Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PATRONS
Dr . Trilochan Singh
S. Hardit Singh Malik Maharaja Amarinder Singh Detroit
New Delhi Patiala
Mr. Ganga Singh Dhillon
Dr. Shams her Singh
Mrs . Ursula Gill
Washington, D.C.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Prof. Karamjit Singh Rai
Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany, Chief Editor Illinois
Prof. Hari Singh Everest
Ajaib Singh Sidhu Dr. A. S. Dhaliwal
Assistant Editors Mr. B. S. Kalra
Chicago
Dr. Gurnam Singh Sidhu Mrs. Satinder Kaur Kapany
Mr. B. S. Basi
Prof . Bhai Harbans Lal Dr. I. J. Singh
Cleveland
J. P. Singh
Houston
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Mrs . Diane Singh
New Orleans
Dr . Mohinder Singh Randhawa Prof. Ganda Singh
(Chandigarh) (Patiala)
Mrs. Gail Sidhu
Dr. Kartar Singh Lalvani Prof. Harbans Singh
San Francisco
(London) (Patiala)
S. Khushwant Singh Mrs. Manjit P.M. Wylam Prof. Hari Singh Everest
(Bombay) (London) Yuba City
Prof. W. H. McLeod Dr. C. S. Wallia
(New Zealand) (California) Gurpreet Singh
Dr. Hakam Singh
Los Angeles
THE SI KH SANSAR: Sansar means universe. Traditionally the material universe R. S. Gyani
Dr. Beant Singh
has been considered an "illusion" (Maya). The Sikhs consider the material universe Ontario, Canada
as a manifestation of the cosmic spirit. This journal will attempt to present both the
material and spiritual aspects of Sikh culture. Dr. Kesar Singh
Mr. G. S. Deol
THE SI KH SANSAR is owned and managed by the Sikh Foundation, P.O . Box Vancouver, Canada
737, Redwood City, California 94064 , which is a non-political , non-profit, organiz-
ation dedicated to dissemination of knowledge about the history, literature, art, Mr. A. S. Chhatwal
culture and religious precepts of the Sikhs. The views presented by various authors London
and contributors herein does not imply an endorsement by either TH E SI KH SAN-
Mr. J. S. Sodhi
SAR or The Sikh Foundation . Birmingham, U. K.
Contents
Editorial . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 76
The Building of a Spiritual Nation, Guru Terath Singh Khalsa ............ " 78
Letters to the Edit9r ... ..... ............... . ... ... ........... ,... 93
Rise and Growth of Sikh Militarism up to 1760 A.D ., Prof Surjit Singh 98
Material for Study of East Indian History
in North America, Bruce La Brack . ~ •. ........ . ................. 105
THE SIKH SANSAR
Volume 5, Number 3
EDITORIAL - American Ideals and the Sikh Spirit September 1976
The completion of 200 years of America's exist- political, technological and other spheres. But so far
ence as an independent nation is hailed universally as the emphasis of the Punjabi Sikhs in America has
a triumph of some of the highest ideals of humanity. been on economic or professional achievements. Sikh
Much that has been accomplished in this society in in- spiritual pursuits and contributions have come in-
dustrial and technological spheres is an indirect result creasingly from American Sikhs of European descent.
of the exploration of free human spirit. It is easy to Sometimes these Sikhs have been criticized for em-
find failings and shortcomings in any society and all pasis on a variety of activities that are not a part of
societies have their share of people with moral flaws. the Sikh tradition. But speaking positively, except
But Americans have continuously strived to put into for some groping by the new initiates who might ex-
practice the fundamental principles of liberty, equal- periment with off beat philosophies simultaneously, "
Ity and democracy. The American success takes on most of these activities are compatible with Sikhism.
an even greater meaning when one realizes how easily In fact it is hard to deny that after an initial period of
these fra~ile principles can become casualities of ruth- education and research some of these American Sikhs
less ambItion and when one hears of the trampling of have grasped the essense of Sikhism to a degree that
democratic principles by authoritarian politicians in few Punjabis in America have the dedication to ach-
societies which only in recent history touted them- ieve. In their daily lives many of them practice con-
selves as champions of democracy and fundamental scientiously the virtues of truth, honesty, purity of
human rights. mind and body, humility, service, mutual support and
I
The Sikhs, although new in America have a special social uplift, and above all devotion to N am. They
reason for satisfaction and rejoicing at the American look upon the history of the Sikhs as their heritage
achievements in uplifting humanity. For a Sikh the and many are trying to learn Gurmukhi in order to
American Declaration of Independence and the prac- read the scriptures in the original. Sikhism has
tice of democracy represent the fulfillment of the brought blissful change and uplift in the lives of each
principles and ideals that are an essential part of the of them. Their experience is neither unique not up-
practice of his faith . The Sikh Gurus, starting in the precedented but just an example of illumination of
16th century with Guru Nanak, emphasized equality fogged minds through Nam and the Sikh way of life.
of human beings and institutionahzed equal treat- This success, multiplied thousand-fold and more,
ment for all through Langar and other practices. could transform America into an oasis of righteous-
Their continuous struggles and sacrifices for two cen- ness and truthful living in this troubled world.
turies for a just order and religious freedom for all What happens in America is not always "Ameri-
and to end tranny of cruel Moughals and ruthless can" in that, frequently, popular cultural trends run
destroyers of humanity from west of the Khyber counter to high spiritual and moral values and are in-
pass, were carried out in a much harsher and less en- compatible with the ideals of the founding fathers
lightened age and environment. Finally, Guru Gob- like Thomas Jefferson. What we need is an elite
ind Singh made the practice of the democratic prin- corps of Singhs and Kaurs who will profess and live
ciple mandatory for all temporal and social affairs of by the Sikh ideals and will be inspiring exam{Jles
the Sikh nation be;fore his departure in the year 1708. for others. A constant battle has to be waged agamst
The Sikh struggle for self determination and polit-
I the mrths propagated by promoters of continuous
sensua stimulation instead of inner glow and strength
ical power began historically more than a century be-
fore American Independence and was based on Ideo- of character; perverted life-style and social fads in~
stead of wholesome and moral living and unscrupu-
logy containing many similar features. When Banda lous pursuit of wealth instead of ethical practices.
Singh Bahadur, an ascetic before conversion to Sikh- We, Sikhs in America have an opportunity to exer-
ism, took up arms m the name 01 the Guru he was no cise Sikh values and thereby to reVItalize the saggin~
conventional warrior trying to conquer some terri- American moral values. The ideological and histon-
tory. He was infused with the ideals and spirit of cal parallels make the American experience more
Guru Gobind Singh. Of course, despite the similar- meaningful for Sikhs than for many other people in
ities, the Sikh struggle took place in a drastically cruel
and unfavorable time and place. Destiny operating the world. While America provides a fertile ground
for the flourishing of truthful lining, we have a poten-
through evil men and forces deprived the Sikh nation tial and a responsibility to make such a contribution.
of independence and political power within less than Can our spiritual heritage bring American society
a century after it had been achieved with unprece- closer to perfection? If the example and the com-
dented heroism and sacrifices. One can only imagine mandment of Guru Gobind Singh were to be cons-
what' the Sikh natIOn would be like if events had tak- cientiously carried out, the answer would have to
en a different turn at the critical period. be a resounding YES!
Sikhs have been a part, albeit miniscule, of Amer- Wherever you are start with yourself and ask "do I
ican life for nearly seventy years. They have contri· represent a model of a Sikh that others should em-
buted to and benefitted from activities in economic, ulate?" Gurnam Singh Sidhu
76
GURU GOBIND SINGH
America's struggle for Independence from the ing for you." He told us of the sanctity of the wed-
British was motivated by both political and religious ding vows, of the langar of the Golden Temple as well
persecution and oppression. During the past 200 as the physiological benefits of a vegetarian diet.
years, while awareness of social problems and their An entirely new dimension has been added to our
solutions has ~rown through the struggle of America's lives as we are raising our children in ashrams with
minorities, spIritual consciousness has diminished. To stories of the Gurus rather than having them grown
a large extent, rituals have become more important up with Mickey Mouse and Batman as their heroes.
and dominate the religions themselves. They and we are learning that living together as
American society has been on a steady deterior- Khalsa is the true meaning of "family", and that Gur-
ating course since the end of the Korean conflict. mukhi is a direct link to the teachings of the Gurus.
The cities are decaying, respect for elders has been Most of all we have discovered that Sikh Dharma is
lost, and television sets have become the teachers. not an intellectual understanding of what was taught
Family relationships have also been disintegrating, re- hundreds of years ago, but a viable way of living to-
sulting in millions of children growing up in broken day-of being healthy, happy and strong-of wearing
homes. People have lost respect for themselves, and turbans as a sign of humility before God. The teach-
teenagers are consuming drugs, alchohol, cigarettes ings of the Gurus to lead honest, worthwhile and ser-
and hamburgers and french fnes as part of their daily viceful lives, to never compromise faith, to respect
diet. The obsessive drive for success in the business women as the Grace of God and to live as God has
world overshadowed spiritual awareness and com- made us, are so simple and direct that no rationaliz.a-
munity service. tion can erode them. That is why though the times
Escape from this madness was sought by many may change, the teachings will remain eterU3:I-they
people in the 1960's through the use of halluceno- are teachings of how to be strong, compassionate and
gemc drugs and a total rejection of contemporary val- graceful under any circumstances and at any time.
ues. Women became "liberated" and competed with We are now experiencing the emergence of a Spir-
men on every level. The traditional western Judeo- itual Nation during our country's Bicentennial year.
Christian religions did not have the resourses or teach- Sikhs from the East and West are meeting together at
ings to cope with the problems, and the churches and Gurudwaras across the country and chanting God's
synagogues were half-filled with a very small propor- Name. It is a time of great adventure-a renaissance
tIon being teenagers and young adults. In additIOn, of spirit and a hope for the future.
the Vietnam War tore the country apart for 10 years. During our last Summer Solstice celebration in
Thousands of young men intentionally broke the law New Mexico, we sang of the spirit and determiniation
and refused to fight in a senseless war. Protests of the times:
brought more extreme government action resulting in
Watergate and the disgrace of the office of the Pres- Many speak of courage, speaking cannot give it;
idency. It 's in the face of death that you must live it.
Against this backdrop, in 1969 Siri Singh Sahib When things are down and darkest,
Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Yogi (Yogi Bhajan) came That's when we'll stand tallest.
to the United States and began teaching the tech- Until the last star falls,
niques of Kundalini yoga and meditation. He also We won't give in at all.
told of the lives of the Sikh Gurus-the stories of Stand as the Khalsa, strong as steel, steady as
Guru Nanak, the humility and service of Guru Ran stone;
Das, the martydrdoms of Guru Arjun and Guru Teg Give our lives to God and Guru, mind and soul,
Bahadur, and the strength and inspiration of Guru breath and bone.
Gobind Singh and the Khalsa. Moreover, he taught Guru Arjun gave his life to stand for what was right.
that chanting the Nam was the path of God. He was burned and tortured five long days and nights.
As an alternative to the goal-oriented mentality of He could have stopped it anytime just by giving in.
-the Western world, we were- told not to search for His strength a solia wall; he never gave an inch
God, but "Be so beautiful that God will come look- at all.
