Sect waits for founder to rise from the dead

NAUSHEHRA MAJHA SINGH, March 22: Thousands of followers of `Neel Panth', a sect of Sikhism, believe that the founder of the mission, Sant Ha...

NAUSHEHRA MAJHA SINGH, March 22: Thousands of followers of `Neel Panth’, a sect of Sikhism, believe that the founder of the mission, Sant Harnam Singh who died in 1980, will come back alive. Sant Harnam Singh’s mummified body has been lying in a crypt of the Gurdwara here for the last 18 years.“We are confident that `Maharaj’ will come back to life and emerge out of the tomb — by blowing off its roof,” said a member of the trust which manages the affairs of the Gurdwara. The trust is headed by Sant Bhagwan Singh.

Gurbux Singh Bhandari, general secretary of the managing

trust, said that when 104-year-old Sant Harnam Singh died, the majority of his followers were for preserving his body.

However, a section of the followers feels that preserving the body in the hope of reincarnation goes against the tenets of Sikhism. Harbhajan Kaur, who claims to be a sister and rightful successor of Sant Harnam Singh, said that a person baptised to Sikhism is always cremated.

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Harbhajan Kaur has written a letter toChief Minister Parkash Singh Badal asking him to help her to cremate body of the Sant according to Sikh rituals. Harbhajan Kaur claims that before his death on October 11, 1980, the Sant had nominated her as his successor but she was thrown out by some vested interests.

She said that Sant Harnam Singh was born in 1877 at Suba village in Sialkot district, now in Pakistan. He was from a Khatri Hindu family which was under the influence of Namdhari sect. Sant Ram Singh, head of Namdhari sect had adopted Sant Harnam Singh. But later due to some differences Sant Harnam set up a separate sect `Neel Panth’.

Harbhajan Singh, a preacher of Neel Panth, confirmed that Sant’s body had been preserved. He added that it was Sant’s last wish. He said that a 8 x 5 feet size basement was constructed to place the body on a cot.