Islam is the religion of allegiance to God that began historically with the prophet Muhammad in Arabia in the 7th century. However, according to its own teachings, Islam began as the way of life which God intended for his creation from the start. Human rebellion and sin meant that God constantly sent prophets, including Moses and Jesus, to summon people back to the proper religion.

    Muhammad was told to warn his people in the town of Mecca, in current day Saudi Arabia, about the truth of God being spoken through him. A small minority of people accepted him and made up the first small community of Muslims. As a result of persecution, they, with Muhammad, moved to Yathrib in 622. This move to Yathrib, also called Medina, is known as the hijra, and the Muslims who followed Muhammad are known as Muhajirun and those who supported Muhammad in Medina are known as Ansar (the helpers).

Islam means "entering into a condition of peace and security with God through allegiance and surrender to him." This is what Muhammad discovered when, as a young man, in the midst of rival claims about God from the Jews, Christians, and many polytheists in Arabia, he used to go to Mount Hira near Mecca to search for the truth about God. It was here, in a cave on the mountain, that he was overwhelmed with a tremendous sense of God (or his messenger Gabriel) pressing upon him and saying, "Iqra'," "Recite." In other words, "Recite in the name of your Lord who has created, created man from a drop..." These are the first words revealed by God, which were later collected into the Qur'an, the Islamic holy book. Muslims believe the Qur'an is God's actual utterance and has been with him in heaven from eternity. God has sent this utterance as guidance to humankind through successive messengers such as Musa and 'Isa, who each transmitted it to meet the needs of their own people. Finally, God sent the Qur'an in its complete form through the last messenger, Muhammad, who was only a man, exemplary though he was. He was the human channel of God's will.

From the first dramatic moment on Mount Hira, Muhammad was given the all-important understanding that if God is God, there cannot be rival accounts of "who God is," and there certainly cannot be rival gods or many gods. There can only be God, and for that reason he is called Allah, "the one who is God." Neither can there be rival religions or people divided against each other - all people come from God and return to him after death for exact judgement on their actions. All people should, therefore, become a single umma, or community, and every action and aspect of life should bear witness to the fact that "there is no god but God, and Muhammad is his messenger." This witness is the Shahada, the first of the Five Pillars of Islam, the foundations of Muslim life. The Five Pillars give structure and unity to Muslims all over the world.

   The Foundations of Life: The Qur'an is the nonnegotiable authority in Muslim life and belief. But it does not cover all circumstances in detail, so the words and actions of Muhammad and his companions are accepted as a living commentary on what the Qur'an means and how it should be applied. They were gathered in six revered collections, the Sahib, meaning "sound," and are known collectively as the Hadith or Sunna, the customary practice of the Prophet. Methods of exegesis or interpretation emerged, particularly that of consensus in the community and the use of analogy, ijma and qiyas. Major traditions then developed that drew up law codes for life, known as Shari'a. There are four major schools of Shari'a, and most Muslims live their lives according to one of them.

Divisions in Islam: After the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632, the Muslim community split. Those who thought that his successor or caliph should be the best qualified man chose Abu Bakr. They became the Sunni Muslims, those who follow the Sunna or custome of Muhammad. Others, the shi'at 'Ali, thought that his nearest relative, his cousin and son-in-law 'Ali, should succeed him, and they became the Shi'a Muslims. Not much separates the two groups in belief and practice, but Shi'as exalt their Imams, a succession of leaders, whom they regard as a line of inspired teachers. There have also been bitter political divisions.

he Influence of Islam: Within 100 years Islam had swept over the known world, reaching from the Atlantic to the borders of China. It has remained a rapidly expanding religion, with about a quarter of the world's population being Muslims. They form nearly total majorities in countries in the Middle East, northern Africa, parts of central Asia and Indonesia. There are also substantial minorities in the West, in countries such as France, Germany, the UK, and the United States. There is also a substantial population in China.

In its early centuries Islam led the world in the recovery of Greek science and philosophy - words starting with al-, "the," such as "algebra" and "alchemy," the beginning of modern chemistry, are a trace of this.

In another reaction, some drew closer to God, seeking to know his immediate presense. These were the Sufis, a name probably deriving from suf, the rough wool cloak that they wore. This mystical Islam became widespread in the 12th century and has remained influential ever since.

Baba Buddha ji(1506 - 1631)



Baba Buddha ji was a most venerated primal figure of early Sikhism, was born on 6 October 1506 at the village of Katthu Nangal, 18 km northeast of Amritsar (31° 36'N, 74° - 50'E). Bura, as he was originally named, was the only son of Bhai Suggha, a Jatt of Randhava clan, and Mai Gauran, born into a Sandhu family.

As a small boy, he was one day grazing cattle outside the village when Guru Nanak happened to pass by. According to Bhai Mani Singh, Sikhan di Bhagat Mala, Bura went up to him and, making obeisance with a bowl of milk as his offering, prayed to him in this manner: "O sustainer of the poor! I am fortunate to have had a sight of you today. Absolve me now from the circuit of birth and death." The Guru said, You are only a child yet. But you talk so wisely." "some soldiers set up camp by our village," replied Bura, "and they mowed down all our crops - ripe as well as unripe. Then it occurred to me that, when no one could check these indiscriminating soldiers, who would restrain Death from laying his hand upon us, young or old." At this Guru Nanak pronounced the words: "You are not a child; you possess the wisdom of an old man." From that day, Bura, came to be known as Bhai Buddha, buddha in Punjabi meaning an old man, and later, when advanced in years, as Baba Buddha.



