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I!';!biicali.m S ...... No.9.

~emple

oft Ipirituo;lity
OR

~olden '~mple,

It,mritoar

BY

JAGJIT SINGH

Those who look 011 tnefely the alabaster (HlJ the /.!old
of this jewel of architectu,.e miss tht Imler Spirit
~'ic" il {f'O"ld
.which pervades the whole building'6Ut,Jor
,
bee" Q"ollu,. colorl... T~I"I>U.

It"".

J'U BLI8uklJ flY

The Sikh Religious Tract SocIety,


TARN TARAN (PUNJA8j

IU: IHCA'ftm I'll

PUBLISHER'S NOTE
To Sikhs their temples, whICh have played ..
great part in their history, are more important than
the as.ooiations. So muoh.n that their history oonsists
of either establishment of temples or their proteotion
against different kinds of aggressors. Sikh temples,
bet.ter known as GurdtcaraR, constitute institutions
of Hari Kirtan, where the Discipl.. ponder to
quench the outer fire and plunge agoin into deep
peace of life. The Golden Temple at Amritsar, the
the premier Sikh Shrine, forms the nucleus, around
whioh oentres the major part of the Sikh History and
the .ucOPeding pages would aifor,i to our readers a
peep into this Temple of Spirituality'.
We owe a great debt of gratitude to S. Jagjit
Singh, who has very kinnly .pared time from his
oollege studies. to revise hi. writing, in appreciation
of which he .... as awarded a prize-medal worth Rs. 100
'by th.. Macauliffe Memorial Committee, Khalsa
'College, Amrit.ar. Weare proud to place this publiQation in our readers' hands to unveil to theni tbe
history of this 'Wond~rfnl Institution', We need
".ot write more beside. what Master Mota Singh ji
Akali, a venerable Sikh leader, .ays about this b .. ok ;

ii

"S ..TalZ.jit Singh, the younger son ofSriyut Vaidraj Bh"i Sahib Mohan Singh ji, the eminent writer
and scholar, and ODe of mo.t distingui.hed member
of tbe Sikh Community, i. a born author, gifted with
spiritual philo_opbic&! conatu.. The public may be
glad to receive from the pen of this young autho,'
the history of the Golden Temple, entitled as 'Temple of Spirituality'. ' We 'owe to him a tribute of
... thanko l[or having thr<;>wn .so fre~~ a.lig!)t .. '.'d, glow
lio"er ," compa.r..ti"ely lurid period of histor~'. I te
:h..s , deline80~d the whole n ..rrr.. tive in ' .. vivid alid
,attractivl' DU\lmer. The hcts are arr ..nged fnto a
, .well.pl .. nned form, and are ,discretely wov~n into an
,inspiring .tory accompa.nied by a spirit of co'm mentary. ,The Chronicled note. are brief .. nd judicious.
The Cbronicle... nd legend.~hich form" sigmfiCl\nt
part of the book ,and enhance it. litera.ry gra~e ~re
nowhere g .. rbled and tinged with 8uch ..ccretio'ns" ...
conld be exposed ..nd condemned ..t the b~:r ' of
reason. Such prodigious legends .. nd mir .. culous
event. h ..ve been most , prudently .. nd
~rientific9.lIy
",
. r
purged . off, ,which m ..y,tempor..rily stimul .. te our
thought, but do in n.o w ..y add dignity to the re ..li, ties oOife, and which ..re de.tin,ed, to f.. de und~r the
glare of so.und and pure r .. tion ..lism. .IJ:e has ' also
done well to escape .f rom dry "I)d, sceptic .r..tion ..
which deviating from . pure faith, ~uthle.;'ly le,!-ds ,us
to' "Destrllctive Nihilism.~'F Thqs. ~n ...ri ..dmirable
manner,'the author h ....mQ8t, ..g~~e~[jly pal .. nced, 'the
history. of, 'F..ith .,"'1dl Fr'l,e ,Th?ll~ht,' ' '\1d reprodltoed .altevent. quite
. - . in
, ,con8on~nce
.
. .. ... . witli ,)1io<ifern

lism,

science and philosophy. He possesses the quality,


whioh eminently oharaoterises him of keeping h,storioal imagination under "'l"traint of evidence. Hi.
research is striking and extensive.
This book is in every sense of the 'woni a \ great
aOOessioll to our histoneal Iiteratll.r~, and .. worthy
edItion to our popular history. I whole hea.tedly
hail. and appreoiate the author's literary enthu:siasm,
and r~.ommend the book to that attelltiv~ perus!'1
,whioh
, its title invites."
I orave the readers' indulgence' for a few misprint. which have crept in this bodk. A h.t of th~
most glaring of them i. given at the end.

TAItN TARAN.
OCTOBER

1, lU3".

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Words fail to express the feelings of admiratioB
and gratitude which I ent.rtain toward. S. B. Bhai
Sahib Kahn Singh ji, Nabha; S. Guroharn Singh Ji,
Delhi; Prof. Teja Singh ji, M.A. ; Master Mota Singh
ji, Akali; and S. Kartar Singh ji; who very Irindly
went through the manuscript and gave very valuable
suggestions. To ,each of them I tender my most
sincere and heartiest thanks.
I am indebted to all my friends, who helped me
in the preparation of this book in various ways; to
all authors whose works I have consult"d; to the
Publicity Department, Indian State Railways, Delhi,
. and Mana![er, Pritllm, Lahord for the loan of certain
blocks; and the Sikh Relil1;ious Tract Society, Tarn
Taran for undertaking the publication of this book.
Suggestions for the improvement of the book will
be gratefully received.

J AGJ1T

SlNGH

j.'OREWORD

By S. B 8hzi Sahib B. Kahn Singh ji, Nabha


Jlh ..i Mohan Sillgh ji Vaid, a Municipal Oommis.ioner of Tarn Taran and a member of the Gurdwara
Parbandhak Oommittee, i. a learned scholar in the

Sikh OOllll'lUnity. He ha. written many useful book.


on religion, history, sooiology, hygiene and .ocial
r.form.. 1 am pleased to .ay, that his son S. Jagjit
.Singh i. also following his father'. footsteps.
He ha. written the history of the Golden TempI.,
A mrit.ar. It seems that he ha. taken a great deal
of pains in coll.cting the matprial and arranging it.
All those interested in the history of this Temple in
particular and the faithful pilgrims in general will be
greatly profited by it. I congratulate Sardar .J agjit
Singh on hi. laudable effort in writing this book.

PREFACE
"The fir<t feeling that we have on entering
church (temple) is one of peace and repose. Th.
wor)d is in such a hurry, and is moving, 80S some
people tell us, so much faster than before, that we
seem -to wa.nt a few minutes of rest, an oooa.slonal

time before we go hence. We desire to be


breathing
wIth God a. we beheve that we .hall hereafter be
",ith Him. Here, at any rate, the strife of tongues
Ii" hushed, the strain of mind is taken oif', the cares of
),fe are no longer immediately present to us: "There
lii a grea.t calm,"
Here we pause for & mom..ent in
Ollr journey that we may proceed refresped. Here
we are raisell above the mean thoughts of mankind:
we hear t,he words of salllt. and prophets of t4e ,old;
lI"",livefor a sqort time in the neafer companionship
qf ,God aqd of another world; we pass in review the
last day o~ two, and ask ourselves whether we ara
doing enough \for others; we seek to realise in our
~ind8 a hIgher standard of duty and character. Here
are revived in q.. those aspirations after another aDd
'better .tate of being, whien in good mlln are alway.
rata.rung '/lnd are never; compl'ltely satisfied, but
wMqJ>, like wi,ngs bear US on the selL of life, ~nd
Pfev~nt Aur sink;lJlIIi il).to ,the rou,t;i/le of ousto,m w hioh
prev~i,\1I, ",r~nnli ,us, :aere;WII re,ig/\ purselv"~ to t:p.e
pl\re. t/l9u~ht, ~o, the pure ,;wil), to. the pure min~,
....hioh is the truer plLrt of Qur OW"" souls, and in whloh
I I
I
I
and throug~ which lVe see God." Says Benjamin

viii
.Jowett, to them, who demand to know why they
should go to their temples.
The world may rejoice in it many temples of
many religions, and many mora might be the temple.,
great and small from different standpoints, but the
G,ldeD Temple at Amritsar i. unique. Sri Guru
Arjan Dev left U8 an image of Hi. diviLe midd in
this Dream of Marble 10 i. not .. .building, it is life in
its myria<l glow of wor.hip going endlessly, ih selfattraction round itself. It is the great Soul that
rio,. like a golden lotus on the blue watHa and is
made manifest here in it. perfume and in it. live
swarm of honey-bees buzzing about it.
Those wbu look on merely the alabaster and the
gold mi the Inner Spirit whioh pervade. the whole
building of this Te,nple of Spirituality- the tabernaole where the 'Eternal Nam resides and for whioh
it is one of unique wonder. of the world. Only the
"living ones" know this seoret influence of the
Temple. A great Vai.hnava Faqir came from Brinda- '
ban, and was so impre.sed by the clear spiritUal
'aura of the Golden Temple that hi. Dhyanam passed to the Ma.ter. of this Temple, and he 'never left
it. A Mohammed ..n .. dept residing in the Western
Punjab Obll never p.... Amritsar in .. rail way-train'
without ..lighting and p ..ying hi. homage to the H~rl
Mandir (Golden Temple). Says he, "So wonderful" is
the link .between e..rth .. nd He ..ven ,here, that e"/en
now, ..fter the Guru has been personally absent for
hu."dreds of years from thiS land, ,the place .still
Gor.u literally meau~ True Teacher.

ix

possesses that old enchantment. The extinguished


one are rekindled, the broken made whole, so might;r
is the remaining effect."
All initiates and disciples here feel a solace
nnknown elsewhere. The other day the French
Artist M. Jarl spoke to us of the effect of the Golden

Temple
on him. He said, "The light seems to come
from within the Golden dome of the Temple,
and
.
. it is this inner light that kindles the whole prospect
around it."*
This Temple is the favourite resort of the
aspirants to the spiritual life; thither they come to
dip their torches in its light, and they might fill the
land and its heart with the gleam that M. J arl and
others saw. The fresh vigour and in8piration that
flooded the land can only be traced to the hc!&rt
of the Guru.
To quench thA flames of outer fire the Sikh.
hurried to this Temple.Tank. The time came when
everyone was forbidden to have even 'darshallas'
of this Temple, but its inner magnetio force drew
the Sikhs and its lovers to it. Though they were
8U often orowned with martyrdom yet there was
no abatement in their zeal to approach it. The
Sikhs sa9riticed their lives Ilnd everything in Ilttempt
ttl procure the light of this Soul. That very l!ght
Illpng with the sacrificed blood has prol!lpted the
author to pen' this short historioal sketoh of the
~mitter of thl't light-the Golden Temple

Put"an Singh, Teo Muters,

p, 5.7-56.

ILLUSTRATIONS
1.
2.

a.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Bhai Sahib B. Mohan Singh ji, Author'.


Father.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh listening to the recitation of Sri Gutu Gr.. nth S"hib noar hi.
grandson'. palatial Bunga.
Akbar the Great.
Ahmad Shah, Abdali.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
S. Kharak Singh, Ex-President S.G P.C.
Lord Curzon. ,
Golden Temple-When there wa. no clocktower.

,9. Aka! Takht.


10. Baba Atal and .\rauls"r.
1,1~. Temple and Tank of TarA TafaD.
12. " 1)arn Taran Kar-sewa.

r1

From Sikh-point of view' many a dis'creperlc'y i.


seen in the illustration in ,,!hich Malilrraia Ranlit Singh' I.
lIStening to the recitation'of Sri Guru Granth S"hib. IFb..
has been taken. from a'n old drawillg of that tiine and ~hll
preserved in TQs/sa,Khanai 01. Sril ,Darba~ Sahib. 1;/le
main point'is the pr.segee of tAe pala.tillh Bun~a of KunwjU'
Nau Nihal Singh inst~ad of Clock- TJiwllr,
I

CONTENTS
1.

2.
3.

"4.
5.

6.
7.

s.
9.

Dedication
Publisher's Note
Acknowledgement
Foreword
Preface
Founders of the Faith
Amritsar
The Sikh Gurus
Persecution of Sikhs
(a)
(b)

(e)
(d)

10.

i
IV
V
Vl1

13

15
26

Banda Bahadur
Bhai Mani Singh
Massa Ranghar
Afghans

Rise of Hikh Power

40

(a) Period of the M isal. "


(b) Maharaja Ranjit Singh

11.

Brit,ish Period

46

(a) Sarbrahs or Managers


(b) Gurdwara Reform Movement "
(e) Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

12.

}S.

Income and T08ha-Khan..


Various Parts of the 'femple
(al Darshani Darwaza
(b) Ante-Clfamber
(e) Bridge
(d) HariKi-Pauri

59
63

~ii

(.) The Temple Proper


(f) Daily Programme
1~.

The Tank of Immort&lity

72

(a) Kar-Sewa
(b) Pipli Sahib

) Khalsa College

(d) Pradakshina

15.

Other Plaoes of Wor~hip

78

(a) Akal Takht


(b) Babe di Ber
(e) Ramgarhia Tower.
(d) Dukh Bbanjani Ber
(.) Thara Sahih
(j) Ath Sath Tirath
(g) Guru ka Bagh
(h) Baha Atal
(.) Shahid Bunga
(j) Illachi Ber
(k) Santol<h Sat.
(l) Gurdwara Lohgarb
(m) Ram Sar
(n) Bihe1< Sar

16.

Howothtl'!lgee the Golden Temple,


Amritsar
17. Tarn Taran.

92

98

FOI<nders' of th~ Faitl.


'Sin is the king, Greed the minister, Faillehood the mint-ma.ter,
And Lust the deputy to take counsel with;
they sit and confer tog.ther.
The blind suhjects, out ,f ignorance, pay
homage like dead men.'
The Punjab which had once been the land of
power and wisdom had, through successive rB.ids of
the foreigners ([170[469), become utterly helpless
and ruined , and lay like a doorm .. t at the gate oE
India. Its people wer. physioally and mor8.lIy bankrupt. They had no .en cf duty, no language, no
inspiring religion ot their own. They had lost all
self-respect and fellow feeling.. They were content
to see their wives and childern being led away as so
many cattle, without duing ..nything in clefence of
them". Ferm.. nand Orenard writes-It The .Hindus
were' mere subjects of the second class.' That is to
say, they were the ordinary tox-payers, who gave
their gold when the official. oalled for it, and opened
their mouths when he wished to spit therein. Pi'
In thi~ dark hour of Indi .. , 1469, wben ignorance,
w1th its twin .. sister, ~uper8tition, WR!!! reigning rampant
inothe land, the Ipirit of divine laVA descended i~to
.the worid in the person of our Saviour, Guht Nanak,
't

Tl\zji,)' nt~ul-Atn~:1r W'a, Tazjiyn.t.u}..~tiar by

t RahiT. Fint of tht'Mq:half'. p-161.

Abdulla.h Wa.ul

the first Master of the Sikhs. He was a Wycliffe


without being an Oxfordon. He was a Lllther without his vi~lent outburst and withont his 'slay and
. spare not' slogans. He was a John Huss, a
Savonarola but without their tragic ends. He had the
good qualities of each and much more besides. He
toured as .. pedestrio,,, rou"d the whole Asia and
abroad to reform mankind. He never preached.
His only argume"t w ..s His own life, pure and
simple, noble and virtuous that a.ptured the world
and the Mtster planted with His own hand th~ seedling of spiritual lifa iu the soul of the disciple. He
enjoined upon all men to live rightly and to abjure
all fears and superstition. 'Fatherhood of God and
Brotherhood of Man' was practised by His disciples.
To purify the s )cioty- both Muslim and
Hindu, of all corruptions Guru N anak stood as one
man against the hosts of dark"e"s, unafraid of aught,
blowing His horn of freedom, shaking all the old
foundations of society. A new creation, a New Life!
Guru N anak left the earth amid a chorus of
song:
" The dead rose ol1t of their groves
As they heard the song of Guru Nanak.
He healed us all by showering on us the
sparks of Divine Fire!
The veils were lifted up, and the disciples
went freely in and out of the door of death,
in concourse of song with the Immortals!"
But His spiritual sell, His very presence pasoed
into the' mind and body of the nine Masters, His
sU.ccessora
2

AngAd, Guru Nanak's beloved disciple, received


the sacred message and became the Second-Nanak, the
apostle of His inspired faith in God. Guru Allgad
reduced to writing the accounts of the travels and
hymns of the Ma.ter Nanak and tbus made a begin:
ning of the gift of literature to the people having at
tbe same time given them an alphabet-Gurmukhi.
'fo.Guru Angad succeeded Amar D.s.
Guru Amar Das carried on the purification of
the .society. C""te-res~rictions and the curse of untoucM1>ility were abolished by making it rule,
that none could see the Master without dinning in
Hi. lal/gar or free kitchen, where all, 'rich or POOl',
Brahmins or Slldras, dine.d together without any
distinction'. The spirit of womenfolk, to play their
part in the history with their husbands, was elevated
by the Master by carrying on a vigorous crusade
against the practice of infanticidism, sat.i and
purdah:,sty"tem, which were meant 't,o hind their
presence from the eyes of the Moghal 'con'luero,",
, so that they should not be carried ofi'.'t
During Guru Ram Das, the Fourth Master, the
want of National Shrine, where all conld meet frau.
time to time, cultivate mutual love and understanding, and draw inspiration, was also felt. The Sikhs
llad increased in numbers and were beginning to
"roup tljemselves together to become It people, Thus
~he 'Temple of Spirituality' at Amritsar was ereeted
as a comm on shrine .

* A cU'Itom am'Hl!.!:st

Hindus by which 3. W.)m!l.n Was fot"celi


to oburn herself with
het, dea.d husband,
C. II. pII.YI\~. p. 3.

.,

Hon'ble J. M. Kenworthy,

Indi~

a wal"lltllg. p. 84,

The next Master, fifth in the line, Guru Arjm,


'Who was a born poet., a practical philosopher, it.
powerful organizer anel ~ groat st~tes:na!l,'* supplied
"what was wanting. 'rile movement of service became most active and the Temple-Tank of Amrit.ar
were completed., That meant .. new stage in the
growth of the Sikhs: they were becoming a prnpertied people, acquirinll( a collective religiou. ~nd
social sensE".
Then Guru Arjan conceived the idea of enshrining Song as the Deity of the llew Sikh TemJOI~. Accordingly, the Master collected the hymns composed
by His fore-runners and composed many more of
His own. To this the Teacher addd the writings of
I;p-ver'&l saints, Hindu and Mohamm'da.n, whv were
noted as well for their keen interest in the worldly
aff.irs as for their high flights in tbe 'piritusl domain and called the collection '\Vord of the Master'later Sri Guru Grant" Sahib-and placed it in the
Hari Mandir as the book of the people.
Sat Guru's fame, and the growing wealth of His
people, excited the enemy of the Emperor .Jahallgil'.t
Dr. G. C. Naral1g, p. 31.
He suffered fnr His relistinn at. the hnndfoi of Jahangir may be
lIeen from the following words taken from the Emperor's own
Tallzak: " So many of the simple-minded Hindus, nay, many
=II

foolish Moslems, too, had been fasci(Jated by His ways and teachiugs. He was noised about as a great religious aud worldly leader.
'l'hey called Him 0 uru, aud fram all directio1l8 crowds of pelrple
would come to Him 3ud express great devotion to Him. This bU8Y
traffic had b~en carried 011 for three or four geileratioHs. POl' maUl!
years th~ thought had been preJJellfiu9 itself to my mind tllai ~ifher 1
IthOl'tld put au elltl to this t1'uffic, 'J" that lIe should be lJl'ought u'it/lju
th~'fohl of18Iam."
'

,
He wa, attacked too becau.e of tbe heretical doctrilles, detected by the orthodox, in theGr~nth Sahib,
G"rn Arjan was not to be moved. H~ was of the seed
of the martyrs, and His doom was inevitable, U.
was put to unthinkable tortllre. Burning sands
were !'oufed on His bare body. H. was compelled to sit
on hot iron sheets. Besides this H. bore the torture
of b'lrning and boiling water but all with unfailing
firmness. His cause was righteous, and bravely
H. sutfered for it. No martyr'. lot was harder than
Guru AT,ian's and yet no body has sung of life more
cheerfully than He. The disciples came to resc.'e
the Guru but forbidding them He says, "Whatever
.Thou givest, I treat as happiness. Wherever Thou
placest me, there .hall be My heaven"
'fhe last message the Master sent by the Sikhs
to His son and SUCCegSOf, Guru Har Gobind, was one
that sounded ominously, the change from peace to
war: " Let Him. sit armed on His Throne and keep
up an army as best He can P' But Master's sword
was struck neither in spi~it of anger, hatred or ago
gressivenes., nor kingship or rule was the object of
the conq uest. It was all done for the weak must
not be trampled under foot by the tyrannous ..J ustice
was secured to the poor.
Guru Bar Rai, the Seventh Master, devoted His
ti~e and ~ttention to peaceful orgallisation. He kept
2200 soldiers but fought no battle as the Emperor
Sh!h .Jahan had ..,een, dnring the Iile-time of Guru
IIor Gobind, that it served no good purpose to make
the, Sikhs enemies. Guru H.r KrishaD, the next
5

Guru, soon after His accession at a tender age gave


up His body.

