The Gurdwara is the place of learning for us Sikhs. We go there to let go of all the stress we have in our daily life and focus on Waheguru and only Waheguru. We go there to listen to Keertan, Katha, and Simran. We go there to do Ardaas and pray for our loved ones. We go there to do Seva while remembering Naam. We go there to do Paath and bow our heads in front of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. So why is it that when we are listening to Keertan, we look left and right to see if our friends have arrived? Why do we get our phones out every time the Bhai Sahib starts the Katha? Why do we exit the Darbaar Hall after just five minutes of sitting and listening to the Guru’s word (Gurmukh)?
The first thing we do at the Gurdwara (after removing our shoes and washing our hands) is bow our heads in front of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. As Sikhs call it, Matha Tekh. We Matha Tekh to give up our ego and acknowledge that there is no one above God. We Matha Thek as a sign of humility and respect for the Guru. This act of bowing is a promise that we will follow the path of a Sikh. This act of bowing is a reminder that we are Sikhs, and we believe in the teachings of Gurbani. So next time you walk into the Gurdwara, Matha Thek with full focus and devotion. We are not just pressing our foreheads to the floor; we are paying our respects to the Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Like most children, we give plenty of excuses to leaves during the programs. “I don’t understand the Katha.” Well, then try and understand. Try to understand the lesson that the Bhaisab is giving us. These lessons don’t seem important now, but they will be very significant when we grow older over the next several years.
Other people may say, “I’m hungry and I want to go eat.” just to get out of listening to Keertan. Next time, eat Langar before sitting down. Eat before so that you are not distracted as you are listening to Keertan. Speaking from personal experience, I never used to enjoy sitting in the Darbar Hall listening to Keertan. My mind would wander on other useless things. However, after just five minutes of listening to Keertan with ultimate focus and no distractions, I fell in love with Keertan. The music, the melody, and the Shabad itself touched my heart. Read the meaning of the Shabad and listen to the Keertan. Close your eyes and open your ears because as soon as you do that, an amazing feeling of bliss will suddenly hit you. Before you know it, you will be in awe of the Keertan and it will make you forget about everything else, even your hunger and the urge to meet your friends.
When we go to the Gurdwara, we almost always listen to Ardaas. We get up and fold our hands just because we’re supposed to. But remember, Ardaas is a prayer. We are praying and remembering all the Gurus, the Shahidees, the Panj Piare, Chaar Sahibzaade, and many more who sacrificed their lives for our religion. We are also praying for good health, loads of happiness, gifts, etc. When we do Ardaas, we are thanking Waheguru for this life, for having a roof over our head, for having plenty of food to eat, and much more. Next time you do Ardaas, stand tall, fold your hands, close your eyes, and focus.
Seva is also a very crucial part of Sikhism. When you do Seva at the Gurdwara, you should chant Waheguru’s name over and over. You should focus on helping others. Whatever it is that you are doing, do it with no distractions. Whether you’re serving food, washing plates, etc, chant Waheguru’s name and focus. Seva is our way of helping Waheguru. As we all know, Waheguru is present in every single soul, so when we are helping others, we are ultimately helping Waheguru.
To sum it all up, when we go to the Gurdwara we should be focusing on Waheguru, not anything or anybody else. Even when we are eating langar, we should be thanking Waheguru for giving us food to eat. The Gurdwara is the door to the Guru, our way of getting closer to Waheguru. Whether we go there every day, once a week, or even once a month, we should go there with utmost devotion.
Dani Kaur, 13, CA