• Welcome to all New Sikh Philosophy Network Forums!
    Explore Sikh Sikhi Sikhism...
    Sign up Log in

Controversial The Hijackers Of Sikhi, Part 1: The Hijacking Explained

Dr Karminder Singh

Mentor
Writer
SPNer
Sep 3, 2009
117
75
Sikhi as it is practiced today, is no longer the Sikhi that was taught to us by our Gurus. It is a spirituality that stands distorted, corrupted and tainted. Its scripture – Gurbani – has been distorted through vedic and puranic slants in interpretations and translations; its history muddled in unbelievable tales of miracles called Sakhis, and its religious practices consist of those smuggled in from rejected and discarded rituals of pre-1469 faiths. It’s a faith that has been hijacked from its unique path and equally distinct goals. How, when and why did this happen?

Read this FIVE-part series for the story of a spirituality hijacked.

Part One - explains the concept of Sikhi Hijacked.


Part Two - deals with the role of the Udasis. (coming soon)

Part Three - explains the role of the Nirmalas. (coming soon)

Part Four - details out the role of the Dera Sants. (coming soon)

Part Five - provides an assessment of the current situation. (coming soon)

The spirituality of Sikhi was constructed over a period of 239 years (1469 -1708 AD ) by our Gurus.

Bhai Gurdas ji says of Sikhi: ਮਾਰਿਆ ਸਿੱਕਾ ਜਗਤ ਵਿਚ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਪੰਥ ਚਲਾਯਾ॥ Mariya Sikka Jagat Vich, Nanak Nirmal Panth Chalya.


Meaning: In the world of spirituality, the way of Guru Nanak has its trademark in its uniqueness. (Nirmal means UNIQUE, ONE OF ITS KIND, FREE FROM DISTORTIONS).

The uniqueness of Sikhi was total and complete. Every aspect of Sikh Spirituality was uniquely different from the then existing ones.

The concept of a One Realizable God; the Shabd as Guru; the spirituality’s focus on the HERE and NOW; a philosophy that rejected ritual and advocated obtaining salvation while still alive; a Scripture that gave space to adherents of different faiths; and Gurbani’s emphasis on humanity, equality and the need to elevate one’s mind to Godly levels are but just some of the defining features of Sikhi in its original and authentic sense.

But to the greatest detriment of Sikh’s uniqueness, history would have it that THREE powerful groups – all of which were fake, deviant and / or anti Sikhi – would control our literature, historical narratives, and institutions, including gurdwaras (and by extension the fate of Sikhi) for a long period of 207 years (1718 till 1925).

I call this unfortunate quest the HIJACKING OF SIKHI. It was a forced attempt to take Sikhi away from its intended uniqueness and destination. It was an endeavor to remove Guru Nanak from His own spiritual way. It was a deliberate effort to take Sikhi back to the same crossroads at which Guru Nanak stood in 1469 – but steer it in the direction that Guru Nanak chose to AVOID.

In the 207 years of the hijacking, virtually everything about the uniqueness of Sikhi that was constructed by our Gurus in 239 years would be turned on its head. And everything that was rejected would be systematically brought back as accepted religious practices.

The combined effect of the prolonged efforts of the three deviant groups would be that Sikhi would take on a severely ritualistic mode, its spirituality would focus on the Brahmin concocted lie of life after death; the spiritually enlightening Shabd would be relegated to merely songs fit for chanting; non-Gurbani poems with anti-Sikhi messages would be smuggled into Sikhi as Kirtan; the SGGS would be relegated to meaningless nonstop reading by hired hands; worthless physical worship would be promoted; a Sikh clergy that adopted the ways of the Brahmin would establish itself with deep roots; Gurbani-rejected practices would become standard fare and the elevation of the mind would be corrupted by mythology and eventually replaced by the importance of just outwardly appearance.

In short, the uniqueness of Sikhi would be severely eroded.

Sikhi would simply appear to be an extension or worse, a bad copy of the pre-1469 religions. And Sikhs would proudly make such claims themselves; that Sikhi was a combination of the best of Hinduism and Islam, that the SGGS was the “fifth Veyd”, Sikh Gurus and their children were “reincarnations” of mythological brahmanical gods and goddesses; and that the Tenth Sikh Guru worshipped mythical entities such as Durga, Chandee, Shiva etc.

In short the spiritual plane of Sikhi would be systematically but surely hijacked and taken back to the same destination it intended to break away from.

Looking at Sikhi practices as they exist today, it would appear as if Guru Nanak did NOT come to this world in 1469. That he never existed. That he never did give us a spirituality that was unique. For if he did, then why are his Sikhs practicing something else altogether? Why are Sikhs still conducting their spirituality as if living in 1468? With blinding faith and fervor?