The work of organisation and training for the


future was oontinued by Guru Teg Bahadur, the
Nineth Master. He was perpetually on tour, meeting
His disciples in villages and in louely jungle-huts,
burning lamps of human hearts in memory of Gurll
Nanak, wherever the Master had been belore. But
the Mohammedan rulers smelt a growing menace
in the rise of the Sikhs. Emperor Aurangzep,' determined to convert all men within his reach 'lo Islam,
adopted a cruel policy of extermination against the
Sikhs, whom he considered to be. a grave political
religion. To kill a non-Muslim,. a 'kanT', was re!
presented as a religious duty. Even the English and
Dutch residents in India were SUbjected to the same
obnoxious impost.- 'ro all's rescue came forward
Guru Tag Bahadur and prepared the downtrodden
people to raise their heads and achieve liberation.
Soon the Master was su'mmoned by the Emperor to
Delhi, whither He went. He was kept there iu
prison and tortured under the orders of Aurangzeb.
The Master was asked to embrace Islam or to die. He
chose the latter and was beheaded at Delhi 8S He
sat under the banyan tree reciting J apji. The tree
still stands there-Shahid Ganj, to bear evidence to
the fact that the Master through His martyrd'om
'Il-ved the freedom of religion and the Ii ves of m~my
martyrs.
..
Guru Gobind Singh acceded to Nanak's Throne,
r.lboy'. Wheeler, a 8hort Hi.tory of India, p. 177-178.

.. ~er His father, at the tender age of nine, but He


contmued the work. He gave all His soul to His
people, brought new delight to them and scattered
joy and light in abunda.ce hitherto unknown. It
was the Song of the M~ster dissolved in water to
convert the Sikhs into Singhs-the Khalsa, the Pure
One. It was the first day of Baisakh 1699. 'I'he
Master prepared the Neotar of Knowledge Absolute
in t~e Immortal Draught-the Amrit, for the first
time and administred it to His 'Five Chosen' and
addressejl!

" Ye are tbe Sons of Nanak, the Creator's own,


the Chosen Ones. I name ye the Khalsa. Ye are
i,he disciple, of Song, and ye shall be the ,aviours
of man. Ye shall love man ..s man, making no dis_
tinotion of oaste or creed. Ye shan keep for ever
this flame of light lit in you, unflickering, in deep
meditation on the One Deathless Being. Ye shall bow
your heads to your Master only. Ye shall never
worohip stook, stone, idol or tomb. Remember
always in times of danger or difficulty the Master.
Ye shall not pray eaoh for himself, but for the
whole Khalsa. In each of you the whole Brotherhood
shall be inoarnated. Ye are My som, both in flesh
and spirit."*
After this, the Master asked His 'Five Beloved
Diiciples' to prepare the Amrit and to anoint
others a' He had done. The Five obeyed. Nectar
was prepared. It was the Master Himself who oifersd ;
first of all to dri,\k the Amrit from the han~s of the

Prof: PuranJ'illgh, Ten Masters, p-1()6,107.

.7

Beloved Five. From Guru Gobind Rai His name wa"


changed to Guru Gobind Singh: With the Master
thousands of Sikhs were anointed on that day with
the sacred Amrit and federated into a Brotherhood
of the Khalsa. It was this Amrit that changed the
docile, poor, fearful disciples into t,he leonine men
of the new Khalsa: Saint Soldiers; who were taught
to salute God and the Master with a naked sword
swung high in air, and to praotise the .jmri~ of
Wah-Guru He, thus, elevated the spirit IOnd, made
others like Himself. 'Besides the treJOendou.
ohange ocouring inside the disciples, there' outward
appearanoe underwent a marvellous chage. They
came to be rpgarded as models of physical beIOuty and
stateliness of mIOnner as muoh lOS they were respected
for the truth and honesty of their charact... ""
Guru Gobind Singh, 'a lawgiver in the pulpit"
a champion in the field, a king on His rnasuad, and
a faqir in the society of the Khalsa'i- could not
escape from the vigilant eye of Aurangzeb. Battles
were foroed on the Divine Master. He took up
sword and with His God intoxicated followers strllok
it, not for it was against Muslims, nor for winning
empires, nor for oonquering men, nor even for
spreading religion and converting people by I'orce
but to champion in the spirit of nonchalance, the
cause ot the rights of ft'ee life for the ..individtlal
:II Cunningham's Hietory
History of ,radia, ii. p-564.

of the Sikh!!, 1) 84i Elphinston'8

t Latif. Hi8tofY of the Punjab,

f.tfd thE! society withortt any personal motive or


interest.
To liberate India, Guru Gobind Singh in battles
of 1!'reedom, sacrificed Hi. four so os, mere boys.
The two elder attained' martyrdom while fighting
for mankind and the younger two, of nine and
seven years in age, were arrested by the Emperot
lind promised release on condition that they embraced Islam. The boys refused to agree with the
tyrant's wish. They were bricked alive. But to
the last Ihey stood with divine defianoo in their eyes,
saying, " Do thy business, tyrant; we are happy."
Thus they courted and played with death as willingly and affeotionately as moths oourt and play
with the fiames of light.
Ever cheerful Master clime to know this but
not to indulge in lamentations. He rather exclaimed:
"Glory to Thee, Divine Father: that my sons have
been acoopted a sacriftcA for Thy truth and religion".
He still battled on till the year 1708. Agllin, while
still Hi. wounds from the last battle He had fought
were only half healed, He took up a mighty bow to
try His strength. His blood burst out afresh. With
His last breath, the Master left the Beloved Book,
Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the living spirit of Ten
Masters, a. His successor with the Sikhs.
. How, with the establishment of the Khalsa
Corumonwealth, the fall of the Moghal Empire was
A MI1s1im poet, BuUeh Shah 8ay~, "agar Na hote Guru
Gobind Singh, Bunat hoti lab ki" meauing
,
But fur Guru G()l:.ind Singh all would have been circumcised.'

brought about will beoome more evident by the


hints of the following history of the Sikhs given in
the suoceedil'g pages. India whioh, 4ad become
somnolell.t by centuries of foreign rule rose, from its
slumber and bpgan to str,ke ,unql'T \lim. In the first
time in the history of ,the Punja!;>, 'Wqe.r the leadership of the Kbalsa, the stream of conquest .hegan to
move westward, and IndIa .thl' ~own~roitden,
became b,dia, the conqueror. $~ch was the ex(raQrdinary impetus which the Gurus and, His,; Khalsa
brought to bear 011 : the mas,ses of t):le Punja:b.

10

Have se';n all places but, there is non. like thee,


Thou art f!,unded 'by the Creator Himself,
therefore thou al't beautiful;
Around thee-the beautiful Ramda. Pur~the population will be dense and immen.e.
N anak says, all the evils will be washed away by
bathing in the Tank of Ram Das,
GURU

A~JAN

My earliest, acquailltance with the Punjab zeSt and


especially the Sikhs, begins with the Gurdwaras. As
my father was a lover of the Guru G ranth Sahib, he
knew many verses from that Holy Book bv heart and
used to recite them. He used to visit Hart Mandir
when he stayed at A mritsar GIJa I used to accompan.y
him. The great love of my father for Sikhism inspired
me also to read its Sacred Scripture and to study its
creed and history of tlte Sikhs. I have tried to acquaint my people with the mission of Guru Na1lak.
Through sacrifice, travail and persecution it has become
a great rdigio". The Sikh Religion is meant Jar the
whole humanity and is not at all sectarian.

RABINDRA NATH TAGORB

AMRITSAR
Tbe Punjab and it.. natives o ...e mucb to tbe
Sikl,t G-urus for tbe origin of many to ... ns in this,
province founded as common centres of reJigio';
and 'l.ommerce. Tbeir locality h ..d some peculiarity. '
Either '~be town w ..s located on a predomin'antly
high position to give it a strategic advantage or in
the centre of a fertile tract of land to attr..ct a large
number of 'cultivators or a Trun'k Road or by the
side of a river with the s..me, object in vie.... Sri
Guru Nanak Dev founded Kartar Pur, while Hi.
successor Sat Guru Angad Dev m..de Khadur S ..hib
01) popular. The Third Master, Guru Amar D ... m&de
Goind ... al His headquarters whereas Guru Ram Das
transformed a thick forest into a flourishing city,
Amrit ... r. Sri Guru Arjan Dav left for Hi. people
Tarn Taran, 'to ,swim across the Sea of Ignorance tl)
.ave many a drowning soul.' Out-of-the .....y and
in,,"ces.ible place was made renowned .by Baba
Gurditta, sou of the Sixth Master, as Kirat,p'lr. Guru
Teg Bahadur founded An ..ndpur, 't.he City of Imrroprtal Bliss. '

In the times .immemorial the land, where tbe


city of Golden Temple i. seen flourishing todAy,
was siml'ly cove~.d with a thick secluded fOTest with
a pool amidst it. It lay entirely shut off from the
bustle of the ~utside world and offered to devo!;Qes.

13

of God peace and quietness so nenessary for worship.


So Rukis, Manis and Yogi.* of old frequently visited
the place which had then become more renowned as
the bAst retreat for contemplative minds and for
those who lived retired from the world. As time
passed on the place fell into oomparative oblivion.
In the period of Lord Buddha the place once
more attained' an importance. The Great Teacher
while passing t.hrough the country is said to bave
stopped for a 'while' at the' .ite of the pool and
observed, "The spo~ is best for the Bhikh.h"s to'
obtain their Nirvana, and is far superior in tiJ;'t respect to other plaoe. sO'far visited but it must have
time for its celebrity." Accordingly it beoame a
hermitage for Buddhist Bhikhshus and ascetics, who
would meditate on 'the jewel in the lotus.' How
long this oontinued one oannot say. But drie to
lapse of time and great revolution, ' which had
ooonrod in the country, the dawn of the Sikh History
found it orice more a thick deserted forest., owned
by the adjoining villages-Tung, Sultanwind,
Gumtala and Gul wali.

* Who ~r.cti.e. lidga-th.

Psycho,p'hysical discip1i~e [Il'~d.

til!led by the Hindu! for liberation or salvation. "

14

THE SIKH GURUS


Guru N anak, th~ founder of the Sikh Religion,
freq ue~t~d this place more than once. Going to
Sultan wind in 1502, with His companion Bhai*
Mardanat, t.he Moster came aero thi. land for the
,. lir.t time and predioted the holiness and importanoe
reserved for it in after ages., Many a time afterwards the Guru aooompanied by Bhai Lehna oame
to sanotify this place
Mohd. Latif desoribes the visit of
at this place a. follows:

.?UCU

N anak

* Precious to the Sikhs is the word Bhai. It means 'brothel" .


The Guru hILS taught the !acred truth of Brotherhood. HencE it 1M
that every member of the Sikh Con:munity is a bhai; all are bhais
or brothers, whether kings or warriors, preachers or students.
t Bhlli Karda.na. was Guru Nan"k's rebecpl8,yel' and a compauion with all the wit a.nd humour of a. Punja.bi Ministrel. He first,
wet Uuru' Nanak a.t the time of tlie Ia.tter's marriaJl8. Mardllna
capae and asked the bridegroom fOT- a gilt. The Master ~a.ve him
the gift of Divine Song and said," Wait till I call y.ll1.'1 Mard:tlll\
was called. and he Dever left the rresence of the .. Bridegroom."
Born in 1459 be died in November 1534 alld hi' children took iliA
plaCe in toe service cA tht Uuru.
t

'I'awarikh Kha.lsa. p-644.

Suraj Parkam, Wazir Bind PrE'S!!-. Amritsar fl2081.

foot

note,

15

, ODe day NaDak. becoming thirsty, asked


Budh.. who was ..ttending his cattle near by to
bring some water in a vessel from a tank closeby.
Budh.. said, 'there was a tank but it was dry' .
. Nanak said, "Go aDd see; the tank is Dot dry."
Rndha went, aud to his astonishment saw that the
tank was full of water, although it had not a drop
in tbe morning. He brought water for Nanak ..nd
became His disciple. At this place Guru Arjan
con.tructed a new tank and called i~ Amrit,,-ar or
the Water of Immortality."t
The sanctity of the place was talked by Guru
Angad to His beloved-disciple and successor Guru
Amar Das,: Who sent Bhai Jetha, the future Fourth
Nanak Guru Ram Da., to this place to found a
eommon eentre of commerce and spirituality. He
c&me here in 1670 and acquired a .ite of 260 acres
Bhai Budha W'as born in 1506 in the 'fiIJaae, Kathu Narillul.
While a lad or tWfllve be received the Diviue Gift of Nam from
Guru N ..nak. Aftt:'r this he always took pieuare in being ser~ice
f\ble to the Huru. Bba.i BOOba we of hwmble birtrh bat by hiB
nobility. pamy aud RodliueM he became the moet trusted and
the moet respected amonll'lt the Sikhs. 80 much 80 that during
hia life time he ~ tomatal Gurus-the 2nd 10 the 6th-to the
Gaddi.

Livinll on a few m"t acreS' Dear Amritsar w'ith a few cow.


grazing by his side quietly~ Bhai Dudha or thA Brother Ancient
lived eelt-cloeed .. imtaened wholly ill the GurU' to r~.:>td are aJd
died bl....d by lhe M..ter in lear.

Riolo.)' ollh. Punjab, p-247.

t Sunj hrk..h,. W ir Rind Pre.... Amritsar, p-:lOIl8 foot


note~

from the owners,' and laid down the fonndation of


... "iIlage by the name of 'Guru ka Ch"k.' According
.Khalsa.

Tawarikb~

Writers err in mentio(lin~ thft.t Arnrit"lt.t was f011nded on the- ,


pllrt of the gift of land ma.de by the Emperor Akha.t to the Gunl,
No dOllbt the Emperor came to pay homll.2'e to the Mll.ster 80 oftetl,
and twice or thrice he himself offered the erant of t\\'"elve t'ill"",es
to the Ma. ~ter but ever It was declined (M!l.lcolm) and the princiflh-l
of Guru NaulI,k thllt GU1'lr-ka~Lallqar a.nd Ilther Sikh inst.itntjonA
~hould be supported by the hard-earned money Qf the diseiples.
WitS maiRtnined~

Baear the first Mojothllt Emperor, met Ouru N'anak amont!' the
captives alt.'ilr Said pur WIlS raEed to the Rround, The would-l1P
Emperorof Indift. then MW ill His presence the trutl Empire of Pnre
Beauty and l.~ked Etim to ac~ept.... pre~ent from him. .. I neert
uothing from you" 8aid the Guru: "set at liberty, if you plell8e. these
,peopl{\ who have heen "WRutollly oppr~Msed." Guru Nanak BCl"e-ptp.d
uothiug for himself rather blesl!ed the Emperor with rule of Jlldil\
for seven generation".
Babar's SOli, Empernr HumIlY{)II~ came to the Second Nallak.
Emperor Akbar, th.e thirn it! line,
came to Guru Amar DaB in 1500.
Hfl,vinll scen a Ia.rge number of
people fed from GUl'U1S kitchen the
Emperor offered to the Guru n large
t'l!!tnte for the Service of Bread.
The Master declined t,hi!!! oller ann:
~:1.id, "t have alren.dy obtained
ellough from my Creator. The
people are my lande and eetates.
Enouli!'h that, daily we get our bread
from God ~ and we do tlot thillk of
the morrow. Enough that we aTe
of tAs Poor,lIud thiuk of the Beloved." The Emperor pressed on
.the Guru the acceptance of ~evf'rIll
'Villa.ges but"the Guru 'was firm in
His refusal.
Here also the

AKBAR THE GREAT.

wi~iters

err wheu tbey say tha.t this grant of

17

to Ri. MMter'a instructions, to enlarge the pool


. into a great tank, the work of excavation wa.
12 villages waf! granted to Bibj Ehani. the daughter flIf the Guru~
' and thiH iR lUI el'otate that Jater 011 was connrLed into n flourishiug'
colouy by Guru Ram Du. How could it be pOll!iible for tbe Guru
to :t:CCflpt the efliate for His daaghter tbat was refuted by Him for
."ree

Kitch~1I

which

~81l11eaut

for others?

Secondly, tbe jagir of villages sorrouuding Jhabal. 12 miles


t~ t.he South from Amntlal'. was oUefed and DO~ \he lilttd of
AwritMr.
X.hal~ Taws.rikh mentiolls another ,-jeit of Akb!lr ~ut IIOW
to Guru Ibm Da~. in 1bW, 'l'he same offer was ~aiu made
to tbe Maltte~ after pr~sentillR' 101 gold mohan. The 'gold moliar8
yere distributed to the poor all the spoi and the offer of the jagir
refQsed with the Same r"markB as the Third Master had done.
AccorditJlil to ~i\Ch Reli,!:ion by Macaulifl, Khalsa Tract Sol
~ it:ty.

Tract No: 601811d otbers AkbRr81:aiu vif!;ited the Guru inlGOO.


. t\ow the Emperor mot Gllra Arjau and was charmed wllh Bis saintly
lJeauty. He W;lIlIlO pleased with the impolling and beautiful Amritsar.
which the Guru bl\" coulltru~ted, and the delightful melodies to
which th~ hymns of the Gurus had heen set, t,bat words failed hilll
Ie) express his gratificatiofl. He ca.lled himself Garu's slave alJd
wished to make a contribution towards the upkeep of tho Golden
'l'emple. But the off'er Will declined all the grouud that the Temple most he supported by the people. As the Bmperor im~i8ted
011 doing somet.hing for the Guru befor~ he left the Golden Temple
Ar;an aaid, " There is a severe fo.wiue iu the Coulltry, alld it w~uld
he best if thy Imperial visit were to be markerl by the remisMi rm
vf thill yeRr'S la nd revt:uue to the poor farm ers. " Akbar gave
nrders accordingly.
From all this, it is nvident, tha.t never was luch estate or
jaRir accepted by the Sikh GurDI!I from Akbar but Guru Ram DllS
ha.d bought thi, Jaud rrom the laud-own ers to fOUlld Amritsar.
Wheuever any town was founded by Sjkh Gurus the site was ioVlLnablY,purchued from the OWDerg.
In t.his plt.tter &11 that Akbar did was t.hr.t he orde:'6d a Jarlte
plot of l&nd round this Sikh ceutre of Spiritual Humanity to be
made revenuefree.

18

~ommenced by Guru R .. m Dall. in 15i3. The work


w..s temporarily abandoned after .. year due to the
depa<ture from this planet of Gnru Amar Das.
In 1577, the work was undert~ken again by.
Guru Ram Das who then made 'Gllru ka Chak' Hi.
headqu~rters and made it a new oolony of disciples.
Bhai Salo, a devotee of the Master with the efforts
of ~is varions friends .. nd influential rel .. tives like
Bhais Chandar Bhan .. nd Rllp R .. m brought to
gethp,r the people of all trades from the neighbouring vill~es and distant towns and had them settled
in Guru ka Chak, which was then a collection of
squalid huts, to make it an ever-growing centre for
the trade and industry besides the centre of spirit.,.
ality. Thus the Chak grew into a small town oalled
Ram Das Pllr, after the name of Guru Ram Das, alsu
known as Amritsar after the name of the T"nk.
Mohd. Latif paying a tribute to the Guru write.:
" In founding the town of Amrit.!!ar at a central

* The author of . Mahma Pa.rkash' writes that the elCca.vation


of this Tank was undertaken by Guru Amar Da8. The stateme,nt
is not tenable when we compare it with . Warp, of Bhni Gurdasji .
tho contemporary of Guru Ram Das, who wl'ites that this all w as
done by Guru Ram Das.
Guru Amar Das 8tat~9 in Sri Guru Granth

"~3H2 fR~3t

@1

Sahib (p-1412)

~" i. e.. Amrit.s3r is the home of virtues,

So it is evidenUhatthe' Tank of Immortnlity' hettel' known at;


A~ritsar, atter which the town was named. was exca vaterl dUlling
the Guruship of the Divine MWlter Amar Das. Aud this taBiet!
with the dates given .in this book.
In 800rt the moft.ern history of Amritsar commences with the
First Master whereas the Temple and Tank were completed by
Guru Arjan Dev ji.

