SGPC bans perfume spray on Guru Granth Sahib at Golden Temple as it contains alcohol

GS Paul

Amritsar, October 10

Devotees visiting Golden Temple will not be allowed to spray perfume on ‘Palki Saheb’ (palanquin) or during the ‘parkash’ ceremony of Sri Guru Granth Sahib because it contains alcohol.

The SGPC has put a blanket ban on the use of any kind of perfume spray in the Golden Temple complex and other gurdwaras with an advisory to use ‘attar’ (a natural fragrant essential oil obtained from flowers or petals).

SGPC secretary Partap Singh said through a circular, the SGPC has ordered the gurdwara managements to stop the use of perfume in the gurdwaras and instead use ‘attar’.

As a practice in Golden Temple during ‘Sukhasan’, devotees follow Sri Guru Granth Sahib carried in a grand palki in a procession and spray perfume and also during wee hours when the holy book is brought back to the sanctum sanctorum.

Similarly, on the Gurpurbs, especially during the Holla Mohalla festivities, thousands of devotees in the Golden Temple spray perfume in open and shower flower petals during the celebration.

During the ‘parkash’ of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, attar is applied on cotton and also on the rumalas.

Partap said, “Devotees present during the ‘parkash’ ceremony spray perfume. It impacts printing contents of the holy book. Moreover, perfume carries alcoholic contents, which is also against the ‘maryada’ inside any shrine. ‘Attar’ can be used without any objection.”