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'More over, in 1948 close to half of all Sikhs were refugees who had just seen a religious-based state - Pakistan take shape before their eyes and then drive them from their homes. Now they were being told that religion and politics were an illegitimate mixture.' - Robin Jeffrey (What is Happening to India)
In retrospect, it's interesting to see that mass Sikhs did not leave West Panjab (presently Pakistan) till the first week of September (1947) following the Partition. It was only after this time period that the Sikh masses had come to the conclusion that they must leave their religious places of historical importance, Nankana Sahib, Panja Sahib and others but also to leave their canal irrigated lands.
'The notion of home is ambiguous and carries with it a great amount of shifting meanings, which are often deeply entangled with each other. On the one hand, home may refer to a concrete, physical and intimate space of daily dwelling. On the other hand however, home can also refer to a symbolic, imagined and intangible entity such as the homeland.' - Laura Hirvi
To mark the 500th anniversary of Guru Nanak (1969), the Shiromani Akali Dal (U.K) under the Presidency of Sardar Davinder Singh Parmar had organised what I believe is the first ‘pilgrimage’ from U.K. Sikhs to visit ‘their homeland’, West Panjab.
(note: Sardar is the honorary title given to Pagh wearing Sikhs)
Three flights had been arranged with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) which departed Heathrow Airport, London for Lahore on the 14th, 15th and the 17th November 1969 whilst the return flights departed Lahore on the 15th, 17th & 18th January 1970. Definitely, quite a lengthy stay compared to the ten day long ‘pilgrimages’ that are now organised in the present day.
The Shiromani Akali Dal had met with the High Commissioner for Pakistan on June 23rd, 1969 to arrange logistics of the visit. On June 25th, Afzal Iqbal the Deputy High Commissioner had asked Parmar for a ‘detailed list of attending pilgrims and details of Sikh holy places in Pakistan other than Nankana Saheb which the pilgrims may wish to visit.’
Ten years later, Dr Jagjit Singh Chohan, a former Finance Minister of the Panjab State Government told the Times of India on October 15th, 1979 that the Pakistani Government had agreed to hand over the management and control of Sikh Gurdwaras to a broad-based committee of Sikhs that would include representatives of Sikhs from all over the world.
The article further alluded to negotiations being carried out by both the Nankana Sahib Foundation headed by Sardar Ganga Singh Dhillon, a citizen of the United States & the International Council of Sikhs, an organisation headed by Dr Jagjit Singh.
It seems that Dr Jagjit Singh had only previously travelled once to Pakistan which was in 1971. He was accompanied by two Sikhs from the U.K. namely Sardar Charan S. Panchi & Giani Bakshish Singh. Both of these figures had made Birmingham, England their home and had been vociferous advocates for the creation of an independent Sikh Homeland. The trio had departed from the U.K and made the trip to Nankana Sahib on October 21st, 1971. Dr Chohan and co stayed in Pakistan for a month and then he solely travelled to Frankfurt, Germany where he stayed for two or three days prior to returning to England. Dr Chohan then arrived back in the U.K. on November 28th, 1971.
The Times of India reported on October 13th, 1984, that members of the Republic of Khalistan Government in Exile were planning to visit West Panjab in November 1984.
'Violence in the colonies does not only have for its aim the keeping of these enslaved men at arms length; it seeks to dehumanize them. Everything will be done to wipe out their traditions, to substitute our language for theirs and to destroy their culture without giving them ours. Sheer physical fatigue will stupefy them. Starved and ill, if they have any spirit left, fear will finish the job; guns are levelled at the peasant; civilians come to take over his land and force him by dint of flogging to till the land for them. If he shows fight, the soldiers fire and he's a dead man; if he gives in, he degrades himself and he is no longer a man at all; shame and fear will split up his character and make his inmost self fall to pieces.' Frantz Fanon - The Wretched of The Earth
On June 10th 1984, more than 20,000 Sikhs nationwide converged in central London where they displayed their anger at Indira Gandhi and her government. On June 23rd, 1984, a meeting was held at the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Southall, Sikhs from across the nation & Europe attended this meeting and all attendees unanimously supported the establishment of an independent Sikh Homeland. Beant Singh, General Secretary of the Gurdwara stated ‘we have no future in India, there is no alternative now but to form a separate state.’
On this day, the Republic of Khalistan Government in Exile came into existence. Dr Jagjit Singh was given
the portfolio of President of the unborn Republic, Sardar Gurmej S. Gill was appointed to the portfolio of Prime Minister and Sardar Seva Singh Lalli was also chosen as part of the five member committee. Sardar Bhagwant S. Uppal & Sardar Harbhajan S. Golar joined the five member committee in 1985.
