Wednesday, April 25, 2012

The Supreme Commander of Sikh Rule : Jassa Singh Alhuwalia


Jassa Singh Alhuwalia
ਜੱਸਾ ਸਿੰਘ  ਅਲ੍ਹੁਵਾਲਿਆ
جسسا سنگھ الحوالیہ
जस्सा सिंह अल्हुवालिया




Sultan ul Quam Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia (1718-1783) was a prominent Sikh leader during the period of the Sikh Confederacy. He was democratically elected as the supreme military commander of the Sikh Confederacy on March 291748 - on Baisakhi, which is considered to be one of the greatest honours given, in the 18th century, to any Sikh.
He was further honoured on 1754 by the Sikh Confederacy with the title of 'Nawab' that was conferred on him at Amritsar, after the passing of Nawab Kapur Singh in 1753.
He was also the Misldar (Chief/Baron) of the Ahluwalia misl or army group. This period was an interlude, lasting roughly from the time of the death of Banda Singh Bahadur in 1716 to the founding of the Sikh Empire in 1801. The period is also sometimes described as the Age of the Misls. He was the also the fourth jathedar (leader) of Buddha Dal.


Early Life


Sultan ul Quam Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was born at a village called Ahl/Ahlu/Ahluwal near Lahore, established by his ancestor, Sadda singh, a disciple of the sixth Sikh GuruGuru Har Gobind. Hence, the name Ahluwalia (meaning from Ahluwal) stuck to him. His forefathers were Kalals (wine merchants). Hence, he is also called Jassa Singh Kalal.
His father, Sardar Badar Singh died in 1723 A.D., when Ahluwalia was hardly five years old. His mother entreated Mata Sundri, widow of Guru Gobind Singh, to take him into her care. Mata Sundari agreed to do so. She brought him up affectionately, instructing him in the arts of war and peace. He studied Sikh scriptures under Bhai Mani Singh.
Later, Mata Sundari asked Nawab Kapur Singh to take charge of the promising youth, legend has it she told the young boy before his departure that his descendants shall wear maces and be adorned with umbrellas, both signs of nobility: this prophecy would later come to fruition. It will be interesting to note that S, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was a great Rabab instrumentalist and 'Keertan Kaar', who patronised the Kapurthala Rababi Gharana as well.
Both he and his mother used to perform Hari-Kirtan before Nawab Kapur singh who much pleased at his supreme devotion to the faith and sense of duty and humility. He appointed him as a storekeeper with his forces. Ahluwalia participated in many battles as well where he proved himself to be a natural leader.

The formation of the Dal Khalsa and the Misls

Jathedarjassasinghahluwalia.jpg
Jassa Singh Alhuwalia with his few
army captured Red Fort in Delhi
Until 1745, the Sikh forces were divided into 65 jathas(bands). Baron Nawab Kapur Singh reorganised them into eleven bands, each of with its own name, flag and leader. These Armies or jathas, which came to known later on as Misls (literally "equal", also "an example") together were, however, given the name of the Dal Khalsa (or the Army of the Khalsa). Baron Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was nominated as the Supreme Commander of the Sikh Confederacy in addition to being Baron of the Ahluwalia Army (misl). Nawab Kapur Singh appointed him as his successor on the eve of his death in 1753. Elated at his successful helmsmanship, the Khalsa honoured Jassa Singh with the title of Sultan-ul-Qaum (King of the nation), when they captured Lahore in 1761.




The raids of Ahmed Shah Abdali

Ahmed Shah AbdaliNadir Shah's seniormost general, succeeded to the throne of Afghanistan, when Shah was murdered in June, 1747. He established his own dynasty, the Sadozai, which was the name of the Pashtun khel to which he belonged to.
Starting from December, 1747 till 1769, Abdali made a total of nine incursions into India . His repeated invasions destroyed the Mughal administration of the Punjab and the rest of Northern India. At the Third Battle of Panipat, he dealt a drippling blow to Maratha pretensions in the North. Thus he created a power vacuum in the Punjab, which was filled by the Sikhs.

