Paath Session Wrap Up

Paath Session Wrap Up

Wednesday, March 22nd

I was watching Lord of the Rings…”my precious”… And it got me thinking. Why aren’t there any movies depicting Sikh Warriors and Shaheeds? We have an awesome history, why not share it with the world?

There were two arguments to this question: One being that movies about Sikhi need not be made, and that there should not be actors playing the Gurus’ role. Another side was that movies should be made, and there is no problem with having actors act out the role of the Gurus.

Side One:
By making movies about Sikhi and about our history, it would only bring about more controversy within the community, just as it has brought controversy among Christians about have a person play the role of Jesus.
There would be controversy because not much of our history is written down, and there are many discrepancies within our history accounts. There are bits and pieces of information, but not much which is said to be authentic.
Also, making movies takes a lot of time and money. Therefore, there are a lack of people willing to take the initiative and there is a lack of knowledge among the general Sikh population. Firstly, a revolution of knowledge is needed before such movies can be made.
It is good to know our history; however, it is a waste of time to recreate it as it does not help us to learn about Sikhi. Instead, Gurbani should be the primary source from which we are learning. The Guru’s did not write down their own accounts, so it does not need to be depicted through movies today.
To have actors play the parts of our Gurus is wrong and disrespectful. A person should never play that part, and it would cause lots of controversy within the Sikh population. By having a person act as a Guru, it is saying that they are trying to impersonate the Guru and that they are equal to them.

Side Two:
On the other hand, it is a great idea to make these types of movies because it is a useful tool through which non-Sikhs can learn about Sikhi. It is a way that many misconceptions can be cleared, therefore, bringing about more understanding and acceptance among our communities.
It is also not wrong to have people representing the Gurus in movies, as the physical form is not who Guru Ji is, but instead it is the Bani which is the Guru. By having depicted in movies, it will not take away from who they are. If a person had an image in their mind about what Guru Ji should look like, they could see the movie and see something contradictory. However, by seeing this it brings upon the understanding that it does not matter what physical form Guru Ji has, it does not take away from their greatness and it should not make a difference to you. Ultimately it is Gurbani which is our Guru.

A lot of people I know do Paath very fast. It’s like they do Japji sahib in ten minutes when I take like 25-30 minutes. Is this right? I mean it’s like we are running through Paath. I think there’s no difference between us, and those who follow this as a ritual. What you guys think?

Doing Paath is a person thing, and it is up to a person how they choose to do so. They may have been doing it for a long time, and they may already know the meaning, therefore, are able to do it fast, but still understand, whereas others may need to go slower.
Also, even if you do not understand it fully, but still do the paath every day, it is not a ritual. If you start by not knowing, eventually, by repeating it and making an effort to understand the bani, you will. You will learn the meaning of what you are saying, and in this way it is not ritualistic.
By doing paath every day, it is also something that builds your discipline. It can help you with keeping your daily routine and this way you will not forget to do your Jap Ji sahib in the morning.
People who do Paath quickly can be for two different reasons. Some people are rushing through Paath because they may have more ‘important’ things to do’ while others may be doing it quickly because they have been doing it for a long time and are just naturally faster at reciting their Paath.
However, some members felt this may be a problem since some may say that you are not getting the real essence out of what you are reading. Reading Guru Ji’s Bani is one thing, but understanding it is another. How will one be able to understand Guru Ji’s Bani if they are treating it as a chore that they must do at a certain time in the day? However, we cannot generalize by saying all those who recite their Paath quickly are not understanding Guru Ji’s Bani because we are no one to judge and do not know what level other individuals are at. We must look within ourselves and ask ourselves personally which way is the best way we can read, understand, and apply Guru Ji’s Bani to ourselves and make ourselves better Sikhs. If one understands Bani by reading it fast, then that is what that individual should do. If one needs to take a couple of hours to really understand Bani then that is how long that individual should spend. It’s mainly individual and personal.

Why is a Kirpan worn from right to left? Is there any significance?

Most people are right-handed and therefore it is more convenient for them to wear their gatras from right to left, having their Kirpan on the left side of their bodies. There is no significance except that it is for the individual’s convenience. A left-handed individual will wear their gatras left to right as that is more suitable for them. Some of the members commented that they have been told some reasons however those reasons were more 'ritualistic' and they felt they were not the real reasons.

Do we have the obligation as fellow Sikhs to assist those who are straying away from Sikhi?

As Sikhs we should set a good example for those around us to follow. We must not force any individuals because without Guru Ji’s Kirpa and their own willingness to want to get close to Sikhi, they will not. “Actions speak louder than words,” said a member. We mustn’t impose our beliefs on anyone and definitely not judge anyone. By saying someone is ‘not following the right path towards Sikhi’ we are judging that individual and we, as humans, do not have that right.
As Sikhs, our only obligation is to love. Everything we do for anyone should be out of love and love should be for Guru Ji, not the individual. The only reason to love everyone is because of Waheguru residing in him or her.

What about family though? Are we obligated to assist them if they are straying away from Sikhi?

Yes, parents do everything for us, and we, as children, feel obligated to want them to go on the right path as well. However, you cannot force anyone to do anything. If one feels that a member of their family (the same may be said for close friends) is going in a direction that will be harmful to him or her, then that individual should voice it and let the person know. The decision being made after that would be the individual’s choice and one does not have to feel responsible because at least they did the best they could.

What does it mean when you bow your head to guru ji? What are you saying when you bow your head?

When one does ‘matha tekh’ and bows their head in front of Guru Ji, they have individual reasons for doing so. Some comments made by members as to why they personally ‘matha tekh’ were to give up your ego, give up your ‘sees’ (head) for your Guru Ji, out of respect, being humble, having humility, and to basically say that ‘you are my Guru, my master, my teacher’ and by bowing our heads to our Guru Ji we are expressing these feelings.

When individuals go to Guru Ji’s Darbar and bow in front of Guru Ji, each individual goes to Guru Ji with different things in mind. One may go to Guru Ji in happiness while another may go in sorrow. Bowing our head to Guru Ji does not have to mean one universal thing; it could be a personal, individual way for that individual to connect with Guru Ji. An individual who goes in happiness may bow their head in such a way to express that ‘Guru Ji, you’re my everything’, while an individual who goes in sorrow may bow to express their feelings and say ‘Guru Ji, help me’.