Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj cautions against rapid urbanisation

Officiating Jathedar of Akal Takht and Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj, took part in a Gurmat Samagam (religious congregation) held at Pingalwara in Amritsar to mark the 33rd death anniversary of the eminent Sikh humanitarian and environmentalist Bhagat Puran Singh.

Addressing the gathering, Jathedar Gargaj inspired the Sangat to draw lessons from Bhagat Puran Singh’s life, emphasising the importance of humanism, caring for the environment and the land.

Jathedar Gargaj also listened to Gurbani Kirtan performed by the children of Pingalwara and later addressed the congregation. In his address, the Jathedar said that Bhagat Puran Singh served the needy, destitute and suffering with true devotion, caring for them like his own sons and daughters. He described him as a highly revered personality of the Sikh Panth, calling him a pride for the entire community.

He stated that Bhagat Puran Singh dedicated his life to selfless service in accordance with the teachings of Gurbani. He was deeply influenced in his early years by witnessing sewa (voluntary service) at Gurdwara Reru Sahib in Ludhiana, which led him to become a devoted Sikh and later undertake great humanitarian service.

After Operation Bluestar, Bhagat Puran Singh returned the state awards he had received from the Central government as a mark of protest—an act, said Jathedar, that reflected his deep Panthic spirit.

Highlighting Bhagat Puran Singh’s work on environment, Jathedar Gargajj said his teachings remain all the more relevant today for preserving air, water, land and trees in light of the Gurbani’s teachings. “Bhagat ji raised concerns about protecting the land long ago, and that concern is even more relevant today,” he said and warned against the rampant growth of concrete jungles in Punjab, stating that urbanisation is advancing here more aggressively than in any other state of the country.

He stressed that the issue of land degradation was serious and that Bhagat Puran Singh’s vision for environmental care remains a guiding light.