The Sixth Afghan Invasion, 1762: The Great Holocaust


A Typical Misl age warrior, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia would have commanded thousands of such mounted warriors during the Battle of Amritsar.
On February 5, 1762, the Sikhs were especially the target of Ahmad Shah Abdali's sixth invasion into India. News had reached him in Afghanistan of the defeat of his general, Nur-ud-Din Bamezai, at the hands of the Sikhs who were fast spreading themselves out over the Punjab and had declared their leader, Baron Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, king of Lahore. To rid his Indian dominion of them once and for all, he set out from Kandahar. Marching with alacrity, he overtook the Sikhs as they were withdrawing into Malwa after crossing the Satluj.
The moving caravan comprised a substantial portion of the total Sikh population and contained, besides active fighters, a large body of old men, women and children who were being escorted to the safety of the interior. Surprised by Ahmad Shah, the Sikhs threw a cordon round those who needed protection, and prepared for the battle. In this formation and continuing their march, they fought the invaders and their Indian allies (The Nawabs ofMalerkotlaSirhind, etc.) desperately. Baron Charhat Singh Sukerchakia (the grandfather of Maharaja Ranjit Singh), Baron Hari Singh Dhillon and Baron Jassa Singh Ahluwalia led their forces with skill and courage. Jassa Singh sustained sixty-four wounds on his body, but he survived. Baron Charhat Singh rode to exhaustion, five of his horses one after another.
Ahmad Shah succeeded, in the end, in breaking through the cordon and carried out a full scale massacre. His orders were for everyone in native dress to be killed at sight. The soldiers of Malerkotala and Sirhind were to wear green leaves of trees on their heads to distinguish themselves from the Sikhs. Near the village of Kup, in the vicinity of Malerkotla, about 20,000 Sikhs died at the end of a single day's action (February 5, 1762). This battle is known in Sikh history as the Wadda Ghalughara(The Great Holocaust). During the course of the Battle, Jassa Singh was reported to have had 72 wounds on his body but still survived, as did his counter paths from the other Sikh misls; Charat Singh Sukerchakia for example rode five horses one after the other to exhaustion and Jassa Singh Ramgharia sustained injuries to his body . Upon verbally challenging Ahmed Shah Abdali himself, Jassa Singh is known to have almost killed the Shah, narrowly missing him and killing his horse instead.

The Battle of Amritsar

Despite the Ghalughara disaster, by the month of May, the Sikhs were up in arms again. Under Jassa Singh, they defeated the Afghan faujdar of Sirhind, Zain Khan at Harnaulgarh in revenge for aiding Ahmed Shah Abdali in the holocaust. Instead of killing him, thy accepted his tribute of a large sum of money as they desprately needed the money to repair the Harimandir Sahib, however they promised the faujdar that his time would come (Zain Khan was later killed by Jassa Singh's men in a battle under the ramparts of the Sirhind citadel.) By autumn, the Sikhs had regained enough confidence to foregather in large numbers at Amritsar to celebrate Diwali. Abdali made a mild effort to win over them and sent an envoy with proposals for a treaty of peace. The Sikhs were in no mood for peace and insulted the emissary. Abdali did not waste any time and turned up at the outskirts of Amritsar.
The Second Battle of Amritsar (October 17,1762) was fought in the grey light of a sun in total eclipse. It ended when the sunless day was blacked out by a moonless night with the adversaries retiring from the field: The Sikhs to the fastness of the jungles of the Lakhi (the forests of a hundred thousand trees located in Central Punjab) and Abdali behind the walled safety of Lahore. It was the first major battle against the Sikhs that the Shah was himself present (excluding the Great Holocaust) and ended in total disaster for the Afghan army, Jassa Singh captured a large portion of Ahmed Shah Abdali's troops and forced the very hands that had demolished the Sarovar of the Harimandir Sahib to repair and renovate it. After this Jassa Singh, in the greatest gesture of chivalry released the prisoners, warning them not to return to Punjab.

The Eight Afghan Invasion, 1766

NJSA.jpg
In November 1766 Abdali came to the Punjab for the eight time with the avowed object of "crushing the Sikhs". The Sikhs had recourse to their old game of Dhai-phut('hit, run and turn back to hit again') tactics (later made famous at the Battle of Chillianwala against the British). They vacated Lahore, but faced squarely the Afghan general, Jahan Khan at Amritsar. Inflicting a humiliating defeat,and forcing him to retreat, with five thousand Afghan soldiers killed. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia with an army of about twenty thousand Sikhs roamed in the neighbourhood of the Afghan camp, plundering it.

Death

Jassa Singh continued with his campaigns. After Abdali's ninth and last invasion in 1769, Jassa Singh wrested Kapurthala in 1774 from Rao Ibrahim Bhatti and made it his headquarters. Jassa Singh died in Amritsar in 1783 AD. Being without a son (but having two daughters), he was succeeded by Bhag Singh, whose son, Fateh Singh became a close collaborator of Ranjit Singh. Like the other Misldars, Jassa Singh also established a Katra or colony for his misl in Amritsar, which was later named Katra Ahluwalia in his honor. He, like many other Misldars also fortified the city of Amritsar for protection against the enimies of Sikhism. His fort and residence is known as Qila Ahluwalia and had unfortunately today fallen in bad shape. He spent his last days greatly renovating the city of Amritsar and reforming Gurdwara managemnet as well has developing the city greatly. Because of his many sacrifices and his great love for the Sikh nation, he was cremated within the Precincts of the Harimandir Sahib, which he fought so hard to protect (considered a great honor in Sikh tradition). A commemorative postage stamp on 'Baba Jassa Singh Ahluwalia' was issued by Government of India on April 04, 1985. Baron Sultan ul Quam Nawab Jassa Singh Kalal was also known as 'Guru ka lal' (the beloved son of Guru).

