Final Effort to Halt Sale of Erroneous Mahan Kosh

Chandigarh ,August 30, Nazrana Times Beuro 

A long-standing controversy over a flawed edition of the Sikh encyclopedia, Mahan Kosh, appears to be reaching its conclusion. Thousands of copies of the book, published by Punjabi University, are slated for destruction following a final decision made on August 5, 2025. This move marks the culmination of a campaign by various Sikh organizations and individuals to stop the circulation of a version of the sacred text they say is filled with serious mistakes.

The Mahan Kosh, a key reference for Sikh history and Gurbani, was first published in 1930 by Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha. For years, the Language Department of Punjab has been printing a widely accepted version. However, a competing edition produced by Punjabi University was found to contain an estimated 36,000 blunders, with even more errors in its Hindi and English translations.

In 2018, the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued an order to ban the sale of this problematic book, based on an undertaking from the university. Despite this, the university allegedly continued to violate the order, and critics say key Sikh institutions like the SGPC and Shiromani Akali Dal failed to take decisive action.

Over the past seven years, student organizations, Sikh groups, and concerned citizens have repeatedly called for the books to be destroyed. Their efforts intensified after an expert committee determined in 2020 that the errors were so severe the book couldn't be corrected. A recent intervention by Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Kultar Singh Sandhwan, finally led to a breakthrough. After numerous meetings, a decision was reached to destroy all copies of the book.

The final agreement, reached on August 5, not only mandates the destruction of the books but also calls for disciplinary action against officials involved, including Dr. Parminder Kaur, Head of the Punjabi Language Department. Additionally, a financial recovery process will be initiated to compensate for public funds spent on the flawed publication. This decisive action is being hailed by some as a crucial step in preserving the integrity of Sikh philosophy and history.

The key organizations involved in this effort, as mentioned in the press notes, include:

• Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabaha: A Sikh organization that submitted a memorandum to the Higher Education Minister and later met with the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker.

• Lok Bhalai Insaaf Welfare Society (Regd.): A registered welfare society that also participated in submitting the memorandum and raising the issue with authorities.

• Other Sikh Organizations: The press note states that "different Sikh Organizations" also participated in the effort.

This coalition of organizations, along with individuals like Rajinder Singh Khalsa, Giani Kewal Singh ji, Advocate Jaswinder Singh, Gurinder Singh, and Manadip Kaur, was instrumental in bringing the issue to the attention of the Speaker and pushing for a resolution.