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Sikh Reform Movement: Gurudwara, Akali & Singh Sabha Movements
IMPORTANT LINKS
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GS Paper |
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Topics for UPSC Prelims |
Singh Sabha Movement, Colonial India, Anti-Sikh Riots, Sikh Nationalism |
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Topics for UPSC Mains |
About Sikh Reform Movements in India
The Sikh Reform Movements were very crucial in the 19th and 20th centuries, addressing most of the issues within the Sikh community, which contributed to the revival of Sikh traditions. They worked towards eradicating superstitions, purifying religious practices, resisting foreign religious influences, and enhancing socio-political awareness and activism. These movements defined modern Sikh identity and had a lasting impact on the community's religious, cultural, and political spheres.
Historical Background of Sikh Reform Movements
Sikh Reform Movements emerged amidst gigantic socio-political transformations in India. The collapse of the Sikh Empire, conquest of India by the British, and incursion of Christian missionaries and other religious sects led to an impression as though the Sikh values and norms were under erosion. The reformers were not only involved in religiously doing, but they were also attempting at social upliftment and political assertion combined with the Indian nationalist movement to overthrow British colonialism.
Read the article on the Indian Renaissance!
Gurudwara Reform Movements
The most apparent of the reforms were the Gurudwara Reform Movements. Initiated in the early 1920s, its intention was to wrest gurudwaras (Sikh temples) from corrupt and hereditary custodians called mahants, who were thought to be mismanaging the religious institutions and their funds. For this purpose, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) was established in 1920. The movement led to many clashes, such as the 1921 Nankana Sahib massacre, where many reformers were massacred by mahants' supporters. The success of the movement led to the Sikh Gurdwaras Act of 1925, which gave authority over gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh to the SGPC.
Read the article on the Politico-Religious Movements in the 18th and 19th Centuries!
Nirankari Movement
The Nirankari Movement traced its roots back to the mid-19th century when Baba Dayal Das established it in present-day Pakistan's Rawalpindi. It would insist on reverting to the pure teachings of Guru Nanak and purity in the Sikh rites. The Nirankaris abhorred the institution of idols, caste system, and ceremonial rites like Karah Prasad and Langar performed without pure intention. This movement was concerned about the formless God, Nirankar, and strived to remove a few ritualistic and superstitious features that had been adopted during the passage of time within it.
Namdhari Movement
Namdhari Movement or more popularly known as the Kuka Movement, was a reform movement established by Baba Ram Singh in 1857. There was religious reform and anti-Britishism together. The Namdharis opposed the British colonial regime and advocated a revival to a simple and pure form that would bring back the times of Guru Gobind Singh. Specific practices of the Namdharis include white turbans, a dislike for smoking, and absolute vegetarianism. This movement mainly changed the socio-political scenario; it mobilized people against the British policies of cow killing, which led to the incidents and repressions at the hands of the colonial powers.
Read the article on the Birth, Tenets, and Significance of Sikh Khalsa!
Akali Movement
Akali Movement, also known as Gurdwara Reform Movement, was essentially an offspring of the greater Gurdwara Reform Movement. It started sometime during the early 1920s and was basically carried forward by the Akali Dal, the main political party of the Sikhs. The movement was to free gurdwaras from the hereditary custodians and bring management along democratic lines and as in the real Sikh tenets. The movement involved large mobilization of Sikh masses with the non-violent movements often suppressed brutally by the British authority. It is thought that due to the commitment of Akali leadership, many reforms were initiated, such as the successful re-organization of gurdwara management through elected representatives.
Babbar Akali Movement
The Babbar Akali Movement was a militant faction of the Akali Movement. It originated during the 1920s with characteristics of militancy against the British colonial government. Babbars firmly stood against the British sympathizers and traitors who were identified with the Sikh cause and took violent action if needed. This movement aimed at setting up a Sikh state free from British rule and exploitation. The Babbars' movement was, in the end, crushed by the British authorities, but their legacy had continued to inspire more nationalist and revolutionary sentiments among Sikhs and contributed, by and large, to the overall momentum of the independence movement.
