Akal Takht bans weddings at beaches, resorts citing religious norms

The Akal Takht on Monday banned destination weddings at beaches and resorts, citing the violation of maryada, the religious protocol of Sikhs

Amritsar:

Akal Takht Jathedaar Giani Raghbir Singh held his first meeting since taking charge. (AFP)

The Akal Takht on Monday banned destination weddings at beaches and resorts, citing the violation of maryada, the religious protocol of Sikhs.

The Panj Singh Sahiban, or five Sikh clergymen led by the Akal Takht jathedar, arrived at this decision after a meeting at the highest Sikh temporal seat. It was the first meeting since Giani Raghbir Singh took charge as jathedar.

Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh and Takht Kesgarh Sahib jathedar Giani Sultan Singh were among the Sikh clergymen who attended the meeting.

“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,” Giani Raghbir Singh said after the meeting. “As per the resolve of Panj Singh Sahiban, conducting Anand Karaj with parkash (installation) of Guru Granth Sahib at these places is banned.”

The trend of conducting Sikh marriages at beaches, resorts, banks of lakes and other natural sites, including parks, is fast growing. Saroops (scriptures) of Guru Granth Sahib are brought from gurdwaras to these places to organise the weddings according to Sikh rituals. There is a ban already on bringing the saroop to marriage palaces, banquet halls and hotels for Anand Karaj, according to an earlier hukamnama (decree).

In the other resolutions adopted at the meeting, the Akal Takht dismissed the managing committee of the gurdwara in Bathinda, where a same sex marriage of two women was conducted recently. As per the decree, members and office-bearers of the committee can never be part of a gurdwara management anywhere.

Besides, gurdwara head granthi Hardev Singh, granthi Ajaib Singh, ragi Sikader Singh and tabla player Satnam Singh, who were involved in the wedding of the two women, were blacklisted for five years for violating Sikh maryada. They will not be able to perform duties at any gurdwara and religious function.