Sikh Sikhism

Sardar is a Persian word which means the elite, or one belonging to the ruling race. The Pathans and Mughals who had become the ruling races in India for several hundred years were referred to as Sardars, when by the close of the 17th century, the Tenth Sikh Guru founded the Order of the Khalsa and one each member of this order, he conferred the title of Sardar. During the 18th century, the Sikhs succeeded in wresting the political power from the hands of the Pathans and Mughals in the entire region of the North Western India and thus became de facto Sardars also in addition to de jure Sardars. Ever since, a Sikh has been addressed as a Sardar by way of courtesy during the British period by the Government authorities as well as by his own non-Sikh compatriots and neighbours. After India became free in 1947, a set policy has been adopted to discourage the use of this courtesy title in relation to a Sikh and Sikh is now invariably referred to as a Shri in official pharaseology and as a giani, when not something worse, by his neighbours and co-citizens of a free India.

Nihang, literally, is an alligator, who is all supreme in the waters, just as the lion is the supreme king amongst the fauna of the forest. Nihang is a Persian word meaning crocodile. Nihang, in Sikh terminology, is a synonym of an Akali, Just equivalent to a staunch Sikh. The Nihangs trace their origin form a son of Guru Gobind Singh robed with a blue battle-dress with his own hands and a Nihang is, therefore invariably in blue clothes.

Nihangs were suicide squads of the Mughal army and wore blue uniforms. Nihangs constitute an order of Sikhs who, abandoning the fear of death, are ever ready for martyrdom and remain unsullied by worldly possessions. A Nihang is one who has nothing and is free from anxiety. The order is said to have been founded by Guru Gobind Singh himself as a fighting body of the Khalsa. The Nihangs were also called Akalis (servitors of the Timeless God) which term has now become synonymous with the members of a political party in Punjab. (Most of them wear blue turbans).

Nihangs can be recognized from a distance as they wear dark blue robes with their legs bare below the knees and high blue and yellow turbans laced with steel discs. They usually carry spears, swords, daggers and shields. They use a charming vocabulary of Braggadocio, which has found its way into the Punjabi language.

These Nihangs, and Akalis were identical till the middle of the 19th century when the Sikh political supremacy was extinguished in the Punjab and ever since two bands of Nihangs have continued to exist under license from the Government of the day with the right to roam about in military formations, in free possession of their customary steel weapons of the 19th century, including th4eright to possess and retain a few old cannons, which are more symbolic than battle worthy. These Nihangs have their headquarters at Damdama Sahib, a holy Sikh shrine in the Bathinda district of the present Punjab in India and they claim that they are keeping themselves alert and ready for the day when the Khalsa will regain its political power and glory.

During the last 25 years, in a free India an irate bereaucracy have proceeded to annihilate small bands of Nihangs by mowing them down with rifle and machine gun, at the slightest pretexts, presumably to communicate unmistakably to the Sikhs the omnipotent character of the new power in a free India.

Its dictionary meaning is, a worshipper of Akal e.i. the Timeless God. Originally, the Akalis were the death-squads of the Sikhs, who spreaheaded the task of topping down the 'Mughals and Pathans' political hegemony in the North West of India, according to the programme given to Banda Singh Bahadur by Guru Gobind Singh in the year 1708 A.D. Ever since, these Akalis have been in the vanguard of the Sikh struggle against tyranny and foreign rule and during Sikh Raj in the Punjab, the Akalis were the custodians of the Seat of Spiritual Sikh Authority, the Akal Takht at Amritsar.

In the year 1922 and afterwards, those who came forward to recognize themselves into bands of volunteers to rescue the Sikhs' Holy shrines from the management of the hereditary priests, who were backed by the British Government, labeled themeselves as Akalis and when these well-endowed historical holy shrines passed under the statutory management of elected Sikh representatives, these Akalis captured the management bodies and eversince have maintained their position as the managers of the Sikh Gurudwaras as well as the true spokesmen of Sikh political ideas and aspirations. The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee holds a way over the important Sikh Gurudwaras, while the Shiromani Akali Dal which is merely another side of the medal reigns supreme as political spokesman of the Sikhs.

In current political parlance of Akali is one who holds the view that the management of the Sikh religious institutions must remain outside the control and influence of the Government in power whether in Punjab or at Delhi and who demands that in the North of India there should be a region where the Sikh voice accorded a special political importance and who further acclaim that politics must not be wholly divorced from the postulates of religion.

Whatever the external dissensions and the fratricidal conflicts amongst these Akali organizations, these three aims and objectives remain as unchanging foundations of the Akalis politics and mode of thought.

An inspiring story, a real incident by Gagan Deep Kaur bhenjee.
My Guru is always with me, near at hand. Meditating, meditating in remembrance on Him, I cherish Him forever.

After the assassination of Indra Gandhi on October 31, 1984, Sikhs were butchered across India. This is a story about a Sikh couple living in an isolated village outside of Punjab. The couple was young and were amritdhari. The Singhni wore a dastaar and they had a young child.The Sikh couple had an isolated farmhouse in a Hindu dominated area. When news of the assassination reached the area, and it was found out that Sikhs were being killed, some local thugs also decided it was the perfect chance to loot the farmhouse.

The Singh found out about these plans from some well wishers and told his wife that they had very little time and an attack was coming. The Singh said that they should leave their farm and escape to save their lives. The Singhnee however reminded him that they had done Parkash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib on the top floor of the house and how could they run away from Guru Sahib? The Singh again repeated that there was an attack coming and said that their young child would be killed. Singhnee jee insisted again that it would be wrong to run away from Guru Sahib and let the mob disrespect Guru Sahib’s saroop. The Singh in frustration then said, “Once they kill us, they will disrespect the saroop anyways so what is the point in staying? We can’t save the saroop if we’re dead. The best we can do is save ourselves now. There is no benefit in staying! You are being stubborn and stupid.”

The Singhnee replied that while she had breath in her body, she would not abandon Guru Sahib, even to save her life and while she was alive, no one could dare do any disrespect. With the mob now on its way, the Singh in frustration told his Singhnee that she could do what she wanted but he was leaving with their son. He then took the infant and escaped. Singhnee jee went to Guru Sahib’s room, and did ardaas. She asked Guru Sahib for protection and for the courage to, if need be, become Shahid in this seva. She then took a kirpan and waited.

When Singhnee jee saw the mob arrive, yelling and carrying weapons, ready to attack the house. She came down and stood at the door holding her unsheathed Sri Sahib. All of a sudden, the thugs in the mob began to turn around and run away, looking back in terror and then continuing to run. Singhnee jee was confused but amazed at Guru Sahib’s kirpa as the mob retreated and did not return…

Some days later, the Singh came back to the village to check on the fate of his wife and their property. He fully expected that his wife would be assaulted and killed and their home looted. As he was nervously walking to his home, a Hindu acquaintence stopped him and asked, “Singh, where did you gather all those Nihangs from so quickly that day???!” The Singh was confused and asked, “What do you mean?”The Hindu replied, “That day, when the mob went to attack your house, your wife came and stood in the door and she was surrounded by so many massive Nihangs who were so tall and carrying all kinds of weapons. Where did you gather all of them from so quickly?”

The Singh realised that Shaheed Singhs had themselves come and protected Guru Sahib’s saroop and his Singhnee’s courage had been rewarded . He went home and begged for forgiveness from his Singhnee and told her about how all the villagers were talking about the army of Nihangs that had protected their house.

so sathigur piaaraa maerai naal hai jithhai kithhai maino le ae shhaddaaee

That Beloved True Guru is always with me; wherever I may be, He will save me