SLOUGH (BERKSHIRE) – Recently the Sikh Sangat discovered that Slough Ramgarhia Gurdwara gave permission for the ‘West London Durga Puja’ group to install idols of Hindu devi devte (deities) in the Gurdwara and perform ‘Puja’. The week long event which took place between 13th to 17th October 2010, was advertised in a local newspaper which came to the attention of concerned Sikhs. According to the ‘West London Durga Puja’ website, this is not the first time the Durga Puja has been performed in the Slough Ramgarhia Gurdwara premises.
Click to view entire gallery of the beadbi
 Ramgarhia Gurwara Gillingham, Kent
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Similarly, Ramgarhia Gurwara, Gillingham in Kent has violated Gur Maryada by allowing murti puja (idolatry) and havans (fire worship) in the Gurdwara. It has been reported that in October 2010, Gillingham Ramgarhia Gurdwara hired out the upstairs Darbaar Hall to the Hindu community to celebrate the birth day of the Hindu god Krishan. Currently the same Gurdwara Sahib is advertising Mata’s Navrata (a nine night festival honouring the Hindu goddess Durga). It should be noted that no where in Sikh history will you find an example of the Sikh Gurus building a Hindu temple, promoting idolatry or even allowing Hindus to perform idol-worship in any Sikh institution.
 Havan, Murti Puja, and dancing before idols being performed in Slough Ramgarhia Gurdwara premises |
Gurbani clearly condemns any form of idolatry, worship of images or icons, worship of demi gods and dancing before idols.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji says:
ਮਃ ੧ ||
ਹਿੰਦੂ ਮੂਲੇ ਭੂਲੇ ਅਖੁਟੀ ਜਾਂਹੀ ||
ਨਾਰਦਿ ਕਹਿਆ ਸਿ ਪੂਜ ਕਰਾਂਹੀ || ਅੰਧੇ ਗੁੰਗੇ ਅੰਧ ਅੰਧਾਰੁ ||
ਪਾਥਰੁ ਲੇ ਪੂਜਹਿ ਮੁਗਧ ਗਵਾਰ ||
ਓਹਿ ਜਾ ਆਪਿ ਡੁਬੇ ਤੁਮ ਕਹਾ ਤਰਣਹਾਰੁ ||੨||
“The Hindus have forgotten the Primal Lord; they are going the wrong way. As Naarad instructed them, they are worshipping idols. They are blind and mute, the blindest of the blind. The ignorant fools pick up stones and worship them. But when those stones themselves sink, who will carry you across? ||2||”
(SGGS - Ang 556)
Bhagat Kabeer Ji reveals:
ਕਬੀਰ ਪਾਹਨੁ ਪਰਮੇਸੁਰੁ ਕੀਆ ਪੂਜੈ ਸਭੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ||
ਇਸ ਭਰਵਾਸੇ ਜੋ ਰਹੇ ਬੂਡੇ ਕਾਲੀ ਧਾਰ ||੧੩੬||
“O Kabeer! (Following the Pandits) the whole world is setting up stone idols and worshipping it as the Lord. Those who hold this belief will be drowned in the river of darkness. ||136||”
(SGGS – Ang 1371)
Guru Gobind Sing Ji states in Zaffarnama:
ਮਨਮ ਕੁਸ਼ਤਨਮ ਕੋਹੀਯਾਂ ਬੁਤ ਪਰਸਤ ॥
ਕਿ ਓ ਬੁਤ ਪਰਸਤੰਦੁ ਮਨ ਬੁਤ ਸ਼ਿਕਸਤ ॥੯੫॥
“I have killed hill Rajas (kings) who are bent on mischief. They are stone idol worshippers, I break idols and I worship one Lord.”
(Zaffarnama)
The Panthic maryada clearly states:
ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰੇ ਵਿਚ ਕੋਈ ਮੂਰਤੀ-ਪੂਜਾ ਜਾਂ ਹੋਰ ਗੁਰਮਿਤ ਦੇ ਵਿਰੁ੍ਨਧ ਕੋਈ ਰੀਤੀ ਜਾਂ ਸੰਸਕਾਰ ਨਾ ਹੋਵੇ, ਨਾ ਹੀ ਕੋਈ ਅਨਮਤ ਦਾ ਤਿਉਹਾਰ ਮਨਾਇਆ ਜਾਵੇ |
“Worship of any idol or any ritual or activity should not be allowed to be conducted at a Gurdwara. Nor should the festival of any other faith he allowed to be celebrated at a Gurdwara.”
http://www.sgpc.net/sikhism/gurdwara.html
It should be mentioned that the Sikh Community does not oppose the right of others to practice their faith and religious ceremonies but a Sikhs we are only to promote and practice those beliefs and activities which are in accordance to the Guru’s teachings (Gurmat). Any Gurdwara which allows the Gurdwara premises to be used for anti-Gurmat activities is committing sacrilege and causing a great insult to the Sikh Panth. The Khalsa Panth will not tolerate attempts by corrupt Gurdwara management committees to distort the Sikh religion and attempt to relate the Sikh religion with Hinduism.
Addresses of the Gurdwaras that have violated Gur Maryada:
Ramgarhia Sikh Gurdwara Slough
Woodlands Avenue
Slough
Berkshire
SL1 3BU
Tel: 01753 525458
Email: slough@ramgarhia.org
Kent Ramgarhia Darbar Sikh Temple & Community Centre
63 Franklin Road
Gillingham
Kent
ME7 4DG
Tel: 01634 576618
Wkwf
This is very sad what has been happened in both Gurdwaras as reported. Managements must be aware of Sikh Reht Maryada and never should alow Gurdwara premsis to perform this kind of non-sikh activities. If they insist to do the same again then Guru ki Sangat have to think seriously how it can be stopped. Guru Rakha
GS Gulshan
THAT'S EXTREMELY GROTESQUE, out of all the places on earth why do these brain-damaged people have to use a gurdwara.
This is very sad to hear this, I must say the management committee members are so intelligent and well educated and very committed to Panth but could not understand how this could happed if its true.
This would happen when we allow management to run the gurudwara as money minting business. There is no gurmat qualification for holding the post in the management of the gurudwaras. They are ready to spend money for marble or gold plating etc but when it comes to spend money for spread of Gurmat philosophy or gurbani kirtan, the excuse given is that no one wants to learn.
it is sad what has happened in the gurudwara premises.