INSIDE THE GURU'S GATE - Anpere

Although community members are free to choose whether they want to publicly
announce their donations or not, pecuniary gifts should preferably be “secret
donations” (gupt dan), given in concealment without exposing the identity of the
donor. The reason for this is simply that the act of giving in general, and the repute
from donating large amounts in particular, is held to delude people into self-conceit
and pride ‒ the very opposite to the reasons for conducting seva in the first place. On
a note of irony, a granthi paid attention to the common practice of inscribing the white
marble walls of the gurdwara and Nishan Sahib with the name of wealthy donators in
black colours: “People who put black colours on religious places, how much black are
they from inside?” These and similar expressions underline the moral value of not
undertaking monetary seva
in an ostentatious manner,
even if people will take up
different attitudes to the
norm and sometimes give
generous donations to enhance
the social prestige and
reputation of the family. 581
Business-minded sponsors
do not hesitate to put up
advertisements about their
companies or shops whenever
seva is conducted in
their name in the outside
Performing seva in the communal kitchen
society. Still the publicity of
wealthy sponsors quite often
entails moral evaluations in discourses within the community. An anonymous benefactor,
whose identity at some point is disclosed, is likely to be held in higher esteem
for his or her humble acting in concealment. And people do keep their donations
secret. When a costly golden kalash, a rounded pinnacle on the top of the palanquin
protecting Guru Granth Sahib, was presented to Gurubagh Gurdwara in 2001, the
donor remained nameless, even at its ceremonious inauguration on the day of Guru
Gobind Singh’s birthday. To exemplify the idea of gupt dan, my interlocutors said that
not even their own spouses or children were cognizant of the donations their family
presented to the gurdwara. In some cases the children get to know only after the
death of their parents what the family had secretly donated. Husband and wife
would give gupt dan separately, not knowing what the other was offering from his
and her pocket.
buy large quantities of flour, vegetables, lentils and sugar to be handed over to the gurdwara
kitchen before the festival days.
581
The names of families who sponsor larger events in the gurdwara and do not specifically
request anonymity are mentioned in the public Ardas at the end of the program. One family
member is also offered a saropa, robe of honour, in presence of the sangat.
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Published on www.anpere.net in May 2008