

So far I have maintained a traditional approach that the Guru Sahibs should not be represented in living form. Film makers have never attempted to portray any of the Sikh Gurus in human form.
That is why sculptures of Sikh gurus are also avoided. However images and paintings
have always been popular. Maybe because of artist Sobha Singh, images of Sikh gurus started adorning walls of most devout.
However many object to this practice as well. The SGPC used to distribute diaries which carried images of Sikh gurus. However in 1999, the year of the tercentenary of the Khalsa, the SGPC diary mentioned that it would stop doing so keeping in light the fact that this runs contrary to Sikh ideals. A prominent Sikh writer too mentioned to the blog writer than paintings are scuptures (idols) on paper and hence paintings to should be avoided.
Which takes me to the day when I visited Goindwal Sahib for the first time. During kar sewa at Baoli Sahib some tiles having images of Sikh Gurus were being removed. Some Sikhs protested stating that they were part of our heritage. Others claimed that these images were not according to Sikh traditions and hence should be removed anyway. Interestingly, the tiles had Sikh gurus with pointed sharp beards which did not look natural. The gurdwara manager remarked that people often objected to the depiction in sharp pointed beards. "Had cameras been invented during the time of the Gurus, this problem would not have arisen", he quipped. True, cameras came later in 19th century.
The Sikh position on images of Sikh Gurus ranges somewhere between the Hindu and Muslim though, with Hindus actively practising idol worship while Muslims abhoring it.
However when I saw this video, I was taken aback. Watch it and form your own opinion.
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