'19-

spot, the Guru laid the foundation of the future


greatness of the Sikh. as a nation, for they were
enabled now to rally at a common place of worshi p,
conveniently situated, both as regards distance and
fertility of the soil. Peaceful iu mind and gentle
in their behaviour, following yet the mild and pure
tenets laid dOWll by their first leader, they learnt to
'write together and to foster and engender tlIose
feelings of brotherly love which tendered to strengthen the natiolla! tie, and paved the way to the
formA.tion of a commonwealth on true .l'atriotic
principles". *
Sri Guru Arjan Dev followed Sri Guru Ram Das
in 1638 and continued the work left undone by the,
"Fourth Master to completion. t People flocked from
far and near and partook enthusiastically in the
labour of love. They worked to oomplete the Tank
with such desparate devotion and nnsparing energy,

History of the Punja.b, p-25B.

t Lord Buddha denounced the

world but ascetism and renunciation of the world or retirement to forests was not needed for
Mlllv&tion according to the Sikh Gurus. They believed in ; a.ll that
exists is'Hisown image' and a. true man was he who performed his
household duties to the best of his ability, was undaunted by ull
80r~ of difficulties. and WM purged of his conciet through selfless
~ervice to others. So the traders of various sects were invited
to ply their callings at lluru-ka-Chak and were taught to practice
pure and true life which was the only recommendatinn for a Man.
Wha.t a happy contrast with the Teachers of other faiths adv~at
Ing belief in them for remission of sins.
~e8ide8 thi~ Guru's prol"idinga mosque land a,-n:andir for Muslim
aDd Hindu citizens of Guru-kaChak at H& own cost pro~jdes
another vent~lation of His magnanimous mind for religious tc.lera
tioD for His subjects.

20'

that Guru Arjan, when saw the sute ot their bodies,


shed tears and said that as the tank had been constructed by sitch devout and sincere disciples, all sins
should be removed .. nd desires fulfilled by bathing in .
it and duly worshiping God:
Be who b ..theth herein, having meditated on
his God.
Shall be completely restored to health.
He who batheth in the Tank of Saints
Shall obtain Salvation.
,) )He who meditateth on God's name
Shall not die or suffer migration.
On completion of the T .. nk of Immort ..lity it
was devised by the Master to erect the 'Temple of
Spirituality' amidst it. Great religious ceremony
was observed on 1st Magh, 1645 sambat (January
1589) and Guru Arjan Himself laid the foundation
stoae of the Great Temple. The master mason, who
was of the earth.earthy, finding the brick laid by the
M"ster not in plumb-line moved it to set it right.
The Divine Master sawall this and predicted,
" Master mason! you have moved the original brick.
The Temple sh ..11 be rebuilt in the times to come."
But the work was not discontinued. All laboured
h ..rd ~o complete the new institution of Bari Ki,tan.
When the plinth of the Temple was being laid,
so",e Sikhs represented to the Master in an impulse
of natural pride: "The Temple, Sire, should be
built higher than all otherbuildings". But explaih-

Ellcyc10predia of Sikh Literat,UffJ, p-288; Sikh R~igion Vol.


nI. p~10~ Khalsa Tract Society, Tract No: 596, p-14; Suraj
Parkash, Wazir Hinft. Frees, Alllritsa.f, p:l856.$;

21

ing an abiding symbol of Sikh humility came Divi~e


fermented answer: "What is low and humble shall
. be exalted by Him. The branches .of a fruit-laden
tree, bend low to the earth. By whatever path thou
desireth to approach thou shalt descend and in thy
humility thou shalt attain Hari Mandir. This shall
be the lowest of the edifices; for lowly shall be
honoured by Him". *
,.
In 1601 the edifice of the Temple was completed
and sanctified by Guru Arjan by His life.giving
hymns, which He sang every morning and ,e'Veing in
accompaniment with saranda. Lovely music Howed
from under the dome, until it was absorbed and
reabsorbed by the walls and waters of the lake outside,
which has, the'refore, become literally a Temple of
Spirituality amidst the Tank of Immortality. But for
all this the Divine Teacher thanks the Almighty
Lord in the following words:
God Himself dirl come;
He stood up to the work
Of His bhakta.
On this beautiful spot,
In this beautiful Temple-Tank
He poured Himself
Hi. nectaroUB water!
Granth Sahib was compiled by Satguru Ar,ian
aud enshrined in the Temple in 1604, (Bhadron Sudi
1., 1661 Sambat) to keep up the How of Nam. Sri
Guru Granth Sahib and the TeIll{lle are not -two,'
but indissolubly one, even as are the body' and the
M.A. M.c.ulm~, The Sikh Religion, ~<>l. III, I'-'J.

22

SGul. Bha.i Budha, the fa.mous apostle, wa.s


appointed the first Granthi, the reader of the Holy
Scripture.
The service of the .Master created envy in many
a heart. One of them was Prithi Chand, the elder
brother of the Fifth Master. He regarded as an
injury inflicted on him by his father's withholding
from him the 'fhrone of Nanak, for which the best
disciple was ever seleoted. Prithi Chand made many
efl'ort~ to convince the Sikhs coming to Amritsar
that he "'as the real Guru. But who had no spiritual
peace, consolation, truth, love and devotion could
not communicate theRe gifts and virtues to others .
So the Sikh hearts withered and pined like a lotus
without the Sun. Through the vigilance of Bhai
Gurda.s and Bhai Budha the truth was revealed to
the disoiples. Thus the plans of Prithi Chand were
frustra.ted. He left Amritsar a.nd at Hehar in Lahore
District he built a similar place of worship as his
younger brother, the True Master, had done. It
laoked the Divine Touch. It was never worshipped
and fell to ruins. Similar efforts by others were
subsequently made to build places of worship after
III Sri Guru O.'aoth Sahib forms II. great landmark in the
religious history of the world in as much as it contains besides the
hymns of the Sikh Gurus, the re1igious songs of the great teachers
Iiki' Kubir (If Benaras, Nam Dev and Trilochan of Maharashtra,
Farid of Pak'Pattan, Dh:l.una of Raj.Putana and Jai Dev of Bengal.
There was no distinction of caste, creed, rank or station but .the
soul of the love-songs was in sight. All the songs were compiled
and -the Hual seal was"'Put 150 that nothing could be addl"p' or altered
thereafter. Thus Sri Guru Granth' Sahib is the Holy Scripture of
not the Sikhs oDly tojlt of the whole Bkaratvar,ha, India

23

the style of the Golden Temple at Batala, at Haran


'Munara in Sheikhupura District and other places.
There was absence of the megnatic touC"h and
charm. So none cared for these. In mosj; of these
places the tanka built at heavy expenses are dry
forsa:ken ponds, while the Golden Temple stands ant
shedding forth raye of peace and etherial joy of
whioh a soul is always desirous.
Guru Har Gobind, the Sixth Nanak, made an
important addition by building Aka! Takht i.u the
viscinity of the Golden Temple. Its impol'tTtnce i"
-related somewhere else in those pages. But Master's
wars against the tyranny of the atrooious Government were responsible for the removal of His headquarters from Amritsar. The Warrior Saint wished
that this Shrine should not be made a zone of war
but should continue to he a centre of worship. The
Temple's charge was entrusted to highly reverend
Sikhs like Bhai Budha, Bhai Gurdas, Bhai Siddu
and others. The Seventh and Eighth Gurus did not
visit Amritsar at all.
Guru Teg Bah .dur, the Ninth-Nanak, paid a
visit to Hari Mandir in 1664 with Bhai Makhan'
Shah and other disciples. Thara Sahib, a Gurdwnra,
only a few paces to the north of Akal Takht,
commemorates the site where the Master stayed and
watered the seeds of N am SOWD in His people by the
J'fr~viou. Masters,
Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth N anak, bei.ng
engaged in continuous war. against tyrantlY of the
Moghal Emperors and the Hill RajasJ very seldom
24

came beyond SaUuj. The Master at the t.ime of Hi.


passing away ordained that the spiritual leadership
of the Sikh. would be here"fter v~sted in Sri Guru
Granth Sahib and the general body of the Khals ..*.
So to .a >I,kh now Gtlru Granth Sahib was NanakGobind Singh. Hence the Sikhs do not give snch ..
designation of ' Guru ' even to the most revered of
their poly men, their highest religious title being
"Bhai" , lit~rally "brother", but oorresponding with
the En~lish t<lrm " eMer".

Tbe M..t:.r .old ! -

" So doel'l th~ Akal Purshu. ordaiu!


The Word is Myter noW ~

'rhe IIbog of Sam, the' Guru Orauth j

An KhalSfl8hould eeek th e Master iu His 'Vard,


Alld bow Lo Cluru Orant.h' lUI my luccea&e>r,"
j

25

PERSECUTION OF THE SIKHS


Banda Bahad ar, * after various victories over
the Moghals came to fay homB.;e to
'the Tempie in 1713. Some people
came forward with various elaims of GurushiP. So
at this time the elders of the Sikh Comlllunity displayed a great foresight and statesmanship hy placing Guru Granth Sahib in the Temple once again,
as that placed by the Fifth Master had been removed, so that the spiritual symbol should always he
Banda Bahadur

Banda. BahadllT, known as Lllchhman Dev in" his boyhood,


WRS borlt on the 27th Octohel"', 1670 at Rajauri in the Puu~hh

District of Westiprn Kashmir hut J. D. Cunningham follt)wed by


:Major Browl! (Itldio. Tracts ii. 9) says that he was born in
Jullundur Doab. He was fonit of ShOOtilll!r and hunting. But Il.
8. sight of dying doe, shot by him, called forth his renunciation of
the world. He acquired the science of Yoga. and il1cautatiom~ ; and
finally settled on the bank of t,he rivf"r Godavari. in the Deccan, '
It was here that Guru Gobiud Singh wrought an uuimal{inable
change iu a twinkling in th9 lifo of this allstere ,bermit and traus~
formed him into B.mda, a slave or a m!l.n of His. The Maetf'r
administered to him the Awrit of t.he Khalsa. aud )(!l.ve him the
name of Gur Bakha.sh Sill~h (llee History of the Puujab by
Kanhaya Lal p-56, by Mohd. J.atif p-294 ; History of the Sikhs by
C. 'H. Payne, J. D. Cutwingham, W. L. M'Gr6t1or, Matcolm,
owther, Macauliffe, Dr. O. C. Naran~ and others). After this
conversion the MlLSwr :deputed Bhai Gur 81 khash Singh,' well
known as Banda Bahadur, a.ion2 with His <sikhs to lU'illg iU the
oppressors1and tyrants to book irrespective of their beitlg Imperial
Mohammadan oommanf'1ers or Hill Rajas .

26

fount! there wi~h the temporal ODe to instruct the


people in the path of salntion. Sinoe then this practice na. been follC)wed oonstantly.
M0re than once came Band.. to serve 'his
Ms.sler's T~mple. But hi. victories over the Imperi ..1
forces caused B ..hadur Shan, the Emperor, to come to
Lahore where he died in 1712. Farrukn Siyar
beca..... the Emperor and sncceeded in arresting
Banda B ..hadur, who died like .. truo Sikh .. nd 1\
gallont.warrior of Guru Gobind Singh.
The ,,"cident of Banda's death i. narrated in 'Early
records of British India' p180 as follow.:Th. great rebel Banda, the Sikh who has been for
ArrellUl and ,rnn these twenty years so troublesome in the
.
at. Delhi
province of Lahore. is at length taken

l 8<t.cre of the ~lkh!

with all his family and attendance by the Subedar or


\,iceroy, 'of that province. Some days ago they entered
the city laden with fetters. his whole attendance which
were left alive being about 780, all severally mounted on
camels, which were sent out of the city for that purpose,
besides 2,000 heads stuck upon poles, being those who
died by the sword in the battle. H. was carried into the
presence'of the King and from thence to a close prison. He
at prosent has his life prolonged wi th most of his officers,
in hlJpe to get an aC'CQunt of his treasure in several parts of
his kingdom, and of those that assisted him, when after~
wards he will be executed for the rest. There are on.
hun4red each day beheaded. It is not a little remarkable
with what paiienc. they undergo their fate, and to the last
it bas na.t . been found that one has apostatised from tbe
I'orme{religion.r So much so, "They even 'clamoured

ne\v

Frotr/'a letter WT'aten by an eyewitnf!l!l, John SermoIl 1 the


English Amoo88ador.'e the theu Governor ot BeuKa.L

2~

for priority of martyrdom."*

Cunningham in his history of the Sikhst says, .. A


hundred Sikhs were put to death daily, contending among
themselves for priority of martyrdom, and on the eighth
day Banda himself was arraigned before his judges. Hi!
son was placed before his knees, a knife was put into his
hands, and he was requirej to take the lile of his child. He
did so, silent and unmoved"; his own flesh was then torn
with red-hot pincers, and amid those torments he exIi'ired. "

With the death of Banda Bahdur the persecn. " h tion of the Sikhs
commence~"U nforn'b 31."
..nlun SlIlg
.
..
tunately minor dIfferences arnse
amongst the Sikhs at Amrits~r at that time~ . Learning this Bhai Mani Singh, the most learned Sikh of
the time, was deputed by Mata Sundr;; in 1721
quash this dispnte and take charge of the Tem pie.
From that time Bhai Mani Singh began to live at
Amritsar, where he daily worked in the Durbar, and
read the holy hymns of the Master to the. people. 'rhe
Singhs were not allowed to stop there; bnt his devotion and learning drew round him a vast multitude of
tile common Hindus and Muslims. And thougll this
Silrine of the Khalsa rankled like a thorn in the
eyes of the Muslim Governors, yet hi. quiet behaviour and peaceful deportment had won their a,surance. Anyhow if any perverted, prejudiced or

to

La.tif, Historyof the PUlljab. Atlothf'r Mohammadat\ al80


writes: .. It is singular, tha.t these peopl~ nut ouly l!ebaved firmly
dllrillg the executiofl, but they would dispute and wrauSlle with each
other as to who shouldfuffer first j and they made interest with the
execution~r to obtain the preference (Malcofm).
'
t. p-182 ; Elphiuston's sketch, p-S78; SairulMutakhrin.
t lfata SuudrilwRs Guru Gobilld Sillgh's "-vidow.

28

avaricious person worried him in hi. hymn al devotion


or vexed anyone of the frequenters of the Durbar,
he would doff him off with surest word. or with
sweeter still money.
Under these circumstances the governor of
Lahore felt that the progress of the Khalsa could, in
no way, be ohecked. The Sikhs were really raised
b)\ the Almighty from among the birds to sw&llow
the eagles. Then he proposed an annual jagir of
Rs. ,1,00,000 and sent a title of N awab, with a
preci<1l.\S robe of honour for the Singhs, and a. jagir
of 19 villages for Guru ka Chak,* to be on friendly
terms with the Khalsa. The Imperial mandate was
sent to the Khalsa at Amritsar in April 1733, through
Bhai Subeg Singh.t The Khalsa were holding II
diu,an at Akal Takht. They refused to acoept
anything sent by the Emperor, as they did not like
to give up the iuaependent empire by submitting to
the Mogha1s. The messenger politely argued for
the aoce?tanoe of t1.is all. But none would aooept
it for himself, and it was oontemptuously thrown
from one to another. Bhai Kapur Singh was t.hen
PILtlth Parka~h. Bhai R~ttall Siugh Bhaugu, p257.
Bhai Snbeg SiniZh was one of the courtiers of, Governor (If
Lahore. Whenever any question touching Sikhism arose, he WItS
selected as an advocate. He had a son na.me Sabaj 8ingh. Some
harsh ex~ression pastled betwe'n the young boy and his Muslim
tutor while having religious discussion.'. The report was lodged
with t,he (lovernor, who apprehf!lIded both the ann and the lather.
E\ther they should embrace Ishlm or the hoth clenched to the
wbeel &Ild tortureft to death "was the order eiven. The brave
PooldieTS pt'efel'red the latter. 'There was no sorrow. There was
up in the fuUnees of a. willing death.
the iuner joy bloSrioming
.
=II

29

fanoing the assembly in the diwan and all unan imoudy dressed him with the imperial robo and
proclaimed him N.. wab. In all humility Kapur
Singh accepted this honour bestowed upon him by
the Khalsa with a condition that he would pasJ hi.
days in the same service of the Panth which eventually eleyated him to the leadership of the Khalsa.
Mohd. Latif remarks about him, who later founded
the State of Kapurthala, that "he Ins undoubtedly
the most distinguished of the Sikh leaders who
paved the way for the greatness of the nation' as an
independent ruling power". Thus the treaty was
formed, due to which mo,t of the Sikhs engaged
,themselves in agriculture, trade and other peaJefui
occupations. The days passed in harmony and the
perpetual Divine music and worship was carried on
in the Temple.
Hardly two or three years had passed when the
..dministration changed its hands.' Zakaria Khan
was appointed the governor of Lahore. au seeing
the Sikhs settled the treaty Was broken by the governor and the jagirs granted to the Sikhs confiscated.
This deceit of the Mogha.ls once again created
'bitterness in the Sikh hearts against the rulers. The
game became serious when Bhai Mani Singh devised
to celebrate Diwali festival at Amritsar. He undertook to pay a heavy subsidy of Rs. 5000 to Zakaria'
KhB);'. 'the Viceroy of Lahore, if the Sikhs were
allowed to go to the Temple unmolestl'd. The wary
Mogh ..ls phl.yed a treacherous game Bnd bagan to
murder and peril8c~te the pilgrims as thi.Y approached
30

the Temple. Consequently there WM a \'ery poor


attendance at th" fair' resulting in meagre offering
of money at the Temple. Bhai Mani Singh was
unable to pay subsidy and was condemned to ?eath ..
He was offered the usual a!t.ernative of Islam. Bu~
he stoutly refused to barter his religion. So in 1738
his bbdy was cut to pieces, limb by limb and joint
by joint.

The saint passed away but this widened tb~

gulf runninll: between Muslims and Non-Muslims.


A n~ .. :proposal was brought forth, The Moulvi. and
Qazis advised the Governor of Lahore to prevent the
t>ikhs from bathing anil drinking the Water of Life
in the Sacred Tank at Amritsar, if he wanted to
destroy the opponent power and extirpate the race
of the Sikhs.t Accordingly a detachment of soldiers
was cantoned to prevent the Sikhs from approaching their National Shrine. Notwithstanding.ll
the obstructions the Sikhs continued to bathe in the
Tank though in disguise.

* 1111617 Gun Ha.r G ,bind's release from Gwalior fort was


ordered. The Master would not go unless the Emperor agreed to
sel-all prisoners in the fort at liberty. The Emperor gave way
and all thp R-Ija prisoners were released on the personal security of
the GIlt'Il. Therefrom the Master gets the name .. B;lDdi Chhor"
-the 'treat deliverer, who cuts the fetters of the' prisoner's fdet and
sets them free. To cQmmemorate this liberality Diwali festival is
('~lebl'atEfd on the corresponding day. The other fair held i~
Ba.isakhi iii 'April. It was'held for the first time in the time of
Guru Amar Das. This is also the birth-day of the Khalsa-when
they were regularly administered Amrit by the Tenth Master for
th~ first 'ime. (EnclIt:lol'aJdia of Sikh literature).
t Bhai Ratta.n Singh, Paoth Parkash.

31

Dissatisfif.d

wi~h previous

management

the

Moghal Governor established a police. .


h'
40
post and a CIvil Court . t ere m 17 .
The Temple, meant for imparting the Divine Musio
was profaned by the presence of the Muslim officers
holding n~utch.partips. This could not be relished
by the Sikhs, who though hunted then like wild
beasts yet managed to revenge the insult. Boois
Mehtab Singh and Sukha Singh came from Bikaner,
disguised as peasents wilh bags full of coins as reve.nue,
in the presence of Massa H.nghar, the officer incharge.
'rhe Hashing swords of the two undaunted lions fell
on necks of Mass" Hangh"r and his assistants instead
. of r.wnue. The Muslim soldiers preoent there were
too astonished to offer any resistance or capture the
brave Sikhs, who fled back with the decapitated head
of tbe officer. This causeel. the persecution of the
Sikhs t.o commence with right earnest. The offical.
became still more repressive and the Sikhs were
forced to conceal them in jungles and forsaken hills.
But
Cowards die many times before their deaths,
The valiant never taste of death but once.
~Ias

Rang".r*

(Shakespeare)

The Temple wa. locked. Sontinal. were placed


at its entrance with very striot order. and no one
was allowed admission to it. One who at,tempteu
was to be crowned with martyrdom. But the fire of
Sikh faith burnt clear and strong with the severity
'" Raughar is n term Ilpplied to the Rajputl who hu'e become
Muhammadans.

