Punjab : History and culture : Part -I

Historical Overview of Punjab

Major Events In Punjabi History:

• Aryan Migrations (516 BC -- 321 AD)
• Persian Rule (516 BC -- 321 AD)
• Alexander's Invasion (321 AD)
• Muslim Invasions (713 AD -- 1300 AD)
• The Rise of Sikh Power (1700 AD -- 1849 AD)

The word "Punjab" for the first time was mentioned in the Book ``Tarikh-e-Sher Shah'' (1580) which mentions the construction of Fort by a fellow named ``Sher Khan of Punjab''. Again the name is mentioned in ``Ain-e-Akbari'' part 1 written by Abul Fazal who also mentions that the territory of Punjab was divided into two provinces of Lahore and Multan. Similarly in the second volume of ``Aeen-e-Akbari'' title of a chapter contains the word ``Punjab'' in it. Also the Mughal King Jahangir mentions the word ``Punjab'' on page 183 of his book "Tuzk-i-Janhageeri". [Quraishee 73]

Indus Valley Civilization

Civilizations

But Archeologists have traced the signs of human habitation to times long before that of Mughals arrival. The upper basin of Indus and the Baluchistan Plateau hosted one of the earliest human civilizations known as the Indus valley civilization. The earliest signs of life human activity date as far back as 7000 B.P. The Indus valley civilization grew from small village and settlements to highly refined urban life. At its height, around 3000 B.C., it boasted the splendid cities of Harrapa (Near present Day Sahiwal in West Punjab) and Mohenjo Daro in the lower Indus valley. The story of the decline, whose reasons are still not completely explained, of civilization is also told through the remains of these cities.

Aryan Migrations:

Among other reasons like the change in the weather patterns, urbanization without any rural agricultural production base one factor is reported to be the series of raids or small scale migrations by the Aryans from the North-West (1500-100 BC). The next thousand year history of Punjab (or Arya-Varta, the land of Aryas, as Aryas called it) is dominated by the Aryans and their interactions with the natives of the Indus basin. Here is where the oldest books of human history called the Rig-Vedas are supposed to have been written. The Aryan tongue Sanskrit became a symbol of the Aryan domination of the area.

Easternmost Satrapy of the Persians:

Punjab lied at the outskirts of the great Persian empires and came under their control from time to time. The Persian King Darius the great is reported to have attacked Punjab and occupied some parts. But for the first time the occupation of Punjab was completed by the Persian King Gustasp in 516 BC. Punjab became the wealthiest Satrapy i.e., the province in the Persian kingdom.

Greeks, the rival empire of the Persians, also had some knowledge of the area. The great Persian Emperor Darius I (521-486 BC) appointed Skylax the Greek to explore the area around Indus river for commercial expeditions who provided an account of his voyage in his book ``Peripulus''. Hectaeus (500 BC) and Herodotus (483-431 BC) also wrote about the ``Indian Satrapy'' of the Persians. Alexander's expeditions were documented in the works of Strabo, Ptolemy, Pliny, Arrian and others. They described a region that had plenty of mighty rivers and was divided into four Kingdoms. In Greek maps we find the mention of the mightiest of river of all the world called the Indos (Indus) and its tributaries of Hydaspes (Jehlum), Akesines (Chenab), Hydroatis (Ravi), Hyphasis (Satluj) and Hesidros (Beas).

 to be continued...

The Creation of Khalsa 1699 Part- VI

Why number five in Sikhism

The number five has always been a sacred one in India from time immemorial. The best form of self-government provided by ancient sages was Panchayat or council of five, Panchon men parmeshwar (God is present in the council of chosen five) was common saying in those days. Guru Nanak also laid emphasis on number five. 

In Japji Guru Nanak Says:

Panch Parwan, Panch Pardhan,

Panch Pawen dargah man,

Panche so hai dar rajan,

Panchon ka Gur ek dhayan.

Each Guru offered his successor five paise with a coconut or Bel fruit followed by five circumambulations around him, in token of his becoming the next Guru. Sawa rupaya, Sawa man, Sawa Sau, Sawa Lakh each consisting of five quarters is common in Sikh terminology.

Guru Gobind Singh and Spiritual Sentiments

Guru Gobind Singh made the best use of this spiritual sentiment. According Giani Kartar singh Kalaswalia in Sri Guru Dashmesh Prakash, Guru ji sent from paonta five Sikhs to Kashi to study sanskrit. He built five forts at Anandpur. He selected five beloved ones at Anandpur. He read five banis while preparing amrit. He administered to each of them five palmfuls of amrit or holy water. Then "Wah guru ji ka khalsa" and "Wah guru ji ki fatah" had five words in each line. Guru Gobind Singh was in search of a word which could have the sanctity of five and the presence of God. He adopted the word Khalsa for his Singh's because it fulfilled both the conditions in the most appropriate manner. Besides this word had already been used by Guru Hargobind for his Sikhs.

In Persian script Khalsa consist of five letters:

1. Khe or Kh stands for Khud or oneself.
2. Alif or A represents Akal purukh, Allah or God.
3. LAM or L signifies Labbaik, which means "What do you want with me? Here am I. What would you have?"
4. Swad or S alludes to Sahib or Lord or Master.
5. It ends with either A. Alif or A points to Azadi or freedom.

The word Khalsa, therefore has the sacredness of number five as well as the presence of God with his singh's both engaged in a pleasant conversation.

God himself asks the Singhs: "What do you want from me? Here am I. What would you have?"

The Singhs reply: "Lord! give us liberty."

Then Sikhs also got the five symbols from Guru Gobind Singh Ji Bhai Nand lal wrote:

Nishan-e-Sikhi ast in Panj har kaf

Hargiz na bashad azin panj muaf

Kara, Karad, Kacha, Kanga bi dan,

Bina kesh kes hech ast jumla nishan.

--

[These five letters of K are emblems of Sikhism.

