HOLOCAUST OF 1921; NANKANA SAHIB

Do you ever wonder why every tyranny; that wants to suppress the wave of Sikhi attacks gurudwaras (a Sikh place of worship)?

Long back, during the days of British rule, the Britishers were also thinking the same. The question that was raised in the British assembly itself, Which power in India is so powerful that it can be a threat to the roots of British rule?

The answer they concluded was Sikhs.

They state, " The secret of the power of Sikhs is behind their belief in their Gurus and everything related to them. If, and only if their belief in their Guru crashes, they forget the importance of their Gurudwaras (a Sikh place of worship) and their glorious history of martyrs. Then, they will end; else, there is no more way to end them."

This is the mere reason why every tyrant targeted the gurudwaras; the source of the internal power of Sikhs.

WHY OF THIS HOLOCAUST:

Pondering over the reasons that laid a path towards THE GREAT HOLOCAUST that ever happened in the history of mankind, THE HOLOCAUST OF NANKANA SAHIB (now, in Pakistan). Nankana Sahib is the birthplace of the First Guru of Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and beholds a very sacred and precious place in the hearts of each and every believer.

Thinking about everything we are headed back to the era 60-70 years after Guru Gobind Singh Ji (10th Guru of the Sikhs) when again the tyrant was determined to vanish every believer of Sikhi. During that era, any Sikh found was martyred. So, they need to leave their houses and live in the forests, deserts, etc. Hence, making it difficult for the Sikhs to take care of the Gurudwaras. So, the Mahants at that time were held responsible to take care of them. But, very soon due to this there were certain activities of Brahminism taking place over the sacred places which are seriously condemned under the Sikh scriptures. Also, idol worship was started under the premises of Gurudwara was is denounced by the Sikhi. Mahants started treating gurudwaras as their personal property and used the money for their pleasure. Which totally lead to the desecration of the religious place and violation of the Sikh code and conduct (Rehat Maryada).

The glorious history of Sikhi; emphasizes the fact that Sikhs can give up their life, their family, indeed everything but cannot endure the desecration of their religion.

All this directs back to the year 1873 when the "SINGH SABHA MOVEMENT" was started; which has the biggest gift to the history of Sikhi. During this movement, the implementation of the Sikh Code of Conduct; and fading of Brahminism from gurudwaras; all done by the mahants was ensured. But again; the mahants had great support from the British government back then; as Britishers wanted the spirit of Sikhi to lose its color.

Under SINGH SABHA MOVEMENT, In Oct 1920, the management of Gurudwara babe ki ber, Sialkot was taken from mahant and Sikhi code and conduct was implemented. Followed by Sachkhand Shri Darbar Sahib and Shri Akal sahib. It was necessary to take these sacred places from those relishers and re-gain theory glory.

Even though; In 1858, Queen Victoria announced that her government won't interfere in religious matters but when it came to Sikhs and gurudwaras; the British didn't want to lose control.

In 1881, the Lt. Governor of Punjab wrote a letter to 'Lord Ripin' stating, " If the management of Sikh Gurudwaras were let into the hands of a committee which was not under the government would be a danger to the rule of Britishers in India."

These were the incidents that added fuel to the fires in the hearts of the Sikhs to make their sacred places free.

Numerous happenings of Sikhs were forced to remove their Kirpan (what Sikh believers carry), breaking the wall of Gurudwara Rakab ganj (in Delhi, India), the closing of the doors of Shri Darbar sahib,
In 1918, a minor traveling with her family from Sindh to Nankana Sahib was raped by mahants and his goons. Also, 6 more women were treated the same way.
The use of alcohol, prostitute dancing, and all kinds of ill deeds was done in the home of Sikhi.
Mahants honoring the ones responsible for the Jallianwala bagh massacre in darbar sahib.
Rather than the Sikh code and conduct ( Sikh Rehat Maryada) Brahminism was practiced inside the gurdwara sahib.
Use of the Gurudwara sahib's income by the mahant for living his luxurious life.

Not only these, but numerous more ill deeds in gurudwaras were unacceptable and gave birth to a spirit in Sikhs to stop this desecration and practicing of Brahminism.