The saddest part of course is simply that at vast majority of Sikhs slept through it all. A bigger majority is still asleep. As a result, the truth has become stranger than fiction. Sikhs who have become aware of the hijacking and desire to return to authentic SGGS based Sikhi are looked upon as “deviants” while the adherents of the hijacked version are considered as “true” and “genuine” Sikhs.

These “true and genuine Sikhs of 1468” have even taken it upon themselves to shout down, shut out, physically prevent or even assault the peace loving Sikhs who wish to return to a SGGS based Sikhi spirituality.

But the awakening has come and is surely building up in momentum. Some of the factors that brought about this awakening include the internet, the “question everything” outlook of the millennials and, most importantly, the increasing incompatibility of hijacked Sikhi practices with modern day reason and logic. This incompatibility is glaring for any Sikh who attempts to obtain a genuine understanding of the SGGS and discovers that Gurbani is spirituality presented on the premises of reason and logic.

This awakening is helped by a rising tide of SGGS based Sikhi parchar that is undertaken by missionary parcharaks. The awakening is further fueled by a backlash against what is seen as a severely compromised Sikh leadership which does not have the interests of authentic Sikhi in their minds, but has instead sold their souls to corrupted elements. The anger at our corrupt leadership in particular and at our self-serving clergy has made thinking Sikhs turn to the critics of both groups for direction. These critics happen to be the missionary and authentic Sikhi parcharaks.

Nevertheless, the hijacking and its consequential distortion, corruption and tainting of Sikhi continues to remain the most critical issue confronting spiritual Sikhs and is expected to remain so. Understanding how and why it happened is thus important and forms the rationale for this series of five essays.

WHEN DID IT ALL BEGIN?

The hijacking of Sikhi began in 1718 upon the fall of the Sikh Raj of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur. This fall would be followed by the capture and execution of Baba Banda Singh and his entire army of Sikhs.

Authentic Sikhs – because there was a price on their heads and limbs – would take refuge in the jungles of Punjab, the desert regions of Rajasthan and the hills of Jammu and Kashmir.

image.jpeg


The void and vacuum would allow Sikh gurdwaras, institutions and virtually everything connected to the Sikh psyche to fall into the hands of THREE groups who were either anti-Sikhi, deviant or even non-Sikhs for a long and continuous period of time.

The most practical evidence that these hijacker groups were anti- Sikhs lay in their ability to go around the business of running our gurdwaras, institutions and everything related to them – unhindered and unfettered – even when authentic Sikhs were hunted down, had a price on their heads and limbs; and were often betrayed by bounty hunters.

The bounty hunters and the rulers of the day left the hijackers alone, because they knew they were not Sikhs, and that their heads would fetch no price.

The other practical evidence was that these groups enjoyed the support and patronage of the two foreign powers that ruled Punjab – the Mughals and the British. Both occupying rulers considered the Sikhi of Guru Nanak to be enemy of the state and remained hostile towards authentic Sikhs but actively supported these three anti-Sikhi groups in the name of divide and rule.

These groups are the Udasis, Nirmalas and Dera Sants. All of them would control Sikh gurdwras, Sikh institutions, Sikhi Parchar, and the Sikh psyche for TWO CENTURIES until 1925 – when the Sikh Reform Movement in the name of the Singh Sabha Movement would work tirelessly to liberate Sikhi from the clutches of the above mentioned three deviant groups.

Even then, the liberation of Sikhi would never be complete. The remnants and proxies of the hijackers would regroup and re-strategize to continue their quest right into present times – as we shall see in due course.

But first, who were these groups and what damage did they do to Guru Nanak’s Sikhi? This five-part essay will trace the background of these three groups.
 

sukhsingh

Writer
SPNer
Aug 13, 2012
748
218
48
UK
Dr sahib I respect very much your opinions but I find it difficult to invest in a narrative that from the outset is divisive.. By which I mean places at its centre the idea that somehow we can externalise and 'other' the 'groups'.. I totally agree that the core message of sikhi is misunderstood however I think like all philosophical frameworks, ideologies etc or in fact anything that can be used to shape power relationships is susceptible to this.. I also believe that guru sahibs were well aware of this.. Even before Banda Bahadur their were voices within the panth.. I can think of a number of instances where the principles were undermined beginning right from guru nanak dev ji times ie. Gur ghaddi to guru angad.. Pride of satta and balwand, meharbanis
 

Admin

SPNer
Jun 1, 2004
6,689
5,244
SPN
I can think of a number of instances where the principles were undermined beginning right from guru nanak dev ji times ie. Gur ghaddi to guru angad..