32

'

or their suffering, A. visit to their National Shrine


was more d~ar to them than their Own lives. So
some performed this pilgrimage in disguise but in
general; according to ,a contemporary Mohammadan
author, the bands of Sikh horsemen were seen at
dawa riding at flill gallop, 'towards "their favourite
Shrine of Devotion, running the gauntlet of the
Mohammadan troops. They were often slain in mak attempt, and sometimes taken prisoners; but
ing this
they used, on such o,caslons, to seek, instead of
avoidhi. g, the crown of martyrdom"; 'and the same
authority 'states that "an instance was never known
of a Sikh, taken in his way to Amritsar, consenting
to abjure his f"ith." The b .nds were formed by
sending a message round the distant villages, "Who
will ride to-night?"-the watchword for a dash to
be made to bathe in the Sacred Tatlk.
This all was done bec ..use " a pro~lamation was
issued b)' the Lahore Viceroy ordering a gAneral,
massacre of the long haired Singhas (Lions) wherever found. They were hunted ,like wild beasts, a
price being placed on their head,; thousands were
put to ne ..th, refusing pardon on condition of renouncing their faith and cutting their hair. They wPre
looked as martyrs of th~ ' cause, but despite all, the
Khal~a grew and increased in boldness."t
At this time Nadir Shah, the king of Persia, in
, vaded India. Finding this unrest the
Afganll.
Sikhs came out of their distant alld

.I

The authpr is .quoted but not named by M LbolJn, Sketch,


p-SS; History of the Sikhs, Sir J. H. GOrdOD~P 59.
t History of the Sikhs, Gordon, p-59.

hidden abolles to wreak vengeance upon cruel and


unjust officers. They openly visited the Holy Tank
at Amritsar and held councils there. Oppressed
!Iindus often oame at Akal T ..kht to seek tlleir aid
and tile ungrudging help rendered by these Sikhs
was proverbial. This liberty was short-lived. The
old fate revived with the retirement of Nadir Shah,
who was. soon after assassinated and Ahmad Shah
AbdaJi was crowned king of Kandhar. !Ie had
ohanged the name of his tribe frqm Abdali to
Durrani, hy which name it has eyer siu:ce been
known.
Anxious to found an Empire Abdali marched to
India with hi. Argan forces, Mohd Latif writes:
""The invasion of Abdali was a matter of all
absorbing interest, upon which the attention of the
whole empire was oonoentrated and it afforded the ever
vigilant Sikhs a favourable opportunity of springing
up in numbers and renewing their acts of deprenation. t
Hi,tory M the Pllojab 1891, p2'20.

t To punish the cruel Bod unjust was considered

au act 'of depl'edatiou by the author. Qazi Nur Mohd, who accompanied
Abdali, writes ill his Jang Nama:"'rhey never pounce upon the emasculated or the fleeing one'8.
It may he a maid-servant or master, obe of fair sex is never robbed.
1'hese dogs ..re neither loos8 io character, nor take to thefts
nor enjoy acts of depredation. Sucb are these humRiated on8S,
They never befriend tbe thieves Or 8yil~per8Qus.""

. In the end Qui realise's' and lays, 'call Dot t\le dogs but the
lioll!. they are brave."
'
Tn] Silths, whJ laid their lives to ff~ht for t:18 co'~utry
against the iDvacien, caunot be acculed of this. Also see Forster'.
Travels.

They again began to pay visits to the holy Tank a~d


, Shrines" at Amritsar,
had even the audacity
to throw up II fort of
mud, which they called
Ram Rouni, which is
now called Ram Garh,
in the vicinity of
Amritsar, J assa Singh,
the Kalal, one of 'their
lead"h, rose into ' power
and' ventured to proclaim tnat the \'Dal" of
the "Khalsa" or th~
army' 'of the ' theocracy
of the Singh. would be
AJlPALJ,
the new power that should govern th~ otate,"
Abdali ransacked the whole country, ChaJ)enging
the honour of India he WI'S ,goip.g back . to Kabul
carrying with him the young Indian girls,- The Sikh.
came to tbeir rescue and Abdali hlld to yield and
retreated witbout them, leaving behind Mir Mannu
for the Sikhs. So "firmly established in his authority,
'" The following is one of the many iust.ances from History of
the PUlljab by MC'hd. Latif-ll~a17.
'_Ouce wh~1l Ahmad Shah was returning to' Kabul , he took
with him a,body of two thousand Hindu women from the Punjab
to ~rve a~ shlve-Ijl:irls for his countrymen, Prompted by a 8ellse
of duty of his countrymen, 8. JassB. Singh fell on the Shnh'M troop~
olLe night and rescued the innocent creatures from the c1utdhe~
of tae hardy Afgha,.s. He then liberally provided them with
money and ~ent th~m flll ullder proper escort to tht-if- respective
I homes'.
Also see 8i~h Martyrs (Ganesh & Co., Madras)p1P4 .

Mir Ml1.nnu (the then Governor of Lahore) oonsidered


, the best mode of oha$tising the Sikhs. His first act
was to storm tbe fort of Ram lio,qni, which he capo tured and reduced,
He then s&nctioned det&chments
of troops in all puts infest~d by the Sikhs with
string.~t orders to shav~ their heads and "beards
wherevdr they might be ' found. These measures,
being vigorously enforced, inspired publio confidence,
,, checked the progress of Sikhs proselytism and com\pelled the vot&ries of the Guru to conceal thelll8elves
'in the mount&ins .nd jungles. Mir M&nn<l' iss ned
.t~ct orders to hill-rajas to seize the Sikh. and send'
them in iron8 to Lahore. These orders were duly
obeyed and hundreds of Sikhs were' brought d&ily to
Lahore and butohered at the N,akhlls outside the
Delhi Gate, in sight of multitudes of spectators. The
yOllng M&nnu became an irreconcilable foe of the
Sikhs, and was determined to extirpate the nation."
But the ever oheerful Sikhs were not dejected. They
had elevated spirits and they sang while going to
their Holy Temple:" We are the grass,
And Mannu the siokle;
The more he cuts us,
The more we grow".
Several souffles took pI&oe near the Temple and
t.he faithtul gladly saorificpd their lives. Tile plares
of their burial are now marked as "Shabid 'Ganj".
Harrowing tales are desoribed ,how the Afghan , rulers
behaved ~o as to terrify the coming'pilgrims. Some., Latif, HistJ'ry of the Punjab. f'P.. 220, 221, and Browne India
Trf.Cts, ii.-p-16.
'

36

'

time! the dead bodies were hung from the TempleGate. or numerous pyramids made before the Temple
from the heads of those who had suffered decapitation. Even hundreds of Sikh women, on their
..ay to the Temple, ' were. arrested by the then'
Government officials. The women were kept on
starvation diet: but they would not renounce their
faitfi. "God will .hield us," they said, and as they
went on grinding corn in the prison-house of Lahore
they .. ang the songs of the Master. Their babies
were kil\ed in their presence; they themselves were
threatened with execution, but they would not renounce their faith.
Mir Mannu died in 1752. His widow succeeded
in producing the acknowledgement of her infant son
as governor under her own gu ..rdianship, but he was
.removed by Adina Beg. 'rhen the Punj ..b remained
under his nominal rule for a time until Ahm ..d Shah
again marched to Lahore and made it his own. The
Durrani King left for Delhi in 1756 leaving his SOil,
Taimur, as Governor of Lahore, with orders to take
vengeance on the Sikhs of the past. So his first
object was to thoroughly disperse the insurgent Sikhs
and pull down their Great Temple and fill up the
Sacred Tank.t This action provoked the whole race
of the Sikhs, who united under two ..bl" leaders, ,both
61l.11ed :B~ai J ass.. Singh, drove out the invader and
occupied Lahore .. nd. Amnt...r. In this temporary
rejgn
of 1758 the disciple restored the Temple ',and
.
~

* I Mohd. La.tif, History of the Punjabp-284.


t J. D. Uunningham. History of the Sikhs (1904),

1"146, and

Malcolm, Sketch, pp-93, 94.


37

the Tank. The first Sikh Coin was also struck lit
-this time,' bearing the inscription in Per.ian meaning,
,"By the grace of God', the coini. struck in the world,
J assa Singh' having oaptured the oountry of Ahmad}'"
Much chagrined at the growth of the Sikh.
Ahmad Shah, the Durrani ' Monarch, invaded the
Punjab in 1762, t,he 6th time, in order to reduce the
Sikhs to submiiont. Severe defeat was given to
the Sikhs in the battle at Kup Rahira' in ...rhich
very large number of them were killed. The event
is still remembered as Ghallughara. Under til'e impression that with the disappearance of theifN aHonal
Shrine the power of the Sikhs' would vanish, Ahmad
Shah, while going back to Kabul made a big assault
upon Amritsar. 'He gratified his own resentment,'
and indulged the savage bigotry of his followers by
destroying the renewed Temples of Amritsar, by
polluting the Tank with slaughtered cows, by encasing numerous pyramids with the heads of decap.itated
Sikh. and by cleansing the wal1s of desecrated mosques
with the blood of his infidel enemies,:
This action eventually'caused Monarch's death.
It is stated that when Abdali was engaged in hlowing up the Temple, a missile from the blown-up edifice
The Punjab lUI a l!Iovereign 8tate, Gulshan Rai. p-240.
Browne. Tracts; ii, p19 i Malcolm, Sketch, pp-93,94; Elphinstone.

Kabul, ii, ,-209 i and MOl-ray, Ranjit Siol{h, p-15.

t GulshaD Rai, Billtory of India, 1'-407.


l Sketch of the Sikhs, Malcolm, p-98; Hi.tory of the Sikhs,
J. 0. Cunningham, p-I52; Forster' Travels, i, V-B20; MurJnY-.
Ranjit Singh, p-25l1nd Punjab District Ga?ett:ers Vol. X-XA 1914;
p-16.

38

struck the Monarch on his head. The wound subs.... '


quently turned into a cancer and gave him an
exoruciating pain until he died of it in .rune 1773,
in the fiftieth year of his age.*
Wise men ne'er sit and wait their lo.s,
But cheerly seek how to redress their arms.
(SltalwlJ>eare).
The Sikhs, on hearing this invasion, rose from
their a.hes like tbe proverbial PhOlnix, and spread
over the country like swarms of locusts. Under their
blighting lhadow the Turkish power lost all vitalising
force, and fell like Lucifer to rise no more. Their
wrath did not let the invader evan eros. the river
Chanab unmolested. His army was surrounded,
reinforcements were cut off and hundreds of their
offioers and leaders were captured and brought to
Amritsar. They were forced to dig and clean the
Tank, which they had so ruthlessly filled up,t but
not a single man was murdered from those captured.t

UmdaulTaw."kb.
Sulla'. Mohd. Khan-Tarikhe-Sultani, p-WI. History 01 the
Punjab by M. Latif. .I238, and Forster's Travels.
t FOl'8ter's Travels.

39

RISE OF SIKH POWER


The Sikh. were finally able to get together and
Amrit.ar became once more safe. The Sikhs heW ..
big oouncil in Amritsar and took this .acrilege at the
hands of the iconoclast as an eternal reminder. that
the soul of the Temple wa. not its brick and. mort..r,
but that impalpable, yet thoroughly real, Nam, of
whioh alone they were the worshippers.
It was
decided to rebuild the damaged Temple. Sardar
.J as... Singh, a renowned general of the Sikhs, laid the
foundation stone on B"i.akh 11, 1821 sam bat (1764
A. D.). About seven lacs of rupee. were collected for
the new building, by the Sikhs, while whole of the
mortgage money was paid by the Sardar."
Ahmad Shah again marched into the Punjab in
1765 and 1767 but without achieving any .ucces. t
So the Khalsa .... embled at Amritsar and decided to
take up the task of governing the Panjab. General
Gordon write. :
.. A general IIs.embly was now held at A mrit.ar
and by a decree the Khalsa.w ..s now proclaimed the
dominent power of the Punjab and the Sikb Religion
supreme. The as.umption of sovereignty was m ..rked
by striking a coin with the ins~Iiption, 'Guru
Lapel,H. Griffin, the Rajltl!of the Punjab,pp 471472.
t Gulshan Rai, BiNory of India, p.-407.

110bind received from Nanal. Degh, Tegh and Fateh


-hoSpitality, valour and victory."
Time brought back the Khalsa to power. The
Period of Ibe
Misalst were founlied . Their primary,
Misal..
object of power was to rescue th. I
Sikh Shrines from the hand. of aggressors and reform.
others by removing the unftt oustodians. The
Ud.~is,! who had served t.he Temple with gre .t devotion in trOllblous times, finding the peaceful atmo:!phere.,banded over the management to the regularly

Gordon, the Sikhs:. p-6;) ; Latif. History of the Punja.b. p-287;


Browne, India. Tracb, ii pp-25,!!7; Cuuuiogha.m, Sikh HilStory.
1'-154; ,"'orster's Tran:ls; pp321. 323; Elphiliitone, ,K"bul, i;
'Pll_296, 207; and Murrny, Raujit Singh, pp-':NJ, 27.
The author of 'The Punjab as & Sovereigu State' (p-241) writ,es
' that there Rre rupeeKor l11mOflt pure silver each weighing 177 gn.
He ndds that. the writiua' ou the reverse of the coi,u meall!:J: Struck
1U Lilhore, the Seat uf Ooverumeot in the auspicious Sambat, year
1822. The year cc>rrespouds to 1765 A, Il.

tSome English historians have trausla.ted this word into con


fedemcies. Hilt Mi,~(llis au Ar:~hio wllrd meanin~ alike or equal.
n WIt.S that governmelJt. where the rulerlf and the ruled were equal
-4 repUblic. Lt, Col, 8teiubach ill bill book. The Pnnjllb, IJtates:
'The poase8sion of em.ch Sirdnr wa~ called a Mi81!1U1, but he exercised no 8upormacy O\'er it. for his followere exacted a share in
the- Ia.ud proport-iont"d to rhe !l.ervice eRch had rendered, merely
lookirl, upau the 8infar lUI the chief in war And arbitrntor ifJ
peAce.' The' Sirdnr presf'fved his power and authority by pro
feNjng to h3 the Rervant of 'the KhalM, (Mllloolm p114),
'lThe U<\iIeis had origilllily be~tI a.ppointed in the time of the
sixth Guru a" preachers of Sikhism, The peculiar dress they
wore had hUll bestowed upon them by Bli ba GUI'ditto., the f!ldest
IK)n "'f the Sixth M3"ter~ ill memory of the dress worn by the
Gr.... t GuniNaue.k during His Uduis or preachillll tl.turs. They
inburred no danger. because not being bllptised'a! fall and regular
Bi1dllll t they did uot ~eep the baptismal forJus.'

41

baptiseJ Sikhs, appointed a~ ,repre$entatives of the


various Misal. by the Sikh Commonwealth, and again
adopted their own preaching t ... k. It was at this
time that mo,t ()f the services and canons of different
'Ceremonies,._ eotaMished, which have come down
to the present day. As district after district of the
neighbouring territories came uuder the sway of the
Sikhs they were enabled to lavish large sums on the
additiOn< and maintenance of the Golden Temple,
which served as a bond of unity between all. '1'he
difference existed between the variou. leaders ~f the
Mi.als 'bnt when ~ollected at Amritsar no mark of
strife or discord was allowed; all was harmony and
peace,'*

General Gordon writing about management states,


"'I'he Sardars agreed by common consent that some
one from among themselves should, from time to time,
be appointed by the popular voice of the Khalsa to be
the head of Church and State in the national council
at Amritsar and to be guided by him in all matters
requiring united action, thus forming a fecleral union."t
It was in the year 1803 that the management of
the sacred shrines, particularly Akal Takht, was
vested in the hands of Ahlees under the leadership
=II \V. J.l. )l'Gregt'f, History of the Sikhs, ~hlcolm in his Sketch
of the 8ikhs. ,-120, sto.t('s, 'When the chiefs meet (at Amritsar) it
jill concluded tha.t all priva.i.ts a.nimosities cease and that every wan
t'acrifices his personal feelinKs at the Shrine of the generel J(ood i
and ,actuated by principles of pure patriotism, thinks of nothing but
the interests of the religf()n and commonwealth, to whicf\. he
belollg!!.'
(;
t Tho Sikh_, p-73.

42.

of Akali Phul. Singh." The word Akali meaps


Immortal, and refers to a ell'" f)f zealot" whom Sir
John Gordon dejcribe, as, "They exercised a fierce
sorutiny as censors in upholding striot compliance
with the militant creed of the Singhs; constituted
them.elves defender. of the faith against innovations;
took a prominent part in the Caunoils, in the planni~ and arranging of expedition for averting na'ional
danger and in educating the people in dQ!ltrines of
Sikh,Religion."
Mataraja Ranjit Singh, the Lion of the Punjab,
8ubjug.ted the Pnnjab and the
Singh.
North'Veste'll Frontier. The ten
misal. emerged into one and the Sikh Ruler estaolished the central government at Lahore, Under
this reign the country was on the whole wonderfully
prosperoust ..s it formed a barrier for ever against the
M.har.j" lIanjit

.Akali Phuto. Sillllh born ill 1761 breathed his Jalt in 1823. While
an infant he lost hie father. 80 Akali Narain SinRh, (alao known
u.s Naioa Singh), a. friend of hia father, took charge of him. He
wnll brought up, He ne\'er married but de~oted bis life to the
service of the Pallth and the country. To eiug hymns and to recite
the aongs of Sat Guru 'Was the joy of his lifp.. Though he was a.
mighty oUy of Maharaja. Ranjit Singh and h&d (ought many a
battle on hiB behalf yet he preferred to live iu a Gurdwara thaD to
ata)' at Maharaja.1s court .

He """ ....pecled alld fe ....d.

[f

h. found Mahamja Ranlit

Singh wrong. he ,,ould uDhel'litatiugly tell 110 in his face. Though


faced by odd. he never lc..st heart. The Sikhs remember thi. hero
,,fth pri<\e and gratltude to thi, dar.

Punjab Admini.tration Report. 1921-1922. Vol. I, p-65.

43

invasion from the north-west.. ' Mah ..raja Ranjit


S\ns;1l found~d .. big empire but .pride failed to
conquer the true spirit of a Sikh. He was very
particul ..r about the daily recit ..l of Sri Guru Granth
.sahib in his presence and
used to visit in state the
'l'emple twice in a yeart
but we.. as humble then as

an ordin .. ry pilgrim.
Where ..s Ile spent
lacs of rupees on mosques
for Muslims and Hllldu
temples, his services to
Amrit.ar were m~ny and
varied. He did .much to
beautify the Temple with
/told work, gilding the
upper half with gilded
~heets and the lower half
)Iaharajn. Hanjit Singh
with inlaid marble mosaics and precious stones. The
pavements were made in beautiful marble. Many
beautiful presents that came to him were offered to
the Shrine.
Once a very rich c..nopy was brought and spre ..d
=II X II.polean aIready 1l8ill~ every means to Jlet at Britaiu was
cnrrespollding with Tippu and W3$ discussiug ill\'asiolls of India.
throu~b. Afghanistan and the British were preparing Coulltrr-movt!8 .
ill India anci Persia. At this juncture came the yOUIl~ Rl\ujit Rill~'l
on the stalle to p1ace very unexpectedly a barrier Oil the Illdu~ ........ .
...... Arured kingdom it WM and to the East India Company it
seemed a most efficient barrier aga.inst illvasioJI from ~he nortk
west. (Sir Getlrire MacMum, Martial Races of Iudia. pp134138.)
tGulshau Rai, The Punjab a~ a Sovereign Sta~, p204.

over the place where the Maharaja was to take hi,.


seat. It was made of gold work, very richly decked
with pearls and jewels. Maharaja, while stepping
beneath Ute canopy, noticed it. beauty and ran out
exclaiming, "I . am unworthy of it. Take it for my
Gurus." Never was such a simple and unshaken
faith displayed by such a great ruler. Sir Lepel
Griffin writes in his book, Maharaja Ranjit Singh,
"We "'succeed in establishing him as a hero, as a. ruler
of men and as worthy of a pedestal in that innermost
shrinewhflre history honours the few human-being.
to whom may be indisputably assigned the palm of
greatness. He ruled the oount,ry whioh his military
genius had conquered with a vigour of will and
ability which placed him in the front ranks of the
statesmen of the country."
Mahamja R.anjit Singh, as a ruler, did not control the places of wOr3hip. But the council of the
Sikhs, which managed the Temple of Divine Musio
at that time, had elected him its lea.der for his service .
This continued till his life-time and after his passing
away his son Maharaja Kharak Singh, grandson
Maharaja N au Nihl Singh and Maharaja Sher Singh
were appointed as heads of the council of management, from time to time.

