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Speak, Memory
Bhai Kulbir
Singh
At a time when many
in the United States often confuse the Sikhs with Muslims or Arabs,
we present here a snatch from an account of the riots that marred
the 1947 India, Pakistan Partition and so-called Independence.
 The area of Pothohaar, i.e. Rawalpindi area of the
now Pakistan, was the centre of Sikhi in those days. Bhai Sahib
Randhir Singh jee writes that before he went to jail, this area was
full of bibiyaan with dastaar and many families had adopted the
strict Khalsa rehit. It was in this area where Sant Baba Attar Singh
jee Mastuanawaale, did rigorous bhagti for many years. This is the
land where great Sikh Siri Thakur Nihaal Singh, reputed to be a
brahmgiyaani gursikh, did great preaching of Gurmat. This is where
Baba Khem Singh Bedi did heavy parchaar of Gurmat and inspired many
to take amrit of Guru Sahib.
Sikhi parchaar was so heavy in this area that even Brahmin Hindus
adopted Sikhi and became tyaar bar tyaar Singhs. This area was very
prosperous and Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee writes in one of his
books that due to increase in maaiya, many Sikh families had become
weak in Sikhi and had become more indulged in worldly pleasures.
Theha Khalsa Area of Rawalpindi
This small town of Theha Khalsa was one of the main towns of
Pothohaar (Rawalpindi area). Sikhs and Hindus living in this town
were very well off. In total about 500 families lived in this small
town. There were some Muslim families living there too but there was
no communal problem at all. In the fateful month of March 1947,
riots started in other parts of Pothohaar. The Sikhs of Theha Khalsa
town assembled at the local Gurdwara Sahib to discuss what to do.
Sant Gulaab Singh was the undisputed leader of this village and he
was from a very well-to-do family. His ancestral home was very big.
During the discussions, he suggested that all the Sikhs of that
village assemble at this house and stay there till the danger of
riots is over. He said that it would be easy to defend if all the
Sikhs stayed at one spot.
He further said that at this crucial time only Guru Sahib can help
them.
All the Sikhs after hearing the emotional lecture of Sant Gulaab
Singh agreed to move to his house. They brought all their money,
jewellery and gold etc, along with them and assembled at his house.
In total about 1200 Sikhs and some Hindus assembled at his house.
They fortified the haveli by making bunkers and replacing regular
doors with heavy doors. They covered the walls of the haveli with
shields of iron.
 First of all they secured a large room and brought all Saroops of
Dhan Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee over there. Over 36 saroops were
brought to that room. Big tanks of water were filled and large
quantity of fire-wood and grains was stocked up. The Sikhs were in
great danger, so they all started doing paath day and night. They
asked Guru Sahib for strength to save their faith.
On March 8, 1947 while the sangat was doing Siri Rehraas Sahib paath,
many thousand Muslims came and surrounded the building. They were
shouting “Allah hu Akbar", “Muslim League Zindabad" etc. There must
have been at least 6000 Muslims and all had weapons. Many had guns.
Some were on horse backs and they were shouting anti Sikh slogans.
They were uttering obscenities against Master Tara Singh and other
Sikh leaders.
The sangat kept doing simran of Vaheguru Vaheguru. The Muslim crowd
assembled in the school building. It is not clear what was decided
in that meeting but when they came out of the meeting they started
burning the shops and houses owned by the Sikhs. Then they attacked
the haveli where all the Sikhs were present. The Sikhs had some guns
and they kept the crowd away.
On one side of the haveli, they attacked with great vigour. Sardar
Partap Singh, a very brave young man, took along with him about 8-9
Singhs and attacked the attacking Muslims. They attacked with so
much force that the Muslims were pushed back. One of the bullets hit
Sardar Partap Singh on his leg.
The next day again the Muslims came back but this time they did not
wait for the night. They came back around 10am. The Muslims again
attacked but could not get in the haveli. Then the Muslims sent a
representative to talk to the Sikhs holed up in the haveli. Sant
Gulab Singh refused to accept their conditions that the Sikhs should
disarm themselves.
