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Need To Check Mushrooming Growth Of Gurdwaras: Akal Takht Jathedar


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Need to check mushrooming growth of gurdwaras: Akal Takht jathedar

Yudhvir Rana, TNN Aug 9, 2011, 05.49am IST

AMRITSAR: Perturbed over the mushrooming growth of gurdwaras abroad, which many a times causes embarrassment to the community, jathedar of Akal Takht has warned of stern religious action against persons constructing gurdwaras without the approval of Akal Takht.

"Majority of gurdwaras abroad have come out of personal rivalry, ego clashes or for making financial benefits which is a very unfortunate trend and must be stopped," Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh told TOI on Monday.

The Sikh clergy in its meeting held on April 18, 2002 had expressed grave concern over the trend of construction of new gurdwaras on the basis of caste and personal rivalry and had directed the Dharam Parchar Committee of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to take appropriate measures to check unnecessary construction of gurdwaras.

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Giani Gurbachan Singh said that any person or a Sikh religious body willing to construct a new gurdwara should first inform Akal Takht which would give permission only after inspecting the site. "A team would inspect the site to see whether there is any other gurdwara close by or not, or if there is need for a new gurdwara at all. We have to ensure that the gurdwara is not being constructed for financial gains," said Gurbachan Singh.

He also deplored the practice of formation of trust for running gurdwaras. "It is not an ancestral business but a place of worship which is attached with the religious sentiments of Sikhs," he said. The jathedar informed that till date, they have not received any application seeking permission for construction of gurdwara from abroad. "We will discuss the issue in our next meeting of five Sikh high priests," he said.

Prof Balwant Singh of department of Guru Nanak Studies, Guru Nanak Dev University, said there couldn`t be a blanket ban on construction of new gurdwaras. "I am of the view that there is need to create awareness among people and they should decide themselves whether they want a new gurdwara, especially if there is already one existing nearby," he said.

Professor of Sikhism and editor-in-chief of Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Punjabi University, Patiala, Prof Jodh Singh felt that there should be a mechanism to check the mushrooming growth of gurdwaras, especially in other countries where some organizations construct gurdwaras as a business proposition.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-09/india/29867748_1_gurdwaras-akal-takht-jathedar

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since when did the sgpc obtain the authority to control/influence temples outside Pb? IMO these pseudo-politicians need to wind their neck back in.

They get a few millions in donation from foreign sikhs and then think they can order us about?!

They should clean they're own back-yards before doing an 'Amreecan' and policing the rest of the world.

Following on from Amardeep. I agree and would like to put my name forward to become the first Jathedar of the European Akal Takhat.

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To read lareevar saroops required an intensive amount of training. Today, with only minimal training, a person can pretend to properly read padd ched saroop. This allows for an easy supply of (nishardic) "granthis" to supply the many new gurdwaras.

personally, i think the jathedar should just call for a sarbat khalsa, hammer out the powers, responsibilities, and limitations of the jathedar position,and have the panth select a jathedar. Whether him or another, it would break the sgpc's and Badal's hold and reinvigorate the image of the Akaal Takht.

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Can the sgpc really stop anyone building a gurdwara?

They should first implement these policies in Pb. In my pind there used to be just 2 temples a decade ago. Now there are 4, all without an increase in population. All are based along caste lines.

If I am not wrong it is Akal takht not SGPC that is raising concern.Isn't Akal Takhat hold the authority over all disputed sikh issues and have power to dictate Sikhs what to do or don't do?

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If I am not wrong it is Akal takht not SGPC that is raising concern.Isn't Akal Takhat hold the authority over all disputed sikh issues and have power to dictate Sikhs what to do or don't do?

Issues raised through SGPC are brought to attention through sandesh/hukamnama of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, which in theory does hold authority, but in practice is under the grip of Badal.

There is nothing wrong with this sandesh but as someone has said, it really needs to start at home. My village has 4 gurdwaras, when it really only needs 1.

My cousins village has 6.

Although in Wolerhampton we have 13 gurdwaras.

Edited by chatanga1
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Issues raised through SGPC are brought to attention through sandesh/hukamnama of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, which in theory does hold authority, but in practice is under the grip of Badal.

Powerful political leaders always try to dictate Religious instituitions but I don't understand why everything that is coming from Akal takhat is seen as dictate of Badal? More Gurdwara's should be constructed but not on caste line and much if they are constructed in poor part of India

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Powerful political leaders always try to dictate Religious instituitions but I don't understand why everything that is coming from Akal takhat is seen as dictate of Badal? More Gurdwara's should be constructed but not on caste line and much if they are constructed in poor part of India

Its not just a case of what the politicos dictate to do. But also what they dictate/prevent the Akal Takht from doing.

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dera balan is not sgpc property man...they are a separate panth now, u couldnt treat them with respect when they were with u , now they dont want to be part of you ..its better to just leave them alone !

I know they are not part of Panth actually they were never part of Panth . Here i am talking about to counter their Anti Sikh stands .

And Panth like this have come and gone and will come again and again.

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