Before, we can discuss the significance of Khalsa we must decide the development of the Sikh movement. It differed from all other Indian religious movements, none of which made the solution of political problem an integral part of their program.
The character and development of the Sikh movement reveals that it had three main social goals: 1. to build an egalitarian society, 2. to use this new society as a base to wage an armed struggle against religious and political oppression, and 3. to capture political power by the Khalsa. All these aims were integral parts of the Sikh thesis that injustice, inequality and hierarchism, in any form, must be combated.
In developing an egalitarian society the Sikh Gurus felt that, unless the fundamental menace of the caste system was eliminated, there could be no major change in other inequities. Guru Nanak attacked the caste ideology and called it perverse. Further, he aligned himself with the lowliest of the low castes. At the ‘Langar’ (free kitchen) all sat at the same platform and took the same food. The condemnation of status conscious~ ness has been related to the undoing of the caste and the building of a casteless egalitarian society. Raising the status of women formed an essential part of the Sikh movement, Guru Amar Das abolished the customs of ‘Purdah’ and ‘Sati Of the twenty-two ‘manjis’, idoceses or preaching districts, set up by him, many were headed by women, The status of women raised by the movement is reflected by the fact that they participated in the revolutionary struggle on equal terms with men, It was Mai Bhago who rallied the deserters from Anandpur and led them in the battle of Muktsar.
The idea of equality was inherent in the system of the Guru and the Sikh movement so long it retained its pristine purity. After he had anointed Angad as his successor, Guru Nanak bowed at his feet in salutation. The same custom was followed by the later Gurus, ‘The Sikhs, who had imbibed the spirit of the Gurus, were regarded as equals of the Guru. The collective wisdom of the congregation of Sikhs was of higher value than that of the Guru alone. Bhai Gurdas repeatedly makes it clear that there was no status gap between the Guruanda Sikh “Gurchela, chela Guru”
The second’ goal of the Sikh movement was to fight the religious and political domination of the rulers which threatened to undermine the very moral fabric of the society. This mission was a part and parcel of the Sikh thesis which stood for the total emancipation of man, including freedom from political and religious dictation. It was necessary that the downtrodden castes and classes should be both the architects and masters of their ‘own destiny. There is a reference in Bachitar Natak’ that Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed his life to save the sacred thread (janeo) of the Hindus. An erroneous inference, therefore, might be drawn that the Sikh movement aimed at the revival Brahmanism, There are hymns of Guru Nanak wherein he belittles the custom of wearing the janeo’. After the creation of the Khalsa the ‘janeos’ were cast away, In some of the ‘Rehatnamas’, the wearing of janeo is not only discarded, but severe consequences are mentioned for those of the Khalsa who wear it. The immediate cause of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s execution was that the Kashmiri pandits sought his protection from forcible conversion to Islam. The Sikhs fought this religion-political oppression not because they favored Brahmanism, but because no moral, religious or spiritual growth could take place under any social, religious or political oppression.
The task of creating a military organization was no less difficult, The Sikh movement had to weld together disparate elements, drawn from mutually exclusive castes, into a homogenous unit, and give them completely new values and a solidarity which were indispensable for fighting the greatest empire of the time. The Sikh movement had to build a military tradition; all its own, among the downtrodden people who had been debarred the use of arms by the caste ideology,
‘The Gurus recognized no other authority than that of God; To build up a clear alternative to the ruling sovereign the ideal of “Sacha Padshah” (the true King) was set up. Sacha Padshah, as it’s very ‘name implies, was to be a combination of spiritual and temporal authority in one; and) was to be the embodiment of values. Sikhism stood for, as opposed to all political authority based on injustice, ‘oppression and exploitation. The ideal was not only set up, but was also institutionalized, Guru Arjun Dev used to hold assemblies which gave them the look of royal during bars (court). This very idea of “Sacha Padshah” belittled the image of the Emperors, It withdrew. The allegiance of the Sikhs from the rulers and focused it on the Gurus, the centers of incipient new order. The loyalty of the Sikhs to the Gurus was absolute. One of the reasons of Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom at the hands of Emperor Jahangir was that Jahangir considered that the Guru had poised himself as a ‘worldly leader’. The foundation for creating and carving out an independent political state was clearly laid,
The important point is that the ideal of “Sacha Padshah” was not set up casually. That it was meant to be a deliberate challenge to the ruling state is clear from the manner the Gurus stuck to it despite the serious consequences it led to. Besides this gradual but deliberate build-up of morale against the oppressive political authority, all the Sikh Gurus followed a course which was bound to pose a political challenge to the rulers. This challenge was inherent in the Sikh thesis itself and formed a part of the political struggle. In fact, adherence to the Sikh thesis would have posed a challenge to every political power which denied religious, social and political freedom, Had it been a Hindu state bent upon enforcing caste and other rules, its conflict with the Sikh movement would have been as inevitable as it was with the Mughal rulers who were guided by their bigoted interpretation of the Sharia law.
