|
Deccan Sikhs –19th
century Peace Corps
Nanak Singh Nishter
| |
This year, during the course of the Gurta Gaddi celebrations of
Guru Granth Sahib, let us acknowledge and admire the role of the
Sikhs from the Deccan region.
Nanak Singh Nishter is the fourth generation descendant of
one of the fourteen Risaldars -head of the army unit of Maharaja
Ranjit Singh, who has had the privilege of imbibing since
childhood, oral history from his parents and other elderly
relatives. His grand father Sardar Sohail Singh was the
inherent of this post from his forefathers as this was a
hereditary posting. Over the years, in order to lend credence to
his oral history knowledge, the author has studied the work of
several historians, delved through archives in Hyderabad and
Nanded and referred to many unpublished manuscripts.
This is perhaps the first authenticated account of who are
Deccani Sikhs, where they came from and what is the historicity
of some of their social and religious customs.
|
|
 The
word Deccani, though used derogatorily by some sections of Sikh
society, is simply the identification of Sikhs living in the region
known as Deccan. The word Deccan means the direction South in the
Urdu language. In the undivided Indian sub-continent, there were two
Hyderabad
cities. One was in the western Sind province and the second one was
in the southern Hyderabad province. The nomenclature used then was
Hyderabad Sind and Hyderabad Deccan. The city of Hyderabad was the
capital city of the erstwhile Nizam’s dominion of Hyderabad.
The
original inhabitants of India, settled in this part of
Hyderabad
were called Deccani. As such, Sikhs were labelled as Deccani Sikhs,
Pathans were called as Deccani Pathans and so were other peoples.
This was nothing but a geographical identity of a people who had
changed their habitat.
 Any
person, scholar or religious authority, directly or subtly
attempting to undermine these migrated people to be different from
the original race and religion, just because they do not speak
Punjabi language or their women-folk do not wear the Punjabi dress
is doing nothing but gross injustice and discrimination.
Past and present historians –Sikhs and non-Sikhs have overlooked the
unique example of the presence of the Sikh army in this part of then
Indian sub-continent, which had come on a mission of friendship and
peace. There was absolutely no obligation on the part of a Sikh
ruler to send his Sikh army to help a Muslim ruler to maintain his
internal security, thousands of kilometres away, endangering the
lives of the army men and making them leave behind their families
and completely alienating themselves from their homeland. Means of
conveyance and communications were virtually non-existent.
This exemplary humanitarian gesture in those times has not been
recognised by scholars, not even by Sikh scholars. The Sikh Army of
Maharaja Ranjit Singh coming to Deccan Hyderabad at the call of the
Nizam was the precursor of the modern-day Peace Keeping Force. They
were the peace corps of the 19th century. The present
day Deccani Sikhs are a living testimony of this hitherto unexplored
facet of Sikh history.
| |
Despite unfavourable circumstances, the Deccan Sikhs are proud
custodians of Sikhi in its totality for the last century and a
half and serve as an example for other Sikhs to emulate. The
story of the Sikhs from the Deccan does not end here. It
actually begins. The story needs to be retold in all its glory.
This monograph should serve as a first step for much more that
needs to be done in this area of Sikh studies. |
|
|
Sikhs in the Deccan
The
Sikhs are residents of Hyderabad even much before the historic
landmark of Charminar, which was constructed in 1591. Around the
year 1512, during one of his Udasis-world journeys, Guru
Nanak Sahib, while coming from Nanded and Bidar stayed in the walled
city of
Golconda,
even before the city of
Hyderabad
was founded. He journeyed through modern-day Andhra Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Rameshwaram and from there he travelled to
Sri
Lanka.
Guru Nanak Sahib preached humanism and spiritualism and left behind
considerable number of Sikhs i.e., disciples. He did not segregate
them as followers of a separate religion, nor did he set-up a
particular discipline. Subsequently, many lapsed back in to their
original Hindu and Muslim folds.
However, there were others, who were mesmerised and deeply
influenced by the Guru’s teachings and continued their search for
salvation. One such glorious example is that of Bhai Saheb Singh
from Bidar -now in present-day Karnataka,about 150 kilometres from
Hyderabad city. He was one of the first Five Beloveds (Punj
Piyaras) of the Sikh nation who were administered Amrit (the
Sikh baptism) by Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699.