Read the article on the Second Anglo Sikh War!
Singh Sabha Movement
The Singh Sabha Movement was perhaps the most influential of all the Sikh reform movements initiated in the late 19th century in Amritsar and Lahore. The main thrust was the revival of Sikhism and revitalization of the cultural and religious identity of the community with growing influence of Christian missionaries and the Arya Samaj. Singh Sabha emphasized education, proper understanding of the scripture of Sikhism, and opening schools and colleges that foster a deep sense of Sikhism. The leadership of the Singh Sabha composed texts and dispersed literature to popularize the pure teachings of Sikh Gurus. In this way, it could fight the other reformist movements that were held as deviating from Sikhism.
Read the article on the Teachings of Sikhism!
Conclusion
Sikh Reform Movements played an important role in developing modern identity for the Sikh community. The movements countered the internal challenges such as purification of religious practices from superstitious rituals and the responses to external pressures of colonial and missionary influences. In all these reform movements, the Nirankari and Namdhari movements combined to contribute to the socio-political and religious consolidation of Sikhs. They furthered a renewed sense of identity, community, and resistance that not only conserved Sikh traditions but also made Sikhs an integral part of India's freedom struggle and beyond. Sikhism continues to be influenced by such movements and its role in contemporary Indian society is impacted.
Sikh Reform Movement UPSC FAQs
What is the reform movement of the Sikhs?
The Sikh reform movement embraces Gurudwara Reform Movement, Nirankari Movement, Namdhari Movement, Akali Movement, Babbar Akali Movement, and Singh Sabha Movement with an emphasis on religion as well as socio-political reforms within the Sikh community.
Who started the Gurudwara reform movement?
The leading Sikh leaders and organizations established the Gurudwara Reform Movement. Some of the organizations that started this movement included the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, SGPC.
Which of the Sikh reform movements was started in 1873 in Amritsar?
The Singh Sabha Movement began in 1873 at Amritsar, a movement aimed at religious and educational reforms to rejuvenate Sikh identity and culture.
What was the Nirankari Movement?
The Nirankari Movement aimed at reviving the original tenets of Guru Nanak, refusing the idol worship cult, and other superstitions. Instead, it preached the belief in an invisible God (Nirankar).
How did the Akali Movement contribute to India's independence struggle?
The Akali Movement was more concerned with religious reforms and mobilized Sikhs against British colonial rule, which resulted in significant nonviolent protests and heightened political activism among Sikhs during the independence struggle. Origins: The Sikh Reform Movement, also referred to as the Singh Sabha Movement, was a movement developed in the late 19th century for reviving Sikh traditions against the Christian and other influences of the British regime. Major Objectives: Religious reforms, socio-cultural revival, and Sikh identity creation along with education. Prominent Personalities and Gurdwaras: The prominent personalities include Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha, Giani Ditt Singh, and institutions like the Khalsa College. Educational Reforms: Institutions for imparting secular or religious education and saving the language-Punjabi and the writing script-Gurmukhi. Religious and Cultural Revival: Effort towards the resuscitation of religious life among Sikhs, reformation of the Gurdwaras, and the elimination of ritualism not Sikhistic in nature. Political Mobilization: It played an important role in the politicizing of Sikhs for heightened political consciousness and activities within colonial India. Impact on Identity: It settled the issues of internal and external challenges concerning the formation of Sikh identity and therefore the distinction from Hinduism and other religions. Contemporary Influence: The modern institutions of Sikhs emerged from this movement and, nowadays, go on shaping the Sikh religious, social as well as political life.
Discuss the early Sikh reform movements.
The early Sikh reform movements had been Nirankari, which highlighted purification of religious activity, and Namdhari, who re-ordained the Sikhs back to the direct words of the Sikh Gurus against British colonialism as well as socio-political corruption.