Saka Nankana

Saka Nankana forms a very important part of Sikh history. In political significance, it comes next only to the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre of April 1919. The saka constitutes the core of the Gurdwara Reform Movement started by the Sikhs in early twentieth century. The interesting part of this saka is the unprecedented discipline, self-control and exemplary patience displayed by the peaceful Sikh protesters even in the face of extreme barbarism. Even national leaders like Mahatama Gandhi had to acknowledge, in no ambiguous terms, the glory and the prestige which the peaceful and passive resistance of the Sikhs had brought to the India's Struggle for freedom.

Historical Background

The Sikh faith was founded by Guru Nanak in the fifteenth century and his divine torch was carried on by nine gurus who had followed in succession. The concepts of Sangat, Pangat, Dharamshala (Gurdwara) and Kirtan took firm roots during this period and became important constituents of Sikhism. Congregations in Gurdwaras had played crucial roles in the religious and social affairs of the early Sikhs. Later, they assumed wider dimensions by transforming into religio-political organisation. The peaceful and non-political budding Sikh brotherhood was transformed into a proud and fiercely martial nation through the baptismic process of Amrit-pan.

After a long and continuous resistance of several decades against the tyrannies of Mughal rule, the brave Sikhs finally emerged victorious and succeeded in carving out 12 Khalsa principalities in Punjab which soon led to the creation of a unified Khalsa kingdom with Ranjit Singh at its helm. Maharaja Ranjit Singh reconstructed the Gurdwaras earlier destroyed by the Moghuls and also raised many new ones at the sacred places connected with the Sikh Gurus. For the sustenance of the Mahants, Maharaja Ranjit Singh had attached handsome landed properties with many of these Gurdwaras. The earlier Mahants were devoted Sikhs and true missionaries who did a lot for the spread of Sikhism. Over time, the Gurdwaras incomes swelled enormously and the enormous money corrupted and degenerated the later-time Mahants into loose lived individuals. They started treating the Gurdwara properties as if they were their personal fiefs. This changed things for the Sikh Panth.

Depraved activities within Nankana

Gurdwara Nankana Sahib was managed by Mahant Narayan Das in the early 20th century. This Gurdwara had a huge property of over 19000 acres of highly fertile land attached to it which yielded enormous income yearly. Unlike Maharaja Ranjit Singh whose morals were never corrupted* by fabulous wealth the Mahant of Nankana Sahib grew corrupt and started using the huge sums of money the Gurdwara produced for wrongful deeds.

Narayan Das became a very desolute and wicked person who, besides using the Gurdwara's funds inappropriately, also used the Gurdwara's premises for immoral and highly objectionable activities. He had kept a Muslim girl as his mistress and all kinds of un-imaginable debauchery was being committed within the Gurdwara premises. Dance girls were brought to the Gurdwara and dances were held while obscene songs were sung within the holy premises. In 1917, he arranged a dance-show by a prostitute near the holy Gurdwara.

In 1918, a retired A.A.C. officer paid a visit to the Gurdwara with his 13 year old daughter to offer prayers to the Guru. Losing sight of his daughter while the Rehraas was being read in the Gurdwara, a Pujari rogue, who had led the young girl into a nearby room, raped the minor girl within the Gurdwara premises. When the father lodged a complaint with the Mahant to take action against the rapist, the Mahant simply ignored his request. In the same year, six young female devotees from Jaranwal village (Lyallpur) visited the Gurdawara on Puranmashi (full Moon) to pay their offerings at Gurdwara and they too were raped in the Gurdwara.(1)

Sikhs Nation Awakens

That all of this had gone on before the very eyes of the Sikhs sent shock waves throughout the Punjab. The issue was effectively raised in the The Akali (a Punjabi newspaper), published in Lahore by Master Sunder Singh Lyallpuri (q.v.), a true patriot and the founder-father of the Akali Movement and the Shiromani Akali Dal. Lyallpuri belonged to Bohoru village close to Nankana Sahib and he personally preached against the debauchery of the Mahants in the nearby villages and also continued to organise the Sikhs for a dynamic movement to bring reforms into the Gurdwaras.(3)