 The
Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh stayed for a long time at Nanded,
about 280 Kms from Hyderabad and breathed his last there in the year
1708. During this period a large number of
the local
populace
embraced Sikhism by taking Amrit; and settled in Nanded and its
vicinity. Most Sikhs who had come with Guru Padshah were sent
back to Punjab with Baba Banda Singh Bahadur to strengthen the Sikh
force. To say that Sikhs who had come with Guru Sahib, stayed back
forever does not sound plausible as there was no reason or
unfinished task for them to stay back, though it may not be wrong to
say that a very miniscule minority may have stayed back.
Call to the Sikh Army
Nawab Sikander Jah, the third Nizam of Hyderabad was the ruler of
Hyderabad from 1803 to 1829. There were 16 districts in his kingdom
including the areas of Sikh holy places of Nanded -now in
Maharashtra and Bidar -now in Karnataka. In the administrative
system of the Nizam, revenue collection was through Jagirdars,
Desmukhs and Samasthans. These were influential people of
communities who were allotted a large piece of land in lieu of their
work of collection and remission of revenues to the King’s
treasury. They were entitled to keep certain portion of revenues to
meet the expenditure of their forts and army.
Around 1830, the exact period not being still known, most of these
revenue collectors became unaccountable, avoided depositing the
revenues to the exchequer and rebelled against the Nizam. Arabs
from Arabian countries, Siddis from
Africa,
Rajputs, Rohellas and Pathans were recruited from north
India,
but they all failed to deliver results.
 Durbar-i-Lahore
At
the instance of Maharaja Chandu Lal, who was the Nizam’s Prime
Minister and a devotee of Gurughar –the Sikh fold, sometime during
1822-1843, the support of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was sought. A
request letter and presents were sent to the Lahore Durbar.
In
the fourteenth chapter of his book, on page 267, “Maharaha Ranjit
Singh” published in 1933 by the Hindustani Academy of Uttar Pradesh
at Alllahabad, Prof. Sitaram Kohli of Government College, Lahore,
writes “In the year 1826 one Dervesh Mohiuddin an ambassador of the
Nizam of Hyderabad, came to the Durbar-i-Lahore and on behalf of the
Nizam presented four high-pedigree expensive horses, one unmatched
marvellous Canopy, one double-edged sword, one canon and several
rifles. Apart from this, valuable presents were brought for Prince
Khadag Singh”.
On
page 39 of his book “Maharaja Ranjit Singh as Patron of the Arts”
published in 1981 by Marg Publications, Mumbai, well- known author,
Mulk Raj Anand says that, “The agent of Hyderabad arrived at Lahore
in 1826, with presents for the Maharaja, including a beautiful
canopy. The Maharaja was so charmed with its beauty that he
declared, in all humility, that it could only be used for divine
Durbar of the Sacha Padshah, the true king and presented it
to the Darbar Sahib temple at Amritsar, where it is preserved up to
the present day and is spread over the Holy Sikh Scripture, Guru
Granth Sahib on important religious occasions.”
This grandiose canopy –a historical testimony of Sikh-Muslim
relations was preserved by the Sikhs and displayed on all important
occasions till the Indian Armed forces reduced it to ashes when they
stormed and attacked the holiest of holies Darbar Sahib, aka
Golden Temple, in June 1984.
Sikh Army in the Deccan
From 1829 to 1857, Hyderabad was under the regime of the fourth
Nizam, Nawab Nasir Uddoula. In 1932, after completing a four months
arduous journey, a 1,400-strong Sikh army arrived from Lahore in
Hyderabad. The army consisted of fourteen Risalas –army units
–each comprising of a 100 personnel and each Risala headed by
a Risaldar. The chief and other sub-ordinate rank officers
were on horseback and the soldiers were on foot. They were first
stationed outside the walled city of
Hyderabad
near the Mir Alam Tank, which place till today is famously known as
the Sikh Chawani –the Sikh Cantonment.
During the course of their revenue arrears procurement operations
from the rebellious and oppressive Jagirdars, many lost their life
and limb. They, however, successfully completed the mission for
which they were sent from far-off lands. While doing so, they ably
maintained their social and religious attitudes and behaviour.
 In
gratitude of their sacrifice and in appreciation of their services,
all Risaldars were honoured as courtiers with chairs in the
court of the Nizam. They were also offered vast lands in Nirmal
town of
Adilabad
district of present day Andhra Pradesh as Jagir, which they
refused, as they wanted to return back to their homeland.
