Thousands at unique 'funerals' of religous books

24 March 2009

THOUSANDS of Sikhs from across the country yesterday converged on a temple for the ritual funerals of 11 of their holy books burnt beyond repair in a blaze at a Gurdwara in Bow.

Hundreds of men, women and children crowded into the Mata Sahib Kaur Sikh Academy in Newbury Park while more than a thousand waited outside on the streets.

Most waited in sombre mood for several hours, to hear the conclusion of a 48-hour prayer session which began on Friday.

Their focus was to give a funeral in the manner given to people for the 11 Sri Guru Granth Sahibs which were damaged in a fire at the Gurdwara Sikh Sangat in Harley Grove, on March 16.

Sikhs view the Sri Guru Granth Sahib as their living being, their God and treat them much as one would a highly respected spiritual leader.

Local residents watched as the crowds swelled under the watchful eyes of police officers who escorted the flat bed truck which conveyed the 11 Granth Sahibs to Khalsa College in Chigwell where they were cremated in a specially area built in accordance with Sikh religious rites.

A spokesman for the Sikh Academy said the event was "unique" as never had so many Granth Sahibs been laid to rest outside India before. The academy, faced with such a unique situation, contacted the head of the Sikh religion at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India for guidance on the correct way to perform the funerals.