Editorial
I
ਸੀਸ ਦੀਆ ਪਰ ਸਿਰੜ ਨਾ ਦੀਆ
Suppression of Civil liberties, violation of human rights, and imposition of curbs on freedom of speech and religion by some megalomaniacal religious, communal and racial, fundamentalist autocrats and authoritarian rulers in different countries at different periods of history is a well known fact. Such are some of the idiosyncrasies of human nature which cause an irreparable damage to mankind and human civilization. It is also a well known fact that there have always emerged some great personages at such times who have combated these individual acts of aggression and violence even at the cost of their lives. It is their acts of sacrifice and steadfast endurance of these acts of tyranny, brutality and long spells of incarceration perpetrated on them by ruthless rulers which have immortalized them in the hearts and minds of humanity. While the tyrants and aggressors have been demonized, these champions of liberty and equality of human rights have been valorized and glorified in the annals of history. It would be beneficial to broadly identify some of such human icons in the chronological order in order to seek inspiration from their unique legacy for the welfare of mankind. Such a glorious legacy belongs to Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675); Abrahm Lincoln (1809-1865), Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), Martin Luther King Jr (1929-1988), Nelson Mandella (1918 – 2013) to name a few.
Seen in this perspective, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs, responding to the prick of his conscience against the forcible conversion of the Indian majority community, the Hindus to Islam by a religiously zealot and bigoted Mughal emperor of India Aurangzeb in the seventeenth century, volunteered first to intercede with the emperor for the freedom of religion and equality of human rights and then to sacrifice his life after the emperor’s refusal to see reason. His steadfast struggle and sacrifice to uphold religious freedom and human rights in the face of ruthless oppression and bigoted tyranny is a land mark act of exceptional human grit and sacrifice, more so when the life and liberty of another religious community than his own was at stake. It is for this supreme sacrifice to offer his head to the executioner's sword which makes him a champion of upholding religious freedom, civil liberties and human rights. It is the universal dimension of his martyrdom/ sacrifice which need to be acknowledged and celebrated at the global level. What distinguishes Guru Tegh Bahadur from rest of the above quoted crusaders of equality and other liberties is not only his being the pioneer among them but also being a volunteer to face execution against religious persecution. It is his spiritual enlightenment earned through twenty six years of contemplative meditation at Baba Bakala in a secluded underground cell, striking a thoroughly mystical synchronization with the Divine Will which provided the requisite moral strength to him to face the executioner's sword with complete equanimity and balance of mind. It was a spiritual voyage consciously chosen, mastering all human weaknesses and temptations. Despite knowing the prophetic revelation of dying Guru Harkrishan intuitively bequeathing the Guruship on him and being confirmed soon after by conferment of a customary spiritual regalia consisting of a coconut, five paisa coins, a copy of Pothi Sahib (Adi Granth) and rosary on him by the than representative Sikhs of Guru Harkrishan's court including Bhai Gurditta (son of Baba Budha) and Diwan Daragha Mal at Baba Bakala, he remained unperturbed and anonymous while his family collaterals tried every trick of the trade to claim Guruship for themselves. It was only after the public declaration of his prime spiritual and religious status by the devout Makhan Shah after the fulfillment of his wish by guru Teg Bahadur that Guru Tegh Bahadur came out of his seclusion. He displayed a similar sense of detachment, earned through his long spiritual, meditative regimen and concomitant Divine grace during his visit to Amritsar where he was denied entrance to Darbar Sahib by the entrenched Masands. Soon after his return from Amritsar, his departure first from Baa Bakala to Kiratpur Sahib and thereafter to Makhowal (Anandpur) and return of the original Sikh scripture to Dhirmal to avoid any kind of bitterness and friction also bear testimony to his superior spiritual credentials worthy of a Sikh Guru. His preachings of cultivating moral virtues to his devout congregations from Anandpur, through Malwa region of Punjab, Bangar area in Haryana through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar to Bengal till Dacca in Bangladesh and his being held in great esteem by Raja Ram Singh of Delhi and Raja of Assam corroborate his image of a holy soul and a lover of mankind. He seems to have become an epitome of all Indian spiritual and moral virtues and a true embodiment of his predecessor Sikh Gurus by the time he returns to Anandpur, his seat of Sikh pontification. No wonder, he was looked upon as their savior by the persecuted Pandits of Kahsmir bearing the brunt of mass conversion of their community and destruction of their sacred shrines by the bigoted Mughal ruler. It is worth deliberation and reflection that none other holy personage or a spiritual giant other than Guru Tegh Bahadur throughout such a vast country as India was either looked up to to as a savior or volunteered himself to stand up to face this menacing religious persecution. It is a because of his inherent and hard-earned spiritual and moral strength and courage that Guru Tegh Bahadur accepted the challenge and assured the supplicant Brahmins to defend their right to religious freedom even at the cost of his life. His nine year old son's approval of his decision further strengthened his resolve.