These five are most incumbent, Steel Bangle, big knife, shorts and a comb; 

without unshorn hair the other four are of no significance]

Five Symbols:

In those days Hindus of respectable families wore five ornaments: gold ear rings, a necklace, gold or silver bangles, finger ring and a waist belt of gold or silver. The wearer felt proud of displaying his superior social position. At the same time he ran the risk of losing these articles as well his life into the bargain.

Guru Gobind Singh provided to his followers five jewels which were within reach of everybody down to the poorest peasant and the lowest labourer. Instead of creating fear in the mind of the wearer of losing these jewels, Guru ji's five jewels made his Singh bold, brave and awe-inspiring. These jewels were kesh or long hair, Kangha or comb, Kirpan or dagger, Kara or steel bracelet and Kachcha a pair of knickerbockers. "These symbols gave Khalsa a semblance of unity, close brotherhood and equality." They developed group consciousness. 

Guru Gobind Singh gave the Khalsa a new uniform. This was the spiritual uniform which at once lifted one to be able to hide their identity and face danger boldly, and to remain united in close affinity.

Several arguments in favour of unshorn hair, beards and moustaches: (From 'Creation of the Khalsa' History of the Sikhs, page 274, Hari Ram Gupta)

1. That it was a general practice with Hindu sages and ascetics and Kshatriya princes to keep long hair tied in a knot on top and flowing beard, and that Guru Gobind singh wanted his disciples, in spite of their being house-holders, to be Karam yogis or practical saints like Ram, Krishna and Bharat or the five pandavas.
2. That the war like tribesmen of the North-West frontier kept long hair though trimmed, and the Guru wished his followers to have a similarly impressive and alarming appearance.
3. That the previous Gurus also kept long hair and Guru Gobind singh wanted his Singhs to develop like Gurus.
4. The most reasonable explanation is that Guru Gobind Singh desired to provide his Khalsa a natural military uniform, the least expensive and most impressive permanent costume. Besides he deemed it necessary that their heads should be properly guarded from sword cuts and lathi blows by means of long hair and turbans.

Comb indicated cleanliness and purity. Steel bracelet developed an iron will and grit. It was a permanent substitute of Rakhi, a thread tied by sisters on the wrists of their brothers, reminding them of their duty to help and protect them. Similarly the Kara served as a reminder to the Sikhs that they had promised to be true to the Guru and the Panth and that promise must kept at all costs.

Dagger depicted power and prestige. Wearing arms was the privilege and pride of only Kshatriyas and Rajputs. The Khalsa was lifted to the status of Kshtariya, Rajputs and Princes. The pair of knickerbocker aimed at agility and frugality. It was more convenient for fighting that the long dhoti of Hindus or loose trousers of Muslims. Thus the five symbols of Guru Gobind Singh gave strength to the body, mind and soul and developed an integrated personality of the wearer. And Khalsa was born. 

Will come with some more informative and knowledge giving articles..

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The Creation of Khalsa 1699 Part- V

The Guru declared

The Guru declared that Baba Nanak had found only one devoted Sikh in Guru Angad, while he had found five such Sikhs. Through the devotion of one true disciple Sikhism had flourished so well. By the consecration of five Sikhs his mission was bound to spread all over the world. He further said that since the time of Guru Nanak Sikhs took Charanpahul. The newly initiated Sikhs drank water in which Guru had dipped his great toe. It was derived from an old Indian tradition where Students will drink the water in which teacher's feet were washed. It developed spirit of humility and meekness. The times had changed. In place of humility and meekness, boldness and pluck were required. He would there fore change the form of baptism, and would administer to his warrior Sikhs water stirred with a double edged dagger in an iron vessel, with continuous recitation of hymns from Adi Granth. [this is what is called "Khande Baatte da pahul"]

In the double edged dagger (Khanda) Guru Gobind Singh combined the two swords of Miri and Piri of his grandfather (Guru Har Gobind ji, Sixth Guru) into one and would change the name Sikh to Singh or lion. This title previously was exclusively confined to the noble Rajputs, the second military class of Hindus after Kshatriyas. His Sint of gh would look upon himself as inferior to no other. Every man was a sworn soldier from the time of his baptism. His Singh's would fight against the enemies of their faith and freedom like lions. They would be heroes in this life and would attain salvation and bliss thereafter.

Mata Jito did not like that the five Sikhs who had offered their heads to Guru should be given plain water. She immediately brought a plate full of sugar cakes (patashas) and with the approval of Guru put them in water.

The Guru observed: "We filled the Panth with heroism (Bir Ras) by stirring it with double edged dagger, you have mixed it with love (Prem-ras)."

While stirring water the Guru recited the sacred hymns of the holy Adi Granth. The following five banis were recited by the Guru while preparing the Amrit or the Nectar Guru Nanak's Japji, Guru Amar Das's Anand, and his own Jap, Chaupai and Ten swayyas. The five Sikhs were asked to kneel down on their left knees and look into the eyes of Guru. The Guru then gave every one of them five palm full of sweet water called Amrit or netcar to drink, and five times was the holy water sprinkled over their heads and faces. The Guru said that the five beloved ones were his sons. Their mother was Jito. Individually each was called a Singh and collectively they were given the name of Khalsa.

Request of Guru Gobind

After administering baptism, the Guru stood before these five beloved ones and requested them to baptise him in the same manner. They pleaded their unfitness for such a performance. The Guru replied that he was not superior to his devoted disciples. His superiority lay in one thing. The Guru had attained salvation, nirwan or Sachkhand. While his disciples were in the process of attaining it. The Guru said "The Khalsa is the Guru and the Guru is the Khalsa. There is no difference between me and you." They baptised him, everyone of the five giving one palmful of nectar and sprinkling it on his head and face turn by turn. He added Singh to his own name in place of Rai and henceforth came to be called Gobind Singh.

Somebody in the congregation observed:

"Waah wah Guru Gobind singh.

ape Guru te Ape Chela"

--

[Bravo Guru Gobind singh! himself divine as well as disciple] 

--

This was spiritual socialism.

