| Bhavsagar Granth Bhavsagar Samunder Amrit Vani Granth | |
|---|---|
 Photographs of Piara Singh Bhaniara composing the Bhavsagar Granth | |
| Information | |
| Religion | Sikhism |
| Author | Piara Singh Bhaniara |
Bhavsagar Granth (full name: Bhavsagar Samunder Amrit Vani Granth) is a 2,704-page book considered as a religious text by the followers of the Indian religious leader Baba Piara Singh Bhaniara. Composed in 2000, it was banned by the Government of Punjab for hurting the religious feelings of Sikhs.
Baba Bhaniara is the founder of a religious sect that attracted mostly the marginalized Mazhabi Sikhs. In 1998, the Sikh religious body Akal Takht ex-communicated Bhaniara, accusing him of insulting Sikhism and the contemporary Sikh religious leaders. In summer 2000, a local gurudwara disallowed one of Bhaniara's followers from carrying the Sikh religious holy book Guru Granth Sahib . In response, Bhaniara's followers decided to create a new holy book (granth), which would not be controlled by the dominant section of the society. Over the next few months, Bhaniara and his followers created the Bhavsagar Granth (officially called Bhavsagar Samundar Amrit Vani). [1]
The writing of the book began on 20 June 2000. Most of it was authored by Pritam Singh of Dudhike village, with help from 20 other followers (including six women). [1]
Bhaniara released the book at a function held on the Baisakhi day in 2001. This 2,704-page copy was big and heavy: it was written on large sheets of paper with an expensive binding, and had several photographs of politicians who visited Bhaniara. [1]
The text was photocopied and distributed among Bhaniara's followers, who started holding religious ceremonies with the book at the centre. Meanwhile, a printer in Chandigarh was assigned to create printed copies of the book. [1]
Some Sikhs alleged that the book was insulting to their faith. According to them, the book copied several portions from the Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib . Moreover, the book had several photos in which Bhaniara allegedly imitated Guru Gobind Singh of the Sikhs. In one photo, he wore a shining coat and headgear similar to the ones seen in the popular posters of Gobind Singh; in another photo he rode a horse in manner of Gobind Singh. He also insisted that his sons be called sahibzadas , a term used for Gobind Singh's sons. The book also contained stories of Baniara's greatness, narrating how his followers experienced good luck, while those who criticized or taunted him suffered from bad luck. [1]
In September 2001, during a religious ceremony organized by Bhaniara's followers, a newly-formed organization called Khalsa Action Force attacked the function, seized the book and burned it. This was followed by several instances of Guru Granth Sahib being burnt in the rural gurudwaras of Punjab. The police arrested and presented before media some young men, who stated that they had burned Guru Granth Sahib at the instance of Bhaniara. [1] The arrests sparked off violence against Bhaniara's followers, and Bhaniara was himself arrested under the National Security Act. No action was taken against those who attacked Bhaniara's followers. [1]
In 2001, the Parkash Singh Badal-led Punjab government banned Bhavsagar Granth and confiscated all its copies, arresting those who were found in possession of these copies. The print copy was probably destroyed by the Punjab Police. [1]
Praveen Swamy wrote in Frontline: [2]
"Sadly, there has been little debate in Punjab on the legitimacy of the Punjab Government's decision to ban the Bhavsagar Granth. .. The Bhavsagar Granth ..at no point demeans the tenets or practice of the Sikh faith. ..The Bhavsagar Granth falls within a long tradition of insurgent folk religion. The Guru Granth Sahib itself, after all, took on Brahmanism in no certain terms.
The Supreme Court of India quashed the ban on Bhavsagar Granth on 11 November 2008, stating that the Punjab government was allowed to issue a fresh ban, if needed. [3] The Punjab Government then banned the book on 15 December 2008. [4]
Sikhism, also known as Sikhi, is an Indian religion and philosophy in particular for the Sikh ethnoreligious group that originated in the Punjab region of India around the end of the 15th century CE. The Sikh scriptures are written in the Gurumukhi script particular to Sikhs. It is one of the most recently founded major religious groups and among the largest in the world, with about 25–30 million adherents.
Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth and last human Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the Sikhs after his father Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed by Emperor Aurangzeb. His father was the ninth Sikh Guru. His four biological sons died during his lifetime – two in battle and two executed by the Mughal governor Wazir Khan.
