The Akal Takht Sahib the Seat of Sikh polity and the Throne of the Almighty is one of the five sacred thrones of Sikh faith It was founded on 15th June 1606 during the period of the fifth Guru Arjan Sahib whose popularity had grown so much among masses in Punjab that he was known as Sacha Patshah (the True King) because of the spiritual guidance and justice he provided. However the Hindu enmity to Sikhism and state aggression resulted in the martyrdom of the fifth Guru (Dilgeer HS. 1991. Who are the Sikhs? Guru Nanak Institute of Sikh Studies Norway). Following the martyrdom of the fifth Guru the sixth Guru Hargobind Sahib constructed the Akal Takht on a raised platform of 12 feet that resembled a throne. Equipped with two swords the Guru would sit on this throne. One sword represented spiritual power and other represented temporal authority the combination of meditation (Bhakti) and the power of self-defence (Shakti) to protect the weak and helpless and to dispense justice to oppressed people. According to the National Professor on Sikhism Sirdar Kapur Singh this step was the starting point of double sovereignty which manifests itself in the freedom of mind and body. Dilgeer (1980 The Akal Takht Punjabi Book Co. Jalandhar Punjab) described the foundation of the Akal Takht as follows:

“In the year 1606 on the fateful day a great man in a small town meditated and his meditation led to the creation of wonder. The birth of Akal Takht The great Punjabis who hesitated always to adopt a new religion did adopt it happily and fully There was a religion that provided Spiritual and Political life Miri and Piri Rosary and Sword. Feeding hands and defending arms. The attempts at demolition were tiresome for tyrants. The end of this state came in 1764. Abdali lost his life as a result of reaction of the acts of sacrilege. The effort to secondi’s the status of the Throne of Immortal lead to decline. The Britishers did commit the same folly. And the result was the end of their rule The Congress saw the same fate. How the kinsmen could escape the wrath of the Immortal. None can desecrate the Akal Takht. The history repeats itself. I am simply showing you the film of the history.”

In 1984 Indira Gandhi committed the same folly as Abdali (1764) and later the Britishers. The world has witnessed her fate. Indeed history repeats itself.

The role of Akal Takht in the Sikh polity and the Sikh way of life is supreme. Guru Hargobind Sahib would receive ambassador’s emissary’s diplomats and dignitaries there. After the days routine the Akal Takht sahib was the place of singing of heroic ballads by the dhadhis in order to infuse the spirit of chardi kala the Sikh concept of Euphoria among Sikhs. Whenever important issues arise the Sikh nation holds a meeting of sarbat Khalsa or the Sikh commonwealth (i.e. the representatives Of various Sikh Organizations) at the Akal Takht. Here the decisions are made with Gurmata (consensus) with regard to any issue that confronts the Sikh nation. Gurmatas are issued in the form of Hukamnamas (order of the Almighty) from His throne by the chief priest of the Akal Takht The order(s) of the Akal Takht cannot be refused by any Sikh any Sikh who does defy the Hukamnama is ex-communicated

The Akal Takht has blessed various Sikh movements for the liberation of Gurdwara’s and restoration of civil liberties and Human Rights in the pre-and post-15th August 1974 period. Several such movements include: the liberation of Tarn Taran Gurdwara from the control of Mahants or cronies of the Indian government (1921) the keys affair (1922) the Guru-ka-Bagh movement (1922) the Jaitu Gurdwara movement (1923-25) Master Tara Singh’s party to Peshawar (1939) the Shaheed ganj and kirpan movement (193535) Master Tara Singh’s party to protest against the discrimination with schedule castes (1953) the Punjabi speaking zindabad (long live) movement (1955): the Punjabi speaking state movement (1960) Sardar Darshan Singh Pheruman’s martyrdom (1969) the Karnal movement for the suspension of civil liberties by Bansi Lal Chief Minister (1974) the movement against the imposition of internal emergency and suspension of civil liberties by Indira Gandhi (1975-77) the protest against the Hindu Indias atrocities against the Sikhs the betrayal of promises made by the Nehru and successive administrations to the Sikhs using Russian advisors Russian-trained intelligence advisors and agencies (i.e. Research and Analysis Wing or the Indian KGB Intelligence Bureau Central Intelligence Department etc.) paramilitary forces Indian army units (armored infantry and artillery divisions) Indian Air Force and Indian Navy which culminated in the “Operation Bluestar™ in June 1984 Operations Mund Woodrose Black Thundar etc. 1984-88 in which more than 150000 innocent Sikh men women and children have been mercilessly killed thousands of Sikhs are being tortured and kept in jails without trials.

Many national leaders and citizens have been honored by the Akal Takht for example Baba Kharak Singh (1927) Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew (1924) Bhai Randhir Singh (1931) Sirdar Kapur Singh National Professor in Sikhism (1974) the chief priest of the Akal Takht initiated Sheikh Ahmad Din of Sialkot on 11th August 1906 the first non-Sikh to be initiated. On 4th July 1955 Mr Bhim Sen Sachar then Chief Minister of Punjab apologized at the Akal Takht for the sins committed by his administration.

Despite these honors the Akal Takht was witness to highly disgraceful events when two of its chief priests failed to carry out their duties at a time when the Sikhs needed them most. In the first case Kirpal Singh under the pressure of the Indian army lied to the Sikh nation that everything was fine after the undeclared war on the Sikh nation began in June 1984 About two years later Darshan Singh Ragi proceeded to leave and abdicated his responsibilities to provided much needed guidance to the Sikh nation.

In summary the Akal Takht plays an extremely important role in the religious cultural and political affairs of the Sikhs and for the preservation of truth. However it is at present under the occupation of Hindu Indias armed as well as intelligence forces. Only the Almighty knows when the Sikhs will have free access to and control of both their dearest institution and their homeland.

Article extracted from this publication >> April 12, 1991