Sir,
A great service has been done by Dr. Shivdev Singh (WSN April 13) when he brought out that Guru portraits are the product of Brahmanical (inroads in Sikhism). I want to add that even if we have a true camera photo of the Guru, we cannot accept it or worship it like Hindus do to their gods, Gur Moorat Gur Shabad Hei, Sadh
Sangat wich pargat aya.
Guru’s word (gurbani, hymns) is the guru (teacher). That is way when Guru Ajan Dev Ji built Harmandir Sahib not a picture or statue of the Guru, but the word (Adi Guru Granth Sahib) was installed there.
The hymn “Bani Guru, Gutu hai Bani,” rejects the thought of photo Guru or statue Guru.
Unfortunately many different kinds of guru paintings have been produced by innocent Sikhs and accepted by ignorant Sikh masses who were not told clearly about the Sikh philosophy of Shabad Guru. Let the World Sikh News take a lead in making Bani Guru, their faith instead of picture Guru. Guru picture is gurbani or stated above.
Gurbakhsh Singh (Professor) Washington
Article extracted from this publication >> May 4, 1990
