Jathedar of Akal Takht
Jathedar of Akal Takht
ਜੱਥੇਦਾਰ ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ ਸਾਹਿਬ | |
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Style | Bhai Sahib Honorable Jathedar (Formal) Singh Sahib (Formal) |
Member of | Khalsa |
Seat | Akal Takht |
Appointer | Sarbat Khalsa SGPC |
Formation | 17th century |
First holder | Bhai Gurdas as Custodian of Akal Takht |
The Jathedar of the Akal Takht (Punjabi: ਜੱਥੇਦਾਰ ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ ਸਾਹਿਬ), is the appointed head of the Akal Takht and the Sikhs of the world. Sikh clergy consists of five Jathedars, one each from five Takhts.
Originally known as Akal Bunga,[1] the building directly opposite the Darbar Sahib was built by Guru Hargobind as a place of justice and consideration of temporal issues; the highest seat of earthly authority of the Khalsa and the place of the Jathedar, the highest spokesman of the Sikhs.
Origin[]
In 1606, after the execution of Guru Arjan, Guru Hargobind, bearing the two swords of politics (miri) and spirituality (piri), declared himself sovereign, and defied the royal edict of the Mugal empire.[2] Recognising the necessity of coordinating efforts against the Mughal empire, the Guru simultaneously began the process of militarising the Sikhs. The first hukamnama issued from Akal Takht commanded the Sikhs to offer arms and horses.[3] Before leaving Amritsar for imprisonment, Guru Hargobind assigned the original scribe of Guru Granth Sahib, Bhai Gurdas as the custodian of Akal Takht, and instructed him to act jointly with Baba Buddha as the representative of the Sikhs.[citation needed]
Following the establishment of the Khalsa, which took effect on 13 April 1699, Guru Gobind Singh sent Mani Singh and five other Khalsas to Amritsar with instructions to take possession of the Darbar Sahib complex. The Khalsas assigned Mani Singh as the head granth of Darbar Sahib and the jathedar of Akal Takht. After the passing of Guru Gobind Singh, the Sikh divisions accepted the common leadership and sovereignty of Akal Takht.[4]
Selection process[]
During the 18th and 19th century, Jathedars of Akal Takht were appointed by the Sarbat Khalsa, a biannual deliberative assembly of the Sikhs held at Amritsar, Punjab.
From 1921, Jathedars of Takhts have been appointed by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), an elected body of the Sikhs controlled by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a political party in the state of Punjab and an ally of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
A Sarbat Khalsa convened by Sikh organisations in 2015 appointed Jagtar Singh Hawara as the Jathedar of Akal Takht. The SGPC president at that time, Avtar Singh Makkar, however condemned the convening as against the principles of Sikhism and it's decisions null and void. He added that the removal of Jathedars came under Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 and no one could challenge the SGPC's authority.[5]
List[]
- Colour key
No. | Name (Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Assigned by | Term of office | Ref | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Custodians of Akal Takht | ||||||||
1 | Bhai Gurdas (1551–1636) |
Guru Hargobind | 1618 | 1636 | ||||
2 | Mani Singh (1644–1737) |
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Guru Gobind Singh | 1721 | 24 June 1734 |
[6] [7] [8] | ||
Jathedars of Akal Takht | ||||||||
3 | Darbara Singh (1644–1734) |
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Sarbat Khalsa | 1722 | 1734 | [9] | ||
4 | Kapur Singh Virk (1697–1753) |
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Sarbat Khalsa | 1737 | 1753 | [10] [9] [11] | ||
5 | Jassa Singh Ahluwalia (1718–1783) |
