Air Marshal HS Arora AVSM Takes Over as Director General Air (Operations)

Air Marshal HS Arora AVSM Takes Over as Director General Air (Operations)
Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora AVSM was commissioned in the IAF as a fighter pilot inDec 1981. He has over 2600 hours of operational flying on MiG 21, MiG 29 and other variants of aircraft in IAF inventory, including helicopters. He has served as Directing Staff at 'Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment' (TACDE) and as a Flying Inspector in the 'Directorate of Air Staff Inspection' (DASI). He was deputed as Defence Attache in the Embassy of India, Bangkok, Thailand from 2006 to 2009.

He commanded 45 Squadron – 'The Flying Dagger' – as a Wing Commander and as a Group Captain he was ADDC Cdr and Station Commander at 33 SU – 'The Scanners'. As an Air Commodore, he commanded Air Force Station Adampur in Punjab and as and Air Vice Marshal he was Air Defence Commander at Headquarters of Western Air Command as well as Easter Air Command. He is a meritorious graduate of Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment, Defence Services Staff College and the National Defence College, He is also Master of Philosophy in Defence and Strategic Studies.
In recognition of his meritorious service, he was commended by the AOC-in-C, in 1997 and was awarded Ati Vishist Seva Medal on 26 Jan 2011 by the President of India.

Air Mshl HS Arora AVSM has been appointed as Director General Air (Operations) on 22 Aug 16. He is married to Mrs Baljeet Arora and has two sons. His interests include reading, music and travelling.

14th Sikhs , Peshawar 1913

This photograph by Randolph Bezzant Holmes shows British & Sikh officers of 14th Sikhs at Peshawar a year before the war. 

Of the 28 men shown, 16 lost their lives in the Great war. Ten on a single day , 4th June 1915 during the third battle of Krithia.

Gen Sir Ian Hamilton Commander of Allied Forces paid tribute to the men of 14th Sikh : " Their devotion to duty & splendid loyalty to their orders and to their leaders make a record their nation should look back with pride for many generations".
Regards Jaspal Singh

Bhai Maharaj Singh, the spiritual leader and fervent Sikh nationalist, after the defeat of the Sikhs.

Bhai Maharaj Singh, the spiritual leader and fervent Sikh nationalist, after the defeat of the Sikhs.
First freedom fighter of India who took up weapons against the British rule in 1847, ten years before the First war of Independence of 1857. 
He was the first freedom fighter of India who took up weapons against the British rule in 1847, ten years before the First war of Independence and fought fervently till he was arrested on December 29, 1849 and imprisoned in Outram Jail Singapore where he died on 5th July 1856.

Bhai Maharaj Singh(d. 1856), a saintly person turned revolutionary who led an anti-British movement in the Punjab after the first Anglo-Sikh war, was born Nihal Singh at the village of Rabbon, in Ludhiana district. He had a religious bent of mind and came under the influence of Bhai Bir Singh of Naurangabad. After the latter's death in 1844, he succeeded him as head of the Naurangabad dera and was held in high esteem by a vast following, including most of the Sikh chiefs and courtiers.

Maharaj Singh's revolutionary career started with the Prema conspiracy case involving him in a plot to murder the British resident, Henry Lawrence, and other pro-British officers of the Lahore Darbar. Maharaj Singh, whose movements were restricted to Naurangabad by the British, went underground. The government confiscated his property at Amritsar and announced a reward for his arrest.
Bhai Maharaj Singh intensified his activities against the British when he came to know that Diwan Mul Raj had in April 1848 raised a standard of revolt against them at Multan. He left for Multan with 400 horsemen to join hands with Mul Raj. But soon differences arose between the two leaders, and Maharaj Singh left Multan for Hazara in June 1848 to seek Chatar Singh Atarivala's assistance in his plans to dislodge the British.

In November 1848, he joined Raja Sher Singh's forces at Ramnagar and was seen in the battlefield riding his black mare and exhorting the Sikh soldiers to lay down their lives for the sake of their country. Thereafter he took part in the battles of Chelianvala and Gujrat, but, when Raja Sher Singh surrendered to the British at Rawalpindi on 14 March 1849, he resolved to carry on the fight single-handed.

He escaped to Jammu and made Dev Batala his secret headquarters. In December 1849, he went to Hoshiarpur and visited the Sikh regiments to enlist their support. Bhai Maharaj Singh, who carried on his head a price of 10,000 rupees was arrested on 28 December 1849 at Adampur.

Bhai Maharaj Singh's other name was Bhai Nihal Singh. His belonged to a line of Sikh revolutionaries who wanted to return to the creed of the Gurus. The pinions of this movement were Baba Bhag Singh of Pothohar, his worthy and more popular disciple Bhai Bir Singh of Naurangabad in Amritsar and the latter's successor Bhai Maharaj Singh.
Bhai Maharaj Singh plan of action against the vastly superior British was framed in the jungles of the Chumb Valley.
1. To rescue Maharajah Dalip Singh from Lahore Fort.
2. To organize a United Front of all anti-British forces.
3. Organized disruption by subversion and suprise attacks on British treasuries and cantonments.

When Bhai Maharaj Singh learned that Maharaja Dalip Singh was being removed from Lahore, he thought it would be a setback to the freedom struggle. Therefore, he sent to Lahore six persons where Mian Ganesh was to assist the party in the project. The plan was to bring the Maharaja to Jammu hills, from where they would start regular operations relating to the freedom struggle. These five or six persons always resided near the palace walls with a view to abduct the Maharaja.

Bhai Maharaj Singh himself set out to make arrangements for the general rebellion. From July to October, 1849, he stayed at Sajuwal (Batala district), where he decided to attack the cantonments at Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar. It was also decided to persuade people to give men and money for this plan. Some men were sent to Kabul and Kandahar. Amir Dost Mohammad Khan and Sultan Mohammad Khan, the Afghan rulers, were contacted to implement the plan.

In the Punjab hills, Bedi Bikrama Singh, son of Bedi Sahib Singh, joined the movement. A descendant of Kangra rulers along with some other families were to supply 1,000 matchlockmen, Rs 10,000-20,000, and nearly 10,000 maunds of grain for the cause. After this arrangement, Bhai Maharaj Singh left Sajuwal and went to Hoshiarpur district, where he contacted influential people. They told him that in accordance with the plan, arrangements were made to loot the government treasury at Bajwara and attack the New Hoshiarpur cantonment.

Bhai Maharaj Singh personally visited Sikh Lions and secured promises of assistance from the officers of the regiment — Prem Singh, Sukha Singh, Fateh Singh, Zai Singh Havildar, etc. In the meantime, information was received that arrangements were complete for assembling nearly 4,000 men at Datarpur near Hajipur and similar preparations were also complete in Majha, Malwa and Hazara.

The date of rising and attacking the cantonments of Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar was fixed as January 3, 1850. As the day of attack drew near, Maharaj Singh paid hurried visits to many centres in Jalandhar Doab, where his agents were secretly working.

After completing the survey, he reached Adampur on December 28, 1849, where on the report of a Muslim informer, he was arrested in a sugarcane field along with his followers by Mr Vansittart. He was kept in the Jalandhar jail and then sent to Allahabad along with followers.

Within a month or so, he was shifted to Calcutta. From there, the Governor General, Lord Dalhousie, issued orders to shift him to Singapore. The party reached Singapore on June 14, 1850. Bhai Maharaj Singh was lodged in one of the upper rooms. Two windows in his cell were walled up and a strong iron gate was put up in the verandah. He was the first Indian freedom fighter to be sent to Singapore jail.

Three years of solitary confinement later, Bhai Maharaj Singh not only turned blind, but also developed rheumatic pains and was reduced to a skeleton. In view of his ill-health, the Civil Surgeon recommended in 1853 that he be allowed an occasional walk in the open, but unfortunately this suggestion was turned down by the government for security reasons.

Bhai Maharaj Singh’s health continued to deteriorate. This divine patriot’s soul left for its heavenly abode on July 5, 1856. Mr McLeod, Commissioner of Jalandhar division, praised him by saying: “It appears to be certain that the Bhai was in some respects a very remarkable man. He possessed very great sagacity and self-reliance.”

Bhai Maharaj Singh was a pioneer freedom fighter. He continued his efforts to free the country despite adverse circumstances. For his supreme suffering and sacrifices, his memory will ever remain enshrined in the hearts of all — because he had a noble cause for which he fought and died.