‘The nature of the Sikh movement was as much political as it was religious. There is no doubt that the rulers at that time realized the political implications of the Sikh movement. The martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev was a turning point in Sikh history. It was clear that further pursuit of the Sikh mission demanded armed conflict with Mughal authority. The initiative for this purpose was taken by Guru Arjan Dev. Before he left for Lahore, he knew what was in store for him, He appointed Hargobind as his successor. Guru Arjan Dev, during the last moments of his life, again sent specific instructions 10 his successor, “Let him sit fully armed on his throne and maintain an army to the best of his ability.” It was customary for the former Gurus to wear ‘Self’ (a woolen Cord) as an insignia of Guruship. Har Gobind said, “My Seli shall be a sword belt, and I shall wear my turban with a royal aigrette.” He girded himself with two swords, ‘one symbolizing temporal power and the other spiritual power. He laid the foundation of the Akal Takht. This was raised as a seat of temporal authority close to, but distinct from, the Harmandir Saib. For the same purpose, he raised two flags in front of the Akal ‘Takht. He told Bhai Budha: “In the Guru’s house spiritual and worldly ‘well-being shall be combined; the ‘cauldron to supply the poor and the needy, and’ the scimitar to smite oppressor.” The period, starting from the retreat of Guru Har Gobind to Kiratpur and ending ‘with the creation of the Khalsa by ‘Guru Gobind Singh, may be called a period of armed truce for the Sikh movement.
‘There cannot be more authentic evidence than the one recorded in the Guru Granth Sahib and by Guru Gobind Singh. It lays down in unambiguous language that all the Gurus were inspired by the same unified thesis and mission. Not only that. Guru Gobind Singh ‘emphasizes that, without the acceptance of this view, there can be no true understanding of the Sikh path. We shall find the same continuity of the mission in the creation Of the Khalsa of God, ‘Waheguruji ka Khalsa’ by Guru Gobind Singh.
The third objectives of the Sikh movement were to capture political power for a plebian mission. We shall use the word ‘plebian’ for ‘Want of a better expression. The Sikh movement, in its aims and character, was plebian in the broad sense of the term. For, it stood for the social and political rights of the downtrodden people. But, the word plebian should not at all bear the connotation of class hatred or class war, for this would’ be opposed to the Sikh thesis which is fundamentally based on universal Jove. Khalsa was the instrument created and used both to overthrow the Mughals and to capture political power for achieving plebian objectives.
The signifance of Khalsa, and the role it played in the revolutionary struggle, are of the highest importance, because the Khalsa ‘was the climax of the Sikh movement, The Gurus wanted to bring about revolutionary changes. It was for this purpose that Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa in order to capture political power for a plebian mission, He did not ‘depend upon the privileged castes ‘or classes to bring this about. He ‘wanted the downtrodden sections of society to work out their own destiny.
Early in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh called his followers to Anandpur, He exhorted the Sikhs to ‘come with their hair and beards ‘unshorn, There were many thousands that came. After the morning ceremony the Guru appeared before the Congregation and demanded fire heads for the sacrifice. After some trepidation, one rose to offer himself. He was taken into a tent. A while later Guru reappeared in front of the people with his word dripping with blood and asked for another victim. In this manner five men were taken for sacrifice’ into the tent. The Guru then came out with all five dressed in his own image, He announced that the ‘Punj Piyare’ (the Five Beloved Ones) were to be the nucleus of a new community whish was to be called the Khalsa, or he pure, He baptized the five men and were thus initiated into the casteless fraternity of the Khalsa, Guru Gobind Singh then requested the Five Beloved Ones to baptize him, he addressed them to the following effect:
“Hear, Khalsa ji, with all attention,
You are dearest of dear to me.
The Brahmins were proud that God had given the sovereignty of the world to them;
There was no ruler (Raja) like hem in the world.
The Rajput’s felt that they had been created from God’s arms.
But, Vaishya, Sudras and Jats in large numbers I have incorporated in the Panth.
The sovereignty of the whole world Is given for you, the Khalsa,
I have made you leaders of the Khalsa.
The way you received Amrit(baptism) from the Guru,
I wish to receive it the same way from you.
The Guru and the Sikh are interwoven with one another,
It had been so recognized by the nine Gurus, the Sikh and the Guru are related to each other as head is to the body.”
