Q. Who are Nihungs? A. The Beloved Forces of SriAkal Purakh. To protect an Orchard, one must ring it with briary saplings. -Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji to Bhai Gurdass Ji. Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji uttered this when he was asked to provide a meticulous protocol to shield his nation from Islamic tyranny. Succeeding his murdered predecessor, and father, the Guru aimed to amalgamate both warrior-dom and spiritualism to birth a rejuvenated front of Guru Nanak Dev Jis initial ethos. To this end, he cultivated the image of a gardener. The thorny saplings he intended to plant would be his Nihungs or warriors. Primarily they would be upholders of martial tradition, whilst simultaneously they would emulate the conduct of their Gurus and lead the fledgling Sikh community in times of extreme strife. The latter notion of a spiritual warrior class was not new to the Indian sub-continent. But what radically differed the Gurus ideologue was the fact that his order would be one which would survive perpetually. Tragically these warriors are often deemed as being anachronistic amongst the greater Sikh traditions due to their martially oriented practices and conduct. Who are the Nihungs? Let us paraphrase the question more efficiently, why the Nihungs? Nihung mythos vis-a-vis Khalsa traditionalism exhibits them as being the feline forces of Durga, manifested by Sri Akal Purakh to perpetually engage in battle with Abibek (ignorance) and uphold Bibek or righteous discernment. This is their sole purpose of existence. Whereas post-colonial Khalsa orthopraxy categorises the Nihungs as being the warrior component of Sikhism, the Nihungs perceive themselves as being the fundamental form of the Khalsa. Transcending the ages they assisted Ram Chandra, Krishna and other avatars in defying Abibek. This they believe to be the true mission of the Khalsa, the army of Kaal Purakh.Ultimately Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji bestowed upon them the status of Kaal Purakhs forces, and ordered them to believe that, you (the Nihungs) are the Khalsa, the elemental form of the timeless lord. Often their synonymity with Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji is utilised to ignore their primary existence during the reign of Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. It was under the latter that the termAkali-Nihung was first coined to refer to these warriors. The reason as to why the name of this group is Akali is that, adjacent to the building associated with Guru Ram Dass and Guru Arjan is the Akal Bunga (Akal-Takhat). This place of Khuda is associated with Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. These Akalis or Khudas men are associated with this structure. Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji employed his Akalis on four consecutive occasions to render his Imperial foes a crushing blow. It was not until the reign of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, however, that they would become acutely synonymous with the Khalsa. In 1699 A.D. Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji manifested the Khalsa. The Nihungs were amongst the first, of his apostles, to undergo the sacrosanct initiation ceremony and becomeKhalas (pure) themselves. Due to their majority, and ubiquity, they formed a mass portion of this early Khalsa and thus the Gurus own forces. The esteemed author Ratan Singh Bhangu elucidates that due to their swift guerilla campaigns these Nihungs became a symbol of Khalsa aims, and thus became eternal caricatures of Khalsa spiritualism. The Warrior-Saintideal so close to Guru Gobind Singh Jis heart, was thoroughly imbued by these men and women who garnered great prominence sub-continentally. Summarily in 1708 A.D. the Guru consecrated the Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as his perpetual successor, and before his demise dispatched the iconoclast Banda Singh and the Nihungs towards the Punjab. Their mission was to establish a Khalsa reign in Northern India, serve as a generic beacon for the religiously and politically oppressed and if possible annihilate the Mughal empire. Bandas initial success soon intoxicated him and, after fathering his own schismatic fraternity, he began persecuting the Nihungs. Under the aegis of Akali-Nihung Binod Singh Ji, and Mata Sahib Kaur Ji, the Nihungs separated from him and continually fought both Banda and the Mughals for the next three years. Banda was ultimately executed in 1716 A.D. at Delhi. His sycophants soon fell