International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue-01 January 2018

The Origin of Sikh Sovereignty in ’s Amit Research scholar, Dept. Of History MDU, Rohtak

ABSTRACT the Punjab. The conversion of Banda into In the first decade of eighteenth century the is not conformed, neither by leadership of Punjab was handover to Banda contemporary nor by later historians. Sainapat, Singh Bahadur by last Guru, Guru Gobind a contemporary historian does not say Singh. Banda established an organized system anything about Banda or his conversion to during his short span of political career. Sikh Sikhism. Banda marched towards north with scattered after the martyrdom of Banda Singh immediate objects to punish , the Bahadur because of anti-Sikh Farmans of the Faujdar of Sirhind, who had cruelly murdered then Governor of Punjab. They established on the Guru’s younger sons and was probably hills, in dessert and the plan land of northern responsible for the murder of the Guru, and to Indian for some time. With the weakening of chastise the hill Rajas who had fought for Mughal central governance due to the years against Guru. repeated invasions and the rising power of Banda’s career was brief. His first Marathas, got an opportunity to gather important exploit was capture of Samana in power and resettlement under the banner of November 1709; he was captured in . Gurmatta and SarbatKhalsawere December 1715 and executed in June 1716. made foundations for sovereignty in state. His struggle began in the reign of Bahadur st Sikh gathered in form of twelve organized Shah 1 and ended in the reign of Farrukh- groups, which called . Functioning of Siyyar. He conquered Sarhind, where the these Misls continued for forty years until the younger sons of Guru Gobind had been end of eighteenth century. Later in the first cruelly murdered by WazirKhan, invaded the decade of nineteenth century almost all Sikh Gangetic Doab, occupied the Jullundur Doab, groups were emerged in SukerchakiaMisl and and, driven by the Mughal forces, took refuge formulate a Sikh state under the leadership of in the hills. He took his last stand at . GurdasNangal, where he was taken prisoner by the imperial General AbdusSamad Khan. Carried to , he was executed with Keywords: - Tat Khalsa, Farman, , horrible tortures, glorying, till the last in Gurmatta, SarbatKhalsa,Granth, Faujdar, Raja, having raised us by God to be the scourge of Guru, Islam,Panth, Baisakhi, Jagir, , the iniquities and oppressions of the age. TarunaDal, Budha Dal, ,Rakhi, Banda was the first among the Sikh to Jagirdar, Tabedari, Misldar. think of founding a political Raj. The spiritual leadership was vested in the Granth and it come to be known as ‘The Guru Granth’. The temporal leadership was assumed by Banda Contents - under instructions from . In the beginning of eighteenth century, The political aspectsof Banda’s struggle is Lachman Das submitted to Guru Gobind clear from the issue of coins and his Singh, became his disciple and accepted from administrative measures in the occupied him a commission to continue the struggle territories. He drove away the Mughal against Mughal Government. He rose to the officials and appointed his own men to take position of the commander of Khalsa, now charge. But it is hardly correct to saythat all known as Banda Singh, preceded to Punjab to

