Sikhs: the soldier saints of 15th century Punjab

Press, 3 November 1984, Page 12

Sikhs: the soldier saints of 15th century Punjab

“New York Times” through NZPA

Sikhism was founded in Punjab in the late fifteenth century by a guru, named Nanak. The name, Sikh, is derived from the Hindi word meaning disciple, and Sikhs regard themselves as disciples of 10 gurus. The first, Guru Nanak, taught a monotheistic creed that blended elements of Islam and Hinduism. He was opposed to the hierarchical Hindu caste system, the Brahmin priestly monopoly over religious matters, idolatry, and much ritual. The fifth guru, Arjun t wrote the Adigranth, the first book of Sikh holy scripture. Gobind Singh, the tenth and last guru, declared that spiritual authority would reside in the Adigranth and in the Khalsa, a “community of the pure” made up of a race of soldier saints Gobind Singh tried to forge the Sikhs into a fighting force. The years after his assassination in 1708 saw ■ constant strife between the Sikhs and the Mogul emperors, who then ruled much of the Indian Subcontinent. By 1802, the Sikhs had

established a State in northern India with its capital at Lahore. They fought both the Muslims in the Punjab and the British, who were then seeking to colonise India and annex Punjab. The Sikhs were finally subdued in 1849, and subsequently supplied many recruits for the British Army. During the Indian Mutiny in 1857, the Sikhs remained loyal to the British and helped suppress the uprising. But after World War I, the sentiment among Sikhs, already discontented by the loss of some of their privileged status, turned against the British. In 1919, General Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to fire into a crowd in the Sikhs’ holy city of Amritsar, killing 1500 people, most of them Sikhs.

The Sikhs supported the passive resistance movement organised by Mohandas K. Gandhi and they, too, turned their energies

toward independence from British rule. The partition of the subcontinent in 1947 into India and Pakistan was preceded by savage Hindu-Muslim riots in which the Sikhs also suffered. Most Sikhs living in Pakistan fled into northern India. The decline in Sikh fortunes, resulting from partition and the loss of many of the remaining privileges that had been extended by the British, led to agitation for a Punjabispeaking province within India. This was realised after the war between India and Pakistan in 1965, but about two years ago a drive began for greater Punjabi political autonomy and Sikh religious rights.

Terrorism accompanying that campaign led last June to an assault by the Indian Army on Sikh militants hiding in the Golden Temple at Amritsar. More than 1000 people, including key mili-

\tant leaders, were killed. \ The Sikh religion now has 'about 14 million followers, ttost of whom live in northIm India. The Sikhs, who mw form 52 per cent of the Rinjab’s population, are efficient grain fanners and sailed businessmen and are considered to have supplied soiie of the world’s best soldiers.

Sfchs accept the Hindu cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, and the idea of kanra, under which the nature of a man’s life is by his actions in a previous life. Their monotheistic deity is variously called Sat-Nam (True Name) and Wah-Guru (Hail Guru). Sikh practices include never cutting the hair or beird, the carrying of a dagger, and the wearing of a bracelet on the right arm. Iri. recent years, Sikh leaders have been concerned about assimilation of younger arid more urbanised Sikhsunto Hinduism.