Saka Tarn Taran
A religious gathering was held at Akal Takht, Amritsar on 15th-16th November 1920 A.D. In this a committee of one hundred and seventy-five members was formed which was named Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. This was a religious organisation with the aim of reform in Gurdwara management and uplift of the religious moral and cultural level of the Sikhs. As such, the committee was taking the management of the Gurdwaras in their hands.
Preists Of Gurdwara
The committee of the Sikhs was in control of managment of Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar since the 13th October 1920 A.D. The managment of Gurdwara, Taran Tarn fell under Sri Darbar sahib but the priests had become self-willed being far away from Amritsar. They divided the income of the Gurdwara among themselves. Many of the priests had become extreme alcoholics and drug addicts. They used to say openly, "Gurdwara is our shop. One may come if he wishes and anybody who does not like may not come."
In the full congregation at Akal Takht on the 24th January, 1921 A.D., a lady said, "The priests of Gurdwara Tarn Taran threw my son into the pool after tieing a stone round his neck and teased and molested my daughter inside the Gurdwara." Hearing this, the Committee decided to take the management of Gurdwara, Tarn Taran into their hands.
The Akali Jatha arrives at the Gurdwara
On the 25th January, 1921 A.D., Bhai Teja Singh Bhuchar with a Squad of forty Singhs reached Gurdwara Tarn Taran at 8 A.M after reciting Guru's word for two hours in Gurdwara, the squad told the priests the purpose of committee. A meeting took place between the Singhs of the squad and the priests at 4 P.M, when another Squad led by Kartar Singh Jhabbar also reached there. In this meeting Singhs placed five conditions before the priests. At 8.30 P.m., a priest came and informed the squad, "All priests are ready to accept the conditions of committee. Let some prominent persons of the squad come inside the Gurdwara and get their signatures on them."
The First Reformers Murdered
Bhai Sharan Singh and some other Singhs went inside Darbar Sahib (court hall). Brick bats started raining on the Singhs sitting in the congregation from an adjoining house. Intoxicated priests attacked the Singhs who had gone inside with choppers and clubs. The Singhs remained calm. The priests put out the lamps inside the Gurdwara and put curtains on the doors so that the Jatha gathered outside would not become aware of the attacks inside the Gurdwara. Out of the Singhs who had gone inside, seventeen were injured. Bhai Hazara Singh of Aladinpur, district Amritsar and Bhai Hukum Singh of Wasaoo Kot, district Gurdaspur were murdered, attaining martyrdom.
They were the first martyrs of the Gurdwara Reform movement. On arrival of more squads on 26th January, the priests handed over the management of the Gurdwara to the Prabhandak Committee.
