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{{Infobox legislation
| short_title = Anand Marriage Act, 1909
| legislature = [[Imperial Legislative Council]]
| image = Star of the Order of the Star of India (gold).svg
| imagesize = 150
| long_title = An Act to remove doubts as to the validity of the marriage ceremony common among the Sikhs called Anand.
| citation = [https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/2347/1/190907.pdf Act No. 7 of 1909]
| territorial_extent = whole of India
| enacted_by = [[Imperial Legislative Council]]
| date_enacted = 22 October 1909
| amended_by = Anand Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2012 (29 of 2012)
| status = in force
}}

The '''Anand Marriage Act, 1909''' was a piece of legislation dealing with [[Anand Karaj|Sikh marriage]] in [[Presidencies and provinces of British India|British India]] that validated the Sikh marriage customs.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Chaudhari |first=Dattatraya Hari |title=The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (Act No. 25 of 1955): With an Exhaustive Commentary, Explanatory and Critical Notes, Case Law, Other Marriage and Divorce Acts, High Court Rules, Table of Cases, Index, Etc |last2=Chaudhari |first2=A. D. |publisher=Eastern Law House |year=1966 |edition=3rd |pages=68, 363}}</ref> The act was a result of the ongoing [[Singh Sabha Movement|Singh Sabha movement]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite book |last=Oberoi |first=Harjot |url=http://archive.org/details/constructionofre0000ober |title=The Construction of religious boundaries : Culture, Identity, and Diversity in the Sikh Tradition |date=1994 |publisher=Chicago, IL : University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-61592-9 |pages=336–343}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Hirst |first=Jacqueline Suthren |title=Religious Traditions in Modern South Asia |last2=Zavos |first2=John |publisher=Routledge |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-136-62668-5 |pages=190–196 |chapter=9 The construction of religious boundaries}}</ref> It helped cement a [[Hinduism and Sikhism|separate Sikh religious identity]] from [[Hinduism]] and was a landmark decision that helped in the formation of modern religious boundaries observed today.<ref name=":2" /> The act is valid today in an amended form.

== History ==

=== Passing of law ===
[[File:Photograph of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of Nabha State, Bourne & Shepherd, 1903.jpg|thumb|Ripudaman Singh of Nabha, who was instrumental in the passing of the act]]
Sikhs believe [[Guru Amar Das]] introduced the Sikh wedding ceremony, known as the ''[[Anand Karaj]]'', and [[Guru Ram Das]] introduced the ''[[Laavaan|Lāvān]]''.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Singh |first=Shivam Pratap |date=19 September 2025 |title=Anand Marriage Act explained as SC asks states to frame rules on Sikh unions |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/what-is-anand-marriage-act-explained-as-sc-asks-states-to-frame-rules-on-sikh-marriages-101758281592259.html |access-date=12 December 2025 |work=Hindustan Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=The Panjab Past and Present, Volume 2 |publisher=Department of Punjab Historical Studies, Punjabi University |year=1968 |pages=409}}</ref> The Anand text and Laavaan hymns constitute two fundamental components of the Sikh marriage ceremony.<ref name=":1" /> Later-on, reformist [[Sects of Sikhism|Sikh sects]], such as the [[Namdhari|Namdharis]] and [[Nirankari|Nirankaris]], helped formulate, standardize, and simplify the Sikh wedding ceremony.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Mina |title=Ceremony of the Sikh Wedding |publisher=Rupa & Company |year=2005 |isbn=978-81-291-0633-9 |pages=4 |chapter=Origins}}</ref> While the anand form of marriage has historically existed amongst the Sikhs, it was only until prince [[Ripudaman Singh of Nabha]] efforts beginning in 1908 that it was legally sanctioned in law as a valid form of marriage.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Kahan |title=Encyclopaedia of the Sikh Literature: English Translation of Guruṣabada Ratanākara Mahāna Koṣa |publisher=Punjabi University |year=2006 |volume=1 |location=Patiala |pages=246}}</ref>