Kings Orderly Officers 1913

Kings Orderly Officers 1913

A colour image of four Indian Officers by WE Grey published in ' The Graphic ' on 2 August 1913.

The four ( from Left to Right ) are Subedar Mul Raj , a Punjabi Hindu of 69th Punjabis, Risaldar Abnashi Ram, a Punjabi Hindu of Queen Victoria's own Corps of Guides ( Lumsden's) , Subedar Major Bhagwan Singh of the 14th Sikhs and Risaldar Thakur Singh, a Sikh of the 21st Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry ( Daly's Horse).

Bhagwan Singh wears the distinctive red turban of the 14th Sikhs with the steel quoit round the top.

The divine prophecy? Sikhs, British & Revolt of 1857

The divine prophecy? Sikhs, British & Revolt of 1857

Dr Ganda Singh writes in Early European Accounts on Sikhs 

It is ascribed to Guru Tegh Bahadur the ninth Guru, who is said to have told Emperor Aurangzeb in 1675 in answer to the charge of looking in the direction of the Imperial zenana: 'I was looking in the direction of the Europeans who are coming from beyond the seas to tear down thy pardas and destroy thine empire.' (Sikh Religion, preface, xviii.)

It has at times been said that this prophecy was the invention of some clever Englishman in 1857 to win over the Sikhs to the British side during the mutiny, when Bahadur Shah II, a descendant of Emperor Aurangzeb, was being raised to the throne of Hindusthan. 

(Mohinder Singh Uppal) sadly passed away a few years ago

(Mohinder Singh Uppal) sadly passed away a few years ago. This photo is of a gate set up in his memory. According to my family, he served in the Indian Army as a tank operator in the 60's and 70's and fought in wars against China and Pakistan. Unfortunately I don't know anything further so would be very grateful if anyone could shed some light during this period or direct me to where I can find out more information about this. Thank you 

Head of the Indian Observer Delegation,Lt.Gen

Head of the Indian Observer Delegation,Lt.Gen. Surinder Singh and his Chinese counterpart Lt.Gen. Zhou Xiaozhou shake hands during commencement of the joint exercise at Kunming Military Academy in China......

Sikh Bravery and Valour in Military History

The Gursikh behind this Exhibition of Sikh Warriors, valour and bravery is Bhai Harchand Singh Bedi from Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. He started his career as a research and development executive with a Japanese Organization in Ipoh Perak in 1990. He graduated in Master of Business Administration, now owns an event management company in Ipoh. He started his first exhibition on Sikh Bravery in Military History in 2007 and produced a documentary on The Battle of Kampar and The Malayan Emergency in 2008.

He started out as a hobby which turned into a life quest to preserve the legacy of Sikh soldiers. He has a huge photography collections of Sikh armies of the British Indian Army involvement in war worldwide obtained from archives and libraries all around the world.

Recently, 30,000 people visited Exhibition on Sikh Bravery in Military History which was held at Stadium Indera Mulia, Ipoh Perak on 23rd of April 2010 in conjunction with Vaisakhi(Creation of the Khalsa Panth in 1699) celebrations. The Chief Guest was The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. In his speech, Najib referred to the Sikhs as warriors and praised the community for their sacrifices and contribution. "Sikhs may be the minority with only about 150,000 in the country like Malaysia but their contributions are relatively phenomenal compared to the size of the community," He also said. "They did not flinch, but instead lost their lives when defending the country in the Second World War," said Najib.

This exhibition will soon become global and will be coming to London in September. This Exhibition is jointly organised by Anglo Sikh Heritage Trail and will be held for 2 weeks in Southall Central Gurdwara, and in Gurdwara Leamington Spa. United Sikhs will also play a role in organising this event in certain part in UK, Belgium and France.

The organiser rationale is to get the message to the masses that the Sikhs have a rich culture, traditions and rituals that structure their lives and the articles subsumed below is indicative of their tales of sacrifice, heroes and legends that give its true essence to their distinguished achievements. The stories also chronicles the zealous, effervescent and never-say-die spirit that exemplifies the true virtues of the Sikh; alongside the righteous valour and bravery in the Sikh character, reveals the genteel humility. The pictures reveal the truth and the genuine dedication and commitment of the Sikhs.

The following articles written by Harchand Singh Bedi bring forth the true spirit of sacrifice and loyalty for righteousness and fair justice. There have been positive feedbacks from the readers which has kept the interest buoyant.

1.The Kings Army and the French Woman Heroes:

On the 8th August 1914 the first two Indian troops to fight in World War I left India headed for Egypt to be held in reserve. However, the fighting on the Western front was so desperate that they were needed on the front line instead of being kept in Egypt as reservists. So the troops were re-directed to the fighting on the Western front in Europe.

The troops arrived in France on 26th September 1914 ready to battle. The King sent two messages of greeting to troops landing at Marseilles. The first, to the British troops, said: "I have implicit confidence in you, my soldiers. Duty is your watchword, and I know your duty will be nobly done."

The second message, to the Indians, read: "I know with what readiness my brave, loyal Indians soldiers are prepared to fulfil their sacred trust in the field of battle, shoulder to shoulder with comrades from all parts of Empire. I bid you go forward and add fresh lustre to the glorious achievements, noble traditions, courage, and chivalry of my Indian army, honour and fame are in your hands."

The first Indian divisions, totalling around 24,000 men, arrived at Marseilles to the cries of 'Vive les Hindus'. Every road was crowded with excited spectators, crying 'Vive les Hindus' and struggling to shake hands with the smiling soldiers. The woman gave them fruit and cigarettes, and girls strewed flowers on the road or pinned them to the tunics or turban of the men.

They took part in the battles at Neuve Chapelle, Festubert and Loos, served with distinction and won some of the first Victoria Crosses to be awarded to Indians. The first Indian who won the Victoria Cross was Sepoy Khudadad Khan.

It has been well said that Sikh Soldiers are "Warriors by tradition and descent. They were often used as cannon fodder by allied forces who pushed them into the killing zone first. A large number of those killed in Neuve Chappel were Sikhs.

More than 96 years ago, French woman pinned flowers on the turban of the Sikh Soldiers to honour them. Today, Sikhs are denied the right to wear their turbans and even kirpan in France.

2. Where Valour Is a Tradition

IPOH, MALAYSIA: An exhibition of photographs of Sikh soldiers will offer Malaysians a rare glimpse of their military contributions all over the world, from the late 19th century till the end of World War II in 1945.

Entitled "Exploring the Role of Sikh Soldiers - Where Valour is a Tradition", the exhibition opens on November 24, 2007 at the Wadda Gurdwara Sahib in Ipoh.

The exhibition will have more than two hundred black-and-white photographs of Sikh soldiers in action in Malaya, Singapore, Indonesia, Burma (now Myanmar), China, the Middle East, and all over Africa and Europe.

It is being held in conjunction with the 538th birthday of Guru Nanak on November 24.

Organiser Harchand Singh Bedi, the proprietor of Mega Sound Machine, said all the photographs are from the archives of the Imperial War Museum in Elephant and Castle, London.

He says it is a "once in a lifetime" opportunity to learn more about the role the Sikhs have played in the world's military history.

"The gems of the three-day exhibition are six photographs of the ruins after the Battle of Saragarhi on September 12, 1897, in the North-West Frontier Province (now in Pakistan)", said Harchand Singh Bedi.

The battle, recognised by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation ("UNESCO") as one of the greatest stories of collective bravery in human history, pitted 21 Sikhs from the 4th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment of British India against a ferocious attack by more than 14,000 Afghan tribal forces.

All 21 Sikhs were killed defending their post.

The significance of the exhibition has not escaped historians like Mohd. Taib Mohamed, the vice-president of the Perak Heritage Society and librarian of the Perak State Secretariat.

He welcomes the display as an opportunity for Malaysians to learn more about the bravery and gallantry of the Sikhs.

"Admittedly, there is not much material in our own archives on the role played by Sikhs in the defence of Malaya, Singapore and other parts of Asia.

"This should serve as an informative platform for all Malaysians to learn more about the Sikhs and their martial contributions to this country and elsewhere".

