JALLIANWALA BAGH MASSACRE: EMERGENCE OF NEW SIKH INSTITUTIONS IN EARLY 20th CENTURY IN COLONIAL PUNJAB
JALLIANWALA
BAGH MASSACRE: EMERGENCE OF NEW SIKH INSTITUTIONS IN EARLY 20th
CENTURY IN COLONIAL PUNJAB
____________________________________________________________________________
History of Colonial Punjab is witness of many
incidents and movements. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919
paved the way for origin of Sikh struggle in religious and political fields in
early 20th century. Although, some big peasantry agitations and
Gadhar Movement occurred before this massacre and people were awoke, but
Jallainwala Bagh brutal massacre and other incidents which were happened after
it, became the light house for the Sikhs from darkness of the colonial loyalty.
Because of this massacre they enlighten and fought for their religious and
individuality rights and they started mass religious movement like Gurduwara
Reform Movement (S.G.P.C.) and they politically organaised themselves within
the first Sikh political party as Shiromani Akali Dal.
JALLIANWALA
BAGH MASSACRE (BEFORE AND AFTER)
After
the First World War of 1914–1918,
the British faced grave problems in subduing growing resistance in India. As
the wartime Defense of India Act was becoming obsolete, the British began to
seek new measures to fight rebellion in the Indian subcontinent and for this, a
Sedition Committee was formed in 1918 which was chaired by Justice Sir Sidney
Rowlatt. The Committee came up with two Bills of emergency measures, although
‘every non-official Indian in the Imperial Legislative Council’ voted against the Bills.[1] In the end, only one of the Bills actually became law.[2]
This piece of legislation, known officially as the Rowlatt Act or “Black Bill”,
became operational on 21 March 1919. The Indians were not deceived by this
colonial legislative plan and they ingeniously recapitulated the sardonic
spirit of the Bill: “No trial, no lawyer, and no appeal”.[3]
Two weeks after the passing of the Bill, on 6 April 1919, all Indian responded
to Gandhiji’s invitation to observe hartal, a day of mourning to protest
against the Bill.[4]
The protests were followed by violent outbursts in all India. After the arrest
of two important Congress leaders from Punjab, Dr Satyapal and Dr Saifuddin
Kitchlew, on 10 April, the public protests in the Punjab were spreading and in
Amritsar a protest meeting was called in the Jallianwala Bagh for Sunday, 13
April.
The
Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 13th April 1919 meant death and
injuries for hundreds of people in the Punjab. The British General Reginald Dyer, in charge of the city of Amritsar,
had prohibited public meetings. An attack by some people on a British
missionary worker, Miss Marcella Sherwood[5], aggravated Dyer to resort to harsh measures
in order, as he said, “To give them a lesson” (“I was
going to give them a lesson”)[6].
Dyer ordered his soldiers to fire on a crowd that had gathered in Jallianwala
Bagh. A week later, Dyer issued the
so-called ‘crawling orders’ by which local people were flogged and made to
crawl on their stomach on the site of Miss Sherwood’s attack.[7]
In evaluation to the 1857 Mutiny, historian Percival Spear comments that with
the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, “a scar was drawn across Indo-British relations
deeper than any which had been inflicted since the Mutiny”.[8]
SIKH
TRADITIONS AND CONTEMPORARY ACTIONS AFTER MASSACRE
Jallianwala
Bagh Massacre was the brutal action of the world history. Whole world condemned
it, Rabindernath Tagore returned the ‘Sir’ and British knighthood title in the
wake of the massacre to British Government, Labour Party of England and
Congress leaders said it very shame full action. This mass murder happened on
the 13th April, 1919, the day of Baisakhi festival and most of
killed persons belong to the Sikh community, but the The Darbar Sahib Amritsar
was already under the Control of Government. From the Shri Akal Takhat Sahib
authorities presents were given to General Dyer. Traditionally this Takhat was
the symbols of Sikh baptismal. General Dyer was the main responsible person for
the happening of Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy. The most painful for the victimized
Sikhs that General Dyer was declared whitewash by the Golden Temple management
and a Saropas (Symbols of Respect) was given to him and this was felt as a
great insult into the whole Sikh community.
Pro- British priests given Rs.50, 000 to British India War Fund during
First World War from Shri Darbar Sahib’s donation box (Gohlak).[9] They also acted as stooges of the British and
preached loyalty to them. The growing anger against the mahants among Sikh
nationalists and reformers came to a boiling point first when the priests of
the Golden Temple at Amritsar declared Ghadar revolutionaries as
"fallen" Sikhs or renegades and then when Aroorh Singh sarbrah of
Shri Darbar Sahib specially honoured the notorious General Dyer (who was responsible
for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919) and even declared him a Sikh.[10]
This action was the great insult of Sikh and their institution.
