Sikh News Mandira's Tattoo Leaves Akal Takht Fuming, Again

[Admin]

AMRITSAR: Model-turned-actress and TV anchor Mandira Bedi has once again earned the ire of the Sikh community for sporting an Ek Onkar (God is one) tattoo on her nape, with community leaders threatening to drag her to court for hurting religious sentiments if she did not have the tattoo removed immediately.

On Wednesday, Mandira Bedi, who attended a dealers meet of Jaypee Cement at Zirakpur on the outskirts of Chandigarh along with Sachin Tendulkar, flaunted the tattoo with the symbol in Gurmukhi on her bare nape, leading to protests.

This was the second time she is facing the wrath of the Sikhs, after she was warned by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) in 2007 for walking the ramp with the same tattoo on.

Bedi said on Wednesday that she respected the religious sentiments of the Sikhs and that she had planned to undergo a plastic surgery to have it removed but could not find time.

Baldev Singh Sirsa, special secretary, Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani) said he would move court against her, seeking action under Section 295 A of IPC that entails action for deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs. Meanwhile, jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh has given her a two-month ultimatum to remove the tattoo.

After the clergy's stern warning, if Mandira Bedi continued to sport the tattoo, she could even invite strong punishment including summoning at the Akal Takht and a public rebuke. In cases of strong defiance and blasphemy, the Akal Takht can award "tankha" or punishment that may even go to the extent of excomminication from the community.

Balwant Singh, professor of Sikh Studies at the Guru Nanak Dev University said: "Mandira's act has brought disgrace to the holy Gurbani. Ek Onkar is to be respected and not flaunted like this."

 

[Tejwant Singh]

This angry lot in the Sikhi tent should find something else to gripe about rather than showing their ire at this. I do not find anything wrong with this.

Can they give us the list where not to write/etch this beautiful symbol of omnipresence of The Source?

Their disdain shows more about themselves than the supposedly flaws they have claimed in Mandira's character.

Take a deep breath people and do not forget to exhale by uttering Ik Ong Kaar.

Tejwant Singh

 

[bscheema]

and she said that this need surgery to remove ..

 

[kds1980]

Mandira bedi is an actress that cannot accept that she is no longer a hot woman.From past 2-3 years her career is going down.She is doing weird things like weid hairstyles,weird dresses,no wonder she has done this to gain free publicity

 

[roopsidhu]

SSA
nice to read four scholers appreciating Tejwant ji. nicely put Tejwant ji

 

[Gyani Jarnail Singh]

There are many many ANTI_SIKH..shops..like the EK OANKAAR JOTISH SHOP in Rampura Phool town near the railway Fatak..crossing...as everyoen knows Jotish..FORTUNE TELLING is anti-sikhi..aganst Gurmatt..so has NO ONE SEEN THIS HUGE SIGNBOARD YET ?? Rampura Phool is BIG TOWN..with many gurdwaras and sikhs..who walk past this daily..so why hasnt anyone seen it ??
There are aslo EK Oankar/Khanda signs on sherab thekas..barber shops..:whisling:

 

[roopsidhu]

SSA, Giyani ji,
You are right. Jyotish shop named "ekonkaar" is something which sikhs or gurudwars should have noticed. But worse than that this so called jantari service is provided in many gurudwaras itself. The pakhandi bhais and even many kirtaniyas are cheating uneducated people with so called jantary -tewa service.
Such things are much more important to be noticed than...
Roopsidhu

 

[Mai Harinder Kaur]

As a minor point of order, that tattoo is on her back, not on the nape of her neck. (I looked it up just to be sure.)

Let me begin by saying that I believe in freedom of religion and freedom of expression as defined in the United States of America, the broadest in the world, I think. (Yes, I'm a Canadian, but this is one thing the Barbarians to the South have gotten right.) Freedom is often messy and sometimes unattractive. I find this tattoo in incredibly bad taste. It deeply offends me. A time back, a dear friend was wondering why we use the martial khandaaon t-shirts and the like instead of the benign, graceful ikonkaar. I responded that ik onkaar is Gurbani deserving our highest respect while the khanda, although a symbol of the Sikh faith is not. I would not feel comfortable engaging in sports activities in a t-shirt sporting Gurbani and certainly would be very uncomfortable throwing it into the dirty laundry and then the washing machine.

In India, it is illegal to hurt the sensibilities of any given religion. Perhaps such a law is necessary in India, a country held together by Scotch tape. Such a law does impose on personal freedom, IMO, and is wrong.

Is her tattoo silly? Yes. Is it offensive? Yes. Is it in bad taste? Yes. But it shouldn't be illegal.

Now, onto the next part. Should the Akaal Takht force her to remove it? Is she a practicing Sikh? Is Sikhi her way of life? Is it important to her. If so (which I seriously doubt), she should voluntary have it removed, probably by laser. If not, I doubt what Akaal Takht ruled would make little impression on her.