Sikhs were blessed to be born warriors and defend for others. They stood for rights of others and never were down-trodden. Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa Panth and the amrit gave them the prowess and innate strength to deal with challenges in life. Guru Gobind Singh Ji is a great inspiration to others. His humble teachings expressed the Oneness of mankind, love and worship of the Infinite in All people and things, self-awakening, freedom from attachment, valour and service to all - consciously taking responsibility for the welfare of others. He lived the life of a saint-soldier, combining love and devotion with courage and strength.

The whole life of Guru Gobind Singh exemplified "chardhi kala" (perpetual optimism and high spirits). He beautifully proclaimed:

Chiron se main baz turaun; sawa lakhse ek laraun. Tabe Gobind Naam Kahaun (I have turned sparrows to hawks. A single Singh can triumph over a hundred thousand in battle. Then alone can I call myself Gobind Singh.

Guru Ji also inspired others and asked others to humbly greet their fellow human beings by saying "Waheguru Ji ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji ki Fateh, meaning The Khalsa belongs to God and all victories are His.

3. Britain has a proud tradition of valiant armed forces and a capable military which has managed to defend these isles effectively for hundreds of years. British Military achievement is well known throughout the world and the bravery and versatility of its soldiers, seamen and airmen is unquestioned and forever stamped in history.

Today as we look at the VE Day Celebrations there is an abundance of information in the media that provides an insight into what life would have been like in those troubled times. It is right that we remember them, the fallen, and the living whose numbers dwindle with every passing year. To them we owe our freedom as they fought for this land and often lost their lives so that we might remain a free country.

However, whilst each country has a right to blow its own trumpet and remember the heroic gestures, hardships and victories that made this nation what it is today, we should also remember the massive sacrifice given by others from nations further afield.

The Sikhs sacrificed a great deal for this country. During the Anglo-Sikh wars of 1845 - 1849 the British had been so impressed by the Khalsa Army they decided to enlist many battalions of Sikh forces. The former Sikh enemy became so loyal that in 1857 when most of the Indian Army revolted, the Sikhs remained totally supportive and fought side by side with the British Army. Subsequently, the Panjab became the recruiting ground for the British. This staunch and loyal Sikh support was to show itself again during the great wars.

During the First World War Sikhs joined the ranks of the British Army in great numbers. They fought in the trenches of Germany and at Gallipoli where thousands of Sikhs fought and died. The British Indian Army was made of nearly 20% Sikhs, despite the fact that Sikhs account for only 2% of the population in India.

During the Second World War this action was repeated. Even though there was now a quest for Indian Independence the British Indian Army grew from 189,000 at the start of the war to over 2.5 million through voluntary recruitment and a large proportion of those were Sikh. At no other time in history has a foreign army this large been voluntarily mobilised to fight for a foreign land as if it were their own country.

The significance of this should not be underestimated.

In 1944, Sikh Soldiers halted the advance of the Japanese in Burma and prevented them from invading India. Four VC's were awarded in this campaign.

As the British Empire came to a close many Sikhs were encouraged to settle in the UK. Their loyalty, hard work ethics and historic connection with the British should be remembered. Many Sikh families in Birmingham are direct descendents of those who put so much into this country.

The British police force and the Army are visiting the Gurdwaras to recruit the Sikhs to contribute to the social fabric of society and maintain law and order.

4. The Sikh Regiment is one of the highest decorated regiments of the Indian Army, with 72 Battle Honours, 15 Theatre Honours and 5 COAS Unit Citations besides 2 PVCs, 14 MVCs, 5 KCs, 67 VrCs and 1596 other gallantry awards. The history of the Regiment spans 154 years with heroic deeds of valour and courage which have few parallels if any.

Regimental Insignia: A lion, symbolic of the name Singh that all Sikhs have encircled with a sharp-edged Quoit or Chakra.

Regimental Motto: Nischey Kar Apni Jeet Karon (I Fight For Sure To Win). Battle Cry: Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal (He who cries God is Truth, is ever victorious).

Although the Regiment's official history dates back to 1846, the biological heritage has its roots in the noble teachings and sacrifices made by the ten Gurus. The Sikh Regiment of today has imbibed the culture and chivalry of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh's erstwhile Khalsa Army. The ethos and traditions of the Regiment got formalised with the raising of 'Regiment of Ferozepore Sikhs' and Regiment of Ludhiana Sikhs' on 01 August 18446 by Captain G. Tebbs and Lieutenant Colonel P. Gordon respectively. A major portion of the substance of the Regiment traces its origins to Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Army. With a humble beginning of two battalions in 1846, today the Sikh fraternity has grown 20 battalions strong.

The Battle of Saragarhi fought by 36th Sikh (now 4 Sikh) in 1897, is an epitome of Valour, Courage, Bravery and Sacrifice. Havildar Issar Singh with 21 Other Ranks made the supreme sacrifice repulsing 10,000 of the enemy. This sacrifice was recognised by the British Parliament, when it rose to pay its respects to these brave young soldiers. All 22 were awarded the Indian Order of Merit (IOM), the then highest decoration for the Indian soldiers. This 'Kohinoor' of the Sikh Regiment is one of the ten most famous battles of the world. Even to this date, this battle forms part of the school curriculum in France. 12 September 1897, the day of the Battle of Saragarhi is celebrated as the Regimental Battle Honours Day.

Lance Naik Karam Singh, 1st Sikh, was the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra for the Regiment in 1948, with Subdedar Joginder Singh, also from 1st Sikh, being the second recipient to get the Param Vir Chakra (Posthumous) for the Regiment in 1962.

Lance Naik Karam Singh was born on 15 September 1915, in Barnala, Panjab. He was enrolled in 1 Sikh on 15 September 1941. He had earned a Military Medal in World War II. During the Jammu & Kashmir operations in the summer of 1948 the Indian Army made substantial gains in the Tithwal sector. The led to the capture of Tithwal of 23 May 1948. The enemy fled in utter confusion across the Kishanganga after dumping their arms and equipment in the river. But the enemy quickly recovered from this shock. They re-organised their forces and mounted a strong counter-attack to recover the lost ground. As a result, the Indian Army could not withstand the enemy pressure and withdrew from their positions across the Kishanganga River. Finally, they settled on the Tithwal ride to take on the enemy.

The Battle of Tithwal went on for months. The enemy could not, however, make a dent on the Indian defences. On October 13th, they launched a desperate attack in brigade strength to evict the Indian Army from their strongly held positions. The objective was to recapture Richhmar Gali to the south of Tithwal and to outflank the Indian Army by marching on to Nastachur Pass to the east of Tithwal. Both attempts failed. During this attack, some bitter fighting took place in the Richhmar Gali area on the night of October 13th. The attack commenced with heavy shelling of guns and mortar. The fire was so devastating that nearly all bunkers in the platoon area were damaged. In this action the 1 Sikh played a very important role in beating back the enemy onslaught. Lance Naik Karam Singh was commanding a forward outpost when the enemy launched the attack. His post was attacked by the enemy in vastly superior strength. The outpost was attacked eight times and the Sikhs repulsed the enemy every time. When ammunition ran short, Lance Naik Karam Singh joined the main company position, knowing full well that due to the heavy enemy shelling no help would be forthcoming. Although himself wounded, he brought back two injured comrades with the help of a third mate.

Ringed by enemy fire, it was almost impossible for them to break out.

Ignoring all dangers, he crawled from place to place encouraging his men to keep up the fight. Often he beat back the enemy with grenades.

Twice wounded, he refused evacuation and continued to hold on to the first-line trenches. The fifth enemy attack was very intense. Two enemy soldiers came so close to his position that he could not engage them without hitting his men. Lance Naik Karam Singh, jumped out of his trench and bayoneted the two intruders to death. This bold action so demoralised the enemy that they broke off the attack. Three more enemy attacks which followed were also repulsed by Lance Naik Karam Singh and his men. Lance Naik Karam Singh was an inspiration to his comrades and a threat to the enemy. He was honoured with the highest wartime gallantry medal, Param Vir Chakra, for his outstanding role in the battle of Tithwal.

With 73 Battle Honours, the largest collection of Victoria Crosses-Param Vir Chakras and equivalent, the Saga of Saragarhi, the young soldiers of the Sikh Regiment are proud to wear the regimental colours of India's highest decorated regiment. Since it's rising more than 150 years ago, the regiment has been in the vanguard of various actions and operations both in the pre and post-independence era in India and abroad.

The Battle of Saragarhi fought by men of 36th Sikhs in 1897, is an epitome of raw courage, sheer grit and unshakable determination.

