"Sri Guru Nanak Sarab Sampardaya Conference"

Sri Bhaini Sahib - 1934 AD

Conference of All Sikh Denominations believing in

Guru Nanak

Under the patronage of Sri Satguru Partap Singh Ji ,who after comprehending the antagonism and strife amongst the Sikh factions, inaugurated this conference at Sri Bhaini Sahib on the 13th October 1934.to constitute harmony and entirety in the Sikh Panth.

The President of this memorable conference was His Holiness Bhai Arjan Singh Ji Bagria. It was attended by the most eminent personalities of the Panth, including Sir Sunder Singh Majithia, Principal Jodh Singh Ji and Bhai Sahib Sardar Bahadur Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha.

The Namdhari Darbar welcomed, Nirmal Mahan Mandal, Chief Khalsa Diwan, Udasin Mahan Mandal, Both Akali Parties, Gargajj Akali Diwan, Panch Khalsa Diwan, Buddha Dal Nihang Singh, Seva Panthi, Adan Shahi, amongst many other, with open arms.

The main agenda of this conference was to create harmony and unity amongst those Sikh factions who believe in the doctrines of the Holy Sri Guru Granth Sahib and the Holy Sri Dasam Granth.

The most significant resolution put forward by Sri Satguru Ji , which revealed His impartial and benign character, was:-

"This conference implores all the leaders, saints, lecturers, journalists, minstrels, and all other responsible persons to sermonize the essence of their belief without violating and defaming the principles of any other sect."

This concept bestows the impression of a pure and provident intellect. The conference ended with Sir Sunder Singh Majithia, stating these immortal words

" I am sure that all the congregation will approve of me when I thank Sri Maharaj Partap Singh Ji, who made this tremendous effort to bring us all on one platform and like the beads in a string tried to thread us. Let us all corroborate that we can live up to His expectations. In the end I thank all the members of the Namdhari Darbar who made us most welcome and instituted this historic conference."

Sri Satguru Partap Singh Ji was of the conviction that all those organisations who believed and preached the teachings of Guru Nanak were the miscellaneous types of flowers adorning the same garden.

All these organisations have the right to sermonize according to their own methods. Antagonism arises only when one sways from the real doctrines of unity & religion.

At Sri Bhaini Sahib, the Namdharis conduct the 'Ardaas' to the twelve Gurus, but at the inaugural ceremony of the

"Sri Guru Nanak Sarb Sampardaya Conference",

the 'Ardaas' to ten Gurus was conducted, and Sri Satguru Ji had smilingly acknowledged,

"These ten Gurus are also ours and without including them we cannot perceive twelve."

The following is a report which was published in 'The Tribune' of the 18th October 1934

CONFERENCE OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN GURU NANAK

20000 SIKHS GATHER IN SRI BHAINI SAHIB

Sri Bhaini Sahib, Oct. 1 5
A representative conference of all sects of the Sikhs, who believe in Guru Nanak Dev and his teaching, was convened at Sri Bhaini Sahib by Namdhari Darbar, Preparations were made on a scale and no pain was spared by the convenors to make the conference a big success. A spacious Pandal with a beautiful white gateway was constructed for the purpose. It was tastefully decorated and equipped with loud speakers; Special arrangements were made for the distinguished visitors. Numbering several hundreds and a big city of camps extended all around the small village of Bhaini Sahib. Suitable arrangements were made at Ludhiana for arranging conveyance of the Intending visitors, as Bhaini Sahib, the religious seat of Namdhari Sikhs, is situated at about fifteen miles from Ludhiana and is of great historical importance being the last abode of Shri Guru Ram Singh who is regarded 12th Guru of the Sikhs by his followers and was deported by the British Government in 1872. Over 20.000 men and women joined the conference. Several kitchens were running day and night to
for everybody. Besides Namdharis, Akalis Nirmalas. Udhasis. Sewa Panthis. Nihangs. Sahijdharis. Adanshahis, almost all-different sects who traced their cult from the teachings of Sri Adi-Granth Sahib responded to the invitation. Leading members of the Chief
Khalsa Diwan, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Commiftee. Shiromani Akali Dal, Central Akali Dal. Udasin Mahan Mandal, Nirmal Mahan Mandal and other responsible bodies were specially invited.
PRESIDENTS' PROCESSION.

