The decision was announced by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh after a meeting of the ‘Panj Singh Sahibans’ (five Sikh clergymen) at Amritsar.
Same-sex marriage at Bathinda gurdwara: Akal Takht blacklists priest, others for five years
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A month after a same-sex marriage was solemnised at a gurdwara in Punjab’s Bathinda, the Akal Takht Monday “blacklisted” for five years the Sikh priests and ragis (gurbani exponents) who helped carry out the Anand Karaj (wedding ceremony). The Akal Takht — the highest temporal seat for Sikhs — also barred all the members of Gurdwara Kalgidhar Sahib’s management committee from holding any post in any other gurdwara or Sikh religious body.
The decision was announced by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh after a meeting of same-sex marriage at Bathinda gurdwara: Akal Takht blacklists priest, others for five years the ‘Panj Singh Sahibans’ (five Sikh clergymen) at Amritsar.
Dimple (27) and Manisha (21) got married at Gurdwara Kalgidhar Sahib on September 18 as per the rituals performed under Anand Karaj. The families of both the women — Dimple is from Mansa district while Manisha is from Bathinda — were present and the marriage was solemnised after their consent. The women, ahead of the wedding, had submitted Aadhaar cards, mentioning their genders as female. A marriage certificate issued under the letterhead of the gurdwara allegedly described one of the partners as male. Dimple had arrived at the gurdwara dressed as a traditional Sikh groom, wearing turban.
As a controversy erupted over the same-sex marriage in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib with Sikh clergy terming it as “sheer violation of religious code of conduct and general ethics” following which Akal Takht Jathedar had suspended head granthi Harchand Singh, granthi Ajayab Singh, ragi Sikandar Singh, tabla player Satnam Singh, and the management committee of the gurdwara.
The Jathedar has also constituted a sub-committee to probe the entire matter, and the latest action follows a report that it had submitted.
“It has been decided that the (members of) Gurdwara Kalgidhar Sahib management committee will not have any involvement in the management of any gurdwara sahib in future. Harchand Singh, Ajayab Singh, Sikandar Singh, and Satnam Singh are put on a black list for five years for violating Sikh code of conduct. They will not be allowed to perform any duties at any gurdwara or religious gathering,” read the Akal Takht statement issued Monday.
The Akal Takht decision comes at a time when Supreme Court is scheduled to deliver its much anticipated judgment on Tuesday on pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage.
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Meanwhile, the Akal Takht also put a ban on installing Guru Granth Sahib during destination weddings organised at beaches and resorts, citing the violation of code of conduct.
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“According to some complaints by ‘sangat’ (Sikh community), some people, while violating the ‘maryada’, conduct Anand Karaj by installing Guru Granth Sahib at beaches and resorts. The ‘Panj Singh Sahibans’ have decided to put a complete ban on installing Guru Granth Sahib for conducting Anand Karaj at beaches, resorts and destination weddings,” said Jathedar Raghbir Singh.
Besides the jathedar, Giani Harpreet Singh, Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, Giani Sultan Singh, Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Gurminder Singh, granthi Harmandar Sahib and Giani Gurdial Singh from Takht Hazur Sahib were present in the meeting.
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Over the past several years, a trend has emerged in which wedding ceremonies in the Sikh community take place at resorts, beaches and other places by installing the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs, there.There is already a ban by the Akal Takht on taking ‘Saroop’ (a copy of Guru Granth Sahib) to hotels, resorts and other places for marriage ceremonies.