The Guru then addressed the five beloved ones:

"You are now of one creed, followers of one path.

You are above all religions, all creeds, all castes,

and all classes. You are the immortal soldiers of

true dharam. You are messengers of God. This

country's honous and liberty is entrusted to you

by Wah Guru. Mix freely with the world, but remain

of one soul, one ideal and one mind, so you

posses one soul and one mind in the service of

Wah Guru, dharam and your country. You are members

of the Khalsa brotherhood. Anandpur is your

birthplace. Gobind singh is your father. Jito is

your mother. In you four classes have been merged into

one. You are all brothers, all equal. No one is

superior to the other. Eat from one dish. The

independence and security of your country is entrusted

upon you. Work for it with one mind. Success is sure.

From today your salutation will be,

Wah Guru ji Ka Khalsa, Wah Guru ji ki Fatah.

Meaning of Khalsa

Kavi Churamani Bhai Santok singh in Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, Rut V Sai and VI Jari, published by Khalsa samachar in March 1933,

Kha means yog or Jap, 

l means bhog mahin, 

and sa means sagarhane majh or IKATH or MEL. 

Thus khalsa implied yog+bhog+mel or spirituality, worldly enjoyment and unity, all combined into one.

to be continued...

The Creation of Khalsa 1699 Part- IV

On the morning of 30th March Guru sought God's blessings:

Thad bhayo main jor kar bachan kaha sar nyae

Panth chale tab jagat men jab tum ho sahae

--

I stood up with folded hands and head

bent down and said, Panth

can flourish in the world only with your help.

--

He entered a specially constructed canopy where a huge congregation was seated. Behind it there was a small tent which was closed on all sides and it could be entered from the canopy alone. The Guru asked them to utter the following call after him: (The salute of Sikhs was invented by him right then)

Jo bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal!

[whoever utters 'The immortal God is true' will be blessed]

The Guru then made the most stirring oration on saving religion which was in great peril, and about his divine mission. The Guru narrated the stories of Government's tyranny, humilatin, tortures, forcible conversions, destruction of temples and schools, brutal persecution of those who protested and of destruction of Satnamis and Jats. He depicted the miseries they had suffered from and presented pictures of fresh horrors and tribulations which lay in store for them at the hands of the emperor and his officials. 

He aroused their enthusiasm to get ready to fight against those who trod upon their beliefs and on their very existence. He expressed great faith in the power of the common people. The discourse first excited the whole audience, then enthralled and terrified them and eventually thrilled them.

He criticized the Hindu view of life. They believed in non-violence [ahimsa paramo dharam]. They would do no wrong to others. They thought that the oppressor would get the punishment of his evil deeds in the next world. Instead of self-help and resistance they practiced patience, non-violence and renunciation. For want of organization the Hindus could not resist the onslaught of the invaders and government who called Hindus sparrows and themselves hawks, meaning thereby that they could cut up Hindus as a hawk mutilated sparrows.

The Guru explained that in order to safeguard their spiritual and temporal rights the people should not depend on fate. They ought to entrust this duty to themselves. They should individually feel any national wrong done, and collectively organize means to resist it.

In his ecstasy the Guru sang the praises of the sword. "God subdues enemies, so does sword, therefore Sword is God, and God is the sword".

Addressing the Sword he said:

"I bow with love and devotion to holy sword.

assist me that I may complete this work.

Thou art the subduer of countries.

Destroyer of the armies of the wicked in the battlefield.

Thou greatly adornest the brave.

Thine arm is infrangible,

Thy brightness is refulgent,

Thy radiance and splendor dazzle like the sun.

I bow to sword, spotless, fearless and unbreakable.

I bow to the Sword and Rapier which destroy the evil.

In this kaal age and at all times there is great confidence in the

powerful arm of the Sword

The demons who could not be drowned in the sea,

and who could not be burnt by fiery arrows,

on beholding thy flash, O Sword, cast aside shame and fled.

Thy greatness is endless and boundless;

No one hath found its limits.

Thou art God of gods, King of Kings,

Compassionate to the poor, and cherisher of the lowly."

--

Addressing the fighting weapons the Guru said:

jite shastar nam

Namaskar tam

jite astar bhen

Namaskar ten

Namaskrayan mor tiran tufang

Nomo khag, Adang Abhen Abhang,

Gadaen Grishtan namo saithiyan,

Jinhai tuliyan bir biyo na biyan.

--

[I salute arrows and gun.

O Sword! you are powerful and relentless,

I salute thee. I salute the heavy

Gada and scimitar. Like them

no other hero is born.]

--

After his exciting oration, the Guru flashed his sword and said that every great deed was preceded by equally great sacrifice. The holy Sword would create a heroic nation after supreme sacrifice. He said that Dharam thirsted for sacrificial blood. 

The Guru demanded a devotee in whose heart he would plunge his sword. This sent a thrill of horror in the audience. He repeated it in a sterner and more sonorous voice. All were terror-stricken and there was no response at the first and second call. 

At the third call, Daya ram, a Khatri of village Dalla in District Lahore, rose in his seat and expressed willingness to lay down his life. He was led into an adjoining tent and asked to sit there quietly. He dipped his sword blade into vessel full of goats blood. The general belief is that Guru had tied five goats, and he killed them one by one with a single stroke. This assertion does not appear to be plausible. At the first killing the goats would have bleated loudly which could have been easily heard in the open ground where Guru was conducting the meeting. 

He came back with dripping sword, and asked for another head, one by one Guru stopped at Five. He then ordered the curtain separating the tent from the canopy to be removed. All were wonder struck to see the five men standing hale and hearty. The whole area rang with loud applause and thunderous clap of hands.

All the five men were robed in similar new dresses and garlanded and then brought into the assemble. They were as follows:

1. Daya Ram, a Khatri of Village Dalla in Lahore.
2. Dharam Das, a Jat of village Jatwara in distt. Saharanpur.
3. Sahib Chand 'nai or barber' of village Nangal Shahidan, Hoshiarpur.
4. Himmat Chand 'Kahar or water carrier' of village Sangatpura, Patiala.
5. Mohkam Chand 'Chhimba' of Buriya village in Ambala.

to be continued...