In any case, the Panth is at a crisis point, being ripped apart by issues of the Dasam Granth and Darshan Singh. Why is the Akaal Takht wasting its time on what is really a minor matter, after all? Does Badal have something to lose or gain here?

I learned long ago when something puzzling occurs, who and why can usually be answered by answering the question, "Who profits?"

 

[GBAINS]

It is nice to see that Akal Takhat Sahib is getting into action on the issue of the Tattoo on the nape

They should also stop people from putting Khanda Symbol as Lockets behind the cars etc

Also any shop, business or institution named after Guru's should br asked to change their names etc

 

[guisingh]

"O! Lord, what fools these mortals be!" When Guru Nanak slept with his feet pointing towards Mecca, he was admonished for showing disrespect. He reportedly replied, place my feet towards any direction where GOD IS NOT PRESENT. Will the Akal Takht authorities please tell Mandira on which spot she should display the symbol which will not be offensive? Petty people, petty minds! Mandira is a descendent of Guru Nanak. Mandira DO NOT REMOVE THE TATTO, it looks beautiful.

G.P.SINGH

 

[Harindergujral]

AMRITSAR: Model-turned-actress and TV anchor Mandira Bedi has once again earned the ire of the Sikh community for sporting an Ek Onkar (God is one) tattoo on her nape, with community leaders threatening to drag her to court for hurting religious sentiments if she did not have the tattoo removed immediately.

On Wednesday, Mandira Bedi, who attended a dealers meet of Jaypee Cement at Zirakpur on the outskirts of Chandigarh along with Sachin Tendulkar, flaunted the tattoo with the symbol in Gurmukhi on her bare nape, leading to protests.

This was the second time she is facing the wrath of the Sikhs, after she was warned by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) in 2007 for walking the ramp with the same tattoo on.

Bedi said on Wednesday that she respected the religious sentiments of the Sikhs and that she had planned to undergo a plastic surgery to have it removed but could not find time.

Baldev Singh Sirsa, special secretary, Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani) said he would move court against her, seeking action under Section 295 A of IPC that entails action for deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs. Meanwhile, jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh has given her a two-month ultimatum to remove the tattoo.

After the clergy's stern warning, if Mandira Bedi continued to sport the tattoo, she could even invite strong punishment including summoning at the Akal Takht and a public rebuke. In cases of strong defiance and blasphemy, the Akal Takht can award "tankha" or punishment that may even go to the extent of excomminication from the community.

Balwant Singh, professor of Sikh Studies at the Guru Nanak Dev University said: "Mandira's act has brought disgrace to the holy Gurbani. Ek Onkar is to be respected and not flaunted like this."

I really do not understand Akal Takhat's angry reaction. Mandira has tattoed Almighty Gods name on her body. How can that be interpreted as a sign of disrespect to Akal Purukh? Respectfully I want to remind every one of Guru Nanak Dev Ji's travel to Mecca, when he was chided by a high official from Mecca for sleeping with his feet towards the Kaaba. Guru Danak Dev ji's reply to him was " Oh please turn my feet towards the other direction, so they do not point towards the Kabaa." Legend has it that as the official tried to move Guru Nanak Dev Ji's feet in other directions, he felt the Kabaa moving the same way. What Guru Nanak Dev Ji impressed on the official by this action, and by action to all of us Sikhs, was that Waheguru the eternal God is everywhere. The human body has been created by the same Akal Purukh, who created the entire universe. What right do any one of us have to ostracise Mandira or any other human being if she wants to show her love and respect to the almighty God by writing that there is only one God (Ek Onkar) on her own body? I fail to see how Mandira's action can be construed as an act of disrespect to our religon. She certainly has not hurt any other person.

 

[Mai Harinder Kaur]

What right do any one of us have to ostracise Mandira or any other human being if she wants to show her love and respect to the almighty God by writing that there is only one God (Ek Onkar) on her own body? I fail to see how Mandira's action can be construed as an act of disrespect to our religon. She certainly has not hurt any other person.

Is this a show of love and respect for Akaal Purakh or an attention-getting ploy? It's so hard to judge another's motives. I would guess she herself is unsure of her motives.

I still think it is in bad taste.

 

[Satyaban]

A Hindu pandit once addressed taking offense in the following way. I paraphrase. What could be offensive is determined not by the doer but by the receiver. Taking offense is like receiving a shipment you did not order. If you don't want it simply send it back.

Peace

 

[Harindergujral]

Each human being is unique. Who are we to judge whether she did this out of love respect for the Akaal Purukh or as an attention grabbing ploy. For that matter an attention grabbing ploy can also besimultaneously an act of love and respect. The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive motives. The Akaal Takht's anger on this is however in direct contradiction to Guru Nanak's teachings who taught us two things. God is everywhere and yes the human body is also God's temple.
" So ghat he may basse nirantar, ghat he khojo Bhai."
I want you to conside this. How is the Akaal Takth's reaction any different than that of the Moulavi in Mecca who chided Guru Nanak Dev Ji for pointing his feet in the direction of the Kabaa. In the Moulavi's opinion, Guru Ji's action was also in bad taste and much more.

