SIKH RESILIENCY 18 th Century History Harinder Singh @1Force
18 th Century Sikh History What do we know about Sikhs in the 1700’s? Why is it that this time period gets overlooked? Have we heard of utter persecution Sikhs faced in this period? What was their response?
Outline Organized Revolution Key Figures & Events The Misl System Personalities, Lifestyle & Attitude Desecration of Srī Darbār Sāhib Parallel Western History Relevance Today
High Spirits in Dire Situation Post Bandā ƓiOgh Bahādar martyrdom - Sikhs warring with Afghans, Iranians, and the Mughal Empire - Sikhs banned; killings became legal - Sikhs scattered; reorganization impossible Militant resistance continued during worst times - Sikhs continue to challenge state in small groups - Highly mobile guerilla-bands ( jathās ) remain active
Organized Revolution – Dal Kh ālsā Kap ū r ƓiOgh organizes Sikhs into 2 dals (groups) in 1734 - ƁuDhA dal - Tarunā dal - Together, Dal Kh ālsā Dal responsibilities - Guarding places of worship - Offering armed resistance to Mughal state Became 12,000 strong “In Kapur Singh’s time the dals, although in their early stages, provided Sikh resistance with a much- needed methodology and organization.” - Patwant Singh, The Sikhs
Key Figures Zakariyā Khān - Governor of Lahore (1726); Created 20,000 strong “Sikh - hunting force” - Price on head of Sikhs; public execution of those captured alive Lakhpat R ā i - Commander of Zakariy ā Kh ān’s “Sikh - hunting force” - Rounded up all Sikh inhabitants of Lahore and had them executed - Responsible for Sikh losses in ƂhoTA Ghallūghārā (Small Holocaust) N ā dir Sh ā h - Became emperor of Iran (1736); kicked Afghans out - Marches to Delhi via Pañ jāb ; wins (1739) and acquires Koh-e- nūr Ahmad Sh ā h Abd ālī - Invaded Mughal empire 8 times between 1748 and 1768 - Consistently “bothered” by Sikh forces in Pañ jāb region - Responsible for Sikh losses in ƖaDDA Ghallūghārā (Large Holocaust)
Reputation of the Sikhs Sikh raids caused N ā dir Sh ā h to ask Zakariy ā Kh ā n about Sikhs, to which the latter replied: “ Their only homes are their saddles and horses. They can last long periods without food and rest. They are known to sleep on horseback...They are never despondent, but are always singing the songs of their Pirs .”
Key Events Bhāī Manī ƓiOgh’s Martyrdom - Ban on congregations, taxed Divālī celebrations - Fear caused low turnout and tax could not be paid SƂhoTA Ghallūghārā - Under administration of Sh ā h Navāz Khān and Lakhpat Rāi - June 1746, massacre of more than 7000 Sikhs - 3000 imprisoned and executed publicly Ɩ aDhA Ghallūghārā - Sikhs moving to Malvā with families - Abdālī covers 110 miles and crosses 2 rivers in 2 days from Lahore - February 5, 1762 – Battle at K ū p • All odds against Sikhs - weapons, form of warfare, and family vulnerability - Estimated losses vary from 10,000 to 50,000
The Misl System – Policies, Roles &Weaknesses Misls : Institutionalized in 1748; became prominent in 1760’s Well-defined 12 groups owed responsibility in their territory - Land administration, agricultural production, revenue collection Absolute control of misl leaders democratically sanctioned Vital features in success of the misls - Sarbat Kh ālsā : Kh ālsā goals had priority over misl goals - Rākhī principle - Gurmatās Weakness - In-fighting among misls, clanism and tribalism, and loyalty issues
Personalities of the Revolution Bot ā ƓiOgh and Garj ā ƓiOgh - Zakariy ā Kh ā n proclaims there are no Sikhs left (1739) - Levy tax and send letter to State, showing that Kh ālsā lives on - Pañjāb’s busiest road connecting (Lahore to Delhi) Jass ā ƓiOgh Ā hl ū v ā l īā “Sultān -ul-Kaum ” - Headed Ā hl ū v ā l īā Misl; successor to Navāb Kap ū r ƓiOgh - Leader of Dal Kh ālsā after ƖaDDhA Ghallūghārā (1762) - Raided Abd ā l ī’s caravan to free hostages, particularly women Baghel ƓiOgh - Led Sikhs into Delhi along with Jass ā ƓiOgh Ā hl ū v ā l īā (1783) - Emperor promised tribute if Sikhs left - Returned to build commemorative gurdūārās in Delhi (1785)
Desecration of Srī Darbār Sāhib - The Heart of Sikh World “The Golden Temple…[has] a theo-political status which is not a matter of concession by a political state, but it is a right…” - Kap ū r ƓiOgh , The Golden Temple: Its Theo-political Status Zakariy ā Kh ā n (c. 1735) Mass ā ƑaOghaR (c. 1740) Lakhpat R āi Abd ā l ī /Taim ū r Sh ā h (c. 1757) Abd ā l ī (c. 1762) Abd ā l ī (c. 1764) (30 defenders)