The Creation of Khalsa 1699 Part- III

Guru Gobind Rai as a Saint-Soldier

A true soldier is a saintly person, and a true saint is a mighty warrior, a powerful hero. The hero is a person who can restrain the natural outgoing tendency of the mind and the senses. He is a seeker after truth. Through spiritual discipline he enjoys eternal bliss and is ever immersed in perennial peace. He wages a war in order that the good and innocent people of the world might live in peace, and enjoy reasonable happiness. The self is the fountain-source of immortality, eternal bliss and enduring tranquility

The Guru's mission

Guru Gobind singh decided to create a national awakening in Panjab. The time chosen was opportune. Aurangzeb was involved in life and death struggle in the Deccan with the Marathas. Panjab was in charge of Prince Muazzam who lived in Kabul (this prince later became emperor with the name of Bahadur Shah) Guru first tried to plant his ideas in the mind of the warrior class of Rajputs of the Shivalik hills. He soon discovered that the caste ridden and class dominated feudal lords would not respond to his appeals and they would not fit in his ideology. He therefore turned his attention to down-trodden masses.

God The Wielder of Arms

While reading the Puranas, the Guru realized that God was the wielder of arms to punish tyrants and destroy evil-doers. He was also, the bestower of gifts and fountain-head of mercy. Further, the Guru had been deeply struck by the idea that God had been sending a saviour at critical times to save the virtuous and destroy the wicked. He knew that he had been sent to this world for the same purpose.

In Bachitra Natak the Guru says:

Hum eh kaj jagat mo ae

dharam het gur dev pathae

jahan tahan tum dharam bitharo

dusht dokhian pakar pachharo

[for this purpose I came into this world.

God sent me for the sake of Dharam. Whereever

you are spread dharam. Root out the

oppressors and the wicked]

--

The guru then invokes for the long life of all those who ever remember God and fight in the righteous cause. 

In Krishna Avtar he writes:

Dhan jiyo tih kau jag main

mukh te Hari chit main yuddh bichare

[blessed are they in this world, who have

Hari on their tongue and

war in their heart]

Foundation of the Khalsa, 30 March, 1699

At the behest of the Guru, the congregation sauntered down the hill and a multitude mustered on the hill of Anandpur where stands Gurudwara Keshgarh. The Guru remained busy in meditation and contemplation. He told the congregation that 1000 years ago Brahmins had created the brave community of Rajputs by performing hom of fire on Mount Abu. The Rajputs were valiant people, but they had failed in preserving independence of Indian people from foreign oppression. He was going to perform the Hom of blood to create a new community braver and bolder than Rajputs to liberate the country from foreign oppression and tyranny.

to be continued...

The Creation of Khalsa 1699 Part- II

 In Krishna Avtar, Guru says :

"Kou kise ko rajnade hai,

ja lai hai nij bal sit lai hai"

[no people can have self-rule as a gift

from another. It is to be seized

through their own strength.]

Without freedom there is doom. When doom stares in the face, gloom engulfs even the bravest. But between doom and gloom bloom some of the noblest specimen of humanity. Guru Gobind Rai was certainly one of such specimens. God's choice has always fallen upon men who can wield arms and Armour with a single-minded devotion to their noble cause and who can successfully resist all temptations for Zan (woman), Zar (money), and Zamin (land) from the devil.

Was Guru Gobind Rai an enemy of Islam?
Guru Gobind Rai was determined to exterminate the religious oppressing of the Mughal Government. He concentrated against the cruel government and not against Islam. There is no word in his speeches and writings to prove this baseless charge. He was embodiment of love and affection for all. His instructions to his Sikhs were to treat everybody with courtesy and consideration. (he specifically forbade Sikhs to have carnal knowledge of Muslim women) It was for this reason that both Muslims and Hindus were attracted towards him. Muslim Sufi saints and Muslim commanders of note, and hundreds of Muslim soldiers fought under his banner.

Pir Buddhu Shah of Sadhaura, together with his sons and 700 followers fought hard in the battle of Bhangani in which Pir lost two of his sons and hundreds of disciples.

In the battle of Anandpur in 1702 (after the creation of Khalsa) Mir Beg and Mamun Khan commanded Guru's forces in fighting against Mughal forces. At the same place General Sayyid Khan of Mughal forces considered it improper and unjust to wage a war against the Guru. He deserted his post and joined the Guru.

Nabi Khan and Ghani Khan saved Guru from the capture by Mughal army.

Qazi Pir Mohammad who knew Guru, did not confirmed Guru's identity in front of Mughals, while Rae Kalha offered him refuge and entertained him generously.

In Akal Ustat Guru says

"Some are Hindus while other Muslims.

of the latter some are Shias and

others are Sunnis. Man's caste should be

considered as one" (Manas ke

jat sabhai ekai pahchanbo)

--

"Karta Karim Rajak Rahim is the same".

--

"Temples and Mosques are the same. Hindu worship

and Muslim prayer are the same. All men are alike,

but they are under delusion".

--

All humans are composed of same elements.

--

All the knowable, the Puranas and the Quran are

the same. All are manifestations of one, and one

is the creator of all.

--

In the Jap Guru Gobind Rai has given 735 names to God. Of these 30 are of Islam.

He further says:

"Even in error deem not the God of the Hindus,

To be other than God of the Muslims;

Worship the one God,

Recognize the englightener;

All men have the same human form,

In all men blazes the same divine light.

(From Akal Ustat, swayyas)

In Bachitra Natak 

Guru Says that there is no enmity between the successors of Baba Nanak and of Babar. The former are religious leaders and the latter are political rulers. He declared: "The house of Baba Nanak and of Babar both derive their authority from God. recognize the former as supreme is religion and the latter as supreme in secular affairs."

