Prabhjot Sahi's profile - activity

First let me disclose that I am a sikh born in a punjabi sikh family. However, none among me & my immediate family have taken Amrit. And I am not a Amritdhari sikh. So, going by the accepted premise, my status as a sikh is debatable. So, kindly, accept that these are my personal views and it is OK for you to disagree with me. Further, whatever I say is merely a friendly advice and nothing more.

Secondly, I will answer directly to the question asked by Mr. Singh. (however, its 2 years since he asked the question] I firmly believe in the premise of personal freedom as long as it does not interfere with that of the others. Do what your heart says. If your heart is with the Guru and you put undoubted faith in his word, than do keep your hair. You have all the right in the world to keep your hair uncut & unshorn. Your parents should be sensible to understand that. In case they don't agree then wait untill you are 18 and get your adult rights. You can check with local authorities regarding law of the land regarding personal freedom as well.

Thirdly, I am presenting my personal view on the matter of keeping unshorn hair in sikhism. I shall divide my answer, henceforth in two parts or questions.

Q1: Is it mandatory for sikhs to keep hair? A1: Yes. There is clear directive given in Sikh Rehat Maryada (Sikh Code of Conduct] that we have to keep unshorn hair. The code was made by sikh scholar after study of SGGS and other historical references. The current code came into being in about 1950 as per the wikipedia page. So, yes, technically, a sikh has to keep unshorn hair.

Q2: Should the Sikh Code of Conduct remain the same today? A2: I have pondered on this in the past and reached somewhere close to a conclusion that religions need to adapt to the current times. There is of course a risk of losing your identity in the process of this adaptation but it is something that can be discussed. Let us look at the features of sikhism that remain relevant today:

1. Simran = Meditation. Very relevant, probably more relevant today than in the past due to more stress in our lives.

2. Sewa = Service. Certainly a practice that gives purest form of satisfaction. Very Relevant.

3. Gurudwaras & Langar. Again, very relevant besides being a highly useful establishment in bringing people together and fostering brotherhood.

4. No Drugs/adultery. Very well. Basics for a healthy living

5. Five thiefs. Very relevant, we see in day today life.

6. On God. No issues here.

7. Kes. Lets see.

I am a kesdhari since birth, never plucked a single hair. Primarily because I love my parents & love going to the tranquil place called Gurudwaras, and both of them want me to keep my hair. And I don't want to hurt the people I love. And now, Turban & Beard are integral part of my ... (more)