The
fall of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s kingdom and slavery of the Sikhs to
the British prevented them from returning to Punjab. The Nizam also
wanted to retain them and he offered them lucrative incentives and
honours.
Social Life of the Deccan Sikhs
This is a hitherto unexplored facet of the life of Sikhs from this
region. Devoid of any practical option, the Sikh army personnel and
their leadership decided to stay put. The decision made, they
decided to marry locally as they were far away from their ancestral
lands.
Without exception, all were staunch believers and practitioners of
Sikhism. Local women were hesitant to partake of Amrit. A
practical compromise was reached without compromising the core
values of Sikhism, which they guard to this day.
There is custom of Chouke Chadhna –first cooking activity in
the kitchen of the household an Amritdhari lady marries into. This
is repeated even after every child birth. In this case, Amrit is
prepared by an Amritdhari Sikh by reciting Jap Ji Sahib, stirring
water and sugar puffs (patashe) with Kirpan in a bowl, Kadah
Pershad is prepared and after the Ardas (supplicatory prayer), the
lady enters the kitchen. After marrying the local women, Sikh army
personnel resorted to similar procedure before consummating their
conjugal rights. This precondition is still strictly adhered to and
no Anand Karaj is performed without the Amrit ceremony, irrespective
whether the marriage is inter-caste or intra-caste.
Religious Life of the Deccan Sikhs
With every Risala –the Sikh army unit, there used to be a
Gurdwara, the Risaldar used to be in charge of its
administration and it was part of his official duty along with other
governmental duties. A soldier used to be deputed as the priest -Granthi,
who not only performed service –Sewa in the Gurdwara Sahib but also
taught Gurbani in Gurmukhi script enabling the learner to complete
the full paath of Shri Guru Granth Sahib and Shri Dasam Granth
Sahib. This religious education was compulsory for every child and
that is the background for the fluency to read Gurbani in Gurmukhi
script of every Deccani Sikh.
Generally, language belongs to the land not to a religion. As the
atmosphere and opportunities for speaking the Punjabi language were
inadequate, they lost touch with it and became conversant with the
local language, particularly Urdu, which was the official language
of the Deccan.
Even today, the males wear all the mandatory Five Ks. Their women
folk continue to wear local dresses and speak the local languages.
All the Deccani Sikhs strictly follow their religious values and are
Amritdhari, Keshadhari and Kirpandhari, commanding respect
for their religiosity amongst other communities.
The
Sikh Rehat Maryada is strictly adhered to while partaking meat and
only that meat which is Jhatka meat is consumed. They do not trim
the beards and moustaches; do not consume meat or chicken
slaughtered in Muslim fashion, as prohibited in the Sikh Rehat
Maryada. The entire community does not recognise the polluted
concept of so-called Sehajdhari Sikhs.
 This
particular incident will provide a deep insight into the character
of the Sikhs from the Deccan region. In Nanded, once the Collector
–the Taluqdar organised a party in honour of the Divisional
Commissioner –the Subedar and asked Ragis to recite the
Persian language Gurbani, as he was fond of that language. When the
Deccani Ragis -Bhai Tahal Singh, Bhai Jagat Singh and Bhai Sardool
Singh -all employees of Gurdwara reached the venue, they were asked
to sit and recite on the floor, while officers were occupying the
chairs on a platform. The Ragis politely refused to recite Gurbani
while the dignitaries were sitting on a higher pedestal, above the
Gurbani singers, saying that it was disrespectful to Gurbani to do
so.
All
the dignitaries present at the function, appreciated the stand taken
by the Ragis, all came down from their chairs and joined the
audience, revered and enjoyed Gurbani with piety and devotion.
These were the Ragis, who had been sent in the year 1928, at the
age of 12, 10 and 8 years to Gurmat Vidyalaya Taran Tarn Sahib,
Amritsar for three and a half years’ learning and training at the
expense of the Nizam’s Government.
The
Deccani Sikhs followed most of the religious customs and practices
which they brought with them from the Punjab of those days. This
included the Parkash of Guru Granth Sahib and Dasam Granth Sahib.
While Punjab did away with this practice after the Gurdwara Reform
movement, this practice still continues in the
Deccan.
Interestingly, however, there are many practices which
Punjab
has forsaken but are sincerely followed by Deccan Sikhs. As required
by Rehat Maryada and as was the tradition followed for centuries,
Deccan Sikhs do not suffix their names with their gotra or castes.
