Why in the Gurdwara rooms/Langar hall people are allowed to celebrate the birthday in the Christian way of cutting the cake with a knife and light candles and sing the song as “Happy birthday to you…”?
Why in the Gurdwara rooms/Langar hall people are allowed to celebrate the birthday in the Christian way of cutting the cake with a knife and light candles and sing the song as “Happy birthday to you…”?
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Respected Anonymous;
Thank you for asking this very important question. I have heard it from many other people as well.
I am unable find a direct quote in Gurbani to answer your question however I will share an indirect quote later in my answer.
I find nothing Christian about celebrating the birthday by cutting a cake or singing happy birthday song. Knife is used to cut vegetables in the kitchen(Langer), a is similar knife used to cut the cake.
One may call it western ways rather than Christian way of celebrating the birthday. In that case, it is just a different culture nothing wrong with it as long as we stay within Sikhi way of life.
Please refer to the Gurbani verse:
ਹਸੰਦਿਆ ਖੇਲੰਦਿਆ ਪੈਨੰਦਿਆ ਖਾਵੰਦਿਆ ਵਿਚੇ ਹੋਵੈ ਮੁਕਤਿ ॥੨॥
hasandiā khēlandiā painandiā khāvandiā vichē hōvai mukat .2.