Sir,
Please refer to your news item on page 9, WSN, Oct 11.1991. The construction of Vermont Gurdwara is an auspicious event and deserves the grateful celebration of a cause fulfilled by dedicated Sikhs. However, its artistic rendition is misrepresented and is the product of a less than fertile, egoistic imagination.
In the drawing, the Vermont Gurdwara is centrally placed and is depicted as Surya Devta (Sun God) an important deity of Hindu Mythology. The rest of the Gurdwaras are sketched smaller, as satellites and by inference are the lesser deities, such as Ganesh, Lakshmi etc. or perhaps the plan ets Mars, Satum (Rahu, Ketu) etc. This is plagiarism from Brahmnical Celestial calendars.
This concept is out rightly condemned by Sikh doctrine.
The Vermont Gurdwara has all the rights 10 equate itself as Hindu God worship but depicting Sadh Sangat elsewhere as its peripheral cohort is a mystical hallucination. Moreover, the
Vermont Surya Devta is graphically equated to a mother figure from Which all the six otters emanate This again is reminiscent of the River Ganges (Ganga Mate) originating from Shiva’s locks (head hair), Shiva is the God of Destruction; one of the Trinity of Hindu Gods.
In the eyes of the Sikhs who believe in the Gurus Word, all Sadh Sangats and Gurdwaras are equal and none is the mother figure (Kali Mata). We, the others, detest being shown as terrestrial satellites in the Brahmanical Solar Orbit. Once again congratulations for the fund raiser and the continued. Construction of the Vermon t Gurdwara.
Shivdev Singh
Palmdale, CA
Article extracted from this publication >> November 1, 1991
