royalpatiala.in NEWS IMPACT: Akal Takht Sahib issues Hukamnana on Sikh marriages
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ October 17,2023
“A blanket ban has been imposed on Anand Karaj ceremonies at destination weddings at resorts, marriage palaces and beaches” announced by Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh.
This decision have been taken after royalpatiala.in had highlighted this trend in Punjab and other parts of the country in its story “ Akal Takht Sahib Hukamnama openly flouted in Punjab under the nose of SGPC” on January 30,2023. royalpatiala.in has regularly taken up this issue with the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami.
Later, many other lodges complaint with the Akal Takht and SGPC. Acting seriously, the Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh called a meeting to discuss this issue along with other prevalent issues of the sikh community. In the meeting that was held on October 16,2023, besides Akal Takht Jatedar Giani Raghbir Singh, Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh and Takht Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar Giani Sultan Singh among the jathedars have taken this issue seriously and imposed a blanket ban on Anand Karaj ceremonies at destination weddings at resorts, marriage palaces and beaches.
After the meeting, Giani Raghbir Singh said, “As per complaints sent by the sangat (Sikh community), some persons while violating maryada conduct Anand Karaj (Sikh wedding) by installing Guru Granth Sahib at beaches or resorts. As per the resolve of Panj Singh Sahiban, conducting Anand Karaj with parkash (installation) of Guru Granth Sahib at these places is banned.”
Giani Raghbir Singh added that the decision was taken after complaints were received by the Akal Takht Secretariat that a new trend of outdoor wedding ceremonies, destination weddings had emerged and to stop the violation of the hukamana, this decision has been taken.
Akal Takht sahib had already issued a “hukumnama” on March 16, 1998, imposing a ban on the carrying of the “saroop” outside gurdwaras for Anand Karaj to hotels, banquet halls, clubs and marriage palaces, which generally have orchestra, dancers, pubs and bars, the directive was seldom followed.
As per the hukamnama, the “saroop of Guru Granth Sahib is not supposed to be carried to places where alcohol, non-vegetarian food or tobacco is served or consumed but the sangat starts violating the hukamnama in one way or the other way.”
Anand Karaj, the Sikh wedding ceremony, is a sacred event that symbolizes the union of two souls in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib. It is meant to be conducted in an atmosphere of spiritual reverence and purity, in alignment with Sikh teachings.
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Akal Takhat Sahib Hukamnama openly flouted in Punjab under the nose of SGPC