The [[Chief Khalsa Diwan|Chief Khalsa Diwan's]] members were instrumental in the passing of the ''Anand Marriage Act, 1909''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Chief Khalsa Diwan - History |url=https://www.chiefkhalsadiwan.com/history |access-date=14 June 2024 |website=Chief Khalsa Diwan}}</ref> The members felt that the Sikh marriage rites did not have legal basis behind them and that Hindu influences remained in the marriage customs of many Sikhs.<ref name=":0" /> Sikhs also showed more predisposition to [[Inter-caste marriage|intercaste]] marriages.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jyoti |first=Surinder K. |title=Marriage Practices of the Sikhs: A Study of Intergenerational Differences |publisher=Deep & Deep |year=1983 |pages=219–200}}</ref> The organizations opposition to "Hindu" rituals in the marriage practices of Sikhs led to them being condemned and boycott by some traditionalist factions within the Sikh community.<ref name=":0" /> [[Sundar Singh Majithia]] of the C.K.D. and [[Ripudaman Singh]] of [[Nabha State]] (who introduced the bill on 30 October 1908<ref name=":4" />) pushed the Sikh marriage bill through the [[Imperial Legislative Council]] despite heavy opposition, with the former piloting it and the latter intervening, where it was successfully passed on 22 October 1909.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Dharam |title=The Encyclopedia of Sikhism |publisher=Patiala Punjabi University |year=2002 |isbn=81-7380-100-2 |editor-last=Singh |editor-first=Harbans |edition=4th |volume=1: A–D |pages=461–465 |chapter=Chief Khalsa Diwan}}</ref> [[Sunder Singh Lyallpuri]] also played a role in the formation and passing of the bill.<ref name="auto"/> The passing of the bill helped with the keeping of a separate Sikh identity apart from the Hindus.<ref name=":0" />
[[File:Photograph of the wedding of Kunwar Paramjit Singh of Kapurthala and Maharani Brinda Devi Sahiba of Jubbal, 1911.jpg|thumb|Photograph of the Sikh wedding of Kunwar Paramjit Singh of [[Kapurthala State|Kapurthala]] and Maharani Brinda Devi Sahiba of [[Jubbal State|Jubbal]], 1911]]
However, contemporary opponents at the time worried that the act would provide a legal framework that legitimizes a barrier between the Sikh and Hindu communities, pushing out many non-Khalsa, ''[[Sahajdhari|sehajdhari]]''-alligned members from the Sikh fold.<ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Myrvold |first=Kristina |title=Sikh News in India, 1864-1924 - Colonial Reports on Vernacular Newspapers of Punjab. |date=2 December 2024 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-70708-5 |pages=728–731 |chapter=2}}</ref> Meanwhile, Sikh proponents of the bill saw this criticism as external meddling in their religious affairs, claimed that non-anand forms of marriage were "Hindu" rather than "Sikh", and argued about the involvement of the Sikh gurus in the formation of separate Sikh marriage customs.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=O'Connell |first=Joseph T. |title=Sikh History and Religion in the Twentieth Century |last2=Israel |first2=Milton |last3=Oxtoby |first3=Willard Gurdon |last4=McLeod |first4=W. H. |last5=Grewal |first5=J. S. |publisher=Manohar Publications |year=1990 |isbn=978-81-85054-76-6 |pages=153–154}}</ref> Sikh periodicals of the era, such as the ''[[Khalsa Akhbar]]'' and ''[[The Khalsa Advocate|Khalsa Advocate]]'', published many articles in-favour of the codeification of the Sikh marriage customs.<ref name=":6" /> The name for the act was also proposed to be ''Sikh Marriage Act'' but this was opposed by some Sikh supporters.<ref name=":5" /> The act was passed on 22 October 1909.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" />

