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The College: Legacy of Bhai Ram Singh The in ContentsIssue IV/2007 CEditorial 2 The imperatives of education JSN

4 Message of : Peace and Harmony Onkar Singh

22 Khalsa College Sahib of San Jose A Legacy of Bhai Ram Singh Sikhs in California’s 51 40 Lisa Fernandez / Alan Hess Pervaiz Vandal and Sajida Vandal Central Valley Lea Terhune 34 Flight out of Ritu Sarin

7 Guru nanak and his mission Principal

14 The Singh Sabha movement: 57 Bhai Santa Singh : A unique Chalo Amrika! exponent of the Guru’s Hymn Stimulus and Strength 38 45 Californian Sikh personalities By Harbans Singh C Shamsher Harjap Singh Aujla

Editorial Director Editorial Office Printed by Dr D-43, Sujan Singh Park Aegean Offset 110 003, F-17, Mayapuri Phase II Executive Editor New Delhi 110 064 Pushpindar Singh Tel: (91-11) 24617234 Fax: (91-11) 24628615 Editorial Board e-mail : [email protected] Please visit us at: Bhayee Sikandar Singh website : www.nishaan.in www.nishaan.in Dr Gurpreet Maini Jyotirmoy Chaudhuri Published by The opinions expressed in Malkiat Singh The Nagaara Trust the articles published in the Inni Kaur () 16-A Palam Marg Nishaan Nagaara do not Cover : The main building of Khalsa College at Amritsar. T. (Toronto) Vasant Vihar necessarily reflect the views or Jag Jot Singh (San Francisco) New Delhi 110 057, India policy of The Nagaara Trust. E

2 NISHAAN I challenges that the community faced and felt that that felt and Khalsa the was It faced concern. youth foremost their their to be must community education modern the impart to impending arrangements that the on the concerned – challenges very Diwan Lahore were one. both the reformist Khalsa a However, latter the and groups, Amritsar group the conformist a former and disparate two Diwan into Khalsa divided was considered designs. proselytising missionaries with community Christian demoralised this fold. abject the thousands So left hundred them serfs. some of to that reduced disappointment Sikhs. been their the was had among they a prevailed rulers, India, From dejection British to profound of Punjab the state of annexation and 1849 of consequent War Anglo-Sikh Second Sikh the decisive of the in defeat forces Following peoples. Sikh the even beset and would children generations. they their future to two, culture and, their they on pass ease; to that best with their do extent others an all such they to excel that would children resolved their outstanding They community. two educate education. shall were to related passed international that II ones resolutions War the their Among dynamics post-World the restore in in the to effectiveness of needed Nazis in their they of enhance and conference what a dignity hands held consider the to community at educational Europe regenerative Jewish the their genocide accelerate Germany, After to reconsider youth the processes. to for impelled programmes are they well- person.” a developed resembles harmoniously a than closely dog trained more – knowledge the his of he–with specialised sense Otherwise good. vivid a morally the of and acquire beautiful must He values. for lively feeling a and of understanding essential an is acquires “It student the context: that this in mind observed great times, the modern of Einstein, Albert what is Here precedence. of imperatives the miss are education. certainty they These these, not do for books. provide institutions source educational our any If character. from and skills regained and be information cannot transcend but that education of other information, two are components There provide half-life. short very a books has text information Most books”. text Editorial Editorial Then came about a renaissance but Sikh leadership leadership Sikh but renaissance a about came Then have seriousness of degrees varying of Vicissitudes vicissitudes historical through pass nations Whenever deserves that character is it two, these of Even stays with you after you have forgotten your your forgotten have you which after that you is with “Education stays that said been has t The imperatives ofeducation The imperatives ofeducation Prabandhak Committee (DSGPC) came to be established established be to came (DSGPC) Committee Prabandhak in re-established be to other then and had Punjab. Jhelum these Eastern of Most , Montgomery, in places. but Gujranwala, institutions shrines Lyallpur, educational historical of scores important while also their life behind India of left not loss They of only and Eastern. and the to Punjab hearths Western from hardships and emigrating division homes tremendous their the Sikh leave suffered the to of when had half Nearly community 1947 place. took in Punjab) (essentially, viscissitude emphasis instruction. Due moral and religious Bombay. to the as given was in distant only as not places but institutions Punjab, educational establishing utilised for were funds these by of quantam A donations and pilgrims. visiting offerings of form the Prabandhak in funds as receive to sizeable Gurdwara Act, started of and being into came Shiromani clutches (SGPC) Legislative Committee the a the from Through consequence, back a mahants. was shrines usurper 1925 Sikh in such wrest Movement to Reform sacrifice able turned great Gurdwara At the enough lives, properties. soon of family who veritable looked into mahants be to these come non-Sikh had by Sikhs the after of and shrines holy rulers, divinity in institutions instruction therein educational sciences. moral Sikh service of upgrading Singh image and unforgettable the Harbans Prof rendered raising who in Harkishan Singh, others Gurbachan Ganda Bawa many and Principal Prof. Singh, Singh, Talib, Teja Narinjan Singh Prof Principal as were devoted Singh, and and They stalwarts such commitment Singh. educationists enthuse and and Jodh Bhai vision inspire to Bhai Bagrian, able great and of Singh Majithia, men Attari S.Arjan were Singh Singh Singh, Sunder S.Harbans S.Trilochan Sir Singh, Vir included leaders of programmes expanded and its organised activities. held educational and since annually has youth that Sikh conventions Conference well of as Educational Sikh secular the education the after religious looking as of task the organisation latter and undertook thereafter This Diwan. Diwans Khalsa College, the Khalsa into the Khalsa coalesced Both a Amritsar. in etablished too that 1892, in that, Diwan Based on the SGPC model, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Gurdwara Sikh Delhi the model, SGPC the on Based devastating another suffered community The Mughal the by persecution viscous of time the At Eminent being. into came schools and colleges New half a century later which also embarked upon setting up Not that long back, the was ranked of several educational institutions in the national capital. as 13th amongst the world’s leading languages according to UNESCO. The same organisation has recently As a result of such community endeavours, hundreds predicted that this language will become extinct over the of schools and scores of colleges came to be established by the organisations mentioned earlier. Some private next five decades. organisations and public trusts also set up several An examination was recently organised by the educational institutions. By any account, this was a NCERT sometime ago for primary school students highly commendable effort by the community. in the Punjab. About 45% students failed in all of the During partition of the country, the Sikhs had opted subjects! Results in the Punjabi language were even to be with India (rather than ) on the basis of more dismal. According to a survey by the Punjab solemn assurances by leaders like Gandhi and Nehru School Education Board, 81% of students in primary that the Sikhs would get a special place in free India schools could not even score 33% marks. According where their national aspirations could find satisfaction. to teachers of the sixth class, half the students from However, after partition, these leaders immediately primary schools did not know how even to recognise went back on their assurances saying that “times have the Punjabi alphabet! Literacy rate ranking of Punjab changed now’. Sardar Kapur Singh in his important among the states of India has plummeted down from speech at the Lok Sabha titled Betrayal of the Sikhs, dwelt 7th to 17th. Vietnam with an average per capita on this improbity in detail. The Sikhs were naturally income of $290 per annum has a literacy rate of 94%. bitter at such betrayal. By contrast, the Punjab with an average per capita income of $500 per annum, has a literacy rate of just After nearly half a century of gradual decline of 56%. Akali hegemony in the Punjab, came the unfortunate Bhindranwale saga. During that period, thousands of What is happening to education in the Punjab, and young Sikhs were immolated, thousands put into jail and what is happening to its youth? Parents do not seem hundreds still continue to linger there. Besides many tens to be that much perturbed. Anywhere else, they would of thousands became alienated from their educational have moved heaven and earth to improve the situation, pursuits. The illusory hopes that Bhindranwale seemed to so that their children get the best of education. have generated slipped into pensive gloom soon enough. Why can’t we persuade our NRI relatives to adopt Sikhs had been pushed into a dismal situation. educational arrangements in their villages? Why can’t we Thousands fell into the trap of addictive substances. enthuse our industrialists to lend some of their resources Many rural youth seem to have given up productive for higher education of our children? Why cannot we pursuits and employed alien labour to even till their forge a Central Sikh Education Board to provide overall lands. These alien wage-earners are gradually becoming supervision and assistance to our schools? Why cannot land owners of the Punjab, and the bereft owners are we insist that only educationists be members of the fast losing their traditional values. Of the some 10 million Governing Bodies of our schools and colleges and replace peasants of the Punjab, nearly 500,000 have already sold the illiterate or quasi-literate individuals presently off their lands. Suicides among the peasants is rife. occupying such key positions. Unfortunately, concern about their plight is not on the I am reminded of a true story where the chairman of agenda of any politician, non even of the two principal the Governing Body of a Khalsa School in Delhi wanted Gurdwara organisations, the SGPC and the DSGPC. to get his grandchild admitted to a convent school. The At the same time, standards of Sikh teaching principal of that school asked, “You have your own institutions, by and large, have gone down considerably. school, why don’t you admit your grandson there?” At one time quite a number of schools and colleges run The chairman said, “our school does not have good by the community could well have been proud of their standards.” The principal retorted, “you are the chairman results. Gradually, gloom seems to have descended on of that school; whom do you think is responsible for virtually all of them. Some months ago the magazine such poor standards? Why don’t you work to raise its ‘India Today’ made a comparative study of schools in standards?” Delhi. None of the schools managed by DSGPC could find Is there a silver lining somewhere? I believe there is a place among the top ten. Recently, the list of 125 selected but we have to honestly recognise this critical problem ‘Nasa Stars’ included just one Sikh candidate and that too and then work towards achieving the highest standards from a DPS. Many Sikh-run schools are reported to be NISHAAN of excellence in educating our youth for the imperatives overstaffed, but unfortunately have produced questionable of tomorrow. results. In the All-India civil services competitive exams, the name of a Sikh candidate is hard to find. JSN 3 x x x x xx x Message of Guru Nanak : p p p p

p live in Peace and Harmony p p

x xp x

p p ll prophets of mankind have given the religion or race. All human beings are one and the p p p world the message of love. The main same. It was deeds not birth that determined one’s p p Amessage of Guru Nanak, founding Prophet of the merit. Guru Nanak had pride in associating himself p Sikh faith, is respect for all religions and freedom to with the humble and downtrodden. He steered clear practice one’s faith. For him, love and respect and not of superstitions and prejudices. just tolerance for those of other faiths is the cornerstone He sought to demolish caste by initiating the x of a democratic society. Guru Nanak’s whole life and custom of Guru Ka , the free community x x teaching symbolised inter-faith harmony. He fervently, kitchen, where all men and women, rich or poor, preached worship of One God and love of all people as high caste or low or of whatever religious belief, sat the spirit of God pervaded equally in all human beings. together to eat as equals, a tradition carried forward p p Perhaps no other religion truly accepts other faiths to this day. At , the visitor of whatever p as does . Guru Nanak’s mission, vision, values faith is welcome. He receives both blessings and and spiritual philosophy was to change the people’s hospitality. minds because they had had years of consistent The three basic tenets of Guru Nanak’s teaching exposure to hatred and mistrust, bias and prejudice are Kirat Karna, Vand Chhakna, Nam Japna, i.e. to earn on grounds of religion. He was appalled by communal one’s living by honest labour, to share one’s earnings strife, disharmony and ruthless persecution and with others and constant meditation (Nam , oppression witnessed in the wake of Moghul Babar’s contemplation on God’s Name). “I have no miracles invasion of the country. He wanted the people to get except the Name of God”, he said. Another basic to live by a relationship built on trust whatever their concept of his teaching is sewa or voluntary service religious beliefs. He wanted them to live happily in of humanity. love, peace and harmony respecting each other’s faith. Guru Nanak firmly believed in full acceptance People flocked to hear his rational and pragmatic of life as a pious householder, with its truly ethical sermons and decided not to let go his message of practices, community service and fervent faith in amity and goodwill but to act on it. They were moved God. “Truth is higher than everything, but higher deeply. Thus, Guru Nanak forged a bond of love yet is the living of truth,” he stressed. He himself led and respect among all people of diverse faiths. He the life of a householder. He was happily married. had been successful in getting people to change their He had two sons. His love for the family did not minds because he was motivated by his deep mystical prevent him from going on long travels to spread communion with God. His telling observation was his message of the unity of God and brotherhood of Na Koi Hindu, Na Mussalman (There is no Hindu, nor man. After his travels, he settled down at Kartarpur Mussalman). They are all human beings created by God on the banks of river Ravi with his family and and despite their distinctive religions and beliefs, equal disciples to lead a complete householder’s life. before the Creator, who equally abides in everyone. A poet, a mystic and a gifted singer, his wide Sabna Jian Ka Ek Data (God is the Father of all travels took him throughout India, neighbouring creation and of all mankind) “We are all His children countries, including Tibet, Sri Lanka, Mecca and and equal before Him. One, who realises this, is the Baghdad in West Asia. He was accompanied by true man of religion”, he preached. When asked Mardana, a Muslim musician friend who played who is greater of the two, Hindu or Muslim, Guru the Rabab (a stringed instrument) for the captivating Nanak replied, “without good deeds both will come hymns Guru Nanak sang rapturously in praise of the to grief”. “Loving God, His creation and doing good Lord and equality of mankind without discrimination. deeds is the true religion”, he repeatedly emphasised. People of all faiths came drawn by his gentle gospel of “Respect for each other is high but higher still is truth, love of God and love of all mankind. respect for each other’s views”, he stated. Guru Nanak’s unique message is for one and all, A revolutionary spiritual reformer, Guru Nanak that of living in love, peace and harmony respecting

NISHAAN did not believe in a rigid caste system, idol worship, each other’s faith: exactly what the world needs now ritualism and asceticism. According to him, no and for always. 4 person is high or low because of birth, gender, caste, Onkar Singh The Divine Reformer 4 November 2007 marked 538 years since the Guru Nanak did not object as he felt that married life great master came to this world. would not conflict with his spiritual pursuits. Thus, 2 Guru Nanak was happily married while he was still Guru Nanak was not born to affluent parents. in his teens. He loved his wife and eventually had two His father Mehta Kalias Das was a village patwari, sons, Sri Chand and Lakshmi Chand. However, even lowest rung of the revenue hierarchy. Born in 1469 at a happy and peaceful married life did not divest him the western Punjab village of Talwandi (near Lahore, of his pre-occupation with matters pertaining to his which is now in Pakistan), Nanak was the only son of Divine mission. For him, his duty was not confined to his parents, and born at a time of increasing conflict serving himself and family. Humanity was his family between Hindus and Muslims. Nanak was deeply and serving humanity was his duty. interested in philosophy and spirituality from his childhood. From an early age, he was friends with Now that he had a family of his own, Guru both Hindu and Muslim children and very inquisitive Nanak was persuaded by his parents to take up a about the meaning of life. job as an accountant in charge of the stores of the then governor of Sultanpur Lodi, Daulat Khan. Guru From his childhood, Nanak was a rational thinker. Nanak agreed and was joined by his family and an old On the first day at school, when the teacher started childhood friend Mardana, a musician by profession. teaching the first lesson by writing the alphabet, Nanak He would work during the days, but early mornings demanded to know meaning of the alphabet. Not used and late nights, he would meditate and sing hymns to such line of thinking, the teacher was helpless and, accompanied by Mardana on the rabab. taking pity, Nanak quickly wrote the meanings of each and every alphabet. Nanak learned , Sanskrit, These sessions attracted increasing attention and Persian and Arabic at a very young age. many people started joining the duet. Guru Nanak tried to lead a normal life but he would not give up When he was 12, his father gave him twenty rupees his spiritual pursuits. From childhood, his elder sister and asked him to start some business. Guru Nanak Bibi Nanki saw in him the Light of God. In fact, she is bought food with all the money and distributed this known as the very first disciple of Guru Nanak. amongst the poor. When his father asked him what he did with the money, he replied that he had done ‘True Life-long journeys business’ (Sacha Sauda). Guru Nanak was thirty years of age when he decided to set out on travels to spread the message As Nanak grew up, he read and studied the tenets of God. Accompanied by Mardana, Guru Nanak of as well as those of . At the age of undertook long journeys to convey his message to 13, when it was time for Guru Nanak to be provided people of the world in the form of musical hymns. He with the sacred thread according to the traditional chose this medium to propagate his message because it Hindu custom, he refused to accept this to the utter was easily understood by people of the time. Wherever shock and disappointment of his family. he travelled, he used the local language to convey Nanak would spend long hours absorbed in his message. He travelled throughout the Indian meditation and in religious discourse with Muslim subcontinent and beyond, further east, west and north and Hindu holy men who lived in forests surrounding to spread his mission. Wherever he went, he set up the village. In order to make him interested in worldly manjis, where his followers could gather to recite NISHAAN affairs, his father decided to make him a ‘family man’. hymns and to meditate. 5 6 NISHAAN journey, kindly turn my feet in the direction where where direction long speechless. a the was watchman in The after feet present.” not is weary my God house am turn the “I kindly said, towards he journey, feet this, At your God.” turn of you dare saying, Guru, “How the rebuked and this noticed watchman amidst pure other remaining the in On lies pilgrimage. impurities.” or of conch. asceticism about, a places of hand, wandering at just blowing in bathing or the lie in in head, doesn’t lie doesn’t shaven Asceticism in Asceticism walking proclaimed, in ashes. earing, the robes, His in ascetic or in yogis. staff, lie some doesn’t meaning with true “Asceticism the asceticism discussed of he where Gorakhmata fields my reach in mine away?” can’t ancestors distance why short your a just sun, reach the an Nanak of Guru water region away?” your far “if will so “How replied, crops asked, your The pilgrims reach The water my dry.” to is water doing direction. which sending was am farm “I he what replied, opposite Nanak him Guru asked and the pilgrims in started Nanak bewildered the water ancestors Guru in sun. their the to large baths at throwing a water water ritual throwing found offering by taking and he Ganga Guru devotees river Haridwar, of when at story, gathering one to stopped Nanak According journeys. his Medina and Baghdad. In Mecca, Guru Nanak once once holy the Nanak towards Guru pointing feet Mecca, his In asleep fell Baghdad. Mecca, visited and and pilgrim Medina Muslim a of garb blue the was he Muslim. or Muslim Hindu went, a was he he and whether wherever asked Hindu this, of by a Because worn men. wore holy styles always of he travelled, combination Nanak Guru Wherever as known Ravi. settlement river a founded ( he Kartarpur Lanka. return Sri as his south far On as travelling journey on second out a set then but home, returned Nanak Guru years, fe hs is ln juny ( journey long first his After visited Nanak Guru journey, eastern an On to related anecdotes interesting many are There On his fourth journey, Guru Nanak dressed in in dressed Nanak Guru journey, fourth his On Tibet. to north travelled he journey, third his On bd o God of Abode ) on the western banks of the the of banks western the on ) ) spanning 12 12 spanning ) Kabba . A . to connect the people with the religion and connect connect and religion the a was with with people mission people himself the primary His called connect God. he to of slaves Instead, the of saint. never slave He a customs, himself such above called rise exhorted to and beings rituals with human religions of hollowness the sheet the it. buried cremated latter the former and The two. into sheet the and cut flowers respective Hindus their The removed fresh. Muslims the were and was sides found. both be on sheet could flowers the body the no But When morning, still. next lay the drew and have removed Guru him the will over Then body.” sheet morning, my a the dispose in to right fresh the found are whose Those flowers left. my on Muslims the and flowers right my place on Hindus to the “Let came September said, 22 Nanak On Guru Muslims, Nanak. 1539, Guru and of darshan Hindus last a have Sikhs, all from life, people of spread, Angad, walks word depart the to Guru As soon to world. was the on Nanak from Guru Guru. passed that next realised was the people as mantle Angad the When proclaimed 1539 September Nanak 2 On Guru successor. a appoint to decided existing Sikhism. of the foundations the laid and questioned tenants and religious challenged Nanak Guru successfully the lifetime. whether his spread or throughout having reform of Thus, words regardless beggars. or kings meal, were they common a share and common kitchen, kitchen, the common institutionalised He sex. distinction or no religion is birth, there on based where afternoons. society a and his in mornings believed Master, He the the in of near gathering preaching and and followers far from hymns the came hear Pilgrims to sons. and wife his with Kartarpur at down returned settled He Nanak Punjab. the Guru to home God, of message the spreading must and submission. God of unconditional will A complete, in the be happen. question not all not of does must love devotee faith pre-requisite the without was and Faith devotion that said with He people God. connect to was mission primary His God. Through his exemplary life, Guru Nanak exposed exposed Nanak Guru life, exemplary his Through he age, of years 70 turned Nanak Guru When After spending a life time in travelling and and travelling in time life a spending After of slaves the of slave a himself called Nanak Guru

t he he c reator. Langar . Here all would sit together together sit would all Here . On The Tablets of Eternity GURU NANAK AND HIS MISSION