Sons of the Khalsa remember those who have died ;
* Guru Terath Sinfh Khalsa is Chancellor to the Siri Singh Stood their J;round until the last breath,
Sahib, Director 0 Hargobind Sedan, 2669 Le Conte Street,
Berkely, California, and a practicing attorney in San Francisco. So that we who live now might live free lives.
78
A pri.ncess is n?t royal by. birth or blood i,!side, A REQUEST TO THE SUBSCRIBERS
But if her famtly s home zs Anandpur Sahtb.
She 'f! walk with such a grace and strength, Please check the top of the address label on the
the world will bow in awe. envelope. THE NUMBER ON THE TOP LEFT IS
Until the mountains fall, we won't give an inch YOUR REFERENCE NUMBER. Make a note of
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through the GUru's eyes. EXPIRATION DATE OF YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
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And now we have his legacy, to die before we fall;
And like the five who answered his call, Renewing your subscription every year is a
we can't turn back at all. _ bothersome affair to you, and it is an unpleasant
Stand for Khalsa, strong as steel, steady as stone, task for us to remind you about it. I take this op-
Give our lives to God and Guru, mind and soul, portunity to request you to become a Life Member.
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The tenth Guru gave even his sons to give the not possible, remit your subscription for at least
Khalsa life. four years - only $20. Most of the subscribers
His words stand like mountains against have already done that. Please consider it.
the winds of time; If the TOP RIGHT HAND IS BLANK your
That Khalsa will rule the world; all will be safe subscription has already expired. We have kept
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But if the Khalsa falls, there won't be a you on the mailing list temporarily; we do not
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Stand as the Khalsa, strong as steel, Please send your subscription (check or
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breath and bone, Post Office Box 737
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are His alone. ** Ajaib Singh Sidhu
Assistant Editor
It is time for all Sikhs to stand together, to live as
Khalsa, and to be an inspiration to all who have lost
their faith and spirit. Petty differences in our com-
munities should be put aside, and we should start on
a path of mutual respect and understandin~ so that
our children will know through the expenences of
their lives that desperation, fear and insecurity can
be overcome with humility and strength.
The blendin~ of the East and West in the American
Sikh commumties is just beginning, and the found-
ation for the future is in our hands, hearts and
minds. With Guru's Grace, we can change the current
of the times and set the course for future generations.
Let us Begin!
79
VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND
LIBERTIES IN INDA*
81
NAM SIMRAN AND SIKHISM
Professor Satnam Singh Bhugra
Nam Simran is, of course, not the mechanical, automatic way that is generally now practiced
under the name of "meditation" which is as mechanical as the Rosary. In Sikhism, Nam en-
dows the mind with Light and Power to turn from unreality to reality. It enables man to sur-
render himself to the Divine Will. And by complete and unconditional surrender, the aspirant
attains to the highest pinnacle of spiritual advancement and tension free, relaxed life. There is
no room for superstition and/or show of magic powers in Sikhism. It is, in fact, internal il-
lumination than external and Nam Simran helps a person achieve self-realization and actual-
ization as advocated by human psychologists.
Within the next ten years or so we are going to wit- less spirit to the service of humanity. Their emanci-
ness a social revolution quite unlike anything we have pation, the Guru believed, could only be brought
seen before or. that history has recorded so far: A about by a new consciousness which should instill
revolution in our ways of thinking about our minds into them the unity and fatherhood of God and the
and our bodies. The nature of the forces operating to equality and fraternity of man. Sikhism does not
bring about this change will be strikingly different recognize any distincltion between man and woman
from what we usually associate with social revolut- and between sexes created by any system, belief or
Ions. In this instance self-exploration, self-accep- convention. Instead, it proclaims that all women-
tance, self-growth and self-actualization rather than born are equal in the eyes of God.
predominantly political, social or economic issues will
be the stimulus for social change and it is going to be Why Meditate? Modern man is endowed with all
achieved through what the Sikhs call "Nam Simran' the comforts-nay, luxuries of life, yet he is verily
or otherwise known as meditation, . in the Western not happy. He lacks peace of mind. His innerself IS
World. bruised and he is bleeding. Today he is living in an
Meditation according to Webster's dictionary atmosphere of mutual distrust, hatred and illwill and
means "deep, continued thought, solemn reflection there IS burning unrest everywhere. Time and again ,
on sacred matters as a devotional act." Centuries ago, we are faced with the obstinate question : Why is it
Saint Augustine wrote of it as a contemplation upon that man today lacks inner happiness, peace, tran-
the unchangeable-that is on God-achieved by a quility, mutual love and trust in any otherw'ise , rapid-
shutting off of the mind from external thoughts to ly advancing civilization.
produce a mental solitude. l William James, one of The life of the average man flows out in a daily
the fathers of modern psychology, called it a "myst- stream of monotony. The eternal treadmill of eating,
ical feeling of enlargement, union and emanicipation sleeping and working for a living; I and living for eat-
that has no specific intellectual content of its own" .2 ing, sleeping and working goes on till a man ultimat-
Emily Bronte, the 19th Century English poet and ely finds himself physically spent-up and spiritually
novelist, defined it rapturously when she wrote: bankrupt. Thus the man fails to grasp the meaning
and purpose of his life. Without the right knowledge
But, first, a hush of peace - a soundless of hIS own true nature and that of the true source of
calm descends ; his being, man's life is barren, is void of the fertility
The struggle of distress, and fierce of infinate peace and joy. It is full of wants and wor-
impatience ends; rie.s. He is tormented by fits of melancholy and des-
Mute mUSfC soothes my breast- paIr.
unuttered harmony, To what then shall we turn to achieve the shock-
That I could never dream, till proof balance of mind? Where shall we look, what
Earth was lost to me. 3 posture shall we take, what principles invoke, in this
endless, basic and all important quest for Peace of
However, if one adopts the Sikh position that tne: Mind. 4 The only thing that the wnter can think of IS
principal objective of any activity is to promote the the fulfillment of the individual as the real goal of
fulfillment of the individuals engaged in and influ- life.
enced by the activity , then the real goal of life at any Fulfillment comes to mean full expression in an
s~age is seen to ~nc?t?pass nothing less th.an t~e ful- individual's life of creative intelligence inherent in
fIllment of the mdlvldual. The word 'SIkh' m the his nature. Lack of fulfillment may be called suffer-
Punjabi language means a learner or a disciple. The ing: It is ascribed to some restriction of the flow of
Sikhs as a community are the disciples and followers creative intelligence from its source at the core of one
of the Gurus, Nanak to Gobind Smgh, who created being to the level of conscious awareness from which
out of the disunited and emasculated fabric of society one perceives and acts. A practical consequence of
in the undivided Northern India, a well knit homo- this approach is the intriguing possibility that human
geneous body of people devoted in a bold and self- .problems can be attacked at a common fundamental
82
level-without s:pecific regard to the nature of the arduous that is. The word "impossible' is just not in
problem-much m the same way that a gardener sim- their vocabulary. They have been believing in and
ultaneously attends to deficiencies in the develop- practicing for centuries before Napoleon said that the
ment of the many separate leaves of a plant by simply word "impossible" was in a fool's dictionary. The
watering the roots. To quote LeShan: "We meditate Sikhs traditionally meditate before starting on any
to find, to recover, to come back to something of venture whether it is in the sr0rts arena, the battle
ourselves we once dimly and unknowingly had and field, or on the farm, and excel in action.
have lost without knowing what it was or where or To substantiate the religious beliefs and personal
when we lost it. We may call it access to more of our experiences of the Sikhs, the researchers at Harvard
human potential or being closer to ourselves and to Medical School found that Nam Simran or medita-
reality, or to more of our capacity for love and zest tion or what they call "Relaxation Response" did in-
and enthusiasm, or our knowledge that we are a part deed produce physiological changes in the body-a
of the universe and can never be alienated or separ- significant decrease in heart and breathing rates, ox-
ated from it, or our ability to see and function in real- ygen consumption and muscle tension. People with
ity more effectively."5 Similarly, Eugene Herrigel, hypertension could lower their blood pressures
a scholar of the Zen school of thought, writes, through such a yractice. 8
"Working in KOAN (a meditational technique of that Many norma life events cause stress and strain, es-
school of thought) leads you to a point where you are pecially those that disrupt our everyday routines.
behaving like a person trying to remember something Significant events on oridnary life-a death in the
you have forgotten.'~6 Louis Claude de St. Martin family, the birth of a child, a change in jobs, moving
succinctly puts it expressing the Sikh way of belief: to a new town, place, state, or country-can trigger
"We are 'all in a wIdowed state and our task is to re- illness because coping with these events puts demands
marry".7 The Sikhs believe that there is no end to on the body and mind that weaken the resistance.
the search; there is no position from which we can During the moments of anxiety, a friend of mine has
say, "Now I have arrived, I can stop working". In been fond of saying, rather repeatedly, "Life is not .a
fact, as we work we find ourselves more at home in bowl of cherries." Another one developed love for a
the universe, more at ease with ourselves, more able song that goes like: 'Life is a dream, what is true in a
to work effectively at our tasks and toward our goal, dream, Everything is true ... "-both non-Sikh.
closer to our fellow man, less anxious and less hostile. Much stress and strain is pu.rely psy~~ol?gical.
As in all serious matters-love, the appreciation of art Often, we not only feel but belIeve hke victims of
and beauty, and efficiency-there is no endpoint to events, pawns in a game over which we have no con-
the potential of human growth through the Sikh way trol, but in which we must pay the price. The Univer-
of Nam Simran, or meditation. sity of Pennsylvania psychologist, Martin Seligman,
Excellence in Action is the slogan, belief and prac- has found that people who believe they are helpless
tice of the Sikhs. Meditation (Nam Simran) revital- to normal life changes by becoming depressed, the~
izes the body and mind producing greater energy, feel pushed around by life no matter what they do.
mental strength along with health, and self suffici- The chronically helpless are what Rotter calls "exter-
ency in action. nals". They believe that personal rewards depend on
When the body is free of stress and strain, it natur- the whim of external people and events rather than
ally performs more dynamically. Scientific research on their own action. Such people see life changes as
at various universities and learnin~ centers of the preordained fate, luck, or chance. "Internals" on the
world has shown that regular medItation helps im- other hand, believe that they control their own fates.
prove speed, agility, reaction, coordination, endur- Internals survive the slings and arrows of life better
ance, and perception, which in turn result in good than the depression-prone externals. An internal per-
mental health and self-acceptance and personal son would be more likely to react to such setbacks as
growth. loss of job, or a friend or family member, change of
When the mind is clear, it is strong and when it is job or home, or divorce with actions to set things
strong it can direct and conduct the body's action right. He/she would take these situations as new chal-
quickly, efficiently, and accurately. Clear mind leads lenges and try to make the best of it. Externals react
to mental alertness which is the basis of concentra- with passivity and paralysis to these events, resigning
tion, learning ability, memory, and intelligence. to their losses and or changes with a shrug and a
When there is a healthy mind in a healthy and con- sigh. 1 0
sequently strong. body, it naturally results in a strong- The common way to overcome stress in the West-
positive attitude and character, self-confidence, self- ern culture has been to take tranquilizers but these
reliance, inner -control and peace, and stability, that chemical strategies have obvious drawbacks, observes
is what Nam Simran endows the Sikhs with. It is this Goleman: 11 One, drug effects wear off, and the orig-
inheritance and remembrance of Nam that has led the inal anxiety reasserts itself. Two, many who turn to
Sikhs rather successfully to every part of the world drugs to control stress-induced anxiety become addic-
and almost every profession on earth, no matter how ted. Some people need such large doses that their
83
everyday functioning is impaired. Sleeping pills used The method is suggestive all along and the disciple is
to overcome temporary insomnia, for example, often helped to realize how to think about other cases and
become the cause of lasting sleep loss. Because of questions. .
