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Historical Perspective on the Sikh Identity
Joginder Singh Jogi*
Lack of clear understanding of Sikh faith has led many writers
to present distorted version of Sikhism. On occasions, an
uncalled for controversy has been raised in certain quarters
about the Sikh identity. The Sikh faith starting with the
birth of its founder Guru Nanak Dev in the year 1469 AD
and passing through various stages, climaxed in the year
1699 AD with the creation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh.
The seed which had been sown by Guru Nanak flowered through
the hands of Guru Gobind Singh. Those who are unaware of
this seed-to-flower development often fall prey to misconceptions.
A proper evaluation of the evolution of this faith and its
historical perspective will be of great help in understanding
the Sikh identity. A proper understanding of the issue of
Sikh identity would further provide an ideological perspective
for Sikh society’s harmonious unity and co-relation
with the mainstream of our national life.
By many scholars, Guru Nanak has been regarded simply as
an exponent of Bhakti cult, while others treat Guru Nanak
as a mere reformer. As a matter of the fact, Guru Nanak
was not only a Bhakta of the traditional cult like Bhakat
Kabir and others, but more than that a visionary and a prophet.
He was not only a reformer or a revolutionary but an evolutionary.
According to J D Cunningham (History of Sikhs), “Other
reformers perfected the form of dissent, rather than planting
the seeds of a nation. Their sects remain to this day as
they left them. It was reserved for Nanak to perceive the
true principles of reform and to lay the foundation on which
Guru Gobind Singh created a nation.”
Several writers presented Guru Nanak’s mission as
the promulgation of a New Religion. For example, Dorothy
Field says, “The influence of Islam and of the monotheistic
reforms of Hinduism on Guru Nanak is much in evidence. But
it is also clear that in his view the religious world had
gone astray and therefore a new and direct revelation was
again necessary. How much he may have borrowed from Islam
and Hinduism in the matter of doctrine, his religion remains
distinct and complete in itself. In short, Sikhism may be
regarded as “new and separate world religion.”
Dorothy Field is not indeed alone in this approach. Numerous
other writers agree that Guru Nanak gave a new religion
to India different from others and laid foundation of new
social institutions.
To understand the universal mission of Guru Nanak in its
true perspective, it may be relevant to study the attitude
of the Guru and his spiritual successors towards the contemporary
beliefs, practices and ideologies, socio-political conditions
and the oppressive foreign rule. Guru Nanak considered the
caste system as the main cause for the miserable plight
of the people and firmly believed that the system had struck
at the very root of national life and was responsible for
making the people unable to defend during many a crisis
on their lives, their religion and their land against invaders.
Guru Nanak was extremely sensitive to the miseries and wailings
of terror-stricken people around him. Referring to the brutalities
perpetrated by the hordes of Mughals invading North India
in the 1520’s, Guru Nanak said, “Did you, O
God, not feel compassion?” “You are the creator
of all. If a mighty man smites another powerful man, then
one may not feel anger. If a mighty tiger falls on a herd
of sheep, then the responsibility lies on the herdsman.”
To free people from religious bigotry, social subjugation
and economic exploitation, Guru Nanak took revolutionary
measures and laid down the foundation of a society, which
was egalitarian in spirit and structure, repudiating the
existing customary religious doctrines. He also took organizational
steps in shaping Sikh society on separate ideological lines.
The Guru established Dharamsals in far flung areas, which
became the central places where his followers could meet
together for exchange of views. After completing his missionary
tours, Guru Nanak settled at Kartarpur in Punjab which became
the Central Dharamsala. Here he put his preachings into
practice. His third successor Guru Amar Das made Goindwal
as the centre of his followers, who gathered there on two
occasions in a year. The centre was later shifted to Amritsar
by Guru Ram Das, the fourth successor of Guru Nanak. Says
Latif (History of Punjab), “In founding the town of
Amritsar as a centre spot, the Guru laid the foundation
of the future greatness of the Sikhs as a nation, for they
were enabled now to rally at a common place of worship,
conveniently situated both as regards distance and fertility
of land. Amritsar began to be called “Guru Ki Nagri”;
it acted as Mecca to Sikhs.”
Guru Nanak wanted to create separate ideology of Sikhism
that needed continued efforts under the guidance of a true
teacher. In pursuance of this organizational object he selected
a worthy successor in Guru Angad Dev to lead and continue
the movement. The pontification of Guru Angad Dev was of
great significance in the evolution of Sikh identity.
Guru Angad Dev decided to propagate this new religion through
the popular medium of Gurmukhi, a language commonly understood
by the people. He declared that Sikhism was the religion
of householders, and ascetics had no place in Sikhism. The
Sikhs were thus separated from Udasis and raised above asceticism,
free and fit to follow their course of national progress.
Guru Angad Dev strengthened the institution of Langar (community
kitchen) where people of all caste and creed, high or low,
were to jointly partake food. This institution gained greater
significance when it was made compulsory for any person
to first take part in langar before he could have audience
with the Guru. The system created a great sense of equality
amongst the people.
The caste ideology had assigned to women, including those
of upper castes, a low social position. A notable aspect
of the social improvement effected by Guru Nanak was the
emancipation of women. For him men and women were equal
not only before God but also before one another. “Why
call her bad form whom are born Kings”? said Guru
Nanak. Guru Amar Das abolished the custom of Parda and Sati.
