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Summary of Question:	Feet Touching- An Opinon
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Sunday, 5/06/2001 5:42 AM MDT

hello

i just read your answer to a person asking about touching feet. your reply to the question of "are you supposed to touch elders feet" is that you should touch their knees out of respect. I have been brought up in a sikh family, and the same quuestion has come up many times. The answer i always get is that the Guru Granth Sahib is the only one we should bow down to. Also we should not touch feet (and knees) because the Guru Granth Sahib is the only one we should show most respect to. I dont mean to contridict you but in my opinion and teachings i am not supposed to touch any bodys feet or knees, but just talk to the person with respect.

baldesh

ps i hope you can reply to this opinion, just so i know that i am not offending any one with what i have written.

Thank you. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji ke Fateh
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REPLY
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Greetings in the Name of God, the light of every soul, and the Name of Guru, the light of every Sikh. Thank you for writing back to us and sharing your point of view in the matter of 'feet touching'. I very much respect what you say, and your devotion to uphold the sacredness of the Holy Guru Granth Sahib. I have heard this issue of 'feet touching' discussed very passionately by many people. I have been brought up in America, so the concept of 'feet touching' was new to me when I began studying Eastern religion. I learned about the Sikh religion and was brought to the feet of the Guru in this life by the Grace of God and have definitely taught us to only bow to Guru and never to a person. I have also spent time with many Sikh families here in America and in India, and around the world. In many of these families there is a strong cultural tradition of showing respect to elders by touching their feet (or knees). In my observation the families who practice this tradition are often deeply devoted to the Holy Siri Guru Granth and only bow to and worship their God and Guru. The practice of touching the feet of their elders is done with love and respect, but this practice does not mean they worship or bow to their elders in their minds. It is simply to demonstrate their love, affection and respect for their elders. This is not a practice I generally follow, as I was not raised in this culture or tradition, but I have come to understand and respect this practice. I do not believe they are desecrating their love or reverence of Guru by showing their respect of their elders in this way. But ultimately such a practice is a personal choice. I very much respect and admire your choice in this matter, and I hope you may also open yourself to consideration of accepting other people's choice in this matter. May God and Guru ever bless and guide you. Humbly yours, Gurumeet Kaur Khalsa