Jhatka Network

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The Plan

Setting up a network of Sikhs who wish to do Jhatka regularly.

This doc is maintained by Bunga Azaadi and is all WIP — completely open to suggestions. With Guru Sahib’s Kirpa, once we get going we can improve processes over time. Get in touch with us for any feedback: contact@azadism.co.uk

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Overview

The following is a plan to revive Jhatka (primarily, but not exclusively) traditions in the Panth. This won’t just be limited to “raising awareness”, but establishing a whole pipeline that can ingest Sikhs, train them up, provide them reliable spaces and conduct Jhatka regularly once again. The intended endpoint of this project is to normalise Jhatka once again amongst Sikhs, and especially the Guru Khalsa Panth. When one thinks of a Singh, they should not associate the label “vegetarian”.

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ਸੂਰ ਖਾਇ ਸੋ ਖਾਲਸਾ, ਸੂਰ ਮਰਦਨੀ ਸਿਖ । Those who eat boar-meat are Khalsa, the one who grinds down warriors is a Sikh.

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Gurpratap Suraj Prakash Granth 1843 Rut 5, Chapter 10⁠

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This planning document will outline a multi-phased approach to this, that will depend on your commitment and dedication to determine the speed of its execution. As part of this, we hope to establish a Jhatka Network as an an opportunity for Sikhs to try Jhatka and promote it as a tradition that can be accessibly engaged in once again. If we can prove a successful model here in UK, then this plan should hopefully be robust enough to replicate in other places too. In time, we can even expand this into other efforts too such as “Jhatka Shops”, acquiring land for livestock, organic farming, and even arrange expeditions to or even set up our own hunting lodges. Building the Sangat is first step, developing the culture is second, and then all the rest will fall in place.

Bunga Azaadi Relevance:

The general motivation behind

Bunga Azaadi⁠

is that if we want to attempt any rational pursuit of Azaadi, we must first establish an Azaad way of thinking (”If you want Raaj tomorrow, start thinking like Raajai today”). Hence, (re-)developing a culture that is actually mentally prepared to engage in Raajniti effectively, in turn helps us advance our goal of establishing

Khalsa Raaj⁠

. We can’t do this if we are stuck following the misdirection of false cults and offshoot traditions with their own agendas, or even alternative ways of practicing genuine Sikhi but skewed towards Shant Ras. The Guru Khalsa however has its own unique way of expressing Sikhi via Bir Ras. As part of that, Jhatka Maryada specifically is symbolic of the sort of self-reliance and autonomy that defines the nature of the Khalsa. By reviving this tradition, we hope to provide Sikhs with an avenue to tap back into that nature, so that from this population we can pursue wider goals in Statecraft. Hence why the pursuit of Jhatka normalisation is relevant to Bunga Azaadi and its work to progress towards Khalsa Raaj.

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Here is what we think may be a way to achieve the above ambition. Since most of us interested in this mission from Bunga Azaadi are UK-based, we will focus here initially. But no reason why same approach can’t later be exported elsewhere. Again, let us know any feedback.

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Phase 1

Initialize Network

First we set up a network for Sikhs to connect to other Sikhs who perform Jhatka or wish to get into it.

This has been set up as a

Discord Server⁠

, with an accompanying Instagram page for awareness and updates.

The intention for this is to be able to share ideas, sources, resources, and even link up with each other to do Jhatkai.

A whole microeconomy can and should be established. If you want something to last, then it must have a sustainable economy.

Additionally, the Network also acts as our “comms hub” for this project where we can coordinate advocacy efforts.

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Phase 2

Legal Research

During this phase, lets also look into what must be done to change the laws to grant Sikhs required exemptions or permissions to conduct Jhatka in our way.

This should include a report outlining the current laws around it.

Can we do larger livestock?

Size of gatherings to conduct Jhatka? (i.e is it immediate family only)

Can we sell meat or animals products that is Jhatkaa’d?

Potential petition?

If this is what is needed, then the private network is where we can start and secure sign-ups to begin with, and we can then add into our Advocacy prep plans when we go public as an action.

Who can we talk to?

Any Sikh/Khalsa lawyers?

Sikh politicians? (Even non-Sikh ones should be considered)

Advocacy Prep

In this phase, its all about first preparing content to help convince a wider Sangat of the legitimacy of meat consumption.

This should include content suitable for all types of audience, beginner to advanced, children to elderly, English to Punjabi, even perhaps Sikh and non-Sikhs.

