Image: detail from a painting of a Sikh Warrior by Mortimer Menpes, 1910.
History
The Doughty Defender of Harmandar Sahib
Part I
SARBPREET SINGH
This is the seventh of a series of works on sikhchic.com by the author to mark the 30th anniversary of the Indian Army’s desecration of the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
Author's Note : Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of joining my friend Harinder Singh, CEO and Founder of the Sikh Research Institute at a seminar in Long Island, where we were co-presenters. The subject was the 1984 attack on Harmandar Sahib by the Indian Army. During his presentation on 1984 titled ‘Through a Sikh Lens’, Harinder Singh talked about another attack on Harmandar Sahib that occurred centuries ago by the forces of the Afghan King, Ahmad Shah Abdali and the gallant defence mounted by Akali Gurbaksh Singh and his small band of Sikh defenders. This prompted me to seek out the tale of this attack, as told by Sardar Rattan Singh Bhangu, which this piece is based on. This piece is dedicated to the fine work of The Sikh Research Institute.
It was a time of great turmoil. The peril was grave and imminent. A large, well-armed force was about swoop down upon the Harmandar Sahib.
In its path stood a young man of steely resolve. A man who had decided to resist. Many had fled. Only a few stood shoulder to shoulder with him.
The invading force arrived. It was even larger and more fearsome than had been rumored, but the young man stood his ground. The battle began. The ferocity of the defenders shocked the invading force. Their resistance became the stuff of legend.
The end was inevitable. The young warrior and his comrades lay dead. The invading force captured and desecrated the Harmandar Sahib, as they had set out to do.
Victory, however, eluded the invaders. For the history books until today resound with paeans to the gallantry of the fallen defenders.
Even in death, the defenders, led by the young warrior, carried the day.
This is his story.
No. This is not the story of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his defence of the Akal Takhat against the Indian Army’s onslaught in 1984.
This is the story of Baba Gurbaksh Singh, the Akali warrior who dared to defy the might of the Afghan hordes.
His tiny band was outnumbered. Outgunned. And yet he embraced death like a bridegroom joyously bound for his wedding.
The account is from Rattan Singh Bhangu’s opus, Panth Prakash.
As I savor and translate each verse from Rattan Singh’s rousing tale, several thoughts play in my head. Perhaps on that other fateful day in June 30 years ago, a similar sight was seen in Amritsar by the gallant defenders of the Akal Takht.
Perhaps Bhai Mani Singh and Bhai Taru Singh and their cohort of martyrs long gone, appeared that day too. On shining steeds and in bejeweled chariots with pennants flying to welcome the newest recruits into their ranks! For after all, from a Sikh perspective, there was not much difference between the actions of Ahmad Shah Abdali and Indira Gandhi.
Any student of Sikh history will see a similar pattern, where tyrant after tyrant who sought to ‘teach the Sikhs a lesson’ chose the Harmandar Sahib, the most visible symbol of Sikh sovereignty, as the primary target of their depredations.
EPISODE 156, SRI GURU PANTH PRAKASH
Translator’s note: I have attempted to be more or less faithful to Rattan Singh’s meter, but I would urge my readers who can, to read it in the original. This is not a word by word translation; I have, however, endeavored to faithfully present the narrative and capture the spirit of Rattan Singh’s poetry.
