A HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF THE SIKH GURDWARAS ACT, 1925 by PRITPAL KAUR RIAT A thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY College of Arts and Law School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion Department of Theology and Religion University of Birmingham November, 2011 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT Gurdwara legislation, Gurdwara management and institutions of Sikh leadership affect all Sikhs and are in existence to uphold and perpetuate Sikh religious traditions and values. This study is a historical and theological evaluation of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, which was a secular legislation introduced in 1925 by the British administration in India. It evolved as a response to the Gurdwara Reform Movement, which was a religiously motivated struggle, to provide a scheme of management for Gurdwaras. The study constructs a narrative which evaluates the historical context and factors leading to the creation of the Act. Through a theological evaluation which engages in the interpretation and application of the Sikh Sacred Scriptures, the study then highlights that there is a contradiction which should not exist between: the content and implementation of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925; the constitution and actions of Sikh leadership institutions (the SGPC and the SAD); and between the theological teachings of the Sikh Dharam. The study ultimately suggests that there is need for the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 to be redeveloped so that Gurdwara legislation, Gurdwara management and institutions of Sikh leadership epitomise and are a more authentic reflection of the teachings within the Sikh Sacred Scriptures. DEDICATION Dedicated to Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh (Spiritual Leader and Chairman of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha), whose vision, direction and blessings made this possible. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Dr Jagbir Kaur Jhutti-Johal, my main supervisor, for her knowledge, guidance and kindness in helping me complete this study. I also wish to thank Dr David Cheetham for his assistance with the first drafts, and the staff in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Birmingham. I am indebted to the many congregation members and friends of the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha who have given me constant motivation and wished me well over the years. In particular I wish to acknowledge Mr Gurcharan Singh Chandan and Professor Pal Ahluwalia, who have, on countless occasions, willingly and voluntarily given much of their time and expertise in helping to shape this study. Last but by no means least, I inadequately thank my family and friends for their unconditional love and enduring patience, and express utmost gratitude to my parents Kirpal Singh and Dalvier Kaur, and to my two ever- encouraging and inspirational sisters, Amritpal Kaur and Prabhjit Kaur for their constant support. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER One – Introduction………………………………………..…………...1 1.1 Focus and applicability of study……………………………………………...1 1.2 Literature review………………………………………………………………..4 1.2.1 Primary sources………………………………………………………...5 1.2.2 Secondary sources……………………………………………………..7 1.2.2.1 Management of Gurdwaras………………………................8 1.2.2.2 Gurdwara Reform Movement (1920 – 1925)……………..11 1.2.2.3 Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925………………………………….19 1.2.2.4 The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)………………………………..25 1.2.2.5 Role of politics in the Sikh Dharam………………………...31 1.2.2.6 Sikh leadership………………………………………………34 1.2.3 Media…………………………………………………………..............36 1.2.4 Findings of Literature Review………………………………………37 1.3 Methodology…………………………………………………………………...39 1.3.1 The use of the Sikh Sacred Scriptures………………………………41 1.3.1.1 The Granth as Guru…………………………………………42 1.3.1.2 The Divine origins of the Guru’s Word…………………...45 1.3.1.3 Qualifying the authority of the Sikh Sacred Scriptures……………………………………………………..............51 1.3.1.4 Applying the teachings of the Sikh Sacred Scriptures……………………………………………..………………56 1.3.2 Methodology for approaching the Sikh Sacred Scriptures………62 1.3.3 Personal bias…………………………………………………..............73 1.3.4 Hermeneutics…………………………………………………………84 1.4 Outline of study……………………..………………………………………...98 CHAPTER Two – History of the Gurdwara and Gurdwara management……………………………………………………………………….103 2.1 The Gurdwara………………………………………………………………...103 2.2 Management of Gurdwaras………………………………………………...117 2.2.1 Management of Gurdwaras during times of the ten Gurus (1469 – 1708)…………………………………………………………………………118 2.2.2 Management of Gurdwaras from 1708 – 1849……………………120 2.2.3 Management of Gurdwaras from 1849 – 1920……………………122 CHAPTER Three – The Gurdwara Reform Movement (1920–1925)……….151 3.1 Genesis of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)…………………………………………………………………………153 3.2 Formalisation of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)……………………….161 3.3 Formulation of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925……………………...