Guru Gobind Singh thus bestowed sovereignty on the Khalsa for plebian objectives. This was how this Sikh revolutionary mission was consecrated. It was God’s own mission. When Guru Gobind Singh conferred leadership on the Khalsa, he ended his address with the expression:
Wahegura ji ka Khalsa
The Khalsa belongs to God Waheguru ji ki Fateh ‘And so does victory belong to Him. The Khalsa owed allegiance to God and to none else. In its social implications, it meant loyalty only to the Khalsa mission which had ‘been sanctified by God himself. To regard one’s body, soul and possessions as belonging to the Guru or God, was the Sikh way of creating a. commune, With the militarization of the Sikh movement, this ideal was oriented towards dedication of one’s all to the revolutionary cause, Dedication of oneself to the Khalsa was dedication to God. The Sikh’s dedication of body, soul and ‘possession, to the Khalsa has to be complete. Guru Gobind Singh has himself made this point explicit, “All the wealth of my house with soul and body is for them.”*KhaIsa is my own image; I abide in the Khalsa; Khalsa is my body and life; khalsa is the life of my life; I belong to the Khalsa, and the Khalsa belongs to me; the way the ocean and drop are one.” At the time of baptism ceremony, each entrant to the brotherhood of the Khalsa gained five freedoms; freedom from the shackles of 1. earlier religions, 2, earlier Karmas (deeds), 3. caste, clan and race, 4. earlier taboos and customs and 5. superstitions, 1rituals, These freedoms ensured the complete severance of the Khalsa from the caste society. Those who were baptized into the Khalsa were also said to be reborn. In the Gurv’s system there was no place even for the privileges of the chief or the leader, No leader could be fit to lead unless he was elected or accepted by the followers. The fact that the leadership of the movement devolved on the Khalsa Panth as a whole became an article of living faith with the Sikhs Bhai Nand Lal, a close associate of Guru Gobind Singh Written:
“Khalsa is one who does not speak ill of others;
Khalsa is one who fights in the front ranks,
Khalsa is one who conquers the five evils;
Khalsa is one who destroys doubt. Khalsa is one who gives up ego; Khalsa is one who keeps away ‘from woman, not his wife;
Khalsa is one who looks upon all as his own;
Khalsa is one who attunes himself with God.”
Ghulam Hussain Khan writes(1783 A.D.) about the Khalsa Panth, “When a person is once admitted into that fraternity, they make no scruple of associating with him, of whatever tribe, clan or race he may have been hitherto; nor do they betray any of those scruples and prejudices so deeply rooted in the Hindu mind”
The creation of the Khalsa was not an idle dream. The Khalsa proved its mettle by passing through the ordeal of fire, It is unnecessary to go into the details of the struggle because these are writ large on the pages of Sikh history. The Khalsa had to carry on its armed conflict all along in the heart and the citadel of the Mughal empire, It had not a foothold or land which it could call its own. But it was the revolutionary mission which inspired and sustained the movement during its most critical periods,
The Sikh movement was virtually crushed a number of times. It suffered many serious reverses. But each time, like the proverbial phoenix, it rose from its ashes. The first setback took place when Guru Gobind Singh had to leave Anandpur, Chamkaur and finally Muktsar. But, within a year and a half of the Guru’s death, the Khalsa under Banda had conquered Sirhind and humbled the government of Lahore. The second occasion, when the Sikh movement was practically crushed, was when Banda was defeated, captured and executed. This was a most trying time for the Khalsa, They were hunted by the government forces. They had a price on their heads: Rupees 25 for every Sikh head and for a ‘Sikh captive a sum of Rupees 100. This was the beginning of the heroic guerilla warfare. Forster writes: “The faithful followers of the Guru experienced the worst possible time in their history. Hunted like hare and pursued like wild beasts they wandered from place to place seeking shelter to save themselves from the fury of the government, from the revenge of the hostile Muslim population, from the greed of the toady Hindus.” It has been estimated that the number of the Khalsa was at one time reduced to about two thousand men, From this small force, they grew from strength to strength and not only challenged the Mughal empire, but became the masters of the country right up to the bank of Jamuna.
Nothing could shake the study Khalsa standing on the steel-like rock of faith and freedom. The internal vigor consisting of their dogged faith in themselves and in the prophecy of Guru Gobind Singh that they would one day become a nation, their determined courage and unconquerable spirit of resistance, not only sustained them against the bloody persecution but also raised them up again with greater strength after every ‘attempt to annihilate them,
‘As Bhangu has put it:
“The Singh’s had no resources; were without arms or clothes. Were naked, hungry and thirsty; had ‘no ammunition with them. Had no access to shops or markets; those fell sick died for lack of medicine. They were sustained by the hope ‘of Guru’s benediction;
This was the only treasure they had.”
Only those could come out successful through this fiery ordeal who had full faith in God, the Guru and ultimate triumph of the righteousness of the cause.
When Guru Gobind Singh was who was to be his successor, he replied:
“Khalsa is my image; I abide in the khalsa;
From beginning to end, I reveal in the Khalsa.”
Article extracted from this publication >> April 11, 1986