Bhai Buddha became a devoted disciple. His marriage at the age of seventeen at Achal, 6 km south of Batala (31°- 49'N, 75°- 12'E), did not distract him from his chosen path and he spent more time at Kartarpur where Guru Nanak had taken up his abode than at Katthu Nangal. Such was the eminence he had attained in Sikh piety that, at the time of installation of Bhai Lahina as Guru Angad, i.e. Nanak II, Guru Nanak asked Bhai Buddha to apply the ceremonial tilak on his forehead. Bhai Buddha lived up to a ripe old age and had the unique honour of anointing all of the four following Gurus. He continued to serve the Gurus with complete dedication and remained an example of holy living for the growing body of disciples. He devoted himself zealously to tasks such as the digging of the baoli at Goindval under the instruction of Guru Amar Das and the excavation of the sacred tank at Amritsar under Guru Ram Das and Guru Arjan. The ben tree under which he used to sit supervising the excavation of the Amritsar pool still stands in the precincts of the Golden Temple. He subsequently retired to a bar or forest, where he tended the livestock of the Guru ka Langar. What is left of that forest is still known, after him, as Ber Baba Buddha Sahib.

Guru Arjan dev ji placed his young son, Hargobind, under Bhai Buddha's instruction and training. When the Adi Granth (Guru Granth Sahib) was installed in the Harimandar on 16 August 1604, Bhai Buddha was appointed granthi by Guru Arjan. He thus became the first high priest of the sacred shrine, now known as the Golden Temple. Following the martyrdom of Guru Arjan on 30 May 1606, Guru Hargobind raised opposite the Harimandar a platform called the Akal Takht, the Timeless Throne or the Throne of the Timeless, the construction of which was entrusted to Baba Buddha and Bhai Gurdas, no third person being allowed to take part in it. On this Takht Bhai Buddha performed, on 24 June 1606, the investiture ceremony at which Guru Hargobind put on two swords, one on each side, symbolizing miri and puri, sovereignty and spiritual eminence, respectively...



Baba Buddha passed his last days in meditation at Jhanda Ramdas, or simply called Ramdas, a village founded by his son, Bhai Bhana, where the family had since shifted from its native Katthu Nangal. As the end came, on 16 November 1631, Guru Hargobind was at his bedside. The Guru, as says the Gurbilas Chhevin Patshahi, gave his shoulder to the bier and performed the last rites Bhai Gurdas, further to quote the Gurbilas, started a reading of the Adi Granth in memory of the deceased. The obsequies concluded with Bhai Gurdas completing the recital and Guru Hargobind presenting a turban to Bhai Buddha's son, Bhana. Two shrines stand in Ramdas commemorating Baba Buddha, Gurdwara Tap Asthan Baba Buddha Ji, where the family lived on the southern edge of the village, and Gurdwara Samadhan, where he was cremated.

Founding of the Khalsa

"manas ki jat sab ik hi pahchanho"
"All men are the same"

-- Guru Gobind Singh


uring those times, the Punjabi people, including Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims were severely persecuted under the ruling Mughal empire. The Mughals beheaded Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru, after he helped Hindus against forcible conversion to Islam, and executed Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru, for refusing to convert. In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last Guru, founded the Khalsa in reaction to the constant persecution and aimed at creating a community based on spirituality and strength with a strong identity. The Guru's efforts injected a new blood into the body of the downtrodden and made his followers become a synonym of high consciousness, high purpose, and co-existence. The Khalsa gave people self-confidence, self-esteem, and national pride, and, in the process, abolished all boundaries based on birth, caste, religion, and profession. Guru Gobind Singh's creation prepared the people for the collective action of the common good, and was the first national effort to create a social order based on the concepts of equality and unity of human race.

   Five Beloved Ones: In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh invited all Sikhs to a fair at Anandpur where he asked if anyone was willing to die to prove their faith in him. One by one, five Sikhs entered his tent. Each time, the Guru came out with his sword wet with blood. When the crowd thought they were all dead, he revealed the Panj Pyare, the five beloved ones, alive.
Guru Gobind Singh is Initiated: Having initiated the five Sikhs into the new Khalsa community, he asked them to initiate him, then declared: "The Khalsa is the Guru and the Guru is the Khalsa." In this way the Guru emphasized the equality of all Sikhs.

Wife of Guru Gobind Singh: Guru Gobind Singh's wife helped him in the initiation of people, both men and women, into the Khalsa. The Guru intended men and women to be treated as equals.

The Five K's
When the men who had offered their lives to the Guru came out of the tent, they all carried swords and wore the same safron uniform and the 5 "Ks" as he did. The Guru said to them: "My brothers, I have made you the same as I am." He asked all Sikhs to wear the 5 "Ks":

Kesh, uncut hair, the traditional Asian image of saintliness
Kangha, the comb; for the hair
Kara, steel bangle
Kachh, undergarment
Kirpan, a dagger; reminder to fight against injustice
The 5 "Ks" and the turban compose the uniform of the Khalsa. It portrays the image of the Guru, and depicts the Sikh ideal of a saint-soldier, one who aspires to be spirtual and brave.

Words of the Guru: Guru Gobind Singh described the Khalsa as follows:
Khalsa is the breath of my body,
Khalsa is the very soul of my life,
Khalsa is my real pride and glory,
Khalsa is my own personal self,
Khalsa is my life's sustainer,
Khalsa is my body and breath,
Khalsa is my creed and karma,
Khalsa is my conscience keeper,
Khalsa is my perfect satguru,
Khalsa is my brave friend,
Khalsa gives me intellect and wisdom,
Khalsa is my object of meditation.