these and other negative side-effects of antistress The repetition does not make much difference
drugs, there recently has been a large research effort whether one reads a text from a book or repeats it
to find effective non-chemical means to cope with from memory, when in either case your mind is not
stress. Nam Simran, that has been practiced by the fixed on its meaning. Guru Nanak taught the people
Sikhs for centuries is one such anti-stress technique to have direct communion with God in whatever lang-
now under study in the Western World. Jessica Jo uage they spoke. There is no mystery or superstitut-
Lahr,12 a graduate student at Ohio State University ion about the sanctity of a J?articular language, or
conducted a study and found out that the meditators mantra. All words that are smcere are sacred. To
have experienced more life changes than non-medita- substantiate the irrelevance of language and relevance
tors, but had less illness, and abllity to handle stress or necessity of the sincerity of words, Guru Nanak,
increases with practice in meditation. Meditation or when traveling, was invited by three mullas (acclaim-
Nam Simran requires no special education or aptitude ed faithfuls of Islam) to say Nimaz (prayer) with
though it does require attitude, faith and trust in the them, to which he readily agreed. At the end of the
approach like any other technique or medicine. It Nimaz (prayer), in response to their question as to
is not hypnosis or control by some external power. why he did not kneel with them whlle saying the
Instead, it is internal power and it leads to self-con- prayer, Guru Nanak replied they were thinking of
trol, self discipline, self-confidence, self-realization, thelr mare and its foal, showing that their words
and self-actuahzation. It relaxes the body which in lacked sincerity and any indication of concentration,
turn relaxes the mind and vice versa. In a relaxed as they prayed. . ..
mental state, psychosomatic disorders, such as head- The religion that Guru Nanak preached is strictly
aches, ulcers, skm rashes, bad digestion, ets., are pre- monotheistic, requiring belief in none other than the
vented. one Supreme Being only. According to Sikhism; God
In a spiritual sense meditation also plays an impor- is Absolute yet Personal, the Eternal, All-Prevading
tant part to reaching a higher state of consciousness. Divine Spirit, the Creator, the Cause of CauseS"; with-
Sikhism, a way of life, founded by Guru Nanak in out fear, without enmity, and without hate. He is
1469, uses meditation exclusively. The repetition of ultimate Reality or Truth (Sat) which is neither
a certain name of God, Sikhs have found, will bring material nor mental alone; it is the manifestation of the
an answer to the call as if the name or "Nam" as the Supreme Spirit, the Supreme Spirit or God is nou-
Sikhs call it, is like a telephone number to God and menon (Nam) which means the inner spirit. There-
higher consciousness. The Bible states that "In the fore, for meditation on God, the Sikh uses the word
beginning was the word, and the word was with God, 'Sat-Nam' or 'Wahe-Guru' meaning the True Name or
word was God." The "word" is the same thing the the Wonderful Lord.
Sikhs call on and use for meditation. Nam Simran is, of course, not the mechanical,
Sikhism sees the real difficulty in making the automatic way that is generally now practiced under
people truly happy is not so much their want of re- the name of "meditation" which is as mechanical as
ligious spint as the very peculiar turn of their mind the Rosary. In Sikhism, Nam endows the mind with
("The learned men and astrologers read books and Light and Power to turn fro~ unreality to Reality. It
hold idle discussions, they do not understand any- enables man to surrender himslef to the Divine Will.
thing. Corrupted by greed and other evils, they have And by complete and unconditional surrender, the
got their minds twisted"-Sri Rag, III) with which aspirant attains to the highest pinnacle of spiritual
they take those things as 'ends' in which had been in- advancement and tension free, relaxed life. There is
tended to enable people to think correctly and pos- no room for superstition and/or show of magic pow-
itively was made into a religious practice. The human ers in Sikhism. It is, in fact, internal illumination
mind lay enmeshed and distracted in the intricate than external and the Nam Sirnran helps a person ach-
toils of ItS own creation. It has to be freed and made ieve self-realization and actualization as advocated by
helathy before it can comprehend the high ideals of human psycholigists.
solid virtue.
This is the task that Sikhism has set itself to. It Some Basic Beliefs of Sikhism:
exposes the futility of the mechanical form of 1. Sikhism believes that it is impossible to think of
thought or worship, and sets us thinking for oursel- the worship of an unknowable Absolute unrelated to
yes. It takes up one by one the most important ques- human thought. We can know something of God,
tions of life and shows us how we shOUld always be though it is not possible to know all.
reasonable in our attitude toward the problem of 2. The Will of God is revealed in three places: in the
Nature. In the end, he winds up the argument by say- conscience of man (individual); in the evolution of
ing that it is foolish to attempt to define in limited mankind (society); and in the Guru's word (script-
terms the measureless Strength and Beauty of God. ure). In the event of crisis or evil attacks, we have to
84
decide quickly and alone. For this purpose God has 2. Believing (Faith) : After the knowledge, the
provided us with conscience as a First Ald. Sikh brings faith in its truth. He has no doubt in his
3. The infinite is within us, 'engraved in our being' mind about its validity.
like the light of the sun ever-present but shut out of "Those who believe
our sight by the cloud of ignorance and selfishness.
Their minds awaken to higher consciousness ".
We sin as long as this light remains unmanifested and (p. 3 A .GJ
we believe in our 'self' as everything to us.
How Is God (Self) To Be Realized 3. Love of God (Devotion) : The object of life, ac-
Through Nam Simran : cording to Sikhism, is to attune it with God, where
In Sikhism, mind, body, community and the uni- human e~o is the greatest barrier. This wall separat-
verse fit together like a Chinese box puzzle. ing the mdividual form God, the not-self from the
1. Meditation on Wah e-Guru and or Sat-Nam : "As Self, is to be demolished. Love is the only and the
one thinketh so one becomes" is the premise. Think best means for that.
of God and you will develop the quahties of God. In God lives in each individual; this is the Immanent
Nam-Simran, one is required not to repeat the Nam aspect of Him; but He is Transcedental too. The pro-
mechanically, instead it is to be qualitatIve expression spect of union with the most Perfect thing is vision
of His Personality. While meditating, His attributes of delight.
are to be kept in mind. To support this more than While loving God, the devotee/meditator feels a
five hundred-year-old belief, Huxley, the philospher sense of perfect humility and submission. Apart from
says mere mechanical repetition of 'Nam' IS as much God the individual/Sikh feels himself to be insignif-
below analytical thought as intellectual vision is icant. He does everything for His glory. He is fIlled
above it. 13 with peace and joy, the reward of his love, It reduces
2. Concentration and Unitive Knowledge of God: the scope of conflicts. This, socially it has a great
Meditation helps in concentration of mind and reali- ethical value.
zation of the Reality . o my mind, love thy Lord,
Western Philosopher Huxley observes: "Japam lik e lotus loveth the water.
(Nam Simran) has effect upon the subconsclOus
mind, inducing the selfless one-pointedness of will The waves shake it to the roots;
but it blossoms forth in love",
and thought and feeling without which the unitive
(Sri Rag M.I. p 59 A. GJ
knowledge of God is impossible. J apam will end by
presenting God to the soul in the form of an integral 4. Singing Praises of God (Kirtan) : The greater the
mtuition. By this the soul passes into Reality" .14 intensity of love toward God the less the ego in man.
3. Doctrine of Mantra is Rejected by Sikhism : 'Nam F or thIS the praises of God are and should be sung.
Simran' is not synonymous with the Hindu Doctrine Such a singing accompanied by music is called 'Kir-
of Mantra. Meditation on Nam does not aim at ac- tan.'
quiring any miraculous powers. It is open to all, no Music is beautiful because in it the Absolute shines
secrecy is required or adhered to. through the pleasant sounds. It addresses itself to the
"Meditate upon senses of hearing and mind both. This aesthetic ex-
Who was True in the Beginning, perience is characterized by complete identity bet-
Tru e in the Primeval age, ween he subject and the object. When the music sof-
Tru e He is and True He shall be" tens the mind, the ego is destroyed and one feels ap-
says Nanak. proaching God and realizing 'Nam'. Therefore, the
Dynamic Adjuncts of Nam Simran 15 Sikh scriptures are set to music and "Kirtan" in Sikh-
The True-Nam is to be heard, uttered, dwelt- ism is the coordination of three things: Thought,
upon, and contemplated. To make the approach/ Poetry, arid Music. It is direct approach to God
method easy and efficacious, Sikhism recommends hence mental health and other attributes where no
the following adjuncts: intermediary is needed.
1. Hearing and Learning: The first adjunct is to 5. Service and Sangat (Company of holy men) :
have some spiritual knowledge which can be had from Social service is an integral part of the Sikh religion.
saints, seers, or scriptures. For hearing about God, Service requires two conditlOns: Feeling of love for
the Sikh goes to congregation (Sangat) a meeting of fellow brothers, and equality of social status.
the devotees where they read scriptures and explore 6 . Simran (Unuttered meditation): This meditation
their meanings and implications. This proves very is called 'Jap). It may be of the word 'Wahe-Guru',
useful as a base for meditation of Nam and contem- 'Sat-Nam' or Mool Mantra (Invocation). The medita-
plation in Sikhism. tor concentrates on the attributes of God. This re-
"Hearing the Lord's Name quires mental discipline which when accomplished
one becometh and adept, puts the disciple in tune with the Infinite. ThIS stage
endowed with ex trapsychic powers ", IS called the stage of "Simran" and the utterance or
(Sarang M.l. p 1240 A .G.) speech of the disciple is tongueless.
85
Some Benefits of Nam Simran in Everyday Life: deep-rooted stresses and helps prevent disease; psy-
1. Nam Simran provides coherent rest to the nervous chological purification-reduction of negativity and
system. As a person gets absorbed in meditation, it increased positivity in thinking, understanding and
results in relaxation of the entire body system mark- emotions; sociological purification-the reduction of
ed by reduction in oxygen consumption, breath rate, negativity in society and tendency to view man as es-
and cardiac output which means reduction in the sentially good increases; and ecological purification-
workload of the heart. It also helps to go to sleep wholeness of ecological values blossoms-harmony be-
without any difficulty and not be worried about in- comes .more and more evident in the midst diversity.
somnia including high blood pressure. 6. Nam Simran enhances psychological growth-the
2. Nam Simran gives increased psychological adapt- development of full potential of thinking, under-
ability-the ability of the mind to adjust to change standing, and feeling called evolution of conscious-
for survival and progress. Meditation increases intell- ness, (growth is restricted when the process of growth
igence, broadens comprehension, improves ability to begins to introduce stress); physiological growth-
focus attention, increases perceptual and learning more efficient and effective physiological function-
ability, superior psycho-motor performance, speed ing;-a healthy mind in a healthy body.
and effectiveness in solving problems. NOTES AND REFERENCES
3. Nam Simran helps to develop amiable and more
rewarding and productive inter-personal relationships 1. "Relax Your Way to Better Health", by Dr. Herbert
and reduces social inadequacy, introversion, anti- Benson, Reader's Digest, April '76 pp. 132-33.
