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I am writing this thread to share genuine concerns in relation to expectations we are still putting upon Sikh elders within Gurdwara sevas particularly in relation to the pandemic and lockdown.
There is a theme in our Gurdwaras to have a huge reliance on elders to still do the sevas from kirtan to raul to degh and committee offices. Most of it stems to the fact elders have time, experience, commitment and huge benevolence that many of us may still not have.
However, those localised Sangats who are expecting their Gurdwara committee to keep the Gurdwaras open during lockdown/pandemic with expectation of the elders to still maintain the infrastructure are being irresponsible.
There is something very wrong if our vulnerable elders are receiving phonecalls to come to the Gurdwaras to fulfil sevas that frankly speaking many of us should be doing or sangat/committees need to be realistic about the commitments.
Truth is our elders are so loyal to the sevas that they will never say no, they will jump on the first bus even through snow storms and we have got used to taking advantage of that.
I do not dispute for one minute that the nature of large sevadar led dynamics in Gurdwaras are a valid reason to remain as the last open places of worship. Expectation is that they have the resources to execute and comply Covid/Social Distancing protocols.
Other Gurdwaras have made their own localised decisions to temporarily close the doors based on the R rate in their specific area and capacity of sevadars to police the Covid restrictions. Everything is dependent on local Sangat dynamics and capacity.
However, there is nothing wrong with being realistic about the capacity to carry out seva commitments. Satkaar protocols can always be maintained even if the Gurdwara may have to lock its doors temporarily during the pandemic.