Bhai Bota Singh & Bhai Garja Singh


The year 1739 signifies the worst testing time for the Sikh community. The Mughal rulers of the time had vowed to exterminate the Sikhs. Orders were issued to this effect and handsome cash rewards were promised to anyone and every one who provided information leading to the arrest of a Sikh, arrested or killed a Sikh. Sikhs were hunted down like jungle animals. Their properties were looted, confiscated and set on fire. Thus there was no place or person to whom they could turn for seeking justice.
Communal minded Muslims and bigoted Hindus took full advantage of the situation. They became informers, and killer, there by getting day by day richer and closed to rulers. Ten, fifty or eighty rupees was a very handsome reward in those days.
Taking advantage of disappearance of Sikhs from plains of Punjab, into hills, river banks and desert areas of bordering States, the Governor of Punjab, Nawab Zakaria Khan got it pronounced through out the state that Sikh community had been completely decimated. Inspite of such tall claims made by the ruling community. Sikhs in ones and twos still visited their most sacred Shrine Harimandir Sahib in Amritsar to pay their respect and to bathe in the Sarover even at the cost of their lives at times.
Once two Sikhs, Bhai Bota Singh and Bhai Garja Singh were proceeding from Taran Taran to Amritsar to visit sacred Harimandir Sahib. They travelled by night and kept themselves hidden in bushes during the day. One day, two Muslim travellers noticed these two hidden behind bushes besides Lahore-Delhi G.T. Road near Sarai Nuruddin and started talking about them. One of them said, “It seems I have seen two Sikhs hidden behind those bushes.” The other Muslim fellow said, “No, It can’t be, because the Sikhs are a brave people. They do not hide. They rather die fighting than hiding like cowards.” The first one said, “why not go and see for ourselves, whether those are Sikhs or not, behind bushes.” The second one said “Aren’t you aware of the announcement made by the Governor Zakaria Khan throughtout Punjab that he had decimated the Sikhs completely.” Thus talking, the two Muslim travellers proceeded on towards their destination, not taking the risk of verifying the identity of persons hidden behind bushes.
However the talk about the false claim of Governor Zakaria Khan about his being successful in completly finishing the Sikhs gave a big jolt to Bhai Bota Singh and Garja Singh who happened to overhear every word uttered by the two Muslim travellers. They decided to falsify Zakaria Khan’s propaganda and came out of the bushes after planning their strategy.
With strong wooden sticks in their hands, they occupied the small abode known as Sarai Nuruddin on the road side and started levying and collecting tax money from traveller at the rate of one anna per cart load and one paisa per donkey load, as road tax. They pronounced the place as part of area ruled by Sikhs. This went on for a number of days, without opposition from Government agencies. Travellers kept paying road tax to the two Sikhs, without any questions. They also spread the word that Zakaria’s propaganda about decimation of the Sikhs was false.
Getting no response from the government of their revolting act, the two Sikhs decided to hasten the pace of events to prompt reaction from the government.
Bhai Bota Singh wrote a letter addressed to Zakaria Khan and gave it to a traveller proceeding to Lahore for handing it over to Zakaria Khan, Governor of Lahore.
He thus wrote on the letter :         
     
“Chithi Likhtam Singh Bota
Hath hai sota, wich rah khalota
Anna gadda, paisa khota
Jaa Akhee Bhabo Khano Noo
Aaon Akhe Singh Bota”
The content of the letter was that : This letter is written by Bhai Bota Singh. He is armed with a strong wooden stick and standing on the road side collects road tax at the rate of one anna per cart-load and one paisa per donkey load; Go and tell my Sister-in-law (Governor Zakaria Khan). Thus says Bota Singh.
Zakaria Khan got the letter sent by Bhai Bota Singh and was shaken to the hilt on reading it. He sought more information from the traveller (who delivered the letter to him and had himself paid the road tax to the two Sikhs) asking him about the number of Sikhs involved in tax collection and the nature of arms in their possession. The messenger told Zakaria Khan that the tax-collecting Sikhs at Sarai Nuruddin were only two in numbers and that the only arms in their possession were thick strong wooden sticks.
Zakaria Khan immediately summoned the Army General Jalaluddin and siad “Take two hundred armed horse riding soldiers, capture the two tax collecting defiant Sikhs and produce them alive before me so that I could impart exemplary punishment to them.” The reason for dispatching two hundred armed soldiers to capture only two un-armed Sikhs was his knowledge that these brave Sikhs were capable of springing surprises on much stronger adversaries.
Taking urgent orders from Zakaria Khan, General Jalaluddin hurriedly proceeded towards Sarai Nuruddin, accompanied by two hundred armed horse riding soldiers to achieve his objective of capturing the two Sikhs alive.
The sound f horse hoofs and the rising dust fast approaching there alarmed Bhai Bota Singh and Garja Singh of coming events. They sensed the approaching danger and got ready to face it since they had themselves invited it.
While the band of two hundred soldiers under the command of Jalaluddin were preparing to encircle Sarai Nuruddin, Bhai Bota Singh Shouted loudly on soldiers.
“If you are really brave come forward for one to one combat for testing acts of bravery to-day.” Jalaluddin ordered two of its soldiers to take on the two Sikhs. No sooner had the two soldiers stepped forward Bhai Bota Singh and Garja Singh attacked them with electrifying speed and beat them to death with their sticks. Jalaluddin sent forward another two soldiers who too were dispatched to hell by the brave Sikhs. In a similar fashion General Jalaluddin lost eight of his soldiers. Just then, the Sikhs shouted “Now send four soldiers at a time to fight two to one with us.” Three batches of four soldiers each were done to death by the smart and brave well trained Sikhs.
Seeing bodies of twenty of his dead soldiers scattered on ground before him, Jalaluddin lost patience and ordered his remaining 180 soldiers to mount a lightening attack to over-power the two Sikhs. The two Sikhs stood back to back and faced the soldiers. The soldiers moved swiftly forward and managed to encircle the two Sikhs. The Sikhs on the other hand shouted their battle cry. “Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akal” and with the aid of only wooden sticks dispatched another ten soldiers to death before finally laying down their lives as martyrs. They failed the attempt of the Muslim forces to capture them alive.
Against heavy odds, Bhai Bota Singh and Garja Singh kept up the honour of Khalsa Panth high. They set an example of courage fearlessness and defiance in the face of certain death and against heavy odds-Thus they enriched the Sikh heritage by enacting a rare feat