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Sarbat Khalsa | 1753 | 1783 | [12] [13] | ||
6 | Phula Singh (1761–1823) |
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Sarbat Khalsa | 1800 | 1823 | [9] | ||
7 | Hanuman Singh (1755–1846) |
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Sarbat Khalsa | 1823 | 1846 | [9] | ||
8 | Prahlad Singh |
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Sarbat Khalsa | 1846 | Unknown | [14] | ||
9 | Sardar Jassa Singh |
Sarbat Khalsa | 1848 | Unknown | [14] | |||
10 | Arur Singh Naushera (1865-1926) |
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Sarbat Khalsa | 1907 | August 1920 |
[15] | ||
11 | Sarbat Khalsa | 12 October 1920 |
1921 | [16][17][7] | ||||
12 | Teja Singh Akarpuri (1892-1975) |
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SGPC | 29 April 1921 |
13 October 1923 |
[18] | ||
13 | Udham Singh Nagoke (1894-1966) |
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SGPC | 1923 | 1924 | [16] | ||
14 | (1893-1976) |
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SGPC | 09 February 1924 |
10 January 1926 |
[19] | ||
15 | Udham Singh Nagoke (1894-1966) |
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SGPC | 10 January 1926 |
short period | [19] | ||
16 | Teja Singh Akarpuri (1892-1975) |
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SGPC | 27 November 1926 |
21 January 1930 |
[18] | ||
17 | Didar Singh |
SGPC | 1925 | short period | [16] [17] | |||
18 | Jawaher Singh Mattu Bhaike |
SGPC | 1926 | short period | [16][17] | |||
19 | Gurmukh Singh Musafir |
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SGPC | 1931 | 1934 | [16][17] | ||
20 | (1877-1957) |
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SGPC | October 1934 |
December 1934 |
|||
21 | Mohan Singh Nagoke (1898-1969) |
SGPC | 1935 | 1952 | [17] | |||
22 | Partap Singh (1904-1984) |
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SGPC | 1952 | 1954 | [20] | ||
23 | Acchar Singh (1893-1976) |
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SGPC | 23 May 1955 |
08 November 1962 |
[19] | ||
24 | Mohan Singh Tur (1916-1979) |
SGPC | [21] | |||||
25 | Sadhu Singh Bhaura (1905-1984) |
SGPC | 1964 | 1980 | ||||
26 | (1927-1982) |
SGPC | 2 March 1980 |
1983 | ||||
27 | Kirpal Singh (1918-1993) |
SGPC | 1983 | 26 July 1986 |
[22] | |||
28 | Jasbir Singh Rode |
Sarbat Khalsa[citation needed] | 9 March 1988 |
1989 | ||||
29 | Darshan Singh (born 1940) |
SGPC | 1989 | 1990 | ||||
30 | Manjit Singh |
SGPC | 1994 | 1997 | ||||
31 | Ranjit Singh |
SGPC | 1997 | 1999 | ||||
32 | Puran Singh |
SGPC | 1999 | 2000 | ||||
33 | Joginder Singh Vadanti |
SGPC | 2000 | 2008 | ||||
34 | Gurbachan Singh (born 1948) |
SGPC | 06 August 2008 |
18 October 2018 |
[23][24] | |||
35 | Jagtar Singh Hawara (born 1973) |
Sarbat Khalsa | 10 November 2015 |
Incumbent | [25] | |||
Acting Jathedars of Akal Takht | ||||||||
1 | Partap Singh (1904-1984) |
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SGPC | 1938 | 1948 | [20] | ||
2 | Kirpal Singh (1918-1993) |
SGPC | 1963 | 1965 | [22] | |||
3 | Gurdev Singh Kaunke (1949-1993) |
Sarbat Khalsa | 26 January 1986 |
1993 | [26] | |||
4 | Gurbachan Singh Manochahal (1954-1993) |
Sarbat Khalsa | 27 April 1986 |
26 January 1987 |
[26][27] | |||
5 | Darshan Singh (born 1940) |
SGPC | 31 December 1986 |
9 March 1988 |
[27][26][28] | |||
6 | Dhian Singh Mand |
Sarbat Khalsa | 10 November 2015 |
Incumbent | [25][29] | |||
7 | Harpreet Singh |
SGPC | 22 October 2018 |
Incumbent | [24] |
References[]
- ^ "Akal Bunga". The Sikh Encyclopedia. Gateway to Sikhism Foundation. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ Dilgeer, Harjinder Singh (1980). The Akal Takht. Jalandhar: Sikh University Press.