This way the fight went on for 2 more days. Finally on the last day,
the Muslims came with bombs and said that they would bomb the haveli
if the Sikhs did not get out of there. The Muslims swore that they
were only interested in the gold and money and not in killing
anyone. The Sikhs had no choice but to get out. They did ardaas and
moved out, leaving all belongings behind.
After the Sikhs came out, they got surrounded by the large crowd of
Muslims. The Sikhs
 arrived at the sarovar of the local Gurdwara
Sahib. The pathaans armed with latest weapons surrounded the Sikhs
sitting around the sarovar. The Sikhs were chanting “Satnam Siri
Vaheguru”. By then about 10,000 Muslims came where the Sikhs were.
Along with them, they had a dozens of barbers lined up to cut the
hair of Sikhs. Children were crying for food and milk. Old and young
were helpless to do anything. The whole scene was a scene from hell.
Sant Ghulab Singh jee writes as follows:
“By this time Sardarni Lajavanti Kaur asked me if she could go to
the well by my hut. I took her to the well and everyone washed their
faces and drank fresh water. There were 90 bibiyaan (Sikh females).
Many were unwed young girls. My granddaughters, grandsons, nieces,
and other related women were there amongst them”.
“Soon a person came and asked me to go to the Gurdwara Sahib where
the aggressors (jarvaane) were troubling the sangat. He said that
the sangat was calling me. I said Sat Sree Akaal to bibiyaan and
started walking towards the Gurdwara Sahib”.
“The well was about 200 feet from the Gurdwara Sahib. When I reached
there, a Muslim leader came up to me and asked me, “So what have you
decided?” I found out that the Singhs had been given half an hour to
accept Islam or else they get ready to die. The Singhs present there
said to the Muslims that they would do what Sant jee (this daas i.e.
I) tell them to do”.
“Dhan Pita Kalgidhar! I laughed after hearing this from the Muslim
leader. I said, “Your cruel and tryant emperors like Aurangzeb and
Farukhsiyaar too could not do anything to the Sikhs. What can you
do, when they could not do anything. Do what you want to do. We will
never give up Sikhi and will never become Muslims”.
When I came to the Gurdwara Sahib, some pathaans and thugs from
Punachh and Mairabaad sensing that the bibiyaan were alone at the
well, reached there and surrounded the well. They addressed the
bibiyaan, “Now we are going to take away your daughters and sisters
and will marry them after converting them to Islam.” At
 that time Sardarni Laajavantee Kaur could not resist Bir Rass anymore and
said, “Scoundrels! Who can touch the daughters of Guru Kalgidhar?
From the time we took amrit, we accepted death as reality and don’t
fear it.”
The Muslims thugs got angry hearing such answer from Sardarni
Lajavanti Kaur. They moved forward towards her. Sardarni jee was
holding her 5 year old granddaughter and a grandson. She loudly said
the jaikaara, “Bole So Nihaal!! Sat Srree Akaal!!”. Saying this she
jumped in the well, in order to avoid getting her granddaughter and
herself raped by the Muslims. Within seconds all Sikh women jumped
in the well. All 90 jumped in. A person came running to me and told
me the whole incident.
“When I reached the well, my granddaughter, Harbhajan Kaur, my
daughter-in-law Kartar Kaur and one sister-in-law Sardarni Ram
Rakhee were crying as the well was full and they did not drown. By
then 87 lives had been taken. They were taken out of the well. I was
baffled. I uttered, “Dhan Gurdev, these daughters of yours have
passed your test. Please show me the way too.
“After this bloody massacre, the Muslims got scared and started
running away but some scoundrels were left. All Sadh Sangat came to
my house and stayed there for the night. Muslims tried to find a
lone Sikh to convert but could not convert anyone”.
“I climbed a tall tree and saw a scene from hell. 87 lives had been
sacrificed. The towns of Dera Khalsa, Kallar, Thamali, and Beval
were burning. At that time I sang out baani to get peace of mind.”
15 August, 2007
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