Morcha Guru Ka Bagh
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.
This last week marked 96 years since the Morcha Guru Ka Bagh. Just like Saka Nankana Sahib, this is another key event in the struggle for taking back our Gurdwareh, from the Mahants.
At Guru Ka Bagh, around 20km from Amritsar, the Mahant, Sundar Das, had made mutual agreements with the Shiromani Committee and handed back the Gurdwara to the Sikhs. However, he later denied part of the agreement, and stated that although he gave the control of the Gurdwara back to the Sikhs, the piece of land known as Guru Ka Bagh, was still his property. Sundar Das had reported 5 Sikhs to the police, for cutting trees on his land, and so they were arrested on August 9th 1922. However these arrests were not made on Sundar Das' complaint but rather another confidential report received by the police. The 5 Sikhs were tried the following day and were sentenced to 6 months rigorous imprisonment.
Refusing to give into the demands of the government, Sikhs continued to collect wood, which was essential for the Langar. The convictions and arrests were not enough to stop the Sikhs, and so those who came to cut wood from the land were beaten senseless. The Sikhs were dragged by their hair and left when police had thought they'd been served well enough. Refusing to be beaten the Sikhs would return to Guru Ka Bagh in larger numbers. They arrived in numbers of up to a 100, where they were beaten in masses. Police would beat them with heavy brass batons and rifle-butts. The Sikhs showed great courage and remained in Chardi Kala despite the heavy beatings.
The torture finally came to an end when the Governor of Punjab visited Amritsar on September 13th 1922. He stopped the beatings of the Sikhs and demanded that arrests be made instead. This didn't stop the Sikhs, instead they grew even larger in support, until the government finally gave in. Sir Ganga Ram, a wealthy citizen of Lahore, obtained Guru Ka Bagh on lease and told the government that he would no longer require police protection. With this decision, the Sikhs were finally able to continue cutting wood from the jungles of Guru Ka Bagh, without facing inhumane persecution.
Bhul chuk maaf karni (forgive me for my many mistakes).
- Daas
This last week marked 96 years since the Morcha Guru Ka Bagh. Just like Saka Nankana Sahib, this is another key event in the struggle for taking back our Gurdwareh, from the Mahants.
At Guru Ka Bagh, around 20km from Amritsar, the Mahant, Sundar Das, had made mutual agreements with the Shiromani Committee and handed back the Gurdwara to the Sikhs. However, he later denied part of the agreement, and stated that although he gave the control of the Gurdwara back to the Sikhs, the piece of land known as Guru Ka Bagh, was still his property. Sundar Das had reported 5 Sikhs to the police, for cutting trees on his land, and so they were arrested on August 9th 1922. However these arrests were not made on Sundar Das' complaint but rather another confidential report received by the police. The 5 Sikhs were tried the following day and were sentenced to 6 months rigorous imprisonment.Refusing to give into the demands of the government, Sikhs continued to collect wood, which was essential for the Langar. The convictions and arrests were not enough to stop the Sikhs, and so those who came to cut wood from the land were beaten senseless. The Sikhs were dragged by their hair and left when police had thought they'd been served well enough. Refusing to be beaten the Sikhs would return to Guru Ka Bagh in larger numbers. They arrived in numbers of up to a 100, where they were beaten in masses. Police would beat them with heavy brass batons and rifle-butts. The Sikhs showed great courage and remained in Chardi Kala despite the heavy beatings.
The torture finally came to an end when the Governor of Punjab visited Amritsar on September 13th 1922. He stopped the beatings of the Sikhs and demanded that arrests be made instead. This didn't stop the Sikhs, instead they grew even larger in support, until the government finally gave in. Sir Ganga Ram, a wealthy citizen of Lahore, obtained Guru Ka Bagh on lease and told the government that he would no longer require police protection. With this decision, the Sikhs were finally able to continue cutting wood from the jungles of Guru Ka Bagh, without facing inhumane persecution.
Bhul chuk maaf karni (forgive me for my many mistakes).
- Daas
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