Guru Tegh Bahadur's subsequent arrest along with his five companions, his quiet but firm refusal to convert to Islam or to show any miracle, his readiness to face execution, his witnessing the gruesome torture of his three companions and remaining unnerved, his steadfast allegiance to his principle of equality of human rights and bearing no malice or rancor towards his executers and penning his most soulful verses expressing complete detachment from life's joys, sorrows, hopes and fears and total devotion to the Divine power – reveal his spiritually enlightened being. His martyrdom and sacrifice for the vindication of human rights of equality of status, freedom of religious allegiance of one's own choice and peaceful co-existence in an age and society completely bereft of these human values both in concept and practice, where might was right and suppression of religious diversity the rule and tolerance of others' views an exception, was indeed unprecedented and unique. It was a saga of rare sacrifice and lighting the flame of human liberty which shall never be extinguished, which shall be carried aloft by the passionate votaries of human liberty and equality all across the globe wherever and whenever there is suppression of human liberties. For the Sikhs, Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom has become an integral part of their collective consciousness and religious heritage. It is indeed gratifying to see the Sikh/ Punjab farmers presently protesting against the recently passed unjust farm laws by an authoritarian regime along with their fraternal Kisan brethren from other states on the borders of India's capital with a similar sense of gravitas, non-violence and determination and grit as displayed by Guru Tegh Bahadur at Delhi in the seventeenth century. It is Guru’s legacy which is being practiced and demonstrated in equal measure by the Sikh Kisan leadership of this movement.
Since the year 2021 is the fourth birth centenary year of Guru Tegh Bahadur, we dedicate this issue of Abstracts of Sikh Studies to his great legacy and heritage. The different articles in this volume highlight the contours of his physical and mental growth and spiritual voyage, his sacrifice and martyrdom for upholding the human rights of freedom of religion and human equality and his soulful sacred verses. We hope the contents in this commemorative volume will refresh and recharge the well-springs of our glorious heritage in the hearts and minds of our readers.
Since the year 2021 is the fourth centenary year of his birth, it should be celebrated at the global level . It shall be a befitting tribute to this great champion of human rights as well as a message to the some of the strife-ridden societies and nations of the modern world to maintain communal harmony and world peace.
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II
The year 2021 also being the first centenary year of both the premier Sikh religious and political organizations, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and Shiromani Akali Dal, it is an occasion for stock taking and making an evaluative review of these two Sikh organizations. While we leave commenting upon the political entity to the political analysts, we would like to make a brief appraisal of the religious entity since its inception to the present times and speculate about its role in future. The SGPc, after its establishment through a legislative act and written constitution, has some landmark achievements to its credit. Not only has it consolidated its firm control and management of major Sikh shrines and their moveable and immovable assets located in territorial jurisdiction of erstwhile joint Punjab, but has also renovated and built its magnificent buildings with a distinct Sikh architectural design and accommodation for The pilgrims and spacious community kitchen (langar) and congregational halls. It also deserves credit for standardizing the observance of daily religious congregational prayer regimen or Maryada and its uniform observance in the Sikh shrines. In addition, it has also produced a large body of Sikh and Gurmat literature and raised a significant cadre of Sikh preachers well-versed in Sikh traditions and linguistic skills to communicate with the sikh masses. With the reasonable management of its assets and yearly increase in its income, it has also managed to create a vast network of educational institutions at the school, college and university levels. All this has been possible due to the inbuilt constitutional frame work and dedicated vision of some of the Sikh stalwarts being at the helm of affairs at different periods of its century old history. Despite all the faultiness which develop in all organizations over a passage of time, its basic infrastructure and assets are still intact and functional. It needs to make a fair assessment of the functioning of its fundamental organs and make a necessary course correction.
