Akal Takht

Akal Takht
Akal Takht
ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ ਸਾਹਿਬ
	Seal of the Akal Takht
	Photograph of the Akal Takht
Alternative names	Akal Bunga
General information
Status	Takht (seat of authority) of the Sikhs
Architectural style	Sikh architecture
Address	Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Golden Temple Road, Amritsar, Punjab, India
Town or city	Amritsar
Coordinates	31°37′14″N 74°52′31″E / 31.6206°N 74.8753°E
Completed	15 June 1606 by Baba Buddha and Bhai Gurdas; 1995 subsequent to the demolition during the 1986 Sarbat Khalsa;
Destroyed	Heavily damaged Misl-era structure on 6 June 1984; Demolished on 26 January 1986 to reject the government-sponsored repairs of the damage in 1984;
Owner	Khalsa
Website
	sgpc.net

The Akal Takht (Punjabi: ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ ਸਾਹਿਬ; lit. 'Throne of the Timeless'), also spelt as Akal Takhat and historically known as Akal Bunga,^[2] is the most prominent of the five takhts (seats of authority) of the Sikhs. Located within the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) complex in Amritsar, in Punjab, India, it was established by Guru Hargobind in 1606 as a place to uphold justice and address temporal matters.^[3]

The Akal Takht represents the highest seat of earthly authority for the Khalsa, the collective body of initiated Sikhs and serves as the official seat of the jathedar, the supreme spokesperson and head of the Sikhs worldwide. The position of the jathedar is currently disputed between two factions. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) appointed Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj as the acting jathedar in 2025.^[4] However, the Sarbat Khalsa, organised by several Sikh organisations in 2015, had earlier declared Jagtar Singh Hawara as the jathedar.^[5]

Due to Hawara's political imprisonment, the Sarbat Khalsa appointed Dhian Singh Mand as the acting jathedar in his stead. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, however, has refused to recognise the authority of the 2015 Sarbat Khalsa and does not accept its appointments.^[6]

^ Nabha, Kahan Singh (13 April 1930). Gur Shabad Ratanakar Mahankosh (1 ed.). Languages Department of Punjab, Patiala. p. ਅਕਾਲਬੁੰਗਾ. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
^ Cite error: The named reference Fahlbusch 2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Randhir, G. S. (February 1990). Sikh Shrines in India. New Delhi: Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. ISBN 978-81-230-2260-4. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
^ Singh, Surjit. "SGPC removes Giani Raghbir Singh as Akal Takht jathedar". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
^ At Sarbat Khalsa, hardliners appoint Hawara Akal Takht Jathedar
^ Paul, GS (8 November 2018). "Takht Jathedar's address marred by sloganeering". The Tribune. Retrieved 10 November 2022.

[AB-1] Nabha, Kahan Singh (13 April 1930). Gur Shabad Ratanakar Mahankosh (1 ed.). Languages Department of Punjab, Patiala. p. ਅਕਾਲਬੁੰਗਾ. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.

[Fahlbusch_2008-2] Cite error: The named reference Fahlbusch 2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Sikh_Shrines-3] Randhir, G. S. (February 1990). Sikh Shrines in India. New Delhi: Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. ISBN 978-81-230-2260-4. Retrieved 21 April 2025.

[Gargaj-4] Singh, Surjit. "SGPC removes Giani Raghbir Singh as Akal Takht jathedar". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 21 April 2025.

[appoint-5] At Sarbat Khalsa, hardliners appoint Hawara Akal Takht Jathedar

[Address-6] Paul, GS (8 November 2018). "Takht Jathedar's address marred by sloganeering". The Tribune. Retrieved 10 November 2022.

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Akal Takht

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