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Summary of Question:	Reht maryada of a sikh
Category:	Sikh Practices
Date Posted:	Tuesday, 5/04/1999 6:45 AM MDT

I am 21 years of age and our family has just taken amrit from Nairobi, Kenya. We know the basic maryada as my father is a general secretary of the gurdwara there (in Kenya). I would just like help on the fact that if somebody could refer to me material which has the REAL maryada. You probably will have come across people who have so many different rules and regulations. I want to follow the one which was created and written by the Guru himself.

I don't have questions as to why we should this or the other. We understand all that. I am in University at the moment and am trying to follow as much as we know but would really appreciate more information on the subject.

Thanks.

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REPLY
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Congratulations to you and your family for partaking the Amrit of Khanda Baata.

At the time you took the Amrit, you promised to do 3 things: keep the 5 Ks, Do not do any of the 4 Kurehats, and do 5 Banees Paath everyday. This is a lifetime commitment you have made, and you need to keep it.

Now, about your question regarding the other "Rehat Maryada".

Over the past 300 years, many "Rehat Maryada" have been propagatged, written about, etc. To consolidate these into a single set of rules, a large committee of prominent Sikhs and Sikh Scholars met over several years earlier in this century, to come up with a document which would replace all earlier "Rehat Maryadas". This document was put in its then final form in 1936, and handed over to SGPC to refine and put out for general publication. Therefore, the SGPC published "Rehat Maryada", is the generally accepted "Rehat Maryada".

I believe that if you study, understand, and attempt to follow the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib Ji, you will not go wrong.

Jasjit