SAN FRANCISCO, CA (KP) — Respect for Guru Granth Sahib Campaign, North America was notified that a Sindhi temple based in Jackson Heights, NY was doing parkash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib alongside pictures and statues of Hindu deities in the same complex. Satya Narayan Mandir which organizers claim is “a place to worship together” also offers services such as Sehaj Path Sahib and Akhand Path Sahib at the mandir and at homes of devotees.
Panthic maryada and Sri Akal Takht Sahib guidelines forbid the parkash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib at any places of worship other than Sikh Gurdwaras. The practice of installing Guru Granth Sahib along with pictures and statues is also unacceptable, as Guru Granth Sahib’s message clearly condemns the worship or reverence of artifacts. It has also come to the notice of the Respect for Guru Granth Sahib Campaign that statues of Guru Nanak Dev Ji are also installed at the temple.
Sacred saroop of Guru Granth Sahib Ji being kept alongside Hindu idols
A Shivling along with idols of Hindu deities being kept in the same premises as Guru Granth Sahib Ji
In addition to Sikh ceremonies, the temple also offers other services which are not in line with Gurmat, and also makes its facilities available to the community at ‘reasonable rates.’ Discourses on Bhagwad Gita are delivered daily at the premises, while asa-ki-vaar and hanuman chalisa are recited on a weekly basis. On a monthly basis, the temple also organized ‘Satya Naryan Puja’ and ‘Bahrano’ (special services for the full moon).
Hindu baptism, ‘mundan’ (hair shaving) and other rituals are also carried out at the temple’s premises.
The Respect for Guru Granth Sahib Committee, North America (www.satkar.org) has appealed to the New York Sangat to contact the Sindhi Temple and remove parkash of Guru Granth Sahib from this Hindu mandir immediately and assure that such beadbi is not repeated again at that mandir.
It should be mentioned that the Sikh Community does not oppose the ceremonies of other communities and faiths but the reverence of Guru Granth Sahib Ji is the utmost important concern of the Sikhs and Sikh practices do not allow the parkash of Guru Sahib at Hindu mandirs.
The temple website can be accessed at http://satyanarayanmandirnewyork.org/
Their address is:
Satya Narayan Mandir
75-15 Woodside Avenue,
Jackson Heights, N.Y. 11373
Phone:
(718) 899-8863
Email: mandirny@yahoo.com