The Gurdwara Singh Sabha London has released a protocol of Anand Karaj ceremonies in the Gurdwara.The Anand Karaj is a Sikh religious marriage ceremony with specific principles and values which Sikhs have to respect and comply to.
Mankamal Singh, the Member of Committee of the Gurdwara Singh Sabha London East, spoke to Asian Voice regarding the protocol. “There is a protocol that we have released for the Anand Karaj, in line with what the Sikh Council guidelines were. The Sikh Council provided some guidelines a few months ago and our Gurdwara's protocol is following that.”
Mankamal Singh further stated, “We will allow people of different backgrounds[to get married in the Gurdwara] as long as they adhere to the protocol and that is what has been released by the Sikh Council. If a couple wish to get married, as long as they're willing to accept themselves as Sikhs from going forward and willing to accept coming into the faith, then we'll do the Anand Karaj.”
Gurmel Singh from the Sikh Council said, “Within the Sikh religious traditions, there is a code of conduct. Within the code of conduct, Sikhs can get married with the Anand Karaj ceremony... For the policy that we have issued has supplicated what the Sikh board of conduct is... making it easier for people to follow.”
Anand Karaj means “blissful union” or “joyous union”. However, a youth Sikh group in the UK had previously protested and stopped interfaith marriages from taking place in Gurdwaras, in the Midlands.
Mankamal Singh said that people of non-Sikh backgrounds can marry in Gurdwaras, as long as “you'll follow and look into the teachings and take this life forward.”
Singh also mentioned how many non-Sikhs express to have a Sikh wedding at the Gurdwara. “There is a lady who is getting married. She has changed her name and she has put 'Kaur' in her name. She's expressed an interest in learning more about the faith. She is doing the Anand Karaj and she is from a white British background.”
