Ramgarhia: Difference between revisions

ਜਾਣਹੁ ਜੋਤਿ ਨ ਪੂਛਹੁ ਜਾਤੀ ਆਗੈ ਜਾਤਿ ਨ ਹੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ (ਪੰਨਾ 349, ਸਤਰ 13, Nanak) Sikhism does not endorse caste based distinctions in society that lead to unequal opportunities for some people. In fact, Sikhism completely rejects class or race based distinctions between humans, that leads us to make an inequitable society. Such distinctions have surfaced only due to ill interests of certain section of people, who, on the pretext of making a society more manageable through these classifications, eventually paved the way to an unequal grouping within the human race. This article is just for information purpose and to share how people from different castes came into the Sikh fold. So, please treat this article as a source of general information about this issue and kindly do not amend this article to highlight this important underlying Sikh principle. If you have any comments, please discuss them appropriately here

The Ramgarhia community is a tribe of the Punjab region in India which started from the Ramgarhia Misl (army). The founder & leader of the Ramgarhia Misl was Misldar Nand Singh Sanghania and its members were Sikhs from different tribes. But today, Ramgarhia is associated mainly with the Tarkhan tribe because of its later famous Misldhar, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, who was a Tarkhan. Historically, the Ramgarhia community has had strong links with the Jat tribes, with whom they have been very close friends and allies; a close bond that continues to this day.

Embracing Sikhism

Bhai Lalo (b. 1452), Was a True Honest Living Sikh, who belonged to Tarkhan Tribe, of Gataura Clan, of village Saidpur, in Gujranwala District of Punjab, He was the first known Ramgarhia, to convert to Sikhism, being blessed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539), the founder of Sikhism. Many Tarkhans, started converting to Sikhism, during the time of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, and Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji's time for example Bhai Rupa Ji. During the time of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, many Tarkhan Sikhs, served him with great devotion, such as Bhai Desu Ji, and and Bhai Hardas Singh Ji. But a large number of Ramgarhia Sikhs, started converting to Sikhism, between 1881-1911. Ramgarhia Sikhs, today are pure Amritdhari, all the families are Amritdhari, about 99% of the Ramgarhia Sikhs, are Keshadhari, they do not cut their hair while 1% Ramgarhia Sikhs do.

The Tarkhan (Ramgarhia), Tribe of Jalandhar, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran Sahib, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Firozpur, Lahore, Gujranwala districts, were entirely Sikh.

History of the Ramgarhia Misl

The founder of the group that would eventually become the Ramgarhia Misl was Khushal Singh of Guga village near Amritsar. Khushal Singh was succeeded by, Nand Singh Sanghania who belonged to village Sanghani near Amritsar. After his death he was succeeded by a much more enterprising and valiant man, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia (1723-1803), under whose stewardship the band assumed prominance and the name of the Misl. The name Ramgarhia was adopted after winning a major battle near the village of Ramghar.

Jassa Singh's grandfather was Hardas Singh, who had been a resident of Suringh, which is situated about nineteen miles east of Khem Karan, in the present district of Amritsar. Hardas Singh was initiated into the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, from whose hands he took Pahul (the Sikh baptismal oath). He was later to fight in battles at Guru Ji’s side. After the death of the Guru, he joined the forces of Banda Bahadur and took part in almost every battle under his flag against the Mughal Empire. In 1716, he died in a skirmish. After his death his son, Sardar Bhagwan Singh became the head of the family. and with 200 followers entered the Imperial Mughal forces under the Governor of Lahore. Owing to his ability he rose to be a distinguished officer. He died fighting for his master in 1739 at Lahore, when Nadir Shah invaded India and the Governor resisted him ineffectually. Bhagwan Singh's eldest son Jassa Singh, now became the head of the family. He was appointed a Risaldar by the Governor of Lahore, and the following villages were given to him: Jagir Valla, Verka, Sultanwind, Tung and Chabba (all of these are now in the Amritsar district). The Sehmi Clan of Nawan Pind in Valla/ Verka today hold the spirit of Jassa Singh's endeavours. On the death of Khan Bahadur, the Governor of Lahore, in 1746, Baron Jassa Singh, together with his followers, joined his Sikh brethren at Amritsar.

Sardar Jassa Singh

At this time the celebrated Adina Beg Khan, the Imperial Governor of the Jullundur Doab, exercised great influence in the Punjab. As there was constant quarrelling between him and the Sikhs, Baron Jassa Singh was sent to him as their ambassador by the Sikhs, who considered the Sardar one of the ablest men among themselves. From all accounts Sardar Jassa Singh was a tall, handsome young man, possessing rare intellectual qualities. Khan was so pleased with him that he granted all the demands of the Sikhs, that Baron Jassa Singh had come to present. Moreover, Adina Beg took him and his brothers into his service and made him the Tahsildar over a large district. He remained for a long time in the service of the Governor.

The Ghallughara ('Holocaust')

When Prince Timur, son of Ahmad Shah Abdali, marched against Adina Beg, the latter retreated towards the hills to the north and Baron Jassa Singh and his brothers left him and went to Amritsar, where they joined the forces of Nand Singh Sanghania. The younger brother of Sardar Jassa Singh was at this time killed in action with the Afghans near Majitha. After the terrible blow dealt to the Sikhs by Abdali, in the Battle of Ghallughara ('Holocaust'), in which 17,000 Sikhs fell, the three brothers, Jassa Singh, Mali Singh and Tara Singh, with Jai Singh Kanhaiya (Leader of the Kanhaiya Misl), were reduced to the necessity of hiding in jungles and subsisting on whatever chance threw in their way. They had, however, the temerity to visit Amritsar to bathe in the sacred tank, and pillaged the suburbs of the city. When attacked by the Shah's troops they fired off their matchlocks and fled to the jungles. After the departure of Ahmad Shah, Jassa Singh with his brothers Mali Singh and Tara Singh, and Jai Singh Kanhaiya emerged from their jungle retreat, and collecting their followers ravaged the country far and wide, building forts and establishing military outposts. When Khawaja Obed, the Governor of Lahore, attacked the Sikh fort at Gujranwala, he was opposed and defeated by the united forces of the Ramgarhias and Kanhaiyas. The guns, ammunition and treasure left by the Governor were equally divided by the Barons of the two Misls.

Victory and continued occupation of Lahore

The Afghan prince and his guardian, seeing that all their attempts to disperse the Sikhs had failed, and that the number of the insurgents was daily increasing by thousands. Realising that the forces at their own disposal, however well armed and disciplined, were not strong enough to stand before them, they considered it prudent to evacuate Lahore and retire towards the Chenab. They retreated in the night, unknown even to their own Hindustani troops, whom they distrusted, and in such haste that the royal family fell into the hands of the enemy, though they were subsequently released. This took place about the middle of 1758. The triumphant Sikhs occupied Lahore under their celebrated leaders, Baron Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and the Ramgarhia Baron of that name. Thus the Sikhs became for the first time masters of Lahore.

Later Ranjit Singh incorporated Ramgahia Misl into Sarkar Khalsa and thus a unified, one Khalsa kingdom was created.