PAYING OBEISANCE TO THE MARTYRS OF THE MASSACRE AT SRI NANKANA SAHIB ON FEBRUARY 21, 1921
Until the beginning of the twentieth century the main historical Gurdwaras were under the control of mahants. It may be added that originally the superior of a religious establishment was called a mahant. In earlier days the word mahant referred to the leaders of Nath deras. But during the 18th and 19th centuries many Gurdwaras were occupied by hereditary controllers who became virtual owners of their respective Gurdwaras and came to be known as mahants. Many of them were not initiated Sikhs, they were self-seekers and started exploiting the funds attached to the Gurdwaras and started using the funds for their pleasure and immoral activities.
During the Mughal rule the Sikhs were ousted from the Gurdwaras and as such udasi (members of a sect of Sikhs detached with the worldly pleasures) and Nirmalas (a sect of Sikhs) started taking care of the Gurdwaras. During this period because of the Mughal oppression the Sikhs were driven out of their homes to seek safety in remote hills and deserts. The tyranny of Mughals culminated in Chhota Ghallughara (March – June, 1946) and Wadda Ghallughara (Feb 5, 1762) in each of which appropriately 40, 000 Sikhs were martyred.
The Britishers knew fully well that the Gurdwaras had a deep influence on the life and practices of Sikhs. A fear lurked in their mind that if the mahants are removed from the Gurdwaras and the control of the Gurdwaras is handed over to the Sikhs it could cause a threat to their political power. Hence, they created a rapport with the mahants and encouraged them to use the Gurdwaras as if it was their personal property. The mahants started acting as touts of British rulers and started immoral activities within the Gurdwara premises. Under these circumstances the Sikh leaders decided to end up the immoral activities of the mahants and organized a Gurdwara Reform Campaign named Akali Dal Akali Dal. was given the responsibility to fight for the rights of Sikhs and oust the mahants from the Gurdwaras. Under the guidance of Akali Dal several morchas (agitations) were organized wherein the British Government was challenged and encounters were organized with the mahants. During these encounters the Sikhs had to undergo gruesome tortures at the hands of mahants.
During this period the mahants acted as touts of the Mughal empire and started considering the Gurudwara property as their personal property. They were given a free hold by the Mughal rulers to do anything and everything as per their wishes disregarding the tenets of Sikh religion. The hold of the Sikhs on Gurdwaras weakened.
During the Sikh rule lump sum properties were attached to the Gurdwaras to bear the expenditure. Especially the historical Gurdwaras were endowed with land grants. Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839) made an endowment of about 20, 000 acres of land to Sri Nankana Sahib Gurdwara the sacred birth place of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first prophet - teacher of the Sikhs for maintenance of langar (community kitchen).
After the fall of the Sikh rule in 1849, Punjab came under British control. The British Government entrusted the management of the shrines at Amritsar and Tarn Taran Sahib to Sarbarah or manager appointed by the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar. The role of the manager was however confined to general supervision, the priests being autonomous in the conduct of religious affairs. The priests were not initiated Sikhs and did not care about the Sikh tenets and Sikh tradition.
The Britishers knew fully well that the Gurdwaras had a deep influence on the life and practices of Sikhs. A fear lurked in their mind that if the mahants are removed from the Gurdwaras and the control of the Gurdwaras is handed over to the Sikhs it could cause a threat to their political power. Hence, they created a rapport with the mahants and encouraged them to use the Gurdwaras as if it was their personal property. The mahants started acting as touts of British rulers and started immoral activities within the Gurdwara premises. Under these circumstances the Sikh leaders decided to end up the immoral activities of the mahants and organized a Gurdwara Reform Campaign named Akali Dal Akali Dal. was given the responsibility to fight for the rights of Sikhs and oust the mahants from the Gurdwaras. Under the guidance of Akali Dal several morchas (agitations) were organized wherein the British Government was challenged and encounters were organized with the mahants. During these encounters the Sikhs had to undergo gruesome tortures at the hands of mahants.
Before the massacre at Sri Nankana Sahib which took place on February 20, 1921, at Tarn Taran Sahib which is 24 kms south of Amritsar the mahants disallowed the holding of Kirtan (hymn singing) and also insulted several women. When this information reached Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, one jatha reached Tarn Taran Sahib. The mahant at Tarn Taran Sahib played a foul game. On one hand he promised to compromise and on the other got ready for an encounter. Thus on January 27, 1921 at Tarn Taran Sahib in the evening when the Sikhs reached the Gurdwara Sahib to pay their obeisance the mercenaries of the mahant invaded them with small axes. broad axes with long helve and battle axes, simultaneously some mercenaries of the mahant stationed on a higher plinth started pelting bricks and stones on the Sikhs During this invasion by the mahant’s hooligans 16 Sikhs. were injured and two Dr. Hazara Singh and Bhai Hukam Singh were martyred. In the sacred memory of Dr. Hazara Singh and Bhai Hukam Singh close to Sri Darbar Sahib, Tarn Taran Sahib a monument has been erected.
