Some institutions of Sikhism are its greatest source as well as sanction. These include Guru Granth Sahib, Amrit (initiation), Akal Takht Sahib and Sarbat Khalsa. Some writers include Punj Piaray also in this list. Some others reckon Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (and other Gurdwara managements) as modern Sikh institutions, but, to my mind, these should not be classified as institutions. These are organisations. In this paper I would like to discuss only primary institutions of Sikhism.
Punj Piaray should not be treated as an institution. Punj Piaray is associated with the revelation of Khalsa and the institution of Amrit. They are such only for the purpose of the ceremony of Amrit. When the formal procedure of Amrit is over, these five Sikhs become ordinary Sikhs. The five priests (even of Akal Takht Sahib and other so-called Takhts), the so-called high priests (wrongly called Singh Sahibs) are not the Punj Piaray or any such-like institution. Moreover, Punj Piaray is not any Panchayati/judicial institution of Sikhism; nor it is like Russian Presidium, which become a “super” power to rule others, like a Mafia syndicate. Such an extra-ordinary or any supreme authority does not exist in Sikh ideology, Sikh traditions or even in Sikh history. Similarly, there is no special sanctity in five (5) as a number. But, for a couple of decades, like Akal Takht Sahib’s so-called Jathedar, Punj Piaray (in the garb of five priests/Singh Sahibs) has been used (or misused) as a coercive force to awe so-called rebels of the administrators of the S.G.P.C. As this is not an institution of Sikhism, I would not like to discuss it at length. My main subject is the institution of Akal Takht Sahib and its caretaker, the so-called Jathedar.The concept and the institution of Akal Takht is the most unique institution of the whole of the Theo-political realm. No other religion or nation has such an institution, which enfolds religion and politics in its embrace. Akal Takht Sahib grants the Sikhs the privilege of being the subject of the Almighty. Akal Takht Sahib is the honour, the prestige and the élan vital of the Sikh nation. To be associated with this is like becoming the citizen of the kingdom of the Almighty. Since centuries, the political philosophers (including Aristotle, Plato, Machiaveli, Laski, Karl Marx, Chankaya etc) have been formulating theories for a socio-political world, but none of these has been able to find any concept equal/sequel to the concept of Akal Takht Sahib. In fact, most of the scholars of the world have not been able to grasp the sumptuousness of the institution of Akal Takht Sahib.
Akal Takht Sahib was not a concept merely for the seventeenth century or the twenty-first century. It is a concept for millenniums. In fact this is the final Theo-political institution, which can have no equals. Without adopting its ideology, human beings can’t get rid of fascism, extreme patriotism and fanaticism etc. If we unite the Marxian thought of stateless society, Rousseau’s concept of human freedom or super freedom and Nietzsche’s idea of superman in once single concept that still will not improve on the concept of Akal Takht Sahib.
But, it is a great tragedy that neither we have properly presented this great institution before the world; nor we have been able to preserve its status, honour and glory. We have been polluting it by soiling it with the coercive role of the so-called Jathedar, the Five (so-called) Singh Sahibs and even by appointing its caretaker from the Government Circuit Houses. Several times, it has been used as coercive force, in the form of the so-called Hukamnamas. Later, the successor caretakers also used same sanction to annul such Hukamnamas. (It is strange that the SGPC, which boasts of being the Custodian of this great institution, has itself disobeyed several of the Hukamaamas of its caretaker. It is nothing but hypocrisy and it has led to hijacking of and ridiculing this institution.
This institution suffered maximum at the hands of those persons who were appointed its caretakers or those who were the appointing authorities. Akal Purkh, God, does not belong to the Sikhs only; hence this ‘Takht’ belongs to the whole of the humanity. But, these persons, instead of establishing it as the Throne of the entire world, treated it in such a manner that not only the non-Sikhs, but also the non-Akalis began considering as an alien institution. Gradually it became the ‘Throne’ of the party ruling the S.G.P.C. For about two decades (1979-99), Gurcharan Singh Tohra, the President of the S.G.P.C. kept it under his hijacking. In 1999, Parkash Singh Badal usurped it. Thus, a great institution became an instrument for the personal whims, necessities and benefits. All this played role in the sacrilege of this great institution.
Now, every Tom, Dick and Harry has started challenging Akal Takht Sahib. Its so-called ‘Hukamnamas’ are being ‘kicked’ by certain persons. The caretakers and their appointing authorities should owe the responsibility of the downfall to this institution because they used this institution for their ulterior motives. We should be bold enough to accept that, with the exception of a couple of so-called Hukamnamas, all others were issued under some bias or to fulfil one or another need of its caretakers or the Presidents of the S.G.P.C. or the Akali Dal.
Not only this, this institution has been used as if it was a tribunal of industrial disputes or a village/street Panchayat. Is Akal Takht Sahib an institution to solve the disputes of the Akali Party or to usher unity among the leaders of this party? In recent past, such organisational disputes had been ‘solved’ through several so-called Hukamnamas, issued under coercion, threat, intimidation, and allurements or under the influence of the president of the S.G.P.C. The Presidents of the S.G.P.C. have frequently been using (Bhai) Ranjit Singh, (Giani) Puran Singh and (Giani) Joginder Singh (Vedanti) for this purpose.