uru Nanak’s sympathetic manner of dealing Guru Nanak, upon his advent, found Hinduism with existing religions of the world is a seething mass of moral putrefaction. He detected G often misinterpreted by those superficial among its elements a certain superstition, which observers of Sikhism who see in our great Guru nothing would make out an end of every which first intended more than a reformer, who carried a message of peace as a means. He saw living spirit had dried up into for everybody, and who found herein nothing to formulas and formulas whether of contracts or reward quarrel with. His largeness of view, in holding all men and punishment, ever so contrived as to escape making equal before God, is brought forward to witness that any demands upon the conscience. He struck at the he recognised no defects in the prevailing systems of root of this superstition by demanding truth in faith belief. The popular opinion about him is that he was and spirit in worship. He cleared away everything a great Faqir like so many others, who from time to that encumbered relationship between God and man. time have been appearing in India to enrich its sacred He recognised no incarnation, no direct revelation, literature and re-awaken for a time the love of God no human intercession on behalf of man in the court in the minds of its people. Even genuine lovers of of heaven. He preached Purity, Justice, Goodness. Sikhism, like Macauliffe, have not been able to improve He held out no promises in this world except those upon this limited view. Nay, even some of the most of sufferings as his successors and followers were to enlightened Sikhs of today give us little idea of Guru suffer, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to Nanak’s religion. The impression left upon the mind of suffer for His sake. He held out no promises even in the reader is simply this, that Guru Nanak, whom we the next world or the Kama Dhenu or the Kalpa tree, profess to be the greatest teacher of the world, was not but the meeting of the Loved One Himself. It was to better than a common latitudinarian philosopher with be with God, to lose one’s self in him. The idea of life, no fixed principles, who identifies his doctrines at one the measure of salvation, he taught, is not happiness with those accepted by the Hindus and Mohammedans, of peace of mind. To serve God and be able to love and acknowledges the presence of regular civil service him is in itself better than happiness, though it be of God and is made to commit himself to all the ancient with wounded feet and bleeding brows and hearts vagaries about heaven and hell. Thus to most people laden with sorrow. Guru Nanak’s task appears to be that of a freelance There were many other ways in which he brought between contending parties. It is said that if his own true knowledge to bear upon the problems of life. work was constructive in any way it was only on the He separated vedantic philosophy from religion and social side—it was only corruption in society that he declared it to be mere gymnastics of the mind. Religion attacked, not the doctrines on which that social system was thus to be less a matter of intellect than of spirit. was based. The practice of Yoga may do very well for emptying Yet, if he had nothing constructive, his powers, as the mind of desires, but it gives only a negative result. transcendent as they would, must have passed away Man remains removed from the love of God as much unproductive and lighted as has happened in so many in this stupid nothingness as when he is troubled by cases, as Swami Ram Tirath, Tolstoy and so on. If he various desires. Therefore he substituted music, the had brought with him no new truth, no new support singing of God’s praises, for the Yoga as a means of for tottering humanity, we, his followers would have linking the soul of Man with God. lived our little days among the ignoble sects of an There is another lesson in positive virtue which is effete civilisation, would have passed off and been great improvement upon the rules of conduct. There heard of no more. Indeed, if Sikhism has made a mark are always two sorts of duties what we ought to do among the religions of the world and if it is destined and what we ought not do. The world had very early NISHAAN to hold its ground loftily in future, it must have had, in on recognised the latter, and many very beautiful sets spite of what is appears now, a substantial originality of commandments like the Jewish decalogue have given to it by its founder. come down to us. But by concentrating all attention 7 8 NISHAAN on one side of the matter, people had contrived to even in the eyes of their own kinsmen. But, with the forget that any other side existed at all. “Thou shalt advent of Sikhism, where man became more precious not kill, thou shalt not do this or that….” this was all in the sight of man, women too gained great dignity that was understood by the word Dharma or duty. and respect, which though not amounting to that This emphasis on the negative side of virtue led to exaggerated worship so conspicuous in the west, was the adoption in the east of asceticism as the highest yet an unprecedented improvement on the relations ideal of life, which ultimately meant the negation of existing between the sexes in India. The result was a all manly duty. In the west the old code of morals had kind of chivalry unlike anything that had appeared been much improved upon by Christ, who declared in Europe or in Rajasthan. The Sikh became a knight that it was our duty to love our neighbour beside who had no personal motive, no passion of worldly abstaining from doing him injury. it is too general, love to inspire him in the performance of his duty. The and therefore, although in itself at very high teaching, sight of wronged innocence or oppressed, weakness has benefited the western world very little. Duty, was sufficient to move him to action. the Arthurian with the westerner, means no more the service of legends may be likened to king Rama’s adventures, humanity, but an enlightened prudence. This comes the Carolingian romances to Raja Rasalu’s and the of not understanding the teaching of Christ. Guru Armadis romances to the tales of Rajasthan. But for Nanak preached a higher truth. To him love was Sikh chivalry we can find no parallel. The knights of active service, and his followers soon profited by this all other chivalries belong to the court of gallant Indra, teaching. One can see no higher record of service in but the Sikh knights belong to the court of whom else, the annals of nations than that shown by the Sikhs, but Guru Nanak. who were taught to annihilate the thought of self Woman also gained the religious rights that and utilise all their energies in the service of God and Hinduism, like Judaism had denied her practically all humanity. share in immortality. She had no personal religion, no Closely allied with the idea of service was his spiritual responsibility, no claim, no part in the law of Vedantism. Curiously enough Guru Nanak differs God. She was denied all access to holy scriptures. She from the Hindu philosophers most where he seems was to remain content with the mere performance of perfectly to agree with them. So his Vedantism domestic, social and individual duties, never to vivity differs from the Hindu Vedantism as white differs or heighten them by the rays of God’s eternal love. from black. To a Hindu Vedantist there is nothing Poor Indian woman! Even in her happiest role there absolutely existing except God and that God is the is always a void left in her heart, which ever-acting Vedantist himself. To Guru Nanak, on the other hand, piety alone can fill; and she whose portion is to suffer, ‘himself’ is nothing. God is everything. He reduces her whole lot is lonely! What misery must be hers, the thought of self to nothing before the infinitude of unless she can lean upon her God and draw from His God. Humility could go no further. word the blessed conviction that she is not forgotten, Now take the relation of man with God, as that His love, His tenderness are hers, far beyond the preached by Guru Nanak. Man and Women are equal feeble conceptions of the earth. Guru Nanak felt for before one another and before God—a truth higher suffering womankind and gave them their full share than ever preached before in India—nay, even in the in the goodness of God. She was declared (see Var Asa, entire world except in Arabia. Woman becomes more XIX) to be directly responsible for her morals to God. sacred, her love is even higher than man’s so much so Religious congregations were thrown open to them. that our Guru could not adore God but in her disguise. They were to partake freely in all religious and secular Christ could not think of a better relation between observance, and no social custom was to hinder them God and man than that of a father to son. With Guru in doing so. Sikh women are to this day seen attending Nanak, however, a wife’s constancy to her husband all occasions of public worship, all conferences, along represented more befittingly the relation between a with the members of the other sex, and their conjoint as faithful man and God. A son may not be the constant well as alternate singing, in which they often lead the companion of his father after his marriage; but the chorus, must move the heart of every man who wants wife is always wife, always constant, always seeking to see what Guru Nanak did for womankind. NISHAAN support of her Lord and Love. During foreign tyranny Man who was told before that the body, being the effect of oppression was greatest on the Indian the source of sin, was to be condemned, that his women. What was sadder still, they had lost respect continuing to live in the world was a crime. However, 9 10 NISHAAN and the facts of experience do not convey their own own their convey not do experience of facts hearts, our our the from to and shape it take adapt minds Our and distort littleness. nature own and meaner disarm the can that us but within pure, so itself in doctrine Despondence. how, as soon as we were allowed to escape from from escape to allowed consider were us we Let as the us. soon rescue as to so how, had Gurus endeavoured our which bravely from belief, of same the system with effete Sikhism in contained truth spiritual the accommodating slowly been have and ranks into Hindu back the retreating been century last the seems over It have see. we to we beginning what partially are became we them, Sikhs know and away those ebbed How feelings Sikhism. in lofty believe to profess who us with of out going by change in only can change Sikhism. any Sikh The religion, undergo to as creed. have its received not is will what Sikhism and but history science, relationship of whole the overhaul may It its life. of change may theories world The world. the of miscalculations creation and up about mixed revelations not miracles, are absurd They ideas with of human incredible. increase to mere makes the up knowledge which made things, not about are notions and They eternity. of constant in is He prayer. with through husband. and Him with her water communion with in wife does a other fish like a the God as on God in Nanak, prayer lived Guru find hand, not Hinduism. with do in we walk used not Therefore much does Sikhism. man in as God Hinduism In or way superstition. supernatural a in only through them with contact in too above the world or indistinguishable from His His from a As indistinguishable or creation. own world the above too only at the head of a legion of godlings, a little God: little a The godlings, of legion him. a of head the about at was it only one, wrath knew they if or his God, one of had and never rod Hindus Hell the of of and fire God the chains The of the much before. too had known ever Mohammedans had world the than precious a as cherished be to God. of gift deserved being of it instead such, mortified, as that, and of Being temple the Supreme was the body the Nanak Guru by taught as, It seems then, from our experience that there is no no is there that experience our from then, seems It Yet with all this we feel there is something wrong wrong something is there feel we this all with Yet tablets the on written are laws moral Nanak’s Guru W higher also was God of conception Nanak’s Guru c ith them their impersonal impersonal their them ith ity of Destruction, we fell into the Slough of of Slough the into fell we Destruction, of ity Who slumbers on beside the nectariurn. the beside on slumbers Who snade, snaky and rest floating his In Avatara which gave occasion to the rankest rankest the to occasion gave which (Satgun) Personal God, He came came He God, Personal (Nirgun) God was was God degeneration in the past. Sikhism is today striving to to striving today is Sikhism past. the in degeneration of sense no thought. in be advance will no faith, there truth, be but may that, all There and progress. superstition of idea no be can there truth of religion. spirit a of the followers up the among keep effort can only that is It of work organised abroad. no missionary Sikhism of contact was truth the There spread personal to made the Hindus. except with through Sikhs, Sikhs the among conversions local movement missionary no Hindus, their antecedents. the towards antecedents. back drift their to Sikhs Hindus, for no easy very being so there uninitiated, and with the books intermarriages for the to in hindrance was religious organisation what social except a Sikhs, separate him discard. no to over easy being very spread be There not in would would which Sikh brought new when fascination a religiously. training, with sin such contact of would he man a that true Therefore equally is it religiously. sleep But and religiously drink would not said, is religiously, it could eat Hindu A They shadow. well. their infinitely from as out were leap Sikhism but engulf them, to upon expanded lost not era, old were the of which convictions from spiritual the imagination of with an saturated Sikhism by contemplation exclusively revealed the forces to moral almost new brought came Hindus, the who immorality. among and converts knowledge The corrupt of became, source the great remain believers, helplessness the or negligence our among through and true temples, knowledge disseminate and These to ever Gurus faith ways. our by elements intended mercenary at originally non-Sikh grasp other to the or of ready hands the orders, into fell mercenary monastic temples of Sikh The vocation chance teaching. the hereditary got their now who renewing of teachers professional depend to had upon or resources own their people, to left common were the who amidst from removed were oppressors. They the from weak the defend or lives their for fight to upon called were soon Guru, last masses the of the passing after among truth of Guru spirit could the by by awake presence us this keep whose do few, to to chosen The allowed down not circumstances. were handed Sikhs the God constantly But of Nanak. referred word been had the be they to could if anamolies resolved These them. easily with still done we not and past its have the of in a many anamolies of strange involved in want has followers The Sikhism us. of with to perception clear according understanding of readings power many the to submit but meaning, These then have been the causes of our our of causes the been have then These W orst of all, there was was there all, of orst W hen this is absent, absent, is this hen return to its original level but circumstances have South-West. In Benaras Gopal Dass; in Bushair Jhanda so changed and the progress of Sikhism has been Badi; in Kiratpur Budhan Shah; in Mahisar Mahi; in neglected so long, that to a great extent we will Jagannath Kalyug the priest’s son; in Lushai (Tibet) have to fight the battles all over again. The first Devlut; in Behar and Patna Salis Rai; in Ceylon Raja and most urgent need is that we should reclaim our Shiv Nabh, and a host of other workers were scattered Gurdwaras from the control of corrupt men, and over the regions traversed by Guru Nanak. There were liberating them from immoral influences, we have to centres of his mission in Junagadh, Cuttack Bedar, make them the real sources of true knowledge. Then Johar Nanak Mata (Kumaon Hills), Khatmandoo, we have to spread correct knowledge about Sikhism Persian Gulf, Kabul, Jalalabad and other places. and its history. The more exact manner of thought After Guru Nanak, the number of converts went on engendered by Science has notoriously made it increasing, until by the time of the fifth Guru the Sikhs necessary that grounds should be reconsidered on became a power to be counted even in politics. The which we are to believe and show that India was mission work became regular, but its scope became governed for centuries on principles quite different narrow, as the forces it had created in the Punjab from those of Sikhism. The haphazard attempts to required constant presence of the Guru there. The explain Sikhism by identifying it with the old system Masand System did not work for long. Being localised, of thought, which was its special function to replace, the Masands did not realise greatness of the mission will always end in failure. This would do more harm entrusted them, became lazy and corrupt. They were to the progress of Sikhism than if there were nothing put an end to by the great corrector of evils, Guru more to comment upon our Faith than our Holy Gobind Singh. Then the Granthi or the Mahant system Book. Bad pleading in a good cause is the surest way began. The persecution of the Sikhs called forth all to bring discredit upon it. hands to the defence of the Khalsa, and no energy Instead of indulging in mere sentiment we could be spared for any other line of work. The Sikh should have clear conception of Sikhism and create a temples fell into the hands of non-Sikh elements, homogeneity in the doctrines of our Faith. We should which lay like an incubus on the much-afflicted be clearly convinced of the greatness of the mission Sikhism. After the Gurus, no serious attempt had of our Gurus. At present we seem to be content with been made to spread Sikhism beyond the Province the narrow sphere in which the truths of Sikhism are of its birth. Our attention was always riveted on allowed to work. If we had known their greatness something else, and we have not yet realised the great we would not have confined them to ourselves. possibilities of our faith. In the days of our rule when Missionary enterprise in a nation is the measure of there were great opportunities, much was done in the its faith. We require enthusiasm, burning enthusiasm interest of the Khalsa, but mainly on decorative side of to feel the spirit of Guru Nanak in our minds and the religion. convince others of its presence among us. With advent of the new age, Sikhism seems to have Sikh Mission Work gained something from the west, which is in a way an Guru Nanak was a missionary in the truest sense ally of Sikhism in terms of broader outlook and free of the word. His whole life was a life of message. intelligence. The new age, with its universal relations He travelled over a greater part of the land than and universal ideas subjects every religious belief that any prophet has ever done in the world. And when it meets to terrific strain and test. Customs and laws we consider the difficulties in moving about, the which for centuries have satisfied the people’s mind hardness of times, and the diversity of political, are now creaking, crashing and falling to places like social and religious regions through which he had to an old ship caught in a cyclone. Sikhism alone seems pass during his travels, we cannot but marvel at the to have weathered the storm. energy and patience with which he adapted himself But the calmness of thought not yet restored, there to the everchanging forces of his time. is for the moment a wave of scepticism passing over He travelled over nearly entire Southern Asia; the minds of educated people. They do not have any and wherever he went, he left men behind to carry special regard for their religion and like to pass their on his work and deliver his message of salvation days in kindly indifference. It inspires them with no NISHAAN even to those who had not personally heard him. enthusiasm. It furnishes them with no motive for In the Punjab, several converts took up his Mission. action. They do not know that this latitudinarianism 11 Bhai Lallo was preaching in the North, Sajjan in the loosens even the elementary principles of theology. 12 NISHAAN Missionary movementsMissionary and bed its out seek to there.” “has board puts, Carlyle in as grow to real, always the has workable real, the made to it be subjecting can by an only that philosophical, mind in however bear must ideal, They live philosophy. to want pure people on These religion. of ritual and forms itself. of house a in settle and form but assume to organised has an It beginning, measure. the call permanent a in as they useful not corrective is which good a to is negations, and Mere demoralising liberalism, but infidels superstition. of comfortable, even a life or to masses sceptics the make to leave into only is stands, educated now the world the practical as the it, but of defence, system its effect in much religious a talk can which It on rests. premises the destroys It the Mohammedans can gather themselves together or together Hindus the themselves which gather for can are word They no Mohammedans is the individual. There not into up are all. for prayers gathered our are only Even work one. can individualities however, different evil. an when Sikhism as ! worked anarchy have of to form Sublime said some be at may attempts and organisation modern definiteness and is there Like completeness when suffers organisation. it no is poetry organisation. there good need when best not may flourishes religious It of Hinduism purposes the For propaganda all. organisation at such Sikhs no the exists among there truth, In religious attack a on an campaign. abroad of sent be case cannot the but in outside, useful from local a be to may akin which are Sikhism Militia, of the forces musicians, spiritual and existing preachers Our Punjab. the beyond into to be. come will task fatal they the harder is later the the field, the that indifference and Sikhism their of educated that progress until will realise alone, come also them to people through years done for be and to have preachers, and self- Granthis the of know to think to attempt and bold them a make themselves. with Guru to Granthis and hard Government the for goes sacrifices it scramble trustees, general Service the In theological preachers. to maintained their turn and apart but as set can are who they assistance for learn problem, those to the time sufficient complicated of how difficulty professions with other advancement in snatching the worked and hard for being burn but Sikhism, hearts whose men of From this habit of mind comes impatience with the the with impatience comes mind of habit this From W the with lies work mission chief the that clear is It elite small a is there educated the among Even e have yet to create any missionary agency agency missionary any create to yet have e ideal, not the country-ideal but the world-ideal. world-ideal. the but province- the country-ideal not the is all not with us pace ideal, before keep out ideal cannot An jostled they their are if others. to run common communities according the hard of slow it be has The play will life to pace. it want own when human who stage, our those new of for a upon evolution entered The imagine. to down handed be to humanity. is of areas this different which different in of question the languages consider to word. have Guru’s also the shall country, of the deprived of be been parts would have other which message those to the when welcome more Punjab the the of in strength plains our away fritter we But uselessly it. not Province without should our remained of long so parts for have those which to first Nanak Guru of foundation. this least, as a whole. whole. country a his do convert as to not able did ever unjust was Nanak and prophet No Guru so. the Sikhism. unreasonable an towards convert is to it attitude have but vital we first; say most may Punjab One the is unbelief. perish or in expand must church movement The faith. a of its activity to Missionary human every forward of being. looks possession cherished the necessarily becoming intelligence and other any as give they is it eagerly for. what as realise they here they Funds because education nation if stake. for at can, is given what they and are as about is much it money, as what regards know give As it. according would for work scope people their and means local the represent by to to possible together would meet men local districts These year. after year different contributions allot of then and hold work province first the the would of were it survey there work, If missionary the a for not places. body are other central in lectures one as their needed where much cities so preachers same month, the in after to month go localities day, different after in Day money spent vain. Much being is country. the energy of and parts all to religious forth preachers send There should which whole. organisation Sikhs, the one centralised among a or into confederacy a be activities must and institutions no n. u te od ‘ word the units But nation, religious a one. and of worldly into military, functions its the history, but all its ‘Church,’ include word cannot the have they Catholics whole. a as The world is moving a little faster than we we than faster little a moving is world The W hoever holds his religion with conviction conviction with religion his holds hoever W e are fortunate enough to have, at at have, to enough fortunate are e W e should carry the message message the carry should e K halsa’ includes all the the all includes halsa’ W e

A religion has no right to exist if it does not show itself, but still unmoved. For our part we have been any progress along the lines set down by its accommodating Sikhism to Hinduism. Our Granthis founder. Sikhism started with the highest ideals and Preachers have been ever ready to turn to the of Love, Service and Knowledge more than any prevailing beliefs of India. The inner truth to the religion of that day. Love of God and humanity Guru’s word is seldom touched. We glide over was the greatest truth preached. It was not mere the bani instead of reading it with intelligence as sentiment or affection but a rule of conduct. But a message from God and hence it is that in spite our Service of drawing water and pulling Punkha of our reciting Aasa Di Var every day before the has been confined to the temple—a mere parody congregations, people have rarely learnt what of the great teaching. We have not learnt to corruptions are addressed there. experiment with service beyond the laboratory. In truth, Sikhs, in order to justify their faith, We have not recognised that the humblest human must live better, know better and die better than being is the child of our Great Father and therefore those whom they want to convert, otherwise there is no service that any man can do to him can be too no place for them in the world of religions. great. What can be the limit of the honour, the Our preachers, for want of any deep feeling kindness done to my own brother when we are for suffering humanity, often confront people for both children of the Lord of all things. How do we their absurd ways of thinking and acting. This feel when we remember Guru Nanak spending his debating system must be discontinued. To attack night with a leper, in Tarn Taran ! But other men’s gods only estranges their sympathies it is the Christian who comes to build an asylum and creates prejudice. It does not subjugate the for lepers in the city of the Fifth Guru. will, it only suffices to irritate but cannot convince. Significant were those bold acts of public Calm and sober-minded men always shrink away service by which Guru Nanak protested in the most from such preachers. A whole religion should not effective way possible against the great moral and be addressed because the listener assumes the religious abuses which marked the orthodox Hindu attitude of a champion of his religion, and with and Muslim life in his day and thereby became the this submergence or individuality the strength of pioneer and example of moral and religious reform. the whole religion gathers in him; with the sense of But how many Sikhs now take part in all-India honour and self-respect which hardens him against movements of social reform? How many of us have any personal appeal. Sajjan, the thug was addressed effected the distinction between the Hindu and the alone, when his only companions were the evils of Muslim? How many of us have banished the chauka his soul. The Guru begins with the similes “Bronze system from our homes? It is idle to cry against a is bright and shining” half to himself, and Sajjan system, when we take it as the height of virtue to is at once alarmed about the perilous state of his observe superstitious rules of sanctity about our soul. Do not oppose Sikhism to Hinduism or any food. The Guru used to invite Mohammedans to other religion, but oppose the offended Maker to dinner along with the Hindus. Do we do that in the sinning soul of man and then, as you see, the our homes ? Do we do it at least on Gurpurb days, Guru spoke to Sajjan in music accompanied by when we make a show of the Guru’s kitchen, which Mardana’s rebeck. The music works its influence should be free to all the rich and poor alike. No with the nature of man before he is aware who is we dare not ! is there any missionary movement speaking to him. The change takes place within possible as long as we hold on to such absurd and soon man is reconciled to his Father. distinctions? The man who takes upon himself the task of Even Hinduism remains untouched, Hinduism preaching has first to give up his whole self to is where our Guru left it. It remains, in spite of Guru Nanak. This complete self surrender to the Sikhism, an unreformed religion. There it lies, a Guru does not leave any scope for rough behaviour boulder abandoned in our fertile valley by a moving towards fellow-men. When a man gives up his entire glacier which has long ago spent itself. Our want of nature to the Guru, the Guru himself enters into his duty led the Brahmo Samaj and the Arya Samaj to be nature. NISHAAN established. And now the problem has become more In reality, the world has yet to know the complex. Hinduism still stands there fossilised its greatness of Guru Nanak and his mission. millions still mumbling mantras as old as humanity Principal Teja Singh 13 14 NISHAAN R The Singh Sabha movement movement Sabha Singh The the Sikhs’ attitude and aspirations over the next next the over shape to aspirations was and years. a hundred attitude thereafter at again. Sikhs’ marked provided once it the it Sikhism force living a stimulus touched it 1870s, The made and the history, enlarged roots in Sikh and very in its point Starting community dimension the turning new of a heritage. life its about concern. and inner brought the central intellectual to the process this can of leavening by cultural terms motivation Sabha, in its Singh The and understood be self-assertion and identity Bhai Sahib from theleft, (fourth Arjan SinghofBagrian infront) was thefirstPresident oftheChiefKhalsaDiwan. Sabha was re-establishment of Sikh Sikh of re-establishment was Sabha aison Stimulus and Strength Strength and Stimulus