The Khalsa in History: The Khalsa uniform is a reminder to the wearer to use the Gurus' actions as a model for their own. It also emphasizes the equality of the human race. Women and men throughout the globe have adopted or continue to follow the Khalsa tradition, and those that wear a turban have the respectful title of being called Sardars. To many, the "Ks" are an integral part of their identity and existance as individuals.

The Guru Granth Sahib

"Such is the nature of the true believer that like the sandal tree he imparts his fragrance to all."

In 1603, Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru, began to collect the inspired and inspiring poetry of both himself and the earlier Gurus. A Granth (meaning "book") was needed, because the Sikh philosophy was spreading widely, and because hymns of doubtful authenticity were being attributed to the earlier Gurus. Guru Arjan and the faithful Bhai Gurdas went to a quiet place near Amritsar where they compiled the Adi Granth ("the Primal Book"). Almost all the hymns are organized in 31 sections following musical scales (raag). Each line in the Adi Granth is referred to by its raag, author, and sometimes also by a title. Poems by Hindus and Muslims are also included. In 1708 the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, appointed the Adi Granth as his successor (so that after him there would be no human Guru), and it became the Guru of the Sikhs. The Adi Granth is therefore known as Guru Granth Sahib.

Guru Gobind Singh and the Holy Book
Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth and last in the line of human Gurus. Before his death, he declared the authority of the Gurus as religious and political leaders would be passed into the sacred scriptures of the Guru Granth Sahib, as well as into the Sikh community of the Guru Panth. Although the Guru's own compositions do not appear in the holy book, he was a prolific poet, and much of his work is collected in the Dasam Granth.



The Text: The script used in the holy book is called Gurmukhi. The script was created by Guru Angad Dev for all people regardless of social class. Gurmukhi uses 10 vowels and 40 consonants.
Songs of Praise: The holy book has contributions by Sikh Gurus, bhagats, and Hindu and Muslim poets. The standard length of the scriptures is 1,430 pages. It is always stressed in the Sikh faith that only what is contained in the book is important. In other words, without the true name of God all ritualistic reading from the book is meaningless. Guru Nanak stated: "The only temple that matters is inside one's self"

Requirements for Reading: Unlike many other religions, both men and women can officiate at Sikh ceremonies, and either can read the Guru Granth Sahib. There is no ordained or special priest-like privaleges needed, only the ability to read is required.

Random reading: There are many ways of reading the Guru Granth Sahib. Practices include akhand path, a continuous 48-hour reading; and wak, guidance obtained by opening at random and reading the hymn on the left-hand page.

The Adi Granth and the Guru Granth Sahib: There are two names for the Sikh holy book: the Adi Granth, the primal text, and the Guru Granth Sahib, the embodied Guru of the Sikh tradition. It is the most important of all Sikh scriptures and is primal in the sense that Sikhs believe it uncovers the truth about God, the Primal Being, which has been true for all eternity. It contains hymns of varying lengths, mostly conveying the message that spiritual liberation comes through a belief in the divine name, or Nam, not through ritualism.

The Ten Gurus


"The Guru is my ship to cross sin's lake and the world ocean. The Guru is my place of pilgrimage and sacred stream."
-- Guru Nanak
Gurus in South Asian religions are spiritual guides. The word "guru" means "weighty one," and gurus are those who bear the weight of wisdom and knowledge. Among Sikhs, the word takes on another meaning because the Gurus do not simply teach and guide individuals; they are community leaders as well.




Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the first Guru, belonged to the Hindu kshatriya caste. Following a mystical experience, he visited various parts of the world, teaching that everything is created by God, and the way to come close to him is through devotion and meditation, not ritual. After his travels, he re-united with his family in Kartarpur in the Punjab and composed 974 hymns, expressing his realization of God. His teachings were later compiled into the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib.

Guru Angad (1504-52) was chosen by Guru Nanak as his successor. By selecting a follower rather than a son, Guru Nanak set a pattern for Guruship based on devotion rather than kinship. Angad created Gurmukhi, the script used for the Punjabi language and the writings for the Guru Granth Sahib, as well as 62 hymns that were later incorporated into the Guru Granth Sahib.




Guru Amar Das (1479-1574) became the third Guru at the age of 73. He promoted the free communal kitchen, langar, which was open to serve all day and night. He also introduced the birth and death ceromonies for Sikhs.
Guru Ram Das (1534-1581), the fourth Guru, founded Amritsar, the most sacred city for Sikhs. His followers dug the pool that was to become the Harminder Sahib, the lake that surrounds the Golden Temple, which became the most important Sikh temple.

Guru Arjan (1563-1606), son of Guru Ram Das, became the fifth Guru. He collected the hymns of the previous Gurus, and, with his own 2,216 contributions, prepared the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book. In addition, he built the Golden Temple that was to house the scriptures.
Guru Hargobind (1595-1644), the sixth Guru, proclaimed that the Guru must be a military leader as well as a spiritual leader. He also founded the town of Kiratpur.

Guru Har Rai (1603-1661), grandson of Guru Hargobind, was the seventh Guru.
Guru Har Krishan (1656-1664), the eighth Guru, was the youngest Guru.

Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675), the ninth Guru, was barred from Amritsar by the ruling Mughal empire. He was beheaded in Delhi by Muslims after helping Kashmiri Brahmins against forcible conversion to Islam by the emperor Aurangzeb.

Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) became the tenth and final living Guru after his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was executed. Guru Gobind Singh resisted oppression by the Mughal authorities and Hindu kings, and he exemplified the Sikh ideal of a saint-soldier, someone in whom sanctity and heroism are combined. He was the founder of the Khalsa as well as a poet.

The concept of Guru is central to the Sikh faith, and applies to God, the ten human masters, the scriptures, and the community. Consequently, many Sikh names begin with Gur, as do important words such as gurmukh (one who is oriented toward the Guru); Gurmukhi (the script of the Guru Granth Sahib and the Punjabi language), and gurdwara (the place of worship). The ten Gurus saw the Guru as the spiritual guide within, and God is often referred to as Wah Guru. In Sikh belief, all the Gurus are one in spirit; their souls are indistinguishable. To emphasize the oneness of the Gurus, the authorship of the hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib is not ascribed to individual Gurus by name, but by their number in the succession of Gurus.

Punjabis, who are of various religious backgrounds, such as Judiasm, Buddhism, and Christianity, are in majority either Sikh, Muslim, or Hindu. The Punjab is a cradle of great philosophical and spiritual aspirations. Major scriptures of Hinduism, such as the Rig Veda, Ramayana, and Bhagavad Gita were conceived in this land. In addition, in the 15th century Guru Nanak founded Sikhism. About 200 years later, the Sikhs were communialized through a movement called the Khalsa.

Introduction
Bhangra is a lively form of music and dance that originated in the Punjab region in Southeast Asia. As many Bhangra lyrics reflect the long and often tumultuous history of the Punjab, knowledge of Punjabi history offers important insights into the meaning of the music. While Bhangra began as a part of harvest festival celebrations, it eventually became a part of such diverse occasions as weddings and New Year celebrations. Moreover, during the last thirty years, Bhangra has enjoyed a surge in popularity worldwide, both in traditional form and as a fusion with genres such as hip-hop, house, and reggae. As Bhangra continues to move into mainstream culture, an understanding of its history and tradition helps to appreciate it.
Punjab
The birthplace of Bhangra, the Punjab is a region extending over part of Northern India and Northeastern Pakistan. Translated, the name "Punjab" means the "Land of Five Rivers." The people of the Punjab are called Punjabis and they speak a language called Punjabi. The three main religions in the area are Sikhism, Hinduism, and Islam. The region has been invaded and ruled by many different empires and races, including the Aryans, Persians, Greeks, Muslims, and Mongols. Around the time of the 15th Century, Guru Nanak Dev founded the Sikh religion, which quickly came to prominence in the region. The 19th Century saw the beginning of British rule, which led to the emergence of several heroic freedom fighters, the subject of many Bhangra songs. Finally, the Punjab was split between Pakistan and India at the end of British rule in 1947. This partitioning resulted in a large migration of Punjabis into the United Kingdom, which eventually led to the emergence of Bhangra in Western clubs and dancehalls.

Aryan Migrations (1500 BC - 100BC)
Between 1500 BC and 100 BC the Aryan people migrated in large numbers to Punjab, drawn mainly by the area`s agricultural richness. The Aryans and their interactions with the natives dominate the next thousand-year history of Punjab. During this time the oldest books of human history, the Rig-Vedas, are supposed to have been written, and the Aryan tongue Sanskrit came into use in the area.

The Persians
Punjab, located at the outskirts of the great Persian empires, came under occasional Persian control. While the Persian king Darius The Great (521-486 BC) is reported to have attacked the Punjab and occupied some parts, King Gustap finally succeeded in occupying the entire region in 516 BC. The Punjab eventually became the wealthiest province in the Persian kingdom.

The Greeks & Alexander
The Greeks, rivals of the Persians, also coveted the Punjab. Throughout the time of 500-300 BC, several Greek scholars wrote of the area, describing a fertile land with numerous rivers.

In 326 BC Alexander The Great and his armies seized the "prosperous plains" of the Punjab. Although Alexander died only nineteen months later, the region remained under the control of other Greek rulers for several hundred years. Meanwhile, the Mauryas came to power in India, bringing with them a time of "artistic achievements".

Some scholars believe Bhangra originated during this time with the battles with Alexander.

The Muslims
After the time of the Mauryas, the Punjab - and the rest of India - endured several hundred years of chaos. Because the Punjab is located in a strategically valuable position, many different groups fought for its control. These groups include the Huns, the Hindus, Buddhists, and several other tribes from central Asia.

Following the birth of Islam in Arabia in 6th century AD, Arabs rose in prominence and replaced the Persians as the major power in the area. In 712 AD, Mohammad bin Qasim commanded an Arab army that took much of the Punjab. Three centuries later, several generations of Turk rulers seized the entire Punjab, and later much of India.

The Punjab saw more tumultuous times from the end of the Muslim dynasties until the late 18th Century. Several different Muslim groups, as well as the Mongols, attacked, occupied, and lost various parts of the region numerous times. The area`s strategic position was "unrivaled," and every new ruler tried to seize control of it. Through the many years of upheaval and fighting, these diverse groups formed a cultural melting pot, eventually all blending together into one society.

The Rise of Sikh Power
During this chaotic time, however, a remarkable man was born - a man who would transform the Punjabi consciousness permanently. This was Guru Nanak Dev. Born in 1469 in the district of Sheikhupura, Guru Nanak spent his entire adult life roaming the world. His travels included the entirety of Punjab and South East Asia, Mecca, and even Rome. By the time he died in 1539 he had launched a powerful movement with radical rejection of caste, dogma, ritualism, gender inequality, and superstition - the Sikh religion.

