Jathedar of the Akal Takht
ਜੱਥੇਦਾਰ ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ ਸਾਹਿਬ
Incumbent
Disputed between;
Jagtar Singh Hawara (Sarbat Khalsa)[lower-alpha 1]
Raghbir Singh (SGPC)[lower-alpha 2]
Style
Member ofKhalsa
Reports toSikhs
SeatAkal Takht, Amritsar
AppointerSGPC
Sarbat Khalsa
Term lengthNo term limit; at the Khalsa's pleasure
Formation17th century
First holderBhai Gurdas
as custodian of the Akal Takht
Websitewww.shriakaltakhtsahib.com

The Jathedar of the Akal Takht (Punjabi: ਜੱਥੇਦਾਰ ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ ਸਾਹਿਬ) is the head of the Akal Takht and head of the Sikhs worldwide.[3] The jathedar has the de facto power as the supreme spokesperson of the Khalsa to summon, trial and sentence any person who identifies as a Sikh from the Akal Takht.[4]

The current jathedars are the imprisoned Jagtar Singh Hawara, who was declared by the Sarbat Khalsa on 10 November 2015[5][6] and Raghbir Singh, appointed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on 16 June 2023.[7] Due to the imprisonment of Hawara, Dhian Singh Mand appointed by the Sarbat Khalsa has been serving as the acting jathedar.[8] The jathedars of the five takhts generally make important decisions in consultation within the framework of the Sikh Rehat Maryada while considering the collective will of the Sikhs.[9]

The position of jathedar is not established by any constitutional document, but exists only by long-established convention, whereby a Sarbat Khalsa or an institution authorised by it appoints a person most likely to command the confidence of the Sikhs.[10] The jathedar is supported by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and heads the other four jathedars of the takhts.[11] The jathedar also commands the Akalis, an armed Sikh warrior order started from the Akal Takht by the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind.[12]

The Akal Takht is the building directly opposite the Darbar Sahib founded by Guru Hargobind, as a symbol of political sovereignty and where spiritual and temporal concerns of the Sikh people can be addressed.[13] Along with Baba Buddha and Bhai Gurdas, the sixth Guru built a concrete slab. When Guru Hargobind revealed the platform on 15 June 1606, he put on two swords: one indicated his spiritual authority (piri) and the other, his temporal authority (miri).[14]

History and development

Title and etymology

The word jathedar is a compound of ਜੱਥਾ, jathā, 'collective' and ਦਾਰ, dār, 'keeper of', meaning leader of a people as a collective.[15] The title is used for a commander of a Sikh military unit and applies to a head of a takht.[16]

Origin

After the execution of the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan, his son and successor Guru Hargobind bearing the two swords of ਮੀਰੀ, mīrī, 'politics' and ਪੀਰੀ, pīrī, 'spirituality' declared himself sovereign and defied the imperial edict of the Mugal Empire in 1606.[17] Recognising the necessity of coordinating efforts against the Mughal empire, the Guru simultaneously began the process of militarising the Sikhs.[18] The first hukamnama issued from the Akal Takht on 30 June 1606 commanded the Sikhs to offer arms and horses.[19] The position of jathedar was established, when the Guru appointed Bhai Gurdas as the first custodian of the Akal Takht, which was then known as the Akal Bunga.[20] However, Guru Hargobind had to leave the Akal Takht in 1734 due to the hostilities of the Mughal rulers, and the institution came under the control of the Minas, descendants of Prithi Chand.[21]

Following the establishment of the Khalsa, which took effect on 13 April 1699, the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh sent Bhai Mani Singh to Amritsar with instructions to take possession of the Darbar Sahib and the Akal Takht from the Minas.[22] The Sikhs assigned Bhai Mani Singh as the head granthi of Harmandir Sahib and the jathedar of the Akal Takht. After the passing of Guru Gobind Singh, the Sikh divisions accepted the common leadership and sovereignty of the head of the Akal Takht.[23]

Sarbat Khalsa

In 1733, Zakariya Khan Bahadur attempted to negotiate truce with the Sikhs by offering them a jagir, the title Nawab to their head, and unimpeded access to Amritsar. After discussion at a Sarbat Khalsa, Kapur Singh Virk was chosen head of the Sikhs and took the title of Nawab.[24] He combined the various Sikh militias into two groups; Taruna Dal for under 40 years of age and the Buddha Dal for over 40 years of age, which would collectively be known as Dal Khalsa.[25] The Taruna Dal was further divided in five jathas, each with 1300 to 2000 men and a separate drum and banner.[26] Considering Hari ke Pattan, where the Sutlej and Beas rivers meet as a reference point, the Taruna Dal was assigned to control the eastern area while the Buddha Dal controlled the west.[27]