de’etre for birth of The Singh Singh The of birth for the Gurus nothing so vital had transpired to fertilise fertilise to transpired had vital so nothing of days Gurus the the Since spirit. and outlook its reoriented and community entire the influenced which impact, deeper Sikh the stir to and failed had and whole. scope a as people movements earlier restricted the both somewhat character, re-discovered. their schismatic of vitality dynamic was Because and force Sikhism and moral inertia, and its ossification effect utter of into state a from came reclaimed regeneration of The Singh Sabha which followed them had far far had them followed which Sabha Singh The powers new impulse, Sabha Singh this Under consciousness of the Sikhs. The Sikh mind was stirred was to fleece their flock and pamper their own self- by a process of liberation and it began to look upon aggrandisement. Properly speaking, here was no its glorious history and tradition with a clear, self - Sikhism. Belief in the Gurus was gone. The idea of discerning eye. What had become effete and decrepit brotherhood in the Panth was discarded. The title of and what was reckoned to be against the Gurus’ ‘Bhai,’ so much honoured by Sikhs of old, fell into teachings was summarily rejected, the purity of Sikh disuse and contempt. Sikhs grovelled in superstition precept and practice sought to be restored. Rites and and idolatry. It (Sikhism) had thus lost all that was customs considered consistent with Sikh doctrine and good and life-giving in the faith.” tradition were re-established. From such decadent state that the Singh Sabha With the reform of Sikh ceremonials and had salvaged Sikhism will be apparent from this observances came reformation of Sikh shrines which, following single instance. Before the movement had again, was clinched by an impressive demonstration got well underway, the powerful Singh Sabha editor, of communal mobilisation and by eventual legislative Giani Ditt Singh, who met the raging polemics against sanction secured from governments of the day. This the Sikhs with extraordinary literary and scholarly period of fecundation of the spirit and of modern readiness and who was one of the leading lights of the development also witnessed the emergence of reformation, had to withdraw himself from the Sikh new cultural and political aspirations, literary and congregation at the time of distribution of karahprasad. educational processes were renovated and through a The reason was that he came from a so-called “low- strong political platform, the Sikhs sought to secure caste” family! recognition for themselves. Such decline had actually started at the very Reporting on observance of the first anniversary peak of Sikh power. In the courtly splendour of of the Lahore Singh Sabha in its issue for 22 April Maharaja , had been 1905, the Khalsa Advocate referred to the occupant utterly subverted. The faith was weakened by the of a bunga in precincts of the Tarn Taran Gurdwara influx of large numbers of those who had adopted who had embraced and hung a cross on the Sikh form to gain material advantage, but whose one of its walls in a bid to convert it into a Christian allegiance to its principles and traditions was only chapel ! Worse, as a student called Bir Singh wrote tentative. In the words of a character in one of Sir to the Khalsa Akhbar, on 12 February 1897. “Near Jogendra Singh’s novels, Rasili: “We failed because the Dukhbhanjani beri tree (in the we did not obey the Guru. People established precincts) there is a room on the front wall of which is kingdoms and principalities and neglected their poor painted a picture. The picture depicts a goddess and brethren. The result is what you see – the Khalsa has . The goddess stands on golden fallen.” But the protagonist is aware of the massive sandals and she has many hands–ten or, perhaps, reformation that was taking place. He says, “Sikhism twenty. One of the hands is stretched out and in is now casting off external influences and returning this she holds a . Guru Gobind Singh stands to the solid rock of its own pure faith and divine barefoot in front of it with his hands folded.” teachings.” A correspondent’s letter in the Khalsa Samachar of In a general manner, the Singh Sabha was an 25 June 1902, edited by Bhai stated. “Around expression of the impulse of the Sikh community to rid the village of Singhpur, Christians and Muhammadans itself of the base adulterations and accretions which are becoming very influential. The former have two were draining away its energy and to rediscover the churches here and the latter two mosques. In this area sources of its original inspiration. Unlike other Indian there is no dharamsala and the rural Khalsa is rather reform movements of the period which were creation neglectful of its religious duty.” of the elite, the Singh Sabha was a mass upsurge. An editorial in the Khalsa Advocate of 15 December Besides having awareness that Sikhism as commonly 1904, summed up the situation which existed before practised was corruption of what it originally was, NISHAAN emergence of the Singh Sabha thus: “… false gurus two other motivating factors were at work : a reaction grew up in great abundance whose only business to what was happening in the neighbourly religious 15 16 NISHAAN a vernacular school, a high school, a school for girls girls the for school of a came school, high Mission a the school, of construction wake vernacular In a and started. church station Commissioner Deputy and Hindus more the instances than prove may truth helpful Sikhs Mohammedans…” scriptural the few to that A accessible believe to dissenting us Hinduism. a by lead from instance first pure of sect the in species a formed religion, theism, Sikh the last been the of for has power century and Mohammedan religion the dominant and the another, Punjab, the the of of portion large population a instructions of minds the sways still valedictory Brahman religion the the “Though told: Punjab, been In had they the them, to given station. in appointed TH missionaries England arrived 1852, first of In the Church Clark, the of enterprise. Robert and Church of Fitzpatrick seat important century. the disputations of decades to last the in overtook Punjab the which faiths precursor a different of spokesmen been 1862) between (in have event issue well The the sides. and might both from discussion zeal for with joined fixed accepted. were he which subjects Six theologian Muslim a with public a debate to challenge a received he day bazaar One for preaching. regularly out orphanages turned and Forman CW capital hospitals followed. like well Punjab as institutions the schools welfare to vernacular as sent and set its and English were of duty immediately. Two Newton, this John for Lahore. and to apart Forman work CW its members, extended Mission of failure the of ranges case in lower health.” the mountains to Himalaya lower access the the of and ready than and…a climate “numerous as its better provinces a area were this population… of labour” of hardy choice field the for best “the factors The frontiers. Kingdom’s Sikh the near outpost British the American Ludhiana, north-western an at up set been Lahore, had in Singh, mission Presbyterian Ranjit reigned while sovereign, Even Sikh English. the the of influx with critics. Hindu Christian the by and generated proselytisation defensiveness and traditions Mission houses were built in the city by the the by city the in built were houses Mission another became faith, Sikh the of centre Amritsar, Ludhiana the 1849, in rule Sikh of abrogation With Punjab the in started activity missionary Christian du theologicum odium started by by started ret, omry ea Snh f utnid Imad- Sultanwind, of Muslim a Singh ud-Din, Kesar formerly priest), Shamaun, like Sikh a men of Simeon, i.e. conversion the was with work rewarded evangelising The hospital. midwifery a and The formalism and ceremonials which had had which ceremonials were power princely and of days the during accumulated formalism The forces self-understanding. of cultural course a and upon critical set was it the around, religious was the by this Challenged authority, time. political of forfeiture Samajists Arya and nineteenth participated. Muslims polemic the freely all of religious Christians, abrasive which and decades with in filled last were aggressiveness the of century by and marked teachings was encounter acerbity the The Punjab with the (1834-86). in 1867 Sabha Paramhansa in Prarthana Ramakrishna Bombay the in 1828, in Roy began Bengal known Rammohun in Raja Later by (1772-1833) founded Sabha. liberal Samaj, Brahma more Brahmo the The as of were Islam. in Hinduism sectarian in expressions heresy movement Ahmadiyah vast fundamentalism pronouncedly and a Samaj Indian Arya took was as in which forms result The provoked reformation reinterpretation and religions. humanitarianism and self-examination ethics Christian reaction. vital a precipitated Waskom J. reports faith,” book caste his and in the Pickett Christian of the members converted hundred been few professed a had but all district 1915 by Sialkot in lowly these people of half than more 1990 By five Church. the than into received were more scavengers) (outcaste conversion sweepers hundred Ditt’s after year the “In eleventh movement.” mass “the forerunner called the the been has of was what of village man,” Marali little from lame, class dark, sweeper The “a success. Ditt, of special with conversion met 1855 in Sialkot at work Jandiala. and Taran, Tarn Ajnala in as such Majha of tract important Sikh in the of opened towns were Mission the of examination. Sub-stations entrance Calcutta Mission the the passed and attended School had who Amritsar, from Khatri For Sikhism, strangely somnolent since the the since somnolent strangely Sikhism, For d n a e c n e i c s n r e t s e W f o e g n e l l a h c e soon h T which life Punjabi entered had catalyst A its began which Mission Presbyterian United The The Mass Movement Mass The granthi maulavi reader of the Holy Book or or Book Holy the of reader and Rulia Ram, a Hindu Hindu a Ram, Rulia and . recognised as accretions and adulterations, contrary up, people cease to be initiated into Sikhism and revert to teachings of the Gurus. Survival was linked with to Hinduism. Such is the undoubted explanation of expunction of these abuses and the recovery of purity a statistical fact, which might otherwise appear to be in belief and usage. The following excerpt from the hardly credible.” Punjab Administration Report for 1851-52 is worth The Sikhs, roughly estimated to be about ten quoting: million in Ranjit Singh’s Punjab, dwindled to a mere “The Sikh faith and ecclesiastical polity is rapidly 1,141,848 in the enumeration made in the Punjab in going where the Sikh political ascendancy has already 1868. In the regular census of 1881, the Sikh figure gone. Of the two elements in the old Khalsa, namely, stood at 1,716,114. This included the entire Punjab the followers of Nanuck, the first prophet, and the as well as the area covered by cis-Sutlej princely followers of Guru Govind Singh, the second great states. religious leader, the former will hold their ground, In 1853, Maharaja , the last Sikh ruler and the latter will lose it. The Sikhs of Nanuck, a of the Punjab, who had come under British tutelage comparatively small body of peaceful habits and old at the tender age of eight, accepted the Christian family, will perhaps cling to the faith of their fathers; faith – a conversion hailed as “the first instance of the but the Sikhs of Govind (Singh) who are of more accession of an Indian prince to the communication recent origin, who are more specially styled the Singhs of the Church.” Duleep Singh made liberal donations or “lions”, and who embraced the faith as being the out of his allowance for Christian charity and the religion of warfare and conquest, no longer regard the Khalsa now that the prestige has departed from it.” maintenance of mission schools. The Sikh ruler of Kapurthala invited the Ludhiana Mission to set up “These men joined in thousands, and they now a station in his capital and provided funds for its desert in equal numbers. They rejoin the ranks of maintenance. To quote from the Annual Report of Hinduism whence they originally came, and they the Mission (1862), “Until the Rajah of Kapurthala bring up their children as Hindus. The sacred tank invited missionaries to his capital, no instance had at Umritsur is less thronged than formerly, and occurred in India, in which the progress of the Gospel attendance at the annual festivals is diminishing had been fostered by a ruler.” A few years later, yearly. The initiatory ceremony for adult persons is the Kapurthala prince’s nephew, Kanwar Harnam now rarely performed.” Singh, became a Christian. The Gospel was preached The fall in population numbers supported the in the neighbourhood of the Golden Temple. For this dismal predictions about final eclipse of the Sikh purpose one of the; surrounding bungas, or pilgrims’ faith. A demographical detail was worked out by inns, had been acquired on rent. the British in 1855 in respect of the Lahore division. In the beginning of 1973, four Sikh pupils of the There were found only about two lakh Sikhs to an Amritsar Mission School-Aya Singh, Attar Singh, aggregate population of about three million. These Sadhu Singh and Santokh Singh – proclaimed their figures related to the Majha region, known as the intention of renouncing their faith in favour of central home of the Sikhs. The following comment on Christianity. This greatly shocked Sikh feeling. this point is from the Punjab Administration Report Added to this was a series of carping lectures in for 1855-56: Amritsar on the Sikh faith and the narration of “This circumstance strongly corroborates what Guru Nanak’s life in deliberately garbled detail is commonly believed, namely that the Sikh tribe is by Shardha Ram Phillauri, who had been engaged losing its numbers rapidly. Modern Sikhism was little by the British to write a history of the Sikhs. To more than a political association (formed exclusively consider these matters, some prominent Sikhs, from among Hindus), which men would join or quit including Thakur Singh Sandhanwalla (1837-87), according to the circumstances of the day. A person is Baba Sir Khem Singh Bedi (1832-1905), Kanwar not born a Sikh, as he might be born a Muhammedan Bikrama Singh (1835-87) of Kapurthala and NISHAAN or born a Hindu; but he must be specially initiated into Giani Gian Singh (1824-84) of Amritsar convened Sikhism. Now that the Sikh commonwealth is broken a meeting in Amritsar. Thakur Singh, man of 17 18 NISHAAN in a huge Sikh convention held on 14 June 1903, at at 1903, point June 14 on held culminating its convention crusade Sikh reached huge Sabha a in Singh in the enlightenment and hymns for were Sikh overcome prejudices sing old The and gradually reciters congregations. villages of Sabha the Singh choir a round go constituted to had One service. regiments the the the from in of retired serving had who soldiers those or army through primarily peasantry the by caused destruction 1902. of epidemic plague widespread movement signifying the of Singh name the of from corruption deliberate what for ridiculed and ideas. severe novel their be to scorned appeared encountered were Initially, Sabha Singh was impulse. opposition, the of concern revivalist the supporters as progressive of The pronounced as encouragement un-Sikh the education. of and evils Western of depreciation social its Two the and join were afoot. customs to set thrusts was major campaign volunteered its vigorous quick leaders A and ranks. gained Many It community. scholars the of society. Sikh sections Sikh diverse of of support regeneration the the their of ensure programmes t r and a t s in, educational o Sikhs. t with, d n Englishmen interest a association , apostates; m placed u the i and d e fold m reform Sikh highly the e h Punjabi; into t in knowledge, back s a bring newspapers current i and b a j and n u magazines P propagate historical g n to i s u publish books; Sikhism and 1873. edit restore Guru religious to October purity; Sri 1 on pristine undertook the its being Sabha called into Singh The came which the association over of Sabha an meeting Singh result its a and As Amritsar presided, the he of community traditions. about Sikh its deliberations the from concerned of this felt In state resilement and rebel. general a ritual) the corrupted (and turned customs become Sikh he how had seen had before he appointed of capacity board member British a the management been by had Temple the Arabic, of Golden and the languages Sanskrit classical of two East, the accomplishment mastered rare the having possessed who learning The Singh Sabha ideology percolated to the Sikh Sikh the to percolated ideology Sabha Singh The villagers’ the was humour in mordant More the be to proved Sabha Singh The Sabha to Singh Singh to Safa , the word safa safa word the , ln vital élan in in first Singh Sabha came into existence in Amritsar. Amritsar. in a as existence known into Singh, the Basawa came after Bhai years Sabha twenty Singh was first This 1893. in established the of kind, Sikh much of usage. Sikh challenged extremist He prevalent interpretation the tradition. and the and of in verve principles new puritan a fundamentalist a a was brought and he He renaissance Sabha thrust. innovation, resoluteness Singh for was stern the and his capacity to By mind Baba limitless fertile and a campaigner. more secretary, its the untiring possessed of a He among Singh. personality was Teja dynamite the The days. from state, those in came Sabhas the of Patiala energetic in village and rituals Sikh autonomy. its purifying a in re-establishing then active Patiala of very was Department (1867-1933), the state, Irrigation the Singh under the in were Teja which, sub-overseez Baba of Bhasaur, sponsors The marked Sabha, leadership was Singh fanfare. Guru ceremony also Sri as The were day. considerable village audience by that the that on of among from initiated Hindus Sikhs Some sons as four well of daughter. The family a his and and district. Muslim, Karim a of born Sikhism to Jullunder Bakhsh, in conversion the marked Bakapur, occasion of village the it had accepted for conversion Muslims and those those and Muslims conversion very inception, for very its imitation its an accepted From r had u only a it s was a questioned vocabulary. h B said, Samaj and objective e it Arya h T of which, Sabha limited ” . n the e m o of designation, w Shuddhi r the o critical alliances of was n e m Sabha had m contracting i who l Singh s by u M Hindus h t and object i themselves w the Sikhs with those 1893, apostatized April 17 “reclaiming on of Lahore in Singh further who went faiths It initiation. for other of volunteered faith. members their converted had willingly and who advocated forsaking those into of openly led fold It Sikh been the into Sikhism. back into in acceptance which forthright infiltrated customs had Brahmanical and beginning, caste of very rejection the the and from Singh Bhasaur Sabha was, The Singh Sabha secretary. first Bhasaur its Singh the Teja of Baba president first the The Singh Sabha in the village of Bhasaur was was Bhasaur of village the in Sabha Singh The little a in located Sabha, Singh Bhasaur The A Shuddhi Sabha had been established by Dr Jai Jai Dr by established been had Sabha Shuddhi A virakt or recluse, was was recluse, or from lower Hindu castes. As the records say, at the Baba Teja Singh issued a public notice signifying first annual divan of the Bhasaur Singh Sabha held that a big divan of the Khalsa would be convened in in 1894, thirteen Jats, six jhivars water-carriers), the village of Bakapur on 13-14, June 1903. The letter two barbers, one Khatri and one Musalman (Miran included a note on the Bakapur family and its zeal for Bakhsh, of tahsil Garhshankar, who became Nihal the Sikh faith. Singh) were initiated into the Sikh faith. Babu Teja The invitation widely circulated evoked a Singh himself published in the press a report of ready response. On the appointed day, batches of a subsequent year stating: “By the power of the Sikhs converged on Bakapur from places such as Word revealed by the Ten Masters and in accord Lahore, Amritsar, Gujranwala, Gujjarkhan, Katani, with Akalpurakh’s wish, the Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Narangwal and Ludhiana. An elderly uncle of Bhasaur, has administered the Gurumantra and Sardar Sundar Singh Majithia, Baba Hira Singh, holy amrit to a Muslim woman and ushered her led a from the Amritsar Khalsa College. The into Sodhbans (the family of Guru Gobind Singh). group included Bhai Jodh Singh (the distinguished Her Sikh name is Kishan Kaur. A Sikh who had Sikh theologian and educationist of modern times), fallen by living with a Muslim woman has been who was then a student of the final B.A. class, baptized and renamed Ude Singh.” Tara Singh, who had just joined college and who Karim Baksh was born of Muslim parents, Nathu later became famous as a political leader, and Man and Basri, at Bakapur in 1860. He was of a religious Singh, who rose to be the president of the Judicial turn of mind. This disturbed his family who, to Committee in Faridkot state. detract him from his lonely ways, married him On morning of the start of proceedings, Maulavi when he was barely twelve. At the age of 15, Karim Karim Bakhsh rose at 2 a.m. performed his ablutions Baksh’s quest for spiritual company took him to a and came to the site of the divan. He sat in a room Sikh saint, Bhai Kahla Singh of Banga at whose feet rapt in meditation. The Asa-di-Var was sung after he spent two years. After Bhai Kahla Singh’s death, which different took turns at . They Karim Bakhsh sought solace in the service of his included the Singh Sabha of Gujjarwal, Sardar disciple, Bhai Dula Singh of Thakurwal. For twelve Basant Singh and Munshi Anup Singh of Narangwal years, he presented himself once every week in the and the Youth League of Ludhiana. For a while, a holy sangat at Thakurwal, thirty-two kilometres group of women also led the kirtan. Chanting of away from his village. the sacred shabads went on until it was time for Karim Bakhsh spent most of his time recitingh Guru-ka-Langar. The afternoon divan was addressed from memory. He used to welcome the by Baba Teja Singh, who explained the purpose Sikhs with the Khalsa greeting and made regular of the convention and sought from the audience visits to Amritsar to bathe in the sacred pool. He names of those who would wish to be baptised. suffered ostracism and insults at the hands of his co- First to volunteer was Basant Singh, a former Punjab religionists. Gradually, his wife was also converted University student, of the village of Narangwal to his way of life. in Ludhiana district, who, after initiation, was named . He later became known as a The story of the Bakapur family reached Bhasaur revolutionary and, still later, as a saintly personage through Bhai Takht Singh of Ferozepore, a pioneer of much sanctity among the Sikhs. of women’s education among Sikhs. This was To conduct the initiation ceremonies the following corroborated by some other members of the Singh day, the Panj Piare designated were were Bhai Teja Sabha who supplied further details of Karim Bakhsh’s Singh of Rawalpindi, Takht Singh, Zinda Shahid interest in Sikhism. (Living Martyr), of Ferozepore, Bhai Basant Singh The Bhasaur Singh Sabha sent its emissaries – Bhai of Bappiana (Patiala state), Bhai Sohan Singh of Teja Singh of Maingan, Sardar Bishan Singh and Bhai Gujjarkhan and Bhai Amar Singh of Raja Ghuman. NISHAAN Takht Singh – to visit Bakapur by turns and assure Bhai Jodh Singh was named as granthi for the Karim Bakhsh that his heart’s wish must be fulfilled. ceremonies. 19 20 NISHAAN secretary. Khalsa Diwan became the affiliating affiliating the became Sabhas. Singh Diwan the all chief for was the Khalsa centre Singh Singh Khem Gurmukh of Bhai Baba secretary. and Singh Lieutenant- patrons. president Bikram The its made Raja were 1883. and in Punjab Faridkot the of Amritsr which at Diwan Governor up Khalsa the the set was by called was Sabha replaced board General The Bhai joint by subsequently formed. a was , Sabha r 1877, u established a To Sabha in s General a h B Sabha, Singh Singh active. , Singh n a Amritsar Gurmukh i r g the Lahore notably a B of the , work being and t o k the d i Simla r Ferozepore, a F and coordinate Lahore, , a h b Ludhiana, a N Amritsar, Kapurthala , at a l a i Jullundur, t a those P Punjab, Rawalpindi, the of parts the were were These Bakapur. tradition at highlighted Sikhism. the dramatically in contemporary of sanction practices characteristics no and had customs by new which a dominated past fervour, with breach recent decisive the a religious and unity and identity sweeping of A community sense Sikh time. the that moved expression at which visible urges a new was the It of resurgence. Sabha Singh religious Sikh journal. a others, among Singh edited, and Amritsar College at Khalsa Gurcharan the at degree son, Bachelor’s his Singh’s took Sakhi, Matab places. Sikh of sacred reformation for Singh, played campaign and the in Matab Baradari role pioneer son, Khalsa a His called society a founded (1872-1941). Sundar Sardar Majithia and Singh Singh Vir Bhai his like among men counted admirers he was and holiness acknowledged Sukhmani His the universally the shrine. of the recite doors and circumambulating the while opened, before were reach would midnight, Harimandir He after Temple. soon Golden He there the began to Singh. routine visit daily a Lakhbir his with where Sant esteem as Amritsar, to wide migrated won community Sikh Singh name the Sikh Lakhbir in the Kaur. given was Waryam respectively. of Nuran, Bibi Singh, daughter Gurbakhsh His and Singh Singh, Harnam Kirpal Singh, Matab four became 4, His Din Khair and 6, Muhammad Ghulam initiation. 12, Din Fateh after 15, Din Rukan Singh sons Lakhbir 43, named Bakhsh, was Karim Maulavi morning. following the on Singh Sabhas were now springing up in all all in up springing now were Sabhas Singh the in point high a marked divan Bakapur The baptism Sikh the received persons thirty-five all, In medium of channelising its religious and cultural cultural and religious its resurgence. the the and channelising became of community now Sikh medium the Diwan of spokesman first Khalsa its principal at Chief state, Diwan The Nabha Khalsa in Chief session. the village to Boparai, small Amritsar, affiliated a were of Badbar, Chhajjalvaddi, those and Kairon, Dakha Agra, including Rawalpindi, Sabhas, Twenty- Singh secretary. and nine additional as Patila of president Sodhi Singh with Sujan secretary, elected as Bhai was Majithia Singh ardas. Sundar Bagrian Sardar of inaugural Teja the Singh 1902. recited Arjan October 30 Bhasaur on of Bunga Singh Malwai the in held the end Khalsa Committee. this Prabandhak to Chief Diwan the a nominated up called and set Panth to Diwan, Sikh 1902, of August council 19 main on the Diwan, decided, character. Lahore the committee from Diwan representative response a no Khalsa it being to the There impart first to the reorganise in Lahore to at November made should, on be efforts place that instance, took proposed which assembly Bivember, 10, at on larger Amritsar eminent A discussed at to was 1901. Gianian It and Burj life. in of Sabhas meeting walks a Singh different the in all Sikhs to sent was Sardar and Barrister-at-Law. Singh, Council, Singh, Gurbakhsh College Khalsa Dharam Jawahir Secretary, Bhai Sardar Singh, Singh, Thakur Giani Engineer, Department, Assistant Forest Sardar Singh Nabha, the Sadhu of Sardar of were Singh Judge, District Kahn Singh, Bhai Aya committee Sardar Majithia, the body. Singh of unitary Sundar a such committee members of a Among formed constitution the and up draw the community to in 12 the supreme for on of Diwan voted Khalsa affairs a Amritsar of unanimously at establishment Bunga central conference the The a Malwai 1900. the gathering for April, in large a at need Sikhs idea support of The the reverberating sections. with neutrally different met the voicing unite Elements to kept organisation Sabha. the Singh hampered the inclined this of and progress recriminations in indulged was Diwan Khalsa Chief the of session first The committee the by prepared constitution of draft The Diwans Lahore and Amritsar the Unfortunately, (Extracted from THE HERITAGE OF THE SIKHS) THE OF HERITAGE THE from (Extracted By Sardar Harbans Singh Harbans Sardar By Chief Khalsa Khalsa Chief Personalities of The Singh Sabha