Over the next two centuries, nine other Gurus led the Sikhs. The tenth and final master, Guru Gobind Singh (1661-1708 AD), created the Khalsa. This was an army of saint-warriors to protect the downtrodden. He also gave Sikhs their names: Singh for males, Kaur for women, and he infused a new spirit among the masses to rise up against the ferocity of their rulers. He charged his Sikhs with the responsibility of fighting for the exploited and the oppressed.

Ranjit Singh
The Sikhs quickly established themselves as the rulers of the greater part of Punjab, culminating with the rule of Maharaja (King) Ranjit Singh, known to be one the most outstanding rulers in the history of the region. Known for his outstanding abilities in military leadership, diplomacy, and administrative skills, he combined many small communities at war with themselves into a united and strong Punjab. He took Lahore in 1799 and was proclaimed Maharaja in 1801. He is best remembered for creating a kingdom for all Punjabis, regardless of religion, caste, color, or creed.

During his reign, Singh signed a treaty to keep the British East India Company from interfering with the Punjab, while he continued to expand his kingdom to the north and west. Although he remained a devout Sikh for his entire life, Singh maintained a secular empire in which citizens of all religions lived together in peace. He died at Lahore on 27 June 1839, and the Sikh Kingdom that he built expired soon after.

The British, and the Punjabi Heroes
In 1849, the British took down the weakened Punjab army, devoid of the leadership and organization of Ranjit Singh, and gained control of the region, along with the rest of Southeast Asia. The British colonial rule was markedly different from that of Ranjit Singh, and the people were not happy - many Punjabis fought hard against British rule.

Although the British committed many atrocities, one event in 1919 is especially important. At Amritsar, Punjab, about 20,000 demonstrators protesting British rule confronted troops commanded by General Reginald E. H. Dyer in an open space known as the Jallianwalla Bagh. The troops fired on the crowd, killing an estimated 379 and wounding about 1,200. The shooting was followed by the proclamation of martial law, public floggings, and other humiliations. Although the event ended Dyer`s career, the governor of Punjab, Michael O`Dwyer, publicly supported his actions. This event left a permanent scar on Indo-British relations and was the prelude to Mahatma Gandhi`s Non-Cooperation movement.

This event brought about the emergence of many revolutionary Punjabis, including Bhagat Singh and Udham Singh. Many of these Sikhs took a violent road in achieving independence, in stark contrast to the methods of Gandhi.

Bhagat Singh was born into a family of Sikh farmers in the Punjab in 1907. His father, grandfather, and uncle were all politically active, working to achieve reform and independence in India, and Bhagat would soon develop similar ambitions. He grew up in the uneasy aftermath of the Jalianwala Bagh massacre, visiting the site when he was only fourteen. Although he began his political career by printing and distributing pamphlets and newspapers in an effort to raise political awareness in India, Bhagat Singh soon became one of the many Punjabis who elected to drive the British out of India by violent means. In 1928, he shot a British officer as retribution for the beating death of an Indian protestor. Bhagat was eventually arrested, and hanged in 1931.

Born in 1899 in the Punjab, Udham Singh was an eyewitness to the events at Jallianwalla Bagh. That event was a turning point for Udham, who devoted the rest of his life to liberating India. Between 1919 and 1933 he traveled to America, India, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, and Russia, making many contacts with other revolutionaries. He eventually entered England in 1933, determined to execute O`Dwyer. He laid low for seven years, waiting for the perfect, public opportunity in order to gain the most publicity for his cause. He finally succeeded in 1940, shooting O`Dwyer at a public meeting in London. He was hanged later that year. Under interrogation in prison, Udham Singh consistently used the name of Mohammed Singh Azad, even after the police had discovered his real name. This alias, which incorporates three different religions, symbolized that his sacrifice was for all Indians, regardless of their ethnicity or class.

Both Bhagat Singh and Udham Singh became legendary heroes for the Indian people. They were the subjects of countless Bhangra songs, and youth throughout the country idolized them. They went on to become symbols of bravery and the struggle to free India.

Partition of the Punjab
Perhaps because of its ethnic heterogeneity and turbulent history, the Punjab was partitioned between India and Pakistan when India gained its independence from Britain in 1947. As a result of the Indian Independence act, the Punjab was divided into the East Punjab province of the Union of India and the West Punjab province of Pakistan. This division, and the political problems accompanying Indian independence, led to a lack of resources (water, specifically) and a great deal of violence. As a result, many Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs abandoned their homes in the Punjab and moved to friendlier lands. In total, eight million people were uprooted, one of the largest mass-migrations in modern history. Because of the possibility of open immigration to Britain from any Commonwealth country, many people came to large British industrial cities like London, Birmingham and Manchester. (Birmingham especially is now home to a thriving Bhangra scene.)

At the same time, thousands of South Asian people, having been transplanted to work on railways in East Africa during the 1940s and 50s, also came to England. Thus, South Asian communities formed in Britain from people of diverse backgrounds, each with their own musical traditions. This diversity set the stage for the eclectic nature of the western Bhangra movement in the latter 20th Century.