This clearly shows that Guru admitted the secular authority of Emperor over his Sikhs. Sujan Rae Bhandari wrote in 1696, "In their eyes their own people and others as well as friends and foes are all alike. They love their friends, but they do not ill-treat their enemies."

to be continued...

The Creation of Khalsa 1699 Part- I

Aurangzeb's Religious Policy

Aurangzeb's religious policy was totally against Hindus, they had to pay more taxes then Muslims. Sir Mohd. Latif writes, "He discouraged the teaching of the Hindus, burnt to the ground the great Pagoda near Delhi, and destroyed the temple of Bishnath at Benares, and the great temple of Dera Kesu Rai at Mathura, said to have been built by Raja Narsingh Deo, at the cost of 33 lakh rupees. The gilded domes of this temple were so high that they could be seen from Agra 54 kms distant". On the site of temple he built a mosque at a great cost.

About in year 1690, the emperor issued an edict prohibiting Hindus from being carried in palanquins or riding on Arabian horses. All servants of state were ordered to embrace Islam religion, under pain of dismissal, those who refused were deprived of their post. 

Hindu Revolts suppressed

1. The Jats:  Gokal, a Jat of Tilpat revolted against the Governer of Mathura, Abdu Nabi, and shot him dead in an encounter. Aurangzeb defeated Gokal, his womenfolk were given to Muslims. Five thousand Jats were killed and seven thousand taken prisoners. (Jadunath Sarkar, page 152)

2. The Satnamis: One day in 1672, a Satnami picked up a quarrel with a Mughal soldier and soldier broke his head with a baton. Other Satnamis beat up the soldier. This riot became a revolt against Aurangzeb and he sent a 10,000 strong force. All Satnamis were killed and no trace of their sect was left. They lived around the area of Narnaul in Haryana and UP.

3. The Sikhs: Aurangzeb dealt with the Sikhs in same manner, In November 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur was called upon to embrace Islam or death. His companion were most cruelly murdered.

4. The Rajputs: In December 1678, Maharaja Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur passed away. Aurangzeb annexed his kingdom and killed his two infant sons. A revolt spread out against Aurangzeb and annexation of Marwar was followed by Mewar. Maharana Raj singh of Udaipur was defeated. Chhittor was seized, 63 temples here and 173 temples in Jodhpur were demolished.

5. The Marathas: Aurangzeb reached Aurangabad on March 22, 1682. Shiva ji's son Shambu ji was arrested and tortured to death by him, so were many Marathas all over the current day 'Maharashtra'

6. Unorthodox Muslims: Aurangzeb was equally uncompromising against Shias, Sufi saints and liberal minded religious leaders. A few examples. In 1659, Mullan Shah Lahori, a disciple of Mian Mir was persecuted. In 1661, Mansur-e-sani Sufi Muhammad Said Sarmad and later another Sufi Saint Qalandar were beheaded for believing in Sufi principles. The famous Sufi saint Yahiya Chisti was badly maltreated for holding a musical gathering. (Ali Mohd. Khan, Mirat-e-Ahmadi). In 1669 Muharram was banned, many Shia Imams were executed. The religious head of Bohras and his 700 followers were shot dead. In 1670, wearing of Zarbaft clothes, embroided in golden threads was forbidden, even the son of Aurangzeb, Sultan Mohd. was killed for not following this order. The length of beard of all Muslims was fixed at four fingers or eight centimeters, extra lenght was to cut off. In 1772 Diwan Mohammad Tahir was executed for liberal interpretation of Islam. In 1683, Mir Hussain was exiled from Kashmir. (Pages 256-257, of 'History of Sikhs vol-1' by Hari Ram Gupta).

Guru Gobind Rai's contemplation. 

Slowly but steadily these news were trickling down to Guru Gobind Rai. A moment of reflection reminded him that Guru Nanak had described the rulers of his time as tigers and dogs. That situation has not changed in 200 years. The policy of non-violence submission and surrender had produced no effect upon these ferocious tigers and mad dogs. 

"After the most determined meditation on this sad state of affairs, the Guru came to the conclusion that to tyrannies was bad, but to bear tyranny patiently was worse".

 The country did not belong to the king. The king belonged to the country. If the king was bad, people must rise in revolt. Without political liberty, religious, intellectual, social and economic freedom could not be achieved. Political freedom could be won by armies. The armies of suppressed people were non-existent. The spirit of brave Jats of Mathura and Delhi had been crushed. The heroic Satnamis had been completely wiped out of existence. The Rajput resistance was broken. The noble Shivajji had died young. His eldest son Shambuji had been hacked to pieces. His only son Shahu was in captivity. 

The Guru's own house was no exception. His great grandfather, Guru Arjan, was tortured to death at Lahore. His grandfather Guru Hargobind had suffered 12 years of imprisonment. His father Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed. His most faithful follower, Bhai Mati Dass was sawn across from head to loins, while others were boiled or cut to pieces.

Thus, Guru sat about planning and preparing himself for the struggle to win freedom. His army was to be based on social justice. There could be no discrimination in the name of caste, creed and colour. His soldiers unpaid, ill-armed, poorly equipped and untrained were to be inspired with feelings of patriotism and nationalism.

to be continued...

Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji , Part - III

Death Of Maharaja Ranjit Singh

When Ranjit Singh died in 1837 at the age of fifty nine, he was the undisputed ruler of a compact Kingdom. He left in Punjab, an army which was capable of fighting the British on equal terms. He could dodge and confound the British envoy Metcalfe who had come to parley with him, and dismiss the Maratha chief Jaswant Rao Holkar as Pucca Haramzada, (Great Rascal). He drove back the Afghans across the Indus, into the mountains, and stemmed for all time to come tide of the Afghan marauders pouring into Northern India and committing arson, pillage and slaughter.

