Kids Corner

Current Events

Joshimatth's Gurdwara Lives Up to Sikhi Ideals

SUBODH VARMA

 

 

 

In a country where religious intolerance and communal hatred dominate the news nowadays, here is something that goes to show that there are still pockets of decency and humanity around.

Muslim residents of Joshimatth in Uttarakhand offered Eid namaaz (prayers) on Monday, August 20, 2012, in a gurdwara after being invited in by its granthi and congregation.

There is no mosque or idgah in Joshimatth, a town perched above the Alakhnanda deep in the Garhwal Himalayas. Usually its 800-odd Muslim residents offer namaaz at the town's Gandhi Maidan, a public ground.

On Monday, however, the maidan had turned into slush. It had been raining heavily for several days and Eid, the festival day too dawned in a downpour. The Muslim community was struggling with the problem when the head of the local gurdwara sent a heart warming message to them - that the Muslims could use the main hall of the gurdwara for offering namaaz.

So, at 9:30 am, the congregation of Muslims in bright new clothes trooped down to the gurdwara and offered the ritual prayers in the big hall. After the ceremony, they embraced the Sikh community members waiting outside the hall. 

Sardar Buta Singh, prabandhak of the gurdwara, said that he had extended the invitation to the Muslims to help them in their crisis.

Maulvi Asif was quoted as saying that by solving their problem, the gurdwara committee had presented an example of humanity and respect towards all religions. He said that the Muslim community was thankful to the Sikhs.

Joshimatth is located about 250 kilometers from Rishikesh on National Highway 58. It is close to and en route to an important Sikh centre, Hemkunt Sahib.

 

[Courtesy: Times of India. Edited for sikhchic.com]

August 23, 2012

Conversation about this article

1: Baldev Singh (Bradford, United Kingdom), August 23, 2012, 9:31 AM.

I am lucky enough to visit this gurdwara regularly because it's close to one of my favourite places (Tapoban) and mountains (Changabang) on earth!

2: Sangat Singh (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), August 23, 2012, 11:45 AM.

"naa ko bairee nahee bigaanaa sagal sang ham ka-o ban-aa-ee" [GGS:1299.14] "No one is my enemy and no one a stranger. I get along with everyone".

3: Shazad  (Houston, Texas, USA), August 23, 2012, 11:55 AM.

Hats off to you, S. Buta Singh! That was a very kind hearted act. We should have more people in this world as yourself. May Allah bless you.

4: Gurdarshan Singh (Boulder, Colorado, USA), August 23, 2012, 12:19 PM.

sikhism stands for equality and respect for all. if all religions do this there will be no hate crime anywhere. Then only will there be peace.

5: Bhai Harbans Lal (Dallas, Texas, USA), August 24, 2012, 12:44 AM.

NEXT - Traditionally, gurdwara congregations consist of people from all walks of life. And, every gurdwara is open to all for prayer and projects of service to humanity. We are pleased with this Eid gesture by the Sikhs of Joshimatth towards Muslim friends who did have a place of worship of their own. We should go a step further, as was done in the days of our Gurus. Our Gurus built mosques and mandirs along with gurdwaras in the towns they founded. Maharaja Ranjit Singh continued this tradition. For example, in the town of Haripur Hazara, my birth place, the Sikh Governor, Hari Singh Nalwa, built a gurdwara, a mandir and a mosque on the same street and supported their upkeep. It is my suggestion that the Sikhs of the Garhwal area follow the same laudable Sikh tradition and undertake efforts towards building a mosque for the local Muslims.

6: Pritam Singh Grewal (Canada), August 24, 2012, 10:20 AM.

Well done, Gurdwara Joshimatth sangat! This is how the Gurus call upon us to behave: 'naa(n) hum hindu naa(n) musaalman' [GGS:1136]. And again: 'hindu turak ka sahib aik' [GGS:1158].

7: Bhai Harbans Lal (Dallas, Texas, USA), August 24, 2012, 10:23 AM.

Sardar Baldev Singh ji, could you please get me the phone contact information of Sardar Buta Singh, prabandhak of the gurdwara in Joshimatth? You can contact me at japji08@yahoo.com

Comment on "Joshimatth's Gurdwara Lives Up to Sikhi Ideals"









To help us distinguish between comments submitted by individuals and those automatically entered by software robots, please type the letters shown in the image.


Please note: your email address will not be shown on the site, this is for contact and follow-up purposes only. All information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Sikhchic reserves the right to edit or remove content at any time.

 

read other articles in Current Events