2. Ibid
social behavior and use of intoxicants. It leads to 3. Ibid
emotional stability, inner control, self-regard and self- 4. Singh, Ranbir; Glimpses of the Divine Masters; New Delhi;
confidence reducmg anxiety, depression, and neuro- International Traders Corporation, 1965 pp. 1-6.
ticism. 5. LeShan, Lawrence; How to Meditate; Boston, Bantam
4. Through Nam Simran, increases are noticed in Books, Inc. 1975, p. 1.
6. Ibid, p.2
physical integration-integration of the physical sys- 7. Ibid, p. 2.
tem and its smooth, coordinated functioning; psycho- 8. "Relax Your Way to Better Health" Herbert Benson,
logical integration- the integration of all faculties of Reader's Digest April '76, pp. 132-33.
the mind; thinking, understanding, feeling also that in 9. "Fall Into Helplessness" Martin Seligman, Psys:hology
Today,june 1973. .
taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing; sociological 10. "External Control and Internal Control" Rotter, Psychol-
integration-the harmonious coexistence, coordinated ogy Today, june 1973.
srowth, and mutual fulfillment of different behav- 11. "Meditation Helps Break the Stress Spiral", Goleman,
IOral patterns of society; and environmental integra- Psychology Today, Feb. '76.
12. Ibid
tion-the wholeness of the individual's relationship 13. Adapted from Trinity of Sikhism by Pritam Singh Gill,
with his surroundings blossoms. jullundur, New Academic Publishing Co. 1973. pp.
5. Nam Simran helps achieve physiological purifi- 138-164.
cation-the normalization of physiology. }t dissolves 14. Ibid
86
Sansar Communications
1976 SUMMER CONFERENCE ON SIKH STUDIES chief, fled to Punjab with the KOH-I-NOOR. He
Berkeley - For the first time in North America, in- presented KOH-I-NOOR to MAHARAJA RANJIT
ternational scholars interested in the study of Sikhism SINGH for the help given to him. It belonged to the
gathered at Berkeley, on August 13-14 to discuss SIKH 'SARKAR' before the British took it by deceit
several major issues - the origin of the Sikh religion, from Prince DALIP SINGH in 1849.
the modern scholarship in Sikh Studies, and the role We firmly believe that the KHALSA PARLIA-
of Sikhism in the immigrant Puniabi Communites. MENT (S.G.P.C. Amritsar) is the real and the rightful
The conference was jointly sponsored by the heir to the SIKH 'SARKAR' ofMAHARAJARANJIT
Center for South/Southeast ASia Studies at the Univ- SINGH and PRINCE DALIP SINGH. There is NO dis-
ersity of California, Berkeley, the ' program in Com- pute about the real owner; KOH-I-NOOR belongs to
parative religious studies at the Graduate Theologi- the KHALSA. It should go to S.G.P.c. Amritsar, to
cal Union, Berkeley, and the Sikh Foundation, U.S.A. be placed in the Treasury of THE GOLDEN TEMPLE
Prof. W. H. McLeod from New Zealand; Prof. N. Amritsar.
Gerald Barrier from University of Missouri-Columbia; The Sikh organisations all over the world, and the
Prof. Jagt~r Singh ,Grewal, Guru Nanak University, S.G.P.C. specially, should make a representation to
Amritsar; Prof. Ken Bryant, Ui \ersity of Br irish the British Government. If necessary, we should take
the case to the International Court, at the Hague.
Columbia; Prof. Mark Juergensmeyer, Graduate
Theological Union, Berkeley; Prof. Sher Singh Sher; BRITISH HOUSE OF COMMONS PASSES BILL ON
Prof. Bruce La Brack, University of the Pacific; TURBAN SIKHS NOT TO BE FORCED TO USE
Prof. Harold S. Jacoby; Dr. Clinton Loehlin and CRASH HELMETS ANY MORE
many other scholars participated. The Sikhs are now permitted to wear the turban
At times the discussions were very delicate. Prof. while riding motor-cycles and scooters, instead of the
J. S. Grewal did an excellent job in presenting the obligatory crash helmet. The bill had over whelmin~
Sikh view point. The success of the conference was support - 4 to 1 - of the British members of Parh-
mainly due to the organizing ability and patience of ament. We congratulate the Sikhs of U.K. for the
Dr. J uergensmeyer. well-fought struggle.
The guests were entertained to a Punjabi dinner by WORLD CONGRESS OF FAITHS RECOGNISES
the trustees of the Sikh Foundation. Many Sikhs of SIKHISM
the San Francisco Bay Area attended the conference For the first time Sikhism was admitted to the
and the dinner. '\Yorld Copgress of ~~iths, an international o!ganisa-
FIRST GURMAT CAMP tlOn of different rehglOns devoted to promotmg uni-
Houston .- The Sikh Center of the Gulf Coast Area versal brotherhood, which held its annual conference
will hold its First Gurmat Camp in Huntsville Park, at Canterbury, England, from July 29 to August 1.
starting on the evening of Friday, 15th Oct., 1976 The most significant fact is that the SIKH ARDAS
and ending in the afternoon of Sunday, 17th Oct. was chosen as the mode of prayer this year to mark
The objectives are to enjoy the Bliss of NAAM SIM- the beginning of the conference of the World Con-
RAN, meditation and Kirtan as well as to have dis- gress of Faiths.
courses on Sikh History and Philosophy. For further
information, please contact S. Surjit Singh (461- MASTER TARA SINGH MEMORIAL
9913) or S. Manmohan Singh (721-2967). The organ- The Shiromani Akali Dal has decided to raise a
isers deserve our congratulations on starting this series fitting and impressive memorial at Amritsar in mem-
of Gurmat Camps in Texas. ory of Master Tara Singh. The multi-storied buildin~,
which is estimated to cost around Rs. 25 lakhs, will
KOH-I-NOOR DIAMOND have a big hall and various offices.
,PAKISTAN AND INDIA STAKE RIVAL CLAIMS
WHO IS THE REAL OWNER DALIP SINGH MEMORIAL
All hiStorians agree that the Mughals had this dia- Various Sikh organisations have approached the
mond and when the Persian Nadir Shah sacked Delhi Government of India that the Castle Hill Estate in
in 1739, he took it away along with the Peacock Mussoorie, Uttar Pradesh, be handed over to the
Throne. When Nadir Shah died there was a rebellion Maharaja Dalip Singh Memorial Committee so that it
and Ahmed Shah Abdalhi, who founded the Afghan could be raised as a fitting memorial to the last Sikh
kingdom, brought it to Afghanistan. During the Maharaja of the illustrious Sikh Empire of the 19th
power struggle m Kabul, Shah Shuja, the unpopular century because it was here that he was imprisoned
87
Sansar Communications
DALIP SINGH MEMORIAL ......... continued THE BRITISH SCHOLAR WHO LOCATED TENTH
before being exiled to Britian. Castle Hill Estate is GURU'S RELICS
the only place now standing in India which is assoc- Amritsar - The British shcolar who located the per-
iated with Maharaja Dalip Singh, all others having sonal arms and weapons of Guru Gobind Singh was
been obliterated by the Bntish or dilapidation. honoured with a D. Litt by Guru Nanak University,
Amritsar.
Speaking at the convocation, Dr. Archer said that
PUNJAB LEADS IN LONGEVITY he was proud to have helped salvage six of the nine
The average life expectancy of a Punjabi male has relics of Guru Gobind Singh, which were lying in the
gone up to 66.8 years and that of a female to 61.9 house of the great grand daughter of Lord Dalhousie,
years, the highest in India. The corresponding all a former Governor-General of India, to whom these
India figures are 61.1 for males and 59.8 for females., had been given after Punjab's annexation by the
British. He promised to do his best to locate the re-
FLYING SIKH PROMOTED maining three relics.
He said that his book "Paintings of the Sikhs" was
written because he felt that the Sikh's tole in Indian
art and culture had not been properly essessed. In
the Punjab plains, they had developed a style of their
own. He said that the Sikhs had injected modern
Indian art with Sikh virtues and modernity. In ex-
tolling these virtues and in proclaiming how wonder-
fully the Sikhs had proved themselves brilliant inno-
vators and workers in modern life and art, he was not
merely expressing his private beliefs, but was stating
the obvious, he added. . ,
88
Sansar Communications
89
»f W:f 'HCl
ll
~U12 ~I3 Countless are the warriorsl l who (bear ~for~ U?i ~ f;:r<};f lj<JI2 (~ffiJ t!)iji Ret
14 = on their face the brunt) or (eatl3 with ~);1T (Ql'B' "ffi:rr14 ~re13) <J() I
It'Cl II
their mouth12 steeP4).
"
»fA',=, }ifnI; f~~16 Countless are the silent sages 1; who ~farc:3 <JOtJLf 0l01~ fuHl 15,,:j ))fIW 1{I3JS
~'fl!I7 3'1C1I8 II centre I7 their 10velG and attention I8 ~ ftr3lI8 ~ ~~ ~o 17 0I~U?i I
on the Lord.
~df3 ~e oru' What power have I to describe (Thee) (~);1T (~ fumr ~) fu>,{ro orcJO t!l Ha
~1~':g II ~ fOKJ~ 3'0/3 ~ ?
~Tfal')f' n "~l -
l!0{
or (Thine doctrines) ?
I can not even once be a sacrifice un-
to Thee.
W fuor
~
~l 91 3iJ ~.:. ~ otil.:. ii
~'d II
~~ ~ It'l!l 9~1 Whatever pleases Thee, that is a ,:j q5 ~§ ~ijJT BOW~, §<:it ~ em
O{TO I good pursuit. 0I'tl ~ I
~ 'H't!l ~'lff3 Thou art ever safe and sound, 0 ~ Rt!R <it OW (')ijl)fT~, <J R"i11J- ol'<E
foa~ra " ct ~I9 " Formless One! l1CP:f !
l')ffll:f
lfal:f ~1l20 Numberless are the fools 19 , appall- l)f~fOiB ).f<JTo21 ~20 ~19 <J() I
= ingly12 blind 20 .
l)f3 ~ t!T W8"
23
\')fRl:f -ijo22 UCll}l'iaCl I I Numberless are the thieves 22 and the %!fOlB 3HCil'022 l:fTG23
\')ffll:f »f'HCl24 0Ifa26 Numberless depart26 after establish- ~ -d'&27 (')Tcg OTtl24 ~25 £OZ6 ;VB
",fu 28
~d27 II ing25 their sovereignty24 by force 27 . <J() I
»f-Rl:f ~~~28 ufu»l,29 Numberless are the cut-throats28 who ~fCITB <J() 0I'C5 ~ ~28if l;[<52901Cl'B3~ I
»rRl:f '4n.fl 31 Numberless are the sinners31 who go ~f0re3 i![(')I<Jdl'd 31 U?i f'tr<:ci ~32 C!!wm33
r
«fu33 wfu « "
-
'411.132
on 34 committing33 sins32 • ;1T~ <J()34 I
l')f-Rl:f OIfii\')f'Cl35 ~-a36 Numberless are the liars35 who ~3 ~35<J()
- f'tr<:ci ~36~ ~37U?i I
; .
fifdrfu3=;= II = wander 37
in falsehood 36 •
\')fll'l:f ~rt8 lR23r9ft:t40 . Numberless are the dirty wretch38 >rfc:fOTB -are38 <JO if tITt:!ait39 ~ ~
l:ftfu 41 " who partakeu filth39 as their ration 1o • >rf<JT040 ~H~ l:::fTen <:To I
\')f~l:f t?;~C2 fi:lfa43 Numberless are the slanderers~2 who ~faTB cffi'~ ~ ~«2 <J() if ~
O{CIfu" :§J':g45 II carry44 on their heads 43 loads 0f45 fi:ra'43 3 l.ITli t!T ~45 ~'4 <J() I
sins.