45

BRITISH PERIOD.
'Vith the advent ,?f the British-rule the old relations between the Panth and the oontrol of the
Gurdwaras were entirely upset. Col. Sir. Henry
Lawerance, the Agent to the Governor-General
appointed Sardar Lehua Singh as the first MLuager
of the Golden Temple, which had been so ,far under
the control of the Panth through local Sangat. But
the appointed Manager was not empow~red to do
anything that the Sikhs desired for their Temple .
Daily allowances and expenses even were to be sane ...
tioned by the Resident, before these were spent. The
following important orders, issued by the Resident,
(Lahore Political Diaries 1~47 -48, Vol. III) will he
read with interest:
" S. Lehna Singh shows to the Darbar my proclamation forbidding Europeans from entering the
holy Temples of Umritsar with their shoe. on, killing
of cows in Umritsar, or interfering In any manner
with the Sikhs of that place."
5-4-1847.
p-88.
It is cleared by another order in the s.."'e book

P"ge 233.
"Major Mainwaring and Captain Knyvett, think
themselves as much aggrieved as tbl' priest~ of -tbe
temple; and the whole thing turns on the oonstruetion to be put OIl the order. whioh .angravad ou a
+6'

brass tablet in three languages, were given by me to


the priests for, their prorection. 'rhe tablet certainly'
only says that persons are not to enter the Darbar
Sahib with their shoes on, and a lawyer' might possibly rule it that this meant only the Temple itself and
not its preoincts; but the tablet further direots that
the priests are not to be molested. and therefore I
shonld have thought it might have been clear to any
sensible person that the spirit of the orders was to
e~clude all strangers from the holy ground (wherever tile priests considered it to begin) nnless they
chose to' comply with those forms and ceremonies
which the priests prescribed to save the object of
their veneration from disrespect."

'.

The brass tablet is still preserved with other


valnables in ToshaKhana. The trne copy of the
tablet runs as follows:'The priests of Amritsnr having complained of
annoyances, this is to make known to all concerned,
that by order of the Governor-General, British subjeots are forbidden to enter the Temple (called the
Durbar) or its precwlCts at Amritsnr, or indeed any
Temple with shoes on. Kine are not to be killed at
Amritsnr, nor are Seikhs to be molested, or, in any
way to be interfered with. Shoes are to be taken
oft' at the Bhoon,ga, at the corner of the Tank and no
person iito walk round the Tank with his shoe. on.' ,

H. M. Lawrence
LAHORE,

Maroh 2~th, 1847.

Hesident.

Concerning the Golden Temple two Illore orders


. 'were issued by the same Resident, They are:
'II I requested that orders might be issued prohibitingany of the soldiers stationed at Gowind Garh
from wearing arms on oocasions of their visiting the
Holy Temple of Umritsar."
7-9-47,
p-280
"I sign an order for a daily allowance of RUl'e
3-12-0 to be expended on the religious offerings of
the Umritsar Temple."
"
20-11-47.
This management oontinued till Amritsar District
:;..brah. or was placed under a Oivil Officer in 11"59,
Manager..
The management of the Temple was'
then entrusted to a c<>mmittee of Sikh Sardar. and
Raises to settle the long standing disputes of the
pujaries about their pays. A manager was appointed
by this committee to look after the concerns of the
Temple with the consent of the Deputy Commissioner,
Amritsar. The committee met rarely. * About 1883,
The real position is depicted by the priests in their ~titiou
ali{aiust the Gurdwara Reform Movemetft to Sir Edward Doghla!.olo
Maclagan, the Lieut.enantGovernor, Punjab in 1920. It assumes
thtlt no such committee W:t8 formed:
"RI'!!lerriug to preceding records of the Gurdwaras your petitioners observe that there was some invitation made by the l>eputy
Commissioner to some selected Sikh Sardars to discuss problem~
in cO'noection with management of Gurdwaras or &ettlement of do'sputps between pujari8 and Granthis. This practice ceased jll the
time of Col. Lang findios useless 3S party feeling. 1'he manage
mSllt in that period remained in the bands of Deputy Commissio~er
and the Manager." 'I'he selected Sardars jotbiug the c.ommittee
Bever

claimed to undertake control of the sacred shrines' thoU!ilb

they alwayp, paid

48

hom~M'e

to ,bem by presenting mndreds."

it ;'as reduced to a manager (Sarbrah) who used to.


deal with all the aff"irs of the Temple. Thus the
popular control of this Temple passed' off iu to the
hands of the Manager who looked upon the post as
si!lecnie. Eventllally' theab~lition of democratic
principles r~.ulted' in an unpopular management.
Instead of making the Holy of Holies the radiating <' .ntre of light and devotion, the priests considered
it as the practi.ing grounds of robbery and began to
appropriate the offerings. The costly brocades offered
a. coveriny for the Holy Soripture went to mltke
their childern'. clothes. The Temple precincts were
infested with Brahmins who fleeced ,the 'simple
pjlgrims. The places of h!llding congreg~tions were
infested. with hawkers ,elling their wares. This set
up a great reaction and we find kaces of discontent
against the management since then.
Matters went from bad to worse till we find the
Hhrines managed by some interested person, under
the orders of the Deputy Oommissioner, without any
respect or regard for the religious feeling of the
community. It was during this regime in 1914 that
the Sikh' "ictims of Kauma Gata Maru tragedy'
were condemned at the Akal Takht ~nd General
Dyer, the perpetrator of .JallianwalaBagh's massacret
*Fol' deta~s see 'Gur.dwara. Reform Movement' pp.57-";'3.

tP'ublic agi~'9tion against the Rowb,tt Bills was ,at its heigltt
wht'll the administration of Amritsar was J:iven to' the military.
\Uldt'r the command of General Uyer Oil tbe 10th April, 1919.
On t;he 13th April Gl!lleral Dyer issued a proclamlitiQII :
"No proceaaion of any kind 'is peI'lmitted to parade the st ..eet~ .
in the city or outside tit. at .ally . time. Any sUih procession or

pi 19t9, 'who had also thought th..t he might h ..;"e


-to fire &gain to send the mob out of the Golden
gR.thering of four m~D will be looked UPOQ a. unlawful ...embl,. and
will be dillpersed by force of arm. if neee8.&I'Y."
The Dumber of people who could have heard the proclama
fion promulgated is pat down at 8 to lOOCO people; the total popu)a.iion of the city i. put down as 160.000 to 17010Cl0. Belidu thilt
here wu " large i'lflll" of peo pie from outside owiOSl to t116
Bo.is~kbi fair, "hieb ia at) important "HllOm ieaii.,..l and there
wu allO acatUe fair.
..
Under these circumstanoes A. public meetiull Will beld in Jalliallwal& Bagh all the lIltb n.ftel'noon. General Dyer did not; mana~e
to prevent thill Rlillemhly but went to the Bagh with a' mind tn
fire upon them with machine-guu8, which be could not olle owimf
tt) the accident. of hi, bejll~ ullable to ta.ke the armourf'd ca.rR intn
the narro.... ent.raDce leadillJr to the Ragh. So General Dyer with
his military open~ fire on the people. ill the wcetio, who were at
JI, diatanee of 100 or 150 yarda, without lli,.iCljil any wirninll d o'
IlsltillJr the people to dis~ne. The pAOple. U KOOn Il& the fint shots
were fired, be.jlall to rUIl away through the few exits the place hftli
got but. General Dyer continued firinl( till the a.mmuoition ran ahott.
In a.n 1650 round" were fired. The Geller"l admitted that he
could disperse thi8 meetin" without fire. The Di"orders Enquiry
Committee under the p""ident8hip of the Hon!ble Lord Hunter
opined, 'we feel tbt flener... Dyer by adopting /lll inhumane IUld
un-British method of dealin with suhjeetfl of His MajeRty, the
Kill(r Emperor, hns doue areal. dweMiee to the interests of Briti!!h
rule in India.. The action of GeneQi Oyer u well u some act~
(cra.wling order) or th~ martiallw admilliatn~ioll, to be referred
lot) h"reafter, have been compared to the act.s of 'frightfulness'
c:ommiUed by ~me of tbe German milita.ry comma.nders durinq
the war ill Belgium and l"ra.nee.'
(Hunter', DisorderR Enquiry Committee Report).
The then GO'fern(lr nf the provinoe, Sir Miohelll 0' Dwya.\' approved the action of General Dyer whereat Mr. <tF. AndrewR
~e(..eribed it as '" coM and calculated massacre.' He aaye, "1 have
"one illin every eingle det.ail with aU the care and thorougbues.,
that. a pef~nal iU'fes~i[Ea.Hoo could commau!; and it re'Paina \0 me
!til unspeak ..ble dis~ce , indereu"ible, unpardonable and inexcusa
ble." Euch is the ... ?rdict of nonofficial EuglillJiman,

50

Temple" it the occasion arose, was given an ovation


by the priests and presented with a robe of bonour.
,This incensed the Sikh public very muoh. The oontrol of the Premier . Temple was demanded by tbe .
Sikhs from the Government but in vain. Tbe ma!}ager, who had done this all as the Punjab Government
wished, before he was taken to task, apologised to
tbe "Khalsa and resigned the managership. It
will be interesting to view this incident with that of
Mahat;aja Ranjit Singh's life. The great Sikh Ruler,
defender ,pi the poor and the helpless, came to the
Temple. He was condemned by the fearless Akali
Phula Singh, the then incharge of Aka! Takht, for
.,some of his acts. 'rhe Maharaja to expiate his sins
prepared himself for the punishment. He was
ordered to be flogged in the public. The tamarind
tree still stands as a witness to which the hand. of
Maharaja were tied. The Ruler bored hi. back in all
humility and faith to have the punishment meted
out to him. The Sikh audience held their breath
and many a tear was shed. This was, however,
dramatically averted by the magnanimity of the Sikh
leaders, who let off the Maharaja with some fine only,
keeping in v~ew his services to the Temple and the
public. History has very few reoords of suoh de,mocratie religious congregations where justice was
,m,ted odt to the Ruler arid the ruled with the same
striotness 'and has no instance on record where an
emperor displayed ' suoh humility in the religiO'Us

.FroU: Dyer's statement giveo to t.he DisordEfts Enquiry

Committee.

51

,matters of th. State. ' , This was because the Pauth is


',considered to l>e supreme in all matters and none
.dares to d~fy its behests with impunity, whatever
.his rank and position in life may be.
GURDW ARA REFORM MOVEMENT
The tragedy of .Tallianwala Bagh has brought
awakening amongst the Sikh.. It was the 12th October, 1920. Some newly baptized Sikhs were brought
by the reformers-the Khalsa Brotherhood of Amritsar,
to offer Ka"ah Prasad at the Golden TemFle. It
was customary with the priests then to. turn out
from the Temple the Sikhs baptized from the low
caste. 'fheir l'rasad also was not accepted. This
refusal of l'rasad being against the doctrines of Sikh-,
ism, the reformers insisted on the acceptance. This
was, however, agreed upon to be referred to the
Holy Granth. A hymn was decided to be read from
the Guru Granth, the orders according to which were
to be binding and final. The hymn was read out a. :
.Sikhism rellar'(jg 110 caste-system, Fatherhood of Gud I1nd
Brotherhood of Man' being its cardinal doctrine. That the Guru~
laid a. SOild roundatiou for the obliteration of social distinctioll!!! Ilnd
fostered social equality and racial sameness will be evident frum
the folhiwing quotatious from Sri Guru Or8.l1th 8ahib:1. Vain are distinctions ba8~d 011 caste and pedillree,
AU human beingg look to One Protector. (Guru N allkk).
2. Caste and distinction depend upon olle'sRctioll'!l and deerlM.

(IH',o Nar'l'k).
3. God will not enquire of the caste or race of a person.
He will ask of what olle hM done. (Guru Nanak).
1'4. Do uot be proud of the caste, 0 Ignorant fool.
C (Guru ,Amar bllll).
5. When the whole uuiverse has emerged out of the some Lij,(ht,
'\Tho ca.u be gO,?d and who can be bld? CKabir ji).'

5Z'

"Brother, He sends grace even to those who hltve


no merit, and takes from them the true Guru'. services, which is most noble, as it turns our hearts to
the love of God. He Himself forgives and brings U8
'into union with Hi'mself. Brother, how worthless,
'were we, and yet the perfect and the true Enlightener took us on His seciety. My dear, what a lot of
sillners He has forgiven by the reason of His true
, Word! How many He has ferried across the worldoce..." in the \turu's ,safety bark! By t,be touch of
the Ph>losopher's stone, that is the Master, base met"l
has become gold. Selfishness has departed and the
Nam has come to live in the heart. Our light has
blended with His light and we have become one
with Him," (Sarath 111).
,
The words had a wonderful effect. Hundreds of
,men in the audience were visibly affected. The
priests, too, were convinced and they agreed to offer
,prayer and accept the' Sacred Food from the hands
of the newly-converted Sikhs. There was no unpleasantness in the whole proceedings and the priests
were left to carryon their work.
The whole party came out successful and went
,to Akal Takht. The priests lied from their posts. The
Throne could not be left vacant. The assembly led
9Y Bhlli Kartar Singh Jhabbar called for 25 volunt"ers to 'sit and watch there temporarily without touch
ing the money or property. The Sarbrah Wag inf6rmeq of it. The priests were called upon to express
regret for having deserted the Sacred Throne. They
did not come.'
53

The next day on October 13, the Deputy Comm1uioner convened a meeting to disouss the new
iurn of events in the Golden Temple. The prie.ts did
not attend it. So a provisional committee of nine
5likh8, all reformers, was formed inoluding the Sarbrab at its head, to manage the Holden Temple. This
committee, l"ter on, handed over the charlie of the
Temple to the new organization-Shiromani Gurd w.ara
Parbandhak Committee-and thus it was brought
under Panthic control.

SHIROMANI GURDWARA PARBANDHAK


COMMITTEE.
This

awakening regarding Gurdwara-reform.


otherwise known a.
Akali Movement was
discus!<ed by the Local
Government with H.
M. the Maharaja of
Patiala, and a provisional advisory committee of 86 members
was appointed
to
frame a constitution
for, and to temporarily
supervise the mansgement of Darblll' Sahib.
r
The ~xt day
after this decision of
\he flovernment the

S. Kharak Singh.

Sikhs of all shades of opinion from different parts 9f


th~ country, inoluding the Sikh States, oame to the
pre-arranged meeting held before Akal Takht. The
assembly appointed a committee of 176 members
known as Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Commi~
ttee, whioh was not only to conoern itself with the
management of the Golden Temple, but to reform and
oO'ltrol all the Sikh Shrines and Gurdwaras. S. Kharak
Singh, whose sacrifice for the pan/hie cause is wellknown, was electe~ its president. The new committee
inclu'ded the 36 members of the Government-appointed oommitt,ee. They were also efected on a subcommittee formed to manage the Golden Temple and
the Shrines allied to it.
The Gurdwara Reform Movem~nt being a purely
religious movement naturally oommanded the sympa.thy and snpport of all right-minded men. BnL the
G0vernment viewed with snspicion the organisation,*
tho rapid progress, and development of this movement
and had from the very start of the movement kept its
*The Government officials rem&rk as follows about the Sikh"
hut their religioui3 organization wa.s viewed with Buspicion'I appreciate highly the manly qualities ot the Rikhs-their loyalty
and devotif)u.' H. M. The King George V.
'Every traveller, and still more every Viceroy, must be aware
of the loyalty a.nd the- valour of the noble race of the Sikhs. These
virtues are illd('lpendent of loc:i.lity, or clima.te, or conditions of
K~rvice. lAg under-secreta.ry for Foreign Affairs in England, I was
brnuR'ht inoo contact wit'b the brave deeds of Sikh soldiers in he!J.rt
of Ea.st Africa and at the source of the Nile; wherever they go they are
courageous, manly and true,loyal to the sovereign whom they'ervA,
faithful to the regir.lellt whose badge they wear, devoted to the offi..
CPfS whom thpy follow, and fearless even into death such are the
Sikh soldiers, theiith of the'lodiati &I'my. fa I move about India,

55

ironhand stretched out to check or stem this risingO


tid.e of Sikh refc'rm by all direct and indirect methods.
The massacre of Nankana Sahib along with such
other acts gave a rude shock to the general apathy of
the Sikh community and the brave Sikh masses
shuddered with horror and rose as one to crifice
their lives for the noble work of purif~'ing their holy
temples. But a wholesale repression of the Sikhs
I see at the site of hi!'ltoric seigea or enR'agements, the sceIl8s()'f their'
heroisD: and lIelf-sacrifice."
(H.E. Lord Corzon, Ex-Viceroy and the Governor neneral of Illdiaf.

'You belong to a race "bolle name stands for the m!l.nly virtue'"
of, courage and loyalty, not only in yOIll' home between your five
rivers, but throoghllut the whole civilized world.'
(H.E. Lord Hardinge. Viceroy of India).

'It was the Sikh soldier~ who bore an honorable part in the
eOlllil:uest and pacification of the East AfricBu COUll tries.'
(Rt. Hon'ble Wiuston Spencer Churchille, M.P.)

'Since the aonexation of the Punjab to the Briti~b Crown the


Sikhs have been athongst the brave8t and moet loyal soldiers of tlle
Indian army as the Mutiny, the Tirah campaign Bud Somali~Lalld
lmTfl testified:' (Morning Post-London.)
Strong of body;. &cti ..e, intelligent, unfettered by the bOUlldl'\ or
caste-prejudice, ftfll of courage and ,;rifted with wffilderful stamina
aceostomed to live on Hesh or to diftpense with it, the Sikh has the
making of the finest soldier in the world.'
"

tCol. G.B. Malleson C.R.I. Decisive Ba.ttles of India, p. 301)).

'Despite this all the Sikhs, during thi~ Reform movement '~tlder~
weut undeterred and undaunted into disma,. all "'A.r~l,Ltions pf poten~
tial sufferings. Whether they were trampled un9~ the hoofs of
hurses, '\,udgeUed with the buttend8 of gun!!, thrown into the Potter's.
kiln and burnt alive, their flesh minced fired a.t or pyt uuder inhurn:l!l'
jail treatmentthe,.stricUy noo"voilent Sikhs did not raise their litt~
finRera by waf of reaiitante or tetaliatioll,

,56

'.

followed.
Instead of being allowed to manage thElir
shrines, whence they are to get inspiration to ennoble
their souls, they were harassed by tbe Government. *
On November 7, 1921, after the Government bad.
publicly declared so many times that it' had given up
the control of the Golden Temple an,l the Sbiromani
Gurdwara 'Parbandhak Committee had beell incbarge
for.a year, the Government considered it ad vis able to
snatch away the keys of the Golden Temple. The
*~ord Olivier's statement ill HouRe of J..~ord8. 011 Februar,\'
26th, 192throws some Ji!{ht 011 Goverument's jlH~tificatiou ill iI~
repressive policy ror the Gurdwara Heform Movement:
"The Sikhs are a religious denomirmtioll .......................
...... Accoriiin~ to Profes!!or Keit,h. the Sikhs al'e olle of thefiuest
bOUI in bone conformation and in brain cOllformation. of any of the
r:tees that ever appeared 011 t,he earth. I know all Englishman, who
came illto conta.ct with the Sikhs alld who has the Ii:'reatf'At adlIliration and affection for them. They are a people of fine, aneient. Hoble race and they a.re olle of thos~ lUlcient snd lIoble races
which have, if I mlly I\ity so, ,1\ constitutional apprehension of the
Rpiritual life. They are profoundly relillious. Somt- little time
a~o, the Sikhs had a religious rflvival.
They foullo themselves ill
this posit,ion. that the Shrines that had been est,ahliflhed for the
readimc of their Scripture and for the worship of God had in later
times fallell into the hauds of corrupt priests. :1faha~j'lf. whn had
tnkpn possession ~f properties and aunexed Shrine!! arid were abu8irlg their authority fur the purposes of gain iUld dis~ipatioll. The
Sikhreligiouscommullityclamoured for reform. They formed them!.(plves into a puritan reform movement. It is lltlfortll!m.te that
the Sikhs were not pblCed. when t.heir RAformatioll came, as we
wltre. If this thinR had taken place in thiM country, it wouln have
been solved without difficulty. The rehmifJg Prince would have
placed himself at the head of the reform movement. He wouln
ha\;e declared hi"~8elf a defender of the Faith, and himself w:mhl
lIa\:9 confi.l,cated the'disputed properties and would have bestowed

them UpOIl his principal relhrious supporters. . ..... Such a method


did not occur to til. authorities of the Punjalf.