In October 1920, a congregation was held at Dharowal in Sheikhupura calling for reform in Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. The misdeeds committed within the Gurdwara by its Mahant were revealed to the Sangat. On January 24, Shiromani Committee held a general meeting and took decision to hold a Dewan in Nankana Sahib on March 4, 5 and 6 and advise Narayan Das to mend his ways while offering him a chance to repent.

Mahant’s reaction

The Mahant was a very shrewd and cunning person. He tried to play politics. Publicly, he wanted to leave the impression that he was a very peace-loving person and anxious to settle the issues with the Panth. On February 14, the Mahant held a secret meeting with his associates to implement a secret plan to kill the Sangats leaders on March 5 at Nankana Sahib. Mahant Narayan Das recruited 400 hooligans including fierce Pathans paid at twenty Indian rupees per month to oppose the Sikhs. With the government’s help he also collected guns, pistols and other arms and ammunition. He also procured and stored fourteen tins of paraffin and had the Gurdwara's gate strengthened and had holes made in it so that he could use them as gun-ports from which to open fire on the Sikhs.

Mahant Narayan Das had the full backing from the Mahants of other Gurdwaras in Punjab. The Bedi Jagirdars who had received Jagirs from the English Government by virtue of their past connections with Guru Nanak also supported the Mahant. Sardar Sunder Singh Majithia also maintained double standards. But the Maharaja of Patiala flatly refused to back the Mahant and advised him not to rebel against the Panth. He further advised the Mahant to create a committee of prominent Sikhs and hand over the Gurdwara charge to them. But the Mahant ignored the well-intentioned advice of Patiala's Royal house.

Then the Shiromani Committee extended an invitation to the Mahant for talks at Gurdwara Khara Sauda to resolve the issue but he did not show up at the given time. Then he offered to hold talks with the Sikh leaders in Sheikhupura on February 15, 1921, but again he failed to show up. Third time he promised to meet the Shiromani Committee leaders at the residence of Sardar Amar Singh Lyall Gazette on February 16, but once again he failed to turn up.

Counter-response of the Sikhs

The Shiromani Committee decided of its own account to meet the Mahant on 3rd March 1921 to advise him to hand over the charge of the Gurdwara to the committee. But then the Committee got the information from its own intelligence that the Mahant was planning to invite the Sikh leaders to Nanakana Sahib and have them killed by his hired gundas. This news greatly angered Kartar Singh Jhabber and others. A meeting of the Sikh leaders was called at Gurdwara Khara Sauda on 16, 1921 to chalk out the future course of action. It was decided that the Sangat would go in Jathas (squads) and take charge of the Gurdwara. The Sikh leaders learned that the Mahant was planning a trip to Lahore on the 20th of February 1921. Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabbar and Bhai Lachaman Singh Dharowal decided to take their jathas to Nanakana Sahib on the 20th of February. They decided to take charge of the Gurdwara in his absence as they had come to know of his wicked plan.

On the evening of February 19, 1921, Bhai Lachaman Singh Dharowali a (Jat Sikh) reached Nizam Deva Singhwala with his jatha of 8 Singhs (6 males and two females). At Nizam Deva Singh wala, Jathedar Tehal Singh a (Kamboj Sikh) had already arranged a Jatha of about 150 Singhs, the majority of them belonging to the Kamboj community. All these Singhs came from nearby Kamboj villages of Nizampur Moola Singh wala, Nizampur Chelewala, Dalla Chand Singh, Bohoru, Thothian and Nizam Deva Singh wala, etc., all falling in District Sheikhupura (now part of Pakistan).