Gyani Ditt Singh and The Great Revival


By Col. Dr. Dalvinder Singh Grewal

After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the treachery of Teja Singh and Gulab Singh assisted the British to defeat Sikh forces in Anglo-Sikh wars. The occupation of Punjab by the British was a great physical and psychological blow to the Sikhs. The scars further deepened by the conversion of Maharaja Dalip Singh, the last King of Punjab to Christianity, and a gloom prevailed over the entire Punjab. The Sikhs felt deeply hurt by the events but were feeling helpless. No leader worth the name came forward to control the situation to guide them in the dark period.
The British thought this period as the best to cement their rule in Punjab by imprinting onto the minds of the Punjabis that the British were a superior race because of their physical, psychological and cultural superiority. They centered on psychological and cultural conversion of Punjabis; specially the Sikhs whose distinct identity was an impediment to their scheme of colonialism. They portrayed their invincibility on a larger screen of religion and culture and established missionary centers all over Punjab. They selected the lower strate and enticed them through petty jobs and financial aid. This systematic planning and sequential implementation bore fruit as large number of people specially from lower castes started converting into Christianity. The inherent weakness of the Sikh body politic, the activities of Christian Missions, the proselytisation by a new Hindu organization known as Arya Samaj and the rationalism that came with the introduction of scientific concepts caused a body blow to Sikhism.
In 1835, an American Presbyterian Mission had been established at Ludhiana. Immediately after annexation, it spread its activities to Malwa and Majha1; the Church Missionary Society opened centers around Amritsar and Lahore and the hill District. The Society for the Propagation of Gospel, the Salvation Army, the Methodists, Episcopalians, Moravians, and several Roman Catholic orders vied with each other in gaining converts.2 Christian Missionaries were actively supported by English officials.3
The conversion of Maharaja Dalip Singh in 1853 was the first feather in the cap of Christian missionaries and a grievous shock to the Sikhs. The same year a Christian Mission School was opened in Amritsar. Following this several Sikh families of note accepted Christianity.4 In 1873, four Sikh boys of Mission School Amritsar announced their decision to turn Christian, causing protest meetings all over Punjab. Sikh preachers talked to the boys and prevented them from abandoning their ancestral faith.5
More serious than the activities of Christian Missionaries, however, was the challenge of renascent Hinduism, chiefly from the Arya Samaj. They believed only in Vedas and ridiculed all other religious books. Guru Granth Sahib was to Swami Dayanand the leader of Arya Samaj, a book of secondary importance, and the Sikh Gurus men of little learning; Nanak he deonounced as a dambhi (hypocrite). Dayanand set the tone; his zealous admirers followed suit.6
Added to these problems for Sikhs came the Brahmo Samaj of Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1771-1833). They opened a branch in Lahore and won a notable convert in Dayal Singh Majithia.7 These events caused decline in the number of Sikhs.8
A famous visionary and writer of that time, Bhai Veer Singh summed up this situation in a few words, "During the Sikh regime, the Sikhism was caught in the web of Brahminism, and after Sikh rule the Christianity started devouring Sikhism smoothly. A powerful force was needed to stop these increasingly dangerous influences and to revive Sikhism. This powerful force emerged in the form of Bhai Ditt Singh, a man with natural ability to react effectively under such situations. Through his pen, speeches and discourses he did such a wonderful job that earned him the title: "the one who brought true awakening among the Sikhs in slumber."9
Born on 21 April, at Kalaur (Patiala state) to Bishan Kaur, wife of Bhai Diwan Singh, Ravidasia by caste10 and a preacher by profession, Giani Ditt Singh was a great visionary, thinker, writer, editor, historian, orator, teacher and organizer, theologist and analyst of Sikh acriptures, social reformer and, above all, a survivalist par excellence.
He adopted preaching as a profession at the very young age. Theme of his preaching was worthless ritualism, on the lines of his father Diwan Singh, "I was just of eight-nine years’ age when I separated from my father and started enlightening people. Wherever I went, I asked the people to stop the ritual worship of graves, tombs, Bhairon, gods or the Vedas. I also visited various educated and enlightened saints, held discussions, learned from them. Soon I gained enough knowledge and the people started calling me Gyani."11 He further mentioned, "I then preached among the brave Majha people and stopped them from worshipping Sakhi Sarwar and various gods. The influence of Sakhi Sarwar or gods’ worship is no more found in Majha."12
As he gained insight into these problem through study Giani Ditt Singh became more serious. He found the lower strata to be the most affected. Maximum conversion was among the lower castes. He had affinity with them and wanted to do something concrete. He wanted to unite them, but this could not be done as they were further divided into numerous faiths. They were engrossed in ritualism of numerous kinds, and worship of various gods, even tombs and graves. They were divided in sub-castes and not united to fight the rising threat.
