Meenakshi Sharan | First Post |  February 11, 2023:: All the sects of Sindhis today in India as well as Pakistan have in their Tikana/ Mandir, the Guru Granth Sahib placed in the middle with all Hindu deities around it. Don’t the fanatics who are imposing upon non Sikhs their version of Sikhism and calling the presence of Pratimas of Devi Devtas around Guru Granth ‘beadabi’ know that all the ten Gurus performed Pooja rituals of BhagwanVishnu and that all Sikhs followed suit till 1900s?

Guru Nanak worshipped Shaligram form of Shri Hari and always carried with himself, the Shaligram Shila which along with his mala, Rudraksha, Padam with his image, gold Coin of Shri Krishna’s times passed down by his father, his pothi, all are kept in Gurdwara Pothimala Sahib, Faridabad.

Just a month before the Indore Sindhi Mandir incidents, on 26 November, 2022, one too was forced to contemplate on, “whether should the ‘Mighty Tree’ appease the offshoots that reject being its branches”? 18-20 armed gatka performing Nihangs surrounded me after I finished my speech on Guru Teg Bahadur Singh ji in Ujjain. I was told (in Punjabi) that I must stop spreading ‘mithya’ about the gurus being Hindu and Devi bhakts. A chill ran down the spines of those present when I was being challenged!

The claim of Sikh Dharma being a separate religion created by Guru Gobind Singh to save the Hindus, the invention of newer differences between them and Hindus, disowning the writings of their own Gurus to prove they are different, is courtesy their darling historian Max Arthur Macauliffe who aware of the Sikh hatred for the British Mlechhas, distorted Sikh history and mistranslated Sikh scriptures to suit the British narrative of Sikhs being non Hindu. He even converted to Sikhism in 1860. Imagine an English calling the Sikh ignorant of his Dharma!

In, The Sikh Religion-Its Gurus, Sacred Writings And Authors, Vol I, Preface 24-5, he writes: “I met in Lahore young men claiming to be descendants of the Gurus, who told me that they were Hindus, and that they could not read the characters in which the sacred books of the Sikhs were written…such youths are ignorant of the “Sikh religion”, of its prophecies in favour of the English, and call us Mlechhas…”

In volume 1, 22, preface he admits having inserted an, ‘oath of loyalty to the British’ in the Khalsa initiation ritual:

‘It is admitted that a knowledge of the religions of the people of India is a desideratum for the British Officials… It seems, at any rate, politics to place before the Sikh soldiers, prophecies of their Gurus and the texts of their sacred writings in favour of the English.’

The Sikh Shrines were known as Dharamsaalas, the word Gurdwara was constructed in the 20th century.

Writes – Professor Ian J. Kerr in his article- The British and the Administration of the Golden Temple 1859, Panjab Past and Present, Vol. X, Oct 1976, p. 315:

“King Abdur Rahman of Afghanistan dismissed an appeal by Hindus to keep idols in Dharamsala of Hari Rai in Kabul. Hindus had no concern with Sikh shrines, as Sikhs had nothing to do with Hindi Thakur Dwaras and Shiv Dwaras.”

Writes Teja Singh in his book, The Gurdwara Reform and the Sikh Awakening:

“This Dharamsala is named after Guru Har Rai, the seventh successor of Baba Nanak.”

All the Gurdwaras including Hari Mandir had Vigrahas, pictures or paintings of Shiva, Vishnu ji, Hindu Devi Devtas and Guru Nanak ji till 1930s. “In the summer of 1905, idols were removed from the precincts of Golden Temple, Amritsar..Maharaja hari Singh of Nabha was asked to interfere but he refused..priest of Huzur Sahib, Nader were moved to condemn the Singh Sabha..forbidding Sikhs to associate with Singh Sabha..”.- Teja Singh.

A newspaper published in the Punjab denounced the radical Sikhs for throwing away a Shivling that existed in the parikrama of the Golden Temple.

“…a painting in another temple showing Guru Gobind Singh standing with folded hands before the Goddess was obliterated with ink.” –Akhbar-i Am, 10 April 1900, Selections from the Vernacular Newspapers published in the Punjab, 1900, vol. XIII, p. 200

“In 1905, Arur singh, manager of the Golden Temple ordered the removal of all idols from the precincts of Golden Temple, thereby putting an end to the performance of Hindu rituals in that area.” –Hum Hindu Nahin: Arya-Sikh Relations, 1877-1905 Kenneth W. Jones, p. 211 

“On 2 May, 1905, Arur Singh, the manager of the Golden Temple, ordered the removal of a large number of images from its precincts.” – Harjot Singh Oberoi, The Construction of religious boundaries: culture, identity, and diversity in the Sikh tradition. page 323.

“Surprisingly, the removal of idols from the Golden Temple led to a lot of infighting between the Sikhs themselves. Some of them accused the Tat Khalsa of weakening the community from within.” – Sikhs In History, by Sangat Singh, 1995, p. 122.

The children and grandchildren of Sikh Gurus were all married into Hindu Khatri families; Kumrav, Rikhirav, Sudhi, Marwahe, Khosle, Dhuse, Chondh, Lamba, and Sekhdhi.

Why would Guru Gobind Singh describe Vanshavali of the Surya Vansh and the ancestry of all Sikh Gurus to Shri Ram’s sons Lav and Kush in Bichitra Natak if they were not Hindus? Why would he write Chandi Charitra, Chandi di var- Devi Durga’s attributes, Ugardantiinvocation of Devi in Her Ugra roop, Chaubis Avtar- of Vishnu ji , Rudra Avtar- Siva Avtars, Brahm Avatar in simple Braj Bhasha, call himself Devi Daas, invoke Devi/ Bhagauti first of all in Ardas- ‘Pritham Bhagouti/ Bhagwati Simar Kai, Guru Naanak Layee Dhiyae’ if he was so against Moorti Pooja and Hindu rituals?

