Shun Gurus’ images: Sikh body

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 27

Reacting to The Tribune report (‘Two paintings and a political row’), the Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha has stated that controversies related to images of the Gurus arise because they have been reduced to the bodily form, which is against the basic tenets of Sikhism.

In a press statement, Gurpreet Singh, Sabha spokesperson, said the concept of ‘Gur Murat Gur Shabad Hai’ and ‘Shabad Guru Surat Dhun Chela’ was being replaced by these photographs/paintings, encouraged initially by the SGPC when it distributed paintings of Guru Nanak, done by artist Sobha Singh in 1969, on the occasion of the Guru’s 500th birth anniversary.

Photographs take away from the disciple the thought/wisdom (‘gyan’) of the Guru, and instead fix attention on a figure, thereby promoting idol worship, which again is against Sikh philosophy, he added.

“We have been requesting people to discard these photographs and instead highlight sayings from Gurbani, which would help in understanding the true message of the Guru,” Gurpreet Singh said.