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China-made Nanak idols anger Sikhs in punjab
WSN Network
 Chandigarh:
After Chinese-made kirpans (daggers) hit the local manufacturers of
one of the five ‘kakaars’s of Sikhism hard, Guru Nanak Dev’s idols
with ‘Chinese characteristics’ have flooded shops across Punjab and
angered the Sikh community.
The figurines, which have been in the market for some time, are
available for Rs 100-150. Even as the Sikh religion forbids idol
worship, they have become popular gift items, with the smaller ones
finding a perch on car dashboards ‘‘since it reassures the driver of
divine protection’’, as one user put it. The larger versions are
seen in restaurants, stacked along with statuettes of deities of
other faiths.
The Sikh clergy have issued directions to the community to refrain
from buying these idols. Idol worship, including performing of ‘aarti’,
was prohibited by Guru Nanak himself, while Guru Gobind Singh had
declared that those indulging in such practices would be ostracised
from the faith.
Moreover, the Chinese-made idols sport a Chinese look, like slanted
eyes and Mongoloid features. ‘‘Guru Nanak is made to look more like
a lama,’’ said a Sikh angrily after he chanced upon these figurines
at a gift shop in Jalandhar.
Taking note of the matter, the head granthi at the Golden Temple,
Giani Gurbachan Singh, in an interview in the latest issue of
community journal ‘Sant Sipahi’, declared the practice of keeping
idols as ‘‘sacrilegious’’ and directed Sikhs to refrain from buying
them. ‘‘If anyone has, by mistake, bought these idols, he/she should
immediately immerse them in water with due respect,’’ he said.
The journal’s editor, G S Lamba, brought the matter to the head
granthi’s notice after Lamba was gifted one such idol by a family
friend. Giani Gurbachan Singh also said he would discuss the issue
with the Akal Takht Jathedar to work towards taking out the idols
from the market.
However, the clergy claim their opposition has nothing to do with
the appearance of these idols as the faith is opposed to idol
worship in any form.
15 August, 2007
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