57

high-handed acti~n of the Government was deeply


resented, especially in view of the fact that the keys
of the Gurdwara treasury being with the Government the jal.", or exhibiti~n ceremony could not be
held 011 the sanred day of Sri Guru Nanak's birth.
'fhere was a great chaos and those wbo prote.ted
were fiullg into jails. \Vi.er counsel, however, prevailed and the Government restored the keys on the
12th February, 1922 and the prisoners were rele~sed.
After It long period of more than five years the
Gurd",ar.. Bill rang a final curtain down over this
movement. But the complicated clauses and sections
of the Bill had involved the community in endless
quarrels, litigation, and expenditure since tben . .
'I'hroughout this movement, Akal Takht, whence the '
HukamnamaJi WE're issued, rema.ined the centre of the
Sikhs' attraction.
With the establishment of the Panthic committee the long-standing evils have been removed. All
the shops in the Parkarma, which used to give refuge
to men and women of evil repute, have been abolished
and the hawkers of all sort. forbidden to carryon
their trade within the sacred precincts of the Temple.
The whole place has acquired again the traditional
Sikh view. Holy congregations and unceasing Divine
Musio in the Temple revivd the glories of the Khalsa.
which. are reconnted in the daily prayer.
c
Present-day management of the Goldell Temple
is i<.l the hands of the local committee with S. ,J"swant
Singh .Jh~balia as it.- president, eleclrJd under, Section
85 of Sikh Gllrdwaras Act (Punjab Att No: VIII
19~6) for a periool of three years .

INCOME AND TOSHAKHANA


Income :-The offerings and donations mad. at
the Temple form the main source of inoome. There
were no offerings at tbe Temple during the liCe-Lime of
Gurus as they were pr... nted to the Maoter direotly.
nari Ma"di,r was a simple institution of Hari.Kirt&n:
'l'h~ TellthNanak passed away vesting Guruship in
Guru Granth. So tbe offering. were tben mad. at'the
'l'emjlle to Sri Guru Grantb Sahib, the Spirit,ual.
Living-I~hlru oC the Sikhs. In the beginning, for some
years, the inoome of offdrings was forwarded to Mat ..
l:illndri, the widow of Guru Gobind Singb , at Delhi
and its use was at her discretion.
With the lapse of short time, the persecution of
the Sikh. oomlnenced. Due to this h&rassment the
income of the 'l'emple was not permanent. It was
very small, hardly sutficient t,o maintain the incum
bents. There wa., therefore, no temptation fcr them
to be corrupt or defy the congregation. Besides this
the offering of money was looked upon by the selftes.
incumbents as pois"nous.* It was spent on the free
*The Sikhs are forbidden the use IIf offerill~@. Guru Gohinrl
Siugb threw gold muhars iuto the river 8atluj. He prererred it
than to distribute tlu'm to the 8iuflhs. The "'&la8181" wish~d Hit(
~ikh8 should ea.rn their OWl! livelihood nud it was in Cllmbeut upon
.. em to 'ubiist by honest meall!, leediug the pOOl' out of their lAW'
ful illcomer wherea.. these muhara were the product of the jncom~
brought by offering8. which was t ..mtamonnt to poison. As mother
WSluld Dot admiuister poison kJ ber 8008, 10 would He reft'ni,~ from
~erviug poison to ~8 80118, the Khalsa.
AI.., Macaolill'e, Vol. 1. 1'-45 ""d Vol. Ill, p.S; Bh.i (}ord.. ,

Ya,r V.12; And

Ua~&u

SiDgh's Pllnth Parka.

59

,
kitohen. invariably aUaohed to the temples, or
.~me other way beneficial to the Sangat.

ill

In the times of Misals and during the period of


Mabaraja Ranjit Singh the offerings at tbe Temple
}ncreased. Persons of exemplary cbaracter were
incbarge of I.be. Temple. They even refused to accept
jagir. for them.elves whenever olfered by tbe Sikh
Sardars. The inoome was then mostly spent on the
decorative work of the Temple and fret-kitchen.
After the Sikh-wars and with the advent or the
British rule, the Panth lost its control ov'or their
premier Temple. It passed off into the hands of the
Government. The priests had no vigil~nt eye to
watoh them and they were overt&ken by greed.
So very meagre 8ums were expended on tbe Temple
or tbe Langar, wbile most of the money was pooketed
hy the interested persons. The result waa th&t the
'remple'. treasury began to dwindle away and there
arose the mutu&l quarrels among.t the prie.ts. As a
result of some agita.tion the c.;.overnment introduced

a Code-of-Law called /) .",tur-ul-a",al, whi ob required


the priests to depo.it certain "mount ill tbe treasury.
It was sbort-iived. The corruption could not be
eradicated and toe misuse of the trust continued till
the management of the Temple passed into new hands.
Now the expenses are under the control . of the
oommittee appointed hy the Sikh-S&ngat .. Regular
provisions have since been made by the committee
for the free-kitchen, oharit&ble hospital,
,. Khalsa High
Sobool, Lit-rary, Guru Ram D&s Niwas A.th&n and
other import.ant addition
.
,
60

During the Sikh Raj and after, the whole octroi ,


revenlle of the city had been dedicated to the Temple,
on account of which the city enjoys world-wide fame.
Gradually the revenu.e allowed to Darbar Sahib was
cut down, until only six pies in the rupee were paid.
This, too, was taken away and now only the partial
light expenses of the Temple and the canal charge
on t~e water supplied to the Sacred Tanks are paid
out of the Municipal Funds. This was all due to
lack of proper Sikh representation on the administration of'the city_
"

The annual income of the , Temple amounts


approxim~tely to as. 300,000. The amount of Jagi,s
,endowed for Sri Darbar Sahib at the time of 'the Lion
of the Punjab, was worth 1 lao 75 thousand, which
has been red'lced today to that of Rs. 6000 per annum
only.
Tosha-Khana -The usual place of safe-keeping
of the valuables, ofi'ered at the Temple, is l'osh,,h..hana
or Treasure Elouse. It is located on the main-gate or the
Darshani Darwaza, which leads to tbe bridge. Entering
by the doors of massive silver plates, a staircase leads
to an upper chamber which contains a big chest in
which repose the different valuables:- A gold pankha
. (fan), two gold fly-whisks (ckauri.s), one fly-whisk of
Sa"dal wood;' a canopy embruidered with pure gold
wuighing 10 Ibs set with diamond., emeralds and
rubies; a "gold pendant; a canopy richly embroid.red
giving colo1lred plan of the whole Temple; .. vdry

"

*This ~as offered by a Mohamma.dan Faqir, Haji Ji.tohd. Maskin


ou December 31, 19-~

61

,beautiful jalau set with diamonds. A diadem of


. precious .tones with strings of pearls worth lacs,
prepared at the marriage of Kun war Nau Nib.al Singb.,
the grandson of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, hut presented
to the Temple, is still exhibited in this jalau on cert ..in
ceremonial occasions: i. e., on the birthdays of Guru
Nanak, Gnru Ram Das, Gurn Gobind Singh and
Bhadron Sudi 1. In addition to these valuables ~here
are innumerable canopies, carpets, brooades and
several other objects of art and ..ntiqnity, pesides
many paintings depicting the lives of the Q-urns and
other Sikh Heroes.
Formerly there existed a hnge building in the
open space between Akal Takht and the main-gate.,
It was used as ToshaKhana. But 8S this obstructed
the view and crowded the pl ..ce it was pnlled down.
Since then the chamher in the upper storey of the
m..in-gate has been used as Treasure-House.

VARIOUS PARTS o.F THE TEMPLE


Darshani

Darwaza :-The

main-gate or
Darshani Darwa.za is through an archway facing
the Akal Takht. There i. always an Akali-Sewadar
standing there as a sentinal with the silver-staff
in hi", hands. He watches the endless stream of
worshipI'l'rs, which pours through the gate day and
night, so that none may take sticks, umbrellas,
wet clothes or unsightly things in the Sacred Shrine .
Maharaja Sher Singh had a purd .... bath room, for
ladie., built in 1841 on the southern side of the gate.
It wa. demolished recently. Guide's Office i8 in the
adjoining rooms of this main-gate.
The marble door-frame of the gate is about 10
feet in height and 8 feet 6 inches in width. The
doors fixed in it have beautiful ivory wo.k carved
on them. To the north-west corner of the gate
otand two golden flag-staves on marble pedestals
with . saffron coloured flags, with Sikh National
emblems, fluttering on them.
Ante-Chamber :-The ante-chamber in which
the gate, opens is 45 feet long and 14 feet broad. The
d"corativll work on the ceiling was done by Raja
Sangat Singh of Jind, while the other gold work by
Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Both in northern and
southerl. walls ~re stairways leading to .the upper
storey, which h,as Tosh....Khana.

.63


Bridge :-The bridge connects the gate-way
with the Temple proper, 240 feet long and 21 feet
wide, it is built in water with ten arched spans.
There are other 38 small spO-ns to support the larger
ones. On either side of the bridge are fixed ten marble lamp-posts with gold lonterns on them. A fine
marble railing runs throughout the length between
the lamp-posts. Onthe northern side a lamp,post
bears a sun-dial instead of lantern. It-was built by
Sardar Lehna Singh Majithia in 1852. The pavement was laid with coloured marble by, Maharaja
Ranjit Singh in 1865.
On festival days a movable timber partition is
placed in the middle running through the whole,
length of the bridge to divide the stream of pilgrims
into incoming and outgoing passages.
Hari-Ki-Pallri:-Thirteen feet wide p"odakshina
or the procession-path runs rouud the Shrine. To its
east are steps leading to the Holy Tank, called HariKiPauri. Gurn Arjan, after finishing the building,
drew forth and partook of the Amrita or the sacred
water of the Tank from this pl ..ce. The Kar-SewaOeremony in 1923 was "Iso inaugurated here. The
pradakshina is roofed here. The roofs of the Temple
and Hari Ki-Pauri were silver-plated and the walls
marbled in 1820 by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and in
1867 by Maharaja Kharak Singh. The roofs we:e
afterwards gold-plated by Sardar Amrik Singh
Ss:udhawalia.
,

The .Temple Proper :-bolated by a sheet of


blue water, the Temple ramains immune from all

6+ .

";'orldly trouble, whose dust and smoke can never


touch its pearly .urf~ce. The holy waters wash
its walls which remain firm in a Sea of Maya.' Mark
the contrast b.tween this tempestuous Sea, on the
one hand, and the Firm Throne of the Akal-Purakh.
which i. poised in the afore i,1 Lake like one big
lotus. If one has lU~.tered the underlying ideathis eternal contr ..st hetweeO: Maya and PU"Rha, and
the 'conn'eoting bridge of Nam, tllen alOile one nan
realise the ground-plan devi~ed by. that Supreme
Archi~ect, Who fashioned the Golden 'fern pIe on earth
on the s~lf-same lines on whic 1 the heavens and the
cosmos it ,elf are built!
The Temple is '40.6 feet each way on a raised
rlatform of 67 feet sq Itare. The lower part of the
wall. is faced with marble slabs inlaid with arabesques of conventional flower .prays in many precious
hued stones. But above this gleaming white dado
all the Temple w~lIsand cornices, dripstone and roof,
slender columns, cupolas and finials are one blaze
of gilded copper. The Temple has four doors, one
in each direction. It represents that this is a Temple
mea.nt not for a.ny part.icular eect or denomination,
but for one and .. II, as much for the East as for the.
West, North or South.
In the Temple on a smaUlow bed repo,es Guru
C\ranth Sahib. the symbol of devotion and spiritual
guida;'ce 'o f the devotee., under a beautiful canopy.
'fhe pilgrims come, bow down, kneel with follied
haO:ds orprostatlJ ;'lUttering, all the while \n prayers,
.. Delusion. _

6S

tbe Divine Na.me and plAC'" their oWerings which


';"oge . from .. pice or a handful of grain to a
gold coin or the riche.t treMU reo
Behind the
Holy Book sits 1\ Granthi .. nd on his right the
musicians chant hymns day and night with the
accompaniment of the
usual Indian orc~e.tra. Be.
hind the musicians. is fixed
in th" wall a beautiful
clock which was presented
.by Lord Curzon. Ex. Vice.
roy and the GovernorGeneral of Ind ia. on the
\lth .A pril. 1900 ... a token
of homage and respect to
the Shrine. Opposite the
Holy Granth where the
pilgrims make thf'.ir otferI.Hltn lHJKi'!I;!'i'
ing.. sits a party of priests distributing PraRad to
every pilgrim who put. forth hi. or her hILn.h.
Beautiful !lowers altd garland. are brought 8. offerings, whicb. lie in hlissflll repose on or "bont the
Sacred Granth. The pilgrims .. ooept tho.e reverently
and reli.b. tb.em as .. tGketl of Hi. Or ..c.
It will be interesting to nGte the inscription
which was to be found au the left .ide wall, of the
Darohani Darwa"" .. but has beell repla.ced . now b'j
its Vernacillar translation.
, 'It should be generally knowu lhat a wonderI.ul
event took 1>1",<8 in the Golden Temple. 'fhi.' building was erected u;'I' the Great Guru R..!" D.... King of
(,6

'

Iting'l, W'lto give. bleHin~'I Ilnd reoeive. worship


from aU oreature.. The following i. an acoount bf
what ooourred on the 1I0,h of April, 1877 at 4-30 A. >I.
About four hundred persons according to
"ncient ollstom were in this Dolrbar Sahib and lis.
tening to p.alms whose music was almost drowned
by the roar of thunder. fluddenly a flash of light.
ning fell from Heaven and ent,ered the ltoly Place
by'the northern door, clo.e to the musioians. A baU
of fire about two .ee.. in weight bnrst in the Temple
shini"g with dazzling and terrible brightnes. Then
immediltely after shining before the Holy Book, it
returned to tho .kv by the sOllthern entrance and
although it {ell with .Ilch awful violellce and so loud
a report, yet there w,," no injnry "aused to the
Darbar Sahi, or human life. 'rherefore all were
embled in ... cribing this miracle to Guru Ram
Da., Who dedicated this Temple to ltari.. ............... .
Suffioient monAY was gathered to pay for seven
readings of Guru Granth Sahib and to feed some
thousa.nd. of poor people who all "xpressed their
gr"titude. Thi. notice i. intended a. a remembrance
of the miraole of Guru Ram Das'.
The ea.tern loggia of the Temple was gilded by
Rani Sada Kaur* at a cost of Rs. 175300, while the
other three side. were done in' gold by Maharaja
Ranjit iilingh at the heavy cost of Rs. 535332. The
~hole of.the decorative work wrought in gold was
executed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, his son ,and
grandson Mahvaja Kharak Singh and Kunwar Nau
Nihal Singh .
Mother-in-Ia. of Maharaja Ranjit Siugh.

67

The upper floor of the Temple, 40 feet eaoh side,


i. approached by two flights of step. near Hari-KiPauri and ODe 0<1 the external north-west oorner .
.The floor is paved with marble and the ",ails are
deoorated with rioh floral designs.
There is a sma,ll 'han of mirrorSl' in this floor
known as 8hi.h Mahal. Originally it was a pavilion
where Uurus used to sit, in contemplation. 'l'he
modern decoration was made by Maharaja Ranjit
Singh. On the .ide-walls oC this -",lah"l or palacio, the
hymns of .lapji anel ,Jap are inscribed in gold' lett~rs.
N ow it, i. used for A khalld Path, the continuous
recitation of Guru Granth Sahib. On the second floor
is the big golden dome. Smaller domes deoorate the
parapet. On the stairs leading to this floor there is
a paint.ing d"picting the Tenth Uurn riding with Hi.
Five Chos.n Ones out on hunting. It is beautifully
executed. Apart trom the religiou_ aspect the picture
has much ar:tistic value.
No dnubt, that the 'remple i . . tastefully decorated but those who look on merely the alabaster an,1
the gold miss the inner spirit which pervades the
whole building, but for which it wolud have been another colourle.. temple. Tne whole place is literally
crammed wit.h Divine influence, and no one who
enters the .acred precincts of the Darbar Saj,ib oan
fail to be stirred by that immanent Light ,which {s
oongealed. as it were, ;,to form the bedrock of this
Temple.
l
Daily'Programme :-The usnal progra~me or
daily routine of t~e roligiou. function", in the Golden
liS

T~mple is very faithfully and rigidly ohserved since


the Tempie was built. A few modifications wer;
intr.)duced by Pujaries (Priests) but were abolishe,j
with the new management. A visitor, if he be keen
to see these ceremonies carried on with a. medimval .
reverence should vi.it this place at about two or
three in the morning. Tbis is the time, when the
devputs leave their b.ds to serve the Lord and sit
for sometime in contemplation of the Great One. It
provides a spiritual joy aud elation (A mrit-rasa) now
o
very rarely
found in any temple of worship. After the
o
whole plaJe is cleaned and washed it is ready for the
reception of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. It is brought
, in a very beautifnl golden palanquin accompanied by
singing of the hymns and the lurid soft glow of the
torch light from Akal Takht. At t.he front door of'
the Shrine the Holy Book IS taken out from palanquin on the priest's head, who takp. it to the low bell
on the eastern-side. This is covered then with sheet.
and drapery richly perfumed and finely embroidered.
'rhe Guru Grant,h is opened flat. The devotees
strain their eyes and stretch their neoks to have ..
glimpse of the Master. Ears are attentive to catch
the voice of the priest, when he reads out the first
hymn. The eager and yearning faoes of the people
present, the subdued light, the s ....eet perfume of the
i,.oenseoburning, and the tense religious influence
of the PUoe, makes an atmosphere of reverenoe and
religious faith. All initiates and disoiples feel a .ol"ce
udkno,,:n else~ere. The living presence of the
Gurus is realized. After this th" Saore'!l. Book is
covered with .heet.. The musieian'\, begin to recite

69

.Ala-di-Wm', the morning ode. Tbis takes about tbree


to four bonrs. Then all standing with (olded hands
offer Arda. (Prayer to God). The priest chants in 1\
low sonorou,s voioe the names of the GIlru. and then
tb~ Heroes of tbe Sikb Nation, followed by the
names from who permanent funds daily oirering.
are made at the Temple. Another hymn is ra.d
from the Sacred Book and Karah Prasad is distQhuted among the congregation. The Divine Music
never ceases. The mU9icitLns keep it oontinp.ously
for the whole day, while in the Temple the ,tream of
pilgrims continue pouring.
With sun-set Rahra., the Evening Prayer i.
recited by the Granthi. Then all standing offer.
Arda. at His Feet. Shortly after this a party of
priests and pilgrims with .. standard and torches starts
from the main-gate of the Templ.. They go round
the Tank reading and reciting hymns in tho praise of
Great God.At about eleven in the night Kirtan Sohila. the
last prayer of the day, is reoited. The Sacred Book
is wrapped up and oarried back in palanquin to Akal
Takht. The doors of the Temple with its main-gate
Ouru Bar Gobind had to move out of Amritsar. The Sikh!!.
I'tlft at Amritalll'. felt very keenly the pana" of His separation .
Readed by Bhai Budha, they commenced a divice eervice of
DhlJfllUJm ill 1612. E...ery ennitur they would HIM torctaee andeae
iu proceNion round the 8hrine. feeling the Muter to iN with them.
On Guru'. return He told Bbai Budhl. how that del'otion bad.
:\t.tr\cted Hi, mind to the Golden Temple everyel'eniDg. He blessed
them. Hyin, that the niabUy choir orgarft.ed by B~ai BuAh.
",ould abide for eYer at Hari MaDdir. aQd, thai He would al".,. be
wi\h it.

70

a.re &180 olosed. Thus praotically the Temple remains


open for pilgrim. and the hymns in praise of the'
.Lord are sung without any mterruption.t No leoture
or discus.ion is allowed in the Temple. The religiou.
and political gathering. are held at Akal Takht aurl
other places outside th. Temple proper. In the
Temple itself thp continuous riv<r of elevotion and .
wor'l.hip How. at all time, so that ..ny one may drink
hi' .till, wherea. in oth.. temple, th~r. are fixe'!
times for Divine Sen,ice.

~ tThis ~imple and bea.u~irlll custom ~DlOllg the Sikh. wu seen


a.ntt TCIDarke<i upon by Bujen Rai of Bat..ala. who "l'~ie in 1697 ill
bi8 Kbulastul Tawarikb :

~"The

1mly way ,f 'll'onship with them is that they read the


hymns' composed by their Guru! and sing t.hem 6\fee1Jy in aecom
pauiweut with musi.f al io.trua:.ents".

