▎ 哥賓星做生日（Birthday Celebration for Guru Gobind Singh Ji）

Sikh Gurdwara

總共三張圖(教堂空間、升旗、樂團）。
 
本來沒有突發奇想去泰國玩時，我打算12/31再來這裏「跨年」。因為寶琳的邀請，有機會在錫克教第十位先師哥賓星生日這三天，來錫克廟認識一位博學多聞的卡內爾星先生，除了知道來自北印度的錫克後裔是警察律師醫生之外，對錫克人的輪廓更立體了。

一早六七點，包著橘色頭巾，先到永遠供應食物的公共餐廳吃素食沾奶酪的餅chapati配泛著肉桂香的奶茶當早餐，後來才知道，空腹是不宜進行祈禱儀式的，這個餐廳也供餐給流浪漢或非教徒。

說是「做生日」，包括念誦跟哥賓星有關的經文，並在九點行升旗典禮。做生日跟平常一樣五點鐘就要去先師的閨房（畫面左上角，後來一位超熱情女士主動帶我進門瞧瞧喔！)把那本重要的書請到中間的粉紅色高臺, 晚上休息了書本也要回有冷氣天鵝絨布床架的閨房休息呢！

他們堅稱那不只是一本書 "It's not a book, it's a living guru"。（這本經文也是在哥星星時代確立的）

唸經的時候，因為女生只能坐在祈禱空間的右側，所以畫了專門念誦經文的教堂樂團 背面啦，其中中央藍包巾藍長袍的是主持整場儀式最重要的牧師，他是樂團的主唱和主要念誦者，因為一直沒看到正面，後來他主持升旗典禮才發現哇～好帥。

樂團的配樂不算複雜，兩台架高的風琴其實只用左手彈奏配音，後來樂團也「換班」，女信眾、小孩都上場唱誦打鼓搖鈴，原來在每個星期六的旁遮普語言學校中也可以來學習唷，其中，有點冗長的念經，白色長毛刷 幾乎不間斷的左右揮動，持續地揮舞毛刷表示不間斷的敬意。儀式暫告一段落，ㄧㄧ分食經祈禱儀式的麵粉甜食，分食代表分享祝福，這種甜食如果未經祈禱只能稱作gappa。雖說暫告段落，但三天的生日會祈禱聲是不能間斷需要持續數十個小時的。

錫克教堂外舉行升旗典禮，因為象徵錫克教繡著錫克教logo的橘色旗幟全年都高高升起，因此趁著做生日這天更換久經使用的褪色旗，除了包著橘色頭巾的子弟兵樂團，眾人看著新旗子冉冉飄揚，意思是「代表真理的風」, 結束時小男生高舉彎彎的劍 。

在第十位先師哥賓星生日這天，知道女生也可以配戴劍、參與祈禱或學習彈奏樂器，真是很真實體會這個還算年輕的宗教（1998年才採用自己的曆法），在哥賓星時代除了確立五個K's, 至今仍體現任何人皆平等的教義，我讀到的不是宗教，而是一種人的價值，突破舊有宗教的各種藩籬。

In the early morning 6 A.M., we were wearing orange kerchief and take some chapati, milk tea with cinnamon and some vegetarian food at the public canteen in Gurdwara which provide food for homeless or non-Sikhs all the time. They said if you are hungry you are not eager to do praying.

They celebrated the birthday of Sri Guru Gobind Singh by singing hymns and hanging Sikh flag together. On 5 A.M. ,they get the hymnbook ”Guru” from a small bedroom "sachkhard" and put it on the pink Tabia and in the midnight the book will put back into the bedroom with air conditioner.

"It's not a book, it's a living guru." Declared by Sikhs .The hymnbook also confirm by Guru Gobind Singh.

The granthi who wear dark blue robe and scarf, he is the priest. While singing hymns, the female must to sit at the right side (facing the main door), so I decided to sketch Kirtan Jetha, the lived band. The background music is not complicated, the instruments are comprising two organs that played by left hand only, a pair of tabla, timbourine and cymbals. The children Kirtan Jetha from Saturday religious school also perform at the meanwhile. Most important of all, female can be a part of them. The white brush named chaur swing without a stop while worship and it means to show respect persistently. Finally, they distribute all visitors with Karah parshad (a kind of Sikh pastry blessed by guru, if not praying, it only named gappa).In three days ceremony, hymn non-stop.

In Gurdwara, the Khanda emblem flag will hang constantly, and they will replace a new one today (sometimes twice a year). The children Kirtan Jetha whom wear orange kerchiefs played a role in the ceremony as well. The meaning of Hanging the flag is to breeze the wind of truth, and then one boy who lift a Kirpan at the end of ritual.

Today, I comprehend that female Sikhs also can wear a Kirpan, participate the ceremony and learn how to play the instruments. They emphasize the equality between genders. They acclaimed it was not a religion but a value of human beings, and try to destroy the power of limitation in traditional community.

Informant: Guru Karnail Singh

17 Dec 2015
3 Jan 2016

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