=== After Indian independence ===
After the [[Indian independence movement|independence of India]] in 1947, Sikh marriages would be registered under the [[Hindu Marriage Act, 1955]], as the earlier 1909 act was invalidated by the [[Constitution of India|Indian constitution]] in 1950.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Decoding and Defining the Anand Karaj Marriage Act |url=https://www.sikhnet.com/news/decoding-and-defining-anand-karaj-marriage-act |access-date=12 December 2025 |website=SikhNet}}</ref> The 1955 act was viewed as conservative because it applied to any person who is Hindu by religion in any of its forms, but it also includes other religions, such as Jains, Buddhists, or Sikhs as specified in Article 44 of the Indian Constitution.<ref name="revenue">[http://punjabrevenue.nic.in/hmrgact(1).htm ''Department of Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management'' – "Hindu Marriage Act, 1955"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105343/http://punjabrevenue.nic.in/hmrgact(1).htm|date=4 March 2016}} d</ref> The 1909 act was amended by act 48 of 1959.<ref name=":1" /> However, with the passage of Anand Marriage (Amendment) Bill in 2012, Sikhs now also have their own [[Family law|personal law]] related to [[Marriage law|marriage]].<ref name="auto"/>

==== 2012 amendment ====
The 1909 act would later be amended by the Anand Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2012 on 7 June 2012. This act paved the way for the validation of Sikh traditional marriages, amending the Anand Marriage Act of 1909, thus providing for compulsory registration of "Anand Karaj" marriages.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Anand Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2012 Published in the Gazzette of India - Family Law |url=http://www.lawyersclubindia.com/news/The-Anand-Marriage-Amendment-Act-2012-Published-in-the-Gazzette-of-India-13894.asp |access-date=18 January 2019 |website=Lawyersclubindia}}</ref><ref name="indiatimes.com">{{cite web |title=Sikhs can register marriages under Anand Act - Times of India |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-05-22/india/31815659_1_blissful-event-anand-marriage-act-anand-karaj |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413031309/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-05-22/india/31815659_1_blissful-event-anand-marriage-act-anand-karaj |archive-date=13 April 2013 |access-date=17 January 2022 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sikhs hail the passage of Sikh Marriage Act in Indian Parliament | India America Today |url=http://www.indiaamericatoday.com/article/sikhs-hail-passage-sikh-marriage-act-indian-parliament |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527130754/http://www.indiaamericatoday.com/article/sikhs-hail-passage-sikh-marriage-act-indian-parliament |archive-date=27 May 2012 |access-date=15 June 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> This allowed for Sikhs to register their marriages under the 2012 Anand Marriage Act instead of the 1955 Hindu Marriage Act.<ref name=":7" /> In 2025, the [[Supreme Court of India]] validated the legality of Anand Karaj marriages and requested all Indian states & union territories to develop a framework for them, as some still have yet to notify the rules despite the 2012 amendment.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 September 2025 |title=SC asks states, UTs to notify rules for registration of ‘Anand Karaj’ marriage |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/sc-asks-states-uts-to-notify-rules-for-registration-of-anand-karaj-marriage-101758221999042.html |access-date=12 December 2025 |work=Hindustan Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=21 September 2025 |title=Chief Khalsa Diwan calls SC decision on Sikh's Anand Marriage Act as historic |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/ckd-calls-sc-decision-on-anand-marriage-act-as-historic/ |access-date=12 December 2025 |work=The Tribune}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> [[Haryana]] had notified its rules regarding anand marriages in 2014.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Siwach |first=Sukhbir |date=8 May 2014 |title=Haryana woos Sikhs with marriage law |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Haryana-woos-Sikhs-with-marriage-law/articleshow/34795668.cms |access-date=12 December 2025 |work=Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sharma |first=Bhupinder |date=8 May 2014 |title=Haryana notifies Anand Marriage Registration Rules |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2014/state-editions/haryana-notifies-anand-marriage-registration-rules.html |access-date=12 December 2025 |work=The Pioneer}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
According to [[Harjot Oberoi]], the passing of the bill in 1909 was a instrumental part of the formation of a modern Sikh religious identity.<ref name=":2" />

== See also ==

* [[Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925]]

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==

* [https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/2347/1/190907.pdf Text of the 1909 act]

[[Category:1909 in law]]
[[Category:1909 in British India]]
[[Category:Acts of the Imperial Legislative Council]]

Anand Marriage Act, 1909 - Revision history

Andreasyrt at 16:50, 12 February 2026