11

THE TANK OF IMMORTALITY


The Holy T~nk, a square of about 510 fee',
is 17 feet in depth. It gets most of it. wat.r from
the na.tural springs. HanJlli,* the wa.ter-chanDel ~
also feeds it with water. There are separate bathing arrangements tor lad ie's at different !11acef.!,
which are properl)' screened and managed. A low

wall has been put all arQund in the T~nk to "voU


persons going into the deep water.
KarSewa:-The T~nk ofImmortality was filled
up with earth by the Mo~hal Governors and Afghan
invad(>rs and cleaned by the devutees more tha.lJ once.
In the day. of harmony and peace it was under
the leaderohip of Akali Phula Singh in 1800 that
the Tank was oleaned for the first time.t
Mahara.ia
Sher Singh al80 planned to do this service. But
owing to hi. early death, only a part of the Holy
*Hansli, the water channel. wap, du" by the 8ikhfll IOllg before
the Britip,h rule in 1781 to prOTide river-water from the Rllvi to the
Iu&cred hnkil of Awrit!1ar. This aU was doe to the effort!!! of Raut
PritamdR8 and Santokhdas. This channel was connected with
crmal 'nari Doob'. In 1914 the Ueputy Commiesioner stopped tbht )
aqueduct and made insufficient arrllllgemenhi for providing tubc~
well water to the tanka. Th~r6 "la.s" great llpt'Oar and profdst
lIKainst this action. 80 the old system was restore~. Now the
underground Hau"li. 8946 feet 101lR. provides canalwater to"the
Holy Tallk. Recently this water-challDel WaS cemented through
the effort. of Sant Gurmukh Singh ji.
I'!'

tB. Prem Singh, Ak.li Pbula AilJR'h,p-34.

72

Tarlk could b,e 'oleaned ~nd -th... !Work lW"$ : left UI\.
done.
tl
Once again the Sacred 'Tank oleansing oere
mony o~ Kar-Sewa WJlS undertaken by the - Khalsa,
Panth in the' - Summer of 1923. Kar.' SlIrow"r
Oommittee, with Bhagat .la.want Singh a. it.
secretary, was set up. It planned out the whole
thing and carried out the details with faith,zeal and
per.everano.. The Nation ' also responded to the
clarion ciall and lacs of people from ' all corners
of the ' world and all walks of ' ilfe gathered atAmritsar to p~rtake of t his service. A I gratit!
Ol:gl'njsed _P/peession started .e/l.l'ly in the morning
o~ th~ ' 17th Jun~, 1923 ,after religious diwan at
Gu~dwljA'a ,Pipli Sahib, near Khalsa Colleget to
inaugurate . the Kar-Sewa Ceremony of ti\I,e Holy
'l,'ank.. As the advance pa~ty . of the procession
*NeW8 woulrJ come t.hat pilgrims to Hari Mandir were (lU their
Dtel:lf.ed like a
pea~allt. the Vifth-NaulLk. Ouru Arjllu, would go out of Amritsar
harefooted, His wife ~ccompanyililor Him with.:, bnket contuiuillg
bread and vegetables, Both would wait qn the I"pad~ide. where
Uurdwara Pipli Sahib flOW stands, ror (he disciples who caDle along
sin~iug the hymn" of the Guru. The Master would welcome thew.
all th~ Mother, distributed bread aud wnter. without letting people
kf~O'" .... ho ~hfl); ".'ere.. 'f I
way from KI,bul. Qaudhar or other distant pla.ces.

tTwo miles down ~he Great 'l'rul1k Road in the direction tit
L'fure is, the fine Sikh educational institutioll, the Khalsa Coqege.
it IS a.ffiliatej to th~ degree standard of the Punjab,University.
is. a strikiugly handsome and dignified building with many architec
tural feature,. "'ounded in March lfi92.. jt is (,o.w, Que ot:'tlre
vre'm ier illf~titution8 :11 the Province. Attached to it is a.n agri.
{'ultural dai~y.fa~~. One of the grea.t ~mbition8 01 the ~ikh
Commuriity il'3 to couvert the Khalsa College into n Uui,er8it~.

15

nacned the Golden Temple, & prayer, for the he


fulfilment of the Service undertaken, was offered.
After invoking tbe Gurus and all tbe religious
The, five
,celebritv the Prasad was distributed.
ohos.n-:-R)v. San! Sham Smgh; S. B Mehtab
Singb, President S. G. P. C.; Bhai Teja Singh,
Jatnedar Akal Tokht; Bhai Pritam Singh of
Anandpur and Bhai Gulab Singh of Gholia-took,up
the gold spades and silver pails and inaugurated the

ceremony. The procession consisting of no~. less


than a million of devotees terminated at th~ Temple
late in the afternoon.

The water had been allowed to run dry and the


lilt wa.s then removed in buokets, basins, sha.wls and
even laps by every Sikh present tbere, On Ihe fir.t day
tbe people were allowed to giv~ free play to their faith
and do the service iu sny way they liked, But all,
in a spirit of devotion and with calm dignity, took up
tha work and performed it in an organised. disciplined,
effioient and work-man-like spirit. People of otber
communities were wonderstruck when they saw His
Highness Sir Bhupindra Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala
and big sardars with their poor brAthern, joi.ing in a
file inte the Tonk and filling their vessels with the
saored silt and carrying npon their he.ds to take it
ontside the preoincts of the Temple. From tbe next
day regular parties of different districts w!'Te org-dnioed at different places and the work started in a
systematic manner.
Rela~ of ladies and gentlemen \..ore daily s:.n
carrying baokets of mnd on their heads,
chanting
,

7.

Satnam- Wahiguru, Sa/nam- IVahiguru.

Hindus and
Mohammedans, me.n and womell of all ages and
different social positiolls, from prince. to the keep~r
of shoes, f100ked from all sides to share this noble
service. They worked for labour of laVA with'
ecstasy 011 their faces and a thrill in their heart.. It
was .. beautiful sight to see a band of 200 MohammeQans working in mud, after taking food in Guru',
kitchen and reading Nimaz in Guru Ka Ragh with
hundr.eds of Sikh. looking Bnd pouring blessings ,)11
them. ~ll, who came burning with love of service,
were accommodated in Banf/II. and other buildings
close to the Temple.
Thousands of ru}ees wer6 daily spent to run
the Temple of Bread-Guru's Langa,. But thank.
to the philanthropy of people, the mauaging committee had no difficulty in finding the money, which
came unsolicited and the devotees vied with one another in providin~ the rations for the kitchen.
The best spirit of the Khalsa, which the Tenth
Master inc11lcated, preaohed -and lived, wa.s seen
infusing the whole affair an:! for once united all
r"nks of the community in one object, one purpose,
and one method. The whole took up three weeks
. only. The fresh water of the springs was let out,
the canal was opened and the Tank was cnce again

fttll on th\, 9th July.


. Pradaluhina:-The outer marble pavement, of
the 'rank or pradakshina
(oircumambulation)is 2&
'J
feet wide. Wi'th a sum of Rs. 22000, paid- by Raja
Randhir Singh, of Kapurthala, its !,orthem side was
75

paved in beautiful matble . . The. paving expenses .'.of


the ...estern side were, met from' the income of the
Temple ' ",nd of other sides by Maharaja Raghbir
Singh of Jind . Surronnding the pradak.;lUna are
'bungas* of the past and the present Chiefs a'od other.
notables, There was' a palatial . bunga built by
Kunwar Nau Nih .. l Singh, at 1 he present site of
CIoek Tower:t Til. Bunga w..s demoli.hed by r,he
Government in 1867 and Clock To wer erected indead. as an emblem of Christianitly,

*Bon'fllo il'!

:1.

technic.lt name in vel"nacular for. the houses huilt

roond a sacred shrine.,. They are meant for the residence of the
pilgrims.
(

tLord Corzrm sa.ill, "1 have intense dislikeninq- for this 1l1l!~i~htI, tower erected just neltr the beautiful 'remp}p,"
'

(Kha.lsa S,\machar, April 16. J!JOO)'


'I hope that the next time T (~ome the most horrible brick tow,f-,.
rclock tower) will be destroyed,,'
R. Bnionty, En~ineer
Liege, lJplgiuru.
I

'Very lIi('e vi",it of the U:)lden Temple.


dock tower.

.. J. ~im",.
'My wife 311111 feel that. the clock tower's

Much better without

P4tia:-

nrchite"-.ln:6 ' ll'1h()~ld

he tpore in kcapillll with the deaiqn of the Golden Tem'ple 14.,


mIt-

toappil the,beauty of the locality;'


Captttil~ J OI.cksorlo

Will the'lititbori~ies cooaider this?

76

Amba\a.
, IIi

a,-;

1-7

AKAL TAKHT
In the precinct. of the Temple are the following
other important place. either of worship or of hfstorical record.
Facing the main .hrine, but .eparated from it
by an open compoand, .tands a large building
called Aka! Takht or the Throne of the Immortal.
This important addit,ion was mad. by Guru Har
Gobind in 1609. Since then it has been oustomary
to i ue from thi. Throne such religious, social and
political edict. known a. Hukam-Nam , a. the
Rikh Pa.nth considered necessary and conduoive
to the growth of the Common wealt h,
It was here that Bhai Budha, the hoar-h.aded
Saint, placed before GuruH .. Guru Gobind the SaUj-,
He .alnted it and .aid to Ehai Eudha, "No, give me
t ...o ....ord. to wear inatead". And the bixth Master
donned the double sword .ignifying a oombinatJon
of .piritual and temporal leadership, .ymbolizing a
Dew phase in the development of the Sikh character. This 'l'hrone was used for holding Mogre.
gati"n, and oourt. in the time of the Mast,,~. All
ol....e. of men and ...omen have, from time to time',

Saili wasa Ribbon of RenuQciation that Gut-u.Nanak ,,01"e and


gaye to Guru Atlgad .. from whom it passed to Gura Amar DaBr RIlID
Du and Arjsn itrturn.

78

appro~ched

thos" incharge of the Akal Takht ~o


seek help and protection against the tyranny of
the strong and the wicked. On the other hand,
the award of a robe of honour by the authorities
ofthe Golden Temple "or Akal Takht has ever been
regarded as a m'lrk of very special favour, which
is only conferred on those, who may have rendered
di~inguisbed services either to the Panth or the
public at large.
When a Sikh Sard ar succeeded to his estate
in the d."ys of Sikh Misal_, it was customary for
him to be confirmed in his succession at Akal
Takht.
N ow, the novice Sikhs are also initiated here
into the ceremony of Amrita prior to the,r becoming Khals.. or the POlre Ones. The Immort ..lising
Draught, the Amrit of the Khalsa, was prepared
here for the first time in 1713 on Banda Babadur'.
arrival. All the great meetings of the Community'.
represent..tives are also held at Akal Takht from
time to time and every Sikh looks up to the place
from which the guiding orders, considered as binding upon tne whole Panth, are issued.
Akal Takht i. a fine massive building of five
storeys in height. While it was being constructed
Emperor J ahangir offered to complete the building
oft hi~ .r,,::n expenset. Guru Har Gobind thankfully
d.\lclinefi the offer, saying, "Let me and my Sikhs

, .Ca.ptain C. M. ,Wade Political Assista.[lt Ludhiana to Sir c:r.


Metcalfe!l821.
'
tProf. Teja Si?gh, Growth and Respoosibility o.f the Sikhs.

79.

di.e 'thfi' T!;ron .. of' God with 'the le:hou:r of our o....n
little resources-~ .J want to makp it 'e, symbol of my
Sikh.' servic. and sacrifice and not " monument 1'0
a.king's generosity."
dThi~ building, too, was used to ' -be demolished
hy ' the ,'aggressors along with the Gdlden Temple,
'l'be Ii ..t' storey of the prosent builriing was prepared
in 1774 while the upper four storeys were added' -b y
M .. b&roj .. R .. lljit Singb , General HOlri Si~gb Nlllw,,,Iollated a ' hllge 8U,n for its gol<f work, but - the rlonation was misappropriated and _the work '\"as lefi
undone for the San!J~t to :complete it, .
There i. a well, known as Ak .. l Sar, just ' by th"
Akal T&kht. It W&8 built by Guru lI&r Gobind ill
1612, A vi.itor would do well to gee the T .. kht
contaimng the arms with which the - Warrior-S.int
&nd His disciple. fought freedom's battle. over tW(}
centuries ago, These a're preserved th"re with gre&t
ollre and &re shown daily in the morning and the
evening to the publio;-1; Guru Har Gobind's sword of 'Miri'-symbol
of sooial and politioal emancipation.
tAmolig the general!' of Mahllraja Ralljit Singh, lIone is more

t-elebrated thali Brother Ha.ri Siu'lh, Naiwa, 'in ~hoiD the OLJru ....livell
J.ight of Nam burllt brilliant.,. He hss been described r~celllly h,au English hil:ltoriall as thf'l world's grea,'~!t ge',' eral-head Blill
lIiJouldrs ab:'ve the Napoleau and ~~lIiug.t:oQ.
C/
.
. 'Nalwa. proTed bims~1I oU,e ot t};le mOllt able and P'1'uhu Sikh
Ko,emo", which the Siklu. baye had' {apt.: Wa.dJll); Be \Vh
:'ppo\nted Rnfernor of Kll8hmir in 1830. It. ma.y be rema.rked that
hill beroic deeds i'n the ba.tlles were the caU88100( iriteDle . d~e~d of
the Sardar'8 llH.mc fI() that the Afghan mother. still tetTi'ry Daughty

,.hild"'. theroby (Hiotory of til. l'*"j.b; 1188). ,

80'

.l.AL. TAKHT

2. . GurulIar Gobind's sword (,f 'Piri'-emblem'


of ;piritual salvation.
B. Swords of the Tenth Master, Bhai Budha,
Bhai .Tetha, Baba Karm Singh, Bhai Ude Singh and
Dhai Bidhi Chand.
4. Two-edged daggers of the martyrs Babas
Dip Singh, Gur Baksh Singh and Naudh Singh.
6 Pistols of Baba Dip Singh and Balla
Gur Baksh Singh.
6. Two arrows of the Tenth Master with gold
ends.

7. Kirpans of Guru Har Gobind and Baba


Dip Singh.
8. A mace of Guru Har Gobind, 16 seers in
weight. This was given to Nawab Jassa Singh by
Mata Sundri.
9, Khara.'I (Tegha, a long and heavy sword) of
Bhai Bachitter Singh; 10 seers in weight.
10. Kala,. (Poni..rds) of Guru Har Gobind and
of Sahib Ajit Singh and Sahib Jujhar Singh, the two
elder sons of Guru GobindSingh.
11. Pe,h Kabaz (Rapier) of Guru Har Gobind
o.nd Baba Dip Singh.
12. Chakkar. (Thin sharp edged quoits) of Bab ..
Dip Singh.
HI. Ranjit Nagara (Battle conquering drum).
This was presented by Late Maharaja Hira Si'lgh of'
Nab\la.
"

82

Babe Di Ber :-This is ,.. tre.e iu, tile prad4k.hina just' .near .the steps 'leading do';Wn ' from the
Clock Tower. It is famou~ for it shelt!lred ;ahai
Budh.. from the Beorohing heat of t/le SUIl w/lile
super.visingthe oonstraotio!l 01 the T~nk-,').'emple
the time .df Gurus. It was at this place that the
necessary,implements for the w,ark .were .daily distri,
bllted to aIL
RamgarhiaTowers:-- About j&couple ,of
hungred .feet farther from thi~ tree are seen two
octagoQ,,1 tower. known as 'RamgOorhia Towers'
lifting their head. far into the az.ure sky.
A street leading frnm ,pradak"hina gi~~" Oocce~s
to these, which were originally taller. The Upper
marble domes cr!\cked witlt ehe earthquake .of April,
1905. InsteOod of repairing, 'these be ..ut.if~l domes
were pulled down by the orders of the th,en Deputy
Commissioner of Amritsar. These to,w~r.a~e exceptionally vantage places to gain abird's eye-view of
the city.
.
Dukh Bhanja'ni .Ber:-At ,a few paces dist,l!nce
to these towers stands a famous tree, Du.kh Bhan/aniBeT or Healer of Affiictian, on the side of the 'l'allk.
'l'he pilgrims Hook to this ,site of thA Tank for a
bath hOoving faith in .their hearts that this spot hOos
an efficiency of curing every disease. The following
oory i"related in this concern: bo.;ing the life-time of Guru Ram Das, the
y~)tingest daughter of Dani Chand, a rich m..nof
Patti, .in Law:8re District, had her fat;e like the
youngest daughter of King Lear of the Shakespeare'.

,at

83

PMY, The girl wa~ married ' to an i;"ourable''Iepe:


because she had said that it was the Almighty God
, Who cherished them 'all, the parents were' only a
pretext , to carry out His will. Wandering and
,oarrying her husband in ~ basket the faithful girl
e&me to Guru k& C,h&k. Laying, the basket by the
side of the Tank, which W&8 then in the form of ..
shady pool and being excavated, the girl went to Ihe
neat by village to heg "lms and p"y her' obeisan~e
to Gnru Ram Da., the fountai;'" whence she had
derived the True Light.
.,
"

In her abse;"a~, the iepe~ heard' fro~ the Sikhs,


who were working near by, about the greatness of the
Master and His Tank. So he determined to test the
efficacy oftha 'Wate, of Imnortality' on himself. He
left the basket and crawled into the water; holding the
bank of the popl with one hand. To his great" sur,prise he W&8 cured 9f his leprosy in a fi h. He
oame ,out 8o)ld sat beside the bank, waiting for his
faithful. wife. She returned, but her consternation
the
knew no bouJ;lds. , 'r n the perfect proportions
man she could not disoover her husband. ' She 'took
him to be an impostor. "Ill -w;ain did the man 6ssay
to explain to her the calise of this," metamorphosis.
Remonstranc!' ~nd argument had no efi'ecton ' her.
rhe devotees of the Gurll, :~ho were working ' near
by, bore witness to the fact that he 'was' retlly tl:.e
.a~e man she 'had brought in her basket but tli,d"d y
.till remained sc~ptioal. On this they told her that
the matter. might be referred to the M@ster. So both
then came to Sat Guru. Whose Itlance broullht ttl

of

them et<orno.i p.aee, ' The r....hol.e m&tter was n&rr&ted.