Saragarhi was a small signalling post located between Fort Lockhart and Fort Gulistan on the Samana Ridge in the N.W.F.P. On September 12, 1897 about 10,000 Afridis and Orakazais tribesmen swarmed towards Saragarhi, while another group cut off all links from Forts Gulistan and Lockhart.

For the next six hours the small detachment of 22 men led by Havildar Ishar Singh stood firm and repulsed all attacks. With passage of time the ranks of the Sikhs started getting thinner and their ammunition was running out. But they never faltered and continued to punish the enemy.

The enemy succeeded in making a large breach in the outer wall and swarmed in, the Sikhs fought to the last man. When the news of the battle reached London, the British Parliament rose to give a standing ovation. All the 22 men were given the posthumous award of Indian Order of Merit, Class 1, (IOM). This was the highest gallantry award given to Indian ranks in those days and was equivalent to the Victoria Cross.

All dependants were given two squares of land and Rs. 500 as financial assistance and memorials were built at Ferozepore and Amritsar. The award of so many posthumous IOMs to a single group of men in one day was something unheard of and remains unparalleled in the annals of military history. After Saragarhi the tribesmen then attacked Fort Gulistan, which was held by 160 men of 36th Sikh. The fort held out until relief arrived. A group of Sikh soldiers in a daredevil attack managed to capture 3 Afghan standards (flags). 30 IDSM's were won by the defenders of Fort Gulistan.In 1901 another battalion, composed entirely of Jat Sikhs was raised and it came to be known as 47th Sikhs (later 5 Sikh).

World War 1

During WW1 the Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. The 14th Ferozepore Sikhs were in Gallipoli in April 1915 and fought in a number of battles in the Gallipoli campaign. After Gallipoli the battalion was in the Persian Gulf region and took part in some fierce fighting on the Tigris River. The 15th Ludhiana Sikhs were in France in September 1914 and participated in fighting at Fauquissart, Festubert and Neuve Chapelle.

World War 2

To overcome the heavy demands of manpower six new battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised. They being 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 25th. Out of the old battalions 1st and 5th saw action in Burma and three others, 2nd, 3rd and 4th fought in the Middle East.

1st Sikh landed in Rangoon in February 1942 and took part in some fierce fighting but the Japanese had built up their strength in the area and pushed the British forces to the Indian border. The battalion was rested and refitted and was back in the war zone on the Indo-Burma border. On March 11, 1943 the battalion was the advance party along the Maungdaw-Buthidaung road. The Japanese were holding a knife-edge hill feature and putting up stiff resistance. The only way to approach the hill was by means of a narrow track. On this track leading the attack was the section commanded by Naik Nand Singh. When the section reached the crest it came under heavy machinegun fire and every man in the section was killed or wounded. Naik Nand Singh dashed forward alone; he was wounded by a grenade as he neared the first Japanese trench. He took out his bayonet and killed the two occupants. Under heavy fire Nand Singh jumped up and charged the second trench, he was again wounded by a grenade and knocked down, but he got up and hurled himself into the trench again killing two Japanese with his bayonet. He then moved on to the third trench and captured it single-handed. With the capture of the third trench the enemy fire started to die away and the rest of the platoon charged the other Japanese positions, killing with bayonet and grenade thirty seven out of the forty Japanese holding it.

Naik Nand Singh wounded six times in the assault literally carried the position single-handed. For his valour an immediate award of Victoria Cross was bestowed upon him. The company commander Maj. John Brough was awarded the DSO and the platoon commander Jemadar Mehr Singh the IOM.

Two IDSMs were also awarded for this attack.

The battalion then moved to Imphal and took part in the famous battle at Kanglatongbi. After this battle the battalion was among the vanguard in pushing the Japanese back and recapturing Rangoon. During the Second World War the battalions of the Sikh Regiment won 27 battle honours.

India-Pakistan War 1965

Ten battalions of the Sikh Regiment saw action in the 1965 war. In a bid to seal off routes of infiltrations for the Pakistanis in J & K, 1 Sikh who were in the Tithwal sector attacked Pakistani positions. A company lead by Major Somesh Kapur captured Richhmar Ridge on 24 August

1965 and then attacked and captured the Pir Sahiba feature on the night of 25/26 August. From this feature the Indian troops could now overlook an extensive area under Pakistan control. Throughout September, Pakistani troops tried hard to recapture this feature but were unsuccessful. 1 Sikh received 3 Vir Chakras (Major Somesh Kapur and L/ Havildar Gurdev Singh and Sepoy Gurmel Singh (posth.)) for these operations. 3 Sikh were in the Keren -Kishanganga sector. A platoon of

22 men under Subedar Sunder Singh withstood attempts by Pakistanis to capture the Pharkian Ki Gali feature. In the end of September the Sikhs blew up the Shahkot Bridge.

India-Pakistan War 1971

A number of Sikh battalions fought during the 1971 war, most of them on the Western Front. 8 Sikh were in the Uri sector and 9 Sikh in the nearby Tangdhar sector. Two companies of 9 Sikh attacked and captured Thanda Pani and Kaiyan on 5 December night. The battalion then captured some more positions. At one stage they had advanced so rapidly that they went beyond artillery range. When the Sikhs came under Pakistani fire, they manhandled a medium gun over the mountains to take on the enemy by direct fire. On 14 December, 9 Sikh then cleared the heights dominating Naukot.

2 Sikh were in the Lahore sector and part of the battalion was defending the Ranian Post, which the Pakistanis seemed determined to capture. They attacked the post repeatedly on 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th December, but each time they were beaten back. At the start of the war the Pakistanis had managed to capture the village of Pulkanjri and had sited 12 BMG's and some 3.5 inch rocket launchers around it. On December 17th and 18th, 2 Sikh attacked and recaptured the Pulkanjri village. During this attack L/Naik Shangara Singh displayed conspicuous gallantry in clearing two machinegun posts which were holding the attack up. Shangara Singh dashed through a minefield and hurled a grenade at one of the post. He then charged the second gun and leaping over the loophole he snatched the gun from its occupants. As he stood with the gun in his hands he received a fatal burst in his abdomen and fell to the ground with the gun still in his hand. He was awarded a posthumous Maha Vir Chakra. N/ Sub. Gian Singh received a posthumous Vir Chakra. The Pakistanis tried to recapture the Pulkanjri village using a company of 43 Punjab and two companies of 15 Punjab. The Sikhs stood firm and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy's 15 Punjab. In a local counter attack they captured 1 officer and 8 OR's of 43 Punjab and 4 OR's of 15 Punjab. 19 Sikh was in the Ajnala area and captured the border post Budhai Chima on the night of December 5/6.

10 Sikh was in Rajasthan along the Nayachor axis. On December 11, they were part of a brigade attack along with 2 Mahar and 10 Sikh LI to capture Parbat Ali a feature which dominated both the main road and railway line to Nayachor and it was turned into a formidable defensive position by the enemy. In a grim battle working with bayonets and going from trench to trench the feature was cleared by the morning of 13 December. 10 Sikh won 6 Vir Chakras (Major Amrik Singh, Sub.Gurcharn Singh (posth.), Naik Gurjant Singh (posth.), L/Naik Harbhajan Singh, Sep. Mohan Singh) and 3 Sena Medals along with the battle honour Parbat Ali. 4 Sikh fought in the Eastern sector on the Jessore front. The battalion cleared the village of Burinda, which then opened the road to Jessore. The battalion then continued the advance to Khulna and on December 16, attacked Shyamganj and captured it. Naik Mohinder Singh won a posthumous Vir Chakra and the battalion received the battle honour Siramani.

1999 Kargil Conflict

During the Kargil Conflict of 1999, two battalions, 8 Sikh and 14 Sikh were inducted into operations. 8 Sikh were tasked to capture Tiger Hill. By 21st May, the 8 Sikh had isolated Tiger Hill from three directions, East, North and South. In order to inflict casualties the enemy positions on Tiger Hill were subjected to artillery and mortar fire. A fresh battalion, 18 Grenadiers was brought in to capture the peak with 8 Sikh holding the firm base. On the night of July 3rd, 18 Grenadiers captured the eastern slope but further advance was held up due to effective enemy fire from Helmet Top, India Gate features on the western slope.

The Regimental motto is the vow taken by Guru Gobind Singh, "Nische kar apni jeet karon" - with determination, I'll fetch triumph. The Regimental March is a hymn written by Guru Gobind Singh during the Battle of Chamkaur, "De shiva bar mohey ehai" and the battle cry is "Bole so nihal, sat sri akal".

