Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Langar
Langar shadow trailing Jathedar’s Canada trip
BAJINDER PAL SINGH
CHANDIGARH, AUGUST 1: As Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti embarks on his maiden visit to Canada as the Akal Takhat Jathedar, the langar issue that has sharply divided the Canadian Sikh community into two has once again come to the fore.
The mode of serving langar has, in fact, become a criterion for the Jathedar in deciding whether to accept or reject an invitation to visit a gurdwara in Canada. Though the Akal Takhat Jathedar has indicated that he is willing to talk to anyone, he will only visit those gurdwaras which serve langar to congregations seated on the floor and keep out of those where food is served to people sitting on chairs.
This is the first occasion that any Akal Takhat Jathedar is visiting Canada after a hukamnama banning serving of langar on chairs was issued. And it is clear that the hukamnama is inviolable. ‘‘The issue here is adherence to Sikh principles and acceptance of the hukamnama,’’ an associate of the Jathedar said.
Sikhs in Canada have been in touch with the Jathedar, seeking his intervention in resolving the conflict that has divided the community. Various organisations in Vancouver, where many gurdwaras serve langar on chairs, have contacted the office of the Jathedar over the past few days requesting him to visit the city and help resolve the dispute. So deep is the divide that it has led to clashes, and even police intervention.
Gurdwara elections too are being fought on the langar issue and any change in management immediately sees a shift in the serving practice. The visa of Bhai Ranjit Singh, who as the Jathedar of Akal Takht had issued the langar hukamnama was cancelled by the US Government primarily due to an apprehension that his visit could cause tension in the Sikh community.
The Jathedar, who is in Canada on an invitation from a gurdwara at Dixie in Toronto, has a private engagement at Vancouver also. After a week-long stay in Canada, he is flying off to England, where he is to participate in the bicentenary celebrations of the coronation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh as well as the celebrations to mark the anniversary of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib at the Golden Temple.
BAJINDER PAL SINGH
CHANDIGARH, AUGUST 1: As Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti embarks on his maiden visit to Canada as the Akal Takhat Jathedar, the langar issue that has sharply divided the Canadian Sikh community into two has once again come to the fore.
The mode of serving langar has, in fact, become a criterion for the Jathedar in deciding whether to accept or reject an invitation to visit a gurdwara in Canada. Though the Akal Takhat Jathedar has indicated that he is willing to talk to anyone, he will only visit those gurdwaras which serve langar to congregations seated on the floor and keep out of those where food is served to people sitting on chairs.
This is the first occasion that any Akal Takhat Jathedar is visiting Canada after a hukamnama banning serving of langar on chairs was issued. And it is clear that the hukamnama is inviolable. ‘‘The issue here is adherence to Sikh principles and acceptance of the hukamnama,’’ an associate of the Jathedar said.
Sikhs in Canada have been in touch with the Jathedar, seeking his intervention in resolving the conflict that has divided the community. Various organisations in Vancouver, where many gurdwaras serve langar on chairs, have contacted the office of the Jathedar over the past few days requesting him to visit the city and help resolve the dispute. So deep is the divide that it has led to clashes, and even police intervention.
Gurdwara elections too are being fought on the langar issue and any change in management immediately sees a shift in the serving practice. The visa of Bhai Ranjit Singh, who as the Jathedar of Akal Takht had issued the langar hukamnama was cancelled by the US Government primarily due to an apprehension that his visit could cause tension in the Sikh community.
The Jathedar, who is in Canada on an invitation from a gurdwara at Dixie in Toronto, has a private engagement at Vancouver also. After a week-long stay in Canada, he is flying off to England, where he is to participate in the bicentenary celebrations of the coronation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh as well as the celebrations to mark the anniversary of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib at the Golden Temple.
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