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UK Sikh School neglects care of Gurdwara
Friday 3rd of October 2008
Panthic Weekly News Bureau
Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, Chigwell (UK)
Chigwell, London (KP) - Last week it was brought to Panthic Weekly's attention that Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, Chigwell, London, is doing beadbi (violating the sanctity) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji by showing gross neglect and lack of care in managing and maintaining the Gurdwara which is within the school. The same school hosts the controversial ‘Sikh Student Camp’ every year. The same camp has come under the thick criticism for wrong parchaar, lack of observance of Gurmat Maryada, and a lack of discipline on behalf of camp sewadars. It was claimed by members of the Sikh Sangat that “the Chigwell sikh school are unaware of what their role is towards Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.”
Concerned members of the Sikh community reported that no one cleans the Gurdwara within the school and it looks in a sorry state. One Sangat member described their findings as, "I couldn't believe what I saw. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is kept in a small cupboard like room, which is really untidy and a sheer embarrassment. I also found Gutke Sahibs just laying around at the back.”
Students who attend the Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College have also contacted Panthic Weekly in regards to gross beadbi (violation) of the Gurdwara within the school. One concerned pupil wrote, “A non-Sikh ‘couple’ were ‘making-out’ in the back of the Gurdwara, and much more has and is still going on in the Gurdwara within the school. The school has students from all different faiths and no one shows respect for the Gurdwara.”
Another pupil of the school claimed that, “People swear in the Gurdwara. There is no discipline. They have no Amritdhari person to do Guru Mahraaj’s sewa. The tabla and vajas are kept on the side and many of them are broken. Also people pick out dry Parshaad themselves and there is no basic Maryada kept by pupils or enforced by the school staff. The children are told to wear hats in Darbar Sahib if they don’t like wearing rumaals.”
Photos of Beadbi:
Gutka Sahibs kept in boxes stacked up together
Gutka Sahibs kept uncovered with little care and attention
Sachkhand is a small cupboard like room which is used for storage as well as for the resting place for Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
Vajas and Tablas dumped in a corner of Darbar Sahib next to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, alongside bags of rubbish
Bags littering the way to get to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
It is disheartening for the whole Sikh community to see the deterioration of our Gurdwaras. Anyone institution, Gurdwara, or school who has set up a Guru Darbaar, has the responsibility to maintain the Sikh Rehat Maryada. We are celebrating 300 years of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji being bestowed eternal guruship by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, yet sections of the Sikh community have still not learnt how to treat Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji the utmost respect, reverence, and care. It seems beadbi has been taking place for a number of years while the school retains a name of a school based on ethics of the Sikh faith, but it does not function in adherence of the basic tenants. This comes with no surprise with the school being given to the ‘Sikh Student Camp’ to hold a yearly summer camp, which has been widely reported as having many problems it self.
Panthic Weekly urges the local community along with the UK Sikh Sangat to contact Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, Chigwell, and ask them to take appropriate action:
Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College
Roding Lane
Chigwell
Essex
IG7 6BQ
E-mail :
info@ggskcollege.co.uk
Phone: 020 8559 9160
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