Jan-March 2006 - Institute of Sikh Studies

76ABSTRACTS OF SIKH STUDIES : JAN-MARCH 2006 / 537-38 NSPanchayat – Councils and all important decisions relating to commoninterest of the Community must have the approval of those affectedby them. Gurus had eveolved this democratic Ideals and all followedthem in letter and spirit. In the Panth, this process of democracy andRepublican Ideals was called the Gurmatta. Every triumph was not ofthe individual, but the entire Panth . A solemn promise made in thepresence of the Guru Granth Ji was always followed to the best of theability. Morality standards were high and followed.4. GURMATTA – REPUBLICAN DEMOCRACY AT WORKThe Gurmatta started in the sangat. A Mata is an ‘opinion’ or‘resolution’. In the Khalsa Concept, when an opinion is placed beforethe congregation of Sikhs (sangat) in the presence of the GURU GranthJi, and some decision/common consent is arrived at after dispassionateand unbiased discussions and deliberations and is confirmed by formalardas and hukm of Guru, it is considered Final and binding on all as itis from the Guru himself. This now becomes known as a gurmatta.The First Person to submit to a Gurmatta was Guru Gobind Singh Jihimself when he submitted to the Khalsa Punj at Vasakhi 1699 and atChamkaur later on. Through a revolutionary and democatic step, GuruGobind Singh brought Guruship to the level of his Khalsa followers –and they proved able “containers” of this asset.The gurmatta concept helped the Panth ‘divide itself’ for betterorgansiaion and centralise itself for better counsel. When Sikhs metfor a gurmatta – all individuals ceased to exist for the greater good ofthe Whole. Thus, a gurmatta is religiously and morally binding on everykhalsa everywhere. In theory, Khalsa the Sarbat Kahlsa was Primarydemocracy similar to the Democracy of Ancient Greece, Athens andSocrates – at other times it became representative democracy like themodern democracies. The Sardar faithfully implemented the wishesof his followers who elected him. No matter how many dissented oragreed to any gurmatta but when the final delibration was announced,it would be carried unanimously – as a decision made by the Guruhimself. Even those absent from a particular meeting never opposedthe resolutions passed.To conclude, we can clearly see that this Dal Khalsa/SarbatKhalsa/gurmatta were the Essential win-win components of the success