New Delhi (KP) - Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, the historic site where Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji’s body was cremated, is a revered pilgrimage site for the Sikhs community. Sadly, its caretaker the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has chosen to look the other way as to how this historic Gurdwara Sahib is managed. Panthic Weekly was informed by the Shahbaaz Khalsa organization that Gurdwara Sahib premises are now being misused and desecrated by Bihari migrants (often referred to as ‘Bhaeeyas’ in Punjab) who are carrying and chewing tobacco on the premises of the sacred complex.
Per Sikh Maryada (Code of Conduct), alcohol, tobacco, and similar paraphernalia are not to be brought in or consumed on any Gurdwara premises. Panthic Weekly is providing first hand evidence through pictures of this desecration. This is just one example of the migrants’ misuse of Sikh hospitality. Although all Sikh Gurdwara Sahibs are open to the general public, visitors are required to abide by the guidelines set forth in Panthic Maryada during their stay. The migrants are also misusing the langar premises and preparing their own food without any consideration for Langar Maryada.
Background :
After the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji in 1675, Guru Ji’s body was left unattended in a dungeon in the darkness on that fateful night. A devotee, Bhai Lakhi Shah and his son, removed the body and hid it under heavy cotton bales in a cart and took it to a thatched cottage which was then subsequently set on fire. At the spot where the cremation took place, Sardar Baghel Singh of the Karror Singhia Missal, who took possession of Delhi and the Red Fort many times in the late 1700’s under the Khalsa Banner, constructed a Gurdwara Sahib in memory of Guru Ji’s Martyrdom. The current building of Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib with all its grandeur and majesty now overlooks the parliament house and the secretarial complex of the Central Government.
In March 1914, a dispute arose between the Government of India and the Sikhs with regard to the boundary wall of the Gurdwara. The government demolished a portion of the wall. Great resistance was offered by the Sikhs and a Morcha was launched headed by Bhai Randir Singh Ji and other prominent Sikhs of that time. Ultimately, the government had to yield to the Panthic will and the demolished portion of the wall was rebuilt by the Sikhs.
Unfortunately, this same historic complex is being ignored by its current caretaker the DSGMC, whose leaders are more interested in political elections and publicity stunts such the recent ‘Golden-Palki Rath Yatra.’
Pictures :
Tobbacco1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 : Used tobacco bags loitering the Gurdwara Complex.
Tobbacco6 : Bare headed, tobacco chewing Bihar migrants preparing “Langar”
More detailed pictures:
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Wahegurur Ji Ki Fateh, One more incident I want to share with all the Sikh Management...
I have been to Gurudrwara Sahib Shree Patna Sahib, the gurdwara made is fabulous but the way towards gurdwara is really unbearable and so dirty that we people cannot imagine and when we stayed there... we were in large group.. and when we reached there, there were already sangat from ludhiana, delhi and punjab but there were place to stay but it was not hygenic to live and also many people were not getting places to live and the day when they celebrated the shrad of Guru Nanak Dev ji..
the langer hall was such full with all bihari people that the sangat was unwilling to even enter the place.. but we tried and had langar... and we can say Langer all the time was very tasty and proper... but due to lack of facilities there and more interference of Bihari People and lack of funds which we think the they are not maintaining the place and the sewadars always there on all the doors of gurd so that those small children who always try to enter gurdwara without any cleanliness not enter in gurdwara sahib.
So please there is a request from Delhi Sangat especially request to the Mangement to maintain the roads and the living ares so that that place where our Guru Maharaj born should be clean.. especially the way which took towards gurdwara, so that more and more sangat will come and ask others also to do Darshan of that holy place.