Akal Takht Sahib – Punjab

Address

Akal Takht Sahib – Harmandir Sahib, Golden Temple Rd, Atta Mandi, Katra Ahluwalia, Amritsar, Punjab 143006

Deity

Guru Hargobind

Introduction

• Location: Situated within the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) complex in Amritsar, Punjab, India.
• Significance: One of the five takhts (seats of power) of the Sikhs; originally called Akal Bunga.
• Establishment: Built by Shri Guru Hargobind Ji as a seat of justice and a place for addressing temporal issues.
• Authority: It serves as the highest seat of earthly authority for the Khalsa (the collective body of Sikhs) and is home to the Jathedar, the chief spokesperson of the Sikh community.
• Current Jathedar: Giani Harpreet Singh (appointed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee); however, the Sarbat Khalsa calls for the reinstatement of Jagtar Singh Hawara.

Puranic Significance

• Foundation: The Akal Takht, originally known as Akal Bunga, was founded by the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind, as a symbol of the political sovereignty of the Sikh community and a place to address both spiritual and temporal concerns.
• Symbolism: On June 15, 1606, Guru Hargobind revealed a 9-foot-high concrete slab and adorned it with two swords, representing his dual authority: the spiritual authority (piri) and the temporal authority (miri).
• Historical Context:
  • The Akal Takht and Harmandir Sahib faced multiple attacks in the 18th century, notably from Ahmed Shah Abdali and Massa Rangar.
  • The Takht, located on the first floor, was rebuilt in brick between 1770 and 1780 under Sultan-ul-Qaum Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, a leader of the Sikh Confederacy.
  • Hari Singh Nalwa, a general of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, later decorated the Akal Takht with gold.
• Operation Blue Star (1984): On June 4, 1984, the Akal Takht suffered significant damage when the Indian Army stormed the Harmandir Sahib under the orders of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during Operation Blue Star.
  • Following this, the Indian government initiated the rebuilding of the Akal Takht, which was referred to by Sikhs as the “Sarkari Takht” (indicating government involvement) due to its reconstruction by the state, leading to disputes over its sacredness.
  • Sikh Home Minister Buta Singh faced excommunication for his role in the reconstruction but was later accepted back into the community after a period of penance.
• Controversies: A few years after the rebuilding, Baba Thakar Singh, a successor of Bhindranwale from Damdami Taksal, ordered the demolition of the Akal Takht, deeming the rebuilt structure impure due to its association with individuals considered tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct).

Century/Period/Age

18th century CE

Nearest Bus Station

Amritsar

Nearest Railway Station

Amritsar Junction

Nearest Airport

Amritsar

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