He mentioned the same in his writing. "The Doaba people came under the influence of Peers and forgot their own religion……. In Majha, those who called themselves Singhs, worship Sarwar whenever, they are in trouble….. In Lamen (Puadh) the people run to Deras. Whenever someone’s son gets sick they pray to some Peer to save the child…"13
He thought of enlightening the people of these ills and to encourage them to remove to these parochial rituals, have faith in one God and to unite as one to fight against the British. He remarked: "Brahman, Jat and Chamar should make a great union to remove these ills."14
His methodology was very convincing and touching the hearts of the listener. He wrote books to propagate what he preached and used both prose and verse for the purpose. He commented on the existing systems very systematically and dramatically, touching the core of the hearts of listeners/readers. A sample is presented here from his book Guga Gapoda. During the dialogue he makes his listener to accept the futility of worshipping the dead, through his knowledge of the facts; the facts that are revived by a few touches here and there to enlighten.
"We learnt in our childhood about this Guga Peer. We don’t know what type of person is he. This Guga Madi belongs to the ancient times; time unknown. A fair is held these days to pay him obeisance and offer money. The thieves (the pujaris) share the money after squabbling. For the remaining year this place is deserted or is occupied by dogs and jackals. When rain comes, the visitors or the gambling boys take shelter and move after the rains. We don’t know more than this…. This shows that the Guga Madi is worth living for dogs jackle and gambling boys. What type of god is he who cannot stop spread of evil, or for that matter, his own protection from dogs and jackals shit and urinate around him? This Guga story is merely a hoax. Only the ignorant believe him and have become follower of the dead."15
He not only preached but also continued learning where he went. He held discussions with various authorities on religion and saints of the time. He accepted whatever pleaded his conscience, but objected very forcefully if it was against the truth. He propagated removal of parochialism, fundamentalism and ritualism and created a sense of oneness among people. His deep knowledge of Vedas and Sikh scriptures helped him to counter the wrong teaching. He joined those who helped him in achieving his goal. Bhai Jawahar Singh was one such person with whom he could converse his mind openly and who later become his lifelong guide and companion.
Arya Samaj was, initially, an institution working towards removal of casteism and ritualism. He along with Bhai Jawahar Singh joined this movement.16 Swami Dayanand was the torch-bearer of this movement. He however soon found that Arya Samaj Chief Swami Dayanand’s faith in the infallibility of Vedas was as uncompromising as that of the Muslims in Koran.17 He did not believe in the existence of any religion other than Hinduism. This was, again, a narrow parochial approach. Both Bhai Jawahar Singh and Giani Ditt Singh planned to set the things right.
During one such event in 1877 at Lahore18, he visited Swami Dayanand along with Bhai Jawahar Singh ‘to know his mind and to know his ideals’19. During discussion the questions and answers with Swami Dayanand that followed are quoted as under in the words of Gyani Ditt Singh himself:
"Q: Who is the Creator of this universe?
A: The Lord (Ishwar)
Q: Does the Lord create the universe from Himself or from something else?
A: How can the Lord create the universe from Himself? He is without form (Nirakaar). He creates the world from four atoms.
Q: Wherefrom does the Lord bring these atoms?
A: The Lord joins the atoms floating in the sky and creates the universe.
Q: How many atoms help making this universe and how does the Lord create the universe around them? Can you explain - sequentially and systematically?
A: The atoms of earth, water and air roam around freely in air that the Lord mixes them as per the requirement and creates the universe, e.g., he creates earth from earth atoms, water from water atoms, fire from fire atoms and air from air atoms.
Q: Were these four elements existing earlier than the Lord of were created by the Lord?
A: The Lord is non-existent that he could create the solid elements from His soul. The elements of these four atoms existed already which the Lord united to create the universe.
Q : From your statement the Lord appears to be like a mason who collects and joins bricks, sand, lime, and wood, etc., to make a house. He is not a creator of atoms but creator of a structure from these items? ….. He is like a women who cooks food from various items?"
Hearing these comments Swami Dayanand became angry. The dialogue continued but, at the end, he said angrily, "Go and say that I (Gyani Ditt Singh) have won and Swamiji has lost."20
This showed the shallowness of Swami Dayanand’s knowledge. Gyani Ditt Singh held three such discussions with Swami Daya Nand with the same results. The details of these discussions are available in his book Sadhu Daya Nand Naal Mera Sambad. Swami Dayanand stood exposed in all these discussions. This made a great impression of Gyaniji on the listeners and he became very popular and acceptable among Sikhs.
He found that the Hindu ritualism was too parochial to change according to the needs of the times. In turn he found that Sikhism was more close to the needs of the people and was more acceptable to bring in the desired psyche of the people. He embraced Sikhism along with Bhai Jawahar Singh at the hands of the five beloved ones - ‘panj piaras’ who included Bhai Gurmukh Singh.21 Bhai Gurmukh Singh, Bhai Jawahar Singh and Gyani Ditt Singh soon turned out to be the new forces in religious revivalism of Sikhs. They opened a chapter of Singh Sabha at Lahore; initially a chapter of Amritsar Singh Sabha but later became independently a rallying point for all Sikhs.