Peaceful Khalsa on the march

The combined Jatha took a Hukamnama and started for the Gurdwara at about 10 PM that night so as to reach there by early morning at Amrit vela (nectral hours). On the way 50 additional Sikhs joined the 'Shaheedi Jatha' swelling the total number to about 200 people.

At Chanderkot Jhal, Jathedar Lachhman Singh decided to wait for Kartar Singh Jhabber and his Jatha. They waited for a while in vain and finally Jathedar Dharowal decided to cancel the plan for a further march to Nankana Sahib. But at this very moment, Jathedar Tehal Singh came forward and harangued the 'Shaheedi Jatha' not to vacillate even for a moment from their forward march since "the prayers having already been said and the action plan having already been decided with Guru’s word, it is now imperative for now to move forward". Advising further that "all the members shall keep cool even under extreme provocations". From here-onwards, Jathedar Tehal Singh took over the supreme command of the 'Shaheedi Jatha' and resumed the march to Nankana Sahib.(4) Just at Amritvela, the 'Shaheedi Jatha' reached the Railway-crossing near Nankana Sahib.

Some of the Jatha members then raced towards the Darshani Deori (Gurdwara's Gateway) to take possession of the Gurdawara, but at that very moment, Chaudhury Paul Singh Lyallpuri showed up with the latest decision of Shiromani Committee advising all to postpone the attempt to take possession of the Gurdwara. Having conveyed the information, Bhai Paul Singh grabbed Jathedar Lachhman Singh from behind and persuaded him not to proceed further.

Once again, the brave Jathedar Tehal Singh took the initiative and shaking Chaudhury Paul Singh forcefully enough to cause him to lose hold of Jathedar Lachhman Singh, he once more challenged the 'Shaheedi Jatha' to get ready for the sublime action. He once again harangued them: " Khalsa ji, the time is not to stop now, but to act. We have come here to achieve martyrdom under Guru’s word. This is very un-Sikh-like to backout from one’s commitment at the last moment" .(5) Saying this, Jathedar Tehal Singh walked with the Jatha towards the Gurdwara. Bhai Lachhman Singh and others repeatedly requested him to relent, but the Singh Surma stuck to his Ardas.(6)

Slaugher of peaceful Khalsa

Enthused by the speech of Jathedar Tehal Singh, the entire Shaheedi Jatha followed him. By this time, another horseman messenger, Bhai Ram Singh, arrived. In vain did he too try to persuade Jathedar Tehal Singh and the Jatha to return. The Jatha soon entered Darshni Deohri of the Gurdwara and shut the main door from inside. While some of the devotees took their seats inside the Prakash Asthan, others sat on the platform and the Baran dari. Bhai Lachhman Singh Dharowali sat on Guru’s tabia. Mahant Narayan Das came to know of the situation through the Jaikaras (shouts of victory ) of the 'Shaheedi Jatha'.

At first, he was utterly shocked thinking that the game was over but he soon recovered and ordered his hired gundas to kill all the Sikhs in the Jatha. They fired bullets at the Sangat in Gurdwara hall. Several bullets pierced through Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The hired gundas wielded swords, spears, hatchets and other lethal weapons to mercilessly slaughter the peaceful, unarmed and unprovocative Sikhs within the very premises of the Gurdwara. The dead and dying Singhs were then dragged to a pile of logs which had been collected earlier and consigned to flame. By the time the police and local Sikhs came on the scene, all the dead men had been consumed by the fire. Bhai Lachhman Singh Dharowali who was wounded with a gun shot was tied to a Jand tree and burnt alive. It was a butchery at its worst form.

The news spread like wild fire and the Sikhs from every part of Punjab started their march towards Nankana Sahib. Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabber reached next day with 2200 Singhs armed with shastras (weapons). Fearing more trouble, Mr King, the British Commissioner of Lahore, handed over the keys of Nankana Sahib to the Shiromani Committee and arrested Mahant Narayan Das and his hired gundas including the Pathans and charged them with murder, but only Mahant Narayan das and a couple of the Pathans received the death sentence for this heinous crime of more than 86 barbaric murders.

