ATLANTA, GEORGIA - In a controversial act against Anand Karaj Maryada, a couple from west has recently wedded by taking the four walks (parkarma) side-by-side during the lavan (Each laavan involves walking around Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji).
As per Kaurlife website, the couple decided to do their Anand Karaj this way to embody the Sikh spirit of equality more visibly. They thought about standing during the lavan and not walking, they thought about alternating who walked in front, and they thought about sitting during the wedding. Ultimately, Shawn and Bally decided they would walk around the Guru Granth Sahib together, side-by-side.
In 2006 too, there was a minor uproar surrounding a Sikh wedding ceremony in India where the bride was asked to walk ahead of the groom for two of the four laavan.
The 2006 wedding was performed by pseudo Sikh missionaries in Delhi who were ultimately summoned by Sri Akal Takht Sahib for their transgressions.
(See : Pro-Kala Afghana Missionaries attempt to twist Anand-Karaj Maryada, DSGMC Takes action)
Here are some pictures from this recent wedding in Atlanta Georgia:
As per Sikh Rehat Maryada of Anand Karaj, Article XVIII states
After the conclusion of the recitation of each of the stanzas, the groom, followed by the bride holding the end of the sash (palaa), should go round the Guru Granth Sahib while the ragis or the congregation sing out the recited stanza.
The groom and bride, after every circumambulation, should bow before the Guru Granth Sahib in genuflexion, lowering their forehead to touch the ground and then stand up to listen to the recitation of the next stanza.There being four matrimonial circumambulation stanzas in the concerned hymn, the proceeding will comprise four circumambulations with the incidental singing of the stanza.
After the fourth circumabulation, the groom and bride should, after bowing before the Guru Granth Sahib, sit down at the appointed place and the Ragis or the person who has conducted the ceremony should recite the first five and the last stanza of the Anand Sahib. Thereafter, the Ardas should he offered to mark the conclusion of the Anand marriage ceremony and the sacred pudding, distributed’.
This act also raises question onto the Ragis, Granthis and Gurdwara parbandhik Committee who let this happen. Now the onus comes onto Akal Takhat Sahib whether they take any note of this or not.
The original SinghStation article appears at: http://singhstation.net/2014/12/anand-karaj-maryada-challenged-couple-takes-lavan-side-by-side/.