Bhai Ditt Singh by then became a well-known figure who could discuss ably and write effectively. He decided to express himself through the popular medium and took over as the editor of the first Sikh paper, the Khalsa Akhbar. He used it as an effective tool for educating and revival of the Sikhs. Under the editorship of Bhai Ditt Singh, the Khalsa Akhbar became an efficient and powerful vehicle for the spread of Singh Sabha ideology22and turned out to be a leading light for the Sikhs. He not only contradicted the enchanting theories of the Christian Missionaries, Arya Samaj and Brahmo Samaj effectively but also highlighted the true worth and the greatness of the Sikhism. His efforts to remove the vices of Hinduism which had also creeped into Sikhism are laudable. The most prominent were casteism and ritualism. Writing against casteism, he questioned the types among Sikhs in a very intelligent and dramatic manner:
"Kaun Sikh hunde ho bhai? Ji main Arora, ih hai Nai. Teri Singha ki hai jaat? Nami Vanshi main han Bhrat. Tera janam kinah de ghada? Main ji Mehra pani bharda."
i.e., ‘Which type of Sikh are you, O brother?’ ‘I am Arora; he is barber.’ ‘O Singh! What is your caste?’ ‘I am from Nami Vansh, Bhrat by caste.’ ‘In whose house were you born? I am water carrier’s family.’
Bhai Gurmukh Singh and Giani Ditt Singh’s stand on equality in Sikhism without caste and creed was not tolerated by the dominating Sodhis, Bedis, Sirdars, Jagirdars and Raja-Maharajas. They could not think of "untouchables" sitting along with them. They also did not appreciate the control of Lahore Singh Sabha in the hands of Bhai Gurmukh Singh and Giani Ditt Singh. They considered both Bhai Gurmukh Singh and Giani Ditt Singh a danger to their superiority. The pro-Hindu ideologue Sikhs, Baba Khem Singh Bedi, Raja Bikram Singh the ruler of Faridkot, etc., joined on March 1887, to get Bhai Gurmukh Singh excommunicated. The fearless, determined and committed Giani Ditt Singh did not accept this injustice. He issued a supplement of Khalsa Akhbar on 16 April 1887, in which appeared a part of his ‘swapan lok’ or Dream Play, a thinly veiled satire, ridiculing the Amritsar leaders and their supporters. Baba Khem Singh Bedi did not take it kindly. He through his nephew Bawa Udey Singh Bedi filed a defamation suit against Giani Ditt Singh in a Lahore Court. Gianiji was sentenced to pay a fine of Rs.5 but was later acquitted by the Sessions court on 30 April 1888. This not only vindicated his stand but also showed his resilience. Though the financial condition of the paper suffered, and it had to be closed for some time, yet it came out again on 1 May 1893.23
His thought of awakening Sikhs through teaching/propagating Sikh History. He wrote number of tracts and books on brave Sikhs like Bhai Taru Singh, Bota Singh, Shabegh Singh, Mehtab Singh Mirankotia, etc. which deeply touched the sentiments of the Sikhs and caused an instant awakening.
Gyani Ditt Singh’s powerful pen in prose and verse created a wave. His articles were published not only in his books and Khalsa Akhbar but all the other papers which appeared later. His poems were sung on various religious gatherings.
Some 40 books have been listed by Bibi Sandeep Kaur Sekhon in her synopsis for Ph.D. on Gyani Ditt Singh that she is presently pursuing. Most of his books deal with cultural and religious revivalism; the Sikh tenets as expounded by the Sikhs remained the centre of his writing.
Another aspect that needs highlight is his contribution to the education of Sikhs. As per Ibbetson’s Survey of Punjab Castes, Sikhs were the lowest educated.24 Giani Ditt Singh offered his services to Oriental College, Lahore where he was appointed professor. He taught Gyani and other Punjabi courses. His students always appreciated his commitment and dedication. He also encouraged his students to spread education among the Sikhs. He encouraged Bhai Takhat Singh to open a girls school at Ferozepur. Bhai Takhat Singh attributed the establishment of Sikh Kanya Vidyalaya, the first institution for Sikh women education to Gyani Ditt Singh’s guidance. His role in establishment of the first Khalsa College at Amritsar is again laudable. He took out a special Khalsa College number of Khalsa Akhbar on 23 October 1871, which is a not only a appreciation of establishment of Khalsa College but also provides the true guidelines for Sikh Education, which are applicable even today.
Gyani Ditt Singh became a torch-bearer for the modern Sikh writers. Bhai Veer Singh, Karam Singh Historian, Bhai Takht Singh, and many such writers owe their directions and writing style to Bhai Ditt Singh. Bhai Veer Singh adopted the same style of publishing Khalsa Samachar as was adopted by Giani Ditt Singh. He continued writing about religious revivalism and removal of ills among Sikhs and the general masses till his death, which ultimately came on 6 September 1901 art Lahore.25
Bhai Veer Singh wrote touching tributes at his demise. One such poem published in Khalsa Samachar captures the core of Gianiji’s achievement :
"Jago jago ji Ditt Singh piare, Qaum baithee sirane jagawe.
Kion kiti neend piaree, kion jaag tuhanun na aave.
Kadi qaum jagaayee si taine, lame kaddh kaddh vain te haave. Han!
Jagaike qaum bhulakad, aap saun gaye hoi bedawe.26
i.e. Wake up, wake up, O Ditt Singh ji dear,
The nation (Sikh qaum) is sitting near you pillow.
Why don’t you wake up?
Once you awakened the entire nation.
By praying, crying, howling and growling,
Now after awakening the forgetful nation.
Yourself have gone to sleep unattached.

