Jathedar Baba Sahib Ji Kaladhari: Difference between revisions

Baba Sahib ji Kaladhari was born in 1876, son of Kishan Singh and his mother was Athar Kaur. He graduated from Lahore and became the first Tehsildar of Patiala. After leaving his first job, he joined the Budhadal, later on he became the Jathedar of Akal Takht. He suffered lot of injuries during his Jathedari. Britishers imprisoned him and his Jatha, thinking that, he must be hatching a conspiracy to turn the British Empire. Baba Sohan Singh served him, during the captivity period. He lead a normal life spanning 66 years and passed away in 1942. His Gurudwara is located in Amritsar, near the burj of Akali Phula Singh.

Nihang Baba Sahib Singh Kaladhari was the last Nihang Jathedar of the Akal Takht before the British created the SGPC. He was 11th Jathedar of Shiromani Panth Budha Dal.

A Herculean embodiment of the Akali-Nihung tradition and a legendary revivalist/reformer in his own right, Baba Sahib Singh Kaladhari is a sanctified and extensively honored member of the Khalsa panth whose life is triumph and tragedy in equal measure. A veritable saint-soldier he defied the colonial regime, it's anti-Sikh edicts and political brain child(s), SGPC and Akali-Dal, who sought to dissolve the Guru bestowed ethos which the Khalsa followed. Born in 1876 A.D. he was educated via the colonial curriculum and graduated from Lahore, in a perplexing similarity to the his contemporary Khalsa brothers he acquired an official position and was made 'Tehsildar' of one of the extensive Punjab domains. Inspired by the religiosity of the Akali-Nihungs, he discarded his occupation and enrolled into the 'Budha-Dal' where he commenced a saintly way of living.

A highly flexible individual he became famed for his service of the iron utensils possessed by the legion, subsequently he was bestowed with the title of 'Kaladhari' or the possessor of miracles as a result of the divine powers he gained from this service (Baba Ji was given his name by an earlier Jathedar after seeing his remarkable spiritual powers.). An extensively religious proponent of the 'Budha-Dal' he was highly favored by his spiritual siblings, and on the untimely demise of his commander-in-chief Baba Teja Singh, was nominated as a candidate for the commander-ship of the 'Budha-Dal.' He accepted the nomination with utmost sincerity, treating it as the command of the Guru-panth, despite being pitted against Baba Ram Singh for the said position.

Getting Jathedari

With the birth of factionalism amongst the Nihungs as to who would lead the 'Budha-Dal', both candidates sought the advice of Baba Mitt Singh of Nanded to resolve the matter. The saintly Baba proposed that whichever one of the dual individuals commenced the esteemed Khalsa practice of worshipping one's weaponry, that individual would be worthy to lead the Guru's beloved forces. Baba sahib Singh agreed and amongst cries of jubilation was declared as commander-in-chief of the 'Budha-Dal' and subsequently the Akal-Takhat. Despite residing at a time when the Khalsa was engaged in a subtle battle with various Abrahamic missionaries, and extremist Hindu forces, the Baba still retained the Akali charisma of the bygone ages and continued to purport traditional Khalsa ethics despite facing solid opposition from various Singh-Sabha adherents and colonial touts. Ever the defiant individual he challenged the colonial censor of the 'farla' and the retainment of weaponry on the Khalsa personage.

Consequentially he was imprisoned in 1934 A.D. with an extensive portion of his legion, yet far from being mentally crushed he commenced a severe disobedience of official rulings until ultimately the authorities had to bow down to his will and revoke it's prior censor. Simultaneously his image spread sub-continent wise inspiring thousands of it's denizens protesting against the foreign yoke placed on them.

Attack on Baba Sahib Singh Kaladhari and Nihangs

An extensive trailblazer and revivalist, he became a target of colonial schemes whose executors found willing adherents in the various neo-Sikh politicians of the twentieth century. Fueled by anti-Nihung rhetoric, and simultaneous brain-washing which pertained the latter to be a proponent of the greater Hindu psyche, the Baba was attacked by women in the Akal Takhatn the 1930's and ousted from the Guru's court. Despite suffering broken limbs he refused to engage with the women in violence and addressed them as his daughters. In the subsequent aftermath of his expulsion, the Akal Takhat became a vanguard of the traitorous SGPC and Punjab became the play-ground of a confunded Akali-Dal. Despite suffering such an embittering blow against his psyche the Baba remained in ever-high spirits and met his demise in 1942 A.D.

The British were afraid of the control and authority that the Nihang Singhs had over the Sikh religion and they sought to overthrow this stranglehold of power which lead to the creation of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Baba Sahib Singh Ji was attacked by members of the SGPC and was sent to prison in 1929 after his refusal to lay down his weapons. As a result the Budha Dal lost control of all Gurdwaras and the Nihangs were no longer on the seat of authority. When SGPC annex Akal Takhat, they used a large group of women to attack the Nihangs. (Nihangs do not attack women or children). Baba Ji's bones were broken, he said to the girl, 'you are like my daughter, but if it pleases you take out your anger out. After this Jhabbar and his neo-Sikh crew made sure that they disposed of Dasam Granth, and any other traditional Khalsa practices.

This was written out of by the people in charge of the printing press, but not the oral history of the Khalsa Panth. Dhan Dhan Akali Baba Sahib Singh Ji Kaladhari, who made it possible for Singhs to carry a shastar and wear blue, in the dark days of colonialism.