OlO~ ol~46 ~4 7 Nanak gives 4 ? the description4S of oro~ l)fll)-fi's t!T ~B 0I0t!T4 7 ~ I
f~4811 the grovelling48.
~tfu»fl 01 ~1 ~O{ I can not even once be a sacrifice Wfuor ~ sl 3a ~.:. ~ otil.:. ii
~ra II unto Thee. RCiftT I
90
orra il good pursuit, w,:r UI
'3 'fW ltWtta Thou art ever safe and sound, 0 "i Rel~ <]1 ?)?T (5"ijl}fT ~., 5 ~-af03
hymned 64 ,
\'){l:fo1 65 f~66
cl'f-e 58
II
- ~~e67
- In Ietten;65 th<! uttered G? hymm,68 are
recorded66 .
ll1tfoT 65 >ift!O
tBl:f1 66 ~1 ~ I
~tJ1(f()87 a131 ~C'1 wil 68
--
~ 3Q ~ ltTiJ gffl Whatever pleases Thee; that is a ;l ~ ~ ~ ffiJltT ~ (?<ft funr mr
good pursuit. w;:r ~ I
91
rc~ 0/ n fftmli XVJ1AU/IA~
:lieYdi:T~
sPan-ff~J 1977
-One day planning workshop on
IISikhism in U. S. A. and Canada"
-The opening ceremonies
-Seminars by renouwned scholars
-Hymns and music
-Sikh art exhibition
-Banquet and.awards
We invite suggestions and extensive
participation by Sikhs and friends
allover U. S. A. and Canada
THE FUTURE OF NEW WESTERN SIKHS from Guru Arjun Dev Ji and Guru Teg Bahadur Ji
For some time I have had the same feeling as ex- and respectability and dignified way of life from
presst;d by Dr. Kapany in his editorial in the Sikh Guru Gobind Singh J i.
Sansar entitled "The Future of New Western Sikhs". I will be failing in my humble duties if I conclude
The editorial is a well balanced and thought out com- my letter without recognizing the efforts of a large
mentary on this particular subject. I agree in princi- number of dedicated Sikhs who s:pearheaded the drive
ple with Dr. Kapany when he states that no one can to build beautiful Gurudawares m New York, Wash-
find serious fault with the New Western Sikh and inton, Houston, Dallas, Clevland, Detroit, Chichago,
they can become a great pride to Sikh Society if we EI Centro, Los Angeles, Stockton, San Francisco and
establish good channels of communication. Yuba City. I hope and pray that Gurus may use the
I wholeheartedly endorse Dr. Kapany's view. Let wisdom and strength of these dedicated Sikhs to pre-
us take definite steps to bring the New Western Sikh serve the sanctity of "Guru Ghars" according to the
into the mainstream of the Sikh society, in America. Sikh tradition.
Let us form a National Council of Sikhs to assist the In conclusion I support your appeal without any
Western Sikh in the areas of the teachings of the Ten reservations. The time has come for East and West to
Gurus, Sikh traditions and culture. join and move forward hand in hand, shoulder to
shoulder, to accomplish our common mission.
Kartar Singh Ganga Singh Dhillon
Jackson, MI 7 3 30 Glendora Drive
District Heights, MD 20028
I read your editorial in the June issue of SIKH Dear Dr. Kapany: • _
SANSA~ and admire your forthrightness. It is a Greetings in the Name of God, the light of every
truth which the Sikhs from India have to face sooner soul and in the Name of Guru the life of every Sikh.
or later. Sat Nam.
Dr. Hakam Singh We have noted with interest your Editorial regard-
Temple City, California ing "The Future of New Western Sikhs". The most
interesting thing about such criticism and negativity
Dear Editor: is to note the corners from which it comes. Quite
May I commend and congratulate you for the edi- frankly, if there were any other person capable of
torial that appeared in the June 1976 issue of the guiding the new Western Sikhs, he should have come
SIKH SANSAR. Your evaluation of the situation is forward by now and offered his assistance, because
c?rrect, your objectivity is unique and concern is gen- we have never failed to relate to the Sikhs of Indian
ume. ori~in, either here, in Canada, India, Europe or the
Undoubtedly, Yogi Bhajan has done a service to a Onent.
number of dejected Amencan Youth and to the mis- First of all, we have no doubt that none can match
sion of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh. How- the knowledge, the inspiration, the energy and the
ever, every human being has his or her limitations and compassion of Siri Singh Shaib Harbhajan Singh Yog-
one can go only that far. Let us not forget that it iji. We recognize all of these gifts as the blessing of
took nearly two centuries for our nine Gurus to com- Guru Ram Das upon him, to give him the necessary
plete the basic mission of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Now, endurance to carry the Guru's mission with minimum
how can we expect anyone individual to carryall help from any corner.
the responsibilities: You have very rightly appealed Your call to the Sikh community to step forward
to the Sikh community in Western hemisphere to and take over this responsibility reveals much in the
come forward and join hands for this most noble timing and the technique utilized. It is rather reflect-
cause, I expect that Yogi Bhajan will sincerely apprec- ive of a very low character and consciousness, that
iate your thoughtful call. would sit back and heckle a man who is devotedly
These new members of Guru Gobind Singh Ji's and laboriously building a beautiful temple, .a nd once
family, I mean our sisters and brothers from the west- the temple has been seen to be a beautiful and admir-
e:rn w?rld are ;ine human b~in~s. They are tr~e be- able structure, to then feel justified to take over the
hvers m the philosophy of Sikhism and are dedicated management of the completion of the structure, be-
to carry the messa~e of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. They cause in your superior opinion the individual who
have learned humihty from Guru Amardas J i, service built it has no understandmg of its beauty, its found-
from Guru Ran Das J i, sacrifice for the right cause ation or its function. At best it is an ignorant conclu-
93
Letters to the Editor
sion, and in reality it is a most egotistical and inhu- It is true that Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbha-
manly perverted attitude. jan Singh Yogiji has performed a valuable task in
However we are not unaccustomed to this kind of bringing us to the door of Sikhism, but he never cre-
thinking on the part of Sikhs living in the western ated us so weak and unfortunate as to have to be sub-
world, since nearly all of their actzons reflect their jected to a Council of manmukhs who call themselves
dishonesty towards their own reli~ion, their lack of Sikhs. He has done a service to humanity at large by
integrity towards their Guru, therr lack of spiritual giving the world some individuals who are honestly
understanding and their inhumanity towards their dedicated to being living examples of purity, piety,
brothers and sisters in faith. They have long sold out devotion, dedication, Seva and Simran. He IS slmply
their consciousness to wine, woman and power, sur- fulfilling the responsibility to see that Guru Gobmd
rendering their kesh upon encountering the least Singh's prophecy is carried out on this earth. He is a
resistance and caring little for the turban given them most humble channel and he is never understood by
by the Tenth Guru as a sign of their commltment and those who are jealous, petty and caught in the illu-
surrender. sion of maya.
We will never tolerate your abuse of this man, and
We live as Sikhs of the Guru, fortunate to have it is this kind of egotistical attitude which is going to
been nurtured on the very purest and most basic ess-
ence of the Guru's Bani, and one thing which Guru cause a serious spht between us and other Sikhs, not
any shortcoming on our parts. But those who are
has always reminded us, is that one bows in the ut- really dedicated and devoted to the Guru always re-
most reverence to the feet of any individual who cognize us and we have a great brotherhood, with the
recites the Name and who teaches others to do so. Ten Gurus as our Council.
We will never be united with those so-called Sikhs, We thank you for your concern, though its quite
who could have such a low consciousness as to sland- late and unfortunately rather misguided, and we ex-
er the man who has sacrificed so much to brin~ us the press our concern to you also, that Sikhs should re-
gift of Nam, the treasured gift of human birth the member what it means to be Sikhs. You are all so
Siri Guru Granth Sahib, and all of the love, family concerned with social status and position and so en-
and brotherhood which goes along with it. grossed in the maya of this capital of maya, known as
We are Sikhs in spirit, we are Sikhs in form, we are America, that you are rapidly losing the real dignity
Sikhs by conviction. We are not Sikhs by name and spirit which the Guru infused into his Sikhs. We
alone, or because our mother or father were Sikhs, pray for the spirit of all those who were blessed with
and therefore our brotherhood with every GurSikh the destiny to be born in the Guru's house, and we
is based upon that tie of spirit which knows no limit- live to re-inspire that reality in everyone.
ations ana boundaries of birth or nationality. In the Name of the Cosmos which prevails through
We will never look to the guidance of those Sikhs everybody and the Holy Nam which holds the world.
who have never themselves lIved as Sikhs, who have . Humbly yours,
never practiced the Dharma, who have never inspired
another human being to bow in reverence before the PremkaKaur
Guru and to take up the path of Sikh Dharma, who Secretary of Administration & Estate
have never even maintained their own families as Sikh Dharma Brotherhood
Sikhs. We are not giving our first priority to being 1629 Preuss Road-Los Angeles, CA 90035
successful businessmen and women, we are giving our EDITOR'S NOTE:
first priority to being True Sikhs of the True Guru . Althou~h it is lacking in spiritual humility and
and we always look for guidance to those devoted Journalistlc quality we have decided to publish the
Sikhs who provide us with an example of living the above . letter m its entirety primarily because it is a
Guru's Bani. living testimony to the problems outlined in the June,
t
None of you has any problem in communicating 1976 editorial of the SIKH SANSAR.
with us the true essence of Sikhism, for we have been We would suggest that the writer go back and read
fortunate to have been given the guidance of a most the editorial agam with calmness and objectivity. It
pure channel, as well as to have been always directed is intended to be factual and constructive. Let the
to search directly into the words of Guru. We actual- "beautiful temple" that she refers to not collapse as a
ly have more pure and precise knowledge today than house of cards from the slighest objective criticism
99.9% of the Sikhs in India, and we have already been shaking its foundations nor, more importantly, from
called upon to teach some of that technology to the betrayal of the basic tenets of Sikhism!
Indian Sikh Youth. Chief Editor
94
Letters to the Editor
FIRST MEETING OF THE ment of India to cease forthwith their blatant tramp-
INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF SIKHS ling of peoples rights.
Resolution No : 3
The Editor-Sikh Sansars, The First International Sikh Conference here at
We would like to inform you about the first World Toronto, resolves that the dual citizenship rights be
Sikh Conference held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on accorded to the people of Indian Origin.
May 29-30,1976.
The subject matter, "The Sikhs and their future" Harbans Singh Malhi
was discussed and debated at length and resulted in Secretary
three resolutions all of which were passed unanimous- DISCREPENCIES NOTED
ly.