While evaluating its present functioning and management, it is necessary to identify the major faultlines before taking any remedial measures. As pointed out by late. S Harcharan Singh, Ex-chief Secretary, SGPC (2015 to 2017) on the basis of his personal two years insider’s view of the functioning of various organism of SGPC, some of the major maladies afflicting this august Sikh organization are its complete politicization from the fundamental electoral process to the appointment of all its functionaries from the higher managerial posts to the lowest employees, grossly flouting most of the terms and conditions governing these appointments as prescribed in the SGPC constitution, overstaffing at some posts and at some locations, non-transparent grant of contracts for various projects involving huge payments without following laid down procedures, renewal of leases of SGPC commercial properties and agricultural lands without adequate revision of the lease terms, submission of inflated monthly Gurdwara expenses bills procured from fake or non-existent firms by the managers of some of the bigger Sikh shrines and undue delay in handing over some of the the renovated and newly constructed Gurdwara buildings by some Karsewa wale Sant Babas to name a few. However the biggest malaise afflicting the apex body of the Sikhs at present is its becoming a hand maiden of the earlier ruling and now ousted Shiromani Akali Dal, especially its single family leadership. All the corrupt practices of nepotism and favoritism which afflicted the till recently ruling political party has also percolated and become an integral part of the SGPC management and work culture. The party functionaries who fail at the legislative hustings are adjusted in the SGPc and some of them even become presidents. The latest stage managed election of the present incumbent president and some other appointments to the interim committee do not inspire public confidence. Similarly, the quality of education and deficit financing in some of the SGPC run educational institutions leaves much to be updated. Thus, all these electoral, structural, managerial and financial distortions which have developed mainly over the last few decades and are now harming the image and efficiency of this highest Sikh religious body need to be set right.
While suggesting a roadmap for the improvements in the SGPC functioning in the immediate future, the highest priority needs to be given to the cleaning of the electoral process and proper constitution of the SGPc house. Since no other better and tangible procedure to constitute its house other than the democratic election system chosen, adopted and got legislated upon by the Sikh themselves at the time of its inception is available, it is necessary to plug the loopholes in the present electoral system. The onus for cleaning the electoral process is as much on the eligible Sikh voters for the Gurdwara election as on the Akali leadership controlling the SGPC. If this leadership honestly analyses the reasons for their ignominious defeat in the last assembly elections, it will realize that among the other reasons for their rout was their messing up with the religious affairs of the Sikhs and their mismanagement of SGPC during the last decade or so. The main reason for their loss of reputation among the Sikh masses has been their complete politicization of SGPC. The only possible way of setting the SGPC house in order is the adoption of responsible behavior by the controlling Akali leadership and the exercise of moral pressure of Sikh masses and Sikh voters to select candidates of impeccable character, devout and God fearing Gursikhs imbued with the spirit of dedication and selfless service to Sikh community. Every system of governance howsoever good and efficacious depends on the quality and character of men who manage that system. Rightly has the famous 8th century English classical poet Alexander Pope said:
"For forms of government, let fools contest
Whatever is administered best is the best" (Essay on Man)
Clean persons alone can run a clean syste. Once this basic fault line is repaired, it will have a cascading effect on every organ of this great institution. Now when we have no dearth of Sikh professionals in the fields of management and financial services, let us adopt the best management practices to manage this sacred Sikh conglomerate based on the humble and voluntary offerings and donations of millions of faithful Sikh devotees and make it the best managed house of God. Efficient management of SGPC and other Gurdwaras and proper utilization of Gurdwara funds will enhance the image of the Sikhs across the globe. Let us take this evolutionary plunge now that the moment for the second Gurdwara reformation has arrived.
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