Anand Karaj Maryada Challenged: Couple Takes Lavan Side By Side

[singhstation]

In a controversial act against Anand Karaj Maryada, a couple from west has recently wedded by taking the four walks (parkarma) side-by-side during the lavan (Each laavan involves walking around Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji).

As per Kaurlife website, the couple decided to do their Anand Karaj this way to embody the Sikh spirit of equality more visibly. They thought about standing during the lavan and not walking, they thought about alternating who walked in front, and they thought about sitting during the wedding. Ultimately, Shawn and Bally decided they would walk around the Guru Granth Sahib together, side-by-side.

In 2006 too, there was a minor uproar surrounding a Sikh wedding ceremony in India where the bride was asked to walk ahead of the groom for two of the four laavan.

Here are some pictures from the wedding:

As per Sikh Rehat Maryada of Anand Karaj, Article XVIII states

"The boy and girl should bow before the Guru Granth Sahib to betoken their acceptance of these instructions. Thereafter, the girl’s father or the principal relation should make the girl grasp one end of the sash which the boy is wearing over his shoulders and the person in attendance of the Guru Granth Sahib should recite the matrimonial circumambulation stanzas {Lavan of the fourth Guru in the Suhi musical measure section of the Guru Granth Sahib } (Pp. 773-4). After the conclusion of the recitation of each of the stanzas, the boy, followed by the girl holding the end of the sash, should go round the Guru Granth Sahib while the ragis or the congregation sing out the recited stanza.

The boy and girl, after every circumambulation, should bow before the Guru Granth Sahib in genuflexion, lowering their forehead to touch the ground and then stand up to listen to the recitation of the next stanza.There being four matrimonial circumambulation stanzas in the concerned hymn, the proceeding will comprise four circumambulations with the incidental singing of the stanza.After the fourth circumabulation, the boy and girl should, after bowing before the Guru Granth Sahib, sit down at the appointed place and the Ragis or the person who has conducted the ceremony should recite the first five and the last stanza of the Anand Sahib. Thereafter, the Ardas should he offered to mark the conclusion of the Anand marriage ceremony and the sacred pudding, distributed’."

This act also raises question onto the Ragis, Granthis and Gurdwara parbandhik Committee who let this happen. Now the onus comes onto Akal Takhat Sahib whether they take any note of this or not.

Source: http://singhstation.net/2014/12/anand-karaj-maryada-challenged-couple-takes-lavan-side-by-side/

SHARE YOUR VIEWS – What do you think about this?

[Guest]

Just when you think things couldn't get any crazier...they would have benefited more if they would have abide in their essence/teachings of anand karaj- spiritual quest for truth for life rather than wrapping their head around bunch of semantics of outer tradition of anand karaj.

[Koi]

Just when you think things couldn't get any crazier...they would have benefited more if they would have abide in their essence/teachings of anand karaj- spiritual quest for truth for life rather than wrapping their head around bunch of semantics of outer tradition of anand karaj.

I guess it's just a warped understanding of equality.

Technically, the girl was standing closer to the Guru. How is that "equal" ?

[DSG]

This is crazy, Guru ji wont care its the inner cleansing that needs to be focused on .

I was watching Basics of Sikhi and Bhai Baljit Singh mentioned this about equality, during the lavan , who walks first , who walks second and he stated

That whether mail / female walks first it doesnt matter but the fact that if one walks in front and the other behind , they are equally close to Guru Ji . For example the male walks first the distance from him and the guru will be equal as he walks around ...

then the femaile walks behind , again the distance between her and the guru are equal .... where as if they walk side by side the person on the outter edge is further away from the Guru

Again personally I think its a non issue . Guru is within us 24x7 its up to the individual how close one wants to get to the Guru.

[Koi]

I would have to disagree.

Whilst inner closeness etc is important, we simply DO NOT have the right to alter the traditions the Guru has set down for us.

To flip the point slightly, would you condemn the Guru, Sant, Mahapurakh etc for the way they conducted their weddings i.e. groom in front? Would you say that they did not practice "equality".?

Edited December 8, 2014 by Koi

[chatanga1]

Technically, the girl was standing closer to the Guru. How is that "equal" ?

i was thinking this as well.

i wonder if it was the father who gave the palla, and if it was, why not the girl mother. then again why not give the boys palla to the girl from the mother. or give one each.

the parbandhaks who oversaw this are responsible.

[jaikaara]

Bhaa ji very rightly pointed out..and there is no end to this competition to show equality ..i would say balls to it ...its all in the mind ..i am still wondering why it should be given so much weightage ..ais tarah de loka nu hor koi kam hai nai..there will be times when they will file a case on Parmatma asking for the same organs as a man.

i was thinking this as well.

i wonder if it was the father who gave the palla, and if it was, why not the girl mother. then again why not give the boys palla to the girl from the mother. or give one each.

the parbandhaks who oversaw this are responsible.

[savinderpalsingh]

...

Edited December 9, 2014 by savinderpalsingh

[savinderpalsingh]

another incident idiots used Guru granth sahib ji and sachkhand as prop's

committee members say "oh khan gaye si, singh asked "kine dine de bhuke sige "

Edited December 9, 2014 by savinderpalsingh

[chatanga1]

getting worse and worse. even at my local gurdwara the dress etiquette is slipping. boob tubes and mesh tops, miniskirts, off the shoulder dresses and what not.

[CdnSikhGirl]

Personally don't care who is in front or behind... think of it this way, the man is not 'leading' because they are supposed to be one soul in two bodies, hence moving as ONE. And they are making a CIRCLE, which has NO beginning and NO end... therefore, in a circle, NO ONE can be in the lead or behind. If the groom looks further ahead, who will he end up being behind?

But even if you chose to look at it as leading / following... I prefer to see it as like a chariot, the rider is behind the horse, but who is the one in controlling the 'reins'??? (the palla IS very suggestive of a 'rein' in this position) lol

I don't 'think' it was ever meant to be degrading to women (I hope it wasn't anyway) or to signify any sort of 'submissiveness' or to suggest that the man will do all the leading and she will always be a submissive follower. That would not agree with what the Gurus all taught. I think it was more practical in nature... it was usually the girl who left her home to be with the boys family... so she is following him towards her new home and life with him. Not so applicable anymore since both usually move out before marriage now especially if they went away to school etc, but I am more bothered by more serious things like SRM not being followed - those who disallow women to do seva that SRM clearly states they have the right to.

p.s. - I am being married this next Summer and I will be in the chariot holding on to the reins as we do the lavans. He knows if he 'trots' too far ahead all I have to do is yank on the reins to keep him in control lol!

Edited December 10, 2014 by Satkirin_Kaur