Though Singh Sabha Movement, the heritage of the panth (faith) was returned to the hands of its true ancestors, and their piousness was restored. But still, Nanakana Sahib the place of Guru Nanak was still in the hands of the relisher Mahant Narayan Das; who messed up with the piousness and Code of conduct of the home of God. So, it was now time for the Singhs (true believers of a one-timeless God) to take hold of their heritage.

HOW OF THIS HOLOCAUST:

"Guru Nanak dev Ji, we your disciple, have come to your birthplace for your blessings; with a firm will to set your place free from the mahant and stop all the ill deeds happening there. And return your sacred place as it is meant to be. We ask for your blessings, so that we may be able to accomplish our goal or get martyred in your pious home."

With this being said, the Singhs did ardaas ( a prayer in Sikhi) and left for Nankana sahib under the command of S. Lachman Singh Dharowal. They reached the place at 5.45 AM in February 1921 entered the gurdwara and sat in the congregation whereas S. Lachman Singh sat on the taba of Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Mahant knew that Singhs would come to get control of the gurdwara; so he gathered all goons of the area to kill the Singhs, As the Singhs, sat inside; the doors of the gurdwara sahib were closed and indiscriminate firing was started by the goons of mahant. Mahant was happily watching this scene happily from the corner of the place (Mehmankhana), like a lion looking at its prey. The bullet even struck Guru Granth Sahib Ji and hit the wall whose imprints can still be seen in the place. S. Lachman Singh Ji was also Martyred on the spot.

Bhai Dalip Singh was telling Bhai Variyam Singh Ji that they were not able to stop Bhai Lachman Singh and the Singhs from entering the Nankana sahib where they heard the sound of firing sitting in the Karkhana (factory) of S. Uttam Singh. They immediately ran towards the Gurudwara sahib. As they reached the doors of the Nankana sahib, Bhai Dalip Singh JI asked the mahant to stop these killings and he would be forgiven. But, he was shot dead by the mahant and Bhai Variyam Singh was also cut into pieces. Then, with the other Singhs, they were also thrown into the hearth. Bhai Lachman Singh's body was burned with the holy tree ( famously known as jand). Where ever they saw Singhs till the railway lines, they were martyred. When all of them were martyred, mahant ordered his goons to throw all of them into the burning hearth. Till then total. 150 Singhs were killed; of which 86 were not identified.

On 20 Feb 1921, the news of this mass murder reached S. Kartar Singh Jhabar. At that time 80-100 Singhs were present; they all did ardaas and left for the Nankana sahib be set it free from the murderer mahant. By the night of 20 Feb, Sikhs were 4000 in the counting. When they all were 2 miles away from the gurdwara sahib; S. Kartar Singh Jhabar said, whosoever is willing to give away their lives to set gurdwara sahib free from the mahant come forward. 2200 armed Singhs came ahead. S. Mehtaab Singh who was a govt. lawyer meet the troops and S. Kartar Singh Jhabar; asked them not to go ahead as there were machine guns and weapons established there. But S. S. Kartar Singh Jhabar denied the request and said that now at this point nothing in the world can stop them. He guided the Singhs on how to move ahead and face the British army and goons of mahant.

When the Singhs reached near the railway line, Deputy Commissioner Mr. Kari (as per the resources) warned the Singhs, "Don't move forward; else firing will be started by my army." But S. Kartar Singh Jhabar said in reply, " You fire and then see what my Singhs do." DC again said, " You wait for some time, the keys of the gurdwara sahib will be given to you by the morning." Disagreeing with it, S. Kartar Singh Jhabar smashed him with the answer, "We will get the keys now, your army has to move aside, now!"

Listening to this firm reply, DC gave them the keys, and the army was removed from there.

A committee of 7 Singhs was made and the keys of Nankana sahib were given to them. S. Harbans Singh was made the head.

This was the power of true believers; who don't think about their lives and can do anything for the Guru. But considering the situation nowadays, we need to ponder over the thought that "Is our belief so strong that we can let go of everything even our lives for our belief; for true Guru?" If the answer is NO, we need to find our way back to our guru. It makes us strengthen our belief in the Maryada, how it needs to be followed and no compromise should be made on that. Keep in mind, our gurudwaras or any religious place is not a place for politics or any other ill deeds, It is a sacred place and it's up to us to maintain its piousness.

This is just an outline of the massacre; for more details, the book "Saka Nankana Sahib" published by the Sikh missionary college should be read.

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