Although
some socio- religious movements were starts time to time and it gave huge
impacts on the Sikh institutions like Kuka movement, Namdhari Movement and
Singh Sabha Lehar. These movement’s targeted only break down the socio-
religious impurities among Sikh society but after the massacre of Jallianwala
Bagh the enlighten sikh society completely wanted to free their Gurdwaras from
British controled pujaaris (Mahants). They wished to get control in their hands
and maintained the respect, supremacy and real spirituality guided management
system among in these Gurdwaras. This enlightenment grew in the Sikhs only because
of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. Now they needed their own organization which
controlled their religious and politically matters.
FORMATION OF SIKH INSTITUTIONS
S.G.P.C. AND AKALI DAL
The
organizations of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and Shiromani Akali
Dal in December 1920 heralded a new period in the religious and political
history of modern Punjab. The Gurdwara Reform Movement was started by Sikhs to
free their Gurdwaras from the control of Mahants (Pujaaries) which were also
controlled and patronage by Colonial Indian British Government. According to
historian Khushwant Singh the early period Gurdwaras were simple Dharmsalas.
But with the passage of time these Dharmsalas became a centre of Sikh
community, where, apart from worship and religious ceremonial activities associated
with births, baptisms, betrothals, marriages and obsequies were observed. There
was a free kitchen, the Guru-Ka-Langar, and also a school (Pathshala)
where children learnt the alphabet of Gurmukhi (Punjabi script) and their daily
Prayer.”[11]
In early 20th century the Mahants (Priests) lusted to be the owner
of Sikh institutions. In many cases, with the support of Government officials,
the priests got the Gurdwaras property transferred to their own names and
became their owners.[12]
Moreover, some of them had been leading luxurious life and wasted large
earnings of Gurdwaras on wine and women.[13]
Although,
the Singh Sabha Movement was not politically against the British Government,
yet the development of the education among the Sikhs made them conscious of
their religion and political disabilities. This movement aware the Sikhs and arranged
the ground for the beginning of Gurdwara Reform Movement directed against the
Mahants and other vested interests in Sikh Shrines on the one hand and against
the British imperialism in Punjab on the other.[14]
The priests of Darbar Sahib Amritsar issued the Hukamnamas against the
Gadrities also. They were under the influence of the British Government.
Before
this movement, the first incident was the Rikab Ganj affair. Gurdwara Rikab
Ganj is in Delhi built on the site where the body of Guru Teg Bahadur, martyred
by Aurangzeb, was cremated. After the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to
Delhi in 1911, when in the course of the building of the new capital, the
Government acquired land attached to Gurdwara Rikab Ganj in Delhi and
demolished an old boundary wall. This aroused the resentment of the radical
Sikhs against the Government. There was talk of launching a morcha but due to
the war, the issue was postponed for some time. But after the end of war, the
agitation of Rikab Ganj was further started by the extremist Sikhs. Another
cause of foundation of Gurdwara Reform movement was the Jallianwala Bagh
Tragedy.[15] According
to Master Hari Singh, “ Jallinawana massacre drove a nail in the coffin of
British rule in India and marked a turning point in the history of our freedom
struggle.”[16] The Sikhs were thrown into the vortex of
Martial law as a consequence of agitation against the Rowlatt Act. This martial
law gave birth to the tragedy of Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
These
actions and tragedies were major responsible factors for the beginning of the
Gurdwara Reform Movement. The Sikhs felt the need to get free their Gurdwaras
from the immoral priests. During the early days of this movement, Arur Singh
was the Sarbrah (Manager) of the Golden Temple. And Gurdwara Tarn Taran which
had been under the same management as that of Golden Temple, declared that the
Sikhs who participated in Kamagata Maru action had been condemned at the Akal
Takhat. During the Martial law regime, after the Jalllianwala Bagh massacre,
General Dyer was given presents of Sikh baptismal symbols from the Akal Takhat
authorities, where even Maharaja Ranjit Singh had been once condemned and
punished for an un-Sikh like act in a history.[17]
This white washing of General Dyer by the Golden Temple management was felt as
a great insult offered to the whole Sikh community. In spite of this during the
time of Arur Singh, Akal Takht Sahib under the influence of the British
Government issued the Hukamnamas against the Gadrities. One Mahant (priest)
explicitly said that he would mix tobacco with the sacred food.[18]
The Akali news paper criticized the Golden Temple management