At Sri Nankana Sahib the then mahant Narain Das crossed all bounds in organizing immoral activities within the premises of the Gurdwara Sahib. He started using the huge income for his voluptuousness. He kept one prostitute in his house and also misbehaved with many other women who came to the Gurdwara Sahib to pay their obeisance. His two predecessor mahants (i) mahant Sadhu Ram and (ii) mahant Kishan Das were also very corrupt persons. Mahant Sadhu Ram was an immoral person and a drunkard. After his death mahant Kishan Das who was a gambler and drunkard took over the charge. He made many promises with the Sikhs but did not stick to them. After his death mahant Narain Das, who took the charge of the Gurdwara Sahib was the worst of all. On a request by the Sikh sangat he promised before a Magistrate that he will not indulge in immoral activities but did not stick to his promise. He proved to be an extremely evil and voluptuous person. He made the premises of the Gurdwara Sahib as a place of merry making and adda (specified place of vice) of fun and frolic. During 1917 he arranged a dance by a prostitute within the premises of Sri Nankana Sahib Gurdwara. Out of the mahants, mahant Narain Das was the richest and the most corrupt person. The Sikhs submitted many request petitions to the British Government but were not given any heed. His immoral activities became highlighted when in 1918, two cases of molestation of women pilgrims were reported.
During 1918, a retired Sindhi officer came to Sri Nankana Sahib with his family to pay obeisance where a disciple of the mahant raped his 13-year-old daughter. The mahant ignored the incident. During the same year six women of Jharakan Wala Ilaqa of Lyalpur who came to Sri Nankana Sahib to pay obeisance were raped by the disciples of the mahant. When the mahant was asked to intervene he said that this Gurdwara is our personal shop, so do not send your women folk here.
On October 5, 1920 a Sikh shrine Gurdwara Babe Di Ber at Sialkot was liberated from the priestly control and taken over by the Sikhs which marked the beginning of the Gurdwara Reform Movement.
In October, 1920 a congregation of Sikh leaders was held in village Dharowali, District Sheikhupura (now named District Nankana Sahib) about 146 miles south of Islamabad, Bhai Lachaman Singh Dharowali who had played a significant rule in the liberation of the Gurdwara in Tarn Taran Sahib and other places came forward to play a leading rule. In this congregation a resolution was passed to bring reform at Sri Nankana Sahib. Simultaneously Mahant Narain Das started collecting 500 men every day from the surrounding villages. He organized a meeting of the mahants in other Gurdwara Sahibs numbering 60 to counteract the efforts of the Sikhs. He collected a sum of Rs. 60 thousand and bought weapons with this money which included explosive gun powder, bullets, small axes, broad axes with long helve, battle axes with long and broad blade long helve, tins of kerosene oil and wood.
Bhai Waryam Singh who had been deputed by the Sikhs to keep an eye on the activity of Mahant Narain Das informed Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabbar about everything. The Sikhs decided to have an encounter with the mahant before their conference scheduled to be held in March 1921 because the mahant was expected to be away at Lahore to attend a traditional conference. On February 6, 1921 in a special congregation a committee consisting of five Sikhs (i) Bhai Lachhaman Singh Dharowali (1885-1921) (ii) Bhai Dalip Singh Sangla (iii) Bhai Teja Singh Samundri (iv) Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabbar (v) Bhai Bakhshish Singh was formed which was made responsible to organize a congregation and make langar arrangements for langar.
On February 17, 1921 a meeting was held at Gurdwara Sachcha Sauda Sahib which was attended by Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabbar, Bhai Lachhman Singh Dharowali and Bhai Boota Singh Lyallpur.
In this meeting it was decided that Bhai Boota Singh should reach Sri Nankana Sahib with his jatha in the morning of February 19, 1921 and Bhai Lachhman Singh Dharowali with his jatha should reach Chander Kot 8 kms north of Nankana Sahib in the night where Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabbar will meet him with his jatha and hence forth both the jathas will march together towards Sri Nankana Sahib and reach there on February 20, 1921.
It was decided that all the three jathas should reach Sri Nankana Sahib on February 20, 1921. To counteract the efforts of the Sikhs the Mahant put up a new proposal of a meeting with the Sikh leaders but he did not reach the scheduled venue. Becoming aware of the deceitful intentions of the Mahant, to evade the situation of encounter the Sikhs decided to postpone their actions against the Mahant. Steps were taken to stop the jatha led by Bhai Lachhman Singh Dharowali which included about 200 Sikhs. The jatha led by S. Kartar Singh Jhabbar was stopped at the artificial water fall of Chanders Kot, But before the decision of the Sikh leaders to postpone their action reached Bhai Lachman Singh Dharowali who was unaware of the hooliganism organized by the Mahant had done ardas (prayer) for action and as per Sikh tradition once ardas has been done, no steps can be taken to withdraw Thus it was decided
not to postpone the programmer. Bhai Lachhman Singh Dharowali along with a jatha of approximately 200 Sikhs reaches Sri Nankana Sahib on the morning of Feb 20, 1921. In addition to Sri Nankana Sahib Gurdwara six other Gurdwaras in the town had been under the control of udasi priests ever since the Sikhs had been driven out of their homes by the Mughal oppression to seek safety in remote hills and deserts. On the morning of February 20, 1921 as soon as the jatha of Bhai Lachhman Singh including 200 Sikhs entered the Sacred Shrine at about 6:00 a.m. 400 mercenaries which included Pathans and notorious criminals like Ranjha and Rehana armed with lethal weapons fell upon the Sikhs who were peacefully chanting the sacred hymns. As soon as the jatha entered the premises of the sacred Gurdwara Sahib Mahant Narain Das got the exit door closed.