Provinces of Ranjit Singh

But for him, Kashmir would have continued to be a part of Afghanistan. He brought under his sway, three Muslim provinces: Peshawar in the west; Multan in the south west; and Kashmir in the north. He incorporated also the numerous petty states into his kingdom. It was only the growth of British power and its strength in India that prevented the Sikhs from succeeding the Mughals as the controlling authority in India but it is a speculation whether they would have succeeded in this venture.

Extraordinary Mind

Ranjit Singh had a questioning mind. He was deeply interested in the how and why of things. His was not a philosophical or speculative mind. He thought in plain terms and simplified even the most complex problems. This extraordinary understanding of human affairs he acquired by mediating over his own experiences through the steps and slips of life. In other words, his experiences were the foundation of his own life. He never ceased learning from others, due to his restless curiosity.

In words of Victor Jacquemont, the French traveller

Victor Jacquemont, the French traveller, who met Ranjit Singh in Lahore wrote that the "Maharaja's conversations were like a nightmare. Jacquemont wrote, "He asked a hundred thousand questions of me, about India and the British, Europe, Napoleon Bonaparte, the world in general and the next, hell, paradise, the soul, God, the devil and myriad of others of the same kind. In 1812 he rode with the British Commander David Ochterlony to inspect the drill of the English Company, in the style in which they would behave in the field of battle and he admired their performance. He employed French and Italian Generals to train his army on western model. That is why both his infantry and artillery were unrivalled for steadiness.

He Could not Resist

Ranjit Singh had, doubtless, all the wildness and irregularity of an ardent and in-disciplined sensualist. Wine and women he could not resist, and he believed that the only way to resist their temptation was to yield. He would indulge in riotous career of self-indulgence, drinking and reveling in the company of women with reckless abandon and he let himself go. He was used to taking laudanum almost daily.

Passion

Ranjit Singh's passion for collecting guns and horses for the army amounted almost to insanity. He would never miss an opportunity of obtaining a gun, and would even storm a fort to seize it. For acquiring the celebrated horse Leili, he embroiled himself in a tedious war with a neighbouring province, which cost him upwards of thirty thousand pounds.

What kind of a Kingdom did Ranjit Singh establish?

What kind of a Kingdom did Ranjit Singh establish? Was it a military monarchy? Monarchy was the only form of government in India for centuries, and the Sikhs, in spite of their attachment to democratic ideals, could not think of representative government. Ranjit Singh refused to sit on the throne. His name was never inscribed on the coin. He kept the army under control, and never used it as an instrument of tyranny. He set up a Sikh state in the sense that the ruler was Sikh who held power in the name of the Khalsa, and the army was predominantly Sikh. His was indeed a heterogenous state based on harmony of religious faiths, and cooperation of communities with a rapport with the common man. There was no dictatorship of one community over other. He told Faqir Aziz ud Din, `God intended me to look all religions with one eye, that is why he took away the light from the other'.

By any standards, Ranjit Singh was statesman who out of anarchy and chaos had created order and stability and made Punjab a power to reckon with. There were also a glimmering of Punjab Nationalism. His task was enormous, his time was short, and his unworthy successes were a lot of trembling paltrooms lacking in political instinct who destroyed all the things he had build with political sagacity and will.

Panjabi Haat Close to your Heart... Coming Soon

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Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji , Part - II

Within six years of his assumption of power, after seizing Lahore and Amritsar, Ranjit Singh found himself placed in a predicament which exasperated him. In 1807 the Treaty of Silsit was signed between Napoleon and the Czar of Russia, Alexander I. 

Thereafter, Russia began to extend her influence in Persia and Afghanistan. It was also stipulated that the Shah of Persia was required to give a passage to the French army, should Napoleon decide to attack India. The Governor-General, Lord Minto, felt alarmed by Napoleon's ambitious schemes in Persia. He thought it necessary to make the Punjab a strong bulwark against foreign invasions from Central Asia and Africa. And for this purpose, Lord Minto dispatched John Malcolm to Persia, Mountstruct Elphinstone to Kabul, and Charles Metcalfe to Amritsar to cement friendly ties in order to ward off foreign invasion.

By the time Metcalfe arrived in Amritsar for negotiating a treaty on September 19, 1808 there was a striking change in European politics. The French danger of invasion over India had passed away. The British object was therefore limited to only the security of the country south of the river Sutlej, in order to give protection to the Southern Sikhs who were the rulers of small principalities. Ranjit Singh was thus required to withdraw his troops to the right bank of the Sutlej.

On February 8, 1809 Colonel David Ochterlony declared all states on the left of the river Sutlej under British protection. Ranjit Singh did not want his freedom of action to be curtailed. He required from the British envoy the acknowledgement of his sovereignty over all Sikh states and people lying between the Sutlej and the Yamuna so that he could consolidate them into a great empire. The British were determined not to allow the subjection of the Cis-Sutlej states—these principalities were already under British protection. Confronted with such pressure from the British envoy Metcalfe to sign a treaty, what was Ranjit Singh to do. 

"Ranjit Singh kept Metcalfe on tenterhooks for about six months. He used all possible means to circumvent British designs. He procrastinated. He dilly-dallied: He flattered Metcalfe in order to win him over by his smiles and humour. But Metcalfe stood firm. "

In January, 1809 the British government ordered Ochterlony to advance a military force to the banks of the Sutlej. Ranjit Singh realized the danger of war. He distrusted the British but knew that he did not possess sufficient power to withstand them. Therefore he signed the Treaty of Amritsar on April 25, 1809 with the British government which confined his territory to the south bank of the river Sutlej with exclusion of a strip of territory on the south bank in which he was bound not to place troops. The broad line of demarcation was the river Sutlej. This arrangement preserved the peace of northern frontier for 40 years.

For signing the treaty Ranjit Singh has been strongly criticized by historians like Patwant Singh and Sangat Singh on the ground that he had tamely succumbed to the British pressure and forfeited his independence. I think this criticism is totally unjustified. Ranjit Singh was a realist in politics who could never mistake a shadow for substance. 

