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With the exception of the brief interlude from the 80's to the 90's, almost all noteworthy Sikh institutions have been controlled by elderly men since the beginning of the 20th century. This includes Gurdware. In the United Kingdom, most of these old men are first generation immigrants. They arrived on these shores virtually peniless and their chief object upon arrival was to accumulate money. All other considerations were secondary. They couldn't have been particularly devout as most neglected to raise their children as Gursikhs either due to work or plain indifference. We are still dealing with the fallout of their complacency today. Is it any wonder that the observance of Sikhi is so ramshackle within Guru-Ghars, that interfaith Anand Karajs are permitted for money's sake, when the men managing them spent the formative first halves of their lives consumed by the desire to make money? All the committee members are decrepit old boys, and all the raagis/granthis seem to be relatively young. We've established before on this forum that a lot of these Granthis object to the idea of officiating interfaith marriages in Maharaj's Hazoori, but are forced to because they are dependent for their livelihood on the greedy old men in the committee. Look at how animated the Sikh qaum was in the 80's, look at how much was accomplished when ascendancy was snatched away from the corrupt old plutocrats and invested in young men like Sant Baba Jarnail Singh and the Jhujaroo Singhs. Their blood ran hot with the passionate fire of youth. Where was this same passion from the reptilian old men who surrendered Punjab to be dismembered in 1947, and again in 1966? Where is it when they allow beadbi to take place in Maharaj's Hazoori? Why do we allow our elders to run Gurdware in the belief that their ancientness somehow better qualifies them for the job? It seems to me that obeying our elders is precisely what got us into this mess. Most of the bazurgs with whom I am personally acquainted know pretty much nothing about Sikhi, Gurmat, Gurbani, or anything for that matter. They are also usually greedy, wasting away the last few years of their life obsessing over money and inheritance. Why should we listen to them? Things would be better if the young men and women were in charge. *I don't mean to criticize all of them. Just most of them.*