The tale of a martyr, brave Nihang
Who gave his head and Death did wed
And thus the mighty Gurbaksh Singh
Truly did become a king
On the hallowed earth of Amrtisar
Martyrdom did the man embrace
Join with me O gentle ones
As the mighty fallen Nihang I praise
Young man of steel this warrior brave
Steadfast and sober dressed in blue
Rises at dawn and drains his cup
And girds up for the coming day
Prayers are said in early morn
Proud turban does his head adorn
To shining steel he bows his head
Before it’s on his person borne
A chain of steel around his neck
Shining bracelets upon his wrists
Quoits of steel upon his head
Together his impervious shield
Gloves of steel, a mighty club
Breeches that hang down to his knees
On his breast a coat of mail
Resplendent is The Warrior brave
He shall be worthy of this name
To whom is sorrow as is joy
He will be honored as a sage
To whom is comfort as is pain
Steadfast and steady as a rock
Worthy kind generous and brave
Firm of purpose never swayed
By flattery of chief or knave
At the urgent beat of the drum of war
He shrinks not from the fear of death
At the whisper of a threat to his own
Ready to fight till his last breath
And when the time to fight is nigh
He jumps in standard flying high
And as the war drum thrums and growls
In the van The Warrior prowls
From Bhai Mani Singh’s very own hands
He drank the immortal brew of love
By Khemkaran, Leel, a village fair
In Majha lies this lion’s lair
A leader true, always out front
His men forming his glorious train
Wherever he would plant his flag
His men so steadfast would remain
His face toward most holy shrine
In the Timeless Tower he would dwell
Watchful ever his mighty horde
Chanting the name of the Timeless Lord
Hear ye this tale of warrior brave
How he withstood the Afghan might
Of the rampage of the Gilji tribe
My words render that terrible sight
In Bharatpur there was a king
Who sacked the wealth of Agra fair
Made off with two incomparable steeds
Mountains of wealth did his soldiers bring
One hundred laden carts of loot
And yet the treasure house was full
His mighty victory rendered moot
Beaten by the Ruhela Chief
In anger the king’s vengeful son
Resolved to build a mighty host
Caring for treasure not a whit
He built a lethal fighting force
The chief of the Jutts Delhi besieged
Circumscribed the Ruhela Chief
And thus when he was helpless pinned
He turned to Kabul for relief
Seduced by dreams of a ransom rich
Set out a fearsome Afghan force
At the rumor of its coming mere
Amritsar was plunged in fear
To the hills they fled in panicked haste
Only to fuel the bandits’ feasts
Those who sought shelter by the streams
Fell prey to fierce and hungry beasts
Those who dared to stay behind
The Giljis bound with rope and chain
And all of those who left their homes
Found nothing but heartbreak and pain
In forests and in place strange
The fleeing Sikhs in misery dwelt
And pondering their pitiful state
Their pain the mighty warrior felt
The Sikhs gathered for evening prayers
In the shade of the Timeless Tower cool
To leave the town was the sacred writ
Save Warriors by the sacred pool
Was heard the mighty Warrior roar
Is there today one single man?
To valiantly pick up the sword
In the name of the ever glorious Lord
Steadfast and strong, meditative, calm
Truthfully who treads the path
Unselfish brave, to the very core
Like the martyr Taru Singh of yore
The Sikhs then spoke in a single voice
None here is worthier or more brave
You are the one, young warrior strong
The Lord will hear your rousing song
Hearing this then The Warrior bows
His hands in fervent prayer joined
With folded hands and pendent head
The maiden Death agrees to wed
Then sallies forth The Warrior bold
Is there one willing to stand
Beside me in this noble plan?
I shall be groom and he best man
They hear his words rise to their feet
Addressed to him this humble plea
And solemnly they did declare
From the bonds of fear let us be free
Standing now there were many more
Each willing to be a wedding guest
The mighty warrior did declare
In the next world too you will be blest
To be wed I shall give my head
My prize will be kingdoms galore
My wedding guests who with me sing
Each of them too shall be a king
For he who dies a glorious death
Is honored as a royal liege
It’s true it’s what the scripture sayeth
These are the words of the master Tenth
Fearlessly offer up your head
Fear not, divine reward you’ll get
For this is what the Master said
Reiterates The Warrior brave
And Ahmad Shah has reached Lahore
Ramparts of Delhi he will raze
Sikhs gathered in fair Amritsar
Draw the tyrant’s rapine baleful gaze
Making great haste the cowards flee
The Warrior does not stop their flight
His soldiers young, brave hardy souls
Stand girded for the coming fight
Some are resplendent in blue
Others in saffron or dazzling white
By Timeless Tower they proudly stand
They swear to be Abdali’s blight
The heady brew they do partake
Eager to jump into the fray
Ready to die they show no fear
So glorious in their battle gear
Continued tomorrow …
https://twitter.com/sarbpreetsingh
July 11, 2014
Conversation about this article
1: Harinder Singh (Bridgewater, New Jersey, USA), July 11, 2014, 7:14 AM.
