Pakistan needs to establish mentor to protect ‘Sikh Rehat Maryada’

Amritsar: The issue of the observance of ‘Maryada’ or the religious code of conduct, in the Sikh shrines on both sides of the border, has always been very close to the hearts of the Sikh community worldwide. The cancellation of the ‘Jashn-e-Baharan’ programme, proposed to be organized by the Pakistan government from March 23 to 27 at Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib Post, testifies the objections raised by the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). It has also accentuated the need for mentorship of the Sikh community and the government agencies looking after these Gurudwaras to avoid ‘Maryada’ violations in the future.  

What is Maryada?

Every religion has a code of conduct for its disciples. The Sikh religion has the prescribed comprehensive rules and a code of conduct (Sikh Rehat Maryada) for the Sikhs to be followed truthfully in their day-to-day life. In 1945, the SGPC considered as the premier body of the Sikhs has approved the final version of the Rehat Maryada which was approved by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs. However, some minor updates have been made later on to clarify the content. The Rehat Maryada is the only version authorized by the Akal Takht. The Sikh Rehat Maryada defines various aspects of Sikh living that include from personal life and Communal life to gurudwara’s affairs to observing Sikh festivals.  

What was ‘Jashn-e-Baharan’?

Pakistan proposed to hold a Sufi fair which is a spring festival of the Sikhs, celebrated worldwide even in the Gurdwaras with religious zeal. In the proposed ‘Jashn-e-Baharan’ a programme to be held in the proximity of the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib with the events including Pakistan Day Celebration, Sufi Music Evening, Qawwali Night, Cultural Day, and Family Gathering and performances by Sufi singer Arif Lohar and other artists.

What is Kartarpur Corridor?

India and Pakistan had opened the Kartapur Corridor on Nov 9, 2019, to allow access to Indian Sikh pilgrims to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib, through the Integrated Check Post at Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur in India and Narowal district of Pakistan and return on the same day. According to history, the founder of Sikhism Baba Guru Nanak spent the last 17 years of his life at the Kartarpur in the Narowal district of Pakistan, and a Gurdwara was made in the memory of Baba Guru Nanak. Pakistan has spent millions of rupees on the Kartarpur project in anticipation of having a large number of devotees visit the shrine.  

To augment the number of visitors and pilgrims Pakistan has been organizing various programs including the Gurpurabs at the premises of Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib. Earlier, the management of Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib had revived the cultivation of fields once tilled by Sikhs’ First Master, Guru Nanak Dev himself.

The management also proposed the establishment of an Indus Peace Park to promote people-to-people dialogue and organized bike and motorcycle rallies. Some see these as attempts by the Pakistan government to commercialize the Kartarpur corridor to increase their income in view of the fact that the shrine was receiving a mere trickle of two to three hundred Indian visitors daily as against the projected 5000 on account of the Covid-19 situation.

Why did the SGPC object?

The ‘Maryada’ or the religious code of conduct governs the operations at the Sikh shrines situated worldwide. It is a set of religious principles that define everything right from the dress code of priests, devotees and visitors, the order of worship, the discipline to be observed by the devotees within the precincts of the shrines, the way the ‘langar’ is prepared and served, besides much more that takes place within the Sikh shrines on a daily basis.

While raising its objection, the SGPC wrote to Muhammad Latif, CEO, PMU, stating that ‘Jashn-e-Baharan festival being organized by Pakistan government from March 23 to 27 could hurt the Sikh religious sentiments as it violates the Sikh Rehat Maryada. SGPC requested to cancel the event and ensure that no such cultural festival is organized at Sri Kartarpur Sahib corridor, which is against the Sikh tenets.

What was Pakistan’s response?

Muhammad Latif, CEO, PMU, Kartarpur Corridor, in his response to the SGPC said, “The core purpose of creation and existence of PMU Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib Kartarpur Corridor is to uphold and ensure Sikh Rehat Maryada at all cost. We respect the observations/ concerns raised by respected SGPC and assure Sikh Community around the World that nothing against Gurumat will ever be organised in Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib Kartarpur. We are immediately cancelling Jashan e Baharan scheduled from 23 to 27 March.

We will only organise a one-day event of religious Basant Panchmi as celebrated at Gurdwara Charhhata Sahib Sri Amritsar. PMU Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib Kartarpur Corridor assures Sikh Community of our sincerity of purpose and best possible efforts to keep maintaining and improving facilities for Yatrees from around the Globe”.

What should have been done to avoid such objections?

There are about 200 historical Sikh shrines in Pakistan. After partition, a large number of Sikhs migrated to India and left behind a historical legacy that was to be protected by the Pakistan government as per the pact signed between Pandit Jawahar Lala Nehru and Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, then Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan, respectively.

Every year Pakistan issues around 5000 visas to Indian devotees to visit the Sikh and Hindu shrines. However, Pakistan gave permission to visit only a few of the Sikh Shrines situated in Pakistan. The reason is simply that a large number of Sikh shrines in Pakistan are not open for some or other reason. The population of Sikhs living in Pakistan is quite meager. Not many of them are aware of these precepts, let alone the government bodies managing these shrines.

The SGPC was allowed to manage the Sikh shrines in Pakistan till 1998. As of now, the affairs of the Sikh gurudwaras in Pakistan are overseen by the Pakistan Sikh Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), which came into being in 1999. The existing gurudwaras were given a facelift and many more were opened soon after. As per recent reports, the properties of the many Sikh gurdwaras had either been encroached or were in dilapidated condition. Last year, a Pakistani model sparked off a major row, when she held an Instagram shoot wearing an Indian suit with her head uncovered, within the precincts of Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib.

It is pertinent to mention that as far as celebrations or culture are concerned, ‘Basant Panchmi’ has also been observed at the Gurudwara Chheharta Sahib in Amritsar as an annual festival, which is one such example of the balance between the spiritual and temporal enjoyment of the Spring season. Hola Mohalla is another festival that is a part of culture and spirituality at Anandpur Sahib.

There is no doubt that the SGPC is a mature and efficient body that has vast experience and expertise for offering mentorship on the issue of Sikh Rehat Maryada. Now Pakistan has its own Sikh body, which reiterates that it abides by the doctrines issued by the Akal Takht Sahib. But they do also need to accept that they still have a lot to learn from the experienced Sikh bodies like the SGPC, especially in terms of the Sikh Rehat Maryada.

The SGPC too should realize the need for its intervention in the matter and don the mantle of a big brother to guide Sikhs in Pakistan in matters pertaining to the faith as its mentorship would go a long way in helping PSGPC ensure the observance of all tenets that form the very basis of the Sikh faith in letter and spirit.

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