Thumbs down for SGPC edict by city's Sikh youths

1 Jun 2009, 0410 hrs IST, TNN

NEW DELHI: Religion is apparently personal. Or so say youngsters in the city despite the Punjab and Haryana High Court upholding a Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee edict. The SGPC, which refused to give admission to an aspiring student on the grounds that she plucked her eyebrows and therefore, didn't follow the rules laid down in the Guru Granth Sahib, may have got the backing of the court but when it comes to Delhi's young generation, there's plenty to debate.

Most of whom TOI spoke to felt that religious beliefs were personal, and shouldn't be confused with personal grooming. Said Nisha Kaur (name changed), a 26-year old journalist working with a television channel: "My religious beliefs are clear I live my life the way the Granth Sahib tells me to. But that has nothing to do with whether I cut my hair or get my eyebrows plucked. Harping on these issues trivialises the teachings.'' And Nisha's not the only one who is carving a clear line between the teachings or moral values that the Sikh religious book advocates and the way of life followed by this generation.

Said Harpreet Kaur, who has just finished her computer degree, "Following the teachings is a way of life. But with time, some things need to change. My family has never insisted that I follow all the rules as long as I behaved like a good human being.'' It's a point that both Chetan and Hema, who had come for a Sunday visit at the Bangla Sahib gurudwara, also maintained. "The teachings talk about doing your duty and being a good person. Beyond that, I don't think that the Gurus would be upset if I cut my hair or plucked my eyebrow once in a while,'' said Chetan.

For many though, the teachings of the Granth Sahib have relevance in every sphere. Said Amandeep Kaur, a second year DU student, "It depends on your beliefs. I have not cut my hair or plucked my eyebrows since I took the Amrit, as I believe that rules should be followed. "Though my friends follow the latest trends, I have never felt the need to be like them. I have faith in my belief.''

with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/Thumbs-down-for-SGPC-edict-by-citys-Sikh-youths/articleshow/4601023.cms

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