Thaminder Singh Anand

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Thaminder Singh Anand
Thaminder Singh Anand.jpg
Born (1957-09-30) 30 September 1957 (age 66)
Known forExcommunication by Akal Takht

Thaminder Singh Anand is a controversial US-based Sikh researcher who was excommunicated from the Sikh faith by the Akal Takht (the highest authority in Sikhism) and the SGPC. [1]

Contents

Career

He has translated the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy religious text of Sikhism, into eight different languages, including French, English, Arabic, Telugu, Oriya, Gujarati, and Hindi with a team of 50 translators from all over the world. [2] [3] He also created two websites for the Sikh community, providing a collection of Sikh literature, including rare handwritten copies of the Guru Granth Sahib. [4] [5] [6]

Excommunication by the Akal Takht

His work caused controversy and he was expelled from the Sikh religion by Akal Takht, one of the highest authorities in Sikhism. [7] [8] [9] However, he has still continued to carry on with his work. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gurdwara</span> Place of worship in Sikhism

A gurdwara or gurudwara is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs but its normal meaning is place of guru or "Home of guru". Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as Gurdwara Sahib. People from all faiths and religions are welcomed in gurdwaras. Each gurdwara has a Darbar Sahib where the Guru Granth Sahib is placed on a takht in a prominent central position. Any congregant may recite, sing, and explain the verses from the Guru Granth Sahib, in the presence of the rest of the congregation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guru Granth Sahib</span> Primary scripture of Sikhism

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee</span> Indian Sikh administrative organization

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is an organization in India responsible for the management of Gurdwaras, Sikh places of worship in states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and the union territory of Chandigarh. SGPC also administers Darbar Sahib in Amritsar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akal Takht</span> Sikh religious site in Amritsar, Punjab, India

The Akal Takht is one of five takhts of the Sikhs. It is located in the Darbar Sahib complex in Amritsar, Punjab, India. The Akal Takht was built by Guru Hargobind as a place of justice and consideration of temporal issues; the highest seat of earthly authority of the Khalsa and the place of the Jathedar, the highest spokesman of the Sikhs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akhand Kirtani Jatha</span> Sikh group

The Akhand Kirtani Jatha, alternatively romanized as the Akhand Keertanee Jathaa and abbreviated as AKJ, is a jatha and sect of Sikhism dedicated to the Sikh lifestyle. The Jatha follows a strict discipline in keeping the Rehat of Guru Gobind Singh. They also enjoy an active style of Keertan recited by Sikhs in a collective manner in front of Guru Granth Sahib. This style of Keertan is relatively simple, and the entire congregation devotionally participates in singing along.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piara Singh Bhaniara</span> Indian religious leader (1958–2019)

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 Punjab government banned Bhavsagar Granth, and arrested and jailed Bhaniara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Takht Sri Patna Sahib</span> Sikh takht in Patna, Bihar, India)

Takht Sri Patna Sahib also known as Takhat Sri Harimandir Ji, Patna Sahib, is one of the five takhts of the Sikhs, located in Patna, Bihar, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nanakshahi calendar</span> Calendar used in Sikhism

The Nanakshahi(Gurmukhi: ਨਾਨਕਸ਼ਾਹੀ, pronunciation: [naːnakʃaːɦiː])calendar is a tropical solar calendar used in Sikhism. It is based on the "Barah Maha", a composition composed by the Sikh gurus reflecting the changes in nature conveyed in the twelve-month cycle of the year. The year begins with the month of Chet, with 1 Chet corresponding to 14 March. The reference epoch of the Nanakshahi calendar is the birth of Guru Nanak Dev, corresponding to the year 1469 CE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikh scriptures</span> Holy books of an Indian religion

The principal Sikh scripture is the Adi Granth, more commonly called the Guru Granth Sahib. The second most important scripture of the Sikhs is the Dasam Granth. Both of these consist of text which was written or authorised by the Sikh Gurus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anand Karaj</span> Sikh marriage ceremony

Anand Karaj is the Sikh marriage ceremony, meaning "Act towards happiness" or "Act towards happy life", that was introduced by Guru Amar Das. The four laavaan were composed by his successor, Guru Ram Das. Although the recitation of Guru Amar Das' stanzas in Sikh ceremonies is a historical and enduring tradition, the practice of circumabulating around the Guru Granth Sahib to conduct a marriage ceremony is a relatively recent innovation that supplanted the tradition of circumabulating around the sacred fire (havan) in the early twentieth century. The Anand ceremony was originally legalised in India through the passage of the Anand Marriage Act of 1909, but is now governed by the Sikh Reht Maryada that was issued by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC).