continuously. The Central Sikh League held a meeting at Amritsar and a
resolution was passed that the management of the Shri Darbar Sahib
should be handed over to a representative committee of Sikh society. One
day a priest during the morning congregation were abused at the Akal
Takhat and refused was the morning service. The Sikhs came to the
manager's home and complained against him. The manager of Shri Darbar
Sahib promised to go himself next day at the morning service and to make
the priest beg pardon. But he never came next day.[19]
After it, there was spread unrest and anger among the Sikhs. Once again
they organized public meetings, passed resolutions against the Sarbrah (Manager)
and Priests. The Deputy Commissioner supported the Sarbrah and sent
police to scatter a meeting of Sikhs within the presents of the temple.[20]
In spite of it the people held a meeting and passed resolution against
the manager also and authority in spite of the police. As result the
manager was punished and sent on leave for two months but public wanted
his resignation. It was decided to hold a Diwan in Jallianwala Bagh and endangered
to take out a mock funeral of the effigy of the Sarbrah in case he failed to
resign by 29 Aug. 1920. The Sikhs held a meeting on Jallianwala Bagh and
Sarbrah appeared before the people and begged with folded hands their mercy and
announced that he resigned.[21]
Sh. Sunder Singh Ramgarhia was appointed the new manager (Sarbrah) by the
deputy commissioner. It was a big achievement of Sikh reformers. The reform
party took up the challenge and appointed their own man to take temporary
charge of the sacred institution. After some time on 13 Oct. with the agreement
of Deputy Commissioner and Sarbrah formed a provisional committee of
nine Sikhs with the inclusions of Sardar Sunder Singh Ramgarha as its head.[22]
With the transferred charge of the Golden Temple and Akal Takht, the attached
Gurdwaras of Tarn Taran and Baba Atal also automatically came under the in charge
of Sikhs. At that time Sikhs had no central organization and for the Gurdwaras
reform movement, Sikhs wanted to establish a central organization. So it was
now decided that the Sikhs should have a representative bod to manage all the
Sikh Gurdwara. At that time Jathedar of Akal Takht came to the forefront
for this, and a hukamnama was issued from the Akal Takht summoning a
general assembly of the Sikhs to meet on 15th Nov. 1920, in the Golden Temple
for the purpose of electing a representative committee of the Sikh Panth to control the Golden Temple and
all other Gurdwaras. Invitations were sent by the Jathedar of Akal Takht to the
four Takhts, the Gurdwaras, Schools, Colleges, the Sikhs in the Army and other
Sikhs organizations to send their representatives to meet in a conference. The
meeting was held on 15th and 16th of Nov., 1920, which was attended by over
10,000 Sikh representatives from all over the country.[23]
As a result, a committee of one hundred seventy five members was formed to
control all the temples of the Sikhs whether in the Punjab or elsewhere. The 36
members of the committee appointed by the Government were also included in this
committee and named it as 'The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee' (S.G.P.C).[24]The
first meeting of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee came off at the
Akal Takht on Dec. 12, 1920. The committee thus formed elected Sunder Singh
Majithia as its first president; Harbans Singh Attari was elected as vice
president and Sunder Singh Ramgarhia as Secretary. The Shiromani Gurdwara
Prabandhak Committee was registered on 30th April 1921.
In spite of hundreds of local Gurdwara
committees affiliated to the central committee and these begun working in
different localities. To achieve the objects of the S.G.P.C., on Dec. 14, 1920,
it was decided that the movement should organize and name the organization as
Shiromani Akali Dal to work for the reforms in the Gurdwaras, under the
direction of the S.G.P.C. Because S.G.P.C. was a religious body of the Sikhs. As
the time passed, the Akali Dal started to take interest in the Political
Problem of the Sikhs as well, and later on it turned out to be their main
political party. When the Gurdwara reform movement began its momentum a regular
system of recruitment of the Akali volunteers was started. Then Akali Jathas
had come into existence to carry on reform in their respective areas. During
that time a central organization of the Akalis was established, which named as
the Shiromani Akali Dal.[25]Sardar
Sardul Singh Kaveeshar was appointed as the first president of the Shiromani
Akali Dal.[26]
It was this party which sent jathas to the different Gurdwaras and
captured them and handed them over to the Shriomani Prabhandhak Committee for
management. With the establishment of S.G.P.C. and Shiromani Akali Dal
(S.A.D.), Gurdwara Reform Movement became powerful movement and a serious
source of tension for the British Government.