ir Baba Khem Singh Bedi, one of the founders of the Singh Sabha movement, was born on 21 February 1832 at Kallar, Sa small town in Rawalpindi district, now in Pakistan. He received the pahul of amrit at the hands of the celebrated Baba Bir Singh of Naurangabad. Khem Singh and his elder brother Sampuran Singh inherited jagirs in the Jullundur Doab along with 41 villages in Dipalpur tahsil of Gugera, laer Montgomery (Sahiwal) district. On annexation of the Punjab to the British dominions in 1849, 14 of these villages were resumed by the new government. During the mutiny by the Bengal Native Infantry in 1857, Baba Khem Singh assisted in quelling a local revolt in Gugera district, personally taking part in a number of skirmishes, proving himself an excellent marksman with gun and rifle. Sir Baba Khem Singh Bedi. While accompanying Assistant Commissioner Berkeley on a drive to Department of Public Instruction reopen communications with Multan, Khem Singh distinguished himself in and planned to open 30 single- a cavalry charge on 21 September 1857. The following day he barely escaped teacher primary schools at each death in an ambush in which Berkeley was killed. The Government of India district. Baba Khem Singh lent bestowed on him a khill’at or robe of honour to the value of Rs. 1,000 and his full support to the scheme. He a double-barrelled rifle. His jagirs were enhanced from time to time and, also opened schools on his own towards the end of his life, his possessions of land in Montgomery district in the Rawalpindi division, and alone amounted to 28,272 acres. He was appointed a magistrate in 1877 from his immense wealth, he gave and an honorary munsif in 1878. He was made Companion of the Indian liberally for this purpose and at Empire (CIE) in 1879, was nominated to the Viceroy’s Legislative Council least fifty schools for boys and in 1893, and when the Indian Council Act was extended to the Punjab in girls were opened in the Punjab 1897, he was among the first non-official members nominated to the Punjab through his support. On occasion Legislature. He was knighted in 1898 (K.C.I.E). of the marriage of his daughter in Baba Khem Singh was most sensitive to the decline that had set 1893, he donated Rs. 300,000 for within Sikh society after most occupation of the Punjab by the British religious and charitable purposes, and on the inroads being made by Christian proselytism. The gravity of half of this amount for setting the situation was brought home to the community dramatically when, at up a college at Rawalpindi. As a the beginning of 1873, four Sikh students of the Amritsar Mission School beginning, a vocational school was proclaimed their intention of renouncing their faith and embracing opened there, in early 1894, with Christianity. The Sikhs convened a meeting at Amritsar on 30 July provision for training in dyeing, 1873, led by Baba Khem Singh Bedi, Sardar Thakur Singh Sandhawalia photography, carpentry, tailoring, and Raja Bikrama Singh of Faridkot. As a result of the deliberations, etc. Provision was made for the society named Sri Guru Singh Sabha was established at a largely subsidised board and lodging for attended gathering on the occasion of Dusshehra, 1 October 1873. the poorer students. Singh Sabhas then began at other places as well. A co-ordinating Baba Khem Singh always lived (Chief) Khalsa Diwan was formed at Amritsar on 12 April 1883, with in princely style and enjoyed the Baba Khem Singh as president and Bhai Gurmukh Singh of Lahore as reverence of hundreds of thousands chief secretary. Serious differences, however, soon arose and a separate of followers in Western Punjab, the Khalsa Diwan was set up at Lahore in April 1886, his influence restricted North-West Frontier Province and to the Pothohar region and to some areas in Western Punjab where he parts of Afghanistan. He was on a preached among the Sahajdharis, and brought a large number into the tour in the spring of 1905 when he Sikh fold. Besides propagation of the Sikh faith, Baba Khem Singh’s suddenly fell ill. On 8 April 1905, important contribution lies in the spread of education among the Sikh he left Peshawar by rail in a state of masses, especially for women. serious sickness and feebleness, and shortly passed away at Montgomery. NISHAAN In 1855, dispatch of the Court of Directors of the East India Company, which initiated a new era in Indian education, was received (Excerpt from The Encyclopedia of at Lahore. The following year the Punjab Government established the Sikhism by S.Harbans Singh). 21 22 NISHAAN K Indian art as “savage, brutal, sex-driven, cruel and and cruel sex-driven, brutal, of “savage, as painted richness they art brush, Indian broad wonderful same the the with while denying India” thus past living and the and religion, in with only non-scientific concerned ignorance, material, in non “steeped people a as the to who second rulers, terms. poor colonial unflattering very in a alien Indians and was the India painted of it qualities considered that is was inimitable initiative, talent, amazing local when creativity more period a remarkable is in a forth is what brought It but Singh. Ram design, Bhai period, colonial The colonials studied and reconstructed Indians Indians reconstructed and studied colonials The A Legacy ofBhaiRamSingh Khalsa College halsa College Amritsar with its the its of of architect with creation greatest a is Punjab’s the Amritsar edifice, magnificent College halsa humiliation of highly civilized nations such as India. India. as such nations civilized highly of humiliation British and conquest celebrated the gaily it other, the on huge hand yet people one its for representation the enslaved and suffrage On for strove and Parliament humanity. of conquered numbers Emperors, and systematically Kings of nations they yoke European autocratic while the off that threw history the of of one is ironies It India! many of took millions colonial the the he over few justify yet of a he of rule could philosophy, else how and achievements for art position of this splendid field the the fool in no well was India Mill very if English. knew for the and to civilizationally, liberty be inferior to racially, them advocated not thought never he but as Indians, Office India the at worked government, representative of philosopher and scholar liberal famous the Mill Stuart John monstrous”. The brought forth new cultural and behaviour patterns among people of the Punjab. A large segment resented rule of the angrez and turned inward, abdicating the difficult clash of wills. They refused to interact with the new rulers, terming them evil and satanic; they eulogised and romanticised their past, refused to learn the English language and would not send their children to government schools. For them the present was like a passing nightmare. Another segment abandoned their traditions altogether and completely took on the airs and customs of the angrez rulers. These represented the native classes that enjoyed benefits in terms of land grants, education and government employment. Privately the colonials ridiculed such people as wanting to be like them – an effort in futility ! A small number amongst the British-educated An amalgamation of Indian design with European requirements in furniture. (Journal of Indian Art & Industry October 1884) classes adopted yet another path. This group held onto their valued traditions but was willing to learn and the early expression of Ram Singh’s genius. Mrs. from the angrez. Theirs was the road most difficult Rani Sohal, widow of Ram Singh’s grandson, insisted to take. Only persons thoroughly imbued with the that Assa Singh was a landholder of significance, that lasting values of their culture, yet full of eagerness to Ram Singh was educated at the mission school and learn the new technologies and all that the rulers were that the Queen adopted Ram Singh as her “brother”. willing to teach, could then compete with the rulers The Encyclopedia of Sikhism also, quite wrongly, states with honour and dignity. Theirs was neither the path that Ram Singh ‘attracted the notice of Mr. Kipling … of abdication from the challenges of the time nor of in Amritsar’ when it is a known fact that Ram Singh abject submission; they stood firm and solid on the was in Lahore before Kipling arrived to set up the twin pillars of what was valuable in their tradition Mayo School in Lahore. This lack of clarity continued, and the new knowledge that they acquired from the despite the fact that Ram Singh rose to be acclaimed at Europeans. Bhai Ram Singh was such a person in the the highest level of the colonial society by the Queen- field of architecture. Empress herself. This article traces Bhai Ram Singh’s early formative The most authentic information about Ram period in some detail, quickly mentions his works in Singh’s early life comes from a draft of his letter other parts of the Punjab, mostly Lahore, and then surviving with his descendants, addressed to Sir discusses his greatest achievement: the Khalsa College William Mackworth Young, the Lt Governor of Punjab at Amritsar. (1897-1902) regarding his promotion as Principal, Mayo School of Arts. The draft in Ram Singh’s own Ram Singh was born to the Ramgarhia Sohal family handwriting sheds light on his early life in the third at a village Rasulpur, near Batala district, Gurdaspur. and fourth paragraphs of the letter. He wrote, in His father Assa Singh owned some land in the village August 1899, ‘Please permit me, Dear Governor, to but owing to financial hardship moved to Amritsar. thrust it on your Honour’s particular attention that Ram Singh’s date of birth is stated to be 1st August Mr. John Harvey first picked me and it was upon 1858, the year of abolition of the East India Company’s his prophetic wishes that I joined the Mayo School rule and a year after the great upheaval of 1857. The of Art in 1875… before that when your Honour was preceding decade (1847-57) had been a period of great at Amritsar as Deputy Commissioner I repaired and turmoil in the Punjab, witnessing the end of Sikh polished Lady Young’s Piano and my work was rule, uprising of the Indian soldiers of the Colonial approved even then. …’ Army and its brutal suppression. Therefore it is not NISHAAN surprising that very little of the family record has The Deputy Commissioner of a district in British survived. As may be expected there are a number India was a person of great authority and stature. of tales, sometimes contradictory, about the family If a piano had to be repaired and polished, and that 23 24 NISHAAN and often involved them in the work executed by the the by executed work School. the Mayo in them support, involved and often sustenance and cultural for them upon maintain drew to continued and family He his with links strong traditions. his turned on never back School, his Mayo the at stay his throughout Ram work. Bhai by his in Singh elaborated and of imbibed as philosophy education Kipling’s art of cornerstone the study his was practical in work, been practice, participation the and and have heritage by theory Indian to extant of out of integration carried acknowledged This work. later projects of in were the basis of School theoretical participate the Several to study to design. and his work opportunities from had Singh, practical Ram days, architecture. student and arts understanding outgrew deeper other and a of achieve to capacities his crafts-training develop his intellectual to and began accomplished conceptual an carpenter, already acknowledged Singh, and Ram and to vernacular arithmetic. the in writing and addition elementary reading in given in were as Arts, instruction students of the School Kipling classes, the drawing the At Mayo behind Lockwood Bank. Anarkali in John Bengal house was a established in with and Principal, newly Arts, Founder history of the short with School somewhat a Instruction’s in amalgamated had Public held It of classes Director office. the with of 1874 in verandah subscription, the established private Carpentry of through School Lahore the earlier notice Singh’s the Ram in to come recorded letter. as mentioned and Harvey officials John of and British with interaction smattering missionaries his in some whether schooling, language up English clear picked the formal of have not early might is any he It had however, Singh carpenter- situated. Ram where young also were Cheel-Mandi, shops market, near or in timber himself the locating Singh’s in Amritsar, Ram to Singh, shifted specialising Assa father, probability craftsmen, all In master carpentry. being long-standing a of has business. Sikhs skills tradition the of the traditional Misl learnt family’s Ramgarhia his The have equally in is only apprentice What could an he as sixteen. that of is age excellent evident young It acquired the had task. of by the Singh do skills Ram person to that a asked clear only thus, been is, have would mem-sahib, skill the great to belonging too In this context it is significant that Ram Singh, Singh, Ram that significant is it context this In of students the of one as appears first Singh Ram bradri in Amritsar, and and Amritsar, in Mayo Schoolof Building Arts First Architectural Work: Royal Commissions texture. A marble drinking fountain was specially specially was and fountain courtyard. grace the of centre the drinking for building designed the marble A lent eaves, texture. stucco the the chatris, as under and such work turrets embellishments with ornamental while facing emphasised School, was of the of Mall, brick corners façade the The main the intricate bricks. wing, north were the through varying-sized using facades accentuated lintel detailing levels cornice, building plinth, cill the and and The panels into subdivided openings. arched the ornamental in verandah moulded (fenestration) jalliwork used terracotta bricks, judiciously brick He exposed the of surfaces. scale the of humanise to details of brickwork knowledge and skills his used Singh Ram building. the sits opposite Mall today the of Sikhs, Rudyard, island the son traffic of a on gun Kipling’s by Zamzama the immortalised to famous the next The and from back University Museum. set Punjab brick-faced, the and a opposite fronting thus, Mall, is, structure, the building imposing Arts that of lavish desirable... it any is School wrote of indeed The nor ‘allow not 1876-77 decoration in will for expenditure building the report Lahore. for at his funds Arts of in project, School Mayo Kipling architectural the for for important arose building an the on opportunity an work to when him years, 6 for tutelage Ram Singh busy in the summer vacations of 1885. 1885. of and vacations Kipling summer kept the in which busy England Singh Ram Bagshot Surrey, at in Connaught of Park Duke the for Room Billiard Designed by BhaiRamSinghin1882-83, of theMayoSchool Arts Ram Singh, by 1881, had been under Kipling’s Kipling’s under been had 1881, by Singh, Ram The first Royal Commission was interior of the the of interior was Commission Royal first The building was hisfirst Architectural Project.

Ram Singh also received invitations to be a special guest and speaker from Associations such as the National Indian Association in London, while he was “admitted to private theatrical performances in which several members of the Royal family took part, as well as to other court functions which are generally regarded as being of a very exclusive order”. The Society for the Encouragement and Preservation of Indian Art gave him a certificate for “good work of all kinds”, which was important enough to be mentioned in the MVO Memorandum. Meantime in Lahore, Kipling seized every opportunity to proudly introduce Ram Singh to the local gentry, referring to him as ‘our most accomplished architect’. One such occasion was when James Wilson, the Assistant Commissioner, Shahpur and the Administrator of the Kalra Estate, wrote to Kipling for a design for a house for Malik Umar Hayat Khan on the Bhai Ram Singh at work on the Indian Room (Durbar Hall) circa 1891-2. estate. Kipling suggested that the commission should be The project was conceived as ‘an elaborate arrangement given to Bhai Ram Singh who was, at the time, expected of carved wood in the style of the last century of Punjab back from England in two months after completing the wood decoration,’ lining the walls with ceilings of Durbar Room for the Queen at Osborne. intricately carved wooden panels. The furniture was also to be designed at the School to be in keeping with the ‘Indian’ theme. The work was too large to be taken up entirely at the School, thus, while the ‘choicer panels’ were ‘reserved for the practice of the wood- carving class in the school’, the rest of the work had to be contracted out to carpenters at Amritsar who worked under the direction of Bhai Ram Singh. The work of the Billiard Room led to another royal commission, this time from Queen Victoria herself, whose summer retreat, Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, had recently been expanded with a large room added in 1890-1891 for holding receptions. Bhai Ram Singh started working on the new assignment and by November 1890, the interior scheme of the new room had been submitted to the Queen. The work at Osborne House earned laurels for Ram Singh and the press reported him in glowing terms in newspapers of the time, variously referring to him as ‘Professor of Art’ and ‘a formidable rival’ for English artists. The Royal family was equally appreciative and sent him gifts, a silver mounted blotting book from the Duchess of Connaught, portraits of the royal couple, while the Queen gave him her signed portrait

and a gold pencil case for Christmas 1891. The Queen NISHAAN commissioned her court artist, the Austrian Rudolph Svoboda to paint his portrait which now hangs at Portrait painted in 1892 by Rudolf Svoboda, Austrian Court Painter to 25 the entrance to the Durbar Room at Osborne House. Queen Victoria. Ram Singh was 34 years at the time. 26 NISHAAN of domes, Moorish arches and decoration conceived conceived decoration and arches grouping Moorish Samuel picturesque the domes, Col. of State, details, by Jeypore elevations, of the Engineer and submitted Executive plans Jacobs, Swinton They layout proposals. the two to liked selection the sub-committee A down Singh. narrowed in Ram confidence 28-year-old, Kipling’s young, and the courage available showed talent limited India the in architectural pit best to the with decision experience The advertisement. the to competition against thebestinIndia Aitchison College: Firstopen he carried out with Rai Bahadur were were Engineer’. Ram Executive the for out of Ganga carried ‘the works under, Bahadur Memorandum MVO designs the Rai in mentioned with later several out that in works carried The him he implemented. PWD the that associated buildings good a tenure, throughout Ram, of struck his Ganga and the They relationship and supervision Department. professional under Works architect out the Punjab the carried the was Ram, was he Ganga where construction frequently him projects Bahadur meeting over Lahore, Rai Engineer, with Executive contact into School of Arts decided to send an entry in response response in entry an send to decided Mayo The Arts of College. the School of the building for main the time, of the of design competition newspapers India-wide leading in an of announced Aitchison result later the College, was Chiefs’ College, Punjab the of project This was also the period when Ram Singh came came Singh Ram when period the also was This Bhai Ram Singh’s involvement, in 1886, with the the with 1886, in involvement, Singh’s Ram Bhai Aitchison College MainBuilding,Aitchison designedin1886. Aitcheson College,Aitcheson Lahore: theMainBuilding, southernfacade. the then contemporary demands. The domes and and domes The fulfilling yet demands. tradition in contemporary was strong then effect and the overall for, building the a called of skill; of one level brickwork cornice, high a the The at achieved, parapet. detailing and brick plinth elaborate the had and composition. brickwork façade the of load-bearing was effect construction The visual a and the had control to dome it proportioning around porch domes The smaller of skyline. composition articulated highly a hall, while chatris, cupolas, domes and finials were were finials creating and building, the of domes corners the accentuate cupolas, to used chatris, the had while which block hall, central the the of corners domes the by completed marked surmounted turrets verandahs forming the Octagonal classrooms while composition. of tier, rows being second the the windows, and part clearstory tallest like high the hall, with nave centralised the church with a building as appeared three-tiered a composition The axis. west east the running along feet 30 by feet reading 70 Hall, the and was plan layout the of library focus The a rooms. office and Hall, laboratory science room, room, comprised play building College classrooms, Main The Art.’ of the a for Colonel School satisfactory with Jeypore, highly as of regard acquainted must work are Jacob Jacob’s who those Colonel by which result design the a share to with adjudged that prize ‘being wrote design 1885-1886, reporting School for Mayo report the Kipling, annual his in architect. this on regarded Jacobs highly Col. a for was Singh, Ram for achievement singular indeed a was This Singh. Ram Bhai by prepared architectural features and was elevations the it his accommodate adapt to to plans asked be deliberation should much Colonel the that After resolved Singh. Ram Bhai by chatris were also delineated in ornamental brickwork, reflective of the finesse of woodcarving, which was Ram Singh’s forte. Eave brackets in red sandstone throughout the building, the use of red/pink marble cladding for the column and the arches with the occasional use of elaborate jhorakas finished in white marble details and some intricately detailed entrances bespeak of the mastery of details by the architect and the intelligent use of colours to highlight features of the building. The verandahs are screened with elaborate inter-lacing Moorish arches and red marble jallis. The interior of the Hall itself was embellished with stucco tracery details, frescos and an imposing balcony resting on sandstone brackets. Unafraid to learn from both the Indian tradition and the new European influence, Ram Singh created a unique composition and highly textured facades, which continue to be lively and charming. This vocabulary he used to great effect in his subsequent buildings, the most prominent among them being the Khalsa College at Amritsar. Khalsa College : His unique legacy On Ram Singh’s return to the School on 1 April 1893, other commissions followed. The most significant of these was design of the Khalsa College, Amritsar. The Khalsa Diwan, Amritsar had adopted a resolution on 17 June 1883, for establishment of the Khalsa College. Recognising the nexus between religious reform and education, the Sikhs wanted to ‘restore Sikhism to its pristine purity’ and through Khalsa College Amritsar; entrance to the Boarding House. publication of ‘religious and historical books’ to spread ‘current knowledge using Punjabi as a medium’. the wish of the great majority of the Sikh people’. He Upon achieving official sanction, the Khalsa Diwan, concluded that amongst the five, the most suitable Amritsar, set up the Khalsa College Establishment site for the College was the one located on the Grand Committee in February 1890. The newly constituted Trunk Road, in the village of Said Mahmood, at a Committee appointed a sub-committee in its first distance of about three miles from the city and about meeting of 22 February 1890 with Col. Holroyd, the two miles from the Railway Station, practically the site Director of Public Instruction as President, Sir Sardar formerly selected for the jail. It was on the Cantonment Attar Singh as Vice president and Dr. W. Bell, the side of the railway tracks, which in itself signified a Principal, Government College, Lahore, as Secretary, cultural gesture, to be away from the city and near the along with five Sikh members. Both Col. Holroyd and Cantonment. Dr W. Bell were already familiar with the creative The collection of funds had started as early as in work of Ram Singh at the School of Arts, as well as 1890, with the formation of an influential deputation the various commissions that he had so well executed to request the chiefs of the Phulkian states for financial including the Government College boarding house, support and sub-committees were formed at Patiala, and therefore it was no surprise that Ram Singh was Ludhiana, Ferozepur, Jullundur, Amritsar, Lahore, chosen as the architect.

Gujranwala, Sialkot, Peshawar, Ambala, Gurdaspur, NISHAAN Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab, Sir James Lyall Rawalpindi and other places. A sub-committee was decided that the Khalsa College should be located in also formed in England at the behest of Mr. Frederick 27 Amritsar in view of the ‘fact that this is without doubt Pincott, who was appointed as President on 16 March 28 NISHAAN thus was designed with a hall, classrooms, library, library, classrooms, main and hall, a needs with College academic The designed was accommodate thus lawns. to was spacious building as foreground the the developed and on road with were the from buildings back located along set The was generously complex. the staff of residence corner other southwest for principal’s The houses accommodation rear. boarding forefront, with the the Road, in at Trunk College Grand the the of facing buildings academic The premises. house. boarding new the was the occupied be to to building house first from Lal’s shifted be Behari to students Pandit It school the for College. buildings ready the the of were of some that 1896 September operations in till not placed was building and the Engineer Bannu of from Civil Rattigan charge Singh, transferred H. Secretary specially Dharam and was William Sardar President as Dr. Singh respectively. had Jawahir time Bhai and the Council, one at over College the which Khalsa from member 1892, hundred constituted December thirty- 18 a Committee on to Executive entrusted member was College Khalsa middle the to up school. instruction of as medium used at the being rented Punjabi with month, Amritsar, per 75 Gate, Rs 22 Bihari Hall on the Pandit of near house Lal the established Meanwhile, in was 1893 October, School College. the Khalsa land of the for purchase started the be in earmarked not delay a of could College because the however, of buildings, construction the hundred The 1894 twelve Rupees March thousand. over 31 fund to By grew building fund 94,000. Rs the at stood towards their and contributions handsomely, contributing all Rs and Jind at Nabha Kapurthala, stood Patiala, the states with 1892 452,000 Sikh of the for end of 6000 the Rs By endowments and Fund. 75,000 Building Rs the of grant followed a Nabha with of Maharaja College endowment The the for buildings. Rs15,000 College of grant the cash a for and Rs150,000 donation a respond of with Baden to Patiala of first Maharaja The the included was others. as among members Executive Aitchison Powell and Charles College Sir Secretary with Khalsa the Committee by 1890, Ram Singh’s master-plan proposed the main main the proposed master-plan Singh’s Ram the of work development physical The Khalsa College, Amritsar; entrance totheSchool Wing. projecting portion of the T had another 12 rooms (20 (20 rooms 12 another had T The the of Punjab. protected the portion of sides heat jalli projecting scorching both with the on from rooms Verandahs, openings, the the feet. in 350 of brickwork ends, of both frontage at sides a feet 20 both by and giving feet 28 flanking of entrance rooms feet) large 16 with by it, centralised feet a (20 with rooms house T six boarding inverted School for an the meant of was Mahipdar plan was The house Singh students. boarding 490 Rajindra school The Maharaja by Bahadur. Government the state of his assumption and of the officials mark Patiala to the of subjects, gift a was students 250 for outside from students the Amritsar. to provide to accommodation houses boarding proper the to given was phasing construction in priority buildings, rented in already held were being classes construction the as The and phases in facilities. planned was ancillary and laboratories The College boarding house, the Patiala House, House, Patiala the house, boarding College The feet by 16 feet), placed back to back in a row of six Teaching classes were also shifted to the boarding rooms each, again protected by verandahs on either house as a temporary measure by the end of the year. side. The building was double-storied with a large In addition to the School, the College section was room above the entrance (40 feet by 22 feet) as the started on 18 May 1897 with an enrollment of seven reading room. There were also student dormitories students, using the boarding house as temporary and a two-room superintendent quarter, the remaining premises. Thus the whole college began to function at space left as terraces for students to sleep outdoors in site with boarding houses providing accommodation the summer. The ground floor had a height of about 16 for residence as well as formal learning. feet with the first floor being 18 feet high, the overall The Executive Committee decided, on 15 March height of the building was 42 feet from ground level. 1896, to add a Gurdwara/dharamsala and one year The central entrance was emphasised with the use of later on 6 March, 1897 they also decided to build a ornamental bricks with turrets 67 feet high at each hospital and gymnasium as a memorial to Sardar Sir Attar Singh, Vice President of the Khalsa College Council who had recently died. The Dhramsala was designed as a high open hall, large enough to seat 500 boys for morning and evening prayers, with ancillary rooms. It was constructed soon after at the site where Sir James Lyall had earlier laid the foundation stone. Because of paucity of funds, due to the waning interest of the Sikhs and the chiefs, other buildings could not be taken in hand. At the time only four buildings had been constructed, the dharamsala, the school and college boarding houses and the Principal’s house. Hectic efforts were made, through the years 1902-03 to Khalsa College, Amritsar: a courtyard within the wings. raise funds for completion of the essential buildings and for endowment fund of the end. The monotony of the large frontage was broken College with the Lt. Governor, Sir Charles Riwaz, by two small side entrances again emphasised through patron of the College, himself joining the efforts height and façade treatment. Eight kitchens with with a contribution of Rs 50,000 from the Provincial godowns and attached dining halls, toilets, a dhobi Government revenues, towards the building fund ghat, tube wells for the supply of drinking water and on his visit to the College on 15 August 1903. Lord Persian wheels for supplying water to the toilets, were Curzon, the Viceroy, joined the effort, urging the attached to the boarding house. The building was Phulkian states to contribute generously. The constructed at a cost of Rs 70,000. Later, additions Government of the Punjab approached the Sikh were made and by 1911, double-storied blocks with gentry through the Deputy Commissioners to provide verandahs on the inner side, were added on both sides financial help. The design for the Main Building of the building, thus creating courtyards. Houses and other structures, the gymnasium, dispensary, for the headmaster, the medical advisor and sixteen workshops and staff quarters was already prepared teachers were sited to the east of the boarding house and estimated to cost Rs 2,50,000. The College along with quarters for the staff. organised the All India Sikh Conference on 12 May NISHAAN The boarding houses were completed and by 1904 and used the occasion to raise funds. While September 1896, students were shifted from their the Phulkian states gave generously to the college 29 temporary quarters in the city to the new premises. building fund and the endowment, the Conference 30 NISHAAN of the long verandahs was was verandahs long the of monotony The building. the throughout used the finials to and domes, added of and composition that light of shade play create to lyrical a level parapet at the used were arches dead or open Small parapet. the level and brick, cornice the in at brackets arches with building all multi-foil the along of ran sides wide feet maximum 10 a verandah A feet. 63 to of height domes cluster a of rooms with surmounted cross-shaped were there large building, the part of front the of ends the At but reduced. later was higher story be one originally to dials. foot been designed six feet had with 116 clock of This height four-sided a maximum with a at domes composition of a central with the ends. surmounted was the storied; entrance at double was façade entrances building the The hall prominent the dotted two and with entrances foyer Other the to central beyond. in leading prominent feet a 500 with entrance was about (frontage), building length structure, The school. monumental the were a the of for facilities patron. rear the provided the additional at of building, wings H-shape two honour in attaching H-shape Hall named By feet the 54 Rivaz by of feet the 100 hall, connector large a the being facilities rear, School essentially the the an at and of side building, front H-shaped the on to College facilities the with designed visiting students, was 1800 and Building accommodate Main Governor The Lt. gentry. the by admired much and prominently displayed were project ceremony laying Main the of foundation the performed had 328,480 Rs 1904-05, of collected. year been close the their by financial of Thus, the rupee revenue. every on Zamidars Government paisa all 6 that pay should resolution a adopted also On 17 November 1904, Sir Charles Rivaz Rivaz Charles Sir 1904, November 17 On b uilding and the drawings of the the of drawings the and uilding palkis Khalsa College, Amritsar.