Rajkumri Amrit Kaur


Rajkumari Amrit Kaur
ਰਾਜਕੁਮਾਰੀ ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਕੌਰ
راجکماری آمریت کور
राजकुमारी अमृत कौर


About

She was born on the February 2, 1889 in Lucknow to a princely family of Kapurthala, a part of undivided India. She was the first Indian woman to hold the position of cabinet minister. Well, we are talking about the well known freedom fighter Rajkumari Amrit Kaur. In this article, we will present you with the biography of Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, who was an eminent Gandhian and a great social reformer. 

Amrit Kaur gave away all the worldly pleasures and focused her attention on serving the society. Throughout the freedom struggle of India, she worked in close association with other freedom fighters. After independence, she became the health minister of India. She was actively involved in activities undertaken for the welfare of society. To know the complete life history of Rajkumari Amritkaur, read on.






Early life

She came from a royal family background. She was the only daughter of her parents, Raja Harnam Singh and Rani Harnam Singh. She had seven brothers. She did her schooling from England at the school at Sherborne, Dorsetshire. She graduated from Oxford University. She was a fabulous tennis player. She even won a number of prizes for her excellent performance. 

Coming from such a noble family, she could have led a very luxurious life. But, when she came to India, she left all her comforts and got involved in the social welfare activities. She was instrumental in the India's Independence Movement and played a vital role as a social reformer. 

Raja Harnam Singh was a very pious and pure hearted person, who was frequently visited by prominent leaders of the Indian National Congress party like Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Amritkaur started developing interest in the freedom struggle and also became more aware about the activities that are undertaken by the freedom fighters. She was highly inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. 

The ruthless killings that took place in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of 1919 motivated her to join the freedom struggle. Eventually, she worked together with Mahatma Gandhi. She went far away from materialist life and began leading the life of an ascetic. She came to live in Mahatma Gandhi's Ashram in the year 1934. She also raised her voice against inhuman acts like ill treatment of Harijans. 

As a Gandhian

She became an active member of Indian National Congress. She was involved in almost all the activities and movements that were launched by Gandhiji for the wellbeing of people. She became one of the most dedicated disciples of Mahatma Gandhi. She sincerely followed the teachings and principles of Bapu. This explains the reason why she was also addressed as a Gandhian. During the Dandi March, she was along with Gandhiji. It is during this movement that, she was imprisoned by the British Raj authorities. 