RISE OF SIKH LEADERS
A
light which was enlightened with the warm blood of Punjabis from Jallianwala
Bagh Massacre, guided the Sikhs to control the whole services as like religious
and politically in their hands. This struggle fought by simple minded Sikhs but
always leaders raised among these fighting. As the result there were many Sikh
leaders emerged and bright their name in State and National sphere. Some
founder members of the Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee, which were highlighted after working with these institutions, included
S. Mangal Singh, Prof. Niranjan Singh, S. Harchand Singh, Master Sunder Singh
Layalpuri. Giani Hira Singh Dard, Master Tara Singh, M. Bishan Singh, S. Sardul
Singh Kavisher, S. Daan Singh, S. Amar Singh Jhabal, Jaswant Singh Baba, Kharak
Singh, Bhai Jawahar Singh, Nanak Singh, Mohan Singh, Ram Singh, Teja Singh
Samundri, Harbans Singh Atari, Mohan Singh Vaid, Prof. Teja Singh Bawa
Harkishan Singh, Kartar Singh Jhabar, Teja Singh Chuhrkana, Teja Singh Bhucher,
Baba Kehar Singh, Bhai Hajara Singh, Bhai Hukam Singh (Martyrs of Tarn Taran),
M. Mehtab Singh, S. Lachhman Singh Dharowal, S. Dalip Singh Sangla, S.
Bakhshish Singh, S. Amar Singh, S. Butta Singh, Bhai Jodh Singh, Bhai Uttam
Singh, Sunder Singh Ramgaria, Sohan Singh Josh, Arjan Singh, Sundar Singh Batala,
Seva Singh Thikriwala, Giani Kartar Singh Kartarwalia [27]Giani
Sher Singh, Gopal Singh Qaumi, Jathedar Teja Singh Gurdaspur, Jathedar Teja
Singh Alawalpur, Jathedar Inder Singh Sialkot, Jathedar Nand Singh, Jathedar
Partap Singh Hushiarpur, J. Wariam Singh Lahore, Jamadar Sahab Singh, Dharam
Singh Namdhari, Prof. Sahib Singh, Baba Gurdit Singh Kamagatamaru, Bhai Karam
Singh, Maharaja Ripudaman Singh, Master Mota Singh, Ravel Singh, Wariam Singh
Garmoola and Widhata Singh Teer [28].
Many of them leaders participated in Gurdwara Movement and National Freedom
movement together also.
The
rises of every movement is always based on a strong incident and give deep
impacts to the humanity. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre was really a brutal
incident, which enlighten the Sikh community to save their religious
institutions from the Colonial controlled priests also. Some activities which
were happened in Shri Darbar Sahib Complex by pro-British pujaaries awoke the
Sikhs society. They started the struggle to make free their Gudwaras from
irrelevant and Colonial rule patronage persons and as result, they won the
fight. Its miracle that within one and half years after the Jallianwala Bagh
massacre the Sikhs were being capable in all fields. Although some other
reasons were also occurred but contemporary cause was Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
only behind the Gurdwara Reform Movement and formation of S.G.P.C. and Shiromani
Akali Dal in early 20th century in Colonial Punjab.
[1] Spear,
Percival, The Oxford History of Modern India 1740–1947, Oxford:
Clarendon Press. 1965,pp-341.
[5] Collett, Nigel. The Butcher of Amritsar:
General Reginald Dyer, London: Hambledon. 2005. pp-234.
[6] Copland, Ian. The Burden of Empire:
Perspectives on Imperialism and Colonialism in Asia, Oxford: OUP.1990.
[7] Lal Vinay, The Incident of the Crawling
Lane: Women in the Punjab
Disturbances of 1919, Genders,16, 35–60, Manas website: <http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/British/Crawling.html>
accessed 16, September 2013.
[8] Spear, Percival, The Oxford History of
Modern India 1740–1947, Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1965. pp-341.
[9] Pumflet, A collection, Jallianwala Bagh Centenary, Association for Democratic Rights,
Punjab, 2019, p-13.
[10]Mukehrji,
Mridulla ,Peasants
in India's Non-Violent Revolution Practice and Theory, Sage
Publications
New
Delhi, 2004, p-33
[11] Khushwant Singh, A History of the Sikhs,
Vol. II, Oxford University Press, Bombay,1966,pp- 269-93. p. 194.
[14] Singh, Bhupinder, The Anti-British
Movements from Gadar Leher to Kirti Kisan Lehar: 1913-1939, Ph.D. Thesis,
Punjabi University Patiala, 2011. P- 174
[23] Narain
Singh Jhabber, Akali Morche -te- Jhabbar, Manjeet Printing &
Publishing Company, Patiala, 1959, p. 73.
[26]
Mohinder Singh, The Akali Stuggle: A Retrospect, Atlantic Publications,
New Delhi, 1988, p. 113.
[28]
Sohan Singh Josh, op. cit., pp. 44-88.
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