Khalsa College, Amritsar; the massing of domes and cupolas. Portrait of Bhai Ram Singh by Saeed Akthar, former Head of Fine Arts Bhai Ram Singh with his medals (from left, Sardar Sahib, Sardar Department, , Lahore which now hangs in the Bahadur, MVO, Kaiser-e-Hind, Delhi Durbar.) Principal’s, Office. The work was commissioned in 2006 by Prof. Sajida Haider Vandal, Principal National College of Arts. broken using multi-foil arches running across and in 1906. On 25 January 1907 the honorary services of the exposed brickwork of the jack arched ceiling. The Sardar Dharam Singh were dispensed with and Mr. building, however, took several years to complete, Ducome Smith, Chief Engineer of PWD was entrusted the cost having appreciated to over Rs. 500,000. It was the task of finding a suitable replacement. The College largely completed by October 1910 and occupied by 9 had become quite a centre of dissent with students October 1910, but there was still work to be done and demonstrating that a Sikh who understood the concept the Principal was still collecting money for it in 1916, of Sewa or service should be appointed, and not a the year that Bhai Ram Singh passed away. European engineer of the PWD. Ultimately in July 1908 Sardar Balwant Singh, an Assistant Engineer, Establishment of the Khalsa College focused Sikh took charge of the construction. nationalist sentiment towards preservation of their identity as in the use of Punjabi as a medium of The design of the Khalsa College constituted the instruction. The British, fearful as ever about ‘native high point of Bhai Ram Singh’s career as an architect disturbances’, soon interfered directly and took over and through this project he was able to explore a management of the College from the Council and vocabulary which he used to good advantage in gave it to a Management Committee with power his later works, like the Punjab University Senate concentrated with the Principal and vast authority Hall (1905) and the Islamia College, Peshawar (1912- to the Governor of the Province. The Principal was 13), which he is reputed to have designed and the always British and ensured that the nationalist Khalsa College, Gujaranwala, where presumably the sentiment did not go “beyond limits”. The history Amritsar design was adapted. The major development of the construction of the College was thus affected he carried through from the Khalsa College is his NISHAAN and it bespeaks of the underlying conflicts with the articulation of the skyline of his buildings. His earlier British colonists, which finally came to a point where attempts, such as in School of Arts building, appear the Government took over management of the College hesitant, or as in Aitchison College, a bit crowded, 31 32 NISHAAN He Delhi. in daughter year his the of of half house the first in the in 1916, retirement, his years three after about died to Singh with Ram Bhai studies worked father. his eldest further the for Singh, Makhan went Glasgow. and trained engineer was an Singh as and Sulakhan Arts second, the of another, while Singh School Amritsar, in painter a Mayo as himself the Sukhcharan established at son, educated fourth was two His and Sunder Singh Singh, Kartar daughters. five Singh, Sulakhan had Sukhcharan Singh Singh, Singh, Ram Bhai Makhan their that taken sons, known having is It neglect toll. and in time of the delineated ravages condition, poor a domes in are the they but paint; with golden ink, in Dias, Royal rendered large Durbar 1911 the exquisite of cloth the on drawings including papers, and letters drawings, some has the family The and Delhi. in possession properties family the in more no are that owned, he that havelis and buildings the they out point there; construction under projects carriage, the horse visit to his in white, in stories dressed Lahore, family to of travel speak often would Singh Ram Bhai when including Amritsar in grandsons great His busy. him kept which College Khalsa and the House Singh Chamba the Ram like Amritsar, and Bhai Lahore of in projects were firm There Amritsar. at the Sons and MVO through work his to students the for one long is his emulate’. and career known, honorable widely and later, are years talents Ram 10 Bahadur the Singh’s Sardar staff 1910. 1873, of in the in Principal to one Art becoming of was appointed School He the was join and 1913. to he students from October first retired in report MVO, Principal, Singh ‘The service Ram first report Bahadur annual his Sardar his in In wrote association and long Singh’s 1910. Ram Bhai acknowledged November 1 on School the of Principal made Vice-Principal thirty- was his Heath for Lionel retirement, School his On Mayo years. the eight at being after 1913, October in service from retired and 1910 September Punjab the in façade later the Hall. made used of University he point tower which focal clock the composition as central the The appearance of an effect. use great to masterful the domes, with cupolas, comparison in After his retirement, Ram Singh continued continued Singh Ram retirement, his After 25 on Principal appointed was Singh Ram chatris , , palkis that he employed employed he that

Indian in their complexity of emotions strongly attached to to attached strongly nature and its vagaries. emotions of complexity their in Indian typicallysomessages conveythey sun,setting the inbrooding later and light strong with shining now sun, the with change walls The own. their of life a walls his give shade and light of effects chiaroscuroresultant the and Lahore of sun strong the with play to levels in variation the animals,stylised the motif, rope the of use His wood. of texture carved the brickwork of out teased He shapes. new develop to Lahore of brick-makers the to challenges posed continually of Singh Ram Art. touch of works that building inspired truly his the from ordinary Aitchison the to differentiates that genius of imparts grandeur Singh the Ram College, College, Khalsa the the of of rhythm noble cupolas yet playful the Museum, the of domes lofty theUniversity, Punjab the of tower soaring the or porch, rhythm. and texture Whether it is proportion, the mundane feature of the Albert in Victor Hospital construction, the of of handling details masterly a with design in integrity an show Punjab the hand,other the College,Amritsar,Khalsaon the all above and Museum, Lahore the University NCA), Hall, the boarding house of the the Government College (now Arts of the of genius. Singh’s Ram Bhai of mastery handling effortless almost the limelight into its bring also disproportionate building, with of mass and overall Hall City arches the shoe in horse architecture as Eastern such to incorporate attempts successful structures than less The Hospital. Mayo eclectic the and the Singh School Medical to the of Ram Block Patiala the by College, Government contrast in designed out the buildings cover stand The to leaf fig styles. a as best, the European at turning or, farce Court almost a High manner, features native Lahore superficial most the in in Lahore on, so version Hall, and the Town Minar the employ Qutab of mini They arches the shoe horse conviction. the with without features, architecture employed Indian ‘native’ the details romanticise mixing of ‘European’ ‘native’ the attempts use with to these all attempts European Almost with and features. employing merit vocabulary of and the building of motifs a is architects Each Hall, different by period. Municipal designed Court, are Hall High Assembly Office, Post General the a Lahore: as in Lahore buildings gauged period be colonial also other can with contrast particular, the in of Lahore architecture and the on Punjab, impact or shamina Singh’s a Ram furniture, certificate. of a piece a building, a facility equal the of son distinguished this honored. duly is that Punjab time is It dust. and neglected gathered been has years for which legacy a behind left Ram Singh’s work, Aitchison College, the Mayo School School Mayo the College, Aitchison work, Singh’s Ram with designed he craftsman master a and architect an As Pervaiz Vandal Pervaiz

and

Sajida Vandal Sajida The illustrated talk in New Delhi on 26 November 2007

The illustrated talk on Colonial Lahore and Bhai Ram Singh

Dr. Jaswant Singh Neki, with pran Nevile and Prof Ranjit Mitra.

S. Anup Singh, Dr. Amrik Singh, Dr. Jaswant Singh Neki with the Vandals. Ram Singh whose brilliant architectural genius has been the focus of research by the brilliant husband and wife architectural team from Lahore. Prof. Pervaiz Vandal is a leading scholar and former Professor of Department of Architecture, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore. His wife Mrs Sajida Vandal, former Professor of Professor Pervaiz Vandal. Begum Sajida Vandal. Architecture is Principal of the rofessor Pervaiz Vandal and National College of Arts, Lahore. The couple have co-authored an his wife Sajida Vandal gave an excellent book on ‘The Raj, Lahore and Bhai Ram Singh’, and were illustrated talk on “Colonial Lahore visiting India to deliver lectures at the Khalsa College, Amritsar Pand Bhai Ram Singh” to a select audience at the and INTACH, New Delhi. Through the medium of their book, the Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, in New Delhi Vandals have made signal contribution in highlighting the role on 26 November 2007, first introduced by Dr of Bhai Ram Singh who took over as the first Indian Principal of Mohinder Singh, Director of the Sadan. Mayo College of Arts at Lahore, from .

While Pran Nevile presided at the function, Bhai Ram Singh designed the most important buildings in Lahore, NISHAAN Prof. Ranjit Mitra was the Chief Guest and the Kapurthala and other palaces, the Khalsa College, Amritsar and the Durbar Room in Queen Victoria’s Summer Palace in in his penultimate speech, Dr Jaswant Singh 33 Neki made an emotional recollection of Bhai Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. 34 NISHAAN year, the NRIs visit their homes, driving up in their their in up driving gifts. with homes, laden cars, their flashy visit NRIs the every year, twice or once But year. the of The most for empty footballs. are and roofs, falcons for their on gone have planes of others models concrete flaunt Some bungalows and and bungalows abroad. back landscape. rural sent Punjab’s money daughter transforming their or slowly is every it’s that son and its succeeded have send Kapurthala), Many to and aspires Jalandhar, family Nawanshahr (comprising country! Doaba the the of Hoshiarpur, of out lead villages roads the In all where Punjab the B In rural Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar, for instance, the the instance, for Jalandhar, and Hoshiarpur rural In Flight outofPunjab wheat fields and freshly acquired of acquired belt NRI the freshly to and Welcome affluence. fields wheat palatial roads, road havelis of the NRIs are eye-catching. eye-catching. are NRIs the of havelis bordering bordering havelis like aberrations. Houses, perhaps, of families who who families of abroad. out perhaps, members their of any stand send Houses, couldn’t houses aberrations. single-storey like few a dot constructions, spiralling these agencies among somewhere travel And and landscape. the companies financing outlets, impersonating as his son. They also visited Salempur Salempur visited also Santu. called agent, travel a for looking village, They son. his as Jalapur, from impersonating Singh Amarjeet 14-year-old and wife his as posing village, Talli from Kaur Paramjeet with along Toronto to flight a boarding Airport, Delhi-International the at the caught was who probing Katara, Hoshiarpur Babubhai were MP BJP of They case three town. Tanda visited nestling team came villages, The Police Delhi the recently. that calling called, is Punjab in racket It was in this land of of land this in was It Union Western fast. up coming are buildings Other kaboortarbazi , as the immigration immigration the as , The police team met with little success. Santu had disappeared from his village and the familes of Paramjeet and Amarjeet are in Delhi, trying to secure their bail. In Talli, Paramjeet’s Flight out of Punjab haveli three-storeyed lies locked. Neighbours take it upon them to recount her saga. Similarly, the house of Amarjeet – whose father Jaswant Singh is apparently a leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) who runs a tent-house business in Jalalpur – too is deserted. In Salempur, Santu’s mother Tarshada is alone, suffering from a bout of high-blood pressure. “We ei sab hau. Jo nahin gaye, unaada kala kuan (Those who went have all disinherited Santu two years ago these. Those did not have only a black well).” and don’t know where he is. It was only when the Delhi Police came to Punjab’s flourishing immigration racket reflects a deeper socio- our house that we learnt about his economic phenomenon where people are willing to cross multiple activities,” she said. But neighbours borders, hide in ships as stowaways, impersonate, apply for asylum concede quietly that Santu was living or exhaust an entire life’s savings to get a passage abroad. Every in this decrepit house till the Katara major immigration and human trafficking scandal, like the Malta case hit the headlines. boat tragedy, the Daler Mehndi case, the ICCR case and now the MP immigration scam, exposes the lengths to which the enterprising The recent excitment and the Punjabi can go to leave Indian shores. imminent police crackdown on travel agents have not changed one thing The recently appointed Punjab Police chief NPS Aulakh admits in the villages of Talli, Jalalpur and to difficulties in trying to bust the illegal immigration network. Salempur. Everyone harbours a wish to “How can you stop people from trying to go abroad? We are go abroad, whatever be the cost. They contemplating a series of actions and trying to cleanse the system. In my first meeting with the senior officers of all districts. I also are willing to pawn their jewellery, reviewed the cases booked against travel agents who run such sell their land, do anything to get their rackets.” hands on the big ticket. Figures maintained by the Punjab Police of action taken against What fuels this flight? unscrupulous travel agents reveal just the tip of the iceberg as Unemployment, rising prices and thousands of cases go undetected. They show that in 2005, 594 cases the drudgery of tilling depleted were registered resulting in the arrest of 655 travel agents. In 2006, landholdings, answer the villagers. 751 cases were filed, with 755 travel agents being booked. In the first “Everyone who is left in the village three months of 2007, 159 cases had already been registered and 57 wants to go abroad,” say the crowd travel agents arrested. outside Amarjeet’s deserted house. The graph shows a sharp upswing in the number of detected “The travel agents come door-to-door cases. But the problem, explain several senior police officers, telling us the paperwork will be done is that a case is only registered if the complainant gets duped for a price within a couple of days. We by the travel agent. Says SK Jain, Inspector General of Police think everything is legal. Now they (Chandigarh), “The pattern we notice is that once a case is have all gone underground,” says a registered, the travel agent and the complainant often reach a farmer, Shingara Singh. compromise and we have to close the case.” An ageing Harbans Kaur speaks

Added Additional Director General (Crime), GD Pandey, “The NISHAAN for the entire village. Waving at the large number of cases booked by us reflect a social phenomenon and imposing building, constructed by the the psyche of the people of Punjab. Educating the masses about the NRIs, she says, “Jo chale gaye unaada need to follow legal immigration procedures is the only thing that 35 36 NISHAAN in two or three months time, he gets back to business. Also, there is is there Also, lure agents business. the to While scams. back immigration gets major he to angle bail time, Delhi gets a case months always noticed immigration three have fake or a we in two “What involved in agent says, travel a Singh cases once 76 that as Satinder is and 2007, Police Police In of of Jalandhar cent. the by percentage per agents Superintendent 90 the travel as state against high as registered entire been be the had could in that agents say unregistered officers Police business. travel authorised listing Office, Passport Central agencies. state’s up put to the at government the board prompted a has it that so much So the racket. the is of there Finally, Yadav). Lal MP. BJP the like Sunder VIP rare a sometimes owner, token a facilitator, Katara the collects (in paan-shop over and the takes hamlets middleman case, rural prosperous in sub-agent more a clients petty Then, for a advance. where scouts first scandals, Santu like trafficking human high and fairly immigration a have says, he agents. travel Punjab, involving in cases for cent per police 60 about of The rate conviction rot.” the stem will But hundreds of unregistered travel agents continue to do brisk brisk do to continue agents travel unregistered of hundreds But hub major a as emerged has Jalandhar Punjab, of districts the Among major of pattern familiar the into fits sense, one in case, Katara The continue to fly out of the Punjab. Punjab. the of out fly to continue action.” police of scope an the under come all into must enter arrangement who to illegal agents person the the pays And stringent. he more much much, made be to have cheating,” for being punishment the and laws says.”The only frauds agents these booked travel in the involved with Punjab the of out exercise. came new nothing but proposed law the of that the about provisions says consulted all were Travel they Association, Punjab the Agents of Hayer, president Singh Kuljit ambit. its into that complainant the law bring also tough a would draft and laws immigration streamline to attempt serious a made Government Punjab Singh. are Satinder officer,” reveals visa they the to wife prove and man to for honeymoons gone even banquets, thrown wedding marriages, fake arranged have people where cases visa. are There important the passports with their stamped get to extent any of cases of impersonation. hundreds visa light with to come as along located have Delhi New missions in in working counsellors Indians police of complicity that Senior admit also officers scans. computer sophisticated using forged are that either letters is sponsorship the It or visas the too. involved forgery clever of element an is there cases, Mumbai.” and Delhi from operate sharks big the Punjab, from people Till then the pigeons will will pigeons the then Till the in change will “Nothing the regime, Congress the During to go will Punjab in “People detected of majority vast a In Ritu Sarin Sarin Ritu Taxi Comfort from New Delhi to New York Taxi drivers in the Capital of India, New Delhi, are often Sikhs, highly regarded by foreigners and other Indians especially when travelling long destinations particularly at night. Legendary is their honesty as exemplified recently with a passenger from Moscow being traced by his taxi driver Devinder Singh who returned his brief case containing valuable documents and lakhs of Rupees. There are some 20,646 registered taxis in New Delhi, mostly the ubiquitous black-and- yellow Ambassador from Hindustan Motors, now with a streak of green depicting their ‘clean environmental’, CNG propulsion. 10,000 miles away in New York, there are many hundreds of Sikhs driving the 11,344 yellow-painted Ford Crown Victorias (plus an interesting recent mix of SUVs, minivans and It is always comforting to arrive at JFK airport in New hybrids). Taxis are more vital in York, get into a yellow cab driven by a Sikh who regales you than in any other city in the USA, providing with the latest ‘gup shup’ in the ‘Big Apple’ as he swiftly customised transportation without worry. drives you to down town Manbattan! NISHAAN

37 38 NISHAAN A holdings making farming less profitable, scores of of scores profitable, the drove less who farming farmers making holdings Rs 60 to 70 lakh) will get you a massive chunk of of chunk massive a you get will lakh) 70 to 60 Rs the in waiting are westwards. go out farmers flight to first the catch 1,000 to farmers wings these Another help various that from abroad. data to agencies to migrated according immigration and US, the Punjab in and Canada property their sold have Ontario. to California from land the exploit to rules visa relaxed of use making and year each West the choosing head for California andCanada. Farmers from the Punjab Chalo Amrika! Chalo Amrika! “In Ontario, $ 150,000 Canadian (approximately (approximately Canadian 150,000 $ Ontario, “In farmers of hundreds years, five past the In for Indian farmers. Faced with divided divided with Faced pastures farmers. greener Indian for up opened has the USA and Canada in population ageing n re revolution green in Punjab are are Punjab in NS Kalsi, Commissioner NRIs in the Punjab Punjab gripe the only His in recognition. NRIs global Punjabi getting is hard-working the farmer that happy Commissioner is government, “agri-drain”. an it Kalsi, call who NS critics those dismiss and it afford could of who up. word queuing others as started around, but got returns accidentally, quick mine gold immigration farming” grape in said. he everything At invested capital. have state’s I the present, Sacramento, bought in and land of California acres to 250 went “I example. an in is engineer 1990, chief department transport a as job his quit Consultancy and fairly Services. a Immigration Ahluwalia lead JS Worldwide states you WWICS of country”, help that to in lifestyle enough wealthy is That farmland. Punjab’s authorities think that all this is good good is this all that think authorities Punjab’s the into wandered Boparai like few first The who son, farmer’s Batala a Boparai, Singh Karan Raj

From tractors in the Punjab...... to limousines in the USA. is they aren’t being routed through the state’s NRI consultants. These consultants offer farmers viable options Department. “We would definitely promote such to invest – grape farming, citrus farming, apple orchards immigrations in future”, Kalsi said. and so on. Armed with this data, the new-improved farmers face interviews at respective embassies, leading Boparai says farmers from the middle-strata in to an annual immigration of about 40 to 50 farmers to India got all the luxuries of life they aspired for after Canada and about the same number to the USA. shifting to the West – swanky mansion luxury cars and good education for their kids. Earlier, one could only get a technical visa against a Boparai, however, believes that Indian schools professional vacancy in the US or Canada. Over the years, are better and keeps shuttling between India and there has been a ‘general leniency’ in processing migrant California to see his kids who are enrolled here. “I farmers and more since Punjab’s “terror tag” has gone. chose India as I thought it was important for them to While the USA doesn’t have a separate category, know about their motherland and Indian culture”. but demands a hefty investment, Canada defines What appeals to most farmers are cheap real estate potential migrants as those who will farm for a rates in the US and Canadian countryside – a lot more specified number of years and generate employment easily affordable than land in India. The sparse and for about a dozen people. Paperwork, however, could scattered population in these countryside helps, as do still take up to two years. incentives for farmers like heavy subsidies. And, the Sandhu, a farmer who recently West – faced with similar urbanisation crisis as the one migrated to Vancouver from Jalandhar, shifted base inflicting Indian youth – is more than willing to make after purchasing a 30-acre peach farm in British up its shortage by importing farmhands. Columbia. Each year, both Canada and the USA, after What most farmers prefer is to retain their announcing shortfalls in the farm sector, invite ancestral land in rural Punjab. But they fund their applications from farmers. Immigration agencies, which immigration project by selling or mortgaging their are in touch with the embassies, then start tapping the houses. At best, farmers need to shell out anything local farmer population, inviting applications, some of between Rs 70 lakhs to Rs 2 crore for large tracts of which are rejected at the initial stage owing to doubtful farmland abroad. antecedents. In some cases, they even undergo a month- long crash course in mechanised farming at the Punjab For the past five years, Manjit Singh, once an Agricultural University. engineer in Ludhiana has become a California-based

grape and citrus farmer. What is a bonus for him is NISHAAN Once the farmer-immigrants, now somewhat trained that he still retains land at Lodi, Punjab. in the ways of the West, are short-listed, immigration agencies move on to the next step – contacting vocation C Shamsher (from TNN) 39 40 NISHAAN peaches, almonds, walnuts andprunes. of the outskirts Yuba City, California. Bainsis anotedgrower of settling inCalifornia’s Central Valley. The Bainsranchland ison grandfather emigrated toNorth in1890,America ultimately Didar SinghBain’s islegendary. successinagriculture Hisgreat in California. But agriculture was just the the Sikhs just was 250,000 estimated an agriculture Today agriculture But the beginning. of much California. in landowners control significant today picked to who sun who hot the labourers in their fruit status and migrant in rise humble work, their to from ensured ahead get to willingness drive farming Their their Punjab. the skills, homeland, plains the their of in reminded were they ago, century W Sikhs inCalifornia’s Sikhs inCalifornia’s eta Vle mr ta a than more Valley fertile Central California’s in immigrants Sikh arrived first the hen Central Valley Central Valley neighbour’s respect, but the earliest immigrants still faced faced still immigrants earliest the but respect, neighbour’s end.” other the on money some make it see to like I but farming, love “I farming. in hand his keeps he yet thing, good south, a as development further sees He and cities. near it Valley of most Bakersfield, near Sacramento the in land California prime of hectares 6,000 about owns still He way downsize.” to the start saw I I’d thought I then “When profit, much too not going, is agriculture that developers. commercial and housing City Yuba Monte, in Del canneries his of one distributor dismantled recently big is has but to cost peaches the and supplies He labour high.” manual too much are too is crops peaches, there But because return. “Some a no, get still almonds. almonds and walnuts, also good, but pretty walnuts grower, peach prunes, top the as cultivates known is He hard, us.” always is to really God worked good life. I worked whole our “We and risks took says. struggled, he borrowed, empty-handed, labourer,” days. manual here a hard came like long, Nangal we were from Those know, fresh “You old, Hosiharpur. in Bains years and 18 village 1948 1958, Khurd in in India from followed great arrived himself His father Bain’s turban. 1920. in orange California to and 1890, bright in Canada to first and migrated grandfather beard flowing white Bains. Singh of Didar one Valley, of Central hub the in business farmers the largest is the It barn. a near outside aluminum-sided parked large, are tractors but and the by Trucks appointed well is here, unpretentious. surrounded City, Yuba of office, settled outskirts is Ranch the on Bains pioneers orchards weather The to Sikh The them. west. reason among United mountains the one Bains the to was in Nevada Range This land Coast Sierra fine. the the and east agricultural between the but best west, placed the the of to States, some kilometres has 160 it countries socio- wine-producing the to contribution major and a state. the of businesses fabric economic all making in found are they professions, and California, in live The Punjabi’s hard work and clean living gained their their gained living clean and work hard Punjabi’s The to land of parcels selling began Bains ago years few A long, his with is he patriarch the like looks Bains 66, At the like spot tourist hot a not is area Yuba-Sutter The . Newcomers also do well. Harbhajan Singh Samra, 46, came to dominate okra farming in record time. He arrived in California with an MA in economics in 1985. What drew him? “Friends convinced me. I listened to their stories and I thought, let me make my own story.” He began supplying produce to Indian restaurants and stores in the days when tinda, methi and moolee were hard to come by. He sold produce out of the back of his pickup truck. Later he opened a stall in the downtown 7th Street produce market. “You have to find your own niche. It’s hard in the beginning to start from scratch, but once you create something, you have the confidence,” he says. After 10 years of building his business, the next step was growing his own produce. His first okra crop, planted in 1994, failed. There were serious setbacks. Debts caused him to lose his farm, but he recovered. He bought several hundred acres near Indio in Southern California. Now Samra Produce Dr. Jasbir Singh Kang, a founder of the Punjabi- & Farms, which farms about 120 hectares, has customers for Indian vegetables American Heritage Society, in his Yuba City clinic. throughout the United States, Canada and Britain. According to a 2001 New The stained glass panel behind him incorporates a motif taken from the golden Temple. York Times report, Samra’s annual turnover exceeds $10 million, although he declines to be specific. He credits the American system for helping him social and economic hurdles. The succeed. “If you are determined, you can do anything in the world. But in same attitudes that oppressed African some places in the world it is rough, and in others it is smooth. In America in the South were too you can do things smoothly,” he says. “But you have to work for it.” often applied to the turban-wearing ‘Hindus’ or ‘East Indians’, so called Dr Jasbir S. Kang, 42, a physician practicing in Yuba City, comes from a to distinguish them from indigenous long line of farmers, and while he is proud of his roots, he says, “We are not American Indians. They couldn’t just a farming community. There are 20-plus physicians in this community. own property and were forced to In Yuba City there is not a specialty where there is not a Sikh physician.” make benami-like arrangements He enumerates the small businesses, gas stations, mini-markets, restaurants with trusted associates to buy land. and hotels where Sikhs are prospering. They are in construction, banking, They were barred from marrying engineering. “You name it, they are doing everything,” he says. Dr Kang local woman, except for Mexican himself joined with a number of enterprising physicians to purchase land women who were often immigrants and build the large medical centre where he has his office. themselves. Legislation eventually A common feeling among Sikhs who have settled in California rescinded harsh anti-miscegenation is appreciation of America and pride in being American as well as laws and the Alien Land Law. Sikh. One reason for this is a belief in shared values. Didar Singh Restrictive immigration quotas for Bains compares the principles of the Founders, embodied in the US South Asians were relaxed when Constitution, to those of Guru Nanak. So does Dr Kang, who says, “the President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Constitution of the United States expresses the same ideals as Guru the Immigration and Nationality Nanak. It reads like the . Both advocate equality and Act of 1965. Indians could then justice for all.” Dr Kang came to the Central Valley from in 1991. bring their families and immigration Hailing from Patiala, he attended Patiala Medical College and completed from all over increased. his qualifications at the University of Chicago, where he came face to “In the beginning there was some face with American urban realities during his residency at Cook Country hate,” says Didar Singh Bains, “but Hospital. He is among the new, progressive generation who believe in you start a dialogue, then people raising community awareness about whom Sikhs are. “When I came here, start accepting.” After more than as a physician I had the opportunity to interact with all kinds of people,” 100 years, he says, “people are very he says. “I realised there was a lot of ignorance. I knew Sikhs were here familiar with us now. We are part for a hundred years, but still people knew very little about Sikhs.” of the community here. We are part NISHAAN of the economy here in California. Sikhs interacted with their neighbours, but not in ways that We have people all the way to Los conveyed much about their culture and values, “Which I think are Angeles.” very much American values,” says Dr Kang. “I felt there was need 41 42 NISHAAN formed the the formed different or shade different a of Americans as whatever.” or us flavour to see to Americans them Indians, as fellow us see want to our them I want help don’t “I to adds, He better.” dedicated us is understand that organisation an for Sikh Parade, everybody’s welcome”. The Punjabi-American Festival Festival the for Punjabi-American although The Sikhs, welcome”. for just are everybody’s they Parade, like Sikh events religious treat to arts. martial of of demonstrations and tens Sahib, that Granth Guru the of recalls reading the hear founders, to country the the Didar over all of from come one thousands birthday. and donor Nanak’s large Guru a Bains, commemorate Singh first the to on held November and in 1979 in Sunday started festival religious a Parade, Sikh the the and Festival event, bigger general a the organise to decided acquaint They he says. better successful,” to overwhelmingly way was “It culture. Punjabi painless with a community ‘Teacher’s was this artists, At Punjabi school. and performing show high slide a featured City that party Yuba dinner a a Day’, at Appreciation teachers local for event 2007: 2007: Los Angeles. Reno, Sacramento, Fresno and Tracey Tracey and Fresno Sacramento, Reno, Angeles. Los like places from volunteers as even air the in Gurbani crowds president, surging hours. five the over with for is streets city climax the packing its Bains reached Singh event the Didar ‘Akhand multi- of where series Gurdwara, millionaire a Buena Tierra with the at earlier Paths’ month a almost helicopter. overhead an and from petals ‘ardas’ rose by of shower a followed vehicle flower-decked a on placed being scripture holy the with am 11 at started Sahib, Granth Guru of installation the commemorate I olvr, ol Buead n Tap od t a India. and Germany Canada, Kingdom, to United the USA, Road, the of parts all Tharp from came and participants Centre The halt. Civic Boulevard Road, Poole House brought Butte Boulevard, the heritage, on cultural activity all rich Punjab’s depicting quarter-century. a over for city this feature in annual an 2007, November 4 on City Yuba in To bridge this information gap, Dr Kang and other like-minded people people like-minded other and Kang Dr gap, information this bridge To “It’s a great event,” Dr Kang agrees, “but sometimes people tend tend people sometimes “but agrees, Kang Dr event,” great a “It’s 100,000 Sikhs participated in the 28th Sikh Parade Parade Sikh 28th nearly the in solidarity, participated Sikhs religious 100,000 of display unique a n Religious fervour touched its peak with strains of of strains with peak its touched fervour Religious begun had D-day for preparations Although Led by the the by Led floats featured which procession, long 4.5-mile The was born. The older generation of Sikhs had already instituted instituted already had Sikhs of generation older The born. was ujb Aeia Hrtg Society. Heritage American Punjabi aj Pyaras, Panj Sikh fervour sweeps Yuba City Yuba sweeps fervour Sikh the parade, held to to held parade, the In 1993 they organised an an organised they 1993 In Punjabi American American Punjabi on aaed, h dsrbd h prd a a as parade the community.” “great a described of event” who “great Lieutenant-Governor Garamendi, John California’s was Gurdwara of sparks had function. the in part took also whom of many parade Sikh the among curiosity generating Americans, boisterousness, earlier, days four their of glimpse a dear. very so held they provided which heritage parade processing the fruit said, local a unit at executive senior a Ejaypaul As Dehal, forefathers. their a of as land the air parade to the window the viewed America, born in rent them, up of brought Many and Nihal.’ emotion So Bole ‘Jo with of cries Buttes, with enthusiastic overcome Sutter range, the mountain of youngsters smallest backdrop world’s the the in streets the Taan. Singh Gurbani Amarjit Bhai the and Singh Onkar led Bhai Devinder by assisted Singh recital Bhai Sukhwinder Singh, Bhai and Sarabjit Singh Bhai Bhai Singh, including Temple, Nirmal Golden the from Raagis to all. langar serving over, all stalls countless at busy got Among the visitors to the Tierra Buena Buena Tierra the to visitors the Among affair key low a Halloween, to contrast sharp In through meandered humanity of sea the As community causes. She andherdoctorhusbandare activeinlocal theirSikhheritage. tolearnandpreserve children California, likes thelife in butwantsAmerica her Hardeep Kaur, areal estateagent inOroville, Leading Sikhs of California at an annual convention.

