Letter to Editor, by HS Bhatia
Sat Sri Akal.
I came across an old article on the Internet called ‘Disappointing Sikh Student Camp’. I wish to share this information with you. This year my friend sent his son to the Sikh Student Camp held in Chigwell at Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College. His father sent him with good faith that he would learn about Sikhism and become a better Sikh. His friend recommended this camp to him and showed me the poster for the camp. They are a religious family with God’s blessings and their son is religious as well. He came back from this camp with a deranged view of Sikhism. It took a while to make him understand the real way of a Sikh. It took the whole of the family a while to convince him to the Guru’s way. His grandfather has great knowledge of Sikhism and Gurbani and spent a lot of time with him to unteach what he was taught at that camp. I wish to share this so that other parents are aware of this in future when considering sending their children to camps.
I was shocked by what my friend told me about this Sikh Student Camp 2008 and I am utterly disappointed.
The information given by my friend’s son about this Sikh Student Camp:
1) There was yoga in the Darbar Hall in the mornings whilst the Guru Granth Sahib’s parkash. For girls and boys to do funny postures together in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib is not right. Such activities should be conducted in a separate classroom or hall.
2) There was an informative talk on Guru Arjun Dev and Shabad Hazaray story. He enjoyed the talk and information given. An American Sikh was the speaker. The speaker got the campers to make lines in the Darbar Hall. The girls were asked to face the boys in lines. The speaker got the boys to sing one line of Shabad Hazaray to the girls and the girls were made to sing the next line of Shabad hazaray to the boys. This is totally wrong and unacceptable. Shabad Hazary are for God’s praise and should not be used for singing to girls and this nonsense. This is worse than fake sant Babas who do nonsensical parchar.
3) We been taught from day one that there is One God. This is how the Guru Granth Sahib starts with Ek Onkar. He says that in one of the camp talks by someone called Mr. Panesar, he said that there is ‘no God’. People send their children to learn about God and they at this camp say there is no God and that God is human beings. This Mr. Panesar taught them a concentration technique, focusing on a dot and that there is no benefit in repeating Waheguru. This is a lie. Since my childhood I have been told and learnt that a Sikh repeats Satnam Waheguru Simran and concentration should be on the sound of Sirman. Where does this technique of focusing on dots in your mind come from? Sounds like a cult Baba technique.
4) I was shocked to hear that day one was a Bhangra day. He said that a DJ was invited to the camp who was swearing and saying rude things. Is this a Sikh camp or a Bhangra camp?
5) In a Q&A class, the American Sikh, Mr. Panesar and others were answering questions to campers. I am disgusted to know that the speakers told campers that homosexual relationships are allowed in Sikhism, that same-sex marriages should be permitted in Gurdwaras, that Sikhs can find their own partners and marry outside Sikhism. These views are totally inappropriate and are preaching totally wrong things. We bring up children and teach them to be respectable and marry a Sikh girl and not to get into relationships with others.
6) It was disheartening to hear that a camp leader who was wearing a nihung turban and big beard told campers that there is no need to keep Kesh to be a Sikh. How can someone keep turban and beard and say such a thing? The same camp leader said that the discipline a baptized Sikh has to follow is wearing the 5 Ks and no other rules need to be followed. Sikhism is a way of life and by wearing 5 Ks alone is not religion. This misguiding youngsters that it is okay to do anything you feel like.
7) I was shocked to know that a Mona (clean shaven) was given lead sewa in the Darbar. Being a Sikh camp I would have thought that if they could not find any Amrithdari Sikh to do sewa of the Guru Granth Sahib and do bhog of Sahaj Path then at least they could have asked Gurdwara Gianis to come.
8) My friend has always taught his children that keeping Kesh is important. But this camp has left negative impression on his son. He was sent to learn more about Sikhism because of the bad things you hear about happening in universities. But instead of bringing closer to Sikhism they have encouraged him that it is okay for a Sikh to go clubbing and parties. He no longer wears turban and instead ties a patka. This is shameful for his family.
2) There was an informative talk on Guru Arjun Dev and Shabad Hazaray story. He enjoyed the talk and information given. An American Sikh was the speaker. The speaker got the campers to make lines in the Darbar Hall. The girls were asked to face the boys in lines. The speaker got the boys to sing one line of Shabad Hazaray to the girls and the girls were made to sing the next line of Shabad hazaray to the boys. This is totally wrong and unacceptable. Shabad Hazary are for God’s praise and should not be used for singing to girls and this nonsense. This is worse than fake sant Babas who do nonsensical parchar.
3) We been taught from day one that there is One God. This is how the Guru Granth Sahib starts with Ek Onkar. He says that in one of the camp talks by someone called Mr. Panesar, he said that there is ‘no God’. People send their children to learn about God and they at this camp say there is no God and that God is human beings. This Mr. Panesar taught them a concentration technique, focusing on a dot and that there is no benefit in repeating Waheguru. This is a lie. Since my childhood I have been told and learnt that a Sikh repeats Satnam Waheguru Simran and concentration should be on the sound of Sirman. Where does this technique of focusing on dots in your mind come from? Sounds like a cult Baba technique.
4) I was shocked to hear that day one was a Bhangra day. He said that a DJ was invited to the camp who was swearing and saying rude things. Is this a Sikh camp or a Bhangra camp?
5) In a Q&A class, the American Sikh, Mr. Panesar and others were answering questions to campers. I am disgusted to know that the speakers told campers that homosexual relationships are allowed in Sikhism, that same-sex marriages should be permitted in Gurdwaras, that Sikhs can find their own partners and marry outside Sikhism. These views are totally inappropriate and are preaching totally wrong things. We bring up children and teach them to be respectable and marry a Sikh girl and not to get into relationships with others.
6) It was disheartening to hear that a camp leader who was wearing a nihung turban and big beard told campers that there is no need to keep Kesh to be a Sikh. How can someone keep turban and beard and say such a thing? The same camp leader said that the discipline a baptized Sikh has to follow is wearing the 5 Ks and no other rules need to be followed. Sikhism is a way of life and by wearing 5 Ks alone is not religion. This misguiding youngsters that it is okay to do anything you feel like.
7) I was shocked to know that a Mona (clean shaven) was given lead sewa in the Darbar. Being a Sikh camp I would have thought that if they could not find any Amrithdari Sikh to do sewa of the Guru Granth Sahib and do bhog of Sahaj Path then at least they could have asked Gurdwara Gianis to come.
8) My friend has always taught his children that keeping Kesh is important. But this camp has left negative impression on his son. He was sent to learn more about Sikhism because of the bad things you hear about happening in universities. But instead of bringing closer to Sikhism they have encouraged him that it is okay for a Sikh to go clubbing and parties. He no longer wears turban and instead ties a patka. This is shameful for his family.
I hope Panthic Weekly and Panjab Radio will both act on this matter. As I find it very serious matter and need action taking as soon as possible.
Sat Sri Akal
HS Bhatia
