Saka Nankana Sahib
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.
This week marked the 97th anniversary of Saka Nankana Sahib (the massacre of Nankana Sahib). This occurred during February 1921, during the Mahants occupation of Sri Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the birth place of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji (now in Pakistan). The Mahants were handed control of Gurdware around Punjab by the British, and this massacre would constitute the core of the Gurdwara Reform Movement. During the Mahant control, continuous beadbi, in the form of prostitution and intoxicant consumption was performed in the premises of the Gurdwara. There was a case where six Sikh girls, from a local village, had come to the Gurdwara to offer their ardaas on the Puranmashi (full moon), and were raped by the Mahants and Pathans on the very premises of Sri Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. The Khalsa Panth had decided to hold a Diwan at the Gurdwara, to advise the Mahant to hand over control back to the Sikhs, but behind closed doors the Mahant was planning to kill the Sikh leaders, and hired 400 Pathans to carry out this act. A group of Sikhs combined to form the Shaheedi Jatha and together they marched into Gurdwara and reclaimed the Darbar. When the Mahant heard the Jaikaras of the Sikhs he ordered his hooligans to shoot into the Darbar. Up to 200 Sikhs became Shaheed at the hands of these barbaric murderers and bullets were fired into Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj. Jathedar Lachhman Singh Dharowali, one of the main leaders of the Shaheedi Jatha was wounded and then tied to a tree and burnt alive. When the Sikhs from around the district had heard about this, they marched in their thousands towards Nankana Sahib. The commissioner of Lahore, was forced to hand over the Gurdwara back to the Sikhs, and arrest the Mahant along with the Pathans. Some of which were given the death sentence for their part in the massacre of those innocent Sikhs.
Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj writes:
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 1000)
So what can we learn from this sakhi? The Sikhs that marched to their death were so absorbed with Waheguru throughout their lives that they weren't afraid of death. They had to uphold the honour of Gurdwara Nakana Sahib and whilst doing this they remained in Chardi Kala, and even when the likes of Bhai Lachhman Singh were being burnt alive, they kept Akaal Purakh in their mind. This can inspire all of us to absorb ourselves with Waheguru and keep ourselves in Chardi Kala by serving Guru Ji and doing more Simran. By doing this, our fear of death will diminish along with kaam, krodh, lobh, moh and ahankar.
- Daas
This week marked the 97th anniversary of Saka Nankana Sahib (the massacre of Nankana Sahib). This occurred during February 1921, during the Mahants occupation of Sri Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the birth place of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji (now in Pakistan). The Mahants were handed control of Gurdware around Punjab by the British, and this massacre would constitute the core of the Gurdwara Reform Movement. During the Mahant control, continuous beadbi, in the form of prostitution and intoxicant consumption was performed in the premises of the Gurdwara. There was a case where six Sikh girls, from a local village, had come to the Gurdwara to offer their ardaas on the Puranmashi (full moon), and were raped by the Mahants and Pathans on the very premises of Sri Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. The Khalsa Panth had decided to hold a Diwan at the Gurdwara, to advise the Mahant to hand over control back to the Sikhs, but behind closed doors the Mahant was planning to kill the Sikh leaders, and hired 400 Pathans to carry out this act. A group of Sikhs combined to form the Shaheedi Jatha and together they marched into Gurdwara and reclaimed the Darbar. When the Mahant heard the Jaikaras of the Sikhs he ordered his hooligans to shoot into the Darbar. Up to 200 Sikhs became Shaheed at the hands of these barbaric murderers and bullets were fired into Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj. Jathedar Lachhman Singh Dharowali, one of the main leaders of the Shaheedi Jatha was wounded and then tied to a tree and burnt alive. When the Sikhs from around the district had heard about this, they marched in their thousands towards Nankana Sahib. The commissioner of Lahore, was forced to hand over the Gurdwara back to the Sikhs, and arrest the Mahant along with the Pathans. Some of which were given the death sentence for their part in the massacre of those innocent Sikhs.
Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj writes:
| ਜੀਵਤ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸੇਵਿਓ ਅਪਨਾ ਚਲਤੇ ਰਾਖਿਓ ਚੀਤਿ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ Jīvaṯ sāhib sevi▫o apnā cẖalṯe rākẖi▫o cẖīṯ. ||1|| rahā▫o. In my life, I served my Lord and Master, and as I depart, I keep Him enshrined in my consciousness. ||1||Pause|| |
So what can we learn from this sakhi? The Sikhs that marched to their death were so absorbed with Waheguru throughout their lives that they weren't afraid of death. They had to uphold the honour of Gurdwara Nakana Sahib and whilst doing this they remained in Chardi Kala, and even when the likes of Bhai Lachhman Singh were being burnt alive, they kept Akaal Purakh in their mind. This can inspire all of us to absorb ourselves with Waheguru and keep ourselves in Chardi Kala by serving Guru Ji and doing more Simran. By doing this, our fear of death will diminish along with kaam, krodh, lobh, moh and ahankar.
Bhul chuk maaf karni (forgive me for my many mistakes).
- Daas
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