Maharani Jind Kaur(1817 - 1863)

Maharani Jind Kaur was popularly known as Jindan, was wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and mother of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last Sikh sovereign of the Punjab. She was daughter of Manna Singh, an Aulakh Jatt of Gujranwala, who held an humble position at the court as an overseer of the royal kennels. Scant notice of Maharani Jind Kaurs taken either by the official Lahore diarist, Sohan Lal Suri, or the British records until 1838, when according to the former, a munshi brought the blessed tidings of the birth of a son to her it appears that she and her son lived a life of obscurity under the care of Raja Dhian Singh at Jammu in August 1843, the young prince and her mother were brought to Lahore in September 1843, both Maharaja Sher Singh and Dhian Singh were assassinated. Raja Hera Singh, Dhian Singh's son, with the support of the army and chiefs, wiped out the Sandhawalia faction Shortly after, Hira Singh captured the Fort of Lahore and on 16 September 1845, the army proclaimed minor Duleep singh the sovereign of the State Hira Singh was appointed the wazir.

The political history of Jind Kaur begins from that date Gradually, she assummed the role of a dejure regent to the minor Maharaja Both Hira Singh and his adviser, Pandit Jalla, did not allow her the courtesy and consideration she was entitled to. Her establishtnent was put under the control of Misr Lal Singh. Jind Kaur mobilized opinion at the Darbar against the dominance of the Dogras. She and her brother,Jawahar Singh, pleaded with the army panchayats (regimental committees) to banish Pandit Jalla and protect the rights of minor Duleep Singh "Who is the real sovereign?" she angrily asked the regimental committees assembled in council "Duleep Singh or Hira Singh? If the fonner, then the Khalsa should ensure that he was not a king with an empty title" The council assured the Rani that Duleep Singh was the real king of the Punjab. The army generals treated Jind Kaur with deference and addressed her as Mai Sahib or mother of the entire Khalsa Commonwealth .

The eclipse of the Jalla regime was a political victory for Maharani Jind Kaur, who had goaded the army to overthrow Hira Singh and install her brother Jawahar Singh as the Wazir. She now assumed control of the governmcnt with the approval of the army generals who declared that they would place her on the throne of Delhi

Jind Kaur proclaimed herself regent and cast off her veil She became the symbol of the sovereignty of the Khalsa ruling the Punjab in the name of her son. She reviewed the troops and addressed them, held court and transacted state businessin public. She reconstituted the supreme Khalsa Council by giving representation to the principal sardars and restored a working balance between the army panchayats and the civil administration.

Numerous vexatious problems confronted the Maharani. First, An alarm was created that an English force was accompanying Peshaura Singh to Lahore, and that he was being helped secretly by Gulab Singh Second, the troops clamoured for a raise in their pay The feudatory chiefs demanded the restoration of their resumed jagirs, remission of fines and reduction of enhanced taxes and burdens imposed upon them by Hira Singh.,Finally, it appeared that the diminishing revenues of the State could not balance the increasing cost of the civil and military administration.

Jind Kaur applied herself to the solution of these problems and secured to this end the assistance of a newly appointed council of elder statesmen and military generals Kanvar Pashaura Singh was summoned to Lahore and persuaded to return to his Jagir Early in 1845, a force 35,000 strong marched to Jammu for the chastisement of Gulab Singh. The council had accused him of being a traitor to the Panth and charged him with treachery and intrigue against his sovereign. In April 1845, the army returned to Lahore with the Dogra chief as a hostage. The pay of the soldiery was enhanced and Jawahar Singh was formally installed Wazir. Maharani Jind Kaur's choice of Jawahar Singh as Wazir became the subject of criticism. To counteract the rising disaffection, Jind Kaur hastily betrothed Duleep Singh, in the powerful Atan family, opened top negotiations with Gulab Singh and promised higher pay to the soldiery. When Jawahar Singh was assassinated by the army Panchayats suspecting his hand in the murder of Kanvar Pashayra Singh, Jind Kaur gave vent to her anguish with loud lamentation. Early in November 1845, she, with the approval of the Khalsa Council, nominated Misr Lal Singh to the office of wazir.

Maharani Jind Kaur has been accused by some historians of wishing the Khalsa army to destroy itself in a war with the English. A more balanced and realistic view will be obtained by a closer examination of the policies of Ellenborough and Hardinge and of other incidental political factors which led to a clash of arms between the Sikhs and the English in December 1845, The Ellenborough papers in the Public Records Office, London, especially Ellenborough's and Hardinge's private correspondence with the Duke of Wellington, disclose the extent of British military preparations on the Sikh frontier. The correspondence reveals the inside story of the main causes of the first Anglo-Sikh warr. The republican upsurge of the Khalsa soldiery to save Ranjit Singh's kingdom from foreign aggression, the concentration of large British forces on the Sutlej, the British seizure of Suchet Singh's treasure, the intrigues of British political officers to break the loyalty of the Sikh governors of Kashmir and Multan, the rejection of Lahore claim to the village of Moran, and the extraordinarily hostile conduct of Major George Broadfoot, the British Political Agent at the North-West Frontier Agency, towards the Sikhs, particularly the virtual seizure by hint of the cis-Sutlej possessions of the Lahore Goverment in view of these factors, the theory that the Sikh army had become perilous to the regency and that the courtiers plotted to engage the army against the British becomes untenable on the contrary, the regent was the only person who exhibited determination and courage during the critical period of the war with the British .

