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Summary of Question:	Sharaad (Hindu Death Ceremony)
Category:	General Q's from Non-Sikhs
Date Posted:	Saturday, 9/08/2001 6:52 PM MDT

one of my friend asked me why we go with the sharad and even some time of guru nanak dev ji sharad to, plz clear me does sikh's should go with this sharad if yes who ordered them or who give them this permission

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REPLY
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Sat Siri Akaal. Sharaad is not a Sikh observance at all. It is a Hindu death practice of feeding someone in the belief that the person being fed will somehow cause a person who has died to be fed.

Guru Nanak flatly refused to be part of any such observance or variation on it. He made it clear to those involved that when a person dies, there is nothing physical from the earthly plane that goes with the one who dies. This is repeated throughout Siri Guru as well: that relations, spouses, and riches acquired in earthly life do not go with one in death.

I do not know how a Hindu arranges sharaad, but I will tell you that if a Sikh arranges sharaad, she/he does so out of ignorance.

Guru ang sang,
-DKK