What is meaning of karam kand?

Please read this. RELIGIOUS RITUALS (KARAM KAND)
I promised that I will write on this subject. It is in this context I write so that as a group we have a shared understanding. In GURBANI I do not find an equivalent word for RITUAL but a close word is KARAM KAND. GURU says KARAM KAND BAHO KAREH ACHAR. BIN NAWAI DHRIG DHRIG AHANKAR( SGGS PAGE 162). GURU says when I perform religious practices and rituals that do not guide me to spiritual awakening and transformation of my habits, SANSKARS, I end up with a bigger HAUMAI. As Rasna Kaurji mentioned that any religious practice that does not help change my habits, thoughts, SANSKARS, or superstitious beliefs, and distracts me from the journey on the real path of spirituality is a RITUAL (KARAM KAND).
Here is my real concern: as SIKHS we perform so many religious activities – ASA DEE VAR in every village every morning, thousands of AKHAND PATHS, SEHAJ PATHS, SUKHMANI SAHIB PATHS, EVENING KIRTAN, REHRAS, NAGAR KIRTANS and so on with little or no change in SANSKARS, CHARACTER, KIRDAR, SIKH PSYCHE or dropping EGO, HAUMAI. It is evident that there is some shortcoming in our collective religious actions given that our youth are moving away from SIKHI (without even having experienced the true message) and there is a drug epidemic in Panjab. That shortcoming is that our FOCUS is not on change, transformation but rather we are mistakenly satisfied doing all these things in a ritualistic manner, thus making them KARAM KAND. This needs to change. I can imagine what would be the SIKH character, KIRDAR today if SIKHS continued the true message of GURU SEHBAN. Or put it this way, what would be the character, KIRDAR of SIKHS 25 years from now if we present SPIRITUALITY OF GURU NANAK SAHIBJI IN ITS TRUE ESSENCE. If I could give one message to SIKH SANGAT it is this: in any religious practice you perform, place your focus on transformation of consciousness, AWAGUN CHHODE GUNA KO DHAWAHO, drop negative thoughts one by one and embrace godly virtues one by one. I am not saying that we should not engage in the religious activities listed above. These are important to do. We must move past being content undertaking these activities in a performative manner only, and delve into the wisdom of GURBANI. Much importance has been given in GURBANI to SHABAD VICHAR as opposed to recitation alone.
In order to further clarify this issue I’d like to discuss a couple of examples of what are KARAM KAND IN GURBANI. GURU says TEERATH NAWANN JAO TEERATH NAAM HAI. TEERATH SHABAD VICHAR UNTAR GIAN HAI (SGGS PAGE 687). Why should I bathe at sacred shrine when NAAM (WISDOM OF THE GURU) itself is the sacred shrine; and that sacred shrine is within every one of us. I need to contemplate on that sacred shrine to realize it, be one with the ONENESS. Why is it then that millions of SIKHS go on pilgrimage to bathe in SAROVARS to wash pollution of mind and feel good to have done their religious duty. I am not saying we should not visit SIKH RELIGIOUS places but go with the goal of transformation of SANSKARS. GURU says BIN BOOJHEY KARAM KAMAWNEY JANAM PADARATH KHOE (SGGS PAGE 33).
I’d also like to address the practice of AKHAND PATHS. I am not an historian but I do know this. AKHAND PATHS were not performed in the GURU period. First continuous reading of SGGSJI was done in middle of 18th century by BUDA DAL for emergency reasons. The present-day system was promoted by NIRMALAS, UDASEES on the lines of such ceremonies performed by BRAHMANS AND PANDITS. GURU says PATH PAREY NA BUJAEE BHEKHEE BHARAM BHALAE (SGGA PAGE 66) meaning those who simply read religious books without understanding the spiritual message and engage in performative religious tasks continue suffering in life. I am certainly not against the practice of AKHAND PATH. But let’s undertake these consciously by being involved in reading and listening to the reading of SGGSJI ourselves. Let’s not turn it into a ritualistic practice by doing such things as having 51-101 PATHS at the same time, or even worse, sending money from foreign countries to perform AKHAND PATHS in India on our behalf, and buying already completed AKHAND PATHS for a price. Let’s not turn them into a practice of buying credits with GOD. This is extremely disrespectful and doesn’t come close to achieving the intended purpose of conscious transformation.

I do want to make a note on SHARDA. A religious practice done with a sense of devotion can bring peace and joy. Indeed, devotion is beautiful and necessary. Intellectual understanding alone is not enough. When the devotional practice is accompanied by contemplation of and understanding the wisdom of the GURU, then powerful conscious transformation is possible. Then the devotional practice is an expression of an experiential connection to ONENESS.