The Guru Granth Sahib is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. The Adi Granth, its first rendition, was compiled by the fifth guru, Guru Arjan (1564–1606). Its compilation was completed on 29 August 1604 and first installed inside the Golden Temple in Amritsar on 1 September 1604. Baba Buddha was appointed the first Granthi of the Golden Temple. Shortly afterwards Guru Hargobind added Ramkali Ki Vaar. Later, Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh guru, added hymns of Guru Tegh Bahadur to the Adi Granth and affirmed the text as his successor. This second rendition became known as the Guru Granth Sahib and is also sometimes referred to as the Adi Granth.
Guru Har Krishan was the eighth of the ten Sikh Gurus. According to Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, Guru Harkrishan was born on 20 July 1652. At the age of five, he became the youngest Guru in Sikhism on 7 October 1661, succeeding his father, Guru Har Rai. He contracted smallpox in 1664 and died before reaching his eighth birthday. It is said that he died because he contracted smallpox while successfully curing his followers.
The following outline is provides an overview of Sikhism, or Sikhi.
The Dasam Granth is a collection of various poetic compositions attributed to Guru Gobind Singh. The text enjoyed an equal status with the Adi Granth, or Guru Granth Sahib, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and were installed side by side on the same platform. The Dasam Granth lost favor during the colonial period when reformist Singh Sabha Movement scholars couldn't contextualize the reworkings of Puranic stories or the vast collection of 'Tales of Deceit' Sri Charitropakhyan.
The Nihang or Akali, also known as Dal Khalsa, is an armed Sikh warrior order originating in the Indian subcontinent. Nihangs are believed to have originated either from Fateh Singh and the attire he wore or from the "Akal Sena" started by Guru Hargobind. Early Sikh military history was dominated by the Nihang, known for their victories where they were heavily outnumbered. Traditionally known for their bravery and ruthlessness in the battlefield, the Nihang once formed the irregular guerrilla squads of the armed forces of the Sikh Empire, the Sikh Khalsa Army.
Piara Singh Bhaniara also known as Baba Bhaniara, was a Dalit religious leader from Punjab, India. He established a breakaway Sikh sect in the 1980s, which was opposed by orthodox Sikhs as insulting to their faith. In 2001, his followers published their own holy text Bhavsagar Granth, and allegedly insulted the Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib. This sparked violence against Bhaniara's followers. The Government of Punjab banned Bhavsagar Granth, and arrested and jailed Bhaniara.
Anandpur Sahib, also referred simply as Anandpur, is a city in Rupnagar district (Ropar), on the edge of Shivalik Hills, in the Indian state of Punjab. Located near the Sutlej River, the city is one of the most sacred religious places in Sikhism, being the place where the last two Sikh Gurus, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh, lived. It is also the place where Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699. The city is home to Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib, the third of the five Takhts in Sikhism.
The Takht Sri Darbar Sahib Damdama Sahib, is one of the five takhts or Seat of Temporal Authority of Sikhism, located in Talwandi Sabo, near the city of Bathinda in Bathinda district of Punjab, India. At this place Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, prepared the full version of the Sikh scriptures called Sri Guru Granth Sahib in 1705. The other four Takhts are the Akal Takht, Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Takht Sri Patna Sahib and Takht Sri Hazur Sahib.
Chamkaur Sahib is a Sub Divisional town in the district of Rupnagar in the Indian State of Punjab.
Nanakpanthi, also known as Nanakshahi, is a Sikh sect which follows Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the founder of Sikhism.
Followers of Sikhism do not have a preference for meat or vegetarian consumption. There are two views on initiated or "Amritdhari Sikhs" and meat consumption. "Amritdhari" Sikhs can eat meat. "Amritdharis" that belong to some Sikh sects are vehemently against the consumption of meat and eggs.
Hazur Sahib, also known as Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib, is one of the five takhts in Sikhism. The gurdwara was built between 1832 and 1837 by Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780–1839). It is located on the banks of the Godavari River at the city of Nanded in the state of Maharashtra, India.
A takht, or taḵẖat, literally means a throne or seat of authority and is a spiritual and temporal centre of Sikhism. There are five takhts, which are five gurudwaras that have a very special significance for the Sikh community. Three are located in Punjab whilst the remaining two are located outside of it.
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