5. Saragarhi symbolises the Sikh commitment Saragarhi - in the North West Frontier Province - bears testimony to an unparallel saga of valour, etched in military history as one of the five greatest battles ever fought on earth. Sara in the local Pushtu language means "Red" and garhi means a Small Fortress. The bloodshed of September 1897 was to prove that it was indeed a red-fort!

Saragarhi Day, is a Sikh military commemoration day celebrated on the 12th of September every year annually to commemorate The Battle of Saragarhi. Saragarhi is the incredible story of 21 men from the 36th Sikh (currently 4th Sikh Regiment) who gave up their lives in devotion to their duty.

On the morning of 12 September 1897, began the tribal battle cries and the drum-beating as the enemy started its assault on the Saraghari Fort, manned by 20 soldiers under the command of Havildar Ishar Singh. It was attacked by an estimated 14,000 Afridi and Orakzai tribesmen. The fort served as a visual communication link between two other forts, Fort Lockhart and Fort Gulistan, on the same ridge.

The fort was not capable for a prolonged defence owing to weakness in construction, situation and strength, and the enemy was looking for an easy victory. But it was not to be so. The defenders repulsed repeated attacks, with victory nowhere in sight for the attackers who suffered heavy casualties. The tribal chief, Gul Badshah tried to allure the defenders to surrender but Havildar Ishar Singh replied that Sikhs never surrender, and the biggest sin would be to surrender and not to fight to their death, thus upholding the religious beliefs, tradition and greatest honour of Sikh religion and after failing, put in another attack. According to Major General A.G. Yeatman Biggs, C.B., Commanding the Kohat Field Force, the ammunition supply had been sent by him to the Samana, making up to total number of rounds to four hundred per rifle, 36th Sikhs. Havildar Ishar Singh and his brave Sikhs made sure that every bullet fired found its mark because of limited ammunition at the garrison. The post of Saragarhi fell at 1630 hours on 12 September 1897.Although the Afridis and Orakzais were able to capture the post of Saragarhi, they had to pay a terrible price because many hundreds of their men were either killed or wounded. And as they set fire to the post, many of their dying men were also consumed by fire. The gallant 21 Sikhs stood their ground in obeisance to Guru Gobind Singh's hymn (Swaiyya) that "When the hour of mortality of this body arrives, I should die fighting on the battle field with unbounded courage" Exhibitions that have been undertaken by Harchand Singh Bedi are as follows: The list will soon be growing as the launch will be going global this summer.

1) Exhibition on Sikh Bravery in Military History, Wadda Gurdwara Sahib, Ipoh Perak, 22nd ~24th November 2007
2) Exhibition on Sikh Bravery in Military History, Gurdwara Tatt Khalsa, Kuala Lumpur September 28, 2008
3) Exhibition on Sikh Bravery in Military History, Muzium Darul Ridzuan Ipoh Perak December 2008
4) Exhibition on Sikh Bravery in Military History, Gurdwara Sahib, Klang, 12 April 2009
5) Exhibition on Sikh Bravery in Military History, Malacca Museum, 21st May ~ 24th May 2009
6) Exhibition on Sikh Bravery in Military History, Tun Razak Library, Ipoh Perak, 12th June~20th June 2009
7) Exhibition on Sikh Bravery in Military History, Stadium Indera Mulia, Ipoh Perak, 23rd April 2010

The history of the Sikhs is well documented and they were involved to uphold justice and righteousness of society. History speaks for itself on the valour, bravery displayed by the Sikhs. The never-say-die spirit of the Sikhs gave us the impetus and inner strength and resilience to face any challenges that came our way. Sikh soldiers adhered to the faith and never flinched nor surrendered in the face of adversity. They lived in chardhi kala; full of the high spirits and perpetual optimism that make us a very successful and vibrant race.

India Medal 1895-1902, with four clasps for 'Relief of Chitral 1895', 'Punjab Frontier 1897-98', 'Samana 1897' and 'Tirah 1897-98'.

India Medal 1895-1902, with four clasps for 'Relief of Chitral 1895', 'Punjab Frontier 1897-98', 'Samana 1897' and 'Tirah 1897-98'.

This medal was awarded to Sepoy Jiwa Singh, 15th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry (The Ludhiana Sikhs). The India Medal replaced the India General Service Medal which had been awarded for various minor campaigns on the subcontinent since 1854. Sepoys received the medal in silver, but Indian bearers and servants received it in bronze.

NAM Accession Number

NAM. 1988-03-32-2

Copyright/Ownership

National Army Museum Copyright

Location

National Army Museum, Study collection

 — withZahid Zaman, Jahangir Saeed, Mandeep Singh Bajwa, James Ian Murdoch, Moeen Jan Naim,Sushil Talwar and Hamid Zeb Khan.

A Sikh tank commander in the turret of his vehicle

A Sikh tank commander in the turret of his vehicle, 1944 armed with a 30. calibre machine-gun for close fire support. 

From a collection of official photographs collected by Major General (later Lieutenant General) Sir Frank Walter Messervy.

Sikh Personnels of Indian Army providing weapon training to Kashmiri Women in Kashmir,India.

Sikh Personnels of Indian Army providing weapon training to Kashmiri Women in Kashmir,India..This programme was taken to create Village Defence Comittee (VDC)...The VDCs were set up in Jammu and Kashmir in the mid-nineties following a number of violence on the innocent inhabitants of the troubled region's far-flung villages. As there were no police or army pockets near these inaccessible villages,the Indian security forces provided military training to locals,and equipped them with weapons and wireless sets to counter militant attacks.

Turban vs. Helmet-I

In the early days of World II (1939-1945) the Sikh Regimental Center,then known as 10th Battalion the Sikh Regiment,was stationed in Nowshera (now in Pakistan), when I got enrolled in June 1940.I recollect that Maj. Gern Kilroy (who had earlier commanded its No: 4 Company as a Captain) was deputed by the Army HQ (then called General HQ) to visit the Training Center to convince and persuade the Sikh soldiers being drafted to the European War Zone, to wear helmets (even over their turbans ) to protect themselves from sustaining head injuries.The entire gathering opposed the idea.Ultimately he came forward with a bet that let any one soldier accompany me to the battle field where heavy shelling is going on. If that person yet refuses to wear a helmet, I will reward him with Rs. 100 and in case he then wares it, he will pay me Rs.1 only for losing the bet. ( In those days a soldiers monthly salary was Rs.16 only).He was astounded to see that all the listeners raised their hands, in acceptance of the challenge. He left the stage with a smile and submitted his findings to Army HQ, where the idea was nipped in the bad for good.

– Gurbachan Singh Bedi,Ottawa,Canada.

 — withGen A S Dhillon.

Colonel Khalsa joined the U.S. Army in 1976

Colonel Khalsa joined the U.S. Army in 1976 as a Private, 
and served in the Special Forces Unit 
for 10 years on Parachute Status, as a Battalion 
Commander overseeing an 800-person intelligence group, 
and also received a Meritorious Service Medal with Silver
 Oak Leaf Cluster Award, amongst many other honors. 
He is a graduate of the Army Officer Candidate School
 in Georgia, and was inducted into the Officer Candidate
 School Hall of Fame in 2004. Colonel Khalsa currently
 serves in the reserve command, and has therefore served
 in the U.S. Army for 33 years.

Sikh guards at Buckingham Palace:

Sikh guards at Buckingham Palace:
Jatinderpal Singh Bhullar,25,has been allowed to break hundreds of years of tradition to observe his religion by the Scots Guards...