He knew the limits of his powers. He realized that he could not fight the British. Nor could he find any Indian ally to support him in his resistance to the British. By this treaty Ranjit Singh managed to retain the independence of his kingdom. He also had a free hand to expand his territory in the North and the North-West undeterred by the British.

to be continued...

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Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji , Part - I

Maharaja Ranjit Singh ji, Portrait painted by G T Vigne in 1837.

"On the 1st of Baisakh (April 12) 1801, Sahib Singh Bedi daubed Ranjit Singh's forehead with saffron paste and proclaimed him Maharajah of the Punjab". A royal salute was fired from the fort. In the afternoon the young Maharajah rode on his elephant, showering gold and silver coins on jubilant crowds of his subjects. In the evening, all the homes of the city were illumined.

Ranjit Singh's political acumen is well illustrated in the compromise that he made between becoming a Maharajah and remaining a peasant leader. Although crowned King of the Punjab, he refused to wear the emblem of royalty in his simple turban. He refused to sit on a throne.

"The most important consequence of taking on the title of "Maharajah of the Punjab" was that thereby Ranjit Singh assumed the rights of sovereignty not only over all Sikhs (the government itself being Sarkar Khalsaji) but over all people who lived within the ill-defined geographical limits of the Punjab."

— Extracted from A History of the Sikhs by Khushwant Singh.

Eighteenth century India was an age of troubles, generally called a gardi ka waqt (bad times). It was probably the worst of times in India, a period of greater misery and adversity than anything that Europe had witnessed since the Dark Age, not excluding the horrors of the Thirty Years War. India was drifting into chaos. Mughal rule had tumbled; the Mughal emperor was a prisoner; and his authority was confined steadily shrinking around Delhi.

Ahmad Shah Abdali Looted India 9 Times

In Northern India, atrocities committed by Nadir Shah in 1738-39, and later by Ahmad Shah Abdali in 1748, 1749 and 1752, had brought untold suffering to people who had no breath of peace. In 1761 on the historic battlefield of Panipat, the death toll has been estimated at nearly 200,000.

By the end of the 18th century all political unity in India had disappeared and everywhere local magnates, heads of old tribal communities or ambitious upstarts, were scrambling for power and territory. The great mass of people had everything to lose as the framework of law and order had broken. The whole area was the prey of the strongest and most audacious free booter of the day. In fact, there was no government that could govern. Every adventurer who could muster a troop of horses might aspire to a throne.

The historical process works inexorably in human affairs in which an element of contingency operates. The rise of Sikh power in Punjab in the 18th century was a unique phenomenon. The forces of religious fervour unleashed by Guru Gobind Singh, the awakener of consciousness, his trials and tribulations, and his tearing spirit, inspired his followers who were to transform with a passionate zeal a purely religious sect into a great military confederacy in the early part of the 18th century. It was Ranjit Singh's genius that in the turbulent period he succeeded in galvanizing these forces of theocratic confederacy into establishing a Sikh Kingdom that was to last for half a century, until its collapse at Sobroan.

to be continued...

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Guru Sahibaans Children

Names of the children of Guru Sahibaans 

1) Guru Nanak Dev ji had two boys

• Baba Sri Chand ji
• Baba LachmanChand ji

2) Guru Angad Dev Ji had two boys and two girl's.

The name of the boys

• Baba Daasu ji
• Baba Daatu ji

The names of the Girls

• Bebe Amaro ji
• Bebe Anokhee ji

3) Guru Amar Das Ji also had two boys and two girls.

The names of the boys

• Baba Mohan ji
• Baba Mohree ji

The names of the girls 

• Bebe Bhaani ji 
• Bebe Daahni ji

4) Guru Ram Das Ji had three boys.

• Baba Prethee Chand ji 
• Baba MahaDav ji
• Guru Arjan Dev ji

5) Guru Arjan Dev Ji had one boy. 

• Guru Hargobind Ji.

6) Guru Hargobind Ji had five boys and one girl.

The name of the boys:

• Baba Gurditta ji: Baba Gurditta ji had two boys. Their names: Dhirmal and Guru Har Rai ji
• Baba Surjmall ji
• Baba Ani Rai ji
• Baba Atal ji
• Guru Tegh Bahadur ji

The Girl's name

• Bebe Viro ji.

7) Guru Har Rai ji had two boys and one adopted girl.

The name of the boys:

• Baba Ram Rai Ji
• Guru Harkrishan ji.

The girl's name was:

• Bebe Roop kaur Ji

8) Guru Tegh Bahadur ji had one son. His name was

• Guru Gobind Singh ji

9) Guru Gobind Singh ji had four boys. They were

• Baba Ajit Singh ji
• Baba Jujhar Singh ji
• Baba Zoravar Singh ji
• Baba Fateh Singh ji

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The Sikh Insignia - Khanda

The Sikh Insignia - Khanda

The Khanda constitutes three symbols in one. However, the name is derived from the central symbol, Khanda, a special type of double-edged sword which confirms the Sikhs' belief in One God.

This consists of four parts (weapons) namely a Khanda, a Chakkar and two Swords.

KHANDA : This a double edged dagger with a pointed triangular shaped upper end. This a powerful weapon used in battle. In spiritual interpretation, it signifies a powerful means to distinguish truth from falsehood. "Khanda was used by Guru Gobind Singh Ji for preparing Amrit by stirring it in the sweetened water kept in and iron Bowl (Baata)."

* The double-edged sword is the creative power of God which controls the destiny of the whole creation. It is sovereign power over life and death.

* The right edge of the double-edged sword symbolizes freedom and authority governed by moral and spiritual values.

* The left edge of the double-edged sword symbolizes divine justice which chastises and punishes the wicked oppressors.

SWORDS : Two swords in the outer periphery signifying two Kirpans of Miri and Piri. This philosophy of Miri and Piri i.e. Bhakti and Shakti was highlighted by Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji - The Sixth Guru. He wore two Kirpans representing Miri and Piri.

* On the left side is the sword of spiritual sovereignty, Piri; on the right side is the sword of political sovereignty, Miri.