Lifestyle and Attitude of a Sikh-on-the-Run “ On the other hand, the food and water of the Khalsa was exhausted; the birds of the lake were also finished off and there was no animal left in the jungle. Thousands of soldiers had to be fed by the animals do not multiply so soon. Even the scanty supply of jungle fruits came to an end. The ammunition had been exhausted…the weather became severe.” “It was a very critical period, but the Khalsa never lost their spirits, and with the hope in the Guru survived on the roots of the trees.” - Bh āī V ī r ƓiOgh , Sundar ī
Parallel Revolutions 1730’s and 40’s – Great Awakening 1760’s – Seven Years War and French & Indian War 1770’s – American Revolution 1780’s – French Revolution
Revolutionary Language “ We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalieanable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…” -Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence “Since no man has any natural authority over his fellow men, and since force is not the source of right, conventions remain as the basis of all lawful authority among men.” - J. J. Rousseau, The Social Contract, 1762
Revolutionary Language Avru iksU ko kwx n pirh rwj krY iekY lir mirh They are not subservient to anyone; they are either purely sovereign or in a state of rebellion. - Ƒatan ƓiOgh ƁhaOgU , ƏrAcIn Əanth ƏrakAsh
A Comparison Sikh Revolution French Revolution • Confronted caste governing all spheres • Confronted class based on feudal system - Rigid and immutable - System was flexible and fluid • Did not abolish social/political system • Uprooted social/political system - Goal not to capture political power - Established parallel egalitarian social - Never overstepped class limitation and plebeian political society • Quest for “liberty and equality” with no • Aimed at total human freedom and social content equality in every respect • Did not abolish feudal regime • Did not abolish feudal regime - Middle-class benefited not peasantry - But established peasantry proprietorship • Lacked clear goal and concrete plan • Clear goal of establishing Divinely inspired just society • Spontaneous, with no humanitarian • Humane, preconceived historically visible element plan and pursued without swerving
The Revolution Noticed “ Since you have obtained some knowledge of the conduct of the Sikhs, not hear of their country: they have divided up Panjab themselves, giving it to every man, old or young…They have not learnt to have fear of any one” - Qazī N ū r Muhammad, ƉaOgnAmA , 1765 As translated by ƆaNDA ƓiOgh
Writers of Own Destiny In utter persecution with prices on heads and Sikh killings legal - Lifestyle and sovereign never changed - Sikhs still gave a strong militant resistance - Set examples of self-sacrifice and resolute faith Misls did not forsake Sarbat Kh ā ls ā - Exercised consensus in most testing times even with infightings After Va ḍḍ ā Ghallūghārā , Dal Kh ālsā : - Within three months defeats governor at Sarhind (April 1762) - Within nine months defeats Ahmad Shāh at Amritsar (October 1762) Capture Political Power Later
Review ƁuDhA Dal + Tarunā Dal = Dal Kh ālsā Zakariy ā Khān , Lakhpat R āi , N ā dir Sh ā h, Abd ā l ī , and others The Misl System: 12, autonomous, under Kh ā ls ā rule Bot ā ƓiOgh /Garj ā ƓiOgh , Jass ā ƓiOgh Ā hl ū v ā l īā , Baghel ƓiOgh , and others Repeated Desecration of Sr ī Darb ā r S ā hib The Global Call for Freedom: Concurrent Western History The Lifestyle and Attitude of a Sikh-on-the-Run
Thirst for Freedom “Much is in the sprouting and more in the seed, and all is in the Guru who made us so to love freedom as to prefer death and dissolution to slavery of the soul .” -P ū ran ƓiOgh , Spirit of the Sikh
Relevance Today How does this time exemplify “thirst for freedom?” What effects do the actions of Sikhs in 18 th century have on us? What can we learn from our history in this context? How does 18 th century dire situation compare to the situation now? How is 18 th century Sikh history relevant to our personal life?
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