- ^ Singh, Surinderpal. "Celebrating the foundation day of Akal Takht Sahib (Akal Bunga)". Sikhri. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ Chauhan, G.S. (2005). The Gospel Of The Sikh Gurus. New Delhi: Hemkunt Publishers. p. xiv. ISBN 81-7010-353-3.
- ^ At Sarbat Khalsa, hardliners appoint Hawara Akal Takht Jathedar
- ^ Dilgeer, Dr. Harjinder Singh. Akal Takht Sahib. Guru Nanak Institute of Sikh Studies. p. 107.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Dilgeer, Harjinder Singh (January 1995). Akal Takht Sahib: Concept and Role (2 ed.). Singh Brothers. ISBN 2-930247-38-X.
- ^ Singh, Sukhdayal (1991). Siri Akal Takhat Sahib Sarbat Khalsa Ate Gurmatta. Punjab University, Patiala. p. 3. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Jathedars (7th till 1st)". Shiromani Panth Akali Budha Dal (Panjwan Takhat). Archived from the original on 8 May 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
- ^ "Nawab Kapur Singh Virk (1697-1753)". Sikhism History. Sikhism History. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
- ^ Nabha, Kahan Singh (13 April 1930). Gur Shabad Ratanakar Mahankosh (1 ed.). Languages Department of Punjab, Patiala. p. ਕਪੂਰ ਸਿੰਘ. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ Nabha, Kahan Singh (13 April 1930). Gur Shabad Ratanakar Mahankosh (1 ed.). Languages Department of Punjab, Patiala. p. ਜੱਸਾ ਸਿੰਘ. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ Bedi, Daljit Singh. "ਸੁਲਤਾਨ-ਉਲ-ਕੌਮ ਜੱਸਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਆਹਲੂਵਾਲੀਆ ਨੂੰ ਯਾਦ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ..." Ajit Jalandhar. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Jathedars (14th till 8th)". Shiromani Panth Akali Budha Dal (Panjwan Takhat). Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
- ^ Mittal, Satish Chandra (1997). Freedom Movement in Punjab (1905-29) (1 ed.). Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. p. 149.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Singh, Balkar (April 1995). Akal Takht Sahib Jot Te Jugat. Chandigarh: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. p. Appendices.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Dilgeer, Harjinder Singh (1980). The Akal Takht. Jalandhar: Punjabi Book Company Jullundur. p. 98.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Mikhayhu, Alain (2011). Teja Singh Akarpuri. Tempor. ISBN 9786138779568.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Bharti, Mahinder Singh (3 August 1997). Sankep Jeevani Singh Sahib Jathedar Aachar Singh Ji. Bhai Chatar Singh Jiwan Singh. p. 6.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Nirankari, Dr Maan Singh (1900s). Giani Partap Singh Ji. Darbar Printing Press. p. 17.
- ^ Anttal, Gurpreet Singh. "ਬਰਸੀ 'ਤੇ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼-ਜਥੇਦਾਰ ਮੋਹਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਤੁੜ". Ajit Jalandhar. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Kirpal Singh, Singh Sahib Giani". The Sikh Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ^ Why a road-safety rule has upset some Sikhs
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Giani Harpreet Singh is acting jathedar of Akal Takht". The Times of India. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Deep, Ajay. "Jagtar Singh Hawara is the new Akal Takht Jathedar via Sarbat Khalsa". Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Singh, Harjinder (2011). Game of Love (2 ed.). Walsall: Akaal Publishers. pp. 96–97. ISBN 9780955458712.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Walia, Varinder. "'Misdeeds' of stalwarts during militancy Amritsar ex-DC reveals it all". The Tribune. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ^ Chima, Jusdep Singh (2010). The Sikh Separatist Insurgency in India. New Delhi: SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd. p. 141. ISBN 9788132103028.
- ^ "Parallel Jathedar Mand's bid to give sandesh at Golden Temple foiled". 2017-10-20.
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