Summary
Sociopolitical Impact Of G.G.S. On Sikh History
Gurdarshan Sinngh Dhillon
Guru Granth Sahib is unique among the scriptures of the world as it propounds a life-affirming and dynamic world-view to lift mankind to higher planes of thought and action. Core beliefs of the Gurus, as expressed in the Sikh scripture, regarding God, nature of the world, the purpose of life and man’s relationship with society have been instrumental in directing the socio-political life of the Sikhs and have had a direct bearing on their eventful history.
Hailed as ‘the living voice of the Gurus’, the Granth Sahib has been a source and symbol of solidarity for the Sikhs. It is the only scripture in the world which enjoys the status of a Guru. The Gurus aimed at creating an egalitarian, forward-looking and just social order with emphasis on work ethic, sharing of one’s wealth and contemplation of God’s name in pursuit of the higher meaning of life. They widened the realm of religion to include worldly responsibilities.
Gurus propagated their mission of Fatherhood of God and brotherhood of mankind through a series of measures such as institution of Dharamsals (Gurdwaras), Langar and Pangat. Durbar Sahib, Amritsar was made an integrated complex, with the raising of the Harmandir Sahib and Akal Takhat adjacent to each other. It became a visible symbol of Miri-Piri doctrine propounded by Guru Nanak. The Sikhs have been conducting their long-drawn battles for freedom, justice and human rights from the Akal Takhat.
Martyrdom of Guru Arjan and Guru Teg Bahadur for the cause of righteousness left an indelible stamp on he Sikh way of life. Creation of Khalsa by the tenth Guru was the epitome of the socio-political mission of Guru Nanak.
After Guru Gobind Singh, Banda Bahadur kept the torch of Sikhism ablaze and shook the foundations of the mighty Mughal empire, with his decisive victories. During the turbulent eighteenth century, the Sikhs had to live precariously, with a price on every Sikh head. But the intense faith kindled in them by the Gurus never wavered, even in the face of worst kind of persecution. They preferred death to slavery, defiance to submission. Their blood created fertile soil for sprouting the seeds of Sikh glory. They confronted the hordes of Persian and Afghen invaders and eventually succeeded in, once for all, repulsing a thousand year wave of invasion from the North-West of India. Thus, the brave community, with its glorious record of great enterprises, imparted a new direction to Indian history. It is note-worthy that in their long history of warfare, the Sikhs observed moral and ethical norms and never willfully destroyed places of worship belonging to other faiths. They fought against tyranny and injustice, not religious wars.
Ranjit Singh’s rule was a glorious product of the liberal Sikh ethos. It was a golden period in Sikh history. The period after annexation witnessed multi-pronged attacks by the Christian Missionaries and the Arya Samaists on the Sikh sources of strength, their religious places and ideology. The situation was retrieved by the Singh Sabha Movement which sought to maintain the purity of the Sikh doctrine. ‘Back to Guru Granth Sahib’ was the watch-word of Singh Sabha leaders.
The Sikhs had to take up a protracted fight with the British, first for the freedom of the Gurdwaras and then for the freedom of the country. The pioneering role played by Sikhs in the fight for country’s freedom was due to the tradition of suffering and martyrdom handed down to them by the Gurus.
In free India, the basic issue faced by the Sikhs has been that of preserving their distinctive socio-religious identity. Drift from the high ideals of Sikhism has been reflected in the decline of Sikh institutions. Dubious role played by the self-serving Akali leadership during the last five decades, has proved as ruinous for the Sikhs as the discriminatory policies pursued by the Central Government against the Sikhs and Punjab. Sikhs are, once again, at the cross-roads of history, at the dawn of the new century. Sikh history is waiting for a new direction.
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