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Sikhs were united under Banda Singh The Gurmatta is symbol and form of Bahadur. The movement became almost supreme authority of the collective will of the entirely a peasant movement because business people duly formulated. The system of people and even other rich people who were Gurmatta developed during the years of crisis, the fold of Sikhism began to feel that the Sikh which followed Banda’s death. Apart from movement was taking a dangerous turn and Mughal persecution, the community suffered left it either wholly or partially. Banda’s from internal dissensions. The staunch success gives a revolutionary effect in the followers of Guru Gobind Singh, who come to mind of Sikh people, a will was created in the be known as the ‘Tat Khalsa’, had a basic ordinary masses to resist tyranny and die a disagreement with those who believed that cause. personal Guruship had not been abolished by After Banda’s fall Farrukh-Siyyar him and regarded their own preceptor as Guru. directed that every Sikh falling intothe hand of There were two prominent groups belonging his officers should be put to the sword on to the later category. Many groups emerged, refusal to embrace Islam. AbdusSamad Khan, the community was weakened by the as a Persian chronicler says, ‘ filled that emergence of these groups, but gradually the extensive plain with blood as if it had been a Tat Khalsa gained the upper hand and the dish’. The cruel policy drove many Sikhs to resistance to the Mughal government seek shelter in hills and jungles. Only those continued. who had not adopted the outward symbols of Zakariya Khan, who succeeded his father Sikhism did not leave their homes. Gradually AbdusSamad Khan as Governor of in the policy of extermination was modified and 1726, made an attempt to conciliate Sikhs. He the refugee Sikhs returned to their homeland. offered them Jagirs and title of Nawab. After An organizational problem arose: there several refusals these were accepted by Kapur was neither a Guru nor a leader to guide the Singh Fyzyllapuria with the consent of the community. The spiritual leadership had been Khalsa, which seems to have been expressed vested in the Guru Granth. In pursuance to through a Gurmatta in 1733. Henceforth he Gobind Singh’s statement that he would be was known as NawabKapur Singh and present in any corporation assembly of the recognized as leader of the community. Sikhs Sikhs animated by the spirit of Khalsa, the formed the , with two sections: temporal leadership was vested in the Sikh Budha Dal (army of elders), led by congregation, which collectively formed the NawabKapur Singh; the Taruna Dal (army of Panth.Thus there were two Gurus; side by side young), which was split up into five groups called Guru Garanth and Guru Panth; but the under different leaders. The two sections kept essential link between them - the basic unity together by the supervision of NawabKapur of leadership – was indicated by a new Singh, who enjoyed general respect both as practice. The Sikh congregation would meet, secular and spiritual leader. The operations of with holy Granth in their midst and the Taruna Dal alarmed the Mughal deliberating over questions of common government and the Jagir was confiscated in interest would gave their decisions in the form 1735. Persecution was renewed. The temple of of resolutions, called ‘Gurmatta’. All Sikhs was taken into possession. Bhai were expected to receive them as decisions of Mani Singh, a scholar of Guru Gobind Singh’s the Guru and any attempt to contravene them time, suffered martyrdom. Once again many was looked upon as an act of sacrilege. Such Sikhs left their homes and sought shelter in meetings of the whole people called Siwalik Hills, Lakh Jangal and the desert of ‘SarbatKhalsa’ were to be held twice a year, Rajasthan. on the occasions of Baisakhi and Diwali. Political changes in Lahore and the first invasion of Ahmad Shah Abdali placed the

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officers of Punjab in the hand of Mir Mannu took place in 1766-67, and achieved no in April 1748. This situation was favorable to permanent result; whatever the Sikhs lost the Sikhs. They occupied Amritsar and on the during his presence in Punjab they regained as day of Baisakhi, the aged leader soon as he turned his back. Sikhs utilized in NawabKapoor Singh was replaced by Jassa extending and consolidating their power. The Singh as a supreme commander of territories occupied by Sikhs were divided Dal Khalsa. Sikhs built a mud fort near among small territories called ‘Misls’, which Ramsar and called it Ram Rauni after the were twelve and each of them had a chief who name of . It was intended to owed no allegiance to any of other chiefs. The serve as a base of military operations and to Sutlaj divided the Misls into two geographical protect the shrine. Several - the groups. forerunner of the Misls were organized and During the last three decades of their leaders began to establish control over eighteenth century the central theme in the different parts of central Punjab. history of Sikhs is mutual struggle for As a result of Ahmad Shah Abdali’s third ascendancy. The chief of the Misl abandoned invasion (1751-52), Punjab was practically the ideal of commonwealth and looked upon loose to ; it became a part of themselves as political rivals rather than as Afghan empire. The Sikh war of independence fighters for a common cause. During the Misl took a new turn. The Sikhs were henceforth period the Sikhs worked through one concerned not so much with much the Mughal extraordinary institution, the SarbatKhalsa, government as the Abdali and his and extraordinary system, the Gurmatta, representatives and allied in . Mir which they had given into themselves. The Mannu’s death (November 1753) left the SarbatKhalsa symbolized the union these de Punjab in a state of lawlessness. This aided to facto kings for a common purpose, viz. the number of converts to Sikhism and defence of the common wealth against Afghan strengthened the Dal Khalsa. Before and aggression and extensive of its boundaries. during Ahmad Shah Abdali’s fourth invasion The last session of SarbatKhalsa in 1805 (1756-57), the Sikhs strengthened their marked the formal and confederalism. The position in different ways. The leading process of absorption of one Misl by another, built forts in their respective domains. Ahmad which had began earlier, reached its Shah Abdali left these territories in charge of culmination under the Sukarchakia banner. his son Timur Shah. The extraordinary political system had A new complication was introduced into room for different types of landlords whose the confused political situation by the invasion position might be described in general terms of the Punjab by Marathas, at the invitation of as feudal. The , who had been Adina Beg Khan, the crafty and generally Pro- holding land since the days of Mughals, Sikh Faujdar of Jullundur. The Marathas purchased security by payment of Rakhi. The entered Lahore in April 1758. Marathas were Jagirdars, who were usually relations and not having essential to run government so they favored companions of the chief, enjoyed left Punjab in charge of Adina Beg Khan, but grants on condition of rendering personal Adina died in 1758. Ahmad Shah Abdali re- service and supplying a stipulated number of established he authority in the province and equipped horses. Failure to fulfill the term won a great victory on the Marathas in the rendered to Jagir like to resumption. Tabedari battle of Panipat in January 1761. After some tenure was held by a person who was time Abdali left Punjab. After the departure of completely subordinate to the chief; it could Abdali, Sikh entered Lahore and Jassa Singh be resumed for disobedience. The chief did Ahluwalia was proclaimed king with the title not interfere ijZamindarsnadJagirdars relations of Sultan-ul-Quam. Abdali’s last invasion with their tenants, but probably the

