Definition
Akali is an individual who embodies timelessness. The Akali Dal, also known as the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), is a Sikh political party that evolved out of earlier Sikh political organizations such as the Central Sikh League (CSL) and the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). Since its inception in 1920, the Akali Dal has been a political force in Punjab and has continually claimed to broadly represent Sikh political sentiments.
Development of the Term Akali
Akali is derived from the word akal, or timelessness. [6, 14] Akal is often translated to take the form of an epithet used for a monotheistic godhead thereby allowing for the creation of glosses such as Timeless Being or Timeless One. [12] However, in scholarly translations of the term Akali the process of translation begins with a problematic presupposition which posits timelessness as an attribute of an absolute godhead. [2, 3, 8, 15] These scholarly works are mainly interested in a temporalized political...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Ahlluwalia ML (1985) Gurdwara reform movement, 1919–1925, an era of Congress-Akali collaboration: select documents. Ashoka International Publishers, New Delhi
Grewal JS (1996) The Akalis: a short history. Punjab Studies Publications, Chandigarh
Gulati KC (1974) Akalis: past and present. Ashajanak Publications, Delhi
Mandair A (2009) Religion and the specter of the west: Sikhism, India, postcoloniality and the politics of translation. Columbia University, New York
Mandair A (2013) Sikhism: a guide for the perplexed. Bloomsbury, London
Nabha BKS (2003) Akal. In: Mahankosh. National Bookshop, Delhi
Peace ML (1968) S Kartar Singh Jhabbar, the spearhead of the Akali movement. Peace and Rattan Kaur, Jullundur
Singh G (ed) (1965) Some confidential papers of the Akali movement. Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee, Sikh Itihas Research Board, Amritsar
Singh M (1978) The Akali movement. The Macmillan Company of India, Delhi
Singh G (1981) Failure of Akali leadership. Usha Institute of Religious Studies, Sirsa, Haryana
Singh M (1988) The Akali struggle: a retrospect. Atlantic Publishers, New Delhi
Singh D (1993) Akali politics in Punjab (1964–1985). National Book Organization, New Delhi
Singh R (1997) Akali Movement, 1926–1947. Omsons Publications, New Delhi
Singh H (1998) Akal. In: Encyclopedia of Sikhism. Punjabi University, Patiala
Singh H (1998) Akali Dal, Shiromani. In: Encyclopedia of Sikhism. Punjabi University, Patiala
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this entry
Cite this entry
Mandair, AP.S., Grewal, H.S. (2017). Akali/Akali Dal. In: Mandair, AP.S. (eds) Sikhism. Encyclopedia of Indian Religions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0846-1_606
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0846-1_606
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-024-0845-4
Online ISBN: 978-94-024-0846-1
eBook Packages: Religion and PhilosophyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Humanities