(Courtesy:Tribune News Service, From K.S. Chawla)

LUDHIANA: Dr Darshan Singh, Professor and Chairman of Guru Nanak Dey Studies, Panjab Universally, will be at the helm of affairs of “Vismad”, an organization of Gurdwara Gyan Parkash Jawaddi. It also publishes a journal titled “Vismad Nad”, and Dr Darshan Singh has been made its Chief Editor.

Dr Darshan Singh will also be the Director of another organization which has been named the International Institute of Sikhism. Earlier, it was known as the International Institute of Gurmat Studies. This institute has been working under the patronage of Baba Sucha of the Gurdwara Gyan Parkash, Mr Amanjit Singh Grewal Of Punjab Agricultural University has been appointed its general secretary and the Editor of Vismad Nad.

A controversy arose over the publication of an article in the Vismad Nad wnilten by Mr Amarjit Singh Grewal in which he was alleged to have made derogatory References to the Guru Granth Sahib. The Gur Gobind Singh Study Circle had taken exception to it and had appealed to the Akal Takht Jathedar against the same.

Mr Grewal was summoned to Akal Takhton June 15 and 16 and directed to stop the distribution of the article and also asked to undergo religious punishment .

The executive committee of Vismad Nad and the International Institute of Sikhism met recently at Gurdwara Gyan Parkash decided to organize a world Sikh meet in November, 1995. The organizers of the International Institute of Gurmat Studies had decided to hold the World Sikh Sammelan at the Gurdwara in October this year but it was abandoned following the controversy over the publication of the article.

‘The jathedar of Akal Takht had also been authorized to intervene and the SGPC announced the holding of the World Sikh Sammelan from November 27 to 30 this year. These dates stand but the SGPC authorities do not seem to be doing any work in organizing the sammelan. Reports in a section of the press indicate that the post Poned sammelan may be postponed because of death of Principal Satbir Singh

There are two views about the holding of the World Sikh Sammelan by the SGPC one section is for it being held on the Scheduled dates whereas the other wants it to be postponed by a few weeks.

The SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, said that the sammelan would be held but it might be postponed by a few days.

The jathedar of Akal Takht, Prof Manjit Singh, had gone on a tour abroad in connection with the sammelan and met some Sikh scholars and businessmen for their participation,

But the Jathedar seems to be lying low after the publication of an alleged’ faked letter purported to have been written by the Foreign Secretary regarding the “special mission” of the Jathedar, notwithstanding its contradiction by the Foreign Secretary.

The SGPC allegedly is not cooperating with the Jathedar of Akal Takht for the sammelan proposed to\be held in November.

Although the executive committee of Vismad Nad and the International Institute for Sikhism, Jawaddi Kalan, offered cooperation and support for the proposed World Sikh Sammelan by the SGPC, its decision to organize a Sikhs ssmmelan next year indicates that the SGPC is not very Keen on holding the sammelan and may leave it to the Jawaddi organizations.

Sources close to the Jawaddi orBanizations disclosed the Baba Sucha Singh has had to meetings with the SGPC chief, Mr Tohra, and is understand to have “patched up” with him. Baba Sucha Singh has assured the SGPC chief that he would not go against the SGPC.

Mr Amarjit Singh Grewal submitted his resignation from the editorship of Vismad Nad and the general secretary ship of the International Institute of Gurmat Studies. His resignation was accepted today by the executive committee.

The executive committee also decided to organize a “Shabad yatra” for two months from May to June next year. Vismad Nad which was a quarterly magazine will now be published every month, The objective of the International Institute of Sikhism is to preach the teachings of the Gurus and spread Sikhism,

Vismad Nad and the International Institute of Gurmat Studies have been organizing the sangeet sammelan at the Jawaddi Kalan gurdwara for the past three years. Besides, a number of seminars were also organized by these or Banizations.

The purpose of the Intemational Institute of Sikhism is to get the Status of a “deemed university. Offers of land for the proposed university have been received from a number of people by Baba Sucha Singh, AMRITSAR: The Punjab and Sind Bank has decided to establish “Shabad Gurbani archives” at Jalandharin collaboration with the Punjab Kirtan Durbar Trust,

Stating this, the Deputy General Manager, Mr Makhan Singh, said that land for the purpose had been acquired, the construction and air-conditioning work of the building complex was in progress and was likely to be completed within a few months. It would be a sort of audio library containing “shabad’s” sung by prominent fagis and singers. The library would give an opportunity to people to hear any “shabad” sung by a ragi of their choice with the help of earphones. The entire complex would be equipped with modem equipment and would be fully computerized.

The Punjab Kirtan Durbar Trust he said, had recorded all “shabad Kirtan” programs relayed by the Jalandhar station of Akashyani Since Independence. The bank had acquired 33 shabad’s sung by prominent ragis of yesteryears, including the late Bhai Sammund singh from the Lahore station of Radio Pakistan An advisory committee headed by a retired Judge of a high court would be constituted. Other members would include prominent personalities Well acquainted with “’Gurbani” and music, Stating that the bank would Taunch a “cultural movement” in Punjab, he said cultural programmers would be held in 250 rural and 50 urban branches on September 25. Competitions in folk songs, folks dances and folk instruments would be held, In these Categories, artists, preferably young ones, would perform bhangra, gidda bolian, tappa, and plays and’ present their items on traditional instruments like toombi, algoza, chimta and dhad Sarangi, In order to Promote various folk crafts, competitions in bagh and philkari making dari making, paranda making and pillow cover embroidery would also be held. Those selected at the branch level functions, he said, Would be given an opportunity to Perform at district level functions on October 8, 9, 15 and 16, ‘Thereafter, a state level function Would be held on November 1. Similarly, a Nation level function would be held in Delhi sometime in November or December The selected items would be taken to the UK, the USA, Canada, Thai. land and Pakistan.

Article extracted from this publication >>  October 28, 1994