On the other hand, some Akali ‘Supremes’ too had openly challenged the authority of the so-called Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib. In 1979, the then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal managed to monitor the caretaker Sadhu Singh Bhaura through latter’s son who was an employee of the Punjab Government. In 1996, the then chief minister Surjit Barnala held his own so-called Sarbat Khalsa at Longowal village; and in 1994, Badal intimidated the acting caretaker of Akal Takht by show of an unruly force. In 2000, Bibi Jagir Kaur openly defied Puran Singh, the so-called Jathedar. This sacrilege of Akal Takht Sahib was a result of the conspiracies of its custodians to use its authority for their requirements. At this, the Sikh intelligentsia and the Sikh elite as well as common Sikhs lost their faith in the caretakers of Akal Takht Sahib. Besides, the non-Sikhs too made un-necessary comments on this institution.
Now, the question arises, whether the caretaker of Akal Takht Sahib is meant for issuing so-called Hukamnamas for terrifying, menacing, intimidating and ‘excommunicating’ the opponents of the leadership of the S.G.P.C./Akali Dal. Has it no role for the welfare of the Sikh nation. Do the present activities of the caretakers of the Akal Takht are of Divine standards? The present pattern of Akal Takht Sahib began in 1979 and has Akal Takht Sahib initiated any project/action to take Panth out of the gloomy state of affairs.
The caretakers of Akal Takht, who are supposed to be the custodians of Takht itself, should also account for how many times have they been abroad and how much money did they bring from these countries? According to some sources, in the past 20 years, the so-called Jathedars and the acing Jathedars have brought about 5 crore rupees from abroad and 90 to 99% of this money has gone to their secret lockers. They must have been given this money for using it for national welfare. (Almighty will surely punish for embezzling the offerings of the devotees!).
Does the total activity of Akal Takht Sahib revolve around the Akali Party for solving the disputes of the leadership of this organisation? Has Akal Takht Sahib no other role to play? Today, the Sikhs are again divided in tribal groups, Jathas and other factions. Was it not the duty of Akal Takht Sahib to unite all the Sikhs into one brotherhood? What to talk of others, even Puran Singh, who belonged to a so-called low caste family did not take any steps towards this direction. He, rather, fell into the Brahminic game and labelled Sikhs as the descendants of Luv and Kush (the sons of mythical Hindu lord Rama).
It is the tragedy of the so-called low caste people also that they cry too much against untouchability but themselves fall into the trap of the Brahmins. It was a Brahminic gimmick to push the Punjabi Chamars (Ravidasias) away from the Sikh fold. The Brahmins succeeded in provoking the Punjabi Ravidasias to declare Baba Ravidas as ‘Guru’ Ravidas and thus leading them astray from the Sikh mainstream. But, the same Brahmins did never treat these so-called untouchables as their own. This is how the so-called low castes of the Punjab fell pray to the Manu’s conspiracy.
Akal Takht Sahib (its so-called Jathedar) or the Sikh leaders and even the Sikh intellectuals too never tried to counter this conspiracy. In October 2003, in a meeting of the Centenary Committee of the S.G.P.C., I suggested that the Sikhs should begin celebrating the birthdays of Baba Ravidas, Bhagt Kabir and Bhagt Namdev in Darbar Sahib complex so that the so-called low castes may also feel the glow and warmth of Sikhism. My suggestion was honoured by the S.G.P.C. but, it will not be of much benefit unless good informative literature and produced and circulated to the so-called Dalits of the Punjab. Besides, the Sikhs of the so-called high castes shall have to create an atmosphere of ‘brotherhood’ for the so-called Dalits. Otherwise, this resolution and even the celebrations of the birthdays of the so-called Dalit Bhagts shall remain just a history.
Nowadays, Akal Takht Sahib and especially its so-called Jathedar is being criticised for his style of functioning in several quarters of the Sikh and non-Sikh world. This criticism is two fold: by the non-Sikhs on one hand and by the Sikh intellectuals and the other Sikh elite on the other hand. The Sikhs need another strategy to deal with the non-Sikh critics of Akal Takht Sahib because they do such due to their ill will for the Sikhs. But, the Sikh intelligentsia and serious and sincere Sikh elite seek answers to their doubts. If the Sikh intellectuals are angry it means that the custodians of Akal Takht Sahib had not been playing their role properly. Its temporary solution is to replace the caretaker of Akal Takht Sahib, but its more effective and permanent solution is to frame constitution for Akal Takht Sahib, finalise procedure for the selection, removal and term of its caretaker by the Sarbat Khalsa, define his/her role, duties and rights; and formulate the construction, nature and scope of the Sarbat Khalsa. All this is must in order to save the honour of this institution. If this is not done, the custodians of Akal Takht shall be held responsible for division of the Sikh Panth into two factions.
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