Jathedar of the Akal Takht

Title and etymology

The word jathedar is a compound of ਜੱਥਾ, jathā, 'troop' and ਦਾਰ, dār, 'keeper of', meaning leader of a troop or group as a collective.^[15] The title is used for a general or commander of a Sikh military unit and applies to a head of a takht.^[16]

Origin

After the execution of the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan, his son and successor Guru Hargobind bearing the two swords of ਮੀਰੀ, mīrī, 'politics' and ਪੀਰੀ, pīrī, 'spirituality' declared himself sovereign and defied the imperial edict of the Mugal Empire in 1606.^[17] Recognising the necessity of coordinating efforts against the Mughal empire, the Guru simultaneously began the process of militarising the Sikhs.^[18] The first hukamnama issued from the Akal Takht on 30 June 1606 commanded the Sikhs to offer arms and horses.^[19] The position of jathedar was established, when the Guru appointed Bhai Gurdas as the first custodian of the Akal Takht, which was then known as the Akal Bunga.^[20] However, Guru Hargobind had to leave the Akal Takht in 1634 due to the hostilities of the Mughal rulers, and the institution came under the control of the Minas, followers of Prithi Chand, the excommunicated brother Guru Arjan.^[21]

Following the establishment of the Khalsa, which took effect on 13 April 1699, the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh sent Bhai Mani Singh to Amritsar with instructions to take possession of the Darbar Sahib and the Akal Takht from the Minas.^[22] The Sikhs assigned Bhai Mani Singh as the head granthi of Harmandir Sahib and the jathedar of the Akal Takht. After the passing of Guru Gobind Singh, the Sikh divisions accepted the common leadership and sovereignty of the head of the Akal Takht.^[23]

Sarbat Khalsa

In 1733, Zakariya Khan Bahadur attempted to negotiate truce with the Sikhs by offering them a jagir, the title Nawab to their head, and unimpeded access to Amritsar. After discussion at a Sarbat Khalsa, Kapur Singh Virk was chosen head of the Sikhs and took the title of Nawab.^[24] He combined the various Sikh militias into two groups; Taruna Dal for under 40 years of age and the Buddha Dal for over 40 years of age, which would collectively be known as Dal Khalsa.^[25] The Taruna Dal was further divided in five jathas, each with 1300 to 2000 men and a separate drum and banner.^[26] Considering Hari ke Pattan, where the Sutlej and Beas rivers meet as a reference point, the Taruna Dal was assigned to control the eastern area while the Buddha Dal controlled the west.^[27]

On 23 March 1748, a Sarbat Khalsa appointed Jassa Singh Ahluwalia to take the command of Dal Khalsa and become the head of the Sikhs.^[28] Ahluwalia proclaimed the title of Sultan-ul-Qaum (Authority of the Nation) when the Sikhs under his leadership defeated the Afghan forces of Ahmad Shah Abdali and took Lahore without resistance in September 1761.^[29] The 40,000 allied forces of Baghel Singh, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Jassa Singh Ramgarhia conquered the Red Fort in Delhi and hoisted the Nishan Sahib atop on 11 March 1783. The condition of their retreat included the construction of seven gurdwaras marking Sikh historical sites in Delhi.^[30]

Dispute

A Sarbat Khalsa convened by Sikh organisations opposed to the influence of Shiromani Akali Dal over Sikh religious institutions in 2015 appointed Jagtar Singh Hawara as the Jathedar of Akal Takht. The SGPC president at that time, Avtar Singh Makkar, however condemned the convening as against the principles of Sikhism and its decisions null and void. He added that the removal of Jathedars came under Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 and no one could challenge the authority of the SGPC.^[1] Giani Gurbachan Singh continued to remain in his post until his resignation on 18 October 2018. On 23 October, the SGPC appointed Giani Harpreet Singh as the acting jathedar of Akal Takht.^[31]