Post-independence

After the Independence of India, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur joined the Jawaharlal Nehru's first Cabinet. She was the first woman to hold a cabinet position. She was made the incharge of Ministry of Health. She was the only Christian in the cabinet of India. In the year 1950, she was elected for the post of President of the World Health Assembly. 

She played a pivotal role in the task of conceptualizing and laying the foundation for the establishment of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. For this, she secured aid from different countries like New Zealand, West Germany etc. She also provided assistance to a rehabilitation centre. She and her brother even donated their ancestral property that was made the holiday home for the staff of the institute. 

She served as the Chairperson of the Indian Red Cross society for a long period of fourteen years. She made an immense contribution towards the development of the tribal groups of India. She held the position of health minister till 1957. Thereafter, she took retirement from the ministerial activities, but still remained a part of the Rajya Sabha. Till she was alive, she held the presidency position of AIMS and the Tuberculosis Association. She also served as the chairperson of St. John's Ambulance Corps. This great soul departed for heaven on the 2nd October in the year 1964.

Shaheed Bhai Uday Singh Ji


Bhai Uday Singh was one of the four sons of renowned Sikh martyr Bhai Mani Singh Ji, a resident of village Alipur, District Multan (now in Pakistan) who offered his services along with those of his four sons, to Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Bhai Bachiter Singh and Bhai Uday Singh, were two of the four sons who joined the band of dedicated Sikhs in the Army of the Guru.
Bhai Uday Singh was a very good marksman. Once, while he and a few other Sikhs accompanied Guru Gobind Singh Ji on a hunting expediton, they were suddenly attacked by two Hill chiefs named Balia Chand and Alamchand.  
Bhai Alam Singh from Guruji’s party engaged hill chief Alam Chand and cut off his right arm with a single stroke of his sword. Bhai Uday Singh surged forward and caused serious injury to the Hill Chief Balia Chand with a gun shot. With both the Hill chiefs seriously injured the soldier accompaning the two Hill Chiefs beat hasty retreat into the thick jungle. Guru praised Bhai uday Singh’s brave act in the battle in presence of Sikh sangat.
Bhai Uday Singh took a very active part in almost all the battles that took place between Gururji’s forces and those of Hill Rajas, from time to time. When all the Hill Chiefs mounted a combined attack on Anand Pur Sahib, Bhai Uday Singh was deputed for the defence of Fort Fatehgarh by Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
While Bhai Bachitter Singh, one of the brothers of Bhai Uday Singh, was sent out of the fort by Guru Ji to face an intoxicated elephant, who was being used by the enemy forces for breaking down the fort gate. Bhai Uday Singh sought Guru Ji’s permission to engage in battle the commander-in-chief of enemy forces, Raja Kesri Chand of Jaswal Hill State. After obtaining Guru Ji’s permission and accompanied by some sikh soldiers, Bhai Uday Singh attacked enemy forces like a hungry lion attacking its prey. In the lightening attack, the Sikhs accompanying Bhai Uday Singh, killed many enemy soldiers whose bodies lay scattered every where.
When Bhai Bachitter Singh caused serious injury to the intoxicated elephant with his spear and the elephant turned back and started crushing Hill soldiersunder its feet, Raja Kesri Chand got terribly upset and angry. At this very moment, Bhai UdaySingh dared Kesri Chand for a straight man to man fight. Launching a lightening attack, Bhai Uday Singh cut off the head of Kesri Chand and mounting the same (head) on his spear, returned to the Fort. With the death of their commander-in-chief, the Hill forces retreated in disgust Bhai Uday Singh was declared, the hero of that battle. He led the Guru Ji’s forces against the army of Hill chiefs in the fifth battle of Anandpur Sahib and inflicted heavy casualities on the enemy forces.
Thereafter, combined forces of Hill chiefs and those of Emperor Aurangzeb laid a siege of Anandpur Sahib, lasting more than six months. Guru Gobind Singh vacated Anandpur Sahib for various reasons in Dec. 1704 A.D.
When enemy forces, violating all their vows and undertakings attacked Guru Ji’s entourage, Bhai Uday Singh along with Bhai Daya Singh, Bhai Alam Singh and other brave Sikh warriours, kept the enemy at bay under the leadership of Sahibzada Ajit Singh for a considerable time, facilitating crossing of flooded rivulest Sirsa by Guru Gobind Singh and others.
In the process, however, Bhai Uday Singh laid down his life as a martyr in the service of Guru Ji. He laid down his life fighting against a cruel and treacherous regime for emancipation and freedom of the opressed. Thus, yet another renowned Sikh martyr enriched the Sikh heritage, enlightening the path of future Sikh generations.

KARMI-NAMA & RAJ-NAMA (GURU NANAK TALKING TO QAZI RUKAN DIN AT MECCA)

  The  Karni Namah  and the  Raj Namah  are two significant chapters of the Sau Sakhi, the Sikh book of prophecy. The Raj Namah appears in, ...