By Asia Samachar | Opinion |
In the years past, the Sikh jathedars were pretty much able to nip in the bud discussions on errors in the printed copies of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS). But that may no longer be case. A recent event may have forced Sikhs to confront the delicate issue.
“My own assessment is that Thaminder Singh and the Akal Takht have opened have opened a Pandora’s Box which will be difficult to shut,” argued Sikh author Dr Karminder Singh Dhillon said in a just-released researched commentary discussing the issue of errors within the prevalent versions of the SGGS.
Last month, Sikhs around the globe were jolted with news that a US-based Sikh had made unilateral changes to the SGGS. The issue moved into high gear when the Akal Takht took the alleged perpetrator to task. On May 3, Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh pronounced US-based Thaminder Singh as “tankhaiya” (guilty of religious misconduct) for allegedly publishing online the GGS with the changes, including adding extra “lagan-matravan” (suprasegmental symbols of Gurmukhi).
In his defence, Thaminder and his team from the SikhBookClub.com claim that they were merely instituting changes to correct numerous printing errors previously identified by multiple committees under Sikh august bodies, but left unattended in subsequent printing of SGGS for many years.
Karminder noted that Thaminder was being silenced in the full glare of the Internet and the social media, and that the was also being swept under the carpet in full view of the Sikh world.
“It is also my assessment that the issue of errors within the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Singh Ji is set to become the central, most significant and core issues for Sikhs, particularly the Gurbani-loving ones.
“It is an issues which is as demanding complicated and complex as it is divisive, emotive and sensitive for the Sikh Panth. The Sikh has to be prepared for it. This video is aimed at bringing about that understanding,” he said.
When laying out the facts, Karminder said the prevalent printed versions of the SGGS contain numerous errors.
“There are some who allege that it is blasphemous to suggest that the SGGS Ji contains errors, and that all those who say so, openly and publicly, should be punished….This ostrich mentality must be discarded. Burying our heads in the sand on the issues has not only contributed to the problem, but prevents its rational discourse and logical resolutions,” he said.
“Dhur Ki Bani cannot have errors. No Sikh has ever suggested or implied such. But the process of copying and printing Dhur-ki-Bani can and does have errors aplenty. These two things – errors in Gurbani and errors in the duplication of Gurbani – cannot be confused. If they’re being confused, it is being done with one objective, which is to silence those who say there are errors and want corrective action.”
The hour-long video has been released in both English and Punjabi.
Karminder is author of The Hijacking of Sikhi released in late-2020 along with four other books: Understanding Nitnem: Jup, Sodar, and Sohela (308 pages), Understanding Sidh Goshat (271 pages), Understanding Anand (162 pages) and Understanding Asa Di Vaar (289 pages).
RELATED STORY:
Grappling with Guru Granth printing errors. Thaminder takes the hit (Asia Samachar, 7 May 2022)
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