Forty Sikhs had departed London for Lahore on November 4th, 1984. Sardar Piara Singh Sandhu of the Khalistan Council writes that the Pakistanis on board the flight were very helpful! On reaching Karachi, Pakistan, the Sardars had moved to a smaller plane which was to take them to Lahore.
'The Indian Government feared that the occasion would be used to fan extremist Sikh sentiment. Pakistan, seemingly sensitive to this fear, said it was discouraging leading Sikh activists from coming to the celebration. However, among those who turned up were Mr Ganga Singh Dhillon, America's leading protagonist of Khalistan (an independent Sikh nation that would be carved out of Punjab) and Mr Jasbir Singh, nephew of Sant Bhindranwale, the Sikh guerilla leader killed in the storming of the Golden Temple in Amritsar by Indian troops in June. These two men helped to convert the anniversary into a political meeting, calling on all Sikhs to join Moslems against Hindu "imperialism" and to establish Khalistan. An Indian diplomat was beaten up in Lahore by Sikh pilgrims from Canada. He said that the police refused to arrest his attackers, though they could be identified.' - The Economist (17-23 November 1984)
Sardar Seva Singh Lalli was in charge of this ‘tour’ and on arrival in Lahore, press reporters from the Pakistan Times had asked Mr. Lalli about his thoughts on the terrible carnage unleashed in Delhi following news of Mrs. Gandhi’s demise.
Mr Piara S. Sandhu mentions that the group departed for Nankana Sahib via a coach from Lahore at the expense of 400 rupees. A Hindu family settled in the area made themselves available for the Sardars if anything required doing during the duration of their stay.
Piara Singh then goes on to mention that him and three others could not sleep due to jet lag on the first night and had decided to go for a walk in the near vicinity of Nankana Sahib. During this walk, he mentions that a retired Subedar had asked the group for a photograph of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa, the immortal martyr who breathed his last in the holy precincts of the Sri Darbar Sahib Complex in June 1984. The Sardars complied with his ask and supplied him with a portrait of Sant Jarnail Singh.
Interestingly, Sandhu recalls that some little children from the nearby village had approached him and had asked how many Sardars would be coming from ‘India’, Piara Singh replied 1,000, the children then asked why didn’t 3,000 come or more come, Piara Singh did not give a response.
On November 8th, 1984 at Nankana Sahib, a total number of 1680 Sikhs had arrived on Pakistani Territory from East Panjab. From England, 55 Sikhs arrived; 22 from Canada, 37 from Singapore & Malaysia and 7 or so from America. Sikhs on this occasion at Nankana Sahib had passed a resolution in favour of the creation of an independent Sikh Homeland.
Interesting enough Sardar Prem Singh Lalpura had led the deputation of Sikhs from East Panjab. Lalpura was the youngest ever SGPC President (1958-1960) and in 1984 he was a member of the Panjab Legislative Assembly. He alongside Sardar Sewa Singh and Babbar Gurmej Singh received a siropa (honorary robes) from Raja Zaffar Ul - Haq, the Minister of Religious Affairs during the period (1981-1985).
The British Sikh Report in 2019 had made some very interesting discoveries relating to the beautiful place that is Nankana Sahib. Respondents to a survey were asked if they would like to visit Nankana Sahib and other Historical Gurdwaras in Pakistan, the results showed that the ‘younger the respondent was, the more of a desire they had to visit.’
I hope to visit Nankana Sahib in the near future and discover its place in Sikh History.
‘Inheritance of a legacy and learning from examples should never take the place of our own creative work, for nothing can take its place. - Mao Zedong (1942)
yeh sar-zameen hai gautam aur nanak ki
is arz-e paak pe vehshi na chal sakein gey kabhi
humara khoon amanat hai nasl-e nau ke liye
humarey khoon pe lashkar na pall sakeingey kabhi - Sahir Ludhianvi
‘This land is the land of Gautam and Nanak.
On this sacred soil no savages would be allowed to walk again.
Our blood is held in trust for the new generation.
No garrisons will feed on our blood once again.
If we failed to raise our voice then this dazzling mound of dust shall not be safe again.’ - Translation - Surinder Deol 29/09/2019
Simranjeet S. Rahi
Article published on the centenary of Saka Nankana Sahib.
Parnaam Shaheeda Nu
Many Thanks to S. Hardeep S. Panchi (Grandson of S. Charan S. Panchi) for Photograph 5
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