Sarbat Khalsa, was a biannual deliberative assembly of the Sikhs held at Amritsar in Punjab during the 18th century. It literally translates to the "entire Sikh Nation" but as a political institution it refers to the meetings of the Dal Khalsa and the legislature of the Sikh Confederacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jagtar Singh Hawara</span> Jailed Jathedar of Akal Takht

Jagtar Singh Hawara is a high level member of Babbar Khalsa who is currently serving life imprisonment at Tihar Jail. He was convicted as a conspirator in the assassination of 12th Chief Minister of Punjab, Beant Singh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harjinder Singh Dilgeer</span>

Harjinder Singh Dilgeer He is the only author who has written Complete History of the Sikhs and has translated Guru Granth Sahib in English and has published NEW MAHAN KOSH Encyclopedia of Sikh literature, Punjab & Sikh History {3 of the 4 volumes of the NEW Mahan Kosh have been published in March 2021. He has written in detail about the concept and the history of Akal Takht Sahib, Sikh culture, Shiromani Akali Dal, history of Anandpur Sahib, and Kiratpur Sahib, Dictionary of Sikh Philosophy etc. The Sikh Reference Book is his magnum opus. 'The Sikh Reference Book' is an encyclopedia consisting of more than 2400 biographies, complete chronology of Sikh history, 400 concepts of Sikh philosophy as well more than 800 Sikh shrines. He has produced a Sikh Encyclopedia CD-ROM. His latest books are Encyclopedia of Jalandhar (English), Banda Singh Bahadur, Sikh Twareekh in five volumes, Sikh History in ten volumes ; and English translations of Nitnaym and Sukhmani Sahib.. His latest work is the English translation of Guru Granth Sahib, in seven volumes and a Sikh encyclopedia named Nawah Mahan Kosh consisting of four volumes.

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.

Giani Gurbachan Singh is a Sikh preacher who served as the jathedar of the Akal Takht from 2008 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akali Santa Singh</span>

Pashaura Singh (1928–2008) also known as Santa Singh or to Nihang Sikhs as Jathedar Akali Baba Santa Singh Ji Nihang 96 Crori was the 13th Jathedar of Budha Dal, succeeding Akali Chet Singh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jathedar of the Akal Takht</span> Head of the Akal Takht and head of the Sikhs

The Jathedar of the Akal Takht is the head of the Akal Takht and head of the Sikhs worldwide. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ranjit Singh Dhadrian Wala</span> Indian Sikh preacher

Bhai Ranjit Singh Dhandrian Wala is a preacher of Sikhism.

Aman Singh Gulati is an Indian visual artist. He paints artworks on multiple miniature objects including almonds, matchsticks etc. He achieved multiple national and international awards including multiple world records, including Guinness World Records. Some of Gulati's works promote various social causes. In 2019, he created a portrait of each of the 44 soldiers who died in the then-recent Pulwama attack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giani Harpreet Singh</span> Former acting jathedar of the Akal Takht

Giani Harpreet Singh is a Sikh preacher who served as the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee-appointed acting jathedar of the Akal Takht from October 2018 to June 2023. He has also served as the acting jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib since April 2017.

References

  1. "US-based 'tankhaiya' Sikh writes to Akal Takht, targets SGPC". The Times of India. 2022-05-20. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  2. "Sleazy video row: After 5 years, Akal Takht pardons ex-Akali minister Langah". Hindustan Times. 2022-11-26. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  3. "Akal Takht likely to declare verdict against US Sikh publisher for distortion in gurbani". Hindustan Times. 2022-04-25. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  4. "Akal Takht forms Sikh scholars' panel to probe Gurbani distortion on website". Hindustan Times. 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  5. "Akal Takht calls meet over Gurbani 'distortion' by US-based man". www.tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  6. "Akal Takht Sahib Orders Californian to Stop Printing and Distribution of Guru Granth Sahib Saroops". www.sikh24.com. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  7. "अमेरिकी वेबसाइट पर गलतियों के साथ अपलोड हुआ 'गुरु ग्रंथ साहिब', बड़ी कार्रवाई की तैयारी में अकाल तख्त". News18 हिंदी (in Hindi). 2022-05-03. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  8. "Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib stressed, center should fulfill every promise made to the Sikhs". www.punjabnewsexpress.com. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  9. "Punjab: आपत्तिजनक वीडियो मामले में सुच्चा सिंह लंगाह तनखैया घोषित, पांच सिंह साहिबान ने सुनाया फैसला". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  10. "तनखैया थमिंदर सिंह का SGPC पर आरोप:ई-मेल के जरिए भेजा जवाब, मांगी माफी- तख्त पर पेश नहीं हो सकता". www.bhaskar.com. Retrieved 8 April 2023.