Guru Nanak Dev ji (1469 - 1539)

Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji was born in 1469 in Talwandi, a village in the Sheikhupura district, 65 kms. west of Lahore. His father was a village official in the local revenue administration. As a boy, Sri Guru Nanak learnt, besides the regional languages, Persian and Arabic. He was married in 1487 and was blessed with two sons, one in 1491 and the second in 1496. In 1485 he took up, at the instance of his brother-in-law, the appointment of an official in charge of the stores of Daulat Khan Lodhi, the Muslim ruler of the area at Sultanpur. It is there that he came into contact with Mardana, a Muslim minstrel (Mirasi) who was senior in age. By all accounts, 1496 was the year of his enlightenment when he started on his mission. His first statement after his prophetic communion with God was "There is no Hindu, nor any Mussalman." This is an announcement of supreme significance it declared not only the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God, but also his clear and primary interest not in any metaphysical doctrine but only in man and his fate. It means love your neighbour as yourself. In addition, it emphasised, simultaneously the inalienable spirituo-moral combination of his message. Accompanied by Mardana, he began his missionary tours. Apart from conveying his message and rendering help to the weak, he forcefully preached, both by precept and practice, against caste distinctions ritualism, idol worship and the pseudo-religious beliefs that had no spiritual content. He chose to mix with all. He dined and lived with men of the lowest castes and classes Considering the then prevailing cultural practices and traditions, this was something socially and religiously unheard of in those days of rigid Hindu caste system sanctioned by the scriptures and the religiously approved notions of untouchability and pollution. It is a matter of great significance that at the very beginning of his mission, the Guru's first companion was a low caste Muslim. The offerings he received during his tours, were distributed among the poor. Any surplus collected was given to his hosts to maintain a common kitchen, where all could sit and eat together without any distinction of caste and status. This institution of common kitchen or langar became a major instrument of helping the poor, and a nucleus for religious gatherings of his society and of establishing the basic equality of all castes, classes and sexes. When Guru Nanak Dev ji were 12 years old his father gave him twenty rupees and asked him to do a business, apparently to teach him business. Guru Nanak dev ji bought food for all the money and distributed among saints, and poor. When his father asked him what happened to business? He replied that he had done a "True business" at the place where Guru Nanak dev had fed the poor, this gurdwara was made and named Sacha Sauda. Despite the hazards of travel in those times, he performed five long tours all over the country and even outside it. He visited most of the known religious places and centres of worship. At one time he preferred to dine at the place of a low caste artisan, Bhai Lallo, instead of accepting the invitation of a high caste rich landlord, Malik Bhago, because the latter lived by exploitation of the poor and the former earned his bread by the sweat of his brow. This incident has been depicted by a symbolic representation of the reason for his preference. Sri Guru Nanak pressed in one hand the coarse loaf of bread from Lallo's hut and in the other the food from Bhago's house. Milk gushed forth from the loaf of Lallo's and blood from the delicacies of Bhago. This prescription for honest work and living and the condemnation of exploitation, coupled with the Guru's dictum that "riches cannot be gathered without sin and evil means," have, from the very beginning, continued to be the basic moral tenet with the Sikh mystics and the Sikh society. During his tours, he visited numerous places of Hindu and Muslim worship. He explained and exposed through his preachings the incongruities and fruitlessness of ritualistic and ascetic practices. At Hardwar, when he found people throwing Ganges water towards the sun in the east as oblations to their ancestors in heaven, he started, as a measure of correction, throwing the water towards the West, in the direction of his fields in the Punjab. When ridiculed about his folly, he replied, "If Ganges water will reach your ancestors in heaven, why should the water I throw up not reach my fields in the Punjab, which are far less distant ?" He spent twenty five years of his life preaching from place to place. Many of his hymns were composed during this period. They represent answers to the major religious and social problems of the day and cogent responses to the situations and incidents that he came across. Some of the hymns convey dialogues with Yogis in the Punjab and elsewhere. He denounced their methods of living and their religious views. During these tours he studied other religious systems like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Islam. At the same time, he preached the doctrines of his new religion and mission at the places and centres he visited. Since his mystic system almost completely reversed the trends, principles and practices of the then prevailing religions, he criticised and rejected virtually all the old beliefs, rituals and harmful practices existing in the country. This explains the necessity of his long and arduous tours and the variety and profusion of his hymns on all the religious, social, political and theological issues, practices and institutions of his period. Finally, on the completion of his tours, he settled as a peasant farmer at Kartarpur, a village in the Punjab. Bhai Gurdas, the scribe of Guru Granth Sahib, was a devout and close associate of the third and the three subsequent Gurus. He was born 12 years after Guru Nanak's death and joined the Sikh mission in his very boyhood. He became the chief missionary agent of the Gurus. Because of his intimate knowledge of the Sikh society and his being a near contemporary of Sri Guru Nanak, his writings are historically authentic and reliable. He writes that at Kartarpur Guru Nanak donned the robes of a peasant and continued his ministry. He organised Sikh societies at places he visited with their meeting places called Dharamsalas. A similar society was created at Kartarpur. In the morning, Japji was sung in the congregation. In the evening Sodar and Arti were recited. The Guru cultivated his lands and also continued with his mission and preachings. His followers throughout the country were known as Nanak-panthies or Sikhs. The places where Sikh congregation and religious gatherings of his followers were held were called Dharamsalas. These were also the places for feeding the poor. Eventually, every Sikh home became a Dharamsala. One thing is very evident. Guru Nanak had a distinct sense of his prophethood and that his mission was God-ordained. During his preachings, he himself announced. "O Lallo, as the words of the Lord come to me, so do I express them." Successors of Guru Nanak have also made similar statements indicating that they were the messengers of God. So often Guru Nanak refers to God as his Enlightener and Teacher. His statements clearly show his belief that God had commanded him to preach an entirely new religion, the central idea of which was the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God, shorn of all ritualism and priestcraft. During a dialogue with the Yogis, he stated that his mission was to help everyone. He came to be called a Guru in his lifetime. In Punjabi, the word Guru means both God and an enlightener or a prophet. During his life, his disciples were formed and came to be recognised as a separate community. He was accepted as a new religious prophet. His followers adopted a separate way of greeting each other with the words Sat Kartar (God is true). Twentyfive years of his extensive preparatory tours and preachings across the length and breadth of the country clearly show his deep conviction that the people needed a new prophetic message which God had commanded him to deliver. He chose his successor and in his own life time established him as the future Guru or enlightener of the new community. This step is of the greatest significance, showing Guru Nanak s determination and declaration that the mission which he had started and the community he had created were distinct and should be continued, promoted and developed. By the formal ceremony of appointing his successor and by giving him a new name, Angad (his part or limb), he laid down the clear principle of impersonality, unity and indivisibility of Guruship. At that time he addressed Angad by saying, Between thou and me there is now no difference. In Guru Granth Sahib there is clear acceptance and proclamation of this identity of personality in the hymns of Satta-Balwand. This unity of spiritual personality of all the Gurus has a theological and mystic implication. It is also endorsed by the fact that each of the subsequent Gurus calls himself Nanak in his hymns. Never do they call themselves by their own names as was done by other Bhagats and Illyslics. That Guru Nanak attached the highest importance to his mission is also evident from his selection of the successor by a system of test, and only when he was found perfect, was Guru Angad appointed as his successor. He was comparatively a new comer to the fold, and yet he was chosen in preference to the Guru's own son, Sri Chand, who also had the reputation of being a pious person, and Baba Budha, a devout Sikh of long standing, who during his own lifetime had the distinction of ceremonially installing all subsequent Gurus. All these facts indicate that Guru Nanak had a clear plan and vision that his mission was to be continued as an independent and distinct spiritual system on the lines laid down by him, and that, in the context of the country, there was a clear need for the organisation of such a spiritual mission and society. In his own lifetime, he distinctly determined its direction and laid the foundations of some of the new religious institutions. In addition, he created the basis for the extension and organisation of his community and religion. The above in brief is the story of the Guru's life. We shall now note the chief features of his work, how they arose from his message and how he proceeded to develop them during his lifetime. (1) After his enlightenment, the first words of Guru Nanak declared the brotherhood of man. This principle formed the foundation of his new spiritual gospel. It involved a fundamental doctrinal change because moral life received the sole spiritual recognition and status. This was something entirely opposed to the religious systems in vogue in the country during the time of the Guru. All those systems were, by and large, other-worldly. As against it, the Guru by his new message brought God on earth. For the first time in the country, he made a declaration that God was deeply involved and interested in the affairs of man and the world which was