Religious and Cultural Activities: The Impact of Sikhism in Haryana | HPSC Preparation: All subjects - HPSC (Haryana) PDF Download

Impact of Sikhism in Haryana

• The state of Haryana also witnessed the influence of Sikhism. Many Sikh Gurus visited the region, including Kurukshetra, and in their memory, several Gurudwaras were constructed. The accounts of these visits are found in the works of Macauliffe and the Sikh traditional literature of Bhai Santokh Singh. Bhai Santokh Singh, who had learned about the Hindu religion from a Pandit of Kaul in Kurukshetra district, served under Sardar Megh Singh of Buria in Ambala district. 
• Under Sardar Megh Singh's patronage, Bhai Santokh Singh produced the Hindi translation of Amarakosa, a Sanskrit work. In 1823, he wrote "Nanak Prakash," a book about the life and teachings of the founder. 
• Later, while serving under Bhai Udai Singh of Kaithal, with the assistance of several Brahmins, he translated several other Sanskrit works into Hindi. He completed his well-known work in 1843, which was titled "Gur Partap Suraj" and comprised six ponderous volumes. 
• According to the account, Guru Nanak, who established the Sikh religion, visited Kurukshetra during a solar eclipse and took the opportunity to preach his message to a large gathering of pilgrims. A disciple of the Guru gifted him a deer which was then cooked. 
• However, the Brahmin priests objected to this act, considering it a sacrilege on a sacred day. To refute their criticism, Guru Nanak provided a brilliant explanation of the superstitions that were prevalent in daily life. Nanak's final instructions to his disciples were to live in peace and to always remember the name of the Creator. 
• If someone greets you with this name, reply with "Sat Kartar," meaning "True Creator." There are four paths to reach God through the repetition of His name: holy companionship, truth, contentment, and restraint of the senses. Regardless of whether one is a hermit or a householder, if he enters through any of these paths, he will find God. 
• Upon examining the text, it brings to mind the actions of King Kuru from the distant past and the inscription on Aloka's pillar edict at Topra in the Ambala district. To honor this visit, a Gurdwara named Sidha Bati was constructed near Brahmasara in Kurukshetra. Guru Nanak and Mardana made a stop at Panipat while traveling to Delhi. 
• At this place, a conversation took place between the Guru and a follower of Shaikh Abu Ali Qalandar. The Shaikh asked the Guru about his religious beliefs, clothing, and the meaning of the word 'darvish'. The Guru answered all the questions with philosophical responses. 
• The Shaikh was impressed with the Guru's answers and concluded that there was no need for further examination of him who bears witness to God, and that just seeing him was sufficient. The Shaikh then showed his respect by shaking hands with the Guru, kissing his feet, and departing.

Guru Amar Das' Pilgrimage to Pehowa and Thanesar

• Guru Amar Das (1479-1574) embarked on a pilgrimage to various tinhas, and during his journey, he visited Pehowa and Kurukshetra with the aim of promoting moral regeneration through his teachings. At Pehowa, the Guru spoke out against religious bigotry and the caste system, emphasizing that all God's children are equal regardless of their caste. 
• He also visited Thanesar, which he referred to as "the place par excellence of Siva, the destroyer." When asked why he had chosen to compose hymns in the popular language instead of Sanskrit, the language of the gods, the Guru replied that his message was intended for all people, not just Sanskrit scholars.
• While Sikh traditional sources do not provide authentic data on the Guru's visit to Kurukshetra, Dr. Balbir Singh used a hymn in Guru Granth Sahib and its commentary Faridkot Tika, which provided astronomical data for calculation, to work out the date of his visit as January 14, 1553. 
• According to Dr. Singh, the Guru visited during a solar eclipse and the ruling conjunction of the Nakshatra Abhijit. He notes that during the Guru's pontificate, the solar eclipse occurred nineteen times, but the conjunction of Abhijit Nakshatra occurred only twice: January 14, 1553, and January 15, 1572. According to a hymn in the Adi Granth, Guru Amar Das was not required to pay the pilgrim-tax, despite the presence of tax collectors. 
• It is known that Akbar had remitted the pilgrim-tax in 1563 A.D. Therefore, it can be assumed that Guru Amar Das visited Kurukshetra before this date, specifically on January 14, 1563. Two Gurudwaras in Kurukshetra are dedicated to the sixth Guru Hargovind (1606- 645) and the seventh Guru Har Rai (1645-1661). 
• However, the local tradition about their visits to the place is not confirmed by reliable information. It is possible that the disciples built the Gurudwaras and named them after the Gurus. According to Macauliffe, the eighth Guru Har Krishna visited Panjokhera (near Ambala) on his way to Delhi. During his visit, the Guru discussed the philosophy of the Gita with a Brahmin through a water carrier named Chhajju.

Visit of Guru Teg Bahadur to Kurukshetra and surrounding areas

• During his visit to Kurukshetra and its adjacent areas, the ninth Guru Teg Bahadur (1664-1675) first went to Tekpur or Baharjakh, which is one of the traditional Yakas that marks the boundary of Kurukshetra. He stayed with a carpenter who later took him to Kaithal. 
• Two Gurudwaras in Kaithal commemorates his visit, one in the town and the other outside the Dogran gate to the north of the town. After Kaithal, the Guru went to Barna, a small village near Pehowa, where he preached against the use of tobacco. Later, the Guru visited Kurukshetra during a solar eclipse and gave discourses on ‘Sat Nam’ while staying there. 
• It is worth noting that two Gurudwaras in Kurukshetra are named after the sixth Guru Hargovind and the seventh Guru Har Rai, but it is uncertain whether they actually visited the place. The visit of the eighth Guru Har Krishna to Panjokhera is also mentioned by Macauliffe, where he entered into discussion with a Brahmin on the philosophy of the Gita through a water carrier named Chhajju. Guru Tegh Bahadur contributed money for the construction of a well in Bani Badarpur. 
• There are several Gurudwaras in Jind, Rohtak, and its surrounding areas that are associated with his visits. He passed through Haryana multiple times during his travels to and from the eastern provinces and Delhi. Unfortunately, he was executed in 1675 under the orders of Emperor Aurangzeb for supporting the Kashmiri Brahmins against forced conversion to Islam. 
• It is believed that Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, may have visited Kurukshetra since there is a Gurudwara named Gurudwara Dasham Padshahi there. However, there is no concrete historical evidence to support this claim, so the accuracy of this belief is questionable.
• The Nirmal Sadhus, a Sikh sect, were centered at Kurukshetra, where one of their leaders, Bhai Gulab Singh, resided. Bhai Gulab Singh, who received his education in Varanasi, established his hermitage at Prachitirtha and was a disciple of Man Singh, another Nirmala saint who lived near the Sannihit tank. 
• Bhai Gulab Singh renounced worldly life early and made Kurukshetra his permanent place of residence. He composed about 25 works on spiritual themes, but only four exist today: Sara, Mokshapantha Prakdsa, Adhyatma Ramayana, Karmavipakam, and Prabodha Chandrodaya Natak.