Here is a reply from Sardar Gurmit Singh Ji Of Australia...
Waheguru jee ka Khalsa Waheguru jee kee Fateh
It is an open secret that during the Rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
and the British, the clever brahminical priests in the guise of Sikhie
controlled Darbaar Sahib and other historical Gurduaras and thus,
started introducing brahminical doctrine and rituals. This story of
(84) steps is also their creation. But it is a pity that despite the
Singh Sabha Lehr and Gurduara Sudhaar Lehr, Sikhs continue to
make use of the Historical Gurduaras just as Hindus' holy places
of pilgrimage. Only difference is that Udasis, Nirmalas, Mahants,
etc have been found to be replaced by the Keshadhari Priests.
In so far as the concept of Reincarnation is concerned, it is nothing
but imitating other religions such as Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, etc.
The life span of humans and other creatures is from Birth to Death
and our body & heart/breath is a complete package, one without
other component has no existence. Once a person breathes last,
that is the end of life, though like landing and departure of different
Aeroplanes at the Airport, one dies, other takes birth and thus
Universe goes on under God's Divine Command. Life is not in our
hands because "Birth and Death" is the sole prerogative of the
Almighty God.
Just think, has ever any dead body come to life from graves,
which are maintained by Christians, Mussalmaans, some Hindsus?
Has ever an ant given birth to an elephant, or snake to donkey?
In Pauri 35 of Japp Jee Sahib, we read daily that there are
countless species and countless sources of production and as
such, God does not need to recycle any soul, which has neither
Entity of its own nor it could be identified or linked with any
other body or form of life !
For instance, in India we often see during "Shraadh Days" when
several Sikh families invite Five Singhs for delicious dishes in the
memory of their departed parents and grand parents. But food
never reaches them through brahmins or Five Singhs?
Gurmit Singh (Sydney-Australia)