September 12, 2010

To: Our respected brothers and sisters of the sevadaar committee at Milford
Gurdwara Sahib

Vaheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa Vaheguroo Jee Kee Fateh

We would request to draw your kind attention towards a number of things that
we have been coming across at the Gurdwara Sahib for quite sometime. These all
pertain (but are not limited) to the satkaar (respect) of the Paavan Pavittar Sa
roop of Sahib Siri Guru Granth Sahib Jee Maharaj, the satkaar of Karah Parshad,
and the satkaar of Guru ka Langar. We sincerely request you to please take the t
ime to read the following points which we wish to raise.
§ We request that whoever sits/stands in the Hazooree of Sahib Siri Guru Gran
th Sahib Jee Maharaj in order to do seva of Chaur Sahib be required to remove th
eir socks and wash his/her hands before coming to the Taabiya of Sahib Siri Guru
Granth Sahib Jee Maharaj. Socks encompass every sort of filth and it would be h
ighly disrespectful to be wearing them while sitting/standing in Taabiya. It wou
ld be even better if Sangat members remove their socks before entering the Divaa
n hall. We have heaters during winter so the excuse that it is too cold is just
an excuse.
§ We request that anyone who comes to the taabiya of Sahib Siri Guru Granth S
ahib Jee Maharaj, for whatever reason, and it involves touching the Saroop, he/s
he should be required to wash hands prior to coming, especially if they have jus
t consumed Karah Parshad. This also applies to the individuals who wish to do th
e seva of changing/handling Rumala Sahibs or want to recite/explain Gurbani (in
any language).

guroo kaa sikh paat(h) karan bait(h)ae gra(n)thh jee dhaa suchaeth hoe kae b
hait(h)ae || naak pi(n)ddaa khurak kae haathh dhhoe leae
The Sikh of the Guru should wash their body, face and hands before sitting a
t the Guru Granth Sahib to read Bani.
- Rehatnama Bhai Chaupaa Singh Jee
§ We request that anyone doing seva of Chaur Sahib be required to put the Haz
ooriya (long white cloth) around themselves as it is a symbol of respect and hum
ility.
§ During the singing of Gurbani Keertan, and during Ardas or taking Hukamnama
, no one should engage in any kind of distracting conversation. We request that
the Sangat be made of aware this as well. This also includes switching off cell
phones while inside the Gurdwara as a ringing cell phone causes disturbance to o
thers during Keertan, Ardas as well as taking Hukamnama.

sathasa(n)g jaae kar chth ddulaavai har yas sunathae baath chalaavai ||
Those who attend the Holy congregation but adopt evil thoughts and those who
begin conversation instead of paying attention to the True Word are punishable.
- Rehatnama Bhai Nand Laal Jee
§ During Ardas, Sangat members with little children are requested to make sur
e that the children who may be playful are not causing any disturbance to the Sa
ngat members standing during Ardas.
§ We request for a notice at the entrance of the Gurdwara Sahib that no one i
s allowed to wear caps/hats while inside the Gurdwara premises.

hoe sikh sir ttopee dhharai || saath janam kushattee hue marai ||
He who as a Sikh places a hat on their head; will be reborn seven times as a
leper.
- Thankhaanama Bhai Nand Laal Jee
§ The presence of chairs at a Gurughar totally negates the concept of equalit
y as all should be sitting at a common level, and a level lower than Sahib Siri
Guru Granth Sahib Jee Maharaj. However, it is absolutely fine if elderly Sangat
members who may not be physically able-bodied to sit for long on the floor want
to sit on the chair. It has been seen frequently that this is not being observed
, especially in the Langar hall where just about anyone takes the privilege of t
hese chairs, rather than the aged and physically incapable Sangat members who ar
e entitled to these. We request that it is clarified to everyone firmly that cha
irs are NOT for everyone.
Everyone may not be aware of the above mentioned points, therefore we reques
t that they be made aware of them before they come forward to do the seva.
Karah Parshad
§ Whoever prepares the Karah Parshad should be made aware of the fact that it
has to be done while reciting Gurbani, such as the Bani of Siri Japji Sahib, Si
ri Chaupai Sahib, or reciting Vaheguroo Gurmantar. Engaging in unwanted talk or
gossip has to be avoided as it is disrespecting the Gurmat Maryada of preparing
Karah Parshad. Please also note that Karah Parshad has to be prepared at the Gur
dwara Sahib itself, rather than brought from home.

karraah karan kee bidhh sun leejai theen bhaag ko samasar keejai || laepan a
agai bahukar dheejai maa(n)jan kar bhaa(n)jan dhhoveejai || kar eisanaan pavithr
hvai behai vaahiguroo bin avar n kehai || kar thiaag chaakee par dhharai chaar
our keerathan behi karai ||
Listen to the method of making Krah Parshaad. Take three equal quantities of
sugar, butter and flour. Clean the utensils and bowl. Take a cleansing bath, re
peat 'Vaheguru' while preparing. Stay focused while making the Parshaad and sing
the Guru's Hymns.
- Rehatnama Bhai Nand Laal Jee
§ After the Keertan programme has ended and parshad has been distributed to t
he Sangat, we request that someone (who has washed his/her hands) be assigned th
e seva of distributing Karah Parshad to those who come at a later time to the Gu
rdwara Sahib. This is to avoid random people from partaking Parshad with unwashe
d/unclean hands.

