The Multifarious Faces of Sikhism
throughout Sikh History
Page 2 of 3
Bandai
Khalsa cont'd
According to various Sikhs historical texts
such as 'Pracheen Panth Prakash', 'Suraj Prakash',
and Budha Dal oral tradition as told by the
elderly Baba Mehr Singh, etc., Banda Bahadur,
although a Sikh, was never initiated as Khalsa
as modern Sikhs believe.
Nihang Baba Mehr Singh
The learned Baba Mehr Singh (left), a one-time
student of Baba Gurbachan Singh
Khalsa 'Bhindrawaley' with Mahant Harbhajan
Das Udasin (right) at an Udasi Ashram in
Nanded, Maharastra. In the background is an
idol of Baba Sri Chand Maharaj (center), flanked
on either side by Adi Guru Durbar (left) and
Sri Bhagvad Gita (right), surrounded by images
of demigods
In 1709, Banda and the Akali Nihangs entered
Punjab disguised as merchants. Armed with letters
from Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh, and backed
up by the Akali Nihangs, he quickly gathered
a large Sikh army. This army became the scourge
of the Moghal regime in the Punjab. In a short
span of seven years Banda near enough eradicated
all Moghal rule in the Punjab and established
the first Khalsa Raj in name of ‘Guru
Nanak Gobind’.
Banda Bahadur
An early painting (circa late 19th century?)
of Banda Bahadur
According to orthodox Sanatan Sikh tradition
and Budha Dal oral tradition as recounted in
Pracheen Panth Prakash, over time, Banda was
overwhelmed with false pride and became arrogant.
His mistreatment of the Khalsa, and alterations
of the Guru-ordained Khalsa traditions, resulted
in the Khalsa warriors loosing respect for him.
Banda declared himself a Guru, advocated teetotalism
(a throwback to his earlier life as a Vairagi),
altered the Khalsa salutation, stopped wearing
blue, etc. The mighty Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa,
lead by Akali Nihang Baba Binod Singh
and his son, Akali Nihang Baba Kahn
Singh opposed these Hindu Vairagi innovations
of Banda. Such was the fighting that the Akali
Nihang warriors risked martyrdom in order to
oppose Banda:
‘Banda wished
to make Sikh abandon their blue dress, to
refrain from drinking and eating flesh:
and instead of exclaiming Wa! Guruji ki
Futteh! Wa! Khalsaji ki Futteh! The
salutations directed by Govind, he directed
them to exclaim, Futteh D’herm! Futteh
dersan! Which means, ‘Success to piety!
Success to the sect!’ These innovations
were very generally resisted: but the dreaded
severity of Banda, made many conform to
his orders. The class of Acalis,
or immortals, who had been established by
Guru Govind, continued to oppose the innovations
with great obstinacy: and many of them suffered
martyrdom, rather than change either their
mode of salutation, diet or dress: and,
at the death of Banda, their cause triumphed.
All the institutions of Guru Govind were
restored.’ ‘Sketch Of The
Sikhs’, by J.C. Malcolm, 1812, P.
83
Aside from confusing the Sikh salutation, everything
stated by Malcolm in the quote can be collaborated
by Akali Nihang oral tradition, Rattan Singh
Bhangu’s 'Pracheen Panth Prakash', and
Giani Gian Singh Nirmala’s 'Naveen Panth
Prakash'. Banda was eventually declared an apostate
and excommunicated from the Sikh faith. With
this split within the Khalsa, two factions arose
– the followers of Banda became to be
known as ‘Bandai Khalsa’,
and the Akali Nihang Khalsa came to be referred
to as the ‘Tat’
(pure) Khalsa or ‘Akal Purkhieh’
(those believing in the Immortal Almighty).
Akal Purkhieh
A fresco from the walls of Qila Mubarak depicting
Akali Nihang Guru
Gobind Singh Ji with his 'Ladlee Fauj' (Beloved
Army) who would later oppose Banda Bahadur
