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Summary of Question:	Beaded Necklace - Belongs To Another Faith??
Category:	Other
Date Posted:	Saturday, 8/31/2002 2:03 PM MDT

wjkk wjkf

sat sri akal. I am a 16 year old sikh girl living in the uk! Like others i love shopping and buying things of the latest trends. Recently i bought a necklace from topshop. It is wooden with medium-sized beads on it. I bought it because i think they look really cool! But when my mum saw it she said that i wasnt allowed to wear it infront of her. When i asked why, she said that it doesnt make me look sikh - it makes me look hindu!! She said that i shouldnt really wear it! I was very surprised! She said that i couldnt even use it as a mala to say 'waheguru waheguru' on! She said that i should wear a necklace with bigger beads on because they are what the gurus used! I am not amritdhari but i definitely believe in god and i pray often. I think that the greatest thing ever is the satguru and when i bought the necklace i never thought about religion - so am i wrong?? please help!

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REPLY
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Sat Siri Akaal. I do not think you are wrong. Evidently, your mum is concerned that by wearing the beads you look hindu. That is her perspective, but it doesn't mean you are wrong in buying beads. Not being Hindu, I cannot comment on your mum's perspective. There is nothing wrong with wearing beads and being Sikh, but it seems like you will have to obey your mother to keep the peace.

I don't know how big the beads are or what kinds of beaded 'necklaces' the Gurus wore. Often, the beads they wore were indeed used as malas.
Guru ang sang,
-DKK