real and worth living in. Having taken the first step by the proclamation of his radical message, his obvious concern was to adopt further measures to implement the same. (2)The Guru realised that in the context and climate of the country, especially because of the then existing religious systems and the prevailing prejudices, there would be resistance to his message, which, in view of his very thesis, he wanted to convey to all. He, therefore, refused to remain at Sultanpur and preach his gospel from there. Having declared the sanctity of life, his second major step was in the planning and organisation of institutions that would spread his message. As such, his twentyfive years of extensive touring can be understood only as a major organizational step. These tours were not casual. They had a triple object. He wanted to acquaint himself with all the centres and organisations of the prevalent religious systems so as to assess the forces his mission had to contend with, and to find out the institutions that he could use in the aid of his own system. Secondly, he wanted to convey his gospel at the very centres of the old systems and point out the futile and harmful nature of their methods and practices. It is for this purpose that he visited Hardwar, Kurukshetra, Banaras, Kanshi, Maya, Ceylon, Baghdad, Mecca, etc. Simultaneously, he desired to organise all his followers and set up for them local centres for their gatherings and worship. The existence of some of these far-flung centres even up-till today is a testimony to his initiative in the Organizational and the societal field. His hymns became the sole guide and the scripture for his flock and were sung at the Dharamsalas. (3) Guru Nanak's gospel was for all men. He proclaimed their equality in all respects. In his system, the householder's life became the primary forum of religious activity. Human life was not a burden but a privilege. His was not a concession to the laity. In fact, the normal life became the medium of spiritual training and expression. The entire discipline and institutions of the Gurus can be appreciated only if one understands that, by the very logic of Guru Nanak's system, the householder's life became essential for the seeker. On reaching Kartarpur after his tours, the Guru sent for the members of his family and lived there with them for the remaining eighteen years of his life. For the same reason his followers all over the country were not recluses. They were ordinary men, living at their own homes and pursuing their normal vocations. The Guru's system involved morning and evening prayers. Congregational gatherings of the local followers were also held at their respective Dharamsalas. (4) After he returned to Kartarpur, Guru Nanak did not rest. He straightaway took up work as a cultivator of land, without interrupting his discourses and morning and evening prayers. It is very significant that throughout the later eighteen years of his mission he continued to work as a peasant. It was a total involvement in the moral and productive life of the community. His life was a model for others to follow. Like him all his disciples were regular workers who had not given up their normal vocations Even while he was performing the important duties of organising a new religion, he nester shirked the full-time duties of a small cultivator. By his personal example he showed that the leading of a normal man's working life was fundamental to his spiritual system Even a seemingly small departure from this basic tenet would have been misunderstood and misconstrued both by his own followers and others. In the Guru's system, idleness became a vice and engagement in productive and constructive work a virtue. It was Guru Nanak who chastised ascetics as idlers and condemned their practice of begging for food at the doors of the householders. (5) According to the Guru, moral life was the sole medium of spiritual progress In those times, caste, religious and social distinctions, and the idea of pollution were major problems. Unfortunately, these distinctions had received religious sanction The problem of poverty and food was another moral challenge. The institution of langar had a twin purpose. As every one sat and ate at the same place and shared the same food, it cut at the root of the evil of caste, class and religious distinctions. Besides, it demolished the idea of pollution of food by the mere presence of an untouchable. Secondlys it provided food to the needy. This institution of langar and pangat was started by the Guru among all his followers wherever they had been organised. It became an integral part of the moral life of the Sikhs. Considering that a large number of his followers were of low caste and poor members of society, he, from the very start, made it clear that persons who wanted to maintain caste and class distinctions had no place in his system In fact, the twin duties of sharing one's income with the poor and doing away with social distinctions were the two obligations which every Sikh had to discharge. On this score, he left no option to anyone, since he started his mission with Mardana, a low caste Muslim, as his life long companion. (6) The greatest departure Guru Nanak made was to prescribe for the religious man the responsibility of confronting evil and oppression. It was he who said that God destroys 'the evil doers' and 'the demonical; and that such being God s nature and will, it is man's goal to carry out that will. Since there are evil doers in life, it is the spiritual duty of the seeker and his society to resist evil and injustice. Again, it is Guru Nanak who protests and complains that Babur had been committing tyranny against the weak and the innocent. Having laid the principle and the doctrine, it was again he who proceeded to organise a society. because political and societal oppression cannot be resisted by individuals, the same can be confronted only by a committed society. It was, therefore, he who proceeded to create a society and appointed a successor with the clear instructions to develop his Panth. Again, it was Guru Nanak who emphasized that life is a game of love, and once on that path one should not shirk laying down one's life. Love of one's brother or neighbour also implies, if love is true, his or her protection from attack, injustice and tyranny. Hence, the necessity of creating a religious society that can discharge this spiritual obligation. Ihis is the rationale of Guru Nanak's system and the development of the Sikh society which he organised. (7) The Guru expressed all his teachings in Punjabi, the spoken language of Northern India. It was a clear indication of his desire not to address the elite alone but the masses as well. It is recorded that the Sikhs had no regard for Sanskrit, which was the sole scriptural language of the Hindus. Both these facts lead to important inferences. They reiterate that the Guru's message was for all. It was not for the few who, because of their personal aptitude, should feel drawn to a life of a so-called spiritual meditation and contemplation. Nor was it an exclusive spiritual system divorced from the normal life. In addition, it stressed that the Guru's message was entirely new and was completely embodied in his hymns. His disciples used his hymns as their sole guide for all their moral, religious and spiritual purposes. I hirdly, the disregard of the Sikhs for Sanskrit strongly suggests that not only was the Guru's message independent and self-contained, without reference and resort to the Sanskrit scriptures and literature, but also that the Guru made a deliberate attempt to cut off his disciples completely from all the traditional sources and the priestly class. Otherwise, the old concepts, ritualistic practices, modes of worship and orthodox religions were bound to affect adversely the growth of his religion which had wholly a different basis and direction and demanded an entirely new approach. The following hymn from Guru Nanak and the subsequent one from Sankara are contrast in their approach to the world. "the sun and moon, O Lord, are Thy lamps; the firmament Thy salver; the orbs of the stars the pearls encased in it. The perfume of the sandal is Thine incense, the wind is Thy fan, all the forests are Thy flowers, O Lord of light. What worship is this, O Thou destroyer of birth ? Unbeaten strains of ecstasy are the trumpets of Thy worship. Thou has a thousand eyes and yet not one eye; Thou host a thousand forms and yet not one form; Thou hast a thousand stainless feet and yet not one foot; Thou hast a thousand organs of smell and yet not one organ. I am fascinated by this play of 'l hine. The light which is in everything is Chine, O Lord of light. From its brilliancy everything is illuminated; By the Guru's teaching the light becometh manifest. What pleaseth Thee is the real worship. O God, my mind is fascinated with Thy lotus feet as the bumble-bee with the flower; night and day I thirst for them. Give the water of Thy favour to the Sarang (bird) Nanak, so that he may dwell in Thy Name."3 Sankara writes: "I am not a combination of the five perishable elements I arn neither body, the senses, nor what is in the body (antar-anga: i e., the mind). I am not the ego-function: I am not the group of the vital breathforces; I am not intuitive intelligence (buddhi). Far from wife and son am 1, far from land and wealth and other notions of that kind. I am the Witness, the Eternal, the Inner Self, the Blissful One (sivoham; suggesting also, 'I am Siva')." "Owing to ignorance of the rope the rope appears to be a snake; owing to ignorance of the Self the transient state arises of the individualized, limited, phenomenal aspect of the Self. The rope becomes a rope when the false impression disappears because of the statement of some credible person; because of the statement of my teacher I am not an individual life-monad (yivo-naham), I am the Blissful One (sivo-ham )." "I am not the born; how can there be either birth or death for me ?" "I am not the vital air; how can there be either hunger or thirst for me ?" "I am not the mind, the organ of thought and feeling; how can there be either sorrow or delusion for me ?" "I am not the doer; how can there be either bondage or release for me ?" "I am neither male nor female, nor am I sexless. I am the Peaceful One, whose form is self-effulgent, powerful radiance. I am neither a child, a young man, nor an ancient; nor am I of any caste. I do not belong to one of the four lifestages. I am the Blessed-Peaceful One, who is the only Cause of the origin and dissolution of the world."4 While Guru Nanak is bewitched by the beauty of His creation and sees in the panorama of nature a lovely scene of the worshipful adoration of the Lord, Sankara in his hymn rejects the reality of the world and treats himself as the Sole Reality. Zimmer feels that "Such holy megalomania goes past the bounds of sense. With Sankara, the grandeur of the supreme human experience becomes intellectualized and reveals its inhuman sterility."5 No wonder that Guru Nanak found the traditional religions and concepts as of no use for his purpose. He calculatedly tried