On 23 March 1748, a Sarbat Khalsa appointed Jassa Singh Ahluwalia to take the command of Dal Khalsa and become the head of the Sikhs.[28] Ahluwalia proclaimed the title of Sultan-ul-Qaum when the Sikhs under his leadership defeated the Afghan forces of Ahmad Shah Abdali and took Lahore without resistance in September 1761.[29] The 40,000 allied forces of Baghel Singh, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Jassa Singh Ramgarhia conquered the Red Fort in Delhi and hoisted the Nishan Sahib atop on 11 March 1783. The condition of their retreat included the construction of seven gurdwaras marking Sikh historical sites in Delhi.[30]

Dispute

A Sarbat Khalsa convened by Sikh organisations opposed to the influence of Shiromani Akali Dal over Sikh religious institutions in 2015 appointed Jagtar Singh Hawara as the Jathedar of Akal Takht. The SGPC president at that time, Avtar Singh Makkar, however condemned the convening as against the principles of Sikhism and it's decisions null and void. He added that the removal of Jathedars came under Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 and no one could challenge the authority of the SGPC.[1] Giani Gurbachan Singh continued to remain in his post until his resignation on 18 October 2018. On 23 October, the SGPC appointed Giani Harpreet Singh as the acting jathedar of Akal Takht.[31]

Qualifications and selection

Jathedar Harpreet Singh surrounded by Sikh children at Takanini Gurdwara in New Zealand.

The jathedar serves at the Khalsa’s pleasure, meaning the post does not have a fixed term, and once appointed, the jathedar remains in service until they resign, are dismissed, or die.

Chapter IV, Article V of the Sikh Rehat Maryada only permits an initiated Sikh to enter the hallowed enclosures of a takht; therefore, only a Khalsa Sikh of high regard can become a jathedar. [32] Prior to 1921, jathedars were appointed by the Sarbat Khalsa, a biannual deliberative assembly of the Sikhs held at Amritsar.[33] Since 1921, the jathedar of takhts have generally been appointed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.[34]

Role and authority

Chapter XIII, Article XXVII of the Sikh Rehat Maryada allows for an appeal against a local decision concerning the Sikhs to be made to the Akal Takht.[32] The jathedar of the Akal Takht has the de facto power to summoned Sikhs including those who hold a position of authority to be trialed.[35] Hukamnamas issued by the jathedar from the Akal Takht which are binding may order an acquittal, penalty or excommunication.[36] The Khalsa can hold individuals accountable for violating the decisions of the Akal Takht.[37]

List

Colour key

  Guru   Sarbat Khalsa   Buddha Dal   British Indian Government   SGPC

List of jathedars of the Akal Takht from 1618 – present.
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term Assigned by Ref.
1 Gurdas Bhalla
(1551–1637)
1606 1637[ੴ] 31 years Guru Hargobind [38]
2 Mani Singh
(1644–1737)
1699 1737[ੴ] 38 years Guru Gobind Singh [39]
3 Darbara Singh
(1644–1734)
1722 1734[ੴ] 12 years Sarbat Khalsa [40]
4 Kapur Singh Virk
(1697–1753)
1737 29 March
1748
14 years Sarbat Khalsa [39]
5 Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
(1718–1783)
29 March
1748
23 October
1783[ੴ]
35 years, 208 days Sarbat Khalsa [39]
6 Phula Singh
(1761–1823)
1800 1823[ੴ] 23 years Sarbat Khalsa [41]
7 Hanuman Singh
(1755–1846)
1823 1846[ੴ] 23 years Buddha Dal [40]
8 Prahlad Singh
(death 1865)
1846 1865[ੴ] 19 years Buddha Dal [40]
9 Gian Singh Deol 1865 1907[ੴ] 42 years Buddha Dal [40]
10 Arur Singh Naushehra
(1865-1926)
1907 August
1920
13 years British Indian Government [42]
11 Teja Singh Bhuchar
12 October
1920
1921 1 year Sarbat Khalsa [43]
12
1 of 2
Teja Singh Akarpuri
(1892-1975)
29 April
1921
13 October
1923
2 years, 167 days SGPC [44]
13
1 of 2
Udham Singh Nagoke
(1894-1966)
1923 1924 1 year SGPC [40]
14
1 of 2
Acchar Singh
(1893-1976)
09 February
1924
10 January
1926
1 year, 335 days SGPC [45]