Then came 11 September 2001. Of that, Dr Kang says, “I was very hurt about what had happened to our country. And then I was doubly hurt that we were blamed for something we had nothing to do with. So I felt rather that getting mad at other people, as I was an educated person of the community, it’s my obligation to help other Americans understand.” He, along with other Sikhs, wrote articles, gave speeches and sent e-mails. They raised seed money for a documentary film, Mistaken Identity: Sikhs in America that has been screened at film festivals, police departments, schools and colleges. There were no attacks on Sikhs in the Yuba City area, and Kang credits the work of the local Sikh organisations and Yuba City’s Appeal-Democrat newspaper, which aided the outreach effort by running informative articles. Social welfare and education rank high with Sikhs, whose philanthropy is not limited to the gurdwara, but extends to causes that help everyone, from aiding rescue missions for the homeless to A young girl in her finery at the running marathons that raise funds for the American Cancer Society. annual Punjabi American Festival in Yuba City. Money is sent to India as a matter of course, often to support schools or hospitals. These concerns go hand in hand with political action, second is now an annual spring mela, nature to the settled in California, who have been political complete with bhangra, folk dances, from the earliest days. They have participated in American politics as songs and plenty of good food. “It candidates, as lobbyists and as campaign contributors. Didar Singh Bains took off so well that right now our is a member of the Republican Presidential Roundtable, an elite group event is drawing more people than of business leaders who commit to give at least $5,000 annually to the the capacity of the fairgrounds.” Dr party. Kang also helped start a local TV programme in Punjabi called Apna Ironically, , who became the first Asian American Punjab, still running after more than elected to the US Congress in 1956, couldn’t get a job after taking NISHAAN a decade. It provides public service his mathematics PhD at Berkeley, so he became a farmer. But times information and a forum to discuss have changed, and their strong entrepreneurial spirit and savvy 43 local issues. spells success for Punjabi Americans. They all want to own land 44 NISHAAN need. need. this answer help will preschool new a gurdwara and kids, tutoring the been Mothers have gurbani?” read to going you how are read, if can’t but you can talk, or “You speak e e r h master t Punjabi. to r e e h h s children d s n t a n a w e g a t i . r b Sikh e a h j n her u P values She Moga, in Dosanj, in born was she father He seven. when was parents her with came America to She says. she differences,” the than rather similarities the portray to want “We outreach. in y part their t i n u m do m and o c organisations, American r e h Punjabi t o he in and Society active hair Heritage are her their and husband Singh keep says. doctor Singh Sikhs it,” class.” do why to the wants to “He shares uncut. he hair his help shown her gone has “Ever With have he we and classmates. year kindergarten in the every been to has nine-year-old hair Gurjes her his since where showing just school was she son the that from explains she house returned canyon-view appointments, her At between in Oroville. nearby law in estate in real agent successful a careers is Kaur pursue Hardeep medicine. city Others and the on is commission. and developer planning estate real a is She daughter Diljit. Bain’s like and business, the work of the areas new of explore share their shoulder families farming “I us.” to India. home to like to it’s return and here to got I wish when property no 17 was has and he are and he They commercial well Valley. and doing Central sell the down and and up California; buy developers whose Northern brother trucking Woodland, his serve a in runs trucks Express, he 70 almonds Line Gold grows Bakersfield; He in 42, company, farm 1980. Gill, in small Singh a parents on John his do. with many came businesses–and and Women entrepreneurs abound. Those from big big from Those abound. entrepreneurs Women The ‘promised land’: California attracts theworld. you can get it done.” Undeniably, this Punjabi Punjabi this guts, American the to guts have pot. Undeniably, piquancy you have melting welcome If a done.” don’t brings it done. masala you get “If can anything you get simply: don’t it you puts The acceptance Samra success. only not view them times, extraordinary but gained balanced hard have and world Valley. the resiliency weathered of Central humoured good families the their of many while Sikhs And community-minded is work India. The visit to it. wants an She love beautiful!” just so fingering “I in, dupatta, silk chimes alike.” Lynn embroidered heritage friend non-Indian non-Indian and Her Indian appreciated be of could people that by design to of wanted I passers fusion a because to floor shop create to colour this from of opened “I splash says, Mahil lehengas bright by. a and offers it saris ceiling, with downtown. old City’s Yuba Festooned of street main revitalised Fusion may well be the byword for the active, active, the for byword the be well may Fusion boutique, Mahil’s Harj Indian Fusion, Fusion, Indian okra king okra Lea Terhune Lea From SPAN From Harbhajan Harbhajan fronts the the fronts Californian Sikh personalities Dr Amarjit Singh Marwah rominent amongst Indian doctors in P America, the name of Dr Amarjit Singh Marwah will always stand out, being the first Indian dentist to come to the US under a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1950: “I was probably the first Indian to get my practice licence in 1954,” he recalls. Deservedly, Dr Marwah is the mentor of tens of thousands of Indian professionals in the USA today, this Los Angeles-based dentist leaving his mark not only in his profession but also in the political, social, cultural, financial and charitable spheres in his adopted land as well as back in India. Movie stars Elizabeth Taylor and Gregory Peck, amongst many, have been his clients. Counted in his wide circle of friends are presidents, prime ministers, celebrities and business tycoons. His neighbours The Marwahs with Hillary Clinton. include the likes of Barbara Streisand and Martin Saund first contested in 1956, I took two months Sheen and he has, over the years, hosted a veritable leave from my teaching job in Chicago and flew to who’s who of America and India. California to campaign for him. His congressional For 18 years, Dr Amarjit Singh Marwah served district comprised the Imperial Valley, Riverside and dedicatedly as a commissioner for Los Angeles and Palm Springs.” presided over the Hollywood Arts Commission and Recalling the campaign, “Saund got the Democratic the Cultural Heritage Commission. The Hollywood Party ticket under the name of DS Saund,not revealing Walk of Fame in Hollywood was declared a monument his full name. Had he mentioned his full name, he under his signature, as were scores of other sites in would not have got the ticket ! Of course, a couple of Los Angeles. things helped him. One, he had a very fair complexion Recalled Dr. Amarjit Singh “There were hardly and people thought he was a white man ! Two, his any Indians in America when I landed in New York wife Marian was white. So when we would go to in 1950. Most Americans had not even seen a Sikh, so people to seek votes for him, we would put Marian they used to call me Young Santa Claus, a younger and her daughter in front of us. Only when he was version of Santa Claus with a black beard!” elected did we reveal his full name. Saund went on to Back then, there were barely 15-20 Indian students serve three terms and I came here every time for the each in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. campaign.” “Altogether, there were not more than 50 Indian students Dr Marwah puts up his fingers and counts the in the USA. India had a great image, but there were few number of Indian families in the USA at the time. Indians. One could count them on one’s finger-tips. At “You know, when I arrived here, there was virtually that time, there were two known Sikhs – J.J.Singh Wallia no Indian family in New York or elsewhere on the and – because of their fight for the East Coast. Yes, on the West Coast there were 20 rights of Asians and Indians,” recalls Marwah. families in El Centro, 20-odd in Yuba City and may be A historical event that stands out in his memory 10 in Fresno. That’s about all,” he recalls. is the campaign of Dalip Singh Saund to become the How does he compare these numbers with the first Asian Congressman in America in 1956. “We some two million Indians in America today? With had close family ties with Saund because his younger a smile, Dr Marwah responds, “The flow of Indians NISHAAN brother, Sardar Bahadar Karnail Singh had worked to the USA began only in the late 1960s and early under my uncle, Sardar Bahadar Ram Singh, who was 1970s. Back then, just about all Indian immigrants chief engineer with the Railways in Lahore. When were professionals, mostly doctors. So much so, that 45 46 NISHAAN Washington DC to do my doctorate in dental surgery surgery dental in in doctorate my my University do to Howard DC pursued from Washington I fellowship side, another years, the got two I After University On fellowship. a the on was pathology Chicago. in joined “I masters I in 1951, dentistry. In Illinois in of year. one studies for higher there pursue to 1950 picked Bombay”. in was and interviewed time, candidates “I that 40-odd the 1950. at of out in Punjab Foundation in India to dentist a fellowship was Guggenheim dental the first its says offered Marwah Singh really yoga that then America.” in popular became It’s and followers. peak his its at became was many movement hippie the days Those to come LA. to to came then help and Toronto to went sought first He and America. me year met that first airport had Delhi at Harbhajan months. two stayed for he me and 1968 with December first 6 he on when America in airport landed Angeles Los from Yogi) became he (before Harbhajan up picked I patient. my be to used Yogi) (Mahesh He 1962. in first him met I Olsons. the as known couple to elderly an used of invitation the 1960s, at LA to the come in the West whom the in Yogi, famous made Mahesh Beatles away. years many still were Yogi Harbhajan and Yogi Mahesh Shankar, Rajneesh, No Ravi Bhagwans music. (TM). Indian about meditation anything knew one transcendental and yoga about family under here influx an had we specialists.” came IT of 1990s, late the the people in Then and of 1970s reunification. lots the in that only was 1960s, It 1980s the doctors. in were as us him Sikh of a address to into used ran they Americans whenever Dr. Amarjit SinghMarwah beinghonoured by headoftheBankPunjab. Young Amarjit Singh landed in New York in August August in York New in landed Singh Amarjit Young Amarjit Dr journey, American own his Tracing anything knew few soil, US on foot set I “When r Singh Dr because most most because first religious place in the Los Angeles area. People People area. Angeles Los the the in was It place community. religious the for first point focal the gurdwara community Vermont became “The Indian gurdwara. a small into this the a make to to donated Vermont Marwah on Singh building Amarjit Dr Nanak, Guru of the chair still I years. 30 committee. about them sister-city for gave annually society our 10,000 and called $ now Wing, is School which High LA School, the High science the Mahim the adopted of even a wing We personalities took Bombay. to film we writers, 1973, including and and Americans, 1971 of In and delegation Bombay- Society. the of Bombay chairman Friendship was between LA “I 1968. in relationship Angeles Los sister-city the of continued we years.” However, five to four up. for efforts come our Memorial didn’t also, hall funds the some Gandhi but raised We community. Mahatma Indian the hall for common a the build to was aim up Its 1964. in Foundation set promote to we functions. Indian Society hold Then and India about Indian-American understanding the up set grew, numbers we our “As America. in community Indian lunch.” for month a once place my at gather to used Indians all 1969, to 1962 From temples. or shops. Gurdwara Indian No No time. that at California in Indians few then were There life. city’s the of feature distinguished a identifiable and became soon Marwah Dr practicing home, and made his no LA Having recalls. was he practice me,” There before here doctor full-time teacher. Indian part-time started a “I became roles. professional here.” home Indian’s first the was it 1962, in Hill Baldwin on house my built I When here. first students Indian few a the were there of in1962, LA to came one I When Chicago. was in “I 1954 as early as licence practice evening. my get to doctors part- the Indian a in started and practice of professor time a University as the California joined he Southern the of Angeles, Los “Because ? In Why weather”! Angeles. Los to moving before India.” job in remain to good me a wanted father my had in back though I came 1961, I So chances. in government, probation. take to want on didn’t Punjab and but here Hospital the job JJ a as me at well offered as teach to “They, Bombay. programme exchange an I recounts. he 1957, citizen,” US By a become had professor. full-fledged a become to Illinois of University the to back went I this, finishing After (DDS). In 1969, which marked the 500th birth anniversary anniversary birth 500th the marked which 1969, In establishment was days those milestone Another the of growth the in spurt big a saw 1960s The his reversed Marwah Dr years, seven After Chicago in year one spent Marwah Dr return, his On under months 18 for India to back went he 1959, In used to come here from far-off places on weekends. Kotkapura, where I have started a college and instituted Some years ago, when we raised a new building, I scholarships. At the Mahindra College in Patiala, we gave $ 250,000 for it,” says Dr Marwah, who was are building an auditorium at the cost of Rs 50 lakhs.” appointed to the board of directors of the State Bank Dr Amarjit Singh still serves on the International of India in 1972. Visitors Council. “It is a federal agency whose job is In the 1970s began a long friendship with Tom to take care of foreign visitors who come to the USA. Bradley, who became the first black mayor of Los Actually, it is a PR agency of the federal government Angeles. “Tom was a dear friend of mine. He was a with headquarters in Washington. I sit on its 30- police lieutenant who later contested for the LA city member board and we meet each month.” council. I got involved in his campaign, and he was Born at Bhera in the Shahpur district of present- elected and later went on to become mayor of city. day Pakistan, Dr Amarjit Singh Marwah belongs to He was returned five times, and remained mayor a family of doctors. “My father, Dr Chanda Singh, for 20 years. When he died, Al Gore and I were the was chief of medical services in Faridkot state in the pallbearers.” mid-1910s. My grandfather, Dr Sucha Singh, had also Mayor Bradley appointed Dr Amarjit Singh held the same post in 1880s. I did my high school Marwah as city commissioner in 1974. “It was a great from Kotkapura in 1941 and then went to Lahore for privilege and I was the first Indian to be appointed higher education.” At Lahore’s Sikh National College, to this position.” In this role, Dr Marwah chaired the young Marwah was a close witness to the Quit Cultural Heritage Commission for 18 years. “Under India movement that shook the nation. “Those were my signature, 300 sites were declared as protected tumultuous times. Demonstrations were the norm. I monuments, including the Walk of Fame, the Roosevelt used to live in the hostel. Niranjan Singh, started the Hotel, and the Ambassador Hotel. We followed an Sikh National College. While Tara Singh was an Akali, open process under which people could complain and Niranjan Singh was a Congressman. He was professor ask the council to overturn our decisions.” of chemistry as well as principal of the college.” A close friend of the late Sardar Inderjit Singh, At college, his contemporaries included Punjab’s founder of the Punjab and Sind Bank, Dr Amarjit Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, former Punjab Singh Marwah joined hands with him to launch the police chief Bhagwan Singh Danewalia, Indian Bank of Punjab in the 1990s. “After his bank was minister of state (under Nehru) Iqbal Singh, Frick nationalised in 1984, Inderjit Singh had applied to India founder Manmohan Singh and former PGI open another bank, but he could secure permission director Dr Jaswant Singh Neki (Editorial Director of only in 1994. I suggested that the new bank should the Nishaan). “I knew Kartar Singh, Master Tara Singh, be on the American pattern. From day one, the Bank and Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir who used to stay of Punjab provided fully computerised services. We with my family whenever they visited Faridkot.” started off with a branch in Chandigarh and pretty After his F.Sc, Marwah joined the King Edward soon opened many branches and crossed the 150- Medical College for his four-year dentistry course. mark. The bank is rated A-1, and we have an overseas “It was the only college in India with a dental wing.” branch in Toronto and have applied for one in LA,” Hardly had he finished his degree when the Partition says Dr Marwah, who is the foreign promoter and shook India. “As violence broke out, I moved to live board member of the bank. with my uncle, Sardar Bahadar Ram Singh, who was Today Dr Amarjit Singh Marwah lives on his 14- chief engineer with the railways. On 11 August 1947, I acre Malibu ranch, where his closest neighbour is left Lahore with my uncle in military cars under police Barbara Streisand. “I had three daughters. One of protection. On the way, I saw people killing others … them was a classmate of Barbara’s son.” it was raining heavily and one could see bodies lying On his ranch overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this around. I was 21 at that time.” Sikh pioneer has hosted presidents, prime ministers From Lahore, they reached Kotkapura. Within a and celebrities. “The wedding of President Ford’s son couple of months, young Amarjit Singh Marwah was was held here. President Zail Singh, Prime Minister appointed a first-class officer. “I was the only dentist in Indira Gandhi, Indian ministers and American the whole of Faridkot state. Within six months, Faridkot celebrities have all been here,” he recollected. merged with Pepsu (Patiala and East Punjab States NISHAAN Having played a high-profile American innings, Union) in 1948 and I was posted in Rajendra Hospital Dr Marwah is winding down these days. “I am in Patiala, and then in Nabha and Kapurthala.” investing in education at my home towns Faridkot and Then America beckoned. 47 48 NISHAAN B video games and fun-filled tutorials, and then leads leads then and tutorials, fun-filled and the games animations, follow through video generation don’t net-savvy this they Sikhpoint.com “When attracts script. the Punjabi. gurdwaras, in bani of and to kirtan go knowledge kids of lack these their is says, the of more get needs We seniors. day.” personal a and hits 80,000 than and adults kids, – wife community professional my social, religious, 1998 to in cater to cultural, why portal this That’s launched I culture, and our connectivity. preserve and need To million we world. few the a smaller just around for As are boon scattered We real Sikhism. a is like religions www.Sikhpoint.com. Internet “The portal explains, his he through wider the to world message its disseminate to superhighway of collection largest world’s the turbans. has the probably, who and man the also, laughs company, Internet The discriminate,” don’t start-up platform. religion a Sikh same or the IBM on is are the “Every it to both applies (of Whether same The anyone Internet. in. Internet. means come the can Which castes) and four doors. the four faith has analogies Sikh gurdwara amazing This his finds ideas. between gentleman path-breaking Sikh with man net-wired a is California, The biggest problem of Sikh children abroad, he he abroad, children Sikh of problem biggest The information the on religion his put has ‘techie’ This Computing Solutions Inc Inc com Solutions Computing icky Singh, President and CEO of of CEO and President Singh, icky based at Yorba Linda in Southern Southern in Linda Yorba at based and SecureMart. Future Future they fear you are trying to convert them. But if if But packaging feel by them. form”. done don’t art in have message Sikh we people the convert what is to subtly, That message threatened. trying your religion, are your convey religion. about you you Sikh people fear tell the to they try about you if people “Look, among awareness the the says. to he guidelines community,” helped give to portal This our on launched also we Sikhmediapoint Sikhism. times, troubled about those In them community. to explain to gurdwara County backlash. Orange the to press Bustamante, the racial and Cruz senators the Governor for Lt of California mistaken targets invited “We often became and were Sikhs Muslims The happened. 9/11 in collections best Sikh site.” cards Sikh the any of on the one greeting of have we animated categories, richness 1,400 various the over by With amazed religion. was he Day, sent how Teachers’ said kids on he my teacher That’s their when ? to cards year portal greeting Last these the section. shouldn’t on this why started cards we ‘Dad, greeting asked, three have Day we children my Teachers’ “On ago, years message. Sikh the carrying and says. he called kids,” our for religion channel Channel Sikh Visibility on another Positivemedia have sections We exciting culture. to on them Bicky Singh also hit upon a subtle way of creating creating of way subtle a upon hit also Singh Bicky portal, the launched Singh Bicky after Immediately cards greeting on section a has also Sikhpoint.com Bicky Singh: Bicky and turbans and many parts, parts, many of E-man colours … colours to portray role models models role portray to Sikhpoint Sikhpoint Sikhpoint.com designs, prints and distributes Bicky Singh stands apart from his novel methods. free of charge about 30,000 calendars, depicting As he stands apart for his colourful turbans ! In fact, so various aspects of Sikh heritage. “By distributing enormous is his collection of bright-coloured turbans this beautiful calendar among law enforcement that he could easily get his name into the Guiness agencies, legislators, museums (like Getty Centre Book of Records for their sheer number. “Turbans and Smithsonian) and teacher’s associations we have are my passion. I may be the only Sikh in the world made them aware about Sikhism. These calendars with more than 500 patterned turbans with matching carry great pieces of Sikh art by Sikh artists, with a ties, though I once met a guy who had 200 printed description. These calendars have raised the visibility turbans,” he says. of Sikh art and artists like the Singh Twins Amrit He generates his own designs on the computer and Rabindra from Britain were featured in 2005. and e-mails them to New Delhi for creating matching Some museums have inquired about Sikh art and we turbans in Ghaffar Market. Interestingly, post-9/11 are in talks with them,” he reveals. he created the first turban with the American flag Realising that the Sikhs were targeted after 9/11 on it. “And I have created turbans for other specific because the American people didn’t know that they occasions like , Halloween, St.Patrick’s Day, were different from Muslims, Bicky Singh decided and Independence Day.” to make common people aware about his faith. “The Bright colours, he says, are his passion. “When Sikhs were targeted because we never tried to educate I was a student at California State University, my Americans about ourselves. With the help of Orange bright-coloured turbans made people curious about County and Buena Park gurdwaras, we started me. This interaction helped me explain my religion to feeding 450 homeless people in two shelters every them.” His colourful turbans impressed even Indian weekend. Over time, these Americans have realised Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh when Bicky how wonderful and generous the Sikhs are. The law Singh met him in New Delhi in 2004. “The Prime enforcement personnel present at these shelters at the Minister asked me about my turban. And I promised time of food distribution also know that the Sikhs are to send him one soon. Even the California Lt Governor a different people.” complimented me for my turbans, saying their colours Giving an example of how this approach has paid are representative of our cultural diversity,” says Bicky off, he says some time ago he was in Santa Ana with Singh who serves on the California One Commission. two American friends, “Suddenly, we heard a noise Amazingly, Bicky Singh is not only a great collector and saw people waving at us. My friends thought I of Sikh original art and coins but also a creator of might be in trouble because of my turban. Well, what some unusual artwork with recycled material. One actually happened was this: some people from the such creating is called Emergence into Chaos. shelter where we serve food on weekends recognised me. In appreciation they started greeting me, I felt Created by him with wood, computer circuit great,” says the man who believes in unique methods material, auto parts, spent 7.62mm cases, spent 12- to drive home his message. gauge shotgun shells, transformer plates, wire, lead, refrigerator parts, tin, brass, oil paint, children’s Back in India, Bicky Singh is helping people in hospital armbands, spring stock, nails, and screws, his own unique way. “Unlike other organisations, we this sculpture is an expression of his puzzlement at don’t adopt villages or children. At our (Sikhpoint. the chaotic world. com) office in Mohali near Chandigarh, we train the rural youth in computers. These trained boys “This sculpture came about for several reasons. and girls have found gainful employment. We want One, I had interest in the civil unrest in the Balkans. to save the unemployed youth from falling prey to Two, I am fascinated by the ability of humankind to drugs, alcoholism and other vices rampant in Punjab bring forth new life despite this chaos. While growing today. Some of these youth have been absorbed in my up in India, I wondered how societies in turmoil company’s Chandigarh office.” still carried on with the most basic of their functions – bringing forth new life,” he says. In its Indian mission, Sikhpoint.com has teamed up with some diaspora individuals and organisations. Accordingly, at the centre of his creation is an “Look, many individuals and organisations want to infant surrounded by all the internal mechanisms that do something for India, but they are unable to go provide life to the new child. The child is submerged there. So we tell them that this (computer training) in the soup of stylised DNA, represented by the bits of NISHAAN is our strength and that we already have a presence colour floating around. Love, Terror, Joy, Fear, Anguish there. Working with loose networks rather than big and, above all, Hope breathe in and out of the child’s 49 organisations helps,” he says. lungs. Her brain is being fed by her parent’s sum total 50 NISHAAN Linda, our sales and service location at Alameda and and says. Alameda he at India,” in location location offshore service and sales Yorba our in office Linda, corporate 180 over locations: three with in up employees backed are emerging services and Our resources technology. human invest mid-to- top-notch to been the has training, in in survival our bust to key “The dotcom 1990s. the late weather FCS helped beyond customers of explains. Singh Bicky types products,” IT providing simply various to out reaching channels of multiple understanding having and by and needs, customer’s recognising the by trends, the in emerging resources in investing by its model of business because unique competitive stayed has today’s organisation The in consumer. or business small a customer, corporate large problems it is a – whether needs business customer’s the to service resources of real portfolio diverse a leverages It landscape. competitive for solutions says. he in India,” office in one and another have Francisco in We San town. his bringing opened to for us we business IT the day congratulate to The called as mayor the known 1990, community. is which town ‘bed-room’ this the in first business the were “We technology born. was Nixon Richard President Inc Solutions recollected. business,” to own my decided I start when The 1980s late the them. in up picking with just India to was work ropes programming mainframe business of the outsourcing learnt I for Orange in County. company computer Fullerton, start-up a to I with job fortunate a was I get 1983, University, student, a “In still While State studies. higher engineering. California to systems Delhi in New came at IIT masters the his joined for he graduation, his After explains. he humankind,” of beginning the sine life through way its to found has life how through “That’s her. awaiting pressed has child the an until in loop again endless on passed then and recharged gets spent is Love Warmth, Energy, What infant. the to mother the from passed are Food, Hope and infant. unborn her with a for tomorrow. survive life better new this help to hope, down no of hand reaches offer white which the above save life, new colours this The for comfort chaos. and war of drama mother’s continued. is her bloodline the sure importantly, making more imprint, but, imprint, their of According to him, his unique business model model business unique his him, to According provides (FCS) Inc Solutions Computing “Future started Singh Bicky 1990, In Delhi. New in raised was Singh Bicky Agra, in Born shares mother the what of pieces many are Below the is what towards out reaching seen is child The headquartered at Yorba Linda, where where Linda, Yorba at headquartered Future Computing Computing Future Bicky Singhwiththeworld’s oldestmarathon man, Fauja Singh, ofBritain. a beautiful piece of artwork, titled business beams. my he titled up sums philosophy,” about just artwork, hangs “This him. of by office created head piece his of beautiful lobby a the In workplace. his and kitchen and appliances. home products, IT products, entertainment business called called business online an launched FCS when 2003 December in turban the leverage to able says. he are fashion,” 23x7 we a investment in India FCS the of facility, expertise With warehousing/ off-shore data services. an in and intelligence “Our intranets, business development portals, (B2B), application our-sourcing. business-to-business consumer process to (B2C), business development includes: expertise business providing development to from grown services have 1999, in technological and market-place.” global the in human competitive be and in and curve’ the of ahead ‘stay to us allowed has resources intelligence Investment and security. warehousing/business communication data storage, VOIP, enterprise of area the demonstration in solutions for technology, lab in state-of-the-art as investment such tremendous made has FCS to Vietnam, position small. and large – customers unique the of needs the the understand in “Because are America, we USA. diversity, the inner and our South of Europe and India, Taiwan, China, Central from come The artistic side to this ‘techie’ is obvious even at at even obvious is ‘techie’ this to side artistic The Bicky Singh added another feather to his colourful colourful his to feather another added Singh Bicky Delhi New near started operations, Indian His they and Ph.Ds, and MBAs many are rolls his On by Gurmukh Singh] Gurmukh by DREAMS CALIFORNIA from [Extracted SecureMart.com to sell electronics, home home electronics, sell to Circular Metal, Metal, Circular Gurdwara Sahib of San Jose

