AMRITSAR SAHIB (KP)—After holding a very important meeting at the holy city, Singh Sahib Giani Gurbachan Singh (appointed Jathedar, Akal Takht Sahib) officially announced that saroops of Guru Granth Sahib Ji could not be taken to public places, including halls or places where meat or alcohol are served. The hukam was issued recently after Akal Takht Sahib had received numerous complaints regarding private parties having taken saroops of Guru Granth Sahib Ji to party halls.
It should be noted that only two weeks ago, the Panthic Weekly published proof of the Sikh Religious Society of Indiana having taken Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s saroop to Meadows Club in the town of Rolling Meadows, Illinois. The committee has so far refused to honor the requests of Sikh Sangat based all over the United States of America asking them to put an end to such blasphemy. Now with the official hukamnama of Akal Takht Sahib being confirmed once again, Sikh Sangat based in IN and IL hope the committee will acknowledge their mistake.
Giani Gurbachan Singh, while addressing the press, held that to do parkash of Guru Granth Sahib where alcohol or non-vegetarian food is served is not acceptable as per standards of the Sikh Religion. In addition, he stated that people do not remove their shoes at private places, which is also not acceptable for the place where Guru Sahib’s parkash is to be done.
Giani Gurbachan Singh also made it clear that the new hukamnamas asks for all Sikhs to get married only at Gurdwara Sahibs. According to his press statement, party halls were not acceptable for Anand Karaj's. He said that the hukamnama was being reconfirmed considering the satkar or respect for Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
In the past several years, reports of Gurdwara Committees indulging in transferring saroops of Guru Granth Sahib to private places have been on the rise—especially in countries such as England, Canada and the USA. Although a hukamnama passed in March 1998 had put a ban on parkash at such places, worldwide, it was only being followed in Punjab. The recently passed hukamnama asks Sikhs living across the world to abide by this.
Another issue to be addressed at many places in western countries is party halls on Gurudwara premises—permanent or not. Panthic Weekly staff have seen a rise in Gurudwaras sidestepping the hukamnama by putting up tents and creating multi-purpose halls so that restaurant food can be served on Gurudwara premises in a restaurant style, sometimes with shoes and tables.