CHAKKAR : This is an iron weapon circular in shape whose outer edges are sharp. Its circular shape signifies God, who is endless having no beginning and no end. This also signifies struggle for one's life, liberty and rights. That is why Lord Krishna used Sudershan Chakkar as a powerful weapon in the war of Mahabharat.

There must always be a balance between the two and this balance is emphasised by a inside circle. The circle is what is called the Chakra. This is a symbol of all-embracing divine manifestation including everything and wanting nothing, without beginning or end, neither first or last, timeless, and absolute. It is the symbol of oneness, unity, justice, humanity and morality.

 The Chakra was also used by the Sikhs as one of the war weapons against injustice and oppression. Almost all Sikh warriors used to wear it in the eighteenth century.

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The Five K's - Part -III (Kirpan)

 Kirpan or the sword is the emblem of courage and self-defense. It symbolizes dignity and self-reliance, the capacity and readiness to always defend the weak and the oppressed. It helps sustain one's martial spirit and the determination to sacrifice oneself in order to defend truth, oppression and Sikh moral values. 

A symbol of dignity and the Sikh struggle against injustice. It is worn purely as a religious symbol and not as a weapon. When all other means of self protection fail, the Kirpan can be used to protect yourself or others against the enemy.

This article of faith most closely resembles a sword in a metal sheath and wrapped in a fabric holster .

The word Kirpan itself means "mercy, grace, or magnanimity". The Kirpan is most often worn close to the skin of the body, underneath clothing, and is kept in place by a strap around the shoulder and torso, attached in place by the fabric holster . 

"While the Kirpan arose of a particular culture and had, at one time, the function of a sword, it long ago lost this aspect, and has become completely spiritualized. It now speaks of law and morality, justice and order, and has become an instrument of the Divine itself'. It represents spiritual power and is never to be used as a weapon. By wearing it on one's person, it is to remind the wearer to always stand up against injustice. Keeping it close to one's body also reminds the wearer that he/she is mortal and should make the most of his/her life by helping others and defending justice.

ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਣ ਪਾਣ ਧਾਰੀਯੰ ॥ ਕਰੋਰ ਪਾਪ ਟਾਰੀਯੰ ॥

"The mark of a Khalsa is one who holds a Kirpan in hand, by doing this tens of million of sins are abolished." (Sri Dasam Granth Ang 42)

The Kirpan is there to protect the poor and for self-defence. With patience and mercy, the Kirpan is to be used as a sword in order to destroy oppression. The Kirpan is to always be in a gatra and never to be removed from the body. The Kirpan protects us from hidden and seen enemies. The Kirpan is a weapon to protect the whole body, as a minimum it should be nine inches in length. Keeping the Kirpan in a Kangha, in the Kesh and putting it on a string around the neck like a Janeoo, are against the Rehat and forbidden.

ਸ਼ਸਤਰ ਹੀਨ ਕਬਹੂ ਨਹਿ ਹੋਈ, ਰਹਿਤਵੰਤ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਸੋਈ ॥

"Those who never depart his/her arms, they are the Khalsa with excellent rehats." (Rehatnama Bhai Desa Singh ji, p.148)

You are never to walk over your Kirpan or other weapons. When washing your Kesh, the Kangha is to be tied to your Kirpan and the Kirpan tied around your waist. When bathing, your Kirpan is to be tied around your head and not tucked into the Kashara as this dishonours your Kirpan and is therefore forbidden. When women bathe they are to tie their dupata on their head and then their Kirpan. When going to sleep your Kirpan is not to be removed from your body.

The Kirpan is only to be used for two things. 

1. Firstly, to give Guru Ji's blessing to freshly prepared Karah Prasad or for langar. 
2. Secondly, in order to destroy tyrants and oppressors. It must never be used for anythingelse.

Sword in Sikhism

Many people question the need of Kirpan or the sword in the atomic age. Others require an explanation for the wearing of the sword. How can sword be reconciled with spirituality ? Even before Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, his grand father Guru Hardgobind had donned the sword as a twin-symbol of temporal and spiritual power ( Miri & Piri ). He had maintained an army and taken part in military operations against the Mughal forces.

Guru Gobind Singh Sahib justified the use of the sword as a duty and as a means of protecting the weak and the oppressed. With human brutes, non-violence is meaningless. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib says:

When the affairs are past other remedies,

It is justifiable to unsheathe the sword.

Tyrants are like mad dogs and wolves. They should be opposed in the interests of the good of humanity as a whole. The sword is neither to be used for conquest nor for wreaking vengeance. The sword is meant only for self-defence or for the good of the people. 

In cases of injustice and intolerance, the refusal to use the sword may do more harm than good. The Sikh's sword is not an instrument of offence but a symbol of independence, self-respect and power. 

Guru Gobind Singh Sahib called it Durga or Bhagwati and praises it thus :

Sword that smites in a flash,

That scatters the armies of the wicked

In the great battle-field,

0 symbol of the brave.

Your arm is irresistible, your brightness shines forth

The splendour of the black dazzles like the sun.

Sword, you are the scourge of saints,

You are the scourge of the wicked ;

Scatterer of sinners, I take refuge with you.

Hail to the Creator. Saviour and sustainer,

Hail to you : Sword supreme !

The Five K's, along with the turban, constitute the Khalsa uniform, which distinguishes a Sikh from any other person in the world, and is essential for preserving the life of the community and fostering the Khalsa brotherhood.

The Five K's are not supposed to foster exclusiveness or superiority. They are meant to keep the Sikhs united in the pursuit of the aims and ideals of the Gurus. They enable them to keep their vows made at the time of baptism. The Sikhs have been known to face torture and death rather than cut their hair or remove any of the sacred symbols.

The Khalsa cannot be anonymous. His religion is known to all. He stands out among people, and any unseemly behavior or action on his part would be noted as unbecoming of a follower of the Gurus. People would easily blame him if he deviated from the disciplinary code of Guru Gobind Singh.

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