The recent controversy of a photograph of a young woman in bridal attire, posing before the Guru Granth Sahib inside a gurdwara in Glen Cove town of New York, has eventually brought SGPC to intervene after it went viral on Facebook.
The photo shows the bride, Sonal Parmar, sitting with her back to the holy book.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Avtar Singh Makkar has sought details of the incident from the president/manager of the US gurdwara.
“This (having one’s back to the holy book) amounts to showing disrespect to the Sikh scripture and it is also a violation of Sikh religious traditions and customs,” said Makkar in a communique to the Glen Cove shrine manager.
The SGPC pointed out that such postures in front of the Guru Granth Sahib were prohibited. Makkar has sought an apology from the management of the Glen Cove gurdwara.
Meanwhile, according to sources, Paramjit Singh, who has been doing seva at the US gurdwara for years, said this incident took place when he was out of the country, but acknowledged that it happened due to lack of supervision.
“The incident must have taken place after the wedding was over,” he added.
He pointed out that they normally ask all couples to leave the Gurdwara hall immediately after ‘Ardas’ (performed at the end of Anand Karaj).
He claimed that the bride may have returned later for the photograph.
As per Paramjit, no permission was sought from the Gurdwara for the photo shoot.
Source: HT