Reinvigorating Panthic Jathebandis

A lot of people make a fair point when it comes to the topic of large Panthic issues (such as the sovereignty of Akal Takht Sahib). Their argument usually goes like this: focus more on other institutions first, make a change there and then with enough changes at the local level, change will ultimately occur on a larger Panthic level as well. Variations on this may include suggestions to focus on your own jeevan or your family's Sikhi before focusing on larger Panthic matters. And fair enough. Every area can use a lot of positive changes and we should be directing our energies to creating those changes. I'd only slightly depart by suggesting that we need to focus on all of these areas simultaneously. our self, our family, our local community and finally, on Panthic issues at large.

There's one other area that also deserves some attention: our Panthic Jathebandis. A thriving Damdami Taksal / Akhand Kirtani Jatha (AKJ) / etc. are essential to the overall Chardi Kala of the Khalsa Panth. Without a Sangat in which to grow, Sikhi cannot thrive. As someone who has been attending AKJ Smagams and who has been doing Sangat with AKJ-affiliated Gursikhs for many years now, I can see firsthand that the AKJ, while still a beautiful sangat in many ways, is not what it could be. 

The foundation of the Jatha is amazing: Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh embodied Sikhi at its absolute heights: reaching the height of spirituality as demonstrated by his connection with Akal Purkh Vaaheguroo, reaching the height of political activism as demonstrated in the Rakab Ganj Morcha and his subsequent time in jail and reaching the height of Sikhi Parchaar as demonstrated in his books and in the Kirtani Jatha that sprung up around him. Even since Bhai Sahib, the Jatha has been blessed with amazing inspirations such as Bhai Fauja Singh and Bhai Jeevan Singh who absolutely radiated a love of Sikhi in everything that they did. So why is the AKJ not reaching its previous heights? I have a theory or two that I'd like to share.

Certain people often complain about the Jatha losing its principles in certain areas. And that's probably true to an extent. But I think the central problem is a lack of pyaar between Gursikhs. Master Ujaagar Singh, a companion of Bhai Sahib, when asked the main difference between Bhai Sahib's time and now, stated that it was the level of pyaar between Gursikhs. He said Gursikhs used to run to each other and give Naam hugs when they would meet in the olden days. They would miss each other when Smagams were over. They never took the Sangat they had for granted. They appreciated it. Most people today do not. Sangat is a chore, it's an obligation. It needs to be an act of love. 

On another point (and this is important because it could help in creating the right atmosphere for that pyaar between Gursikhs to thrive), the Jatha lacks any coherent structure as an institution on a global level even though it is a global Jathebandi. There's no excuse for this. We have an excuse for having difficulty in achieving institutional progress on a larger Panthic level: the flawed SGPC system is cemented into Indian law, its elections process is absolutely corrupt, it's dominated by a secular political party with no real care for actual Sikhi, etc. There's no such impediments to organizing at a Jathebandi level. We don't have to deal with Indian statutes such as the Gurdwaras Act if we want to reform our personal Jathebandi. We don't have to deal with politicians such as Badal. It simply comes down to a lack of ideas, initiative and leadership. Luckily, with some work, those are things that can be fixed. And the point isn't a structure for a structure's sake. The point is a structure that can help facilitate all of the important things that a Jathebandi provides: parchaar, sangat, etc.

So what kind of structure am I talking about? For me, it starts with having a process that results in the selection of an inspirational Jathedar. This Jathedar should be an absolutely unifying figure for any Jathebandi. Their character and intentions should be unquestionable. No one should believe that they have personal biases or agendas. With the right Jathedar in place, the Jatha would automatically come closer to reaching its potential as a hub of Sikhi. But it doesn't seem like we put a lot of thoughtful consideration into who our Jathedars are. Are we choosing the absolute right person for the position or are we allowing our personal biases let us pick someone who isn't up to the job?

