# Sikh Priests Protest To Save Jobs



## Archived_Member16 (Aug 25, 2009)

source: INDIAN CATHOLIC : Sikh priests protest to save jobs


*Sikh priests protest to save jobs*​ 

Published : August 25 2009​ 

Groups of Sikh priests have protested an order that could disbar men under the age of 30 and over 60 years to be employed in gurdwaras across Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

The priests have been angered by the new plan of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, the apex Sikh shrines management body. The plan is to sack all priests who do not fall within the new age stipulation. This could mean job losses for scores of priests, they said.

SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar had recently endorsed the new recruitment rules for granthis and paathis (hymn singers) following complaints against younger priests. These ranged from moral turpitude to several instances of devotee collections in gurdwaras.

Insisting there could be no compromise on maintaining the sanctity of the shrines, Mr Makkar called for a list of all Gurdwara employees below 30 years and ordered a thorough verification of each man’s antecedents.

The committee has also sought a fresh appraisal of each priest’s character, conduct, his knowledge of the holy scripture and efficiency in performing various religious rites.

_Courtesy : CathNewsIndia_


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## Admin (Aug 25, 2009)

Wow! this is something out of the box... i have seen Makkar ji making positive decision on more than one occasions.


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Aug 26, 2009)

Aman Singh said:


> Wow! this is something out of the box... i have seen Makkar ji making positive decision on more than one occasions.



And on all those occasions..the Rozana spokeman highlighted the news...leading to his about turns...IN this latest case the Granthi leaders were sitting in the Mohali Office of Spokesman when the call to makkar was made...and he instantly made an about turn...to avoid another damaging news item coming out..a FREE PRESS is  a good thing.


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## Mai Harinder Kaur (Aug 26, 2009)

*Without arguing about age requirements (which I think are silly), can we please, PLEASE, PLEASE stop calling granthis priests?  Sikhi has no priests, no one stands between the individual Kaur or Singh* *and Akaal Purakh;  this is an important distinction and must be preserved.

And a free prerss is not only a good thing;  it is vital!

Chardi kala!  :ice:
*


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Aug 26, 2009)

In the early decades before the 70's..each Granthi in Malaysia/singapore/thailand/indonesia region was a Family man, local Citizen who lived in the Gurdwara Premises with his family 24.7. He was the gardener, the sweeper, the caretaker,Punjabi School Teacher, paath kiratn teacher etc etc and his family were also his ragi jatha, tabla player , karah parshad distributor etc etc. There were no vising ragi jathas and etc..No body felt any dnager sendign their children to gurdwara even at odd times of the night or day..
After the 80's that Generation of Granthis phased out..none of their children/dependnats wnated that occupation as it ahd no respect/future in terms of career pay etc. ONly a person who couldnt even be a cowherd would become a granthi..even the ex-cowherds preferred to be watchmen at night...the pay was better and respect was there..
So the Gurdwaras were forced to begin IMPORTING Granthis from India..these were ussually YOUNGISH, and in the earlier batches had soem experience in granthiship..having woprked as garnthis in some Gurdwara in Punjab...as time went on Ragi jathas began to visit..and at any one time there would be a dozen or so young sin gle ragis etc hanging around...more and more ragi darbaars..paaths and sehaj paaths, ardasses etc etc began to be held...some of these even eloped with girls that came to elarn kirtan paath etc to Gurdwara..
soon the Malaysian Govt set a Age milit..over 40s only can be granted a visa for Granthi...that is on the premise that an OLDER Granthi is less likely to be a..."sex maniac" ?? sorry for the harsh words..but reality is such...being away from homeland..young blooded and lonely..these sought a way to stay longer..have fun..???
SO NOW the same problem has surfaced in Punjab Gurdwaras...reasons are probably the same..its NOT age per se..its up bringing..and GURMUKHTA..grounding.. in Religion..all that is WEAK or non existant..the people in it are sollely for the MONEY...and also SO MANY people wamt akhand paaths doen, this and that done..so much demand for this false rituals..pakhands..that ahs to be filled somehow..so those youngsters who cant go abroad, have no education, cant get any decent job...end up in Gurdwaras...has to happen that way..many also see this as away of getting a visa to migrate....position in Diaspora is so abd no one knows any Punjabi much less Gurbani..whatever the "granthi Ji" Gyani ji says is 100% accepted..after all he is the EXPERT...when the SIGHTED allow the BLIND to lead them by the NOSE..such types surface to fill the void...
The Answer to this is to LEARN GURMUKHI..LEARN GURBANI ..paath..kirtan..ardass..so that each SIKH can do the JOB HIMSELF as Guru Ji intended...then the Granthi cna be questioned..and he will know he cnat get away with everything..sangats know...then they will be more responsioble and less liable to pull the wool over everyones eyes...


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## Archived_Member16 (Aug 26, 2009)

Since Makkar was "appointed" as the "Pardhan Ji" of SGPC, on several occasions he has tried to appoint his own cronies as Granthis in the key positions. In the past his efforts have been thwarted by the existing Granthi Group! This is another attempt to fufil his personal objective !

source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060904/punjab2.htm


*Sikh bodies against appointment of three high priests *
*To boycott installation ceremony *
*Varinder Walia*
*Tribune News *

Amritsar, September 3, 

Various Sikh organisations, including both factions of the Damdami Taksal and a section of the Sant Samaj are up in arms against the appointment of three granthis (high priests) of Darbar Sahib even as the SGPC has decided to go ahead with their proposed installation at Akal Takht on September 12 . 


Describing the installation as 'un-democratic' and in 'violation' of the Sikh traditions, Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa, head Damdami Taksal, said he would not only boycott the installation ceremony but oppose the move by all means. He said neither the Nihang factions nor other Sikh organisations were taken into confidence before the appointment of the three Sikh priests . 

The decision to oppose the installation ceremony was taken at a meeting , held at the head quarters of Baba Daya Singh Sur Singh Wale in which chiefs of the Damdami Taksal and other Sikh /Nihang organisations participated. He said an another meeting would be held within a couple of days where the next course of action to stop the proposed installation ceremony at Akal Takht would be decided . 

Earlier too, the SGPC had to postpone the installation ceremony which was fixed for August 8 in the wake of the opposition by the Sikh organisations. 
The names of the new three Sikh high priests who are proposed to be installed are: Giani Maan Singh , Head Granthi Takht Damdamda Sahib , Giani Jaspal Singh of Ludhiana and Giani Gurbax Singh Gulshan. The Damdami Taksal chief alleged that except Giani Maan Singh , the other two priests had never served in any SGPC- run gurdwara . 

Baba Ram Singh, head of the breakaway group of the Damdami Taksal alleged that the Shiromani Committee had indulged in gross violation of appointing the granthis for Darbar Sahib without following any procedure .He said that the Sikh organisations won't tolerate such appointments/installations. 

Sikh scholar G.S.Lamba Advocate urged Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti , Jathedar Akal Takht to exert his authority and stall the move of installing granthis in violation of the Sikh traditions. He said Giani Gulshan had challenged the authenticity of 'Rehras Sahib' in a book authoured by him. 
He called upon the Sikh masses to oppose the move of the SGPC unitedly. 

The three newly appointed Sikh high priests are considered to be close to the SGPC chief , Mr Avtar Singh. It is learnt that Jathedar Vedanti is also not in favour of the appointment of these granthis without following a proper procedure.


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