They do not discriminate an Amritdhari Sikh on the basis of his or
her caste as was prior to baptism. For marriage purposes, it is the
overall status of the individual and the family which is taken into
consideration and not the caste lineage.
When the Sikh army had arrived in this region, all the Risalas
had brought with them the volumes of Shri Guru Granth Sahib and Shri
Dasam Granth Sahib. As a practice they used to carry these volumes
during all their military expeditions. The Deccani Sikhs have both
these volumes side by side in every Gurdwara. They read and take the
Order of the Day -Mukhwak of Guru Granth Sahib and of Shri
Dasam Granth Sahib in ever congregation, but they never bow their
head in obeisance before Shri Dasam Granth Sahib. They bow their
head only before Shri Guru Granth Sahib as their Guru and none
else. To criticize this is nothing but ignorance of a traditional
practice and custom.
Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha’s visit to Nanded
Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha was an unmatched scholar of Sikhism, whose
magnum opus -Mahan Kosh –the first Encyclopaedia of Sikhism
in Punjabi is an unparalleled reference work, even to this day. He
was guide to German scholar, Max Arthur Macaliffe who wrote the
exhaustive popular six-volume work, “The Sikh Religion”.
History records that Bhai Sahib visited Nanded in 1884. In the year
1929, he was sent by Chief Khalsa Diwan to depose before a judicial
enquiry by British Judge Mr. A. H. Cuming, loaned by the Government
of India.
There was a land dispute of Gurdwara Maal Tekdi Sahib of Nanded
which eventually took a communal colour between Deccani Sikhs and
Muslims. In this famous case, the decision went in favour of the
Sikhs. Apart from this reference one does not find any more
contribution by Bhai Sahib Kahan Singh about his interaction with
Sikhs in the
Deccan.
May
be as he was not a historian, he did not write as such, but there
were other chroniclers, who were aware of his association with this
land dispute; however the author could not trace any detailed
writing by any one, giving graphic description about the case and
that of the Deccan Sikhs.
Mr.
Hankin and his last wish
Mr.
Hankin was the Director General of Police and Prisons for many years
in the state of Hyderabad. In the Gurdwara Maal Tekdi case, 9 years
after his leaving Hyderabad, evidence was taken on Commission in
U.K. In his official capacity, he was the Chief Controller of the
affairs of the Sachkand Gurdwara.
In
this last days, when Mr. Hankins was bedridden and dying, he sent a
message that an Akhand Path be held on his behalf at Takht Hazur
Sahib with a prayer for pardon for any mistakes he may have
committed during the course of his service of Guru Sahib. It is
said that amazingly, he left for heavenly abode exactly on the date
and time of the Bhog of Akhand Path, immediately after the Ardas (supplicatory
prayer). Such was his commitment, devotion and belief in Guru
Sahib.
He
loved, honoured and trusted the Sikhs. During his tenure as head of
the Police and Prisons department, a Jamaiyat-I-Sikhkhan
(irregular army of the Sikh Force) was formed and placed under the
command of the department. This force was disbanded after the
Hyderabad state was annexed to the Indian Union in the year 1951.
Thus the Deccan Sikhs and their families who were part of the force
lost all their honour and privileges.
True custodians of Sikh values
Buddhism was born in India, but was driven out from its land of
origin. Though Sikhism was born in the
Punjab,
Sikhs are an international community. Sikhs living in the
Deccan region are willingly and gladly living there, maintaining
high standards of Sikhi though this cannot be said about the Sikhs
who have migrated to others parts of the world.
Despite unfavourable circumstances, the Deccan Sikhs are proud
custodians of Sikhi in its totality for the last century and a half
and serve as an example for other Sikhs to emulate.
The
story of the Sikhs from the Deccan does not end here. It actually
begins. The story needs to be retold in all its glory. This
monograph should serve as a first step for much more that needs to
be done in this area of Sikh studies.
Nanak Singh “Nishter” is a Hyderabad based orator, writer and Urdu
poet. He is a regular columnist of World Sikh News. He is an
activist-academician making immense contribution to the social and
cultural welfare of Sikh society. He has presented papers at
national and international seminars on Sikhism and social problems.
He is director of International Sikh Centre for Interfaith
Relations. He may be contacted at nanaknishter@gmail.com
5 November
2008
|
Read Also