……164 3.3.1 British policy of non-interference……………………………...…..164 3.3.2 First attempts at Gurdwara legislation………………………...….166 3.3.3 Demands of the Sikh community……………………………...…..167 3.3.4 Attempts for a second Gurdwaras Bill……………………………171 3.3.5 The SGPC gains further autonomy………………………..............188 3.3.6 Hailey’s policies aggravate tensions………………………………192 3.3.7 Sikh Gurdwaras and Shrines Bill, 1925 materialises………..............196 3.4 Initial reactions to the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925……………………….215 CHAPTER Four – Jurisdiction and constitutional validity of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925……………………………………………………………...231 4.1 Jurisdiction of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925……………………………233 4.2 Replication of the SGPC model of management………………………...235 4.3 Continued Governmental interference in Gurdwara management…………………………………………………………………...…..245 4.3.1 Case studies………………………………………………………….257 CHAPTER Five – Theological evaluation of issues arising with the implementation of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925……………………...……269 5.1 Defining a Gurdwara………………………………………………………...271 5.1.1 A Gurdwara defined from a Sikh theological perspective…………………………………………………………...…….271 5.1.2 A Gurdwara defined by the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925……….272 5.2 Defining Sikh identity………………………………………………...…….285 5.2.1 Sikh identity defined from a Sikh theological perspective……………………………………………………...……….….285 5.2.2 Sikh identity defined by the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925………..302 5.3 Defining caste……………………………………………………...…………315 5.3.1 The caste system defined from a Sikh theological perspective………………………...………………………………………..315 5.3.2 The caste system defined by the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925……………………………………………………...…………………..317 CHAPTER Six – Theological evaluation of issues arising with the SGPC and the SAD in relation to the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925…321 6.1 Resources and finances………………………...……………………………323 6.1.1 Resources and finances from a Sikh theological perspective…………………………………………………………...……..331 6.1.2 Issues arising with resources and finances with the SGPC and the SAD in relation to the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925………………….…..340 6.2 Politics and power…………………………………………………………...345 6.2.1 Politics and power from a Sikh theological perspective…...……346 6.2.2 Issues arising with politics and power with the SGPC and the SAD in relation to the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925…………………..…..360 6.3 Criteria and selection process of religious leaders………...…………….371 6.3.1 Criteria and selection process of religious leaders from a Sikh theological perspective…………………………………………………….376 6.3.2 Issues arising with the criteria and selection process of the SGPC and the SAD in relation to the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925……………………………………………………...…………………..412 CHAPTER Seven – Conclusion………………………………...……………….431 Title list of Tables Table 1: Management of Gurdwaras throughout Sikh history…………….....146 Appendices………………………………………………………………...………466 Appendix 1 - Chart detailing dates of Guruship of the Sikh Gurus (1469 – Present)………………………………………………………………..……………466 Glossary……………………………………………………………………...…….467 Bibliography………………………………………………………..……………..472 CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION 1.1 Focus and applicability of study Gurdwara legislation, Gurdwara management and institutions of Sikh leadership affect all Sikhs and are in existence to uphold and perpetuate both Sikh religious traditions and values. This study is a historical and theological evaluation of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, which was a secular legislation introduced in 1925 by the British administration in India. It was introduced as a response to the Sikh Gurdwara Reform Movement, a religiously motivated struggle. As the following literature review reveals, there is a plethora of literature written on Gurdwara legislation, Gurdwara management and institutions of Sikh leadership. However, there is a substantial lack of literature specifically on the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 within the contexts of Gurdwara management and institutions of Sikh leadership. Furthermore, there is a distinct absence of literature evaluating the Sikh 1 Gurdwaras Act, 1925, its implementation