 

[roopsidhu]

SSA,
love of god ? for the ones who love god, its very personal issue. Any body can love the god the way he or she likes. Anything we do is personal and private till we keep it confined to oneself. Any thing made public or put in display does not remain personal or private specially when its about religious sentiments. I donot think it was a very big issue but we ( all forum writers) are making it big issue by giving it undue importance and Mandira is getting free publicity. There are lots of other sikh issues which really matters and affect sikhism. Lets spend our time and energy on some constructive issues.
Roopsidhu

 

[kds1980]

"O! Lord, what fools these mortals be!" When Guru Nanak slept with his feet pointing towards Mecca, he was admonished for showing disrespect. He reportedly replied, place my feet towards any direction where GOD IS NOT PRESENT. Will the Akal Takht authorities please tell Mandira on which spot she should display the symbol which will not be offensive? Petty people, petty minds! Mandira is a descendent of Guru Nanak. Mandira DO NOT REMOVE THE TATTO, it looks beautiful.

G.P.SINGH

So their is nothing wrong if models,actresses putting sikh symbols on their bodies.

 

[Harindergujral]

Dear Roop Sidhu Ji,
SSA
I greatly appreciate your response and I am in principle in agreement with you.

I want to add that if I were to write God's name on my body then it would be-as you correctly point out- my personal issue. It is not a public issue because I (or in the present context, Mandira) have not written on some other person's body or bodies or on any public property.
Actually it used to be quite common to tatoo Ek Onkar on the forehead, hand etc. when I was growing up in 'old' pre-partition Punjab during my childhood. One of my aunts had it on her forehead, a distant male cousin had this tatoo on the outer side of his hand and no one ever bothered one bit.
So why this outrage now in Mandira's case. Because she is a Hindu may be. Since when have we Sikhs become so narrow minded. Have we declared the concept of Ek Onkar to be our personal property or do we still remember Guru ji's teachings that the entire Human Race is one. "Manas Kee Jaat, sub ek hi Pechanye."

Or are we going to decide that the forehead is Ok but the back is not. How silly!
Or is it being objected to because she is an actress? I am confused!

I am in agreement with Roop Ji that we (forum writers) should not give this issue too much importance. The problem however is that an August Body such as the Akaal Takht -and not we insignificant forum writers- has made this into an important issue by threatening amongst other things to go to court on this. I like to think that the respected members of the Akaak Takth have more important matters to worry about.

 

[kds1980]

The basic question here is not Mandira tattoed ik onkar on her.The question is, are we going to allow sikh symbols exploited by Models and bollywood? One should look at the intention of person,at this point I don't think she has done it out of respect.
She has done it just to generate free publicity.So now sikh symbols are going to become commodity for for these publicity hungry celebrities

 

[ParminderSinghUk]

This just shows the social & mental capacity of our so called "leaders & jathedaars". What an utter waste of time & effort. If everything else was ticking away nicely, our sikh brothers & sisters were joining in the SIKH way of life, No patits, No Kuraitei, No Dehthari Pakhandi's & Babe, then just may be we could chase after these idealistic issues. There are far more important issues, (some mentioned above) that we as "sikhs" must address and for which these leaders and officials, paid or voluntary must take responsibility. We too have a responsibility of exposing those not complying with the sikh code & ensuring that when and wherever we vote (democracy) we vote with a conscience. Then, just then may be we can start having a better future....

 

[Rupinder.Singh]

Waheguru ji ka khalsa, Waheguru ji ki fateh..

Nice topic to stretch our mind further. Great thing is that these topics help us to think out of box.

I totally agree with Satyaban ji...it all depends upon how we receive it ourselves...

Consider this (hypothetical only) " At a dera in Punjab, some Baba slaps followers on their face and all their sins are washed away, and Dera is flocked by followers to be slapped by Baba"

Ask those followers, is that slapping offensive to them...you all know answer...[Good Idea for some budding Baba...:thumbsupp:.... :blinkingmunda:]


Well back to the topic, positive side of this display is free publicity of Sikh beliefs, and that too without any expenses, and that too on a Living body and that too an individual in media industry.

And negative side is...the action being taken by our highest religious authority which will lead to free publicity of Mandira Bedi instead of Ik Onkaar, and display the narrow mindedness of Sikh Authorities, and more over it is also enough for Some so called true Sikh community members to come down on roads and disrupt public service, which will display their uncontrolled anger (Krodh- which is meant to be controlled in Sikhism). All this obviously makes fun of Sikhism and its practices.

Now the next thing to consider is the intention of the bearer. I don't think any one can judge it right except the bearer herself.

So we should stop Assuming and first of all Go and ask her about her intention, and I am sure she can express it right.

Put her answer (if it fits in right intention frame) on all sorts of media. What else do we need, other than spreading of true word.....?

Rest on your thoughts....

Keep Flowing...

Rupinder Singh

PS: Dear Mai Harinder Kaur Ji.. Thanks for all great smileys (Creative Commons)