Locks of hair lying strewn over at the barber's and a satisfied ex-Sikh, who has recently lost his identity, gazing wisely at the mirror, deliberating proudly over his recently marooned scalp is a familiar sight in present day Punjab and obviously the world over.
These so-called wise men argue that one should roll-along with the tide and 'reconcile' oneself with the trendy fashion. There's nothing wrong with donning an Armani suit to work, which is highly recommended as compared to a Bana; but wrong is to 'reconcile' oneself with what others say. I agree that wearing a turban is a 300 year old fashion but so is wearing a saree, which is as old as 5000 years, but the latter is a traditional dress of most women across India and almost all of them in the southern part.
In 1699, Kalgiyawale Sache Patshah, baptisted 5 Sikhs with the immortal Amrit and laid a foundation for all of us to build our faith upon. Sache Patshah said, 'Rayhnee ray so-I Sikh meraa, Oh sahib ma os the chera'(The one who lives according to the Rehat is my Sikh, my master and I'm his servant). Such a humble Guru! But who cares about this today?!!! Say, I post my wedding card to 200 people; they are bound to throng in front of my house at the appointed date and time. But, if I tell these same people about what the Guru Saheb said in his Bani...about Rehat Maryada, not more than a chosen few will believe it 200%. So much 'shradha' for a stupid wedding card and so much disbelief for the greatest of the great Bani, which is penned down by the Guru Sahebs themselves.
I think the foundation of a Sikh is laid by his parents. Today's parents do not have enough time and patience to cater to the needs of their young Sikh son. 'Who will comb these hair for 5 years?', 'Who will wash these hair every weekend?' etc. are some of the questions that flash across the minds of these parents. They don't care to preserve a Khalsa so will not their son and his son and then his. Just take a look at a jam-packed stadium in Punjab and you will be able to count the number of turbans. A human-being has the right to call him/her Sikh only when he/she is baptised. Forget about the identity of a person with shorn hair.
The next question these wise men ask, 'Why is it important to be a Sikh?' I'd say do not ask me. This is something that cannot be preached but should be realized. Read the history of the Sikhs and you'll get your answers and you are bound to repent over your foolishness of shorning your hair off.
Another question that pops up is, 'What if I follow all the points of Rehat Maryada except keeping long hair, don all 4 K's instead of five?' But, the question is not whether you wear 4 K's or 5; it's a simple Yes/No question. Either you are a Sikh or you are not! Remember, a dog without a strap around his neck is considered a stray dog; it's breed and grace do not matter.
Gurbani is the truth the only truth, it is immaculate, it is matchless, it is the most profound of all philosophies, it is the most erudite of all scholars, it is the greatest of the great, it is the purest of the pure, it is the kings of the kings, it is the sum total of all wisdom in this world and the next, multiplied a million times over, it is impeccably perfect but still within the grasp of a common man. Yes, it is within your's and my grasp but practicing what you read, what you grasp is the key to success! And the last part, i.e. practising Sikhi, is, I admit, very difficult. But, winning a one-sided battle without challenges is tasteless.
