Bana

Harman ji, I sympathise with your frustration and I agree with much of what you say but not with every point you make and the same goes for respected Yogi Jis article. You are right we have to a certain extent move with the times and also look at the practical aspects of sustaining our beliefs. I have, well over sixty years, met Sikhs from all walks of life and seen a lot of change and many offshoots of Sikhism cropping up, creating divisions in our young but unique faith. I have always worn a turban and never showed disrespect to my hair and took initiation when I was in my early twenties. So I trust I know what I am talking about. I hope my comments below would help. I seek forgiveness, in advance, for any misquotation of Gurbani or any points which may hurt the feelings of a fellow Sikh. Every person inspiring to be a Sikh must be encouraged to take ‘khandey di pahul’ i.e. formal initiation into the Khalsa Order, provided of course the individual is ready and qualified for the initiation. Generally, a turban and uncut hair are sufficient to identify one as a Sikh. An amritdhari Sikh, obviously, will also wear the other Ks. Whether the kirpan is worn under or over the garments should not be an issue. Provided you can be identified as a Sikh, it should be sufficient even if it means you are dressed in a suit (coat and trousers) or casuals. OF COURSE THE CLOTHING MUST BE WORN TO CONFORM TO NORMAL CODES OF DECENCY. The radiance (within and outside) comes from good deeds and not just clothes. Since you are already identified as a Sikh any further distinction, in my humble opinion, must be by means of your actions which will speak much louder then words or symbolic clothing. Why do we want to look so different from the rest of the world? How will the design of your shirt or trousers (as long they are decent and cover your body adequately) affect your thought process or your actions? Surely the rest of the dress code should relate to the mind. Guru Nanak Patshah says that there is a danger that the souls ’‘fabric’ is conditioned by Maya, i.e. this cloth is dyed in greed. My Lord cannot be pleased by such clothing. How will the soul-bride appease the Lord? (ih tan maaeyaa paaheyaa piaarey leetrrhaa lab rangaa-ey; mayrae kant na bhaavae cholrrhaa piaarey kio dhan sayjae jaa-ey – GGS 722). Submit yourself to the merciful Lord – hanu kurbaanae jaa-o meharvaanaa hanu kurbaanae jaa-o. If the body has to be dyed, O beloved, then do so with a dye drenched in Lord’s Name - kaaeyaa rangan jay thee-ae peaaray paa-ee-ae naa-o majeeth. This brand of colour is outside this world, never seen before (rangan vaalaa jay rangae saahib aisaa rang na deeth). Only souls so dyed are acceptable to the Lord - jin kay cholay ratrrhay piaaray kant tinaa kai paas. You know you are Sikh when you wear the 5 Ks. THE NEXT STEP IS TO SING, LISTEN AND READ GURU’S SHABAD (PARABH BANEE SABAD SUBHAAKHIAA. GAAVHU SUNHU PARHAHU NIT BHAA-EE GUR POORAI TOO RAAKHI-AA. RAHAA-O - LORD’S PRAISES AS ENSHRINED IN THE GURU’S SHABAD ARE THE BEST UTTERANCES; SO CONSTANTLY SING THEM, LISTEN TO THEM, AND READ THEM – GGS 611). This should be adequate to give you the glow and the inner strength? Do you have to draw additional attention and make a statement “look I am Sikh and I am holier than thou? Why do you need to make a religious statement every day over and above the basic distinguishing marks (hair and turban) which are more than sufficient? Does this not amount to exhibitionism? The rest of the distinction must be through your actions – the world certainly will know who you are. We have enough problems as it is. An amritdhari Sikh, with full bana, thinks he is holier than an amritdhari who dresses in contemporary mode of clothing. The amritdhari Sikh wearing ordinary clothing looks down upon a non-amritdhari who otherwise displays a turban and uncut hair. The latter thinks he is superior to the one who wears a turban but trims his beard. The one who trims his beard thinks the shaven Sikh is an inferior Sikh…….Where will it end? We keep judging by appearance and little attention is paid to the inner soul of the individual. The big irony is even Gurdwaras and Deras have their particular mode of bana – like a school uniform. They must also distinguish themselves from other banas. In one Gurdwara, I know of, granthis have strict instructions to totally cover their faces with a ‘thathaa’ (wide strip of cloth tied over the mouth) – I am not here referring to the parna which is a standard code for every granthi. It goes on and on and on …. creating divisions, deterring many away from the Gurdwaras, driving the youth away from Sikhism. I personally know totally clean shaven persons of Sikh origin who read and listen to Gurbani daily and are otherwise super human beings and yet I also see amritdharis on their high horses generating anti-social behaviour devoid of true love and devotion. Give me the former any day. Bana is not only an external matter, dress up your mind with the true bana as well (refer to GGS 722). Respectfully yours 'Arshi'.