Akal Takht Bans Destination Sikh Weddings

After his first meeting as Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Raghbir Singh said the supreme temporal throne of the Sikh religion has received various complaints from the community about people conducting Anand Karaj (Sikh wedding) by installing Guru Granth Sahib at beaches and resorts. He said such weddings were in violation of Sikh rehat maryada (code of conduct) and announced a ban on conducting Anand Karaj with parkash (installation) of Guru Granth Sahib at these places. Notably, in 2009, the Akal Takht had imposed a ban on carrying the Guru Granth Sahib to resorts, banquet halls, and marriage palaces. In that sense, there is nothing new in this announcement. The decision makes sense due to the opulence seen in destination weddings and the increased chances of beadbi (sacrilege) in such lavish settings. However, the announcement also begets questions to ponder upon. In the absence of a Gurdwara nearby – especially in the Sikh Diaspora – people marry at their homes, or in their backyards. What would such people do now? The Guru Granth Sahib says: ‘Wherever the Guru goes and resides is a beautiful space.’ The emphasis needs to be on education of the rehat maryada, and the protocols of dealing with the Guru Granth Sahib, not a ban on its carrying to certain places. Sadly, whether it is Panjab society, its police, or its religious institutions, the dominant response is always a ban. Instead of engagement, education, reform, and rightful practice, the custom of banning is self-defeatist, as it leads to people flouting such bans.