Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Religious Studies – Anthology
302Post-script: The ‘Seva, Panj Piare, Sukhasan Ceremony’ Controversy
Sinc e t he submission of t his art ic le, fasc inat ing development s have oc c urred:
on 8th August 2005, following the dec ision of the SGPC’s advisory c ommittee (the
Dharma Parc har Committee), SGPC’s President Jagir Kaur announc ed that women
would now be permitted to do Kirtan and Sukhasan seva at the Darbar Sahib
(‘‘SGPC Permits’’). A report notes that ‘‘unofficial reports say that the SGPC rules
and regulations for women hazuri ragis may be finalized as early as next month.
Arrangements are also in the works for women’s Sukhasan seva’’ (Byala). Opinions
and reac tions to the announc ement were swift. Perhaps most indic ative of the
arising diffic ulties in impleme nting these c hanges was the protest whic h erupted
from t he Damda mi T akhsal, by bot h it s c urrent and former Jat hedars, part ic ularly
with regard to women becoming panj piares at the Darbar Sahib. Bhai Ranjit Singh,
the former Jathedar of Damda mi Takhsal, vowed that ‘‘Panthic organizations would
physic ally remove’’ Joginder Singh Vedant i from his posit ion of Jat hedar of t he Akal
Takhat, if these c hanges were c arried out. Further, Ranjit Singh insisted that ‘‘the
dec ision to allow Sikh women to perform ‘kirtan’ from the sanc tum sanc torum of
Harmandar Sahib should be taken only after taking entire Sikh Panth into
c onfidenc e’’. Another former Jathedar of the Akal Takhat insisted that there was no
historical precedence of women performing kirt an from the Darbar Sahib (Walia,
‘‘SGPC Move’’). In light of the c ontroversy it would appear that the Jathedar of the
Akal Takhat is also back-peddling on the issue. Jathedar Vedanti rec ently insist ed
that more discussions were needed before a final decision could be made (ibid).
The c ontroversy is thus far from being resolved. The c urrent debate has as
much to say about deeply held beliefs, practices, and ritual development
surrounding Sikh women as it has about the notion of authority in Sikhism. This
issue revolves around a contest for authority between representatives of the Akal
Takhat, the SGPC, and the Damdami Takhsal. Clearly, the debate warrants a good
deal of analysis as it c ont inues to unfold.
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