The Rising Tide: Authority of the Akal Takhat

[Harbhajan]

http://www.panthic.org/news/132/ARTICLE/2260/2006-02-19.html

The Rising Tide: Authority of the Akal Takhat

Sunday 19th February, 2006

Dr. Amrik Singh (Sacramento)

February 10, 2006 may assume significance in the history of Akal Takhat on many counts. It has prepared groundwork for enlightened discussion on issues of religion and politics in the Sikh world. Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti’s directions to call for an intra-party convention to resolve turban issue in France, declaring Baba Daljit Singh Chicagowale guilty of religious misconduct and withdrawing the boycott of the Sarna brothers conclude a religio-political chain of events that followed after DSGMC former Chief Paramjit Singh Sarna’s procession to Nankana Sahib for the installation of the golden Palki. Sarna’s effort won him a spot in the limelight. The SGPC seemed paled into insignificance in face of the welcome treatment accorded to Sarna both in East and West Punjab. Capt. Araminder Singh appeared as if shooting a message to Parkash Singh Badal “So what if you control SGPC in Amritsar, I control DSGMC in Delhi†Parmjit Singh Sarna was still in the thick of his devotional somersault, when his detractors enacted a mutiny with the express help of Parkash Singh Badal. Badal’s supporters in Delhi sought the intervention of the Akal Takhat which the Jathedar of the supreme body directly granted. The unsavory situation sparked a very heated discussion among Sikhs across party lines. The Jathedar’s role came under sharp criticism. The sponsorship of the Jathedar’s visit to USA by Baba Daljit Singh Chicagowale had also put him in lurid lights. The vituperative fallsout inflicted on the Jathedar sometimes crossed even the decency of language thus creating an injury on the psyche of the ones who believe in its supremacy.

The historical aspect of the whole scenario may be significant because of its dimensions. In view of several controversies, the following issues have come up for further discussion.

* Jathedar’s appointment and the enormity of his role in Sikh World.

* Monitoring the religious practices and stopping the spawning of commercial preachers at home and abroad.

* Standardizing norms for the title Sant under Sikh Maryada.

* Scrutinizing the activities of self appointed Sants and their damage to Sikhism.

* Providing support to film, movie or documentary producers who intend to use Sikh history, religion and culture.

* Making available resources to researchers with a professional guidance.

* Spreading the message of Sikh Gurus untainted and uncontaminated by caste, creed and class considerations.

* Maintaining a forum of diversity of opinions

The foremost issue that has come to light is how to appoint Jathedar of Akal Takhat and how to make his participation possible in deciding matters of religious importance. Since the appointing authority is in the hands of SGPC, it should be made sure that the nominee is able to face debates, discussions and determinations. The nominee’s appointment should be ratified by the general house of SGPC. The nominee should face questions in the house about his group allegiance, preferences, favors and past record. It may seem irrelevant to cite Judge Alito’s case here, but it gives insight into the Sikhs’ problems. Judge Alito had to encounter scathing criticism about issues that were detrimental to democrats. Though democrats couldn’t thwart his appointment, yet Judge Alito came out chastened after facing the Senate. The first decision after being appointed was most unlike a republican representative. He voted with the majority (6-3) and surprised Chief Justice, John Roberts and two others known to be the conservative wing of the court. The lives of two Missouri inmates on death row were spared.

The second most nagging issue before the Sikhs may be ever increasing number of individuals claiming themselves to be Sants. How do they get the honorific? Perhaps no one can answer that question. How do they meet the norms of becoming a Sant? Are they promoting Sikh values in the best tradition of Sikhism? These are some of the questions Sikh Sangat around the globe deserves to know. Is Akal Takhat prepared to issue a directive to the SGPC for arriving at a consensus on issues that affect one and all? The opposing groups in the general house of SGPC may be called to work out viable solutions to these problems. The present trend of slitting each other’s throats will only extend the regime of confusion worse confounded.

The third most important issue is to monitor the activities of self-appointed Sants. The SRS society Chicago brought up a case of religious misconduct and also produced enough evidence against Daljit Singh Chicagowale for enjoying the illicit company of a woman. The case against Baba Daljit Singh is said to be so complete in details that it leaves no room for a second opinion. The work of the SRS and newspapers in investigative reporting is appreciable. Assuming the responsibility for what one is writing about is the highest moral of modern journalistic writing. The Baba Chicago case can set the precedent for all those who believe in merely slandering religious people, and doing very little to make a case supported with concrete evidence. The defensive posture taken by Baba, that it was an invasion on his privacy, would have more ground if he was living a private life. As a spiritual head of a religious place dependent on offerings of devotees can’t be said, under no stretch of imagination, to support a private life.

Fourth, the issue which is going to crop up again and again will be the misrepresentation of Sikh history, culture and religion. Under the directive of Akal Takhat, the SGPC should set up an office to make available all kind support required by producers, directors, and media managers for the truthful representation of history, culture and religion. The focus on Sikh history and religion has grown 10 times greater in recent times. Therefore, a larger number of producers, directors and media managers will be working to bring Sikh history on the silver screen. It is the right time to seize on the possibilities to the demand of this ignored area.

Fifth, the professional guidance to researchers is equally important. Researchers working under the guidance of University professors will use Sikh history resources in different ways. It may conflict with the traditional view held by Sikhs. Sometimes, misunderstanding may occur because of ignorance and lack of perspective. Therefore, the SGPC should nominate a person of high credentials to provide enlightened guidance to all those who are venturing to write on historical facts and circumstances.

Sixth, caste, gender and class considerations are so rampant in Sikh circles that the real message of the Gurus lies buried under the monopolistic politics of few dominant castes. The curse continues uninterrupted because it gives legitimacy to the supremacy of a few on the majority. The criticism of Brahmanism has little effect in the face of Sikhs’ own participation in caste ridden politics.

