The Multifarious Faces of Sikhism
throughout Sikh History
Page 2 of 2
Handalieh/Niranjanieh
cont'd
In the 19th century, Har Bhagat
became the leader of this apostate Sikh sect.
He became an ardent enemy of the Akali Nihang
Singh Khalsa, and it was he who persecuted Nihang
Rattan Singh Bhangu’s family informing
on his grandfather Nihang Mitab Singh.
Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa
A sketch of Ajaib Singh Nihang by Bhai Kehar
Singh, circa mid 19th century
After him and his treacherous great grandsons,
Kirpal and Diyal
gathered rewards by informing on the Khalsa
army, they then collaborated with the invading
Afghan forces of Ahmed Shah Abdali.
They were key protagonists in the ‘Vada
Galhugahra’ (great Sikh holocaust)
of 1762 in which over 30,000 Khalsa of all ages
were massacred.
Rattan Singh Bhangu writes that after Ahmed
Shah Abdali died, the great grandsons of Har
Bhagat only saved themselves from the wrath
of Budha Dal and Tarna Dal Akali Nihangs by
falling at Khalsa’s feet and begging for
mercy. The Hindalieh once again presented themselves
as ‘Nanak Panthis’
(Sikhs of Akali Guru Nanak). Kirpal eventually
passed away during the pre-Khalsa Raj internecine
factional wars of the Khalsa, fighting on side
of one of the Sikh factions. Kirpal’s
younger brother, Diyal Das succeeded to leadership
of the Hindal sect who was eventually succeeded
by his son, Sharan Das.
Janam Sakhi
Folios from an illustrated version of the 'Janam
Sakhis' depicting
events from the life of Akali Guru Nanak Dev
Ji, circa late 18th century
Sharan Das was reputed to be a drunkard and
debaucher. Being a man of great size and strength,
he could eat an entire goat in one sitting.
He followed ‘Dharma’
(righteousness) only in name. Unable to control
his lust, he began to prey on the pretty young
women of his congregation, and as such, his
followers stopped their womenfolk from attending
the court of Sharan Das. Rattan Singh Bhangu
writes:
‘When no daughter,
or daughter-in-law would come to him, he
then made up a ‘Sakhi’ (anecdote
attributed to Sikh Guru to justify his debauched
behavior). Sikhism is hard to uphold [he
began to preach in his congregation]. It
is finer than a hair and sharper than a
keen edge of a ‘Khanda’ (Indian
double edged sword). This is written
in ‘Vedas and ‘Shashtars’
(Sanatan Hindu texts which Sanatan Sikhs
such as Nirmalas studied) that daughters
and daughter-in-laws are another’s
property [he taught].’ ‘Pracheen
Panth Prakash’, by Rattan Singh Bhangu,
commented upon by Akali Nihang Baba Santa
Singh Ji, Pa. 518-519
The Hindalieh Sikh sect survived till late
19th century. The disciples of this sect were
primarily ‘Grishti’
(householders) and did not mourn their dead.
They deposited their deceased cremated remains
in the reservoir of Nathoaneh. Pundit Ganesha
Singh Nirmala further noted:
‘They have no rites
done by Brahmins. They have no faith
in pilgrim centers, Hindu Gods, ancestor
worship etc. They marry according
to their own traditions. Other than one
‘Niranjan’ (Almighty God) they
have faith in and worship no other. On
meeting they place their hands behind their
back.’
‘Bharat Mat Darpan’, by Pundit
Ganesha Singh Nirmala, 1926, Pa. 90
Hardwar
One of the 7 sacred pilgrim centers of the Sanatan
world, Hardwar is situated on the foothills
of the Himalayas