Care to shed some light on undermining of gurmat principles in the selection of Guru Angad Sahib.
 

sukhsingh

Writer
SPNer
Aug 13, 2012
748
218
48
UK
Care to shed some light on undermining of gurmat principles in the selection of Guru Angad Sahib.
Sorry I should have been clearer , I meant in the fact that right from that point factions began to be established, ie. Guru nanak dev ji family .. Of course I am not questioning guru angad ji
 

RD1

Writer
SPNer
Sep 25, 2016
361
153
It seems that all religions/spirtualities/philosophies become distorted with time......
 

Admin

SPNer
Jun 1, 2004
6,689
5,244
SPN
It seems that all religions/spirtualities/philosophies become distorted with time......

This is why reading, contemplating and understanding from the source (SGGS) is of pivotal importance. SGGS in written form, as penned by our Gurus, is available with us forever. And thus the gurmat values and principles enshrined in SGGS can never be distorted with time. All we need to do is approach It with open mind and a will to understand the message.
 

Tejwant Singh

Mentor
Writer
SPNer
Jun 30, 2004
5,028
7,188
Henderson, NV.
Sikhi is not a passive but a very proactive way of life. If all of us did just a tiny bit of what our Gurus did, then we would not see these deras around. There is no shortcut to self-betterment.

@sukhsingh, you have a lot of gems within you to share and offer to the sangat if you just changed your attitude a bit in your questioning and responses. In fact, you can be part of the team to spread the Sikhi message because it is in you but somehow, I feel the outlet is a bit clogged either on purpose or unconsciously. That is for you to discover.
 

sukhsingh

Writer
SPNer
Aug 13, 2012
748
218
48
UK
Sikhi is not a passive but a very proactive way of life. If all of us did just a tiny bit of what our Gurus did, then we would not see these deras around. There is no shortcut to self-betterment.

@sukhsingh, you have a lot of gems within you to share and offer to the sangat if you just changed your attitude a bit in your questioning and responses. In fact, you can be part of the team to spread the Sikhi message because it is in you but somehow, I feel the outlet is a bit clogged either on purpose or unconsciously. That is for you to discover.
Very much appreciated for your insight brother ❤️
 

Dr Karminder Singh

Mentor
Writer
SPNer
Sep 3, 2009
117
75
Dr sahib I respect very much your opinions but I find it difficult to invest in a narrative that from the outset is divisive.. By which I mean places at its centre the idea that somehow we can externalise and 'other' the 'groups'.. I totally agree that the core message of sikhi is misunderstood however I think like all philosophical frameworks, ideologies etc or in fact anything that can be used to shape power relationships is susceptible to this.. I also believe that guru sahibs were well aware of this.. Even before Banda Bahadur their were voices within the panth.. I can think of a number of instances where the principles were undermined beginning right from guru nanak dev ji times ie. Gur ghaddi to guru angad.. Pride of satta and balwand, meharbanis

Sukhsingh veer ji

Whether my narrative is "divisive from the outset" is for the reader to decide and an opinion I respect. What is true however is that the narrative is indeed ABOUT groups and events that have been divisive. The reason why the udasis, nirmalas and dera sants appear "externalized" are because they operate too far from the core of Sikhi which is its uniqueness. They are considered the "other" because they function within the outer periphery of the Sikhi of Guru Nanak, namely bipparism, bhrahmanism, snatanism and vedantic thought.

I agree that power relations are involved in the hijacking of Sikhi. More specifically, the actions of the udasis, nirmalas and deras are aimed at controlling the psyche of Sikhi. This attempt at control is no different from the control the brahmin clergy exercised so abundantly and successfully over the psyche of pre-1469 Indian spiritualities - and continues to do so. Part of Guru Nanak's Sikhi is also about liberating the Sikh from such control - both of the clergy and their self serving claims. This is the third reason why the udasis, nirmalas and dera sants are considered as "external" to Sikhi.

You are right that our Gurus were well aware of this. After all, it started right within their households. Right from Sri Chand and Laksmee Dass, to Datu, to Mohri (described as Kamla, mad by Bhai Gurdas ji), to Prithi to Meharban to Ram Rai etc. What is interesting that some of these offshoots are still operating today. The difference between the "external" groups during the Guru Kaal and from the 1715 onward is that the Gurus were personally able to fend them off. To the contrary, we Sikhs have not been able to do that. I submit in Part 5 of my Hijacking of Sikhi that Sikhs have lost the battle on the account of this hijacking.

By the way, the story of "pride of Satta and Balwand" is part of the nirmala fiction too. A proper reading of their Banee in the SGGS will reveal the heights of spirituality they both attained. Their true legacy lies in their ability to being able to COMPOSE Gurbani while singing it with true understanding. They BECAME Gurbani to the extent that Gurbani flowed out of their inner recesses.