Some of the Manjis (Preaching Centres) were placed under
the charge of women, who participated in equal terms in
the Sikh movement. It has been observed that “Guru
Amar Das constructed a fence around the plant that germinated,
lest it should be destroyed by the gale of all-consuming
existing social practices. The plant got opportunity to
grow and fructify.” – Guru Ram Das nominated
his youngest son, Arjun Dev, as his successor, rejecting
the claim of the eldest son, Prithvi Chand. In adopting
the hereditary-cum-merit principle, in the choice of successor,
Guru Ram Das changed the very character of Guruship. Latif
writes, “it materially contributed to the growth of
Sikh power, for, henceforth the Guru was looked upon by
his disciples not in the light of a spiritual guide only,
but also as a worldly lord and a ruling sovereign. The Guru
became Sacha Padshah in whom was to vest a combination of
spiritual and temporal authority.”
According to Jagjit Singh (The Sikh Revolution), the Sikh
thesis aimed at total emancipation of man. It did not regard
religion as a ritual or ceremonial obligation, or a mere
quest for spiritual bliss, which could be compatible with
slavery and religious dictation. The gradual build up of
morale against the oppressive political authority posed
a challenge to the Mughal Empire, which formed part of political
struggle.
As against Akbar’s religious liberalism, Emperor Jahangir
fell prey to the Revivalist Movement of Islam led by Sheikh
Ahmad Sirhandi of Naqshabandi Order. As recorded in his
autobiography, Jahangir decided to put an end to the growing
influence of Sikhism under Guru Arjun Dev, who in turn refused
to comply with the dictates of the Emperor, being opposed
to the mission of Guru Nanak and made the supreme sacrifice
of his life.
The martyrdom of Guru Arjun Dev was a turning point in the
Sikh movement, which could be pursued further only with
an armed struggle. This sacrifice prepared the people, who
had been cowed down by centuries of tyrannical political
domination, for an armed struggle. Martyrdom of Guru Arjun
Dev flared the peaceful hearts of the Sikhs. It generated
the spirit of ordinary people and converted them into great
soldiers of the times. According to Hari Ram Gupta (History
of Sikh Gurus), Guru Arjun set the noblest example of courage
and boldness in resisting the wrongs of the mightiest power
on earth, and this sowed the seed which was to bear rich
fruits in due course. The sacrifice gave to the Sikhs a
new line of thought and action.
Before the execution of Guru Arjun Dev, his son Hargobind
had become his successor. Guru Arjun Dev had instructed
his son that he would have to retaliate the tyranny of the
Mughal Empire. Guru Hargobind girded himself with two swords
– one signifying Miri (temporal power) and the other
signifying Piri (spiritual power). He laid the foundation
of Akal Takht – The Throne of God, and raised it as
the seat of temporal authority, where the Guru discussed
with Sikhs the policies in relation to the political situation.
The Guru formulated a policy which was to lead the most
down-trodden people to political advancement and thereby
created a revolution in the life of Sikhs. Guru Hargobind
demonstrated the possibility of Sikhs openly assuming an
attitude of defiance against the Mughal Government and prepared
the way for a climax to be witnessed at the hands of Guru
Gobind Singh.
The founding of the Khalsa by the Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind
Singh was the epitome of the mission of Guru Nanak. Guru
Nanak identifies himself with the lowest of the low born,
for, 'where the weak are cared for, Thy mercy is showered’.
Describing the attributes of God, Guru Gobind Singh says,
“God ever cherisheth the poor, saveth saints and destroyeth
enemies”. Thus, protecting the poor and the weak and
destroying the tyrant are, according to Sikhism, God’s
own mission. Guru Gobind Singh descended to protect the
religion and punish its adversaries, to save the saint and
destroy the tyrants. The Guru says that it was in pursuance
of divine-mission that he created Khalsa to restore justice
and righteousness. At the time of initiating the five beloved
ones, who offered their heads for the cause of the Guru,
they were asked to repeat ‘Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa,
Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh’. (The creation of the Khalsa
was by His Own grace and the victory of the Khalsa was hailed
as God’s victory). At the time of baptism ceremony,
each entrant to the Order of Khalsa gained five freedoms:
freedom from shackles of (a) earlier religion (b) earlier
deeds, c) caste bondage, (d) earlier taboos and e) earlier
customs and rituals. The Guru conferred upon them equal
status and, as members of the newly-acquired brotherhood,
all of them dined together. These measures ensured complete
break of the Khalsa from the caste system.
According to Indu Bhushan Bannerjee (Evolution of Khalsa),
“Guru Gobind Singh brought a new people into being
and released a dynamic force into the arena of history.
He sought to create an idea! Sikh society with different
ideals and motivations and gave a new direction to Indian
History.”
It would, therefore, appear that by laying down new religious
and social institutions, by defiantly rejecting the caste
ideology, by continuously struggling against the mighty
oppressive Mughal Empire, and by making supreme sacrifices
unparalleled in the annuls of history, for the furtherance
of Divine Mission, Sikhism has traveled a long way and has
established, beyond any doubt whatsoever, its separate religious
identity. Sikhism is neither the sword arm, nor the sub-whole
of any other religion. It is an independent and complete
religion with its own distinct identity, code of conduct
and value system. It needs to be already understood in that
light and accorded a proper place in the comity of world
religions.
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