Can you have an Anand Karaj in a banquet hall or outdoors?

According to the Akal Takht, no. Its directives say the Anand Karaj should take place in a gurdwara, in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, and not in banquet halls, hotels, resorts, beaches or other commercial venues. Gurdwara committees in Ontario have publicly reaffirmed this, so most GTA families hold the Anand Karaj at the gurdwara in the morning and the reception at a hall afterwards.

Here is what the directives say, and how families plan around them.

What does the Akal Takht say about where an Anand Karaj can be held?

The Akal Takht has addressed this several times.

• 1998. A hukamnama directed that the saroop of Sri Guru Granth Sahib should not be taken out of the gurdwara for an Anand Karaj at hotels, banquet halls, clubs or marriage palaces.
• October 2023. The five Singh Sahiban banned Anand Karaj at destination weddings at resorts and beaches, and said the saroop must not be present where alcohol, meat or tobacco is served.
• December 2025. After a meeting of the five Singh Sahiban, acting Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj announced that the Anand Karaj is to be held only in gurdwaras, and that ceremonies in parks, hotels and commercial venues go against the Sikh code of conduct (PTC News).

In Ontario, the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee and the Ontario Sikhs and Gurudwara Council issued a statement in 2020 reaffirming the 1998 hukamnama, and asked gurdwaras not to send a saroop to ceremonies at banquet facilities, golf courses or hotel resorts (Sikh Siyasat News).

Why does the Guru Granth Sahib matter so much here?

The Anand Karaj is not a ceremony that happens near Sri Guru Granth Sahib. It is a ceremony before the Guru. The couple walk around Sri Guru Granth Sahib for each of the four laavan, and the sangat sits in its presence.

That is why the directives focus on where the saroop may be taken. The concern is the respect due to the Guru, which a hall built for parties, with a bar and a dance floor, cannot easily offer.

Do both partners need to be Sikh?

The Sikh Rehat Maryada, the code of conduct published by the SGPC, says in its section on the Anand Sanskar that persons professing faiths other than Sikhism cannot be joined in wedlock by Anand Karaj. Many gurdwaras ask both partners to confirm they are Sikh before they will book the ceremony. Practice varies, so ask your gurdwara directly.

So how do GTA families plan the day?

Most Sikh weddings in the GTA follow a familiar shape:

1. Milni. The two families meet outside the gurdwara, often in the morning.
2. Tea and breakfast. Usually served in the langar hall.
3. Anand Karaj. In the darbar hall, with kirtan, the four laavan and Ardas.
4. Langar. Shared by the whole sangat afterwards.
5. Doli. The bride’s farewell from her family.
6. Reception. Later that day or on another evening, at a banquet hall. This is where the speeches, the dancing and the dinner happen.

Keeping the Anand Karaj at the gurdwara does not mean giving up on a beautiful reception. It simply keeps the two parts of the day in their proper places. See how we plan Desi weddings, including Punjabi and Sikh families.

What if we want photos in a garden or a hall?

Many couples who love an outdoor setting plan a portrait session in a garden or park between the Anand Karaj and the reception. Others design the reception entrance or stage around greenery and florals. Neither involves the ceremony, so neither conflicts with the directives.

What to ask your gurdwara

Book early, since popular gurdwaras fill quickly in wedding season. Questions worth asking:

• What dates and times are available, and by when must the Anand Karaj finish?
• Do you require both partners to be Sikh? What do you need from each of us?
• Is your granthi registered to solemnize marriages in Ontario? If not, how should we arrange the legal marriage and licence?
• Who will perform the kirtan and laavan? Do we book the ragis through you?
• What is your dress code for the couple and guests?
• What are the rules for photographers and videographers in the darbar hall?
• How is langar arranged, and can our families contribute or do seva?
• Where can the milni take place, and is there parking for both families?
• How many guests can the darbar hall and langar hall hold?

A note on respect

Families sometimes feel torn between what they have seen at other weddings and what the gurdwara asks. If you are unsure, speak to your granthi before booking anything else. Starting from the gurdwara’s requirements, and building the rest of the day around them, saves difficult conversations later.