What am I, essentially an agnostic, doing in this hallowed space? Though I am a Sikh — and proud to be one — I do not have the outward symbols of the faith, such as a turban and unshorn hair.
Though I love sitting in a temple, church, mosque or gurudwara every now and then, to take in the spiritual atmosphere, I am not a regular gurudwara-goer.
To orthodox Sikhs, I am an outcaste — as are a majority of Sikhs who, like me, have cut their hair and are labelled "mona" Sikhs.
The first Sikh Guru, Nanak, abhorred all rituals and superstition. He was once at Haridwar and observed Hindu devotees in the Ganga throwing water in the direction of the sun. "What are you doing?" he asked them.
"Sending water to our ancestors", they replied. He then turned around and started throwing water in a different direction, to the puzzlement of the devotees.
"If you can send water all the way to your ancestors, surely i can send water to my parched fields in Punjab!" he explained.
Guru Nanak also wanted to amalgamate the best of Hinduism and Islam to create a new creed. During a debate on the significance of wearing the sacred thread, Guru Nanak had this to say: "Make mercy your cotton, contentment your thread, continence its knot, truth its twist./
That would make a sacred thread for the soul; if you have it, O priest, then put it on me./ It will not break, or become soiled, or be burned, or lost./
Blessed the man, O Nanak, who goes with such a thread on his neck./ You purchase a sacred thread for four damris, and seated in a square, put it on;/ You whisper instruction that the priest is the guru./
Man dies, the sacred thread falls, and the soul departs without it!" One of Guru Gobind Singh's most famous sayings is, "Maanas ki jaat sab ek hi pehchan bo" — recognise all of mankind as one caste.
In other words, complete equality. By calling himself Ram Rahim Singh — representing Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism — and emphasising humanity in his teachings, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief is only echoing the two gurus. He attracts millions of followers, including many Dalit and "mona" Sikhs.
Meaningless ritual has become the bane of not just Sikhism but other religions as well. As a result, their essence has been lost. The Zoroastrian faith has three simple commands: good thoughts, good words, good deeds.
Guru Nanak virtually said as much: "Kirt karo, nam japo, wand chako" — work, worship, give to charity. Other major religions ask their followers to take a similar path.
There is a lovely poem about a man called Abou ben Adhem who awoke one night "from a dream of peace" to find an angel writing in a book of gold.
"What are you writing?" asked Abou ben Adhem. "The names of all those who love the Lord", answered the angel. "Is mine there?" asked Abou ben Adhem. "No", replied the angel.
"Then, write of me as one who loves his fellow men", said Abou ben Adhem. The angel returned the next night. "You are at the top of the list!" he announced. We need more Abou ben Adhems. By Rahul Singh