Langar
§ In the Langar kitchen, we request that all sevadaars be made aware that the
y will need to keep their heads covered at all times and while doing every seva.
§ The Sangat eating Langar should be made aware that they would need to keep
their heads covered at all times.
nagan hoe baahar firehi nagan sees jo khaae nagan prasaadh jo baa(n)ttee tha
nakhaahee baddo kehaae ||24||
Those who walk outside, eat or distribute food without their head covered wi
ll be punished severely.
- Thankhaanama Bhai Nand Laal Jee
§ The Sangat needs to be made aware of the fact that everyone has to wash the
ir hands before partaking Guru ka Langar
jo prasaadh shhakanae lagae haathh suchaeth karaee ||
When you are going to eat, first wash your hands.
- Rehatnama Bhai Desa Singh
§ At no point of time should anyone be ever wearing any kind of footwear eith
er in the Langar kitchen or in the Langar hall. It is here that we prepare Guru
ka Langar and then serve it. Please let us treat these places with the same resp
ect as we treat Guru Sahib s paavan pavittar divaan.
§ As long as Langar is not completely served to the Sangat sitting in the Lan
gar hall, we request that they be encouraged to recite Satnaam Vaheguroo . Once ser
ved, the jakaara of Bole So Nihaal Sat Siri Akaal is to be raised and only then ca
n the consumption of Langar be started.
§ Sevadaars should be the ones serving Langar to the Sangat, rather than Sang
at members themselves taking the initiative to partake it. Sangat is to be seate
d and recite Satnaam Vaheguroo while sevadaars serve.
§ Anyone having Langar should not be allowed to get up and partake any of the
food items with their unclean hands, rather have a sevadaar bring whatever they
may want.
§ Sevadaars who have clean hands should be the ones distributing with their o
wn hands rather than anyone sitting in Pangat picking up any of the Langar food
items with their hands.
§ The individuals and/or families who are organizing the Langar need to be at
the forefront during the seva of both preparing as well as serving Langar
§ The steel buckets in which the various Langar dishes poured in should never
be placed on the floor. Langar is Parshad as well, and placing those buckets on
the floor is disrespectful.
§ The Langar dishes need to be served with respect as well. Care should be ta
ken that no utensil that is used to serve Langar touches the used or unused uten
sil of any Sangat member as then it becomes joothhaa

Everyone may not be aware of the above mentioned points, therefore we reques
t that they be made aware of them before they come forward to do the seva.
Guru Pyaareo, we don t want to sound as rigid fanatics who want to enforce our
own strict rules. We have provided evidences from various Rehitnaamey which you
can read for yourself at SikhiToTheMax.com website. Moreover, we are not trying
to make people follow what we believe in, rather what Guru Sahib wants us to be
lieve.
Guru Sahib Himself states in the Bani of Siri Asa di Vaar
Sahib Siri Guru Nanak Dev Jee Maharaj in Raag Aasaa on Ang 464
salok ma 1 ||
bhai vich pavan vehai sadhavaao || bhai vich chalehi lakh dhareeaao || bhai
vich agan kadtai vaegaar || bhai vich dhharathee dhabee bhaar || bhai vich ei(n)
dh firai sir bhaar || bhai vich raajaa dhharam dhuaar || bhai vich sooraj bhai v
ich cha(n)dh || koh karorree chalath n a(n)th || bhai vich sidhh budhh sur naath
h || bhai vich aaddaanae aakaas || bhai vich jodhh mehaabal soor || bhai vich aa
vehi jaavehi poor || sagaliaa bho likhiaa sir laekh || naanak nirabho nira(n)kaa
r sach eaek ||1||
Translation is as follows
Salok, First Mehla:
In the Fear of God, the wind and breezes ever blow. In the Fear of God, thou
sands of rivers flow. In the Fear of God, fire is forced to labor. In the Fear o
f God, the earth is crushed under its burden. In the Fear of God, the clouds mov
e across the sky. In the Fear of God, the Righteous Judge of Dharma stands at Hi
s Door. In the Fear of God, the sun shines, and in the Fear of God, the moon ref
lects. They travel millions of miles, endlessly. In the Fear of God, the Siddhas
exist, as do the Buddhas, the demi-gods and Yogis. In the Fear of God, the Akaa
shic ethers are stretched across the sky. In the Fear of God, the warriors and t
he most powerful heroes exist. In the Fear of God, multitudes come and go. God h
as inscribed the Inscription of His Fear upon the heads of all. O Nanak, the Fea
rless Lord, the Formless Lord, the True Lord, is One. ||1||
The entire creation is bound by a particular discipline set forth by Vahegur
oo Jee, a Maryada, that keeps things in order. We, as Sikhs of the Guru, have a
responsibility on ourselves to follow Gurmat Maryada and inspire each other to f
ollow it as well. We are by no means protesting or complaining about anything. I
n fact, even though we have used the term request throughout this letter, it is no
t even a request. We are all children of the same Guru Sahib, we are all one big
family. Requests are for outsiders. We are brothers and sisters, therefore we a
re only encouraging our brothers and sisters of the sevadaar committee at Milfor
d Gurdwara Sahib. Please make a note of the various points we have highlighted a
nd fulfill duties as Sikhs of the Guru. This can be done by taking appropriate s
teps to have the Gurmat Maryada implemented. You are fortunate to have been bles
sed by Guru Sahib with this seva as members of the committee. Therefore we encou
rage you to please ensure that all of us can abide by the Gurmat Maryada at our
Gurdwara Sahib and earn the happiness of our True Father, SatGuru Sahib Siri Gur
u Granth Sahib Jee Maharaj.
Please do let us know how we can be of assistance in raising awareness among
the Sangat and ensure that the above mentioned points can be practically implem
ented. Whether it involves sending an email highlighting all these points to the
Gurdwara mailing list, or a Dos and Don ts poster at the Gurdwara main entrance, bo
th are agreeable. We will be more than happy if anyone from the committee wants
to meet us personally and we as a group are willing to discuss anything that has
been mentioned in this letter.

Vaheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa Vaheguroo Jee Kee Fateh

- Humble servants of Guru Granth Sahib ji.