The purpose of this article is to expose the truth, love and
deliberate attempts to follow Rehit and Gurbani by the Akhand Kirtani Jatha
(AKJ), its members and its founder Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh Ji.
1) AKJ EXPOSED - NAAM SIMRAN
Members of Akhand Kirtani Jatha believe and practice:
- Gurmantar is Vahiguru
- Waking up Amrit vela, the ambrosial hours, and doing 2 hours Naam Simran followed by their Nitnem. Others read more Banis than the prescribed minimum.
- Remembering Vahiguru with each breath that comes in and out, known as Saas Giraas simran.
2) AKJ EXPOSED - AMRIT VELA
Members of Akhand Kirtani Jatha believe and practice:
- Waking up Amrit Vela is necessary and not doing so means we cannot call ourselves Sikhs of the Guru
- Doing full Ishnaan or bath of the body, including the hair, is crucial for hygiene and alertness of the body.
- Amrit Vela is the best time to do intense meditation and devotion.
3) AKJ EXPOSED - WOMEN & EQUALITY
Members of Akhand Kirtani Jatha believe and practice:- Women can read Gurbani, do Kirtan, read from Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, and do Ardaas for the Sangat.
- Women should wear a Dastaar (turban) just like men are expected to and keep full visible Sikh identity
- Women do not need to wear make-up, earrings, nose rings, and put on henna to make themselves beautiful. The Panj Kakkaar, Simran, Nitnem and virtues of a Sikh woman are her decoration and beauty.
4) AKJ EXPOSED - VEGETARIANISM
Members of Akhand Kirtani Jatha believe and practice:- Do not eat dead dogs, cats, cows, pigs, rats, chickens, goats or humans.
- Do not practice animal slaughter or animal sacrifice
- Respect animals and don't engage in animal cruelty
- Do not eat Haram meat nor Halal meat
5) AKJ EXPOSED - DIETARY HABITS
Members of Akhand Kirtani Jatha believe and practice:- They only eat what they perceive the Guru would eat. They do not cook or eat anything that the Guru would not touch, eat or anything that cannot be brought in the presence of the Guru for Ardaas and Bhog. For this reason they do not eat at McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, Nandos or eat food at parties and weddings or made by people who smoke, drink, cut their hair, don't do Simran, or taken Amrit.
- They eat in iron, called Sarbloh because Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji and the Khalsa ate in iron.
- They respect iron and believe that cooking and eating in it helps to make the food or drink to become Amrit when prepared with prayers by a spiritual disciplined Gursikh.
6) AKJ EXPOSED - DRESS
Members of Akhand Kirtani Jatha believe and practice:- Do not wear red, green, flower pattern or sparkling turbans.
- They wear traditional colours worn by the Guru like blue, white and yellow. They also wear black following on from the Akali agitation and calls from Akal Takht to wear black turbans in the early 1900s.
- They allow women to wear Chola and Pyjamee, and believe Khalsa dress looks more beautiful than the dresses of other cultures.
- They wear a Hazooria, white scarf, around the neck believing to be forever ready to do seva of Maharaaj.
7) AKJ EXPOSED - SING KEERTAN ALL NIGHT LONG
Members of Akhand Kirtani Jatha believe and practice:- Rather than go to night clubs, parties or discos, they go Gurdwaras and sing hymns from Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji all night long and don't get tired.
- The Kirtan is non-stop and they don't allow any breaks like Shri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar
- They sing Vahiguru's name in joy and sometimes energetically because Gurbani asks them to chant Naam, sing Naam and repeat Naam.
- Women and children are allowed to do Kirtan and they do Kirtan sitting on the floor like Shri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar.
- They do not take money for singing Kirtan, as the believe Gurbani is not a commodity to be sold and profit from.
8) AKJ EXPOSED - LENGTH OF BANI
Members of Akhand Kirtani Jatha believe and practice:
- They accept the minimal requirement of Rehraas Sahib set by the Panth and read Shri Harmandir Sahib, and recognise if someone wishes to read additions Shabads or Dohras in Nitnem that is their personal choice which they can practice in their personal space.
- They don't criticize anyone for reading more Bani than the specified requirement. Nor condemn anyone who cannot read Gurbani for whatever reason to not be a Sikh
- They believe that someone who doesn't read Bani because they cannot, but lovingly chants Mool Mantar is still a Sikh. They also believe that someone who just knows Japji Sahib by memory and lovingly reads it but cannot read or recite any other Bani of Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is still a Sikh. Similarly, someone who doesn't read Raag Mala (the last hymn contained in most Saroops) is still a Sikh.
9) AKJ EXPOSED - MOOL MANTAR
Members of Akhand Kirtani Jatha believe and practice:- They read Mool Mantar as stated by Shri Akal Takht Sahib.
- They read Mool Mantar up to GurPrasaad and state JAP is the title name for Japji Sahib and Aad Sach to Nanak Hosi Bhi Sach is a "Salok" as stated by Guru Arjan Dev Ji at the top of same lines written in the 17th astpaddi (chapter) of Shri Sukhmani Sahib.
- They believe if someone wishes to read more Bani that Mool Mantar and read Jap and Salok, or even read first 5 paurian of Japji Sahib, that perfectly fine. As Bani is Bani.
10) AKJ EXPOSED - RAAG MALA
Members of Akhand Kirtani Jatha believe and practice:
- They believe that Shri Akal Takht has the final say on Panthic matters rather than any one individual, Sant, Baba or organization.
- They believe and accept the Bhog (completion) of Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji to be upto Mundavanee as read at Shri Akal Takht Sahib.
- They recognise that Raag Mala is written in a poem called "Madhav Nal Kaam Kundla" as found in libraries across India, which was written by Kavi Alam 21 years before Guru Arjan Dev Ji had Shri Guru Granth Sahib written by Bhai Gurdas Ji.
- They respect the Panth's decision in absence of proving Raag Mala to be Bani or not of Maharaaj that it is up to one whether you read or not read Raag Mala in completion of a complete reading of Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, but due to the controversy no Saroop should be published without it.
They sound like pretty cool Gursikhs and many of them have them give up their lives for the freedom of Punjab and the Sikh nation.
ਗੁਰ ਸਿਖਾ ਇਕੋ ਪਿਆਰੁ ਗੁਰ ਮਿਤਾ ਪੁਤਾ ਭਾਈਆ ||
The Guru loves all of His Gursikhs equally well, like friends, children and siblings.