The nirmalas corrupted this legacy by saying they demanded money for their daughters wedding, the Guru told them to take the next day's shabd bhet, they got no shabd bhet, they walked out, and they were brought back with blackened faces seated on a donkey. This is a blasphemous tale, but the Sikh world accepted and propagated it at the behest of the cunning nirmalas who wanted to sully two of Sikhi's most precious souls - kirtanias in the court of Guru Amardas ji till Guru Arjun Dev ji.

The daughter of two beloved kirtanias in the court of Guru Arjun would be considered to be Guruji's own daughter and he would marry her off as his very own. He gave 500 pieces of gold to spiritual intellectuals who came to his court to recite spiritual discourses. but he would tell his kirtanias to "wait for tomorrow's shabd bhet"? All our Gurus practiced blessing even those who were the enemies of Sikhi, yet Guru Arjun would order his kirtanias "to have their faces blackened and brought before him on a donkey'? The nirmalas committed blasphemy against two kirtanias whose Banee is CONTAINED in the SGGS, and then went on to denigrate our Guru's character. And Sikhs have swallowed it hook line and sinker.

This is what I mean by a community (we Sikhs) whose spiritual psyche, belief systems and religious ideology has been hijacked.

The legacy of Bhais ji Satta and Balwand is that they BECAME GURBANI. The evidence is available in the SGGS ji page 966 till 968.
 

sukhsingh

Writer
SPNer
Aug 13, 2012
748
218
48
UK
Sukhsingh veer ji

Whether my narrative is "divisive from the outset" is for the reader to decide and an opinion I respect. What is true however is that the narrative is indeed ABOUT groups and events that have been divisive. The reason why the udasis, nirmalas and dera sants appear "externalized" are because they operate too far from the core of Sikhi which is its uniqueness. They are considered the "other" because they function within the outer periphery of the Sikhi of Guru Nanak, namely bipparism, bhrahmanism, snatanism and vedantic thought.

I agree that power relations are involved in the hijacking of Sikhi. More specifically, the actions of the udasis, nirmalas and deras are aimed at controlling the psyche of Sikhi. This attempt at control is no different from the control the brahmin clergy exercised so abundantly and successfully over the psyche of pre-1469 Indian spiritualities - and continues to do so. Part of Guru Nanak's Sikhi is also about liberating the Sikh from such control - both of the clergy and their self serving claims. This is the third reason why the udasis, nirmalas and dera sants are considered as "external" to Sikhi.

You are right that our Gurus were well aware of this. After all, it started right within their households. Right from Sri Chand and Laksmee Dass, to Datu, to Mohri (described as Kamla, mad by Bhai Gurdas ji), to Prithi to Meharban to Ram Rai etc. What is interesting that some of these offshoots are still operating today. The difference between the "external" groups during the Guru Kaal and from the 1715 onward is that the Gurus were personally able to fend them off. To the contrary, we Sikhs have not been able to do that. I submit in Part 5 of my Hijacking of Sikhi that Sikhs have lost the battle on the account of this hijacking.

By the way, the story of "pride of Satta and Balwand" is part of the nirmala fiction too. A proper reading of their Banee in the SGGS will reveal the heights of spirituality they both attained. Their true legacy lies in their ability to being able to COMPOSE Gurbani while singing it with true understanding. They BECAME Gurbani to the extent that Gurbani flowed out of their inner recesses.

The nirmalas corrupted this legacy by saying they demanded money for their daughters wedding, the Guru told them to take the next day's shabd bhet, they got no shabd bhet, they walked out, and they were brought back with blackened faces seated on a donkey. This is a blasphemous tale, but the Sikh world accepted and propagated it at the behest of the cunning nirmalas who wanted to sully two of Sikhi's most precious souls - kirtanias in the court of Guru Amardas ji till Guru Arjun Dev ji.

The daughter of two beloved kirtanias in the court of Guru Arjun would be considered to be Guruji's own daughter and he would marry her off as his very own. He gave 500 pieces of gold to spiritual intellectuals who came to his court to recite spiritual discourses. but he would tell his kirtanias to "wait for tomorrow's shabd bhet"? All our Gurus practiced blessing even those who were the enemies of Sikhi, yet Guru Arjun would order his kirtanias "to have their faces blackened and brought before him on a donkey'? The nirmalas committed blasphemy against two kirtanias whose Banee is CONTAINED in the SGGS, and then went on to denigrate our Guru's character. And Sikhs have swallowed it hook line and sinker.

This is what I mean by a community (we Sikhs) whose spiritual psyche, belief systems and religious ideology has been hijacked.

The legacy of Bhais ji Satta and Balwand is that they BECAME GURBANI. The evidence is available in the SGGS ji page 966 till 968.
Thank you for your considered response
 

❤️ CLICK HERE TO JOIN SPN MOBILE PLATFORM

Top