In December 1846, Maharani Jind Kaur surrendered political power to the council of ministers appointed by the British Resident after the treaty of Bharoval. The Sikh Darbar Ceased to exist as a sovereign political body. The regent was dismissed with an annuity of Rs 1,50,00O and "an officer of Company's artillery became, in effect, the successor to Ranjit Singh "

Maharani Jind Kaur was treated with unnecessary acrimony and suspicion. She had retired gracefully to a life of religious devotion in the palace, yet mindful of the rights of her minor son as the sovereign of the Punjab. Henry Lawrence, the British Resident at Lahore, and Viscount Hardinge both accused her of fomenting intrigue and influencing the Darbar politics. After Bharoval, Hardinge had issued instructions that she must be deprived of all political power in March 1847, he expressed the view that she must be sent away from Lahore.

At the time of Tej Singh's investiture as Raja of Sialkot in August 1847, it was suspected that the young Maharaja had refused to confer the title on him at the instigation of his mother. She was also suspected of having a hand in what is known as the Premilla Plot a conspiracy designed to murder the British Resident and Tej Singh at a fete at the Shalamar Gardens. Although neither of the charges against Jind Kaur could be substantiated on enquiry, she was removed to Sheikhupura in September 1847, and her allowance was reduced to Rs 48,000. Lord Dalhousie, instructed Sir Frederick Currie, the British Resident at Lahore, to expel her from the Punjab. Currie acted promptly. He implicated Jind Kaur in a fictitious plot and sent her away from Sheikhupura to Banaras. She remained interned at Banaras under strict surveillance in 1848, allegations were made by Major MacGregor, in attendance on her, that she was in correspondence with Mulraj and Sher Singh at Multan. A few of her letters were intercepted and an alarm was created when one of her slave girls escaped from Banaras. She was removed to the Fort of Chunar from where she escaped to Nepal disguised as a maid-servant

Maharani Jind Kaur arrived at Kathmandu on 29 April 1849. The British Government promptly confiscated her jewellery worth Rs 9,00,000 and stopped her pension At Kathmandu, the sudden appearance of the widow of Ranjit Singh was both unexpected and unwelcome, Yet Jung Bahadur, the prime minister, granted her asylum, mainly as a mark of respect to the memory of the late Maharaja Ranjit Singh. A residence was assigned to her at Thapathall, on the banks of the Vagmati river, and the Nepalese government settled upon her an allowance for her maintenance. The Nepal Residency papers relate the details of Jind Kaur's unhappy sojourn in Nepal till 1860. The British Residency in Kathmandu kept a vigilant eye on her throughout. It believed that she was engaged in political intrigue to secure the revival of the Sikh dynasty in the Punjab. Under constant pressure firm the British, the Nepal Darbar turned hostile lowards the Maharani and levied the most humiliating restrictions on her. But the forlorn widow of Ranjit Singh remained undaunted. She quietly protested against the indignities and restrictions imposed upon her by Jung Bahadur. Jung Bahadur expelled from the valley one of her attendants, and the Maharani dismissed the entire staff foisted upon her by the Nepalese Government. She was then ordered to appear in person in the Darbar to acknowledge Nepalese hospitality, which she refused to do. The breach between her and Jung Bahadur widened. The Nepal Residency Records tell us that an open rift took place, and "several scenes occurred in which each seemed to have given way to temper, to have addressed the other ill very insulting language."

Towards the end of 1860, it was signified to Maharani Jind Kaur that her son, Maharaja Duleep Singh, was about to return to India and that she could visit him in Calcutta. She Welcomed the suggestion and travelled to Calcutta to meet her son, Who took her with him to England. Maharani Jind Kaur died at Kensington, England, on 1 August 1863.

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Shivaram Rajguru


freedom fighter who played a major role in the India's struggle for Independence. He is amongst those great Indian revolutionaries who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of country. His full name was Hari Shivaram Rajguru and was born into a Deshastha Brahmin family. Since his childhood days, had witnessed the brutal atrocities that the Imperial British Raj inflicted on India and her people. This instilled within him a strong urge to join hands with the revolutionaries in a bid for India's freedom struggle.

In the days of the Indian Freedom Movement, the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA) was an active force working against the British. Whilst their main motive was to strike fear into the heart of the British regime, they simultaneously spread awareness amongst the people. They made them take notice of the growing domestic uprising when they dealt crucial blows with attacks like in the Lahore Conspiracy Case ( 18th December, 1928) and the bombing of the Central Assembly Hall in New Delhi (8th April, 1929).

The protest against the Simon Commission in October 1928 saw the British police lathi-charge the protestors, severely injuring veteran leader Lala Lajpat Rai. Owing to the excessive beating, Lala succumbed to his injuries, which thus instilled revenge in the hearts of the revolutionaries. Thus, on 18th December, 1928 in Ferozepur, Lahore, a planned retaliation was enforced that led to the assassination of Deputy Superintendent of Police, J.P. Saunders. Shivaram Rajguru along with Sukhdev Thapar were accomplices of the legendary Bhagat Singh who spearheaded the attack. Rajguru then went into hiding in Nagpur. Whilst taking shelter in the house of an RSS worker, he even met Dr. K. B. Hedgewar. On his travel to Pune, however, Shivaram was finally arrrested. Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar were then convicted of their crime and sentenced to death.

On 23rd March, 1931, the three brave revolutionaries were hanged, whilst their bodies were cremated on the banks of the River Sutlej. Shivaram Rajguru was only 23 years old when he became a martyr for his country, however, he will always be remembered in the pages of Indian history for his valor and dedication of his life towards India's independence.