slice of San Jose, heart of the Silicon But none of that past acrimony was apparent on Valley in California, was transformed Sunday. For the most part, the non-Sikhs who came A into an Indian oasis on 29 August 2004 to see what all the pomp and circumstance was about, when America’s newest – and largest – Gurdwara was had smiles on their faces. Neighbours came out of their officially opened, drawing thousands to its onion- homes to watch a two-hour interfaith parade where domed rooftops and cascading waterfall. barefoot men swept the streets before the procession The daylong event, which closed traffic for two and the Evergreen Valley High School marching band hours on Quimby Road as Sikhs and their neighbours played Louie, Louie. marched joyously to the new $ 10 million gurdwara “We think it’s great,” said Karen Skulley of San on Murillo Avenue, took many visitors back to Jose, whose 16-year-old son played saxophone in the their native homeland. And, as they said, the grand parade. “All the controversy ? That was so long ago. structure perched high in the hills further welds No one even talks about it any more!” the South Bay’s Sikh community into the fabric of Silicon Valley. “I’m very emotional,” said Amrit Singh Pattie Cortese said she still hears a smattering of Sachdev, a computer engineer. “This is bringing back complaints from people in the neighbourhood, but memories for me, when the whole street is in joyous she doesn’t share their concerns. “This place is so mood, just like it is in India.” beautiful,” she said, along with her husband, San Jose The ceremony, which drew about 7,000 guests, City Councilman Dave Cortese, among the throngs of signified a happy chapter in a rocky journey that people on the temple site. “One of the things I love began in the early 1990s. about living here in the Evergreen district is the rich cultural diversity. If we want peace here, we need to Plans for the 40-acre property had sparked some be tolerant of each other.” controversy amongst the locals when Sikhs first unveiled their goal to move from the old temple Tolerance is the heart of Sikhism, which was on Quimby Road. A vocal minority of neighbours founded over 500 years ago by Guru Nanak Dev, who feared there would be traffic and noise headaches and taught egalitarianism and monotheism. Today, there criticised magnitude of the project, which was scaled are about 25 million Sikhs worldwide, 500,000 in the

back to meet some of the concerns. Public hearings in United States and about 50,000 in Northern California, NISHAAN San Jose lasted late into the night and at times erupted according to Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task into name-calling. Protesters carried signs reading “No Force, headquartered in New York. The Bay Area’s Sikh Jose”. Sikh population is about 10,000. 51 52 NISHAAN Long lines snaked around the property as as property the around snaked well. a lines gurdwara towing new Long the overhead wished that scampered flew banner blue aircraft balloons with An Kids about. saffron-coloured palpable. and was excitement and praying eating, temple. new hills of the admiring the thousands in were up there people that have signs would no Sunday flatlands seen the usual in their Residents to quiet. back were traffic noise ended, and parade the too after that hour for An route long. neighbourhood parade the a disrupt out wouldn’t hash to police Jose water and bars garbage. cream up more cleaning ice and parking, free with out direct run, helping handing volunteers 200 smoothly than was gurdwara The Gurdwara’s visage. inspiring View of San Jose’s Evergreen hills from the San Jose Gurdwara. Jose San the from hills Evergreen Jose’s San of View e h t , r e v e w o h a r a w d r u G e h t t A San with hours long worked Sikhs The new the at party and parade The milestone. “This is a little parade,” said Bhupinder Kaur Saini, Saini, doing.” we’re Kaur that thing Bhupinder big a it’s said “But Jose. parade,” San of 19, little major a a is is own “This their call to milestone. worship of house grand a such have 250 are there alone, temple, that’s where we pray States and gather together a socially,” make he said. is United do they thing first the the live, In Sikhs “Wherever gurdwaras. temple. the religious at a Singh, leader Shamsher said Sikhs, world’s the for normal is and and feet school square buildings. 20,000 Sunday three at a includes stands hall, gurdwara the prayer Today, permanent museum. a 74,000 community for the additional an feet build years, to square five million stage 10 or $ next another four the raise to next hopes finishing the to In crucial construction. are of which funds million, $1 cubes. pea chick buttery for lined visitors But for the Sikhs who live in the South Bay, knowing they they knowing Bay, South the in live who Sikhs the for But event an such holding and gurdwara a building sense, one In abut total gurdwara Jose San the to donations Annual Sewadar andManager atSanJoseGurdwara. langar of of saag (spinach fritters) and sweet, sweet, and fritters) (spinach Lisa Fernandez Lisa

‘Ek Omkar’ on the Gurdwara’s dome. see a glimpse of Silicon Valley architecture of the future in this new-old architecture – if today’s architects let themselves create a new fusion architecture. That doesn’t mean that the temple’s golden onion domes and scalloped arches will be the fashion of the future, but certainly means that Santa Clara County’s extraordinary ethnic diversity is introducing new styles and types of buildings that should enrich us all. The gurdwara design by architect Malkiat Singh Sidhu does not imitate any particular historic temple but echoes many of the Mughal style temples in the Punjab region of India, roots of the 500-year-old Sikh faith. Their domes and ornamental arches are a dignified classic style that Reading the holy scriptures at San Jose matches the High Renaissance style of St. Joseph’s cathedral downtown. he new Gurdwara in San Jose’s Evergreen foot hills, which Topened in August 2004, proves the powerful influence of The Gurdwara’s main building topped memory and tradition shaping local architecture. It is set by the large gold dome is the reception foursquare on a rise with a spectacular view of the valley, one of hall and identifies the building from afar; several prominent monuments (including Evergreen Valley high inside it is painted with a blue sky and school, a retail area designed as al old-fashioned town centre clouds, and ‘Ek Omkar’ (God in One.) around its plaza, and a planned library) gracing the Evergreen Like the Golden Temple of Amritsar, district. this building has doors on all four sides, symbolising that all are welcome from all A tall promenade rings the structure; colonnades link it with directions. On the second floor is a large two auxiliary buildings, the columns fluted with lotus capitals. The hall, used for reading the scriptures, as decorative scallops of the arches were originally created to catch well as a small museum on Sikh history the light and shadows of the hot climates in India, and work just and traditions. effectively in California’s warm, sunny climate. As at the Golden Temple at Amritsar, This is Phase 1 and a larger, 70,000-square-foot addition would water plays a major part in the design, follow. The gurdwara serves as a gathering place for the South the building placed in a large artificial Bay’s large Sikh community. lake that sets off the glided building and NISHAAN A century ago Japanese and Indian architecture inspired the provides a long causeway approach for enormously popular craftsman bungalow; the craftsman style is visitors. In the Evergreen neighbourhood Japanese-inspired, and bungalow is an Indian word. So we might the pools with fountains flank the main 53 54 NISHAAN of green, rose, mustard and alabaster, and mustard tones rose, rich rich green, of adding reflect temples, Punjabi outside the of patterns pavement granite floors and Marble inside services. are attend shoes congregants In storing before for covered building. heads and removed are the rooms shoes as of provided, area, levels reception both the into down light of made canopies, are they concrete. fabric reinforced corners; to fibre glass temple’s akin the on more perch domes, base. its on Smaller weightily of sitting domes cathedral, European in St.Joseph’s energy static fluted the plastic than a sky, it different the quite giving to manner, gesture traditional airy the and light a in of ways ancient the progresses. architecture how is This influences architecture. California California influences and immigrants of ethnic the architecture street: architecture two-way a ancient is times blends modern with that process The fruitful buildings. California dropped fire contemporary of sign, ceilings embossed-acoustic-tile “exit” and disabled-accessible green doors safety the glowing with fountains, water ornamented They stucco. are into translated are India of buildings steep the entry. main down the at hill plunges waterfall a and building, Clerestory windows at the dome’s base bring bring base dome’s the at windows Clerestory rises dome shapely elegant, Gurdwara’s The stone the and California, is this course of But for us: the past has a place in the present. Symbolism, Symbolism, present. architect’s every the lesson be in a should inspiration. place memory Here’s a and history has meaning, architecture. past at the look us: to for way new the another shows it of the us culture, beliefs ancient an of and rooms, out needs Growing it. the using gathering people reflect to shaped flexible is gurdwara pewless, its iconic its to From adherents. dome its of lives the in presence living with walls. all filled on are to windows rooms from the centre light the convenience, down for wall space the folding a divide with hotel, ballroom modern the a like of much Finished side. either on halls storey with adorned platform a on person sits The offerings. room. and flowers the scriptures of the sides pews; of opposite or reading on equality sit they the seats though well no services, could same underscoring the are anniversary attend women floor, and Men There the all. on weddings, sits dining. purposes, and everyone readings, several for celebrations scripture interchangeably including used be Catholic halls priests large a can the several that for that includes temple way space Sikh The the sacred ritual. as in the and dedicated not, is is altar space words church’s the the Though sacred, hymns. with are along service, the constitute of Sahib, most Granth Guru the scriptures, holy the from n rlgo ad utr lk Skim taiin s a is tradition Sikhism, like culture and religion a In one- two the to out lead doors hall, reception the From Readings simple. relatively are services religious Sikh Alan Hess Alan Cobwebs of the mind

I imagined that the pad being used was dry, not moist, and that the sevadar was probably dabbing away nonexistent dust. Now I learn that the pad is perfumed and may dispel insects that are common in the heat and dust of India. In this early morning ceremony, Guru Granth is brought back to its place on the palki after a short night of rest, and the vestments gradually unwrapped ceremoniously one by one. Guru Granth is now randomly opened again after a gap of only four hours. For those few hours, Guru Granth was in a secure, clean, dust-free location, first saw the rites some days ago. It baffled me then and now the sheet of linen is being and continues to do so now. Not so long ago, an Indian wiped with a pad. How dabbing a I television channel started daily airing of the early morning sheet of linen both on its inside and ceremony as Guru Granth is escorted from the in Amritsar. outside with a piece of cloth is going to It is then ensconced on the palanquin (palki) at its designated site, clean anything is beyond me, unless an where it will remain for the day. This is followed by the rendition of insect repellent is being used. Aasa-di-Vaar. This is a daily ritual, and the solemnity of the occasion Of course, I know the reverence that has undeniable magic to it. Sikhs have for Guru Granth; we regard Guru Granth comes wrapped in several layers of silk vestments as it as the metaphorical embodiment of is escorted to and from the Akal Takht, but the final, innermost layer, the Gurus. The hymn cited in support of akin to an undergarment, it seems, is always white linen. But that is this goes, “Guru Granth ji manyon, Pargat not what prompts my reaction today. guraan ki deh.” It asks Sikhs to believe in Guru Granth, which is the manifest I notice that as Guru Granth is placed on its palki, this last layer of body of the Gurus. Still, I think we miss white linen is opened and folded away in an exquisite ceremony. As the meaning because we don’t get the each fold is pulled away, a sevadar takes a large pad of clean white measured nuances of poetry. It seems NISHAAN cloth and carefully dabs and wipes both the inside and outside of the that in our simplistically devotional and wrap. This is all done reverentially and makes a great photo-op, but it literal rendering of the language, we leaves me wondering. elide over the key concept here, which is 55 56 NISHAAN many other books in a home, until it is opened, read read opened, is it until home, a in like books just other treasured, and many revered valued, highly if even to but glimpse in Guru fleeting the So a person. the catching experiencing to actually does word just the of refer meaning not the world. that the think over would all I activity But human prized to highly a continues be also, godwomen of perhaps and this godmen, to refer Punjabi, as including languages, get to Indic The push and shove of glimpse necks, a their crane thousands is plea a both. prayer, of partake the to Guru at the to made Then, prayer. congregational water to be distributed later at the community meal meal of community glass the a at later including ( food, distributed be the to of water full plate old the a as some following, by well popular a recommended with as breviaries gurdwaras, many in a putting child has That absurd. be on. it so of would and shirt me until another over shirt, a other, reminds over on the shirt It of coverings. top on around many and one on each Granth, these Guru arranging accepting duty immediately on and granthi sets the see to holy for comical it the vestments on of set a Granth donate particularly Guru often that, faithful see the days, also I other world, in the but Temple Golden the at our very human needs to to needs human select transferring very and we our for translating again When we coverings are lighter summer, less? and the winter have in vestments Guru dusk? at heavier the lights and should summer Why during conditioning air on Granth where turning room the in not for conditioning air and lights congregation the the scold preacher heard a have I fact, if In as night. is the It for it. retired had Guru attending the being room human a no is in there if even conditioner air the or fan where a lights, the on bath. ritual a to akin such is from linen the of dabbing stems this if wonder I covering thinking. this limited linen if the wonder cleaning I of Gurus. ritual the of embodiment ‘physical’ of thinking start and ‘metaphorical,’ 1< langar darshan I would argue that that argue would I that notice I me. baffles often practice Another On a more serious but related note, we see that that see we note, related but serious more a On I wonder too if similar reasoning leads us to turn turn to us leads reasoning similar if too wonder I ), are brought in at the time of the the of time the at in brought are ), uu Granth Guru is left. His rationale was clear: Don’t we need need we Don’t clear: was rationale His left. is Guru Granth Guru . Obtaining such such Obtaining . . Some days, many such sets arrive. I find find I arrive. sets such many days, Some . uu Granth Guru is placed on a bed for the night, night, the for bed a on placed is mandates an interaction. interaction. an mandates uu Granth Guru as it is opened for the day. day. the for opened is it as uu Granth Guru darshan Guru Granth Guru gurdwaras remains a book, book, a remains of royalty and and royalty of ? Although not not Although ? darshan parshaad ardaas around around of the the of as the the as Guru Guru , the the , , as as , under glass. Even then the essential purpose of of purpose essential available. the widely copies then making by served is read, Even reading be preserved is to and glass. is significance book under a historical of of is it purpose unless importance its primary lessens The at this if any. distributed wonder I freely corners; and street millions the in printed now Granth Guru necessary. particularly was care such dust India, of the heat and In arranged. multiple the precisely and hence not carefully was necessary; coverings art was of it but work easy, a tended always such and copies Preserving treasured be authentic to reverentially. few had each very that available; were meant dubious of This been have may quality. that ink in and life limited of of copy risk handwritten Granth The substantial new a transcribing. Each carried in easy. error also not is copy a – such pages handwritten scribe copies 1,430 To – first volume the handwritten. large that were mind Granth in completely Guru of Keep well, so elaborately. wrapped and been has traditionally that milk is precious and, therefore, preferred over over preferred therefore, the for and, water precious is milk that Granth misplaced devotion. misplaced highlight – those of the palki and place, or those of the the of those or mind? place, and palki the of those – highlight deities. ritual and idols and stone to clothes offered foods, routinely are baths practices delectable Hindu which in predominant India or the of to practices, buck pointless the our pass of to some for reverence and it if purpose better babies. to a fed were serve would milk The available. a century ago. Skin-moisturising creams are now now are creams surface a metallic or of wooden the cleaning for Skin-moisturising preferred; ago. skin the available century for any than a good bathe moisturiser is to better it a used suppose, I women; is and, milk beautiful and culture, babies Indian the in that see anthropopmorphic view of of view anthropopmorphic true is ensues– that and Guru the with dialogue a Then pondered. and I also understand that the the that understand also I of versions printed and changed have times But I think it is easy to discern why why discern to easy is it think I I do not know what cobwebs these practices practices these cobwebs what know not do I love misplaced our blame to whether know don’t I Clearly, many of these practices stem from an an from stem practices these of many Clearly, palk a a ae aucit rte o ppr ih a with paper on written manuscript rare a was is ensconced is washed in milk. I understand understand I milk. in washed is ensconced is i, better and more efficient cleansers are are cleansers efficient more and better i, are universally available. The Bible is is Bible The available. universally are palki darshan that we treasure so much. I also also I much. so treasure we that . Guru Granth Guru palki on which which on and from our our from and Granth Guru Dr. I.J. Singh I.J. Dr. Guru Guru Guru Guru Bhai Santa Singh : A unique exponent of the Guru’s Hymn ecollecting my childhood, it was in head teacher was a the winter of 1948 that I first heard the renowned trainer in R signature tune of All India Radio even classical music, Bhai as a sweet voice announced the time of 5:00 am and Sain Ditta. Several of the start of a special one hour morning service on the Sain Ditta’s students airwaves of All India Radio Amritsar in honour of served as ‘Huzoori the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. The announcer Ragis’ at the Golden said that “we are taking you to the Golden Temple Temple. Other famous Amritsar for direct transmission of the recitation of students of Sain Ditta Aasa Di Vaar.” In a split second the beat of tabla, included Bhai Taba, the sound of harmonium and voices of a group of Bhai Nasecra, Bhai musicians were heard. It seemed that the musicians Darshan Singh Komal were emotionally calling upon Guru Nanak to once and Sain Ditta’s own again bless this earth. Special recitation of hymns of son Bhai Desa. But the ‘Guru’ sounded genuinely emotional and rather Bhai Santa Singh was impressive. At that young age I did not understand as exceptional amongst them all. Soon after completing to what was being sung, nevertheless, I felt embraced his education at the ‘Yateem Khana’, Bhai Santa by the melody, tone and texture of the music. I had no Singh was employed as a ‘Huzoori Ragi’ at the knowledge as to who was singing, nor did anybody Golden Temple during the early twenties. His group especially announce it. included another famous personality Bhai Surjan Singh. Both were bestowed with clear and melodious Several years later, I met with Sardar Jodh Singh, voices and could sing in unison. The democratically the retired Assistant Station Director of All India elected governing body for the Sikh shrines the Radio Jullundur. He happened to be announcer of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), programme in the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden in replacing the old institution of ‘Mahanthood’ took Temple on that auspicious day. He revealed that the control of all the historic Sikh shrines in the Punjab group of musicians performing Shabad Kirtan of Aasa Di Vaar at the Golden Temple during the first ever and North West Frontier Province in 1925, and a very live transmission was led by Bhai Santa Singh, then high standard of ‘Gurmat Sangeet’ (traditional Sikh senior most musician of the Golden Temple. I knew religious music) was maintained at most Gurdwaras all along that it was somebody special, somebody during the first three decades of inception of the highly accomplished. A number of Shabads recorded SGPC. on 78 rpm gramophone records in the voices of Bhai During those days the Golden Temple at Amritsar Santa Singh Ragi and party were soon available in was renowned for employing highly accomplished the market and different stations of All India Radio musicians in performing Chawnkis of Shabad Kirtan. including Delhi, Jullundur Jammu and Lucknow Recommendations by the influential and powerful used to broadcast these. Bhai Santa Singh had the were never considered in the recruitment of staff. God-given unique capability to sing in very high notes, Other great musicians in service at the Golden Temple which most other musicians could not replicate. included the legendry Bhai Lal, Bhai Chand, Bhai His exact date of birth is not known, but he was Chanan, Bhai Hira Singh and others. However, Bhai born in the walled city of Amritsar in 1904. During Santa Singh soon carved a niche for himself. He was those days, few Sikhs used to sing in gurdwaras and very hard-working. As a first step he used to convey those who did, had to hone their skills at classical meaning of the Shabad without any need of explaining music under the strict guidance of Muslim or Pandit it through a speech or discourse. At times he used to slow down the beat so much that the meaning of each