The Guru: smiled tond !&id, "Than o&yeot thia poql
bath no efficaoy. It is in fact supreme among ~I
pll.oes of pilgrimages. If thou even yet believeth not,
see the man is still ' &fi'ected .with leprosy on one
hl.nd with which he was holding the bank of
h e pool. Let him dip it into the wl.ter I.nd thou
shtlt. see the r..,sult. And . whoever batbeth in th;"
Tank shall obtain balm foc his wounded spirit. The
I&te ,leprous oripple put his hand into . the . w:ater
and It:was immediately healed. The II.~. .WOj' oonvinced ~f her mistake. Both fell &t Master',
. feet '.and
.thereafter worked in labour of love e.~ Ilis disoiples.
Than Sahib :-Adjoining the I... t mentioned
'place is a room known'a. Thara Sahib where Guru
6ranth Sahib remains open throughout the day . .The
historical fact linked with the holiness of this pi ape is
related thus :.' "W 4zir KhaD, Emperor's . oourtier of the time,
struck down 'with dropsy and given \lp as in~ura

was

ble by 'all the physioians. He had oome hope in


Divine Power. So he o&me to Guru Arj ..n and py~
for a oure. The Master asked Bhai Bud ha, . who
,..as ol.rryiog a bl.8ket of earth from the Tank .. t. that
time, ,to cure the patient. Wholly absorbed in servioe
Blil.i Bud b.apoured tbe contents of the basket on
~ ...,ii'Khan. This had a wonderfu~ and miraoulous
' pffe~t: "The dropsy disappeared at' once. Wuir
. Khan's faith in 'hislll.8ter w&s ,more: oanfirmoo &{ld he
wilt .. r"i.8'I' pI&tform at this , place to k.e!,R a4"V,e thito
fact, Tbis 'wa8'ln.ade paeca lb)l "rharaja ; ~\'4Ij,it!l'Iingh.
~>

Ath 8ath Tirath :-Adjoining Thara Sahib is

another small shrine called Alh Sath Tirath~ shrine


equivalent to 68 Tirath.. Guru N anak, ODce left
quietly the busy city of Kartarpur and sought ser,juAngad, the Second-Nanak,
aion in this place."
acoompanied by Bhai Budha came searching and
found the Master here in wrapt contemplation. Bhai
Budha inquired of the Spiritua.L Tdac her a9 to why Jle
had renounced a popul," place like Kartarp'ur for thi.
lonely spot. The Master, in reply, declared this plaoe
to be Holiest of the Holy and blessed it with o follo;ying words;'ilerve Sat Guru Who i. likened to a fathomless
sea, earn the gem of the True Name. The dirt of
p ... ,ion.i, washed away by bothing in the Tank of
Immortality and one gets full contentment.'
Maru Mahalla I.
Guru ka Bagh ;-A little further from the last
plaoe i. a pa"aga Ie ading from pradak,hina to Guru
ka Bagh or Gurn's Garden and Baha Atat. Beside$
the beautiful plots for holding religious congrega'ions,
the free di.pensary, Guru ka Lang" (free kitohen),
.Snraj Parkash. p~1765.
tWbat is 8piritua.llife in the templE of fle"h. without R fun
m83.1? 'rhe very fir~t Ttlmple m1.de by Gllru ~l1l1l\k. therefore was
the Temple of Bread or G.tru ka Lan~ar. III this common Tp.mpie
of Brea.d, the Bread of Uod was made free to the childre'bof mall.
Flvery Sikh SanJlat alld Gllrdwara is marked with the presence of
this Temple. No one could }lny bnmafle to the Th'rfl-~flII8lr,
irreaptctive of callte, creed or rank, without takiuA' meals in thr8
Tempit'. This aimple Temple bas a lofty id,al of "Universal
"Rrotherhooil". ~Servillg all by this Tflmple, 'Brelld and \later beIouI:' to the Lord' is.the common otteraoce of the Sikhs~

1!6

Khalsa High School are located in this g~rden. ~


beautiful Sera; Guru Ram Dls Niwa.a Asthant for
pilgrims has recently been coustructed here, to which
is att ..cbed a grand 'Guru Ram Das Library' to
satisfy the thirst of the literary publlc. Not many ,;
year back this garden was a staying place for Sadhu.
of an kinds and sects, ' who used to visit the Golden
Te'l'ple at the times of the (airs. Here one could see
then corpufent naked faqirs, sitting in meditation,
besmeared with ashes and surrounded by devotees;
&sceti~s sitting or lying in beds studded' with point
ed iron-nails;
sadhus in contemplation near the
smouldering fire, distributing ashos to women and
men around them. Bat with the reform, this has
pas>ed away and the place is left in peaceful repose
as a smaH publio park. Now offices of Local and
Shirom ..ni Gurdwara Parbandhak Committees are
situ~ted in this park.
Besides the pavilions with artificial water-falls
and springs, therA are two pavilions of historical
import'.nce. One is known as Manji Sahib, whioh
commemorates the place where auru Arjon' nsed to
,.. hold congregations. The other i. remembered as
'Shahid Ganj. It stands a witness to the sacri:fic99 of
the Sikhs, which were made to rescue', the Golden

..

t'The marJal{ement for the comfort of for;ignel'8 is excellellt


ani praisetorthy. Free l(}l)ging, free uoarding from LIUli/ilr, free
electric"r~If5, free be-ding etc... are the most importaut features of
thetm.U1:l\Zemeut. , Every facility which PardelSi requires is alai1
abil ill this Sera.i and oue f~rgets his home after he puts up tnere.
I am'of i-piuiotl WA this 8erai is one of its kind 'lud Mecoud to

IlObe il)cllldi,,> '

'jll.~.

qbafoor, Gr&d A.E.,.M.E.E.

87

Te.~ple 'from tj,~' tyr;',inical ~uler. who were profani~g


this 'Saored PlaQe. The dead bodies of some mart,yrs
wer!" blunt ' here:
. Baba Alial :-Through Guru ke. Bagh the pilgrims, go to ~a1>1L Atal whioh is located to the southwest of the , Golden, Temple. Beautifully planned
.."d exquisitely finished ' B"b.. A tal, a nine-storey
\ower,150 feet ,high ..nd surmounted w,ith giIJed
dome, stands on'the h""k of tank ~alled Kaulsar.
The number of storeys oounts the years of tho f.gO, of
At"l Rai, son of Guru Har Gol,lind Sa"ib, "ho ,wa.
cremated at this site in 1628. ' Spirituality and wit
attained by Atal Rai had him known as Baba, an old
man. In his memor), the public raised a mound here.
Later in 1778 the foundation of the present building
was laid and in 178! it bore 'the shape of a lofty
tower.

In th~ ground-floor of the tower there is a small


it!ner room where Holy Scripture is kept open.
Hundreds of pilgrim. go round this place, touoh their
forehead. t., take off the dust and press the marble
edges of it reverently as if to shampoo the tired lim~.
of the young Baba. Here the poor are fed in hund~
reds' every day.
'rhe first iloor has its walls and ceiling decorated
with frescoes, representing episodes from thr life of
Guru Nanak. A fine panoramio view of ~i),e whole
oity may be had from the upper storeys.
The ~nk K auls..r attaohed to t~. templfl derives
its name ireID Mala Kania .. , lhe daughter of Qui
88

of ),{ozang, a suburb of L"hore, and " devotee ofo


Guru
Har Gobind.
o
In the outer pradakshina sta.nde II cenotaph of
Nawab .Jaua Singh, who died at Amritsa.r in 1783.
While that of Nawab Kapur Singh, whioh was ju.t
near by, was demolished by the Gurdwara Managing
Committee in ] 931 . .
Bhahid Bunga :-Next place of importance in
the outer J>radahhina of Darbar Sahib i. Shahid
Bunga. or 'House of Ma.rtyr.' In 1760 Baba Dip Singh,
a Sikh General, on hearing tha.t the Golden TeJl'le
wa.s being defiled by Ahma.d Sha.h Abda.li, OILlqe with
an army fighting his wa.y through the enemies.
About four miles awa.y from Amrits~(, his helLd wa..
almo.t cut off. The invetrat~ hero holding hi. head
with one hand went outting through the flanks of
enemies, who werevanqui.hed and pursued with great
sla.ughter to the town of Amritsar, which they were
compelled to evaouate then. On re&ching Darbar
~ .. hib, Baba ji expired at this place. A cenotaph wa.
built and the .pot is muoh respeoted by the Sikh . t
. The la.t historioal plaoe in the outer pradak,hillC'
i. a tree o,.\led Bhai Salo'. Ber. It is sitnated near
the bridge and is al80 known as lIlachi Ber.
*lIacauliffe's Sikh Religion, Vol. IV. 'P 49:- Gurl1 Har Oobind
ill 1621 caused a. tank to be dUllliear the Gnlden Temple. The
TAuk, called Kaulur, iA one ot the holiest in Amritaar. But the
date i. mentioned as 1627 in Eneyclopoodia of Sikh Lilerah,l'e, Vol ..
1. p-229. n i. al80 held ~hat ""me Kaulnr I w:u give-.It . to"' the
'rank because lotus (KaHT) flourished there.

tShahid Ganj, where Daba Dip SiuJilh'. body was cremded.
.b.nd. near Ch3.t~wiud G~te and is worth seeiug .

90

Although the Golden Temple i. unique in its


charm and is most important of the attraotions of
Amritsar, there are in the city many other Sikh
temples with historical associations: They are : Santokhsar, tbe Tank of Contentment, is situat
ed in the heart of the city just near the Town HaU.
'I'he exoavation of the tank commenced in the time
of Guru Ham Da. but Gtlru Arjan completed it in

1588.
Th seek Masin's blessing. for a son Bbai
Santokha of Peshawar came to Amrits~r, hut the
DivTne Master hlessed His disciple with something
immortal. It was nA.ming this tank after disciple'.
name as Santokhsar.
Gurdwara Lobgarh was, in the time of the
Sixth Guru 1629, the scene of an engngament between the Sikh army and the forces of the Moghal
Emperor. Its fundation was laid by Guru nar Gobind
in 1614.
Gurdwaras Bam Sar and Bibek Sar are
situated near the Chatiwind Gate. Gurdwara
Hamsar was prepl\red in 160203 . It marks j,h. site
where the Fifth Master, compilej Guru Granth Sahib.
Bibeksar wa. rai.ed by Guru aar Gobind in 1621:1.
Thus the Sikh. had to fight so hard and continuously for the retention of these Sacred Places that,
in course of time, there came into existence .. s..ying
Joh ..t ullder every iuch of the Golden Temple there
lie9 tlu!l head of a Sikh. Marked with the blood of
~"rtyr. the Gorden Temple still stands a9 an intitu1;ion Qf a ..ri,liirtl\u imparting the teachings of Truth,
Love and Sacrifioe.
91

HOW OTHERS SEE

GOLDEN TEMPLE, AMRITSAR


1. The more I see it the more 1 wish ~o see it.
More wonderful than this Unique Golden Wonder,
this divine goldlln lotus that glooms night and 'day,
is the spirit of perfect fraternity and equality between
men of all races and creeds and between men and
women tbat. reigns here. Still more wonderful is the
burning devotion of all the people, young and
old, .. ho stream in to offer prayers and worship
from 2 A."'. till 11 P."'. every day, a thh,g unpard Ie led in the world. Many a house of God of
Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Parsee_, Jains
and Jews have I seen and I can say that I have
found the t.rue spirit of religion more alive here than
anywhere else.
Bruised, broken, bleeding in spirit I came here
and go hence healed and made whole, a better,
.tronger, happier wan. For this rich, this priceles.
and spiritual gift I am indebted immeasurably t~
Sri narbar Sahib. To all pilgrims of the Eternal

Truth and Beauty ' I may in all humility sl'y 'yo,n


oannot do better than oome to the Golden Temple.:

S. M. Micheal, Journal.ist and Author


Rownad.
'
92

2. A rare and impressive monument to the


spirituality of a' distinguished race.
O. E. Lewis De-Premier,
Baha,ain, P. C" En,l/land. '
3. To enter in the 'Golden Temple of AmritBar
is to obtain comfort for the body and peaoe for the
soul. At least I embraced indesoribable comfort and
pe&jle of heart. For the time being all worries and
troubles .lett me and I was feeling as if I were ..
ohild just beginning my fresh start.
Dr. M. N. Ka ..l, M . .d., Ph. D., Berlin.
4. The Temple just m ..kes you feel the truth
and God with you.
ROBam and Bruce,
Glen Green, Ro/lylCood.

6. A journey haif arouud the world would b~


well taken if alone to see this jewel of architecture. '
E. E. Van Sickle, New York City.

0. There is no sep..ration.

Panlin. Bolke~, Holland.


7. The India League Delegation from London
visited the Golden Temple. We congratulate ' the
Sikh Community on the permanenoe of their tradition, tAe magnificence of their art and the disoipline
1fhioL t>~. offered an example and proved enduran<Ml
t:o ine world.
Ellen Wi,kinson, Nomia W1Iattl,~
Leonard W. Matter.
93

" I!I, Immortal memory of Darbar Sahib vJill


)inger in my memory uutil the last day. of my death.

S. Kane Ko U.aka, JJpan.

9. A marvellous place "nd unforgettable.


June lJarner, Harmover, Germuny.

10. I have to admit that Golden Temple is oue


of the wonders of the wurld, but rh ..ve foulld a
temple .till infinitely more beautiful i.1 the lofty
teachings of the Sik h Religion.
"
Emgineg, Mariud, llQit. Port,
Belqium.

il. Remembrance of my vi,it to a marvellous


'remple where the real spirit of brotherly love is not
only preached but carried on without distinction of
creed, race or political ideals. If more of my countrv.
men should vi.it this delightful place of rndia, how
much better understanding of our people then
would "be.
J. H. Wande,wall, 250 New York Cily.
12. One of my greatest impre.sion of India.
Rev. Lou"e! of Paris, Pranee.

1/1. Solemn, ;uperb and splendid.


Rabindra Nath Ohattt!flji, Calcutta.

,-

'1:4. Really i. it a true fact that if any b6o.y'visits


the;temple, will not like to go away and leave the
doors of the Temple.
,
'
'
. Shaftti R. Shah, W",.ld CycZe TouriNt.

15. We haye travelled in many Jands, hut nowhere have we ever seEn such an exquisite gem of ~
tAmpJe as the Oolde!! Temple of Amritsar.
Lee Merizeether St. Loui" U. S. A. and
Jessie (lair Wether.
16. Friendly feelings :for mankind irrespective
of caste and creed I\re appra.via.s;ng. The arrangemoot in thp fre~ kitchen is prai.eworthy, there everyhody i. fed whosoever comes and asks for food.
N. R. LeMBllul'm, Germany.
17. So far the passive resistance is concerned
one could haYe a guiding sta.r in Golden Temple at
Amritsar.

H. B. L. Clanle Radlelh, England,


1~.

It i, really a very inspiring and touching


hUilding. One cannot but become tempted to pa.ss
bi. greater port of life here.
Abin. S. Under brill, Counsell.. at Law,
New Y<wk.
19.

Univers"l brotherhood' is the tenet which

i. .. me to be found, if one were to visit Golden

Temple at Amritsar where everyone is treated equally


and on brotherly feelings withollt 1Jrejudice of caste
ur creed and irrespective of any religion.
B . .rkharas, Bombay.
~O~ 'Two h"urs 1 spent in the Golden Temple
The whole visit was "ery
r..marbble Bilft m&de me feel fairly torn .in two.
Gwrgina A. Go/lock, London.
95

are impossible to forget.

21. We have heen very fortuna!.!> in being


.:t\ermitted to visit this most beauliful Temple in
~ndia. The beauty oonsists not only in the ma6nifi~
cont gold work and lovely p~inting buo in the beauty
.of loveliness and service which comes from the Vf"y
presence of the Great Re.lity. Its cosmop~litan and
puritan spirit ca.n contribute mnoh t1 the new India.
.
B. W. Tuckl!'f' ' .A merica,~ "
f'
Santi NiketJn, Bengal .
22.

23.
seen ..

A usual joy a.nd spiritual uplift.

HeR Tunker, M. D., New YO"k


One of the most impressive sight.. we have

Charlotte Webb, Syvia.


24. Caunot speak too highly of th~ wonders of
the place. It is really marvellous.
A. Smith, London.

2n. It is a beautiful religion and so .the Temple


is. I think this religion. i. the finest religion in the
world. Love which I have found in the Sikhs is the
best thing in the world.
t
Yoyawachal'a, Mohana,
Buddhi.t Monk.

25. The Golden Temple at Amritsar "truely


,
deserves the title "Golden". A. one looks and' won,
ders ,,,t it, one cannot help recalling to one's mind,
the lives of that noble band of great SIUUS wao by
devotion and'self-sacrifice established it. The Temple
96

bea.'ltlh,l "nil mqje.tio is very muoh grander

on

feStival U(cassions.

B. J. VaHU"ani, England.
26 I was very much delighted with the pioturesque .. lid real god-like view it (the Golden Temple)
presented. The singing inside the Temple was
simply chlj,rming.
Dukhundke, England.

27 . The fealures of the Temple shall ever remain


green in our minds. Really we feel proud to have
such a Holy Temple which ,en~s a thrill when
looked at. ,
L. Bahadttf' Lal, rily Scout Commi ..ion"
G Taa.ipore.

I 28. It is one of the . mo.st ooautiful temples, I


ha'1e ever visited duri"ng my wan~erings around
thei world.
i
E . .Jones, London.

: 29. Very beautiful, very sacred and a lesson in


religion and art. One is not liable to forget.
John B .~htad, U. S . A .
30. I visited the Golden Temple and was highly
pie&sed"' \'I'ith whatever I 's";w. I am sure there
"ann~t"he anything like this in the whole world.
The precepts of the Sikh Religion if fully folIo'wed
w'ill so~ve the illIliculties of the human raoe.

K . .1.. Modi, .Karachi.


~7

TARN TARAN
rourteen miles to the south of Amrita&t, at>d
on the branoh uil .....yline to Patti and ~B"Ur, an
other noteworthy place i8 the great Sikh Shriqe at
Tarn 'raran.
The "pot ...here the town Bnd the temple were
founded by the Fifth.Ndnsk, Guru Arjan, in IbfO,

Temple aftd Tank of Tarn TILf'.l"

was "bpfore thIS time a thick jungle with a ferWe ';oil


and the freslJ and exbil ... ting atmosplful.e. The.fertile
soil w ..s annuslly cultivated by the neighbourin~
9t:i

villagen and yielded good h&rvest. Might..... ijle


only oriterion to determine the proprietorBhip of this
yield. Sat Gnru Arjan, after completing Hari Mandl<
at Amritoar, came here while going to Goind ..alo and
sugge.ted to the villag"n to end their annual feni!.
by parting with the land that was proving a bone of
contention. The villagers agreed and thi. land w...
pllrohasett, by the Master from themt to build the
present temple and tank for the devotional abIn-
tioll. of the disciples and n&med it Tarn Taran meaning 'wItenoe people swim across the !;leo. of Ignor&nce .
to save many a drowning Bonl.'
In order to make this tomple &nd tank, &long
with a few hnts, pnooa, Gnrn Arj&n, at a gre&t
expense, built lime-kilns and C&nBed brick. to be b&ked.
When theBe were seen by Amir-nd-Din, son at Nurul-Din, the 100&1 Mohammed&n governor, they were,
according to the tyrannic&! oustom of the age, seized
by him for the oonstroction of a seraglio designed by
the Emperor. The Sikh. on seeing this suggelted to
the Guru to write to the Emperor to allow the tank
to be finished and to inspire fear in the tyrant. The
Gnru, Who was the essence of humility, refused to
take notice of the ootr&ge. lie ,aid that God h&d
not yet ordered the tank to be made pucca, wherefore
tiley were to stop its construotion altogether. 'Mercy,'
-oon~in~.~d the Guru, 'i. the basis of religious wonhip;

OoiDdwal i. another Sikb sbrine of great biltorieal .. impo!'Canee fouflded by. Guru Amar Du 00 the bank of the riYer BeM
. ~lI.lIdabJut twella miles aW&J from Tarn Tw.

.- t :Tbe tI10..0.1 pape.. of Amrilaar ~ialricl, 1$1-92,

wherefore We sbould haye Dleroy on everyone. All


the acts of him, who :hath no meray in his heart;
are invain.' Acoordingly the construotion was,
..bandoned.
After Guru Gobind Singh, as previously stated,'
the Sikhs were hunted with the fullest venom, with
all resources that the Mogh ..l Empire had at its
command,. So the temple remained a 'kacha' hut
and the tan'k an irregular pond till the Sikhs came
into JIOwer.. It was in 1775 that Sardar Khushal
Singh aad Sardar Budh Singh of. Faizullapur joined
by Sardar J assa Sillgh R ..mgarhia destroyed N ur-ulDin's edifice and employed the bricks, of which
Nur-ul-Din'. son Amirud,Din had robbed the Guru,
in the oonstruction of the tank and the temple. The
remaining part of the work wa. oompleted and the
final shape given as we see to-day by Maharaja
Ranjit Singh in Hmo.
The temple, the nuoleus round whioh the de.
velopment of the town centres, is situated on the
southern edge of the tank, which is about 1,000 feet
square. The magnificent temple bright with gilding
like that of Amritsar is beautifully decorated with
paint and mosaic inside and i. an itereating piece of
architecture.. At one corner of the tank stands a
tall- m!gnificent tower of maaonary work.t It was
tuill; by,Kunwar N au Nihal Singh. He intended to
Itujld three others, one at each corner, but died before
lae 'cou.ld 'accomplish his project.

eMaulUr.,"Tho Sikh RelirioD, Vol. III,1-m..


tPuDjab GOII. Gaaotto.r, Amritaar Di.triol.

101

_,
Crowd. of pilgrims, amounting to one hun(h~d'
thousand, and even more, Hock to this shrine everY
t-month, on the occa.sion of Amava,s fair, to have ba.th
in tbe holy'tank and pay homage to the Guru. Tbe
. fair held in March (Ohet): altd'i tbe other' 'in ~Ull:ust
(Bhadron) ate more illlporte:t1t, being"ili memory 'of
commencement and completion of the tank.
This tank has gainetl 'much f"me 'iletause' or.the
many thonsand's of lepers' W'ho "hilve been 'ci1~ed'by
bathing in the tank, "wbich has'miriculous' ~Iillg
effect on persons' so '.filicted: This mytbicll power
of the 1vater would appear to have be'en pronouiced
by Guru Arjan.'*
.
The management of this te';'ple and ' that df
'l!\mritliar remained in the 'sam~ 'hands till the' recent
Gurd wara Reform Movement: Sci' practically ~very
rule and custom observed at' Ainritsar is pritbii.ecl 'lit
Tarn Taran and even history of the' littt"r 'resembles
that ' of the former:' Since the' enactment Of the
(}urdwara Act the management 'of the temple i.
under the control of a Sikh Committee, ejected every
third year.
Thtre are other places of Sikh hiotorieRI importance in the "icinity 'of the temple and in the
neighbourhood of the' t:own, fdr' wbich o~e is referred
to 'Brief History of Sri Darbar Sahib, 1'..rn.Taran.,'
in Gurmukhi, by the same author.
.;....

'II

Punjab ~ote. aDd :Querr:ie8. 186.


1M

. ,\

ERRATA
Page

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54

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