to wean away his people from them. For Guru Nanak, religion did not consist in a 'patched coat or besmearing oneself with ashes"6 but in treating all as equals. For him the service of man is supreme and that alone wins a place in God's heart. By this time it should be easy to discern that all the eight features of the Guru's system are integrally connected. In fact, one flows from the other and all follow from the basic tenet of his spiritual system, viz., the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. For Guru Nanak, life and human beings became the sole field of his work. Thus arose the spiritual necessity of a normal life and work and the identity of moral and spiritual functioning and growth. Having accepted the primacy of moral life and its spiritual validity, the Guru proceeded to identify the chief moral problems of his time. These were caste and class distinctions, the institutions, of property and wealth, and poverty and scarcity of food. Immoral institutions could be substituted and replaced only by the setting up of rival institutions. Guru Nanak believed that while it is essential to elevate man internally, it is equally necessary to uplift the fallen and the downtrodden in actual life. Because, the ultimate test of one's spiritual progress is the kind of moral life one leads in the social field. The Guru not only accepted the necessity of affecting change in the environment, but also endeavoured to build new institutions. We shall find that these eight basic principles of the spirituo-moral life enunciated by Guru Nanak, were strictly carried out by his successors. As envisaged by the first prophet, his successors further extended the structure and organised the institutions of which the foundations had been laid by Guru Nanak. Though we shall consider these points while dealing with the lives of the other nine Gurus, some of them need to be mentioned here. The primacy of the householder's life was maintained. Everyone of the Gurus, excepting Guru Harkishan who died at an early age, was a married person who maintained a family. When Guru Nanak, sent Guru Angad from Kartarpur to Khadur Sahib to start his mission there, he advised him to send for the members of his family and live a normal life. According to Bhalla,8 when Guru Nanak went to visit Guru Angad at Khadur Sahib, he found him living a life of withdrawal and meditation. Guru Nanak directed him to be active as he had to fulfill his mission and organise a community inspired by his religious principles. Work in life, both for earning the livelihood and serving the common good, continued to be the fundamental tenet of Sikhism. There is a clear record that everyone upto the Fifth Guru (and probably subsequent Gurus too) earned his livelihood by a separate vocation and contributed his surplus to the institution of langar Each Sikh was made to accept his social responsibility. So much so that Guru Angad and finally Guru Amar Das clearly ordered that Udasis, persons living a celibate and ascetic life without any productive vocation, should remain excluded from the Sikh fold. As against it, any worker or a householder without distinction of class or caste could become a Sikh. This indicates how these two principles were deemed fundamental to the mystic system of Guru Nanak. It was defined and laid down that in Sikhism a normal productive and moral life could alone be the basis of spiritual progress. Here, by the very rationale of the mystic path, no one who was not following a normal life could be fruitfully included. The organization of moral life and institutions, of which the foundations had been laid by Guru Nanak, came to be the chief concern of the other Gurus. We refer to the sociopolitical martyrdoms of two of the Gurus and the organisation of the military struggle by the Sixth Guru and his successors. Here it would be pertinent to mention Bhai Gurdas's narration of Guru Nanak's encounter and dialogue with the Nath Yogis who were living an ascetic life of retreat in the remote hills. They asked Guru Nanak how the world below in the plains was faring. ' How could it be well", replied Guru Nanak, "when the so- called pious men had resorted to the seclusion of the hills ?" The Naths commented that it was incongruous and self-contradictory for Guru Nanak to be a householder and also pretend to lead a spiritual life. That, they said, was like putting acid in milk and thereby destroying its purity. The Guru replied emphatically that the Naths were ignorant of even the basic elements of spiritual life.9 This authentic record of the dialouge reveals the then prevailing religious thought in the country. It points to the clear and deliberate break the Guru made from the traditional system. While Guru Nanak was catholic in his criticism of other religions, he was unsparing where he felt it necessary to clarify an issue or to keep his flock away from a wrong practice or prejudice. He categorically attacked all the evil institutions of his time including oppression and barbarity in the political field, corruption among the officialss and hypocrisy and greed in the priestly class. He deprecated the degrading practices of inequality in the social field. He criticised and repudiated the scriptures that sanctioned such practices. After having denounced all of them, he took tangible steps to create a society that accepted the religious responsibility of eliminating these evils from the new institutions created by him and of attacking the evil practices and institutions in the Social and political fields. T his was a fundamental institutional change with the largest dimensions and implications for the future of the community and the country. The very fact that originally poorer classes were attracted to the Gurus, fold shows that they found there a society and a place where they could breathe freely and live with a sense of equality and dignity. Dr H.R. Gupta, the well-known historian, writes, "Nanak's religion consisted in the love of God, love of man and love of godly living. His religion was above the limits of caste, creed and country. He gave his love to all, Hindus, Muslims, Indians and foreigners alike. His religion was a people's movement based on modern conceptions of secularism and socialism, a common brotherhood of all human beings. Like Rousseau, Nanak felt 250 years earlier that it was the common people who made up the human race Ihey had always toiled and tussled for princes, priests and politicians. What did not concern the common people was hardly worth considering. Nanak's work to begin with assumed the form of an agrarian movement. His teachings were purely in Puniabi language mostly spoken by cultivators. Obey appealed to the downtrodden and the oppressed peasants and petty traders as they were ground down between the two mill stones of Government tyranny and the new Muslims' brutality. Nanak's faith was simple and sublime. It was the life lived. His religion was not a system of philosophy like Hinduism. It was a discipline, a way of life, a force, which connected one Sikh with another as well as with the Guru."'� "In Nanak s time Indian society was based on caste and was divided into countless watertight Compartments. Men were considered high and low on account of their birth and not according to their deeds. Equality of human beings was a dream. There was no spirit of national unity except feelings of community fellowship. In Nanak's views men's love of God was the criterion to judge whether a person was good or bad, high or low. As the caste system was not based on divine love, he condemned it. Nanak aimed at creating a casteless and classless society similar to the modern type of socialist society in which all were equal and where one member did not exploit the other. Nanak insisted that every Sikh house should serve as a place of love and devotion, a true guest house (Sach dharamshala). Every Sikh was enjoined to welcome a traveller or a needy person and to share his meals and other comforts with him. "Guru Nanak aimed at uplifting the individual as well as building a nation." Considering the religious conditions and the philosophies of the time and the social and political milieu in which Guru Nanak was born, the new spirituo- moral thesis he introduced and the changes he brought about in the social and spiritual field were indeed radical and revolutionary. Earlier, release from the bondage of the world was sought as the goal. The householder's life was considered an impediment and an entanglement to be avoided by seclusion, monasticism, celibacy, sanyasa or vanpraslha. In contrast, in the Guru's system the world became the arena of spiritual endeavour. A normal life and moral and righteous deeds became the fundamental means of spiritual progress, since these alone were approved by God. Man was free to choose between the good and the bad and shape his own future by choosing virtue and fighting evil. All this gave "new hope, new faith, new life and new expectations to the depressed, dejected and downcast people of Punjab." Guru Nanak's religious concepts and system were entirely opposed to those of the traditional religions in the country. His views were different even from those of the saints of the Radical Bhakti movement. From the very beginning of his mission, he started implementing his doctrines and creating institutions for their practice and development. In his time the religious energy and zeal were flowing away from the empirical world into the desert of otherworldliness, asceticism and renunciation. It was Guru Nanak's mission and achievement not only to dam that Amazon of moral and spiritual energy but also to divert it into the world so as to enrich the moral, social the political life of man. We wonder if, in the context of his times, anything could be more astounding and miraculous. The task was undertaken with a faith, confidence and determination which could only be prophetic. It is indeed the emphatic manifestation of his spiritual system into the moral formations and institutions that created a casteless society of people who mixed freely, worked and earned righteously, contributed some of their income to the common causes and the langar. It was this community, with all kinds of its shackles broken and a new freedom gained, that bound its members with a new sense of cohesion, enabling it to rise triumphant even though subjected to the severest of political and military persecutions. The life of Guru Nanak shows that the only interpretation of his thesis and doctrines could be the one which we have accepted. He expressed his doctrines through the medium of activities. He himself laid the firm foundations of institutions and trends which flowered and fructified later on. As we do not find a trace of those ideas and institutions in the religious milieu of his time or the religious history of the country, the entirely original and new character of his spiritual system could have only been mystically and prophetically inspired. Apart from the continuation, consolidation and expansion of Guru Nanak's mission, the account that follows seeks to present the major contributions made by the remaining Gurus.