professional classical teachers. Bhai Santa Singh was NISHAAN no exception; he had enrolled at very young age to word of the ‘Guru’ was understood clearly, even by a learn Sikh classical music in the music department layman. While reciting the Bir Rus Bani (martial music) 57 of the famous ‘Yateem Khana’ in Amritsar. The of the tenth master Guru Gobind Singh, he vividly 58 NISHAAN Gurmukh Singh Sarmukh Singh Fakkar of Nankana Nankana of Fakkar Singh Sarmukh Singh Gurmukh forties. the of during records recorded Some also was Singh Pardhan whose Taan, format. rpm 78 in Singh discs available Budh Bhai of earliest Sikh rendering of the include amongst records 1970s. recordings are on the whose music till musician religious available rpm Sikh 45 were their discs Another but play 1941-42, in extended made were These recordings discs popular. with very four became on and each minutes recorded three of were orchestra shabads The Eight Ghulam course Haider’s. of was interludes creations. and own preludes Singh’s special Santa melodious Bhai or highly generation to generation for the voice of Bhai Santa Singh and persuaded either persuaded were religious and tunes Sikh The Singh Shabads. traditional liking Santa some Bhai record special to of him developed voice and the hired was for director recording Haider music Ghulam its modern as Master a Lahore. in opened studio Company Recording Gramophone The famous. very Singh Santa Bhai made ‘Ghazal’ singers. and ‘Ghazal’ Punjabi junior fairly as Surinder considered then and were Kaur Kaur Parkash Rafi, Begum, Mukhtar Dilshad Mohammad Begum, Begum, Shamshad Patiala, Begum, of Zeenat Noorjehan, Malika Chhaila Sahib. Bhai Nankana Pukhraj, Asthan, Singh Janam Samund Bhai Gurdwara and of Temple Santa Golden Bhai the of included Singh The musicians Bali. religious Chander Sikh Harish leading and Mubarik Jullundur of Jullundur, of Fateh Ali Qawwal Vedi, Phagwara, Dina of Chander Rattan Madan, Master Master Dalip Khan, artists Ali radio included Ghulam vocal Bade Lahore classical India During of All up artist. of line radio the time occasional that an as was approved Singh, Santa also Bhai in when year there the added was which were 1937, facilities production fledged full regularly Singh Santa Bhai Sahib, Sahib. and Nankana their visited exchange Nankana to musicians at used leading Gurdwaras, Asthan sacred most Janam two Gurdwara and the of pace increasing composition. by musical war of aspect the conveyed aa i Vaar Di Aasa The occasional singing at at singing occasional The and 1936, in being into came Lahore Radio India All Amritsar at Sahib Darbar the occasions, special On Aasa Di Vaar Vaar Di Aasa by the duet of Bhai Sudh Singh Singh Sudh Bhai of duet the by Shabad Gayan Gayan Shabad was available on a set of 12 12 of set a on available was Reets Reets a ll India Radio Lahore Lahore Radio India ll in the voices of Bhai Bhai of voices the in handed down from from down handed suit his temperament and he took employment at at not employment did then was took building Delhi he Delhi. a Old in and Sahib Ganj contractorship Sis Gurdwara becoming but temperament at his Assam, hand suit in his Delhi. New contractor to tried moved he temporarily Soon and SGPC the of New of priest head to Gurdwara. Hill later Richmond narrated Singh, York’s was Gurdip This by Bhai by Kanra’. ‘Diwan’ me the Darbari finish ‘Raga to Singh singing he Santa that Bhai Singh, Santa requested Bhai by the Gayan’ was impressed so ‘Shabad got the Singh Chand with in Bhai Santa But Diwan’ Bhai singer. ‘Kirtan and penultimate special Lahore a in was all pre-partition Chand of Bhai last famous perform the to Once Singh. Santa Bhai same the could the he and car complete minutes the 5 not in just in driven travelled was being distance was he when but the complete to used he recite and offer to the used spurning him, he it for that to given was returning car reason before a The days him. to few a back presented for once retained he which admirer ‘Shabad An perform to way his Kirtan’. on bicycle a ride to used to stretch a Pura. at Taan a of hours for accompaniment the practice would Bhai Singh Raginis. and Santa Ragas of source the from tunes new own his created he or generation On the other hand Bhai Santa Singh either sang in in sang either Singh Santa Lai. Madh Bhai traditional in the hand ‘Shabad’ other entire the the On sing and climax the as Lai well as Shrut Lai Vilambhat the and Alaap Jor of perform Golden to version used the modified Singh a of Samund Bhai performing of Kirtan’. service styles ‘Shabad in different very Singh had They Temple. Santa Bhai joined records the issued. playing was of long five of set a celebrations Nanak, Guru of birth QuinCentennial the did he during radio, when the for his record not regularly Bhai Kaur sang Although Singh Surinder forties. the and Samund during Taan available Singh also for were Budh market Bhai the by Shabads sung from Some available. This again once is forties. decades, disappearing several nineteen after the during recording, recorded also addition was In available. once Gayan also were Sahib Some time in 1949, Bhai Santa Singh left services services left Singh Santa Bhai 1949, in time Some He living. simple very in believed Singh Santa Bhai After the creation of Pakistan, Bhai Samund Singh Singh Samund Bhai Pakistan, of creation the After in the voice of child prodigy Master Madan Madan Master prodigy child of voice the in Shabad Gayan Gayan Shabad Reets Reets paath handed down from generation to to generation from down handed Khayal Gayaki Khayal . Such was the simplicity in in simplicity the was Such . paath until the nineteen sixties, sixties, nineteen the until paath while riding a cycle cycle a riding while Reets while on the bike, bike, the on while , leave the Alaap, Alaap, the leave , by improvising improvising by Shabad Shabad becoming a city of refugees from West Pakistan and American Sikhs, in the art of performing ‘Shabad many of his most ardent admirers had moved from Gayan’ he wanted to bring one of the students of Bhai Lahore, Gujjranwala, Lyallpur, Montgomery, Sialkot Santa Singh’s school of music to America. Bibi Amarjit and Shaikhupura to Delhi. For them it was nostalgic Kaur, who had honed her skills under the guidance to again listen to the ‘Shabad Gayan’ by Bhai Santa of Bhai Santa Singh went from India to America for Singh. On hearing about Bhai Santa Singh’s joining the purpose. She now works in the World Bank and the service of Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib, crowds at that lives in Virginia, one of the suburbs of Washington historic gurdwara greatly swelled each morning. DC. By listening to her you can get a glimpse of her The refugee Sangat of Delhi got so hooked great mentor. ‘The unmistakable manner in which listening to Bhai Santa Singh’s ‘Shabad Kirtan’ at she modulates her voice, reveals that she is true to the Gurdwara Sis Ganj at Chandni Chowk that they teachings of her great mentor. insisted that the early morning Chawnki of Aasa Di In 1965, Bhai Santa Singh’s former companion Bhai Vaar must always be performed by the group of Surjan Singh left for his heavenly abode. Although Bhai Santa Singh. The only other groups ‘allowed’ they had parted company years ago, yet Bhai Santa to perform Aasa Di Vaar in the absence of Bhai Singh felt very dejected but life must go on and Bhai Santa Singh was Bhai Avtar Singh Gurcharan Singh Santa Singh did not miss any of his Kirtan schedules. and Swaran Singh, formerly of Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala District. Bhai Santa Singh was in great demand for his unique style of ‘Shabad Kirtan’ all over India, but While at Delhi, Bhai Santa Singh became the staff he seldom left Delhi. Once in 1966, on the persistent artist of All India Radio Delhi and his live performance request of the Sangat of Bombay he was allowed of ‘Shabad Kirtan’ became a regular feature of its to go to Bombay for a couple of weeks. On hearing Punjabi programme. Some years after 1947, one of this, the knowledgeable Sadh Sangat of Bombay the most important members of his group Bhai Surjan was electrified to have the once-in-a-life-time Singh parted company and formed his own group, experience of listening to Bhai Santa Singh live. They which naturally affected him, but he trained his requested for more of his time, but the management brother Bhai Shamsher Singh to sing alongside him. of Gurdwara Sis Ganj in Delhi refused to extend his In the meanwhile Bhai Surjan Singh’s newly created stay, because the Sangat in Delhi too wanted to listen group also became very popular. To this day the best selling records of Aasa Di Vaar are those by Bhai to his ‘Shabad Kirtan’. On the day of his departure Surjan Singh. for Delhi big crowds gave him a tearful send off in Bombay. On his way back to Delhi, while still in the On the passing of Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar train, he suffered a massive heart attack and before Lal Nehru in 1964, Bhai Santa Singh was the only any medical care could be administered, he passed Sikh religious musician especially invited to perform away. Bhai Santa Singh’s funeral saw the community ‘Shabad Kirtan’ during the period of mourning at go into deep mourning. All India Radio. Some of these recordings are still preserved in archives of the Delhi Station of All After Bhai Santa Singh’s passing, his brother India Radio. At one time or the other, every great Bhai Shamsher Singh took over his raagi jatha. Bhai maestro, be a vocalist or an instrumentalist has had Shamsher Singh could sing all the tunes of Bhai the honour of singing at one or the other stations of Santa Singh, but lacked the range and modulation. All India Radio. Some of those artists were recorded After the passing of Bhai Shamsher Singh about but many others were not. Even of those whose two decades ago, Bhai Santa Singh’s nephews Bhai performances were recorded, many were lost owing Harjit Singh and Bhai Gurdip Singh are keeping his to callousness of the authorities. If all the recordings tradition alive. They perhaps cannot come up to the of Bhai Santa Singh and Bhai Samund Singh would dexterity of Bhai Santa Singh, but have kept all his have been preserved, we would have had at least Reets alive, being leading musicians of the Delhi Sikh 300 hours of recordings of each. It is tragic that their Gurdwara Management Committee and held in high priceless offering has been lost. esteem. NISHAAN Yogi Harbhajan Singh was a great admirer of Harjap Singh Aujla 59 Bhai Santa Singh. In order to train his followers, the (Courtesy Amrit Keertan) 60 NISHAAN one of Montgomery County Public Schools graduates. graduates. Schools Public County by directed Montgomery production of fine one the see to proud Committee, very am Affairs I Multicultural Gaithersburg of City the Berrios of co-Chair “As Nivea film. the of importance Education, the expressed of Board On MCPS the work. of Kaur’s behalf commended also Education of Board widows and their battle for survival and justice in India. pursuitto expose the suffering of the November 1984 Sikh her for and rights human to contribution and dedication through cultures many city’s outreach. and education the of appreciation and understanding an create to event the hosted Committee Affairs Multicultural Gaithersburg’s alumnus. an where is Kaur School, High Gathersburg at held was event The “I applaud Harpreet Kaur and Sach Productions for producing ‘The Widow Colony.’ I found it to be a haunting haunting a be to it found I Colony.’ Widow ‘The producing for me.” educated truly Productions that Sach and experience Kaur Harpreet applaud “I O Gaithersburg City Honours Sikh Woman Filmmaker Woman Sikh Honours City Gaithersburg Along with City, Montgomery County Public Schools Public County Montgomery City, with Along courage, her for Kaur honoured Katz Sidney Mayor Mayor Sidney Katz honouring Director HarpreetMayor SidneyKatzhonouring Kaur. n 28 October 2007 the city of Gaithersburg Colony Widow Gaithersburg The of film, award-winning the city of screening the a hosted 2007 October 28 n Producer ManmeetSingh, MayorSidneyKatz, Director Harpreet Kaur. , directed by Harpreet Kaur. Kaur. Harpreet by directed ,

honour of Favourite Film Over-all, along with the the with along highest Over-all, the award. Film given Documentary was Best International Favourite it of the Festival at honour Film and the 900 won Asian award it South nearly the Festival at Film drew Documentary Eye was that Best Female It the Canada At Spring. in viewers. Silver Premiere in (AFI) Calgary in American Institute the at Smithsonian Film was screened the also at It it and shown D.C. be festivals. to Washington film film Sikh several first the touring of opportunity widows. the of masses.” the to out reach to hope I and lens camera my through speak I forgotten. and voiceless the for voice a become to vowed I’ve people. one it’s me for genocide, Rwandan the of widow a or massacre 1984 the and the of widow film the it “Be the suffering. human of making universality of shared experience Kaur 1984. heart-filled her November in in pogrom killed anti-Sikh were the husbands whose women the of lives tragedy the the of into look in-depth an Indira takes It intensity ago. years 23 the occurred that Minister conveys Prime film of the Gandhi, assassination followed destruction and that death the of images and widows the of or the Colony Widow as known commonly is that Delhi New of west-side the on Vihar Tilak in settlement a from name its borrows of these widows and their beloved children. It was an an was It children. beloved honour for me to be part of the presentation.” their and widows these survival of for struggle and suffering promote the on educated to and aware be to need all committee We education. community our through for cultures other ofappreciation important and understanding,respect very is It Kaur has been successful in spreading the stories stories the spreading in successful been has Kaur “ h Wdw Colony Widow The Widow oftheNovember 1984anti–Sikhpogrom. Vidhva Colony Vidhva h Wdw Colony Widow The – – ni’ Ustld Settlement” Unsettled India’s Mayor Sidney Katz Sidney Mayor . Along with testimonies testimonies with Along . has had the the had has , Extract from “When a Tree Shook Delhi” by Manoj Mitta and HS Phoolka hichever way you look at India, whether as The source he quoted was a newspaper article Wthe world’s largest democracy, or as one of titled ‘Pot is blacker than the kettle’, written by the fastest growing economies in the world, it is senior journalist Shekhar Gupta, during the Gujarat hard to imagine that any genocide could have taken violence, offering a comparison that was misleading, place a few years ago right in its capital. however well-intentioned. While making a case for Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to take action A UN convention, signed by India, defined against Modi, Gupta cited, of all things, what he saw as genocide in 1948 as mass violence committed with ‘damage control’ started immediately by Rajiv Gandhi, ‘intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, in 1984: ‘The Congressmen whose names surfaced, or ethnical, racial or religious group, as such’. In an were even popularly mentioned in connection with uncanny transposition of the figures of that year, the killings, all paid the price. Political careers of Delhi had its tryst with genocide in 1984. HKL Bhagat, Jagdish Tytler, and Sajjan Kumar, never recovered from the taint of 1984 although nobody But there was little consciousness of genocide was ever convicted.’ In reality, the political careers of in the public discourse of that period, despite Bhagat and Tytler, far from suffering on account of ‘the Rajiv Gandhi’s infamous attempt to shrug off state taint of 1984’, blossomed as if they had been rewarded responsibility by dismissing the massacre of 3,000 for engineering the violence. Having won the 1984 Sikhs in three days as the tremors caused by “the election under the shadow of the carnage, Rajiv Gandhi fall of a mighty tree.” immediately promoted Bhagat to the rank of cabinet The first time Indian parliament and courts ever minister, and inducted Tytler into the government for saw any serious debate on the question of genocide the first as minister of state. Both remained in the Rajiv Gandhi government till the end of its tenure in 1989. was in the context of the 2002 carnage in Gujarat, in which (officially) 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus If such facts failed to register in the minds of opinion were killed, and 223 persons went missing over three makers such as Gupta and Varshney, it is indicative of months. the extent of misinformation on the 1984 carnage and its aftermath. In a larger perspective, this shows that for all The Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party the material progress made by India, its legal culture is (BJP), which had presided over the 2002 carnage, still far from developed. If the struggle for justice could sought to counter charges of genocide by citing one not secure the conviction of a single political leader or telling contrast with the 1984 carnage: almost all the police officer; if so many institutions collapsed during casualties in Delhi were of a minority community, and after the 1984 carnage; if Delhi set a precedent for while scores of Hindus were killed in Gujarat in mass killings in Gujarat, the civil society cannot escape police firing. The Congress camp took refuge in an blame for lack of ‘due diligence’, and for neglecting the equally striking contrast: the Delhi massacre was duty of ‘eternal vigilance’. controlled in three days, while the Gujarat carnage Despite all the setbacks, the tale of this two-decade dragged on for three months……… struggle is, thankfully, not entirely of despair. It has Given the hostility displayed towards Sikhs by had its moments of consolation: when prosecution for the Rajiv Gandhi government in so many blatant murder was brought against Bhagat and Sajjan Kumar; ways in aftermath of the carnage, Varshney, (a US- when Bhagat was detained for a while during his trial; based political scientist)it would seem, could not when Tytler was forced to resign as a minister after possibly have had that crucial and prolonged phase being indicated by a judicial inquiry; when Prime of the Congress rule in mind when he noticed signs Minister Manmohan Singh apologised in parliament of repentance in the party. But, strangely enough, for the event even if that came twenty years too late. he referred to actions of that very phase while The losses have been substantial; the gains, trying to substantiate his theory that the Congress symbolic. The challenge now is to make those gains Party had undergone a change of heart. more systemic and enduring.

“Extreme Steps ?” Lashing out at the judiciary in “delaying justice” for victims of “It is a shame for India that even after 23 years the guilty are the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, the All India Sikh Conference free and we have to carry out demonstrations to seek justice,” vowed on 31 October 2007 to take “extreme steps” if justice AISC president Gurcharan Singh Babbar said. “Should we was not delivered. go to Pakistan or the United States for justice? We have filed The protesters accused the government of “deliberately several petitions but the government has not acted. We ask the NISHAAN botching the issue” to shield “its men” from being government to take suomoto action in the matter otherwise our punished. silence can spiral out of control,” he warned. 61 62 NISHAAN Grace is bestowed bestowed is Grace Truth in Immersed is mind the When mind. in Truth The keep Always Remember anchor. the become Truth disappears Duality Truth. Enshrine Truth Live Truth Speak Truth Think answer: The Anand? this Experience one does How question: My divine. is All serene is All Truth this With resonates mind My Within. Teacher’ True The ‘ found have I mother my me, Hear says: Guru The Truth.’ The – Sat ‘The by Blessed bliss inner the of reflection A Sahib Anand soul. my Fills Sahib Anand of bani The ….. drifts mind My sets Twilight Guru Sat The The Psalm of Bliss of Psalm The Anand Sahib Anand There is only Truth. only is There “I” no is There limited is mind The infinite is Truth regrets. no be there Let comes Call the when For Truth in Remain mind beloved My O Truth. with Imbued one To powerless are Mohines and Maya obtained. be cannot Truth mind of cleverness Through Truth. in lives Who one In Word The Truth. in Live in Live Grace. Bestows Truth only For barter no be can There pure be must Devotion within. Rings Melody Unstruck The Anhad Arrives. Sukh Dooth Panch the Mastering show. passing a Is else All Giver. only The Truth To life your Dedicate Anand experiences One – bliss. – Hukam resonates Outwardly Inwardly Noble Be Pure Be gamble. a In life precious this looses One pure Outwardly polluted Inwardly soul. the Pollute actions Contrived arguments Clever rituals Meaningless see. to all For Gurmukh A From Radiates Truth Gurmukh. A Into Evolves householder A whispers Word The experienced. is Truth Door Guru’s the Through path. This walk one makes Truth hair. a than Finer sword a than Sharper Equipoise of path A path distinct A walk Seekers Truth. the living By bestowed is Which Truth of nectar The Nectar Divine The seek Seekers There is no no is There Truth Without deaths Countless births Countless Evolve. Surrender Meditate sincere Be reside. To Truth For Truth my natural being. natural my Truth source my is Truth life this me gave Truth mother my Through Truth. to Wedded awake Be Essence Core the Find cause. the Not effects are These deeds. virtuous and evil Discuss texts Ancient Are the the Are Truth this realise who Those pluralities. Comes Oneness From priceless. becomes mind The jewel this with Imbued diamonds. with Studded jewel the is Word The Truth. the Experience spiritually Evolve Truth the Forever Truth the is Bani Gurmukhs mukti . . Why dissociate I am The life Numerous forms From Truth a That radiates Numerous names The giver and Child of Truth. The Truth All manifestations The sustainer of life. Is blessed. Of the Truth. My mother and father Connected to Truth O My eyes Are physical Truth I blossom It is Truth Manifests life manifestations I bloom That placed Truth Of the Truth. Disconnected The Light in you. Sustains life I wither away. Truth By the Rise Concludes life. The fire in the womb Grace of Truth Envision Creates the physique Some understand The Light This The same fire This reality. In all. Truthful Melody Shapes the mind. Resides within Those beings Be unattached The purified mind. Born pure Living this world To form One gets attached Are not Search for Experiencing The Melody within To desires Of this world. The essence. And forgets All desires The Truth. Truth Graces Are fulfilled. Truth has arrived Blindness disappears Priceless My mind is joyful Divine vision Truth (The One) Is the Truth My heart sings One receives. Is realised. It cannot My body an altar. Be traded. O My ears Separation Suffering You were created Sorrow Depart. Priceless Sadness To hear The beings Vanish. The Truth. In whose heart Imbued Resides the Truth. Listen In Truth The Unstruck Melody Absorb One I hear within. Truth the treasure Experience Becomes pure. Mind the seeker Divinity. Simran the path O My body Says Nanak: To this wealth. Having come into this Truth I bow to the feet world Created Of the one O My tongue What have you earned? Cradled Who hears Worldly tastes Gave The Divine Melody Within. Will leave you Engrossed in worldly The breath of life. Unquenched. affairs Revealing My head falls You abandoned Pure satisfaction The nine doors Tears flow The One Is Keeping Shukar That created you. Being Graced The tenth hidden. Shukar By the Truth. Shukar Blessed are those Spiritual wisdom

Truth That enshrine Enables one Guru ang sung ! NISHAAN Is The Truth To perceive Inni Kaur My Creator. In this consciousness. The Tenth door. 2007 63 64 NISHAAN the the Sir, come to the fore, making him a sceptic and a cynic. a and sceptic a him to have must making mind fore, Thomas the his to was doubting come a apply as It to character his Nanak. sought he Guru scriptures, Sikh of whenever that that like surprising faith not must another understand, to interpret, claim should less may faith faith, or One loses who religion one mind. own that his his in surprising of is It earlier framing value. had face the at These that in take role Bible. the powerful lost and a also Christ played had he that Christianity, showed in autobiography, That faith his in agnostic. in an PhD his become admission had for own he his Nanak to Guru on according wrote 1960s, he time the By its malice. and Government agency. intelligence powerful external a the of including setup, Sikhism, support intelligence and the Sikhs had the also against only bias but not which powerful Batala, a lobby College, Hindu developed had rabid Christian with working Union secondly, and first Baring Punjab the connections, at Padree ‘Goras’ powerful Christian with had as started Zealand, who New from agnostic an is McLeod WH on based ! ownership or distinction disinformation and writings” misinformation. own critical sharply his been have of that publications provides to “even bibliography references McLeod credit his To comprehensive a materials. source of containing section a third against entries baked dictionary. half the in him included and give topics of host to misguided continues for credit fundamentals, Mcleod’s negated dogma. of tainted and the views host his said a less about better by therefore, and, debated scholars Sikh and recognised well questioned vociferously been on emphasis his agenda. hidden some of pursuit in of intentionally or pursuit interpretation; traditional in vis-à-vis investations sceptical unintentionally, either faith of Sikh – the agenda of facets avowed certain a about with doubts disseminating perhaps his – spent research indeed in has time controversies McLeod life Prof of Hugh by that catalogue him, made by the created from inferences appears and It McLeod. statements basic the some of to author the to opposition his indicated has kind he again, and than Time he dictionary. more instance, been this in have but to of reviewers, seems the scholarship of one and Singh, highest IJ objectivity the Dr the has for One regard ! and bemused respect more even but confused by WH On the one McLeod. review through going is somewhat authored Sikhism’ of Dictionary ‘Historical publication Your attention is drawn to the article on page 59 of of 59 page on article the to drawn is attention Your WH Mcleod has written profusely on the Sikhs, but with with but Sikhs, the on profusely written has Mcleod WH Studies, Sikh of Journal the from extracted As for Gurgaon qualifies Singh, Anup hardly etc. Yours ‘dictionary’ this Actually, the is contribution worthwhile only the Perhaps, vigorously having after Singh, IJ Dr However, has investigations” “sceptical in pursuit McLeod’s Nishaan issue (I/2006) wherein there is a review of the the of review a is there wherein (I/2006) issue RESPONSE READER’S RESPONSE READER’S

Sir, article. wonderful a Rattan Singh of Mehli – a printer’s devil, I presume. Bhai means he perhapsthat, By well. as Singh Baran Bhai of time. of ravages 1947, the by in destroyed country of the records also his of of one were had as we partition Moti, such before Bhai Long Rababis including some recorded. famous Roora, some Bhai when later, Boora, bit Bhai Kale that a the Ustad or at is as nearly time 1904, such same fact during music recorded were The Kasoor classical of Khan Moti. Indian of Bhai stalwarts to relating a name to Singh, Mehli, Dal of Bhai Singh recorded. Baran never Moti, were few Bhai Bhai and Ram, Chand Singh Bhai Harnam Pt.Nathu Ustad Jammu, Bux, Karim of Mian Singh, Singh, Sunder Sher Bhai Singh, Bhai Jwala Bhai as such times those posterity. for job wonderful a doing been has who appeared Singh Baldeep Bhai to listen which or read to treat a always is Singh It indeed. Baldeep Bhai by in Rabab’ the of Sir, York are just stunning. stunning. just are York swaying. is beard the way Ferozepore, with the query whether the Journal has has Journal the whether field. query educational the the into out branched with Ferozepore, photographs! clicking world the around going career, Nishaan’s Ilford, Essex (UK) Essex Ilford, Kanwal Singh Balbir etc. Yours such writing for Sahib Bhai congratulate I again, Once In the same article, the learned scholar mentions the name discrepancy small a out pointing for me forgive But of exponents finest the of some that writes he Therein ‘Distinction on article the interest with read have I Photograph sent by a Nishaan reader driving to to driving reader Nishaan a by sent Photograph York New Nishaan The photographs taken of the Sikh Sikh the of taken photographs The IK Dhingra IK etc. Yours II/2007 : I absolutely love the cover ! Love the the Love ! cover the love absolutely I : II/2007 issue IV/2006. That is a wonderful article, article, wonderful a is That IV/2006. issue Nishaan’s Todi photographer has a new new a has photographer in our house which was was which house our in d ay parade in New New in parade ay