Vancouver Sikh leader ordered to clean shoes of devotees at Golden Temple

Jarnail Singh Bhandal in the parking lot of the Ross Street temple in 1998, around the time of his excommunication. (Colin Price/The Province)

One of Vancouver’s most controversial Sikh leaders has been ordered to clean dishes at communal kitchens and dust the shoes of devotees visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

The punishment was ordered after Jarnail Singh Bhandal appeared before the Akal Takht (highest seat of Sikh religious authority) in Amritsar this week to appeal against his 1998 excommunication.

Indian media outlet Saanj News said the Sikh clergy “imposed religious punishment on Jarnail Singh Bhandal to enable him to rejoin the Sikh faith. Bhandal was asked to clean utensils in the community kitchen of Golden Temple, to dust shoes of visiting devotees and to carry out the same job in different Gurdwaras in Canada at least for four Sundays.”

Akal Takhat Bhai Ranjit Singh, then Jathedar (head) of the Sikh faith, had excommunicated Bhandal for arranging community kitchen (langar) on tables and chairs instead of on the floor, as Sikh tradition dictates. Other Vancouver-area Sikhs were excommunicated as well: Kashmir Singh Dhaliwal, Giani Harkirat Singh, Balwant Singh Gill and journalist Tara Singh Hayer, who was killed in 1998.

Bhandal was an executive member of the society that runs the Ross Street temple in Vancouver when the edict came down.

Tags: Golden Temple, Jarnail Singh Bhandal, langar, Ross Street temple

Jeff says:

October 17, 2012 at 9:05 am

You can give up the act greg.

The day someone steps foot in a new country doesn’t make it as much theirs as someone who has had their family spend generations fighting for and creating the country.

But your comment is the standard of the immigrant.

Jeff says:

October 12, 2012 at 11:39 am

I don’t care what religion it is protestant vs. catholic or sihk or muslim.

Leave your old world hate at home. Or stay there and fight your battles. Don’t do it here.

Coming to Canada is a priviledge for you, honour that privilidge and make society better not more violent.

greg says:

October 16, 2012 at 3:44 pm

shut up jeff, these ppl will probably take over canada well atleast the mainland. people like willget throwin out its their country just as much if not more.equal rights my brother. thou shal not hate – bible

jagga jatt says:

October 10, 2012 at 2:26 pm

msg to all kunjers who sit on tables n chairs in the gurdwara, follow the gurus rules. as you are a disgrace to the sikh religion by not doing so

Melinda says:

October 29, 2012 at 12:25 pm

That is the Sikhi way right? Please go edcuate yourself before you speak out of line.

ed says:

October 2, 2012 at 10:32 am

so will the surrey sikh regiment be responsible to this type of punishment as well – if they do not follow the teachings

this is a nation – a nation like iran – by the sounds of things – demeaning to aLL THAT DONT COMPLY TO THE TEACHINGS – where is the tolerance

Indian media outlet Saanj News said the Sikh clergy “imposed religious punishment on Jarnail Singh Bhandal to enable him to rejoin the Sikh faith. Bhandal was asked to clean utensils in the community kitchen of Golden Temple, to dust shoes of visiting devotees and to carry out the same job in different Gurdwaras in Canada at least for four Sundays.”

Akal Takhat Bhai Ranjit Singh, then Jathedar (head) of the Sikh faith, had excommunicated Bhandal for arranging community kitchen (langar) on tables and chairs instead of on the floor, as Sikh tradition dictates. Other Vancouver-area Sikhs were excommunicated as well: Kashmir Singh Dhaliwal, Giani Harkirat Singh, Balwant Singh Gill and journalist Tara Singh Hayer, who was killed in 1998.

info says:

October 2, 2012 at 2:56 pm

No they will just them to polish the boots of fellow cadets, like they already do in the Canadian military