silent, and the Nihungs (now known as the Tat-Khalsa or the true Khalsa) continued their crusade. The post Banda-epoch proved highly incendiary for them. Various Imperial officials pronounced stringent sanctions upon them and a majority were slaughtered at the hands of Imperial forces. Ultimately, before 1730 A.D., two catalysts merged to grant the Tat-Khalsa a short-lived reprieve. An agrarian Nihung, Tara Singh Waan, and his 32 companions engaged the regional Mughals in a Phyrric campaign. Despite forfeiting their own lives they forced the Punjabi Mughals to prematurely play their trump cards. With the aid of Zakariya Khan, the governor of Lahore, an execrable Jihad was planned against the Tat-Khalsa. Commencing on Eid this new campaign saw a mass slaughter of civilian Sikhs in the Punjab and in the immediate vicinity of Lahore. Termed the Haidri Campaign succeeded in annihilating major Sikh colonies. Striking camp the Jihadis resolved to rest and celebrate their victory. It was during this critical period, that Akali-Nihung Deewan Darbara Singh (commander-in-chief of Khalsa forces) elected to strike. The resting mujahideen were set upon by a screening force of Nihungs sheltering in a neighbouring forest. The survivors attempted to rally outside their camp but fell prey to Nihung gunners. Any other survivors were soon finished off by the Nihung cavalry. Zakariya was incensed, especially when informed that he faced the wrath of the emperor in Delhi. Affixed in a precipitous crises, he formed a new stratagem. Delivered to Deewan Darbara Singh, Khans proposal agreed to halt the ubiquitous anti-Khalsa campaign for a short period; but only if a political elect was selected by the Khalsa to represent its interests. The latter turned out to be Akali-Nihung Kapoor Singh. A veteran of the post-Banda era wars, Kapoor Singh had already proven his merit amongst the Nihungs. An able commander he also inherited Darbara Singhs role as paramount custodian of the Akal-Takhat. In 1733 A.D. Kapoor Singh announced a mass census of the Khalsa. Dismayed to learn that less than 100,000 adherents resided only in Amritsar he devised a new stratagem. Giani Gian Singh substantiates that in 1733 A.D. Kapoor Singh called a mass commune of the Khalsa, and in the presence of Guru-era veterans such as Akali-Nihungs Deep Singh, Budh Singh and Mani Singh, announced the birth of the Budha and Tarna-Dals. TheBudha-Dal would be led by Kapoor Singh himself and, look after and preserve all Gurdwara Sahibs,spread the preaching of the Khalsa Dharam, emphasise the importance of receiving the nectar of the sword (amrit) and preserve the purity of the true traditions of the Guru, protecting them from perversion and maintaining their original form. When need be they would also join the Tarna Dal and wave their swords in battle.’ Whereas the Budha-Dal would reside under his command, Kapoor Singh elected Akali-Nihung Deep Singh to command the Tarna-Dal. The succeeding eras would witness the ascension of the Khalsa Misls, from the parent Tarna-Dal, and also the Tat-Khalsa battling Afghani, Mughal, Maratha and even European opponents. The Budha-Dal would retain its paramount prominence during all these episodes and even play a pivotal role in Maharajah Ranjit Singhs Sikh Empire. With the conclusion of the second Anglo-Sikh War, the British would annex the Sikh Empire but face prolonged resistance in the form of the Nihungs. Despite it being blunted, this offensive was plausibly one of the longest engineered by Sikhs to gain their freedom. The Singh-Sabha orthopraxy would soon marginalize the Nihungs, with the offspring SGPC hijacking the mantle of the Akal-Takhat. Despite these set backs the Nihungs continually carried on with their timeless mantle and preservation of Khalsa traditionalism. Iconoclastic in all panthic matters, the Nihungs still retain the magnetism which they possessed upon their birth. In the modern day period, the pontificate Budha-Dal is going a swift expansion as Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike enrol themselves in its ranks. Other Dals too have earned extensive prestige for their altruism and political stands. It is evidential that the upcoming years will see the Nihungs once more regain their lost prominence and restore many mooted Khalsa traditions. There are many great Sikhs possessing wisdom and intellect. But only those become Nihungs who reform themselves and pursue perfection
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 16:16:18 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015