Perspectives On Sikh Gurdwaras Legislation

The present study launches a probe into genesiacal roots of Sikh Gurd-waras legislation, how the colonial rule after its occupation of the Punjab brought about convulsion among the Sikhs and other segments of the Punjabi society, how the Sikhs re¬acted, interacted and evolved Singh Sabha model and with what effects, how they reformulated their relations with other communities such as Aryas, Muslims, Sanatanist Hindus and finally how they got disillusioned with their colonial master, how they felt about their self-identity, how/why they struggled to emancipate gurdwaras from the shackles of Mahants hand in glove with the colonial government and the Arya brand Hindus, Sanatanist Sikhs and others, what exactly promp¬ted and stimulated the Sikhs to assume control of gurdwaras and what role they had cherished for gurdwaras to perform & how the idea of Sikh gurd¬waras legislation emerged & materiali¬sed. Then certain abortive attempts at Sikh Gurdwaras legislation have been appraised and weighed to be follow¬ed by the passage of Sikh Gurdwaras Act 1925. After this, amendments effected in the Act have been critically examined, never turning the spotlight away from the perspective contempo¬raneous to a particular amendment. Each amendment appears to have been warranted by certain compelling factors and by implication provides clues to the perception of government as well as of different social and political parties including different religo-social organisations. The study also underlines the trend-setting capacity of the legislation. It closes with discussion on the Gurdwaras legisla¬tion at all-India level, its need and its probable morphology.