Akal "BUNGA" and its Jathedar !

-Professor Kawaldeep Singh Kanwal

There is no concept of Autocracy in Sikhism i.e. no authenticity of so called post of Jathedar of Akal Takhat to take single handed decisions for the whole community. The post is otherwise of a Head Minister of the Akal Takhat (if we quote the very first existing reference mentioning it by any kind in History i.e. Sikh Gurudwara Act 1925) who is just a paid priest to take care of the facilities at holy-shrine there and working only at a level almost equal to a class 2nd or 3rd grade employee of Government of India. Even Sikh Rehat Maryada or Sikh Gurudwara Act 1925 doesn't legalize any summoning and decisive power of so-called Jathedar of a building.

People who are illogically supporting this medieval concept of autocracy (due to their own hidden motives) use to give some out of context reference of Akali Phoola Singh as Jathedar of Akal Takhat during the govern of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. However, if facts be studied in actual senses, Akali Phoola Singh was not the Jathedar of Akal Takht, but Jathedar of Military of Nihung Singhs who used to take care of day-to-day activities at Akal Bunga (it was indeed not a Takhat but Bunga i.e. simply a building of some associated importance)..

There is no historical proof of the existence of so called autocratic seat or Takhat and its Jathedar even in contemporary texts of available Sikh History. The only reference of there was of a mere Bunga only (as name and structure as well) since the time of sixth Guru, who actually built it, and which too remained almost lost in time till the tenth Guru without any authority being associated as some kind of central seat, and was otherwise in the hands of Sodhi Meharban's clique or Sodhi Har Ji, but later in Post Guru Period somehow emerged as a place where on yearly basis Sikhs  used to gather and/or take decisions with consensus in between leaders of various factions on the larger issues related to Panth (not on day to day small things like a Panchayat). 

If some reference of Jathedar is being referred from one or other historical texts from post-Guru period to pre English period then there was a Jathedar of the group (Jatha) of Singhs who used to stay there  merely to take care the daily services at Bunga and in cases for its protection from small attacks in that disturbed period... (In English period till 1920, there was a Sarabrah i.e the chief caretaker of the arena.) The job of that Jathedar (or Sarabrah appointed by Governor of English state of Punjab) was simply limited to ensure the proper functioning of that particular arena and was never ever considered to behave like a pro-Guru of Sikhs, which is otherwise completely Anti-Gurmat, too. Guruship is confined with Guru Granth Sahib only, and under the guidance of that divine eternal light, only Sarbat Khalsa is authorized to take decisions on issues concerned to whole community..

Birth-date of Guru Nanak Sahib

- Pal Singh Purewal

Birthdate Guru Nanak Sahib by S. Pal Singh Purewal

President Obama and Cancelled Amritsar Visit

-Prof. Kawaldeep Singh

President Obama is a young man, just a first time senator, who riding on Euphoria for change in the mind of common men of USA who were actually being broken down by negatives of WAR ON TERROR and of DOWNTURN followed by ending of American dream, raised to the topmost level by showing new hopes to general public.

His similar visions (only!) at global level bagged him international award of the level of Nobel for Peace too (though it is the first time in the history that one got it without implementation of any kind at all).

However as far policy implementations of his hopes are concerned he proved not much better than his predecessors. He did took some welcome steps but all his efforts have been road blocked by the powerful political, industrial, military (can read as defence contractors) and various other influential lobbies working inside the power corridors of Washington, which actually have the complete control of functioning system of USA. He being the less experienced of handling and carry along with such huge power, many times just act as a face for already established system and the existing unchangeable setup there, whose equations are more complicated than they appear.

As far as cancelation of his proposed visit to Amritsar is concerned, if it would be analysed deeply, we would find that Sikh groups themselves are more responsible for it than Obama or anyone in his administration. Various factions of Sikhs have given several uncalled and unauthorized statements about his proposed stopover, security related issues and modalities & guidelines to be followed during visiting the shrine, just after the rough plans of the anticipated visit made public, without even waiting for some final yes from Obama Administration.

Along with various illogical statements from mainstream Sikh Representatives, Sikh Separatist Groups too started raising their political agenda and expressing the plans to reach him one or another way to make their visible representation against Indian state. This was the biggest mistake! Any state would never allow such huge embarrassment for itself during an official visit of a foreign state head on its land. So role of various Indian state agencies, behind the curtains, in cancellation of the proposed visit on a lame excuse (that wearing headgear would made him look Muslim and thus spoil his image in the mind of his voters) can't be denied at all.

Even Obama Administration couldn’t risk of being seen as aligned with separatist element while being on Indian Soil. It’s simply like supporting Tibet while being in China. Power equations on world stage couldn’t allow such breaking of diplomatic protocols. So it also seems that president’s advisors would have suggested him to stay away in order to remain out of any controversy as Indo-American relations are much more important for them than any appeasement.

No doubt there are elements still there in the Indian power structure which have allergic (can read hateful) mindset for minorities generally and Sikhs specifically. However those were we who invited them to act in this manner. Actually Sikh Leadership is suffering from a disease of high level of short-sightedness and of proceeding & acting without strategy of any kind. If in any case, separatists wished to make their representation they could have chosen some other suitable occasion might be out of India, separately. In that manner their voice could be heard without any diplomatic troubles for Obama.

This rare chance (now lost!) would otherwise have been used only to convey the timeless, universal and valuable message of GURU GRANTH SAHIB with stress on Sikh humanitarian values of universal brotherhood, freedom of thought and speech, equality for all irrespective of status, colour, cast, religion, creed & gender, rejection of all ritualistic practices & religious exploitations, and above all the huge list battles & sacrifices that Sikh community did for the cause of such principles, on the world stage in the presence of international media which would have accompanied the president. Sikh Identity would have come out more strengthened if our leadership has taken it seriously to this level.

As this opportunity is lost now so there is no point in cribbing about it, however, Hope this incidence would serve as a lesson for present Sikh leadership to change their modus operandi as well as psyche.....

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