INSIDE THE GURU'S GATE - Anpere

Nishan sahib in the courtyard, and eventually conclude the homage by calling out the
Sikh ovation before the throne. In these acts the throne or “seat” is honoured, in absence
of Guru Granth Sahib, for its daily function of hosting the Guru-scripture.
The design and location of the throne is arranged in a way to underscore the authority
of the scripture and absorb the attention of worshippers. The construction of
the platform fixes the scriptural seat to an elevated position in the immediate visual
field of the congregation at the end of the room. The throne is placed far enough
away from the surrounding wall to make it possible for devotees to perform circumambulation.
Visiting devotees are expected to sit down on the ground in a lower
position with their bodies turned towards Guru Granth Sahib to articulate the common
condition as servants seeking audience with a superior Guru. According to a
general principle, the scriptures should always be placed on a higher position than
human devotees, or humans should place themselves lower than the scripture and
never turn the back to the book. To forge a common identity as inferior disciples
subordinate to the Guru, sitting on cushions, chairs or in any other distinctive position
in presence of the Guru Granth Sahib and within the congregation is not permitted.
By traditional rules the space of the congregation is normally divided into two
equally large gender-based areas: facing the throne men sit to the right while women
assemble to the left, and the two zones are separated by a central walkway. The spatial
gender division is by no means a stringent rule ‒ men and women may and quite
often do sit side by side in worship ‒ but serves more as a guiding norm, especially
during crowded gatherings.
Irrespective of the motives or intentions people may have for visiting the gurdwara,
the minimal constitutive act of paying homage to Guru Granth Sahib is to perform
matha tekna, the bodily act of going down on one’s knees and bowing deeply
until the forehead touches the ground. In social situations of everyday life matha tekna
usually refers to the symbolic act of touching the feet of elders or other esteemed
persons in order to salute and pay reverence. 330 In the gurdwara it is a humble act of
submitting oneself by the letting the highest part the human body ‒ the forehead ‒
touch the ground before the Guru-scripture. Before going into a gurdwara both men
and women will first remove their socks and shoes, wash the hands and feet, and
cover their head ‒ women with shawls and men with handkerchiefs unless they wear
turbans. This preliminary conditions and acts mark the transition to an area of greater
purity and sanctity. Upon entering devotees may touch the threshold with their
hands and in humble gestures take its “dust” and apply it on the forehead as a blessing,
and then follow the concentric walkway made of a long carpet leading up to the
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In Punjabi the reverential greeting by touching feet is also called charan bandna. The bodily act
of matha tekna can be converted to a speech act when there is no possibility of physical interaction
between two agents, such as when two persons pay respect in a conversation over phone.
The speaker will then utter the words “matha tekna” which verbally substitutes the act of touching
the feet.
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Published on www.anpere.net in May 2008