Sikh Council UK, A Sangat Forum

Gurmukh Singh’s weekly column in the Panjab Times UK

All are welcome in the gurdwara. The Sangat is fairly representative of all shades of Sikhs and non-Sikhs, who have come to the Guru’s Darbar with faith in the Guru’s universal Message in their hearts, as they bow before the Jagat Guru. However, few have ever argued that the management of gurdwaras should not be in the hands of those who, ideally, are Amritdhari Gursikhs.

Two types of seva (service with humility) is required of those who run Gurdwaras. First and foremost, it is the seva of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji: the recitation of Gurbani and the seva of Kirtan and Katha. That means, the singing of Gurbani and, as necessary,  explaining the Message of the Shabad to the Sangat. Only a practising Gursikh scholar is capable of doing that while visibly projecting the Guru given Sikh identity.

The second type of seva is the management of the Gurdwara, which, for reasons to do with Khalsa (miri-piri) ideology, institutions and Panthic identity must remain in Gursikh hands.

However, the Sikhi miri-piri ideal is not confined to gurdwaras only.  It is also very much an extrovert twin track concept which has been practised by the Khalsa Panth for centuries.  It is interpreted into Khalsa socio-political activism extended from the gurdwara as the local focal point of Sikh life, to outside local, national and international activities and forums.

Gurdwara management in Gursikh hands is extended to participation in Panthic forums for the achievement of Panthic jathebandi (corporate) aims and objectives for promoting a just and tolerant society.

To my mind, Sikh Council UK is an expression of Sangat representation extended from local to national level. It is the first next step to international level Sikh representation and revival of the Sarbat Khalsa tradition. Recent challenges to Sikh identity also pose a challenge to gurdwara managements to revive the spirit of Sarbat Khalsa. To quote from own article in the August 2012 issue of The Sikh Review, “Sarbat Khalsa is an expression of Panthic solidarity”  which is translated into a decision making process at global Panthic level.

Due to the dedicated voluntary seva of some very able individuals, Sangat (grassroots) based organisations have achieved much over the years. However, recent events have shown that these organisations, no matter how ably led, cannot resolve the issues, concerns and challenges faced by independent Sikh ideology and identity. Only gurdwaras, represented on a national level platform can make an impact on governments and agencies. UK Sikhs have the critical mass to provide a lead.

The only way to ensure that all viewpoints are represented on the Sikh Council UK and the constitution of the General Assembly and the Executive Committe, is to join in and not remain outside. Sikh Council UK is the business of every gurwara and Sikh organisations in the UK. (Continued next week)

Gurmukh Singh, Norwood, UK

495.The Man in Blue – Follow only our eternal Guru II

In Man in Blue column 494 I wrote about Guru Granth – Guru Panth, explaining  my view on other ‘granths’, and on for instance the Bible or Al Quran. In this column I will write about the Guru Granth as our leader.

On the 20th of November I was in London’s Shepherds Bush (Khalsa Jatha) Gurdwara where a Sikh Channel reporter was asking people’s views on the leadership of the panth.

The Tenth Guru told us that the Guru Granth is our eternal Guru and that the Guru Panth (those on Guru’s path) is to act under the Guru Granth’s guidance.

Jathedars without jathas are not the Guru Panth, 5 amritdhari Sikhs are not the Guru Panth and the general house of the SGPC is also not the Guru Panth.

The only time that Guru Granth – Guru Panth was practiced was during the misl period in the 18th century. The Sarbat Khalsa of those days was not perfect, but it was closer to Guru’s teachings than the present rule by the Badal Dal.

The meeting of the Sarbat Khalsa was mainly a meeting of the misl leaders. They were not Jathedars without jathas as we have today, and the misl members could try to influence their leaders or switch to another Misl if they were not happy with the leadership.

In the Sarbat Khalsa the decisions were not taken by a simple majority, serious efforts were made to get the misls as near as possible to consensus. When an agreement was reached it was called Gurmatta and it became a Hukamnama when it was proclaimed from the Akal Takhat by the Jathedar of the Budha Dal.

If we were to apply this to the UK we should have regional open forums where Sikh individuals and representatives of organisations and Gurdwaras come together to discuss Panthic issues. Decisions should be made through trying to find consensus. If there are serious conflicts, the opposing groups should constitute mutually agreed Panj Piaré to mediate between them.

The regional forums would send delegates to an UK forum, and the UK forum would send delegates to a global forum that could meet anywhere where it is free from political interference. This rules out India as it is now.

In countries with fewer Sikhs you could have just one national forum, or you could have for instance a Scandinavian or a Benelux forum. These forums acting under the guidance of the Guru Granth can only ‘rule’ those that accept their authority.

Guru Nanak wrote: ‘Truth is high, and higher still is truthful living’. People taking part in these forums should follow the Guru’s teachings of truthfulness, compassion and humility. Me, me, me should not be on the agenda.