The Tribune – Martial arts display steals the show

Gatka and huge turban
Tribune picture

Tribune News Service

Anandpur Sahib, March 28. A magnificent display of horse riding and martial art skills by thousands of Nihangs marked the last day of the six-day historic Hola Mohalla festival here today.

Over 30 lakh devotees paid obeisance at various gurdwaras during the festival, which started on March 23 at Kiratpur Sahib after which the celebrations shifted to Anandpur Sahib on March 26.

The most significant event of the festival was the procession of Nihang groups belonging to the Budha Dal, Harian Velan, Damdami Taksal and the Tarna Dal. The procession began from Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib gurdwara at 2 pm.

Nihangs exhibited their horse riding and martial art skills and sprayed Holi colours on the people all along the way.

The procession halted for a while at gurdwara Kila Anandgarh Sahib at Agampur before it concluded at the Charan Ganga stadium where the Nihangs again displayed their skills. Baba Budha Dal distributed prizes and cash rewards among the winners.

Earlier, the bhog ceremony of “akhand paths” was performed. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh delivered his message to the masses urging them to fight social evils like drug addiction and female foeticide.

A police team, which was formed to check the menace of begging during the festival, nabbed nearly 100 beggars and pick pockets.

Shopkeepers and vendors did a brisk business in the town.

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The Tribune – Waraich Shrine Demolition; Punish guilty, demands Jathedar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 8. Taking note of the incident in which a gurdwara was allegedly demolished in Waraich village, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh has sought action against the guilty.

The Jathedar demanded that the state government should order a high-level probe into the entire incident and act tough against its perpetrators.

Giani Gurbachan Singh claimed the land illegally encroached by the dera involved in the incident was government land and the village panchayat had no right to sell or donate.

He praised Sikh organisations for staging a peaceful protest over the issue. The Jathedar has also taken serious note of a matchstick company printing “khanda” on matchboxes, which, he said, was a sacrilege of Sikh symbols.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120709/punjab.htm#5

The Tribune – marriage act row; Jathedar does a volte-face; Now, supports changes being made in marriage Act

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 17. Taking a U-turn on the issue of a separate Sikh marriage Act, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh today said the amendments being made in the Anand Marriage Act 1909 to facilitate registration of Sikh marriages were “absolutely legitimate”.

Addressing mediapersons to clear the air on the issue today, the Jathedar said the Anand Marriage Amendment Bill 2012 should be passed in Parliament and subsequently implemented at the earliest. He also appreciated the measures taken by various Sikh leaders and organisations for getting the Bill to this stage.

He attributed his support for the amendments in the Act to the fact that “a majority of Sikhs feel that these should be passed in Parliament”. He said an expert panel constituted by the SGPC had also voiced its full support to these amendments. He said all the Sikh leaders should rise above party lines to ensure that these are passed. He said a committee comprising Sikh intellectuals and legal experts would be set up if need of any further amendments was felt in future.

The Jathedar clarified that he had also opposed the proposed move of sending the draft of a complete Sikh marriage Act prepared by Khalsa College principal Dr Daljeet Singh directly to the Prime Minister while contending that any such draft should be routed through the SGPC. He said earlier too, a few drafts of the ‘Sikh Personal Law’ were prepared and if more amendments were needed in future, all these drafts will be utilised suitably. On the issue of divorce, he said the Sikh ‘rehat maryada’ (code of conduct) did not allow divorce, though re-marriage may take place under special circumstances.

Asked whether the Sikh clergy would consider changing ‘rehat maryada’, he said only the “Sarbat Khalsa” could do it. The change in the Jathedar’s stand came after SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar met him in Ludhiana yesterday. The duo later even issued a joint statement supporting the amendments in the Act.

Earlier, the Jathedar had rejected these amendments when he wondered as to how Parliament could pass it without the consent of Sikhs while talking to the media after a seminar organised by Chief Khalsa Diwan on Tuesday.

Though the SGPC and DSGMC took a conflicting stand on the issue, the move was hailed by outfits like Dal Khalsa and American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120518/punjab.htm#5