time for change

TIME FOR CHANGE
Handsworth Mela – dishonour, behzti – is this the state of Sikhi???

“ ijn BY Adb n bwxI Dwrw, jwnhu so isK nwih hmwrw ”
“ He who has no fear or respect of Gurbani, know that he is not my Sikh.”
(Extract from Sikh Rehatnama)

BEADBI (intentional and unintentional disrespect) of Maharaaj Guru Granth Sahib jee is something that as Sikhs we cannot, and will not tolerate. Currently there is general unrest in the Sikh youth as more importance has been placed on this issue from Sikhs worldwide over recent years.

We don’t take Guru Maharaaj into halls, hotels, pubs and clubs because of our love and respect for Guru ji, but then why do we take maharaaj into tents which have previously been used for similar or unknown purposes. The tents and carpets used for Maharaaj’s Darbar at the Handswoth mela is hired, who knows what takes place in that tent before we as the Sikhs use it for our darbar.

Even maharaaj Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s horse would not enter a field where tobacco was planted. Yet we annually take saroop’s of maharaaj Guru Granth Sahib Ji in to a environment where tobacco stubs litter the ground and where people enter under the intoxication of various substances, be it unintentionally, this is something that must be evaluated and changed as their continued discontent in the sikh youth.

Do you think it is acceptable to take Maharaaj into areas with rave type atmospheres, with loud and noisey music, rides, with inappropriate social interaction, with a non-existent dress code, where people smoke and drink. The problem lies not with the mela in principle but whether or not we are showing true respect for guru jee if people are all out enjoying themselves. This isn’t even taking into account the recent bad publicity we have received from last years detrimental shenanigans with the “sikh on sikh” violence. Just type “vaisakhi mela” and “BBC” into www.youtube.com and see the negative social profiling of Sikhs in the media coverage as well as the camera phone videos of bhangra and Punjabi gang/thug/yob culture.

What do you think is the point of a empty darbar in a field full of people who are spending their time in the park – on rides, with friends, eating and socialising at what is now a cultural vaisakhi mela.

On the other hand the mela is good for a few sikh business, the income of the ice cream men, a few key stalls selling merchandise or food and for those running the fun fair.

“ jy zulm krxw pwp hY, qW zulm sihxw mhw pwp hY ”
– “If its sin to commit tyranny, it’s a greater sin to allow tyranny to happen.”
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With older generations of the sikh community currently questioning the pupose and actual parchar of a mela, we are merely suggesting careful planning so as the youth and older community members can work together to try to avoid the disrespect and BEADBI that is prevalent in the vaisakhi mela.