Right now the Jathedar of AKJ is Bhai Baksheesh Singh, someone who is undoubtedly a Chardi Kala Gursikh from everything I have heard and yet I have yet to notice circumstances where he used his position to tackle the real issues that need tackling or to genuinely inspire the Sangat. His most prominent public statements have been about banning kirtanis who are paid to do Kirtan from doing Kirtan in the Jatha (an un-important issue and also one that everyone knows won't be enforced) and giving a lacklustre, uninspiring and unoriginal speech at the Sarbat Khalsa in November where he provided no insight that wasn't already completely obvious (Really? Badal is bad? Maybe we could have used some talk about Ekta or spotting issues at a more systemic level). More or less, the Jathedar's leadership has been lacking and uninspiring. And that's deeply painful for anyone who wants to see Sikhi prosper at the Jathebandi level. It doesn't mean that he isn't an inspiring Gursikh. I'm sure he is, but how does that make him the leader of a global Jathebandi of thousands of Gursikhs? To be a Jathedar, it requires many qualities.

So what kind of qualities should a Jathedar have? Here is a list of qualities off the top of my head:

1) An inspirational jeevan. Their way of life should demonstrate a love for Sikhi, twenty four hours a day, even in their sleep. They should radiate Sikhi and Naam in their every breathe. Every Jathebandi should have someone of a Brahmgiani-level Jeevan or close as Jathedar. Otherwise, what's the point? If you can't demonstrate that your Jathebandi leads to the height of spirituality, why even continue existing? Isn't the point to communicate that your Jathebandi is a route to spiritual heights?

2) A leader of a global Jathebandi must spend at least one third of their year in countries outside of India. They should spend a week or two in every different locality where their Jathebandi has a somewhat significant presence. They should develop relationships with all of the active Gursikhs in each area. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, they should develop a relationship with the youth in each area. They should know the names of youth in their Jathebandi from around the world. They should constantly serve as a guide to the youth, imparting spiritual knowledge and giving personal advice to those who are in need. They wouldn't be a cult-leader. They wouldn't cross boundaries into people's personal lives unnecessarily. They would simply be a guide for the Sangat. Someone who everyone can rely on for advice and leadership. 

3) They should be high-energy. I remember Bhai Sahib Bhai Jeevan Singh. He wouldn't really sleep much and he would attend programs all day and all night. His love for Gursikhs and his passion for Sikhi Parchaar was ENDLESS. They should be someone who is GIVING THEIR LIFE for Sikhi.

4) They should be old enough that they no longer have to worry about their family obligations. Their children should be independent and they should not be tied down by a job or a business. Their wife (or husband) should travel with them everywhere they go. 

5) Ideally, they should be able to communicate at least somewhat in English. Back to the example of Bhai Jeevan Singh Ji, he was not fluent in English and yet that still wasn't enough to stop him from having a relationship with Gorei Sikhs who did not know any Punjabi. He was still able to understand them and find a way to communicate with them. Ideally, we should have someone who can carry on a conversation in English. 

6) They should be accessible. Regardless of where they are, they should be accessible as a guide to Gursikhs living around the world, at any time. By phone or even by e-mail or text. They should be a servant of the global Sangat.

7) They should be a problem-solver. When issues arise in different localities, especially with regards to Ekta/Unity, they should be able to resolve those problems proactively. They should be able to tell Gursikhs to their face to cut the nonsense and stop imperiling Parchaar and Ekta for petty reasons and they should be taken seriously due to their Jeevan and their character. 

8) They should be an organizer. They should understand the importance of developing institutions: schools, classes, camps, etc. They should be passionate about building institutions that enhance Sikhi Parchaar. They should be able to guide different local units on how to maximize parchaar. 

9) They should be Panthic. They should have love for all Gursikhs regardless of their Jathebandi. They should have deep relationships with Gursikhs from other backgrounds and should have a deep and abiding respect for all Sikhs.

10) They should be fully in line with the legacy and history of their Jathebandi. For a Jathedar of AKJ, they should fully appreciate the qualities of Bhai Sahib (Bhai Randhir Singh). They should be knowledgeable about Bhai Sahib's views on Gurmat and should not contradict those views in their lifestyle or in their words. They should command the respect of all members of that Jathebandi from the "more strict" to the "less strict". 

I just rambled off a list. It's not exhaustive. It's just a partial list of whatever came to me as I was typing. Leadership is important. Jathebandis are important. It's time for Panthic Jathebandis to reach their potential. The Akhand Kirtani Jatha is the legacy of Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh, one of the greatest Sikhs since the times of the 10 Living Gurus. Why can't it have a Jathedar who can inspire even 10% as much as Bhai Sahib did?