According to an eye witness on receiving the news of the arrival of the jatha outside the main gate Mahant Narain Das with a pistol in his hand and his face muffled up, started prancing up and down on horseback directing the mercenaries to carry on the operation and shouting continuously, “Let not a single long haired Sikh go out alive” It is reported that at this time Bhai Dalip Singh Sahowal a much respected Sikh who was well known to the Mahant tried to intercede to stop the bloody carnage. When Bhai Dalip Singh and Bhai Waryam Singh heard the noise of bullets they hurriedly ran towards the Gurdwara Sahib. Bhai Dalip Singh shrieked at the Mahant to stop this carnage but it was all in vain. The Mahant killed him on the spot with a shot from his pistol. Bhai Dalip Singh was Manager of Khalsa School, Sangla and when the Headmaster of this school forbade the students to attend the congregation at Dharowali he had gone there. Bhai Waryam Singh was cut to pieces with a broad axe with having a long helve and then thrown into a potter’s furnace. Six other Sikhs coming from outside were butchered and thrown into a potter’s kiln.
Bhai Lachman Singh Dhorwali a staunch reformist, a tall and handsome Sikh was sitting in attendance behind Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) holding and waving a whisk over it received a volley of bullets while trying to protect SGGS. Mahant Narain Das dragged Bhai Lachhman Singh Dharowali from his hair and after chopping off his arms and smashing his head on the ground was fastened to the Jand tree nearby and burnt alive by throwing kerosene oil on his body. Other Sikhs were cut to pieces by using small axes, broad axes with long and broad blade and long helve. The bullets were also showed form the roof of an adjoining building. Cruelties were showered on all the members of the Jatha. The total number of Sikhs martyred have been variously estimated, the consensus being 150-200 Sikhs. Some members of the jatha who had taken shelter inside the rooms were dragged out, tied to the jand tree and burnt alive by pouring kerosin oil on them to obliterate all traces of the killed. Mahant’s men burnt the bodies by using kerosene oil and wood.
S. Uttam Singh, the factory owner sent urgent telegrams to the Akali Leaders and Government officers about this gruesome killing of the Sikhs. On February 21, 1921 several prominent Sikhs and an uncountable number of other Sikhs reached Sri Nankana Sahib. The Deputy Commissioner reached the Gurdwara Sahib around noon. By this time some Akali Leaders had also arrived and were agitated over the inaction of the Government officers in providing protection to the peaceful members of the jatha. The Public Prosecutor confirmed that “the Mahant had tried to obliterate
all traces of the killed by burning the corpses “. Lord Reading the Viceroy of India, in his report to the Secretary of State for India also referred to the attempt of the Mahant to burn the bodies.
Mahant Narain Das and his henchmen were arrested and sent to Central Jail, Lahore and the keys of the Gurdwara Sahib were handed over to a committee of seven Sikhs headed by Sarbarah Harbans Singh Atari, Vice President of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Thus the Gurdwara Sahib was handed over to the Alkalis.
In the evening of February, 22, 1921 mass cremation of bodies of the martyrs was done. Charred, mutilated bodies were collected and torn pieces of flesh were picked form wherever they lay in the blood stained chambers. A huge funeral pyre was erected.
Bhai Jodh Singh, a respected Sikh scholar and Leader who offered ardas for the martyrs exhorted the Sikhs “to bear the suffering like their forefathers as a sacrifice without a reproach or curse” and also said that to wash away the crime committed in the Holy Shrine a flood of innocent blood was required.
The news of this gruesome saka got spread like wild fire all over the country. Thousands of Sikhs started going toward Sri Nankana Sahib to have a holy glimpse. Sir Edward Maclagan Governor of Punjab visited the site on February 22, 1921. Hindu and Muslim leaders which included Mahatma Gandhi, Shaukat Ali and Muhammad Ali came to Sri Nankana Sahib. Mahatma Gandhi visited Nankana Sahib on March 3, 1921. While condemning the cruel deed of the Mahant he described the martyrdom of the Akali leaders as an act of national bravery, Professor Ruchi Ram Sahni a Trustee of the Tribune and author of “Struggle for Reform in Sikh Shrines” has described a very touching incident when a very old woman talked to Sir Edward Maclagan, the Governor of Punjab and said “my child, my four sons and a grandson have been massacred. I request you for Justice”. But how can one expect justice.at the hands of a foreign ruler.
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