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Born: September 27, 1907
Martyrdom: March 23, 1931
Achievements: Gave a new direction to revolutionary movement in India, formed 'Naujavan Bharat Sabha' to spread the message of revolution in Punjab, formed 'Hindustan Samajvadi Prajatantra Sangha' along with Chandrasekhar Azad to establish a republic in India, assassinated police official Saunders to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, dropped bomb in Central Legislative Assembly along with Batukeshwar Dutt.

Bhagat Singh was one of the most prominent faces of Indian freedom struggle. He was a revolutionary ahead of his times. By Revolution he meant that the present order of things, which is based on manifest injustice must change. Bhagat Singh studied the European revolutionary movement and was greatly attracted towards socialism. He realised that the overthrow of British rule should be accompanied by the socialist reconstruction of Indian society and for this political power must be seized by the workers.

Though portrayed as a terrorist by the British, Sardar Bhagat Singh was critical of the individual terrorism which was prevalent among the revolutionary youth of his time and called for mass mobilization. Bhagat Singh gave a new direction to the revolutionary movement in India. He differed from his predecessors on two counts. Firstly, he accepted the logic of atheism and publicly proclaimed it. Secondly, until then revolutionaries had no conception of post-independence society. Their immediate goal was destruction of the British Empire and they had no inclination to work out a political alternative. Bhagat Singh, because of his interest in studying and his keen sense of history gave revolutionary movement a goal beyond the elimination of the British. A clarity of vision and determination of purpose distinguished Bhagat Singh from other leaders of the National Movement. He emerged as the only alternative to Gandhi and the Indian National Congress, especially for the youth.

Bhagat Singh was born in a Sikh family in village Banga in Layalpur district of Punjab (now in Pakistan). He was the third son of Sardar Kishan Singh and Vidyavati. Bhagat Singh's family was actively involved in freedom struggle. His father Kishan Singh and uncle Ajit Singh were members of Ghadr Party founded in the U.S to oust British rule from India. Family atmosphere had a great effect on the mind of young Bhagat Singh and patriotism flowed in his veins from childhood.

While studying at the local D.A.V. School in Lahore, in 1916, young Bhagat Singh came into contact with some well-known political leaders like Lala Lajpat Rai and Ras Bihari Bose. Punjab was politically very charged in those days. In 1919, when Jalianwala Bagh massacre took place, Bhagat Singh was only 12 years old. The massacre deeply disturbed him. On the next day of massacre Bhagat Singh went to Jalianwala Bagh and collected soil from the spot and kept it as a memento for the rest of his life. The massacre strengthened his resolve to drive British out from India.

In response to Mahatma Gandhi's call for non-cooperation against British rule in 1921, Bhagat Singh left his school and actively participated in the movement. In 1922, when Mahatma Gandhi suspended Non-cooperation movement against violence at Chauri-chaura in Gorakhpur, Bhagat was greatly disappointed. His faith in non violence weakened and he came to the conclusion that armed revolution was the only practical way of winning freedom. To continue his studies, Bhagat Singh joined the National College in Lahore, founded by Lala Lajpat Rai. At this college, which was a centre of revolutionary activities, he came into contact with revolutionaries such as Bhagwati Charan, Sukhdev and others.

To avoid early marriage, Bhagat Singh ran away from home and went to Kanpur. Here, he came into contact with a revolutionary named Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, and learnt his first lessons as revolutionary. On hearing that his grandmother was ill, Bhagat Singh returned home. He continued his revolutionary activities from his village. He went to Lahore and formed a union of revolutionaries by name 'Naujavan Bharat Sabha'. He started spreading the message of revolution in Punjab. In 1928 he attended a meeting of revolutionaries in Delhi and came into contact with Chandrasekhar Azad. The two formed 'Hindustan Samajvadi Prajatantra Sangha'. Its aim was to establish a republic in India by means of an armed revolution.

In February 1928, a committee from England, called Simon Commission visited India. The purpose of its visit was to decide how much freedom and responsibility could be given to the people of India. But there was no Indian on the committee. This angered Indians and they decided to boycott Simon Commission. While protesting against Simon Commission in Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai was brutally Lathicharged and later on succumbed to injuries. Bhagat Singh was determined to avenge Lajpat Rai's death by shooting the British official responsible for the killing, Deputy Inspector General Scott. He shot down Assistant Superintendent Saunders instead, mistaking him for Scott. Bhagat Singh had to flee from Lahore to escape death punishment.

Instead of finding the root cause of discontent of Indians, the British government took to more repressive measures. Under the Defense of India Act, it gave more power to the police to arrest persons to stop processions with suspicious movements and actions. The Act brought in the Central Legislative Assembly was defeated by one vote. Even then it was to be passed in the form of an ordinance in the "interest of the public." Bhagat Singh who was in hiding all this while, volunteered to throw a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly where the meeting to pass the ordinance was being held. It was a carefully laid out plot, not to cause death or injury but to draw the attention of the government, that the modes of its suppression could no more be tolerated. It was decided that Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt would court arrest after throwing the bomb.

On April 8, 1929 Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs in the Central Assembly Hall while the Assembly was in session. The bombs did not hurt anyone. After throwing the bombs, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt, deliberately courted arrest by refusing to run away from the scene. During his trial, Bhagat Singh refused to employ any defence counsel. In jail, he went on hunger strike to protest the inhuman treatment of fellow-political prisoners by jail authorities. On October 7, 1930 Bhagat Singh, Sukh Dev and Raj Guru were awarded death sentence by a special tribunal. Despite great popular pressure and numerous appeals by political leaders of India, Bhagat Singh and his associates were hanged in the early hours of March 23, 1931.


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Desi Jatti!!!!!!!!!