CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has appealed to people to refrain from etching tattoos of holy verses of Gurbani and the Sikh religious symbol ‘Ek Onkar’ on one’s body, saying that such a practice violates ‘Sikh Rehat Maryada.’
The appeal has been issued according to a special edict from the Akal Takht (the highest temporal seat of Sikhs). A few movie stars had earlier portrayed such tattoos and later apologised over the issue. The SGPC posted a tweet on its official handle and said, “It is not according to Gur-Maryada (Guru’s conduct) to tattoo holy verses of Gurbani, Sikh religious symbols on your body.
Doing so knowingly or unknowingly, Sikh sentiments are hurt due to disrespect. Therefore the sangat (people) should refrain from tattooing religious symbols or verses of holy Gurbani on their body.’’In June this year, the Akal Takht issued an edict banning Sikh religious symbols to be put out as tattoos.
In 2013, the then Jathedar (high priest) of Akal Takht, Giani Gurbachan Singh, had recommended that cases be filed under Section 295-A of IPC against those etching tattoos of Gurbani or ‘Ek Onkar’ on their body. In 2010, actor Mandira Bedi got a tattoo of ‘Ek Onkar’ in Gurmukhi etched on her body and after that, famous Punjabi film actress Neeru Bajwa got sacred Gurbani verses inked on her forearm. Both later submitted unconditional apologies.