Rumaala Sahib's

I know its abt total BHAWANAA in how one does the Sewa of Guru Sahib with RAMMAALAs. I know when we were young our parents would always buy a new Rumala Sahib and take it to GuruDwara Sahib and then with 51/101 Rs give to Bhai Ji and Bhai Ji will do an Ardass

---- "Sewakaaaan de LOK-PARLOK ch Parde Kajnaaa"

and we would come back home very delighted. So i thought the expensive Rumala Sahib we bought more devotion we had. Few years back i happen to visit a GuruDwara Sahib in Toronto where i had to pick some stuff for Kirtan at home and was surprised to see a room full of Rumala Sahibs on the flooor/in cupboards/here and there ==> must be atleast in thousands so i kind of couldnt help thinking "IS IT WORTH SPENDING SUCH HUGE MONEY ON THESE IF THEY WERE TO BE HERE after just one Ardass ? Should we not use this money for a better purpose

1) Food for so many homeless back in India.
2) Some Gurmukhi educating Institutes.
-----------

I also remember a Sakhi from Someone.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh was stepping on to his Takht for a Darbar of his PRAJAAA and he stopped when he noticed that a beautiful CHAANANI was put on his Takht where he had to sit. He stopped and ordered his Sewaks to remove it immmediately and upon asking he answered "Such beautiful CHANDOA/CHANNANI should be used for Guru Granth Sahib and not him. So we see the BHAWANAA attached there which certainly has limitless value/love.


Few years back when i visited Tapoban Sahib, Brampton i was surprised to see white Rumala Sahibs for Guru Granth Sahib, upon asking the reason, beautiful answers was given

1) We want Guru Sahib to look as simple as us(Gursikhs)
2) These simple white sheets Rumala Sahibs can be better cleaned(washed) than those Rumalas with huge embroidery over them.

I was impressed with the thoughts and ended up using these Rumalas for Guru Sahib myself.

We also see that entire Punjab Gurudwaras are full of these Rumalas, i think over 2000-3000 Rumalas are given by Sangat only at Darbar Sahib (inside). I know each costs no less than 2000-5000 Rs. So we can calculate the cost. The Singh sahib just used it for a min and then that one goes into the inventory for ever i guess (i also heard that these are again bought back by the shopkeepers and resold - i may be wrong).


I also came across few articles being circulated to Sangat at Darbar Sahib to use this money for a better purpose as these are ultimately misused and also there is lot of BEADBI of these Rumala Sahibs due to no place for keeping them as they come in big numbers.



So can we use this money for a better cause ?? for the Chardi Kala of Sikh Panth ?? (Schools , homes for homeless , Work for workless ) ?????


Bhul Chuk Maaf !!!

i think it's a great idea to save the money from rumallay and use it on something better.

i know in the US/Canada, if you want to do Baba ji's seva in your home, you can usually ask the local gurdwara sahib for some rumallay and they will give you several from their "inventory". not sure if it's the same in india.

but yeah, there's always tons of them and it seems like a misappropriation of resources (i won't say waste, because any gift for guru sahib can't be a waste).

how about if everyone pledges saves up the cost of one rumalla each month and donates it to a good charity at the end of each year? recruit your friends too.

I beg to differ from my fellow Gursikhs who have posted that we should think of spending the money spent on Rumaalay at other causes like education, feeding the poor etc. It is a tradition to do an offering of the rumaalay at the end of Gurmat Samagams like Siri Akhand Paath Sahib. It is not a mandatory practice but still done traditionally whenever the Gursikh feels the need for it. It is felt by the devotee that by offering Maharaj jee rumaalay, their Patt (Izzat, honour) would be kept.

The maayee (old woman) who did the hard work of sewing a chola for Siri Guru Hargobind Sahib jee was aware that Siri Guru jee had numerous cholay and much better cholay but she nevertheless did sew the chola for Guru Sahib and then with great love and concentration started calling out Guru Sahib to accept it. Siri Guru jee did accept the Chola and went all the way to Kashmir to accept it. There are many such saakhis in history where Gursikhs have made such offerings to Guru Sahib and Guru Sahib magnanimously accepting them.

Spending the money on education, feeding the poor etc. cannot compensation for the feeling that a Gursikh gets when offerring Rumalay to Guru Sahib, or other offerings like Chandoya Sahib, Chaur Sahib, money etc.

Kulbir Singh

I do agree with the feelings attached but do we have same feelings today as the MAYEEE had ?

We see that cut clean shaven person hardly covering his head with a small Handkey comes and donates a RUmmala to Granthi who immediately puts over Guru Sahib. I dont think there is anything more than just giving the RUmmala attached in these cases. I totally agree to the feelings but DO WE STILL HAVE THEM ?

Also i feel that we have just limited our entire feeling of BHAGTI to just offering a Rumaaaala Sahib ? You will ofetn seee the persons who offer Rummaaala Sahib doesnt dit there in the Darbar for a min to listen Gurbani. I totally agree for the tradition of offering the Rumala Sahib following a Bhog or other such event --- AGreed but here i tried to explain abt other normal such offerings.

Bhul Chuk Maaf !!!

A few local gurduarey give me rumaley for home etc (inventory liquidation :p ) some ritually offer rumala to make up for their alcoholism etc and bears little fruit cause guru sahib would rather have u be rahatvaan than give to make up for yer shortcomings. if a gurduara has enough rumaley then more wont matter too much (they only use the nicer ones anyway, most match the chandoa also) other times people buy cheap ones that arent even big enough for the manji sahib (its like "here guruji here is a shirt thats too small and wont fit, just for you?" :p ) id say go in with a few families at the end of a program and offer one that is awesome and unique possibly even makibg it themselves with a matching chandoa. vahiguroo

I think this is a noble idea that is most pleasing to Guru Sahib. Guru Ji mentions that the poor people is his treasure box. SO I think it pleases Guru Ji more to offer simple rumala and give the rest to those in need. I think people have turned to whole rumalla offering into a ritual.