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Tabedariwere less free in this respect. Apart baggage of Sikhs. The rapidity of their from these three classes of landlords, grants in marching is incredible. This method gave the form of revenue free villages were made to them a high dividend in the long war against Akalis, the religious and charitable grants Afghans. were made by way of endowments for The disintegration of the confederal and temples. system began as early as seventies. The In last decades of eighteenth century there territorial power of Misl chiefs weakened the was no central government. Any enterprising spirit of democracy. The SarbatKhalsa individual could collect a few followers and degenerated into an assembly of chiefs began to plunder and siege villages, which engaged in an unseemly scramble for were nominally under Afghan rule. Success territories, and the Gurmatta expressed their brought him new followers; in those days of will rather than the general will of Khalsa as a confusion and uncertainty men were prepared whole. Political ambition divided the Misl to join the hand of , whom they chiefs into rival groups, each bent upon regarded as competent leader on grounds of territorial aggrandizement at the cost of others. velour, experience and wealth. At first the Instead of trying to recover the borderland booty was divided in a democratic manner, but held by Afghans, they became engaged in a Sardars got a large share than the common scramble for shares in territories, which had horsemen. Those Sardars who achieved the already been brought under the banner of greatest success and occupied large tracts commonwealth. The shadow of Ranjit Singh became the chiefs ofMisls and rose gradually was clouding the Punjab even in the early to the monarchical position. Under them arose eighties although the ‘self seeking free- a class of subordinate chiefs known as Misldar booting nobles’ did not know. who held lands on condition of military service. They were free to transfer themselves with their possessions from one Misl to References: - another. To a different category belonged [1] Ganda Singh, Comprehensive History Jagirdars to whom allotments of lands were of India, vol.9, p.231. made by the Misl chief out of his own portion. [2] I. Banerjee, Evolution of Khalsa, vol.2, As stated above, the special position of the pp.145, 152. Misldar virtually converted each Misl into [3] Rose, Grossary of the Tribes and small confederacy. It is not a little surprising Castes of Punjab and North-West Province, that this loose confederal system should serve vol.1, p. 698. for about years despite inter Misal struggle, [4] I. Banerjee, op. cit., vil. 2, pp. 147-151. the continuity of Afghan threat and the [5] S. S. Gandhi, History of , p. Maratha intrusion into Cis- region. 465. The military system of Sikhs had two [6] Ganda Singh, The Sikh Review; special features. First their army had an Khushwant Singh, History of Sikhs, vol.1, p. overwhelming preponderance of . 90. Second special feature was tactics with aimed [7] Fauja Singh, Some Aspects of State at wearing out the enemy by drawing him into and Society Under Ranjit Singh, p. 29. a trap by trick fight and then falling upon him [8] The Sikh Review, April 1982. quite suddenly. Horses they use were of fine [9] Ganda Singh, op. cit. p. 249. quality. They have no tents, their cakes of [10] Ibid, p. 247. flour serve as dishes as plates. Each horseman [11] Ibid, p. 249. has two blankets: one for himself and another [12] Macauliffe, The Sikh Religion, vol. 5, for his horse, kept beneath the saddle. These p. 206. with the grain bag and heel-rope comprise the [13] Mill, , vol. 2, p. 303.

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[14] Irvine, Later Mughals, vol. 1, pp. 98- 99. [15] N. K. Sinha, Rise of Sikh Power, p. 2. [16] PremSumarg, Teja Singh, Sikhism; Its Ideals and Institutions, p. 32. [17] Kapur Singh, Baisakhi of Guru Gobind Singh, p. 328. [18] Macauliffe, op. cit., vol. 2, p. 307. [19] Dodwell(ed.), The Cambridge History of India, vol. 5, p. 601.

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