Auckland , June 13 (ANI): The Sikh community here has been offended by claims being made that a widow cant remarry. A community source, on the condition of anonymity, said that the assertion that a member of the Sikh community can't remarry was an old-fashioned myth.
The controversy arose over the widow of one Navtej Singh, who was killed a couple of days ago in Auckland . A section of the Sikh community had said that she can't remarry.
This has nothing to do with reality, Sikhs have always allowed remarriage, the stuff.co.nz quoted the unnamed source as saying.
Singh’s widow Harjinder Kaur has been left with her three daughters, all aged under five, and her aging grandparents. In Sikhism, the ‘Anand Sanskar’ sets out the religions matrimonial ceremony and conventions of the ceremony known as Anand Karaj. It states: If a woman’s husband has died, she may, if she so wishes, finding a match suitable for her, remarry. For a Sikh man whose wife has died, similar ordinance obtains, says Anand Karaj and adds that the second marriage can be solemnised in the same way as the first Anand marriage.
In Sikhism the 'Anand Sanskar' sets out the religions matrimonial ceremony and conventions of the ceremony known as Anand Karaj. It states: "If a woman's husband has died, she may, if she so wishes, finding a match suitable for her, remarry. For a Sikh man whose wife has died, similar ordinance obtains." It also says the second marriage can by solemnised in the same way as the first Anand marriage. The one prescription on it is that "generally, no Sikh should marry a second wife if the first wife is alive".
Other rules says Sikhs sould marry without "giving thought to the prospective spouse's caste and descent" and that a Sikh daughter must be married to a Sikh. A marriage between a Sikh and a non-Sikh appears to be permitted but cannot have the Anand Karaj.
"No Sikh should accept a match for his/her son or daughter for monetary consideration."
Sikhs trace their religion back to the 15th century and the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. With 26 million followers, it's the world's fifth largest religion. Sikhs believe in equality of all humans and strongly reject the caste system. Other provisions Sikhs follow include a tenet that no Sikh should accept a match for his/her son or daughter for monetary consideration.
(ANI)