Resolution No : 1 Dear Sir,
The First International Sikh Conference takes cog- We refer to your Volume 5, Number 1 of March
nizance of the state of affairs in the northwestern 1976-Guest editorial written by Rajinder Kaur Gill,
part of India. We are deeply distressed by the high- New Delhi.
handedness of the Indian Government and conniv- We take the liberty of pointing a few discrepencies
ing at the supression of the Punjabi language by var- and hope you will bring these to the attention of Raj-
ious state governments, includmg Delhi, Himachal inder Kaur Gill.
Pradesh and in particular, Haryana. Paragraph 3 - 'In the "Assa-di-Var" the first Guru
Creating illogical boundries for the newly formed sings the praises of women'. Guruji sings the praises
Punjab i-speaking state, aportioning only a small frac- of God but never of any human being. Ip the Asa-di-
tion of the budget to the development of the Punbaj, Var Guruji says 'So kion manda akhieye jit jamme ra-
placing hydro-electric and irrigation projects under jaan' Translation 'Whr. should we call them lowly
the control of the central government, and repressing who give birth to kings? We were taught to treat wo-
Sikhs who made a just demand for the Punjab; Suba man as our equals,
are some of the discriminatory actions at the govern- A~ain" 'T,hIs is what ~he Tenth Guru h~d to ~ay on
ment level. the mStItutlOn of marnage among the SIkhs, Dhan
The tactics of divide and rule are being unabashed- Pir Eh Na Akhian Behan J 0 Kathe Hoe Ek Joe Do
ly employed, even to the extent of interfering with Murti Dhan Pir Kahia Soe."
the management pf Gurdwaras. The attemps to split This is from the. holy Guru Granth Sahib and we .all
and mutilate the Shromani Gurdwara Prabandhak know Guru Gobind Singhji's Bani is not in the Aad
Committee are directly contrary to the 'promises Guru Granth Sahib but only in the Dasam Granth.
made to the Sikhs by the Congress leaders, mcluding These corrections are not for the sake of criticism
Pandit J awahar Lal Nehru, and are a flagrant encro- but are humbly pointed out so that facts are straight-
achment on the right of religious freedom. ened out.
The large scale arrests of the Sikhs under the pre- Yours in Service,
sent suppression of democracy illustrate the progress- Sangat Singh
ively worsening outlook of our community in India. Sri Guru Nanak Sat Sang Sabha
The delegates to the conference believe that the Singapore
ultimate security of the Sikhs lies in the creation of
an independent Sikh state which can preserve Sikh
culture and religion. We exhort the justice-loving
people of the world, and the. Sikhs in {,articular, to
work to achieve, by peaceful means, the mdependent,
sovereign state of Khalistan.
Resolution No : 2
In res{,onse to the February 1976 letter of S.
Mohan Smgh Tur, President Shromani Akali Dal to
Sikhs living abroad, the first International Sikh Con-
ference here in Toronto resolves to support the de-
mand of Shromani Akali Dal that citizens rights in-
cluding freedom of Speech, Press and association be
restored at once in India and urges upon the Govern-
95
SARDAR J. J. SINGH PASSES AWAY
President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed said that he was the press. As a result, on November 5, 1943, the
very grieved to hear of the passing away ofI I Singh, joint Congress of Industrial Organizations-American
former President of the India League in the United Federation of Labor War Relief Committees allocated
States. "His services to the cause of India's freedom $100,000, to assist famine victims.
by mobilizing the public opinion in America will al- One of the major acts of support to India's cause
ways be remembered, " the President said in a condol- for which J.J. gave his time and attention was when
ence message. Mrs. Vijayalakshmi Pandit came to San Francisco to
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi has sent the follow- challenge the credentials of the British-Indian delega-
ing message to Mrs. Malti Singh: "I am deeply grie- tion attending the United Nations conference. WIth
ved to read the sad news. J. J. had been suffermg for Anup Singh and Syed Hussain, J.J. did all the spade
so long, yet death is always difficult to accept. My work for pushing India's case for independence.
deep sympathy and condolences to you and the fam- Unlike many of his compatriots who had labored
ily. and lobbied in the United States in their country's
"A large circle of friends share your loss. We all cause, J.J. lived to see India free; it was to him a
remember the untiring energy with which during major source of happiness. He might have appreci-
freedom struggle J.J. expounded our point of view to ated some award for his great services, but he rarely,
the American people and won support for our cause if ever spoke about it. Duty fulfilled was its own
The nation is indebted to him for hIS work." award.
MADHA V KAMA TH WRITES: He was a geniai, hospitable man whose home in
Sardar J. J. Singh I will always be remembered for New York was open to friends and strangers. He en-
his services in the United States to the cause of Indian tertained well and gave freely of himself. In time he
Independence. He had come to America in 1926 and decided to return to his homeland; he could not resist
engaged himself in business. He was soon to be at- the call from his native soil. His home in Delhi was
tracted to the India League of America which he a magnet to American visitors. There they eQuId find
joined in 1939 and fashioned into a force by making hospItality, a warm welcome and good conversation.
its membership open to Americans. In no time J.J. As a considerate host, J.J. had few peers.
-for that was how he was known to all his friends- - .H~ was th~ right map ~t the right place In the late
had come to be identified with the India League. He thIrtIes, fortIes and fIftIes. In India's pantheon of
was its prime mover and shaker. patriots, J.J. 's place is quietly assured. HIS friends, of
It was thanks largely to J.J. that the ravages of the whom ~e had hundreds, will mourn his passing away.
great Bengal Famine of 1943 came to the attention of They wIll remember his work, his devotion and his
the Amencan public. He wrote an II-page phamplet unflagging enthusiasm in freedom's cause, when they
Famine in India and had it widely distributed to were mamly thankless tasks. In his own way, he
members of Congress, State Department officials and made history. History will remember him.
96
The next issue of The SIKH SANSAR - December 1976 will feature:
You are also invited to submit articles, news items and other
material pertinent to these subjects. Please read carefully the
"Instructions To Authors" inside back cover.
Editorial .......................... ..... ...... ........ ..................... ...... .... ............. ..... ..... .
Guru Nanak Dev Ji ....................................................................................
Sri Nankana Sahib Foundation ..... .................. .. ............ .. ...... ... ...... ......... ..
Glossary of Terms Commonly Used in Sikh Writings, Kapur Singh ......... .
Peace on Earth, Veer Singh .................................................................... ..
In th e San'sar Communications, Ajaib Singh Sidhu ............ .. ........ ...................... .
previous Photo's of the Interfaith Bicentennial Parade (San Francisco - Oakland) ...
issue Translation of Japji, Sardar Manmohan Singh ........... .. ... ......................... ..
Navy Sacks Turbaned Sailor ....................... ................ ...... ..... .... ... ........... .
Vishav Punjabi Sammelan, Zail Singh ...................................................... .
A Sikh In Non-Sikh Society, Balbir Singh ................................................ .
The Greatest Religion on Earth - Sikhism, Brig. Gurdip Singh ................ ..
In Future Issues ..................... ............................. ........... ..... ........ .... ,........ .
Material for Study of East Indian History
in North America, Bruce La Brack
97
RISE AND GROWTH OF
SIKH MILITARISM UP TO 1760 A.D.
The emergency of the Khalsa (Sikh) armed forces seeing the future conflict with the royal army, start-
was a unique occurence on the world . Military histor- ed to enlist every sort of people in hIS army to join
ians have conceded that there is none comparable to the regular followers. 6 The recruitment of Afghan
this armed force in the world. A peculiar and exemp- mercineries like P ainda was a political one. Course of
lary aspect of this force that was its having no differ- events brought open clash between the Guru and
ence between soldiers and the Sikh community. Shah~ahan. the cause was of trifle nature, related
Military commentators have been unanimous that no with, the seize of a hawk, one of the followers ' of
section of the Indian people has set higher standards Guruii. The war broke out. The Mughal General
of field performance and thereby contributed more Mukhlis Khan marched from Lahore against Guru
to the worldwide renown that the Indian Armed Hargobind with seven thousand troops but he was
Forces enjoy today, than the members of the Khalsa defeated by the Guru near Amritsar. 8 According to
order. ' i\1 acauliffe, "This was the first combat in the annuals
The origin of Sikh militarism started with the sixth of Punjab which was fought between the great Mug-
Guru Sri Guru Hargobind. , The martyrdom of his hal and the Sikhs. "9 The second war between Guru
father Sri Guru Arjun Dev was a turning point in the and Imperial forces was fought in 1631 in which
history of the Sikhs. This event set into motion a de- again the Imperial army was badly routed out. 1 0
liberately and methodically planned course of right- The third was was fought in 1634 at Kartarpur and
eous militancy in Sikhism. Hargobind became a l again the Imperial army was badly defeated' by the
saint soldier. P yne writes, "He infused military ard- Guru. Thus during the time of Guru Hargobirid, the
our into his disciples and seen a formidable body of military character of the Sikhs got its birth. Har-
fighting men was at his command. At times he found Gobind had a stable of eight hundred horses. Three
it expedient to place his forces at the service of the hundred mounted followers were constantly in atten-
Emperor but his general attitude towards the Mughals dence upon him and sixty matchlock men were on
of this province was uncompromising. "1 guard for his safety .11
The enemies of Guru Hargobind particularly, For sometime after Guru Hargobind, there was
Chandu Shah poisoned the mind of Jahangir about no outward incident of conflict wlth the Mughals as
this changing aspect of Sikhism. 2 Emperor J ahangir the successors of Guru Hargobind were peace loving
called Guru Har Gobind and asked him to pay the saints. The martyrdrom of his father, Guru TegBah-
fine, imposed on his father, but Guru Hargobind re- adur enraged the tenth Guru and the whole Sikh com-
fused to do so. So the Guru was arrested and sent to munity. That was a blunder on the part of Emperor
Gwaliar Fort as a state prisoner. 3 But due to a fear- Auranzeb and fatal for the Mughal Empire. Guru Go-
ful vision the Emperor was compelled to release Guru bind Singh transformed the whole Sikh community
Hargobind . later on.4 into a fierce force, a warrior, martial class for whom
After J ahangir, durins the reign of Shahajahan, a death was a play. This brave Sikh community later
new epoch was marked m the Sikh Mughal relations. on showed their might in the horizon of India.1 2
According to the author of Dabistan, "The growing The peaceful Sikhs became militant. Armed resistance
military strength and royal pomp of the Guru, his policy which was left by the successors of the sixth
wordly spirit and tastes, made conflict between him Guru became again deminant under the Guruship of
and the Mughar Government inevitable and it broke Guru Gobind Singh. Clash with Mughal force was
out soon atter Shahajahan's accession"5 "That the imminent at this time.
