Ten Year Wait for "Akhand Path" at "Dukh Bhanjani Beri," Golden Temple

Ten years long wait for `Akhand Path’ at `Dukh Bhanjani Beri’ at Golden Temple

Punjab Newsline Network
Thursday, 29 September 2011
By DHARMENDRA RATAUL

AMRITSAR: Want to book an `Akhand Path’ at Dukh Bhanjani Beri, one of the most sacred places at Golden Temple here. You will have to wait till 2021. So long is the `wish list’ that all dates for the `Path’ at this revered place have been booked for the next ten years. And in the long wait are commoners and mighty, including NRIs Sant Singh Chhatwal, actor Akshay Kumar and CM Parkash Singh Badal.

Amongst those who recently had `communion with God’ through path were Bollywood super star Amitabh Bachan and his family members including wife Jaya, son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachan apart from his daughter Shaweta Nanda. They got their turn after long wait, last year. Actors including Rishi Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Ambani brothers of Reliance, Bharti Mittals of Airtel, had already sought `blessings’ through path.

The family members of late Harbhajjan Singh Yogi, who is known world wide for converting Americans to Sikhism in USA recently had their `date with God’. Similarly, Chhatwal family too waited for long and their turn recently came. BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa, businessman Harpal Singh from Delhi will have to wait for long before their turn comes here and they in line with thousands would be getting prayers organized in the next a few years.

The Path at Dukh Bhanjani Beri is considered most pious, apart from three other places at Golden Temple including Har-Ki Pauri, Gumbad Path and at the Akal Takht. The wait for Path at these three places however is short and it is booked for the next two years but at Dukh Banjani Beri, one has to wait for one decade to `invoke best of the blessings’ as the sacred place existed even before Harmandar Sahib came into being in 16th century.


``The belief is that prayers here are most pious, thus long wait’’, says Dalmegh Singh, Secretary, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). ``All rich and poor, powerful and commoner are in the queue here’’, he adds, saying further that they may be influential and use easier passages elsewhere, but not here as they will have to go as per the booking order that is registered in their records.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/general-discussion/37105-ten-year-wait-akhand-path-dukh.html

These high profile people, `demigods of the society’ approach the organizers and settle for the date that is given and the record is maintained in registers, which are likely to be computerized soon. And what if one does not live that long and Dalmegh says the path would be held even if some one fails to arrive at the given date and the blessings for him and his family would be sought through the `special prayers’.

``There are many Army Generals, Admirals and Air Chiefs, CM’s, Ministers, rich Businessmen in the line. Usually they do not give their designation when they book the Path. Recently Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) PS Gill organized the Path and it was booked in the name of one PS Gill. There are many others by the same name. We came to know that he is DGP when he arrived for the same’’, said Manager, Golden Temple, HS Malhi.

The `bheta’ (offering) of Rs. 4100 is taken for the Path, that goes on for 48 hours and the Bhog is organized on third day by the SGPC Granthis and staff members. ``For this coveted ritual, the price is a peanut and people pay the same with happiness’’, said Malhi. Even if blessing seekers fails to arrive, the prayers are held by Granthis (priests) in the name who booked the path.

There are of influential persons booking path through back door entries. The SGPC admitted that sometimes `pressure’ are exerted and they have to ask someone if he or she wants date extended and thus the `VVIPs’ are accommodated as happened with current Army Chief VK Singh recently but that is possible at places other than Dukh Bhanjani Beri.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=37105

*Dharmendra Rataul is Deputy Director, Public Relation Department, Khalsa College Governing Council, Amritsar

http://punjabnewsline.com/content/te...n-temple/33367

 
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And Guru Sahib has to wait for 100's of years before Sikhs start sitting with Him during an Akhand Paath!

And long may it continue!

People are still keen despite the long wait and they are all equal in the queue

I think this is a truly remarkable achievement

This is the typical example of how the parroting of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, our only Guru at specific places of the Sanctom Sanctorum by some Granthis who are paid pennies has become ritual de jour. And as Kanwaljit ji rightfully said, no one is there to listen to the Paath to take home the message. It has become the typical idol worshipping in absentia as the article indicates.

It is sad to see that SGPC shamelessly peddles this snake oil and the people, many who are thought to be educated and with reason do not mind waiting for years to perform this Hindutva ritual in the most sacred place of Sikhi. Many with the political clout jump the line to have this snake oil rub before others. For what?

This is the same place where people gather to take a dip in hope of curing their ills that has big banners claiming the miracles performed across the Parikarma as mentioned in the following thread post#9.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=37105

http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/hard-t...c-mantras.html
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=37105

On a side note, there is also years of waiting to put your own Chandoa- the canopy inside the Darbar Sahib.

Tejwant Singh

Paying for this type of 'service' is like subcontracting out your Sikhi,which everyone should you know you cannot or really should not do, because it is the one job you have to do for your Self.

Sinner ji,

Guru fateh.

Well said.

This takes Indian outsourcing to a totally new level.

@ Sinner ji, You are right, We have to paath our-self. Only then we know that how many mistakes we do in daily routine and possible to easily avoid them.

Okay I guess I had not picked up on this angle

After all, booking a Paath at a Gurdwara is not unusual and some of the more popular ones can have waiting lists..although not 10 year waiting lists

And making a donation to the Gurdwara is not uncommon either

The Rs4100 is significant but I had assumed it would go towards seva and paying for the langar etc

Naive of me...

When its shivering cold and you need warmth, you don't light the fireplace of your neighbours or folks in some other town. You light the fireplace in your own home. Then only you can survive in the cold. People are smart when it comes to the living and death of this body. But now when it concerns keeping 'your soul alive'.