One really important resource to be established during this is a Jhatka FAQ that deals with so many of the common objections. This should be a sort of handbook that advocates can use as a reference guide to fall back on.

Bunga Azaadi has already started some of this, let us know if you have any Vichaars to contribute towards this also.

Crucially, don’t post or share any of this during this phase.

Instead, we should devote a week “International Jhatka Week” where we can push all the content we collect in this phase together, from multiple pages and sources.

Form a plan on what will be posted when during the launch period, by who, how etc.

Doesn’t just have to be social media posts either. Can also be reports, essays, booklets, pamphlets, posters, videos etc too.

This should overwhelm social media in particular with this narrative and establish a sort of “movement psychology” and perhaps hijack the algorithm via everyone participating re-sharing each others content.

If you have a page/project and want to be a part of this, get in touch. Or if you would like to write content for the pages to disseminate, then get in touch too (you will be credited)!

However, in order to maintain this momentum, we don’t just want to convince people of our arguments and present the evidence, we want to provide them with an opportunity to now go try it for themselves! Hence the point of starting the network first, so newcomers can enter and ask more experienced Jhatkaees if they can attend sessions with them.

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Phase 3

Advocacy launch

During the pre-planned week, we will push the prepped shared narrative as planned.

As part of this we should also host a Live Q&A session for Sangat to ask any questions and have their doubts addressed.

Would be ideal to do this with an expert panel (— feel free to make suggestions as to who or if you would like to volunteer!)

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Live Q&A⁠

Lobbying

The above should immediately lead into our action-plan for changing the laws that may be hindering us doing Jhatka.

This may involve a petition of sorts, that we can encourage sign-ups on the back of the above advocacy.

The intended outcome of this would be the ability for Khalsai to conduct Jhatka openly, without much restriction, and have exemptions like how there are for Halal and Kosher meat.

Especially for non-immediate family members and larger livestock.

Pursue permission to shoot animals as well.

This is would allow Singhs with firearm licenses to stand as back up on Jhatkai on larger animals. If for some reason a vaar from a shastar goes wrong, then we could shoot it for swift death — Jhatka is priority.

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Phase 4

In this phase more widespread normalisation will be the focus.

Open Introductory Sessions

Establish introductory sessions where Sevadars/Jhatkaee’s can train beginners and give them encouragement/confidence to do Jhatka for themselves more regularly.

Calling them Sevadars, but these Jhatakaee’s should be paid for their time and effort.

See the following FAQ response in a related project:

“Why are you paying the Singhs/Kaurs? Shouldn’t it be free Seva?”⁠

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We will identify who would be good for this through the Jhatka Network.

Individual Jhatkaees, Jathai and/or collaborating Misls may want to host such introductory sessions under their own banners, which should be encouraged. If there are instances of multiple groups collaborating together to offer these, then do try to ensure a written agreement is established between yourselves.

Bunga can provide a template, and can be available to collaborate on such sessions.

Distribution Network

Jhatkai often result in so much excess meat.

By offering to sell that meat to first people in the private network, and then people outside that network, you can start permeating Jhatka meat amongst the Sikh sangat who consume Maas.

This hopes to replace Halal reliance and reliance on meat bought from non-Khalsa sources.

We wan complain about Khulla and Kut’ha Maas all we like, but until we provide an alternative we won’t seriously outcompete current habits.

Monai, cultural Punjabis etc, and even those not really into Sikhi that can be the target audience for this. We can completely skip out those who are attached to their Sant Babai and offshoot traditions.

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Phase 5

This is the expansion phase.

It is far off, but it is where we can branch off into forming some of the following:

Hunting Lodges (visits and setup — one day perhaps establishing a “Shikaarpur” — an example of a Stan in a

Stanistan⁠

)

Hunting advocacy will probably be a parallel but related endeavor to the Jhatka Network.

Purchasing land for Chownis (this has planning notes elsewhere, but will share when time is right as it ties in with some other plans we are working towards behind the scenes)

Jhatka Businesses

Jhatka Certification Bodies (private regulators, certificates/stamps — basically organisations that assess supply chains to see if they are compliant with specific Maryadai and expectations that we can determine)

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Final Note:

There will likely be a lot of resistance to this from the usual suspects, but that is to be expected. The biggest barrier is our own commitment in making it work. Only the Guru Khalsa can revive the Guru Khalsa.

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Open Introductory Sessions

Distribution Network

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