Guru was becomin~ ,a potential source of disaffection,
was clear from hls alleged recruitment of mal-con'- Guru Gobind Singh had one body of P athan sold-
tents and fugitives from justice and the asylum that iers who were everywhere the soldiers of fortune. He
he extended to disaffected chiefs." Guru Hargobind established many forts in Punjab. 13 The first war
with Mughal forces took place at Nadaun in which
*Professor Jurjit Singh teaches history and political science at Mughal forces were defeated. The cause of war was
Patna University, India. Professor Singh has conducted re-
searchs on various subjects among which are 'India's Foreign tribute demanded from the Hindu Rajas who were
Policy' and 'Arab-Israel Conflict.' not ready to pay to the Imperial Authority.1 4
98
GEORGE WASHINGTON
Defender of Independence
99
Authority.14 laid to waste. 23 He devasted the district of Sahar-
The second war was fought by Guru Gobind Singh anpur and occupied the whole country between Sut-
at Anandpur. Aurangzeb ordered the Governor of La- lej and Jamuna. t4
hore to collect tribute from the Guru. He moved Hearing the news of the rise of Sikhs in the Punjab
against Guru Gobind Singh with a large force ·but was Emperor Shan Alam marched towards Punjab WIth ~
defeated. Another force was sent by the Governor strong army. At Daber Fort war took place. Banda
and it too was defeated. General war broke out. was defeated and escaped. Meanwhile Emperor died
But, MughaUmperial army again lost the field. I 5 in 1712. The death of Emperor followed confusion
Seeing disorder and enraged with the defeat of the at Royal Court. Availing of this condition, Sikhs
Imperial army, Aurangzeb sent his son M.uazam to La- under Banda Singh Bahadur prepared for another
hore, to crush the rebellion or power of the Guru. war. They 'built fort at Gurdaspur. The Viceroy of
Immediatedly on his arrival at Lahore, he sent a large Lahore marched against the Sikhs but was defeated in
army under Mirzabeg against Guru Gobind Singh but pitched battle. The Sikhs again occupied Sarhind, de-
he could not crush the rising power of the Guru. I6 feating the Governor of Sarhind.25 At this time Far-
A~ain Imperial force in 1703-1704 attacked Guru rukhseer ascended the throne of Delhi. He ordered
Gobmd Singh at Anadpur to destroy his power. This his strongest commander, Abdul Samad Khan. He
war was one of the most bloody and continuous. marched from Kashmir with a strong army and met
Guru Gobind Singh had to leave fort ultimately due another Imperial army under Mohammad Amin
to cutting of supplies. I 7 At the bank of river Sirsa a Khan at Lahore. Seeing the approach of Imperial
pitched battle took place. Guru Gobind Singh had to army, the Sikhs retreated back in the hills. ThIS Im-
withdraw to Chamk:iur where another devasted war perial army returned back. 26
was fought. Guru Gobind Singh lost his two sons. Band Singh Bahadur reappeared after some time
Two younger sons and mother were caught by the and started his guerilla 'war. The Sikhs assembled near
Governor of Sarhind. They were graved alive. The Gurdaspur and took possession of Kalanpur and San-
mother also died. IS tokhgarh. Thirty five thousand warriors joined
Guru Gobind Singh, in dis~uise, reached Mukatsar him.27 The Faujdar of Ambala tried against the
town where many disciples Joined him and again a Sikhs but was defeated. This Imperial army' led by
strong army was prepared. Another battle with the Abdul Samad Khan marched agamst the SIkhs. A
Imperial army was fought by Guru Gobind Singh, in pitched battle took place near Gurdaspur and the
which ImperIal army was badly defeated. Aurangzeb Sikhs inflicted heavy loss to Imperial army but the
invited Guru Gobind Singh to Delhi for peace but seige of fort Lohw.ah by the Imperial army coritinu-
Guru Gobind Singh refused. Enmity continued. ed. At last the SIkhs were defeated. Banda was cap-
The aim of Sikh Gurus was not to establish Sikh tured along with his followers. Later on he was slam
kingdom but to fight tyranical rule of Mughals. The mercilessly. With the death of Banda, the Sikhs dis-
war was defensive in action. . If the aim of the Gurus persed and went to forest as the Mughal rulers put a
were to establish the Sikh kingdom then there would bounty on a Sikhs head. 2S The Sikhs were depressed
be a new picture, new history of India. Professor with the death of Banda but guerilla war continu-
N. K. Sinha says, "Guru Gobind Singh was the father ed.29 Professor N. K. Sinha says, "The fortune of
of Sikh militansm. "19 the Sikh nation sank to the lowest ebb in 1716."
Mter Guru Gobind Singh the command of Sikh "But the mission of Gobind Singh had not failed.
military passed into the hands of Banda Singh Baha- Scattered and disorganized though they were, with-
dur, a disciple of Guru Gobind Singh.20 He was man out a leader, without a square yard of land they could
of military ~enius of most outstanding calibre and call their own, the Sikhs were nearer the natIOnality
capacity. HIS short military career was most stormy at this time than they had ever been. Hardship and
and amazing in the entire history of India. He had persecution had served only to strengthen their at-
been considered, the most powerful factor in the ul- tachment to their faith and to draw them into yet
timate downfall of·Mughal ·empire. close unity."30 "Their nascent religious spirit, strong
When Banda Singh Bahadur reached Punjab with enthusiasm for gainin~ freedom and the close unity of
the Hukamnama and Arrows of Guru Gobind Singh brotherhood, maintamed by common object and ut-
for the Sikhs, many Sikhs gathered in numbers ter poverty, kept them in a cheerful frame of mind
around him. 21 He prepared a strong army and under these desperate circumstances. "31
marched upon all those who had done wrong to Guru P eriod-1716-64: During this period, the persecu-
Gobind Singh. Seeing disorder at Delhi, he started his tion of the Sikhs continued by Abdul Samao Khan,
movement. He defeated the Sarhind Governor Md. Governor of Lahore. The Sikhs comforted themselves
Wagir Khan and avenged the death of Guru Gobind as peaceful subjects in their villages or lurked in
Singh's sons. 22 Afterwards he crossed Sutlej and raz- woods and valleys. When the invasion of Nadir Shah
ed to the ground all towns which came in his way. took place, the Sikh bands started plundering theP er-
He conquered Batala and other neighbouring towns. sian army.32 Persian invasion was an important event
Lahore was also beseiged by him and outskirts were in the history of the rise of the Sikh power, says .
100
Professor N. K. Sinha. 3 3 Gradually they became so retired. Raghoba appointed Adina Beg Khan, who
bold 33A they openly began to visit Amritsar. The had invited them, the Viceroy43 of Lahore. In the
Sikh horsemen now could be seen at many places. meantime Ahmad Shah Abdali again invaded Punjab
Some Sikhs succeded in establishing a small fort at and captured Lahore. A pitched battle between Mar-
Dalhwa1 34 on the river Ravi. They assembled there athas and Ahmad Shah Abdali took p'lace at P am-
in large numbers and started to levy contributions pat in 1761. \1 arathas were defeated. H
around Eminabad and the region north of Lahore. 35 Ahmad Shah Abdali again returned back to Kabul,
This small number of Sikhs were attacked by the La- leaving his empire under his Governor. The Sikhs
hore army but the Sikhs repulsed them. Again army again appeared and harrassed his army when it was on
of Lahore marched against them and defeated the its way to Kabul. The absence of regular Government
Sikhs. Many were captured and executed at J..ahore. gave them additional strength. They began to erect
This incid~nt happened near Shahid Ganj.36 forts to check foreigners. The grand father of Ranjit
At this time Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded Punjab Singh, S. C harat Singh erected his stronghold at Guj-
from Afganistan and conquered it. But he was com- ranwala. The Durrani Governor or his deputy KhwaJa
pelled to return back. The Sikhs harassed him much Obed went to suppress C harat Singh in 1762. All
by attacking his rear. Meanwhile Mir Mannu became the Sikhs came to the help ofC harat Singh. Afghans
the Viceroy of Lahore and Multan. He suppressed . were repulsed and fled to Lahore. The army of the
with strong hand the Sikhs who were day by day Khalsa assembled at Amritsar and performed their
growing powerful and harassing the officials. The ablutions in the restored pool and perhaps the regular
Sikhs during the time of invasion of Ahmad Shah 'Gurmata' was held on this occaSSlOn. The Sikhs in-
Abdali had built a Fort close to Amritsar and called it vaded Malerketla and revaged it.
Ram-Rauni. 37 A most able among them, J assa Singh But restless Ahmad Shah Abdali again appeared in
proclaimed the birth of a new power in the state-the the Punjab to recover his possession in 1762 and a
'Dal of the Khalsa'38. During the second capture of battle took place in which the Sikhs were defeated.
Lahore by Abdali, the Sikhs again rose, seeing disord- About twenty five thousand Sikhs were killed. This
er. The greater, the anarchy prevailed the stronger is called 'Ghalu Ghara' in the Sikh history. Ahmad
the Sikhs became, writes Pyne. 39 The repeated in- Shah appointed a Hindu Kabulumal as Governor of
vasions of Abdali between 1748-67 exercised very de- Lahore and returned back due to insurrection. The
cisive influence in the history of the rise of Sikh Amritsar temple was again destroyed. But the Sikhs
military power. again rose and started their activities. First of all
The weapons which the Sikhs generally carried they attacked Kasur and plundered it. THen they
were swords, spears and muskets. Later, they also attacked Malerketla and slew its ruler Hinghan Khan.
adopted matchlocks. There was no standard uniform. After that about 40,000 Sikhs marched against the
The common troops were clad in a turban, a shirt and Governor of Sarhind and defeated him in December
a pair of knickerbockers with tight fitting slippers. 1763. The plains of Sarhind from Sutlej to the
The Chief probably wore chain armour together with Jamuna were occupied by them. Delhi was not in
a steal helmet, breast plate, back plates, wrist guards a position to challenge them. The loss of Sarhind
and gloves. There was no training or any drill. They brought Ahmad Shah Abdali again to India but
were addicted to predatory warfare in a manner pe- he had to return back immedIately without oc-
culiar to them alone. They were at their best, when cupying Sarhind due to rebellion. Alha Singh ofP at-
harassing the enemy forts and troops by night at- iala was acknowledged as the Governor of said pro-
tacks. The Sikh horsemen were lightly equipped and vince by him. The Sikhs did not allow Ahmad Shah
. carried all their requirements on their horses. They Abdali to return unmolested and arduous contest in
could march from 50 to 100 miles a day and still be the vicinity of Amritsar took place which ended with-
ready for the battle, the following day. They were out the victory of either party. The Sikhs captured
hardy and full of fight. Lahore and thus the Sutlej came under their sway.
In 1755-56 Abdali captured Lahore for the fourth The Sikhs issued their coin at Amritsar with an insrip-
time and appointed his son Taimur Governor. 40 He. tion to the effect 'Deg, Teg arid Fateh.. Thus the
attacked the Ram Rauni fort of the Sikhs and devast- Sikhs got the ultimate victory. The Federate Chiefs
ed it; buildings were demolished and the sacred re- partioned their joint conquests equally among them-
servoir was filled with the ruins.41 But gradually the selves and divided their respective share.
