The Sikhs across the world this year, like years past, celebrated the Prakash Utsav Divas of Sahib-E- Kamaal, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. In almost all the Gurdwaras, the world over, there were religious assemblies where Shabad Kirtan, Katha and relevant Sikh history by many Raagis and preachers of different shades was extensively rendered. Large religious processions, the Nagar Kirtans were taken out with Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and Punj Piaras leading.

Guru ka Lungar was available all around the entire day. All this is essential and in keeping with the dictates of Gurbaani, "Baabanian Kahaanian, putt sputt krain," meaning that "Good children carry on the remembrance of their ancestors through stories and discussions."Some of these functions decided to include that all too essential, but conveniently forgotten ceremony of Amrit Sanchaar. As always, only a handful of Sikh- seekers committed to the formal initiation into the 'Order of the Khalsa.' Such is the consequence of a continuous downward trend leading to a gradual erosion of the distinctly unique Sikh identity that was envisioned and emphasized by Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

When all around most of the Sikhs keep shunning away from their Guru-given Sikh identity, the Amrit Sanchaar ceremony naturally ends up taking a back seat. There are other ground rules of 'do's' and 'don't' besides Sikh identity that are applicable to the Khalsa Panth but unfortunately they are not being actively propagated to the extent that they should have been. In referring to the late 19th century writing of a Nirmala Sikh, Giani Gian Singh, W. H. McLoed in his book "Sikhs of the Khalsa, A history of the Khalsa Rahit," quotes several of the 'don'ts'.

These were delivered in the Rahit announced by Guru Gobind Singh Ji at the end of initiation ceremony of Vaisakhi 1699. One of these 'don'ts' specifically states, "Apart from Akal Purukh and your Guru, do not bow your head before any goddess, god, Hindu cenotaph, cremation ground, or idol." W. H. McLoed in 'Sikhs of the Khalsa.

Yet one often finds a small moorti of Guru Nanak Dev ji that looks more like a statue of an elderly Chinese man on the dash boards of the cars and trucks owned by Sikhs all over India. It indeed makes one wonder as to how a person who boasts of being a Sikh could ever reconcile with an idea of installing a moorti of a Sikh Guru. Before the ignition key is put in the car, many modern Sikhs seem to bow before this statue. Moreover, it is a common knowledge that all over India, the Sikhs of Guru along with their families usually perform Lakhsmi Puja on the Deevali day, like the people of the majority faith around them.

This just seems to be the opposite of what the Sikh Rahit referred to above by Giani Gian Singh dictates. Some may argue that the Sikhs for long have been praying before pictures of their Gurus much in the same way as the majority of other people do. In fact we have the trio of Guru Nanak Dev Ji along with his two companions, Bala and Mardana ingrained just above the entry of the front door of Sri Harimandir Sahib, so what is the difference if small statue of Guru Nanak is being used on the dash board and other vehicles for that matter?

I however, personally have a great difficulty in accepting such a response and would beg to differ. One may argue here that it is a varying degree of compulsion, consequent to the minority status of the Sikh community everywhere in the world that makes its members conveniently ignore the fundamentals as proclaimed by Guru Ji himself.

Instead, they turn blind to the directions set forth by their Guru and start imitating what the majority does around them. On top of it, a subtle laxity in personal practice and preaching of the dictums by so-called Sikh Babas of the Deras, modern day Sants and other politically motivated religious leaders of the Sikhs, makes the people at-large misconstrue the facts of history. Superficial lip service, provided by these pseudo-beacons who themselves might not be fully versed in Sikh philosophy, indeed ends up muddying the water further rather than delivering a true distilled guidance for Guru's path. All this only makes the original concepts of Sikh faith misunderstood, and thus expediting a loosening of their holds on the ordinary Sikhs.

Here, it will be fairly appropriate to turn attention to the excellent work of Sardar Patwant Singh, a modern time well-respected Sikh historian. In his book titled, 'The Sikhs,' he eloquently comments "The creation of the Khalsa reflected Guru Gobind Singh Ji's conviction that Sikhism was a 'Tisar Panth', a third religion, distinct from Hinduism and Islam." Through this act, on the day of Vaisakhi in the year 1699, Sarbans Daani father of the Khalsa Panth, Guru Gobind Singh Ji in fact, decided to put an accepted conviction of Sikh faith into practical practice among the Sikhs.

It needs to be very clearly and emphatically stated here that while Guru Gobind Singh Ji emphasized a 'Tisar Panth,' a third religion and encouraged his Sikhs to maintain their unique and distinct physical identity with highest moral codes, he strongly implored them to "Recognize all mankind as intrinsically one." In his superb poetic rendering, the "Akal Ustat" i.e.

"In the Praise of Eternal Almighty," the above stated line stands unique. Recognizing and supporting the equality and unity within different faiths and respecting the rights of others in pursuing their own beliefs, irrespective of whether such beliefs fit the molds of Sikh faith, was what he advocated to the fullest. Such a philosophy was not only in congruence with the philosophies of his predecessor Guru-Prophets rather it was a mere extension of an established Sikh concept.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji thus clearly cemented the secular philosophy and mind-set of the Sikh people that had earlier been ignited by the founder of the Sikh faith, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, fueled by succeeding Gurus and re-fired further by Sahib-E- Kamaal himself.By forbidding his Sikhs from praying before idols and the cenotaphs, he was encouraging them to live their faith in accordance with the Sikh Rahit. He ordained his followers to bow only to one God, the creator, the ultimate, the all true and none other.

There was no space for the rituals or any other intermediaries in seeking the ultimate truth. At the same time, he made it clear that only those who try to follow their own convictions, under the most trying of the circumstances, are the ones to respect and protect the faiths and beliefs of the others. Such was made amply proven by this Sarbans Daani at the tender age of nine, when he hesitated not to support his father to sacrifice his life for the protection of the faith of the helpless and spineless.'Live and let other live in full freedom of mind, faith and culture and if need be help others by liberating their minds and bodies from the shackles of slavery, even at the expense of personal sacrifice.'

This indeed was the ultimate motto of this man supreme. Speaking about courage is always cheap but to live courage in the face of death is what he wished for his followers. To achieve such an objective, standing out in the crowd through unique identity was essential and that was what he preached. This clarity about the actions of Sahib-E- Kamaal should permanently decimate any cloud of doubt in the minds of those, including a few ill-informed Sikhs, who stop not, in labeling the Tenth master as the Guru of the Khalsa Sikhs alone.

Ignorance about obvious historical perspectives that had barely taken place three plus centuries ago, makes it all the more imperative for the Sikh community to take a fresh stock of itself. Where, what and why his true concepts have been thrown wayside by those who were supposed to imbibe them in their minds, bodies and souls? Why the land where these concepts first came into being, have turned barren of their takers? Such are the issues in search of answers on the Prakash Utsav of Sahib-E- Kamaal, Sarbans Daani Guru.

At the same time, what remedial measures could have been or should be taken to make the wrong into right once again? This in fact, happens to be the urgent task at hand, while celebrate the most important day of the arrival of a great Saint-soldier who ever strolled on this earth, barely short of three and half centuries ago.