He writes:

Nanak Rai took birth in the Bedi clan, the descendants of Kush who studied Vedas.

“Tin Bedeeyan Ke Kula Bikhe Pargatte Naanka Rai”, 

About himself he says:

I was engrossed in Devi Bhakti on the Sapt Sringi Parvat, Hemkunth :

Aba Mai Apanee Kathaa Bakhaano

Tapa Saadhata Jih Bidhi Muhi Aano

Hema Kuaantta Parbata Hai Jahaan 

Sapatasringa Tih Naamu Kahaavaa

Taha Hama Adhika Tapasiaa Saadhee

Mahaakaal Kaalkaa Araadhee

I was sent on this earth to protect Dharma, and vanquish the evil:

Hama Eih Kaaja Jagata Mo Aaee ॥ 

Dharma Heta Gurdevi Patthaaee 

Jahaa Tahaa Tuma Dharma Bithaaro

 Dustta Dokhyani Pakari Pachhaaro

 Yaahee Kaaja Dharaa Hama Janaamn. 

He describes Guru Tegh Bahadur’s pilgrimages (1656 – 1663 CE) to Kurukshetra, Haridwar, Varanasi, Gaya, Prayagraj etc, records of which are documented in Bhat Vahi Talauda, Bhat Vahi Purbi Dakhani. Panda Vahi at Pehowa has records of Mata Gujri’s visit in Samvat 1727 and later of Mata Sundari’s visit to Haridwar with her son Ajit Singh.

Mur Pita Poorabi Kiyasi Payaanaa 

Bhaanti Bhaanti Ke Teerathi Nahaanaa

Jaba Hee Jaati Tribenee Bhaee

punya daan din karat bitaaye

Tahee Parkaas Hamaaraa Bhayo Pattanaa Sahar Bikhi Bhava Layo

My father travelled east, bathed at many holy pilgrimages, at the Triveni Sangam, he performed charities, there I appeared in my mother’s womb and was born in Patna.(On 22 December 1666, to 44 years old Mata Gujri and Guru Tegh Bahadur Singh ji after being childless for 33 years)

Bathing in the Ganges, drinking its water washes away sins and gives Moksha according to Bachittar Natak, Vars of Bhai Gurdas, Sau Sakhi. Why would their names appear in paths of Purohits at Hindu Pilgrim places if the Sikh Gurus were not Hindu? The Bahi of Panda Ram Kishan of Triveni Sangam, Prayagraj, dated Samvat 1719 has records in Guru Tegh Bahadur’s own handwriting that he was a “Sodhi of Kaushish Gotra, a worshipper of Naina Devi” and that his family Purohit was Pundit Bhoj Raj. The same Bahi has Guru Gobind Singh’s signatures done while in Prayag on his way back to Anandpur. He acknowledged Pandit Datt Ram as his family priest and like his father gave instructions for their descendants visiting Triveni Sangam to honour the Purohits appointed by them.

Professor Panjab University, Dr. Sheena Pall in her paper, Issues of Sikh Identity:

Sanatanist-Sikh Debate, quotes: Records of Guru Tegh Bahadur performing shrāddha at Gaya while on his way to Assam, receiving a janeu and giving dakshina to the Pundit.

Quotes Surya Prakash for Guru Nanak performing his father’s shraddh. Guru Gobind Singh observed his father’s shraddh according to Hindu rites, as per Chakra Charu Chandrika.

As per Bhagat Ratnavali, the Gurbilas Patshahi Chhevin, the Sausakhi and Bhagat Bani, Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 923, Pauri 15–16, Guru Amar Das in Rag Ramkali, instructing Pandit Keso Gopal to read Garud Puran, perform Pind, pattal, kriya, diwa and phull after his death.

In Ang 923, Pauri 17, he says that his ashes should be immersed in the Ganga.

Dr Sheena Pall quotes Surya Prakash stating that marriage ceremonies of Guru Nanak, Guru Hargobind, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh, were done as per Hindu rituals and started with Ganesh pooja, quotes Bhagat Ratnavali, Gurbilas Patshahi Chhevin, Sausakhi, Bhagat Bani about the Gurus instructing marriage according to Hindu rites performed by a pandit.

As per Bachittar Natak, as well as Surya Prakash, Bhai Bala Janamsakhi, Gurbilas Patshahi Dasvin, Panth Prakash, Gurmat Nirnay Sagar and Sikh Hindu Hain, Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed his life for the protection of his own tilak and Janeu, his son Gobind Singh also protected the Janeu. But the brainwashed Sikhs and Nihangs who challenged me on the on 26 November, 2022, quoted, “ek noor te sab jag upajya” to assert that their Gurus were not against Islam or Muslims, that they were closer to Islam than your Hindu Dharma!

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The author professionally is a hospitality entrepreneur. She is an avid history buff and perpetually researches episodes where history was faulted to manufacture faux narratives. She is the founder of Ayodhya Foundation Org which aims at promotion and revival of Vedic culture, Bhartiya sangeet and nritya, arts and handicrafts. Her works involve ‘Existence of Saraswati from the Shastras,’ ‘Partition of India and the events since 638 that lead to it,’ ‘History of Islamic and Christian invasions across the world’ etc. She tweets with @meenakshisharan. Views expressed are personal.

This article was first published in Firstpost on Feb 11, 2023.