The President-elect was received by members of Namdhari Darbar, and prominent Sikh leaders outside the village and was taken on foot in a big procession to the Panda!. The procession was headed by Seven Jathas of Namdharis and followed the command of Sardar Atma Singh of Rawalpindi presented added great beauty to the procession. On reaching the Pandal. Sant Inder Singh Chakrawarti explained the aims and objects of the conference after which the prominent members retired to Hari Mandar for holding the Subjects Committee meeting.
Heated discussions continued for over two hours. The aims and the objects for which the conference was convened were discussed at length and everyone aftempted to praise it in his own way; Professor Jodh Singh of Chief Khalsa Diwan, Bhai Nidhan Slngh Alam Namdhari Darbar and Sant Kishan Singh of Nirmal Mahan Mandal and Sardar Dalip Slngh Vice-President. local Gurdwara Committee. Amritsar took leading part in the discussions. The aims and objects were worded as follows: "that the idea of convening the conference is to unite different sects of the Sikhs who believe in Adi Granth and Dasam Granth.
The Following resolutions were passed
1. That this conference requests all sects of the Sikhs that the preaching of
Gurbani be their foremost duty in their Jathas at their own seats.
2. That all preachers, missionaries, musicians. Editors and leaders should feel their responsibility and should only do constructive work and not destructive work.
3. That the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, local Gurdwaras Parbandhak Committees and other Sikh Societies be requested they should always take fittest persons from any sect for the post of a Granthi, preacher or other responsible office-bearer and they should particularly appoint fit persons of that sect in whose possession that particular Gurdwara was before its being taken over by the Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee.
4. That in order to save the situation from any legal technicalities and achieve, unity in the house of the Guru all pending cases relating to Gurdwara other than historical Gurdwaras filed under section 7, of the Gurdwara Act should he given up.

The first sitting of the Subjects Committee was over after about 2 1/2 hours when the members attended 'the open session. Sant Inder Singh Chakarwarti, Chairman of the Reception Committee, read his address, wherein he thanked the delegates and the visitors for responding to the invitation and explained the aims and the objects for which the conference was convened. It was the genuine desire of His Holiness Maharaj Guru Partap Singh Ji, head of the Namdhari's, that are sects of the Sikhs believing in Guru Granth Sahab and Guru Nanak Dev should respect each other and remove all differences, which were damaging the Sikh cause. Party spirit among the followers of Guru Nanak was the chief cause of split

This Holiness, the Bhai Sahab Bhai Arjan Singh Chief of Bagarian (photo below). President of the Conference, read his brief address in which the need for co-operation among all the sects of the Sikhs was stressed and it was pointed out that unless this was achieved any further progress was out of question. Any discussion on political question was seriously avoided.

The proceedings of the first day ended after the addresses were over.

Courtesy:
The Tribune, 18th October 1934

Bhai Sahib Bhai Ardaman Singh Ji of Bagrian

A Hindu-Sikh Unity Conference was held under the patronage of Sri Satguru Partap Singh Ji on the 25th of March 1943 at Sri Bhaini Sahib, Dist. Ludhiana. The President of the conference was Seth Jugal Kishore Birla, seen here making the inaugural speech. This conference had an electrifying effect on the people of India, and their struggle for Independence was strengthened to a great extent.

After this conference, Sri Satguru Partap Singh Ji organised another conference which brought the Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims together.

Never in history has this sort of get-ogether been recorded, which brought all the communities of Punjab on one common platform.