ever sat on chair just because they had some sort of problem while the sangat sat lower than them?.....NO

Guru sahib has given so much respect to the sangat that they have called the sangat a form of God. So how can someone even think about sitting higher than sangat?

So, my main point is that eventually with kaljug getting stronger day by day, i think people will start using the same issues/reasons that they want to have chairs in the langar halls to also having chairs in the guru sahibs darbar...(i can see this day eventually coming)...thus Gurdwara will eventually look like churches...

so what can be done about this now before it is too late?

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In my opinion, even if old people cant sit down they have no right to sit on a stool/bench in guru sahib darbar. For example does anybody think that any person that entered Guru Gobind Singh Jee darbar in anandpur sahib ever sat on chair just because they had some sort of problem while the sangat sat lower than them?.....NO

Lets wait for the time you get old and when walking gets hard and your knees hurt even when you sit down..

Its very easy to talk when your young ...

Daasandaas Wrote:
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> Lets wait for the time you get old and when
> walking gets hard and your knees hurt even when
> you sit down..
>
> Its very easy to talk when your young ...

Respect for Guru sahib and sangat is a game of love. Those who have the love will go to any extent in trying to be the dust of the feet of gursikhs. Daas for few years ended up in a situation which was worse than what a lot of old age people go through. There had to be a lot of extra effort to sit or stand. Daas at that time realised how difficult it is for the old age people to stick to the tradition of sitting on the floor. But dhann were and are the gursikhs who keep the maryada above their physical abilities (or disabilities).

Daas remembers my naniji had enlarged heart and it was very difficult for her to walk. But she was crazy for getting Guru sahib's darshan when ever passing by any itihasik gur asthaans. We used to carry a water bottle and a small towel along. She would climb a few stairs. Get some rest and then climb up again. It would sometimes take about 1-2 hours to get inside the darbaar sahib. We as young kids were sometimes surprised at seeing this dedication. We never saw her asking for a pillow or chair or stool inside the gurdwara sahib. This was the case of most of the last generation old age bujurg. Now its a different story...

In some of my local gurdwareh there is a section of the floor that is lower then the rest of the darbar, here there are chairs where elderly sit. Although they are sitting on chairs, due to the lowered floor they are still on the same level as sangat, is this acceptable? Just wondering...

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

Southhall Gurudwara (Park Avenue) carved a trench into the back of the Gurudwara and installed chairs/benches so that those who are not able to sit cross-legged could sit at the level of the Sangat on chairs and benches. They also installed headphones (I think with volume control) so that those with hearing issues could still take laha.

It seems to be a viable solution.

ms514 Wrote:
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> VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH
>
> Southhall Gurudwara (Park Avenue) carved a trench
> into the back of the Gurudwara and installed
> chairs/benches so that those who are not able to
> sit cross-legged could sit at the level of the
> Sangat on chairs and benches. They also installed
> headphones (I think with volume control) so that
> those with hearing issues could still take laha.
>
>
> It seems to be a viable solution.

Park Av is my local Gurdwara

Guru sahibs' darbar is nowhere near like a church and no suggestionsshould ever be made in any ***admin cut for profanity**** way whatsoever-..

If you have such love then great - show the others you have such love - there'll never be the same interpetation of love across all humans
whether sikhs or not.

To allow disabled poeple to visit darbar sahib is love too - see it in a positive way instead of your harsh comments

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Southhall Gurudwara (Park Avenue) carved a trench into the back of the Gurudwara and installed chairs/benches so that those who are not able to sit cross-legged could sit at the level of the Sangat on chairs and benches. They also installed headphones (I think with volume control) so that those with hearing issues could still take laha.

seems like a good idea...