Sikhs again came out and surrounded Lahore and the Hearing the news of Ahmad Shah Abdali's final
Prince has to flee towards the Chenab. Lahore was descent, the Sikhs became united. He crossed the
temporarily occupied by the truimphant Sikhs under Indus in 1767 but avoided Lahore and advanced no
the leadership of J assa Singh. He used the mint of farther than Sutlej. He tried to conciliate when he
the Mughals to strike a rupee, bearing the inscription, could no longer overcome and he bestowed the title
coined by the grace of the 'Khalsa' in the country of of Maharaja and the office of military commander in
Ahmad conquered by J ass a in 1756-58. 42 But Rag- Sarhind upon the warlike Amar Singh who had suc-
hoba, Marathas came and captured Lahore. The Sikhs ceded his grandfather as the Chief ofP atiala or of the
101
Malwa Sikhs. Meanwhile insurrection in his army 15. Gyan Singh, Twarikh Guru Khalsh, Vol. I (Amritsar,
India, Wagir Hind Press 1923), p. 142
compelled Abdali to ~o back to Kabul. Ahmad Shah 16. Latif, op. c;it. p. 254, I. Banerjee, Evolution of Khalsa
retired in 1768 and Immediately the Sikhs occupied (Calcutta, India, 1963 Vol. II, pp. 108-125
the country as far as Rawalpindi. 17. Macauliffe, op. cit. Vol. V, p. 184
Thus the Sikh militarism began by the sixth Guru 18. Ibid., p. 198
Har Gobind and transformed into most powerful 19. N. K. Sinha, Ranjit Singh (Calcutta, India, University of
Calcutta, 1933).
force by the tenth Guru Gobind Singh, reached its de- 20. Cunninghum, op. cit. p. 77 (21) Latif, op. cit. p. 274 (22)
sired end of independence. At first the Sikh militar- Ibid. (23) Ibid., p. 276, Pyne, op. cit. p. 45 (24) Cunning-
ism was in its defensive nature. The real shape to hum, op. cit. p. 77
the Sikh rule was give by Ranjit Singh later on who 25. Latif, op. cit. p. 278
26. Ibid., p.--
united the loose confederation of misals. 27. Ibid, Cunninghum, op. cit. p. 79
28. N. K. Sinha, Rise of the Sikh power (Calcutta, University
1. Pyne, A short History of the Sikhs (London, U.K. Tham- of Calcutta 1936) pp. 5-7
son N.D.) p. 32 29. Ibid.
2. Maculaliffe, The Sikh Religion Vol. 1 (Oxford, U.K. Ox- 30. Pyne, op. cit. p. 47
ford Press 1909) p. 10 31. Hari Ram Gupta, History of the Sikhs, Vol. II (Cal. India,
3 Ibid p. 21 S. N. Sarkar, 1939) p. 1
4. Ibid pp. 24-26 32. Cunninghum, op. cit. p. 832, Rise of Sikh Power, op. cit.
5. Sir J. N. Sarkar, History of Auranjeb Vol. II (Calcutta, pp.10-11
India, M.C. Sarkar and Sons, 1928) p. 310 33a Ibid. pp. 11-12 (34) Ibid, pp. 12-13; Melcolm, History of
6. G.C. Narang, Transformation of Sikhism, p. 106 the Sikhs, Vol. I (London, U.K., John Murray, 1812)
7. Macualiffe, Vol. IV, op. cit. pp. 78-81 p.184
8. David Sea, Dabistan-I- Ma-Ahib, Vol. II (David sea of the 35. Munshi Sohan Lal, Umdat-ut-Twarikh, Vol. I (Lahore,
Oriental Depart. in the Honourable East India Co., College Arya Press, 1885) 109
and Anthony, Troyer, 1843) pp. 276-277 36. Cunninghum, op. cit. p. 84, Rise of Sikh Power, op. cit.
9. Macualiffe, op. cit. Vol. IV, pp. 80-93 pp.16-17
10 Ibid., Vol. V, pp. 156-157, Latif, S.M., History of Punjab 37. Rise of Sikh Power, op. cit. p. 27; H.R. Gupta, op. cit.
(New Delhi, India) Eurasia publishing house, P.L. 1964), pp.36-37
256 .. 38. Cunninghum, op. cit. p. 85
11. Cunninghum, History of the Sikhs (New Delhi, India, 39. Pyne, op. cit. p. 50
S. Chand & Co. 1966) p. 51 40. Rise of Sikh Power, op. cit. p. 41
12. S. R. Shar'm a, Religions policy of the Mughal Emperor 41. Ibid. p. 42
(London, Oxford Univeristy 42. Cunninghum, op. cit. p. 89
13. Cunninghum, op. cit. p. 68 43. Rise of Sikh Power, op. cit. pp. 50=51
14. Macualiffe, op. cit. p. 304 44. Cunninghum, op. cit. p. 91
102
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MATERIALS FOR THE STUDY OF EAST INDIAN HISTORY IN NORTH AMERICA - - - - continued
by
BRUCE LA BRACK
South Asia Program - Syracuse University
V EAST INDIAN COMMUNITIES AND INSTI- Singh, Sardar Puna. "My Early Years in A~erica,"
TUTIONS (contued from previous issue). SIKH SANSAR. 1:4 (December 1972), pp. 109-110.
(Adapted from a narrative by Ms. J. P. Singh.) UCB
Bradfield, Helen Haynes. THE EAST INDIANS In a very brief biographical statement, the daughter
OF YUBA CITY: A STUDY IN ACCULTURATION. of one of California's earliest Sikh pioneers relates her
M.A.: Sacramento State College, 1971. 133 pp. father's experiences-from leaving India at age 16
. The thesis is a study of the mechanisms inhibiting (1906), to establishing a dairy and-farming enterprise
or assisting acculturation of Sikhs in the Sutter in 1929.
County area of the Sacramento Valley. Based in large Sidu, Gurnam Singh, "Saga of the American Sikh,"
part on an analysis of the applicability of Milton Gor- SIKH SANSAR. 1:4 (December 1972), pp.99-105.
don's theory of "structural pluralism", the research This is a succinct summary of early Sikh migration
covers a broad spectrum of topics, includin~ a des- and its attendant conflicts In Canada and America.
cription of the study area, history of the SIkhs, re- The author stresses the role of the Stockton Gurd-
ligIOUS practices, pohtical factionalism, and the gener- wara as a religious and social center. Up to 1946, the
ational differences in perceptions and social activities. absence of Indian women is viewed as the single most
A short section deals with the attitudes of the larger destructive factor in the disintegration of the Sikh
community towards East Indians. community.
Reeves, Walford, "Indian Emigrants Adopt a New Dodd, Balbinder Singh. SOCIAL CHANGE IN
Way of Life," ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY OF INDIA. TWO OVERSEAS SIKH COMMUNITIES. B.A. :
92:2 (January 10, 1971), p. 15. UCD . University of British Columbia, 1972. 43pp. UCB-
Reeves gives a superficial overview of attitude South/Southeast Asian Library-Ghadar Party Collec-
changes among Canadian East Indians, noting the tion.
adoption of Canadian economic and residential pat- Dodd's pal?er e~alll:ine~ the effe~ts of re~igious ide-
terns. . ?logy on sOCleta} InstItutIOns, .partIcularly I~ promot-
Loehlin, Dr. C. H. "The Sikhs of California," SIKH mg group coheSIveness. He compares the SIkh settle-
SANSAR. 1: 3 (Septembe!' 1972), pp. 68-72. UCB. ments in British Columbia with immigrants to Britain,
This is a brief description of California's Sikh com- contrasting both with their home communities in the
munities, including an analysis of their assimilation Punjab. The historical background Sikh' ideology,
into American life and the outlook for future accul- community social structure, immigration patterns,
turation of second-generation East Indians. religious organization, political life, family patterns,
105
.~
and economic involvement of various Sikh groups are Ii shed paper delivered at Midwest Conference on
compared. Asian Affairs, November 1974. UCB-South/South-
Shah, Khalid H. and Linda Shah. "Indians in east Asian Library. 13 pp.
New York," ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY OF INDIA. Tracing the fluctuatlOns of U. S. immigration pol-
XCI: 16 (April 22, 1973), pp. 19-22. UCD. icy and its social effect on Punjabi Sikhs, this article
The authors claim there are 50,000 Indians and also seeks to evaluate the impact upon an East Ind-
Pakistanis in New York, many of them in profess- ian Sikh community of large-scale conversion by
ional, industrial and governmental positions. Accord- American youth to Sikhism. Since the adoption of
ing to them, unlike earlier European and Asian mig- Sikhism by Westerners is a recent (post-1969) pheno-
rants, the majority of East Indians are educated and menon in America, the conclusion that the orthodox
affluent. They have for the most part retained not· stance of the new converts is exaggerating divisions
only their cultural identity, but actively participate in within the Punjabi community is tenatively offered.
Indian reli~ious, social and artistic events. The main point is that SikhIsm, as a religion, has
Thadam, J aya. "Indians in Washington," ILLUS- ceased to be a provincial faith associated exclusively
TRATED WEEKLY OF INDIA. XCIV: 31 (August 5, with Punjabi South Asians.
1973), pp. 45-49. UCD.
Thandani gives an impressionaistic view of the VI. SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIFE
3,000 to 5,000 Indian nationals in Washington, D.C.
Mostly non-resident professionals in diplomatic or "War with Great Britain, " OUTLOOK. 87 (Sep-
allied occupations, the scene described is atypical and tember 14,1907), pp. 51-52. UCB.
other more permanent East Indian populatlOns else- A factitious account of the Bellingham riots, this
where in America. However, their reported social article speculates on their possible effect upon dip-
isolation is similar throughout the United States. lomatic relations with Great Britain. Noting that
some poeple warned that the wrecking of a Japanese
Ames, Michael M. and Joy Inglis. "Conflict and restaurant in San Francisco might bring war with
Change in British Columbia Sikh Family Life," Japan closer, the article seeks to equate running Sikhs
BRITISH COLUMBIA STUDIES (BC Studies). No. out of Washington state as being a situation which
20 (Winter 1973-74), pp. 15-49. UCD-Asian Amer- might lead to a confrontation with England. The idea
ican Collection. is rejected as ridiculous.
This is an excellent article which details the chan- S1Ogh, Sant NihaL "The Triumph of the. I.ndians in
ges that have occurred in Sikh family structure and Canada," THE MODERN REVIEW. 6:2 (August
roles. Comparisions are made between Canadian :pat- 1909), pp. 99-108. UCB.
terns, traditional Indian models, and ideal CanadIan- Written to counteract the growing anti-Asian feel-
Sikh family patterns. A high degree of persistence ing in Canada, this article stresses the adaptability,
was found 10 religion, marriage, and age and sex-based fine character, and industry of East Indian immi-
.on differentiation patterns, while changes in family grants to Canada. Minimizing caste and reli~ious
type, economic allocation of resources, political differences, the author says that identity as "IndIans"
allocation of authorio/, and education were f,bund. is paramount and other aspects of social identity are
Fleuret, Anne K. 'Incorporation into Networks secondary. The "triumph" of the title refers to
Among Sikhs in Los Angeles," URBAN ANTHRO- overcom1Og racism, climate, and legal barriers. The
POLOGY. 3: 1 (Spring 1974), pp. 27-33. UCB-Anth- article is strongly Sikh in outlook.
ropology Library.
I Aithough primarily a discussion of research prob- ........ continued in December issue
lems encountered while studying a geographically dis-
persed urban community this article discusses the role
of the Sikh temple as an integrative institution. Kin-
ship and other types of networks which link its est-
imated 500 members are briefly outlined. Total pop-
ulation is probably close to 2500.
La Brack, Bruce. "The Growth of the Sikh Com-
munity in the Sacramento Valley," SIKH SANSAR.
3:2 (June 1974), pp. 48-50. UCB.
The article proVIdes a brief sketch of the legal and
. social aspects of Punjabi Sikh society in the Sacra-
mento Valley of California from the earliest passenger
migrants to the early 1970's. The extent of current
agricultural endeavors and economic expansion is
documented.
La Brack, Bruce. NEO-SIKHISM AND EAST
INDIAN RELIGIOUS IDENTIFICATION. Unpub-
106
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