By Asia Samachar | MALAYSIA |
It seems some group functions in the state of Perak, including Sikh weddings, threw caution into the wind when it came to ensuring Covid-19 precautionary measures were at play.
Some of them have allegedly ignored advice to hold smaller functions and went on full scale with their wedding. As a result, some were believed to have contributed to the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“Many cases are coming up as a result of uncontrolled wedding receptions,” Khalsa Diwan Malaysia (KDM) president Santokh Singh Randhawa told Asia Samachar in a telephone conversation. “As a result, there are a number of people affected, and at times try to cover-up.” KDM is a Ipoh-based national Sikhs organisation.
This is not the first time that Santokh have raised this issues. In fact, he had twice (see here and here) written to Asia Samachar, trying to call on the community members to take seriously the Covid-19 prevention measures.
Since his second letter which was published in January 2021, Santokh said it was unfortunate that a number of weddings went on without observing strict SOP regulations, resulting in a quite a number of attendees either affected or forced to observer quarantine.
“The assumption is that ‘I will get away from it, Covid-19 will affect others, not me’,” he said.
He said that it was generally observed that members have been relaxed and not following the SOP rules strictly. Instead of cutting down the ceremonies to bear minimum, they tend to go through the full regilia of cultural and traditional ceremonies, too.
“We appeal to fellow Sikhs to please take serious note of this pandemic outbreak as it is becoming more serious. Maybe the gurdwara parbandhaks [management committee] and community leaders could help advice fellow Sikhs to follow SOP strictly and overcome this calamity,” he added.
So, under current circumstances, how can families still proceed with an Anand Karaj, as the Sikh wedding is called?
Santokh suggests: “Strictly, just the lavan ceremony. Both the families gather at gurdwara, have the lavan ceremony and Path Da Phog, and end it there. No friends and relatives will object. In fact, it will safe a lot of unnecessary expenditure.”
Path da bhog is usually referred to the end reading of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib to signify the completion of its entire reading. It is usually held at the end of a gurdwara programme, and then followed by an ardas (prayer).
The Malaysian authorities are mulling imposing another lockdown measures following a spike in number of Covid-19 cases and deaths. Malaysia’s National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, launched on Feb 24, still seems slow in its rollout.
RELATED STORY:
Pardon me, we’re bluntly flouting Covid-19 rules (Asia Samachar, 21 Jan 2021)
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I have been to a few ASA Di VAAR prayers in the morning ,and there are many who do not wear masks, congregate in the langgar hall with no social distancing, and have also seen others speaking loudly in each others’ presence.I have seen 80 yr old ladies using ‘walkers’ coming into the darbar to pray.
There is usually no one manning the QR code scanning counter and no temperature monitoring enforced.
Absolute flouting of all mandatory SOPs. We will reap what we sow!
“aape beej,aape hi khao”.
The wedding dinner is an opportunity to wine and dine with friends. The risk of being infected or infecting others is thrown out of the window. Enjoying being with friends and drinking with friends is prioritised because restaurants do not allow wining and dining. The organisers of the function should be solely responsible to ensure SOP is followed by all attendimg the function. The organisers should be solely responsible for any breach of SOP leading to the spread of the pandemic.
We did our dauvhter’s wedding last December during MCO.with only 30pax. Just us the parents, her siblings, grandparents, uncles and aunties and the groom side parents and siblings. We had no breakfast, no milni and the anand karaj was at the gurdwara. We had lunch at a small private room in a restaurant with her cousins included. It went smoothly and strict SOP followed throughout.
Then the doli departure was a short session from home. The groom side had their own small scale sagan session at their residence.
It was a pleasant day for all. No worries. Totally stress free.
Why keep postponing a happy occassion just because cannot invite all the relatives and friends? I know some postponed few times. Some carried on and ended up with the unwanted situations.
This is the sistaution that we have no idea when it will end. Have fairh in Waheguruji, we only want our family safe and stress free. Think wisely.
What is the view of MGC?
Gurdwara. Management Committee Members and Marriage families should be personally held responsible and liable for any financial penalties imposef by relevant Authorities.
Guests who attended the wedding ceremony and other functions will have to pay any imposed penalties and sufferings if any get infected with COVID19.
Bless all
What else is new? The urge to have a gala wedding outweighs health and safety risk. Don’t even mention social norms, etc. So, they will press on with big, big, weddings even when they are told to hold them down.
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