There is no tradition of maintaining a forum for the play of differences. As a result Sikhs end up pigeonholed into separate groups with no chance of any interaction. The segregation of Sikhs from Sikhs makes them a most vulnerable community. They easily become instruments of their enemies’ design. In such a situation, they are incapable to safeguard their interests. On the contrary, they are sometimes a party to the misbegotten view of their own history and religion.

In the long history of the institutions, the Jathedar of Akal Takhat became controversial many times for playing a partisan role. Earlier, [bhai] Ranjit Singh was criticized for becoming a party to Capt. Araminder Singh’s charge against Tohra for visiting the Sant Nirankari Bhavan. Tohra was exonerated by the then Jathedar Ranjit Singh. Capt. Araminder Singh maintained a studied silence after that. Nobody knows till today what transpired between the two. People said Tohra manipulated Jathedar Ranjit Singh through the offices of CPM Politbureau member Harkishan Sujeet Singh. Sonia told Araminder Singh to stop his campaign against the veteran leader. The summons to appear before Akal Takhat was not complied by Prakash Singh Badal either. The stand taken both by Tohra and Badal was to avoid embarrassment to their political careers. The right course, however, for them would have been to submit to the authority of the Takhat. The resultant punishment would have only raised their stature as Sikhs. Paramjit Singh Sarna emerged greater in a situation that otherwise would have made him look more hardheaded.

The court of Akal Takhat is not like other institutions of justice. It has only moral authority on the religious conduct of Sikhs in representative positions. The religious punishment is in fact no punishment. It is like the seva that is done willingly by hundreds of devotees everyday in Gurdwaras. It has more spiritual meanings rather than poetic justice in the phenomenal sense. To clean shoes, dishes, reciting Gurbani, paying for Karah Prashad to name a few of these sevas are just in the nature of fracturing the inflated ego and bringing the fear of God in the minds of the guilty.

Editors can be reached at editors@panthic.org

[challenge_everything]

appointment of jathedar of the akaal takht - i thought that the jathedar of budha dal was always the jathedar of the akal takht sahib?

[Harbhajan]

appointment of jathedar of the akaal takht - i thought that the jathedar of budha dal was always the jathedar of the akal takht sahib?

To the best of my knowledge that has never been the case !

[Sikher]

Akali Phula Singh, joined Maharaja Ranjit Singh in this noble cause. Due to this very reason he was made the Jathedar of Akal Takth in 1807.

He was born leader, outspoken such that he would even spoke to Ranjit Singh of his problems. When Ranjit Singh married to a Muslim woman, named Moran of Lahore, Akali Phula Singh, as he was the Jathedar of Akal Takth declared that Maharaja Ranjit Singh is not a Sikh anymore and is a Tankhaiya which means out of Sikhism. He ordered the defendant to be at Golden Temple before the community. Ranjit Singh came and admitted that he had made a mistake. Akali Phula Singh ordered him 50 lashes for Maharaja Ranjit Singh right there. Ranjit Singh took off his shirt and bowed down to receive his punishment, at such Akali Phula Singh asked Community (Sadh Sangat) to forgive the Maharaja who has bowed down in front of the Sadh Sangat for this mistake. And thus Maharaja was pardoned, but not before he promised that he will not marry again.

http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/warri...phulasingh.html

[Singh47]

What happens if the Buddha Dal Jathadar himself is a Tankhaiya or was a Tankhaiya? can such a Jathadar of BD be still considered a Akal Takht Jathadar? just curious.......

[Jungee]

How did the sgpc nominate a jathedar in the past?

Do we as sikhs follow/accept democracy? If so, who introduced this philosophy to the Sikh community.

And singh47 I guess your question can also be implied to the taksal jathedars too or to any so called leader. They are human, and they may make choices, which not everyone accepts.

For example Baba thakur singh said that Sant Jarnail singh was gonna come back and retake his role as jathedar of taksal, some groups of sikhs are still waiting, even after having a new jathedar has come into power,

Another example could be Banda Singh Bahader who towards the end of his military and spiritual life actually became a Tankhaiya but was forgiven towards the end of his life.

Babber Khalsa exleader Sukhdev singh had a ghar wali, and a bhar wali who ordered kills which resulted in many innocent people dying ( one would consider him a thankaiya) but he is still considered a shaheed? Have I got it wrong or is the sikh community messed up?

What I am trying to say is, with so many divisions in the community, realistically could we ever place a person in the role of the Akaal Takht Jathedar who could please everyone, or be accepted by everyone.

Do we want a Blair/Bush/Ayat Allah Ali Khamenei (Iran’s Supreme Spritual Leader)/ Dai Lama sort of person……

Or are we happy with Vedanti?

I would also like to state, that in my opinion the Budha Dal Jathedar is the true Jathedar if one accepts the infrastructure set up by Guru Gobind Singh,

But if one accepts Vedanti, what that means is one is actually accepting a democratic infrastructure setup by the British Empire which was set up less than 100 years ago (correct me if I am wrong) who reports to the prime minister of India, who is based in Delhi? Can any one see the problem here.

From what I can see, this confusion that seems to have been adopted by the Sikh community, actually dwells from the lack of Tolerance that one gets from spirituality and diverse Education… what we actually get nowadays is a lot of fronting by certain leaders with no productive leadership to improve any serious problem.

I seem to be waffling on here (got no work in the office) so I’ll stop before I get ahead of my self.

Just my 2 cents…if I confused u or your offended by what I said…no worries just chill and get a social life…I’m just expressing my opinion.