Nihang
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Nihang (pronounced Nee-hung) (also: called Akalis) is an armed Sikh order. Early Sikh military history is dominated by the Akali Sikh military order particularly for many famous military victories won while often heavily out-numbered. The Akalis have historically been held in great affection and respect by Sikhs due the pivotal role they have played in Sikh history and Sikh military history in particular.
The Nihang order is today mostly ceremonial because it is peacetime in India but in times of war, the Akalis have historically spear-headed the attack on the enemies of the Sikh religion.
The Nihang Singhs venerate three Granths: The Guru Granth Sahib,Sri Dasam Granth and the Sri Sarbloh Granth. The "saintly way" is enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib. The warrior spirit is enshrined in the Sri Dasam Granth and Sri Sarbloh Granth.
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[edit] Etymology
"Nihang" is a Persian word meaning Crocodile. The invading Mughals said they fought ferociously like crocodiles that is where the term comes from.[1]
The Nihangs were also known as Akalis. The term "Akali" is said to be derived from the Akal Purukh in Punjabi - "the Timeless One", a term for God. Thus 'Akali' translates as "Servitor of the Timeless God".[2] This also symbolises the Akalis as the "Immortals" or the timeless warriors.
[edit] The Nihang attire
The Nihangs differ essentially from all other Sikh orders in being a militaristic organization but they are similar in some areas, in that, they are and belong to the Khalsa, created by Guru Gobind Singh. The Nihangs wear checkered dresses of a particular shade of blue known as "electric-blue."[3], bangles or bracelets of steel round their wrists (Kara), and quoits of steel (Chakra) in their lofty conical blue turbans, together with daggers, knives and swords of varying sizes (Kirpan), and an iron chain.
Banda Bahadur, the famous disciple of Guru Gobind Singh and Sikh warrior-general went from being a Hindu to a Sikh and adapted to wearing this attire.
[edit] The Nihangs/Akalis in Sikh history
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[edit] Phula Singh
The career of the Akali, Phula Singh illustrates both their defects and their abilities. Phula Singh - born 1761[4] - first came into notice as the leader who led the attack on Thomas Metcalfe's escort at Amritsar in 1809. He was then employed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, as a leader in the Indus valley. Finally, Phula Singh and his Akalis contributed to, or rather virtually won for Ranjit Singh, the great Sikh victory over the Yusufzai Pashtuns at Teri[citation needed] in 1823. In this battle, Phula Singh met with a heroic death,[5] and his tomb at Nowshera is now an object of pilgrimage to Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs alike.
Under Phula Singh's leadership, and perhaps before his rise, the Akalis had become a terror to friends and foes alike, and the Sikh chiefs, from whom they often levied taxes (Raakhi), dreaded them by force. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was highly pleased by the battles the Nihangs would win.
During the time of the Sikh Empire, the Akalis were almost completely autonomous and did what they felt was best for the protection of Sikhs and Sikhism, only Emperor Ranjit Singh could control them and their leader General Akali Phula Singh, after much gentle persuasion.
When General Akali Phula Singh died in 1823 on the battle field at Teri, Sikh Scholars and historians record, that the Emperor himself cried at the loss and the entire Sikh Khalsa Army, including all the Generals, officers and soldiers were deeply affected with the loss. Emperor Ranjit Singh ordered the immediate construction of a monument, on the site where Akali Phula Singh fell, to commemorate this Sikh icon. While he was alive Akali Phula Singh would argue with the Emperor, but both including the Emperor had a deep friendship and respect for each other.
It is widely known that Ranjit Singh respected him greatly. He was unafraid of the emperor and punished him for disrespecting a Nauch girl. The emperior dared not disobey Phula Singh and had to pay Tankhah (Punishment) after his guilt was proved.
[edit] Non-Nihang Sikhs and the dress of the nihangs
Many non-nihang Sikhs will often also wear the same dress of the Nihangs. Unlike the nihangs however, they will usually only wear it at ceremonies or to the Gurdwara the Sikhs place of worship, whereas Nihangs would wear the blue dress all the time. This trend of wearing the Nihang dress is mainly prevalent in Sikhs belonging either to the Akhand Kirtani Jatha or the Damdami Taksal
[edit] Nihangs/Akalis today
The Akali headquarters was the Akal Bunga at Amritsar, where they assumed the lead in directing religious ceremonies and convoking the Gurmat; indeed, they laid claim to exercise a general leadership of the whole Sikh community. Since Ranjit Singh's time Anandpur has been their real headquarters, but their influence is still being felt in the world today.
Today, Nihangs foregather in their thousands at Anandpur, on the occasion of the festival of Hola Mohalla and display their martial skills. This tradition has been in place since the time of Guru Gobind Singh.
Their form of fighting was called Shastar Vidyia but has recent times taken the name"Gatka." The compositions from the Sri Dasam Granth are used in unison with the battle maneuvers.
Shastar Vidyia is the ancient fighting style of the Sikhs. It was started by Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. Today it is used by Nihangs and other Sikhs who wish to learn it. Their 100's of gatka schools in North America and thousands in India.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Singh, Khushwant (1999). A History of the Sikhs Volume I:1469-1839. India: Oxford University Press, 215. ISBN 0-19-562643-5.
- ^ Singh, Khushwant (1999). A History of the Sikhs Volume I:1469-1839. India: Oxford University Press, 215. ISBN 0-19-562643-5.
- ^ Collins, Larry; Lapierre, Dominique (1997). Freedom at Midnight. India: Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., 393. ISBN 81-259-0480-8.
- ^ Nihangs: The 'Dumaala' amritworld.com, last accessed 2007-11-18, "According to the 'Mahaan Kosh', Akali Phoola Singh Ji was born around Samvat 1818 Bikrami (1761 AD)"
- ^ HARI SINGH NALWA AND THE BATTLE OF NAUSHERA Bharat Rakshak, Volume 2(3) Nov-Dec 1999, "Akali Phula Singh through his dashing feats had inspired other Sikh commanders his martyrdom renewed the vigor to fight."
[edit] References and external links
- Sri Dasam Granth ,The Sri Dasam Granth Sahib website
- Read more about Akali Phula Singh Descriptions of the Dasam Granth from the “Sketch of the Sikhs” in view of Sikh History
- Book review of the Nihang book The Beloved Forces of the Guru
- "Tribes and Castes of Punjab and N.W. Frontier Province" by H.A. Rose (1892)
- Nihang
- Bhai Sahib Amrit Pal Singh 'Amrit' has presented well-researched articles on Nihangs on his website
- www.Budhadal.com
- Photography of the daily lives of the Nihang Singhs of Punjab by photographer Nick Fleming
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