Stastistics on fatalities

There are different versions on number of fatalities in this massacre. Some writers put the death figures at 120, 150 or even 200. The government reports placed the death figures at 126. Police inspector Bachan Singh had put the number at 156. The report by Nankana Sahib Committee published in Shaheedi Jeewan however, placed the deaths at 86 and also listed the strength of the Shaheedi Jatha at 200.(7) It seems that, besides Shaheedi Jatha Singhs, many non-participant devotees and others staying within Gurdwara also fell victims to Mahant's barbarism.

In this tragedy a total of 86 Sikhs achieved martyrdom which included the Jat, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar and Majhabi Sikhs. But the highest total was achieved by the Kamboj community(8) According to Giani Partap Singh, out of a total figure of 86 Sikh Shaheeds of Nankana saka, the Kamboj community alone shared 31.(9)(10)(11)(12)

Mahatama Gandhi in Nankana Sahib

Mahatama Gandhi visited Nankana Sahib on March 3, 1921. Addressing the gathering, the Mahatama said: "I have come to share your anguish and grief. It is interesting indeed to note that the Sikhs in this drama remained peaceful and non-violent from the start to the end. This (role of the Sikhs) has greatly added to the glory and prestige of India "(13) ... "All indications point to the fact that the cruel and barbaric action is the second edition of Jallianwala Bagh massacre; rather more evil and more incidious than even Jallianwala" (14) The Mahatama further spoke: "the action of these dimensions could not be perpetrated by the Mahant alone. The government officers are also involved in this heinous crime. Where had the authorities gone when the Mahant was making preparations for murderous plans?"

Legacy

The supreme sacrifices made by these Sikh Shaheeds have been acknowledged by the grateful nation. Since that day onwards, the Sikh nation remembers these brave Sikhs in their daily ardas (prayer). Every year on 21st February at this Shaheedi Asthan, Guru Granth Sahib's Swaroop with Bullet marks is brought to Deewan (assembly) from 2pm to 4pm for darshan of the Sikh Sangat.

References

(1) Teja Singh, The Gurdwara Reform Movement and the Sikh Awakening, Amritsar, 1984, p 154; Kambojjas Through the Ages, 2005, pp 298, S Kirpal Singh

(2) Master Sunder Singh Lyallpuri was from Sandha clan and Kamboj lineage.

(3) The Kambojas Through the Ages, 2005, pp 298-99.

(4) Kamboj Itihaas, 1972, p 183, H. S. Thind; These Kamboj People, 1979, p 277, K. S. Dardi cf [1]

(5) Ibid., p 183, H. S. Thind; Kambojas Through the Ages, 2005, p 303, S Kirpal Singh; These Kamboj People, 1979, p 277, K. S. Dardi

(6) Sikh Gurdwaras in History and Role of Jhabbar, Karnail Singh See Link [2]

(7) Giani Partap Singh, Gurdwara Arthaat Akali Lehir, 1975, p 104.

(8) Shamsher Gurbakash Singh, Shaheedi Jeewan, 1938, p 356; Sher Singh Sher, Glimpsaes of Sikhism and Sikhs, 1982, p 207; H. S. Thind, Kamboj Itihaas, 1971, pp 181- 205.

(9) Akali Lehir, pp 104-106, Giani Pratap Singh.

(10) H. S. Thind, Kamboj Itihaas, 1971, pp 181-205.

(11) Kirpal Singh, Kambojas Through the Ages, 2005, pp 298-312.

(12) S Kirpal Singh, These Kamboj People, 1979, pp 275-279.

(13) Sahni Ruchi Ram, Struggle for Reforms in Sikh Shrines (Ed Ganda Singh)

(14) The Times, March 11, 1921 (A History of the Sikhs, Vol II, p 200, Khushwant Singh)