Prof. Puran Singh elucidates: "Death is the bride of the brave." I have gone through two English and four Punjabi translations/editions of Rattan Singh's Sri Guru Panth Parkash. The way Sarbpreet Vir ji captured Baba Gurbaksh Singh's episode for the non-Punjabi audience is excellent. I will be sharing it during Sidak when I teach a session on Sikh poetry this summer in British Columbia. By the way, the best available people's history response to Sir David Ochterlony via Capt Murray by Rattan Singh Bhangu is an edition with notes by Dr Balwant Singh Dhillon of Guru Nanak University, published by Singh Brothers.
2: Inni Kaur (Fairfield, Connecticut, USA), July 11, 2014, 9:05 AM.
Thank you, thank you, thank you ... Can't wait for the next instalment.
3: Inderpreet Singh (Chelmsford, Massachusetts, USA), July 11, 2014, 10:11 AM.
Awesome translation! This is the exact episode that is read and studied in its original text during a "Secondary Texts" session within the Gurmukhi 201 course of Sidak. The session is called "Parkash" and is a study of the Bhraj Bhasha genre of Sikh historical texts. Panth Parkash, Suraj Parkash and other texts are surveyed. This year Sidak is being held at the Khalsa Centre in Mission Valley, British Columbia, Canada. Spots still open for Gurmukhi 201. Sign up today!
4: Inderpreet Singh (Chelmsford, Massachusetts, USA), July 11, 2014, 11:35 AM.
Another note - Until recently there was a small memorial to Baba Gurbaksh Singh Nihang and the shahids. It was a smallish gurdwara behind the Akal Takht. Last time I visited in 2011 it was nowhere to be found. Could I have missed it? Is it still there? The physical memorial may or may not be gone, but this story (as well as the '84 episodes) needs to be etched within each young Sikh man and woman's bosom. Share it, bosom to bosom, with your young ones and do it now!
5: Harpreet Singh (Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA), July 11, 2014, 8:10 PM.
In addition to Rattan Singh's powerful narrative, we have a more contemporaneous account of Qazi Nur Muhammad in Persian. The Qazi accompanied Abdali in 1764, and was an eye-witness to the incident. Section 25 of his text has the heading, "Ahmad Shah's March upon Chak Guru and its Destruction." (Chak Guru is a reference to Amritsar.) Here is what Nur Muhammad's account tells us: "When the Shah arrived at the Chak there was not a single kafir to be seen. But a few of them had remained in an enclosure so that they might spill their own blood. And they sacrificed their lives for the Guru. When they saw the renowned king and the army of Islam, they came out of the enclosure. They were only thirty in number. They, however, did not possess even an iota of fear. They had neither the fear of slaughter nor the dread of death." This is, indeed, high praise for one's enemy. There are many other fascinating sections in a largely acidic text that sees Sikhs as dogs, dogs of hell, and pig-eaters. In another section, he describes the remarkable fighting abilities of Sikhs: "If their [Sikhs'] armies take to flight, do not take it as an actual flight. It is a war tactic of theirs. Beware. Beware of them for a second time. The object of this trick is that when the furious enemy runs after them, the enemy is separated from his main army and from his reinforcements. Then they turn back to face their pursuers and set fire even to water." (Section 41). The praise does not end here. At another place the Qazi writes: "Leaving aside their mode of fighting, consider another area in which they [Sikhs] excel all other fighting people: Under no circumstances would they slay a coward or put an obstacle in the way of a fugitive. They do not plunder the wealth and ornaments of a woman, whether she is an affluent lady or a maid servant. There is neither adultery among these dogs, nor do these mischievous people engage in any kind of theft." (From the Jangnamah's 1939 text edited by Ganda Singh.)
6: Kaala (Punjab), July 12, 2014, 6:34 AM.
All tyrants who came to teach us a lesson themselves ended up learning a lesson or two.
7: Jasdeep Singh (Canada), March 07, 2016, 1:52 PM.
It's really nice to see an English translation of the book but it's unfortunate to see it being referred to as "SRI GURU PANTH PRAKASH".