2 of 2
Udham Singh Nagoke
(1894-1966)
10 January
1926
short period Less than a year SGPC [45]

2 of 2
Teja Singh Akarpuri
(1892-1975)
27 November
1926
21 January
1930
3 years, 55 days SGPC [44]
15 Didar Singh
1925 short period Less than a year SGPC [40]
16 Jawaher Singh Mattu Bhaike
1926 short period Less than a year SGPC [40]
17 Gurmukh Singh Musafir
(1899-1976)
1931 1934 3 years SGPC [40]
18 Vaisakha Singh Dadehar
(1877-1957)
October
1934
December
1934
61 days SGPC
19 Mohan Singh Nagoke
(1898-1969)
1935 1952 17 years SGPC [40]
20
1 of 2
Partap Singh
(1904-1984)
(Acting)
1938 1948 10 years SGPC [46]

2 of 2
Partap Singh
(1904-1984)
1952 1954 2 years SGPC [46]

2 of 2
Acchar Singh
(1893-1976)
23 May
1955
08 November
1962
7 years, 169 days SGPC [45]
21 Mohan Singh Tur
(1916-1979)
1962 1963 1 year SGPC [40]
22 Sadhu Singh Bhaura
(1905-1984)
1964 1980 16 years SGPC [40]
23
1 of 2
Kirpal Singh
(1918-1993)
(Acting)
1963 1965 2 years SGPC [47]
24 Gurdial Singh Ajnoha
(1927-1982)
2 March
1980
1982[ੴ] 2 years SGPC [40]

2 of 2
Kirpal Singh
(1918-1993)
1983 26 July
1986
3 years SGPC [47]
25 Jasbir Singh Rode
26 January
1986
28 May 1988 3 years Sarbat Khalsa [48]
26 Gurdev Singh Kaunke
(1949-1993)
(Acting)
26 January
1986
1993[ੴ] 7 years Sarbat Khalsa [40]
27 Gurbachan Singh Manochahal
(1954-1993)
(Acting)
27 April
1986
26 January
1987
274 days Sarbat Khalsa [49]
28
1 of 2
Darshan Singh
(born 1940)
(Acting)
31 December
1986
9 March
1988
1 year, 69 days SGPC [50]

2 of 2
Darshan Singh
(born 1940)
1989 1990 1 year SGPC [40]
29 Manjit Singh
(Acting)
1994 1997 3 years SGPC [40]
30 Ranjit Singh
(born 1955)
1994 March
1999
5 years SGPC [40]
31
1 of 2
Puran Singh
(death 2019)
(Acting)
10 February
1999
April
1999
50 days SGPC [51]

2 of 2
Puran Singh
(death 2019)
April
1999
28 March
2000
362 days SGPC [51]
32 Joginder Singh Vadanti
(death 2021)
28 March
2000
2008 8 years SGPC [52]
33 Gurbachan Singh
(born 1948)
06 August
2008
18 October
2018
10 years, 73 days SGPC [53]
34 Jagtar Singh Hawara
(born 1973)
10 November
2015
Incumbent 8 years, 58 days Sarbat Khalsa [54]
35 Dhian Singh Mand
(born 1961)
(Acting)
10 November
2015
Incumbent 8 years, 58 days Sarbat Khalsa [55]
36 Harpreet Singh
(born 1972)
(Acting)
22 October
2018
16 June
2023
5 years, 77 days SGPC [56]
37 Raghbir Singh
(born 1970)
16 June
2023
Incumbent 205 days SGPC [2]
  • ^ੴ Died during term

Timeline of jathedars

The following timeline depicts the progression of the jathedars.

Giani Harpreet SinghDhian Singh MandJagtar Singh HawaraGiani Gurbachan SinghGurbachan Singh ManochahalGurdev Singh KaunkeSadhu Singh BhauraMohan Singh TurPartap SinghMohan Singh NagokeGurmukh Singh MusafirUdham Singh NagokeTeja Singh AkarpuriArur Singh NausheraAkali Prahlad SinghAkali Hanuman SinghAkali Phula SinghJassa Singh AhluwaliaNawab Kapur SinghBaba Darbara SinghBhai Mani SinghBhai Gurdas


Notes

  1. Hawara was appointed by the Sarbat Khalsa on 10 November 2015. However due to his imprisonment, Dhian Singh Mand was appointed as the acting jathedar in his stead. The SGPC however refused to recognize its decisions.[1]
  2. The SGPC refused to recognize the authority of the 2015 Sarbat Khalsa.[1] Raghbir Singh has served as the jathedar of SGPC since 2023.[2]

References

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