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In October 1920 A.D.,
a congregation was held at Dharowal,
District Sheikhupura for reform in Gurdwara
Nankana Sahib in which the leaders revealed
to the gathering of devotees, the misdeeds
being committed inside the Gurdwara.
Gurdwara Nankana sahib was highly revered
as it is the birth place of Guru Nanak,
a city named Nankana Sahib came up around
the Gurdwara which is now in Pakistan.
At meeting ,it was unanimously resolved
that the Mahant be asked to mend his
ways. When Mahant Narian Dass was asked
to reform himself, he started making
preparations to oppose the Panth (Sikh
community) instead. He did not feel
it necessary to pay heed to the suggestions
of the Committee. He was the owner of
the estate attached to the Gurdwara
with an income of one hundred thousand
rupees besides the offerings of the
Gurdwara.
The Mahant recruited hooligans and rogues
as paid employees to oppose the Sikhs.
With the help of the government, he
collected from Lahore, guns, pistols
and other arms and ammunition. He brought
and stored fourteen tins of paraffin.
He got the Gurdwara gate strengthened
and got holes made in it so that bullets
could be fired through them. The Government
was using every available weapon to
make Akali movmement of Gurdwara reform,
a failure. Mahant Narain Dass was one
of the weapons in the hands of the Government
and the Government wanted to make full
use of him. As such, Mr King, the Commissioner
of Lahore was extending every kind of
help to the Mahant and had promised
him in the future as well. The Mahant
was dancing like a puppet in the hands
of the Government.
In the meeting of Parbhandak Committee
at Gurdwara Khara Sauda on 17th February,
1921 A.D., was decided that two jathas
(squads) one led by Bhai Lachhman Singh
and the other by Bhai Kartar Singh Virk
(alias Jhabbar) should meet at Chander
Kot on the 19th February. From there
they were to reach Nankana Sahib early
in the morning of the 20th February
to talk to the Mahant. Seeing the preparation
of the Mahant, the Parbhandak Committee
held a meeting in the office of Akali
Patrika (News paper) on the 19th February
in which it was resolved that squads
should not be taken to Nankana Sahib
on teh 20th February. Bhai Kartar Singh
Jhabbar was present in the meeting.
He was informed about the new decision
and was told to inform Bhai Lachhman
Singh and he took the responsibility
to do so. Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabbar
immediately dispathed Bhai Waryam Singh
to Chanderkot so that other squad could
be stopped.
Meanwhile in accordance with the original
programme, Bhai Lachchman Singh reached
Chander Kot on the night of the 19th
February with his squad of one hundred
and fifty Singhs. He waited for the
squad of Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabbar for
some time and before the arrival of
Bhai Waryama Singh with news to not
to led squad to Gurdwara, Bhai Lachchman
singh said to the Singhs of his squad,
"When we have started for a good
cause, we should not waste time."
All members of the squad agreed. Bhai
Lachhman Singh got a promise from the
squad not to strike and remain peaceful
come what may. After that the squad
prayed for their success of their nobel
resolve. When, after, the prayer, the
Squad was about to move forward, Bhai
Waryam Singh arrived. He showed them
the letter about the new decision of
the Committee. Bhai Tehal Singh Said,
"Dear Khalsa, we have taken our
resolve at the prayer (Ardaas)and cannot
turn back now. It is imperitive for
us to move forward." The squad
as a whole moved forward following Bhai
Tehal Singh.
The Squad arrived at Nankana Sahjib
on 20th February, bathed in the pool
and entered the Gurdwara at 6 A.M. Bhai
Lachchma Singh Sat in 'Taabiya' (Behind
Guru Granth Sahib). The Mahant had got
the news of the squad's arrival at Chander
kot on the 19th February evening. He
had gathered his men at night and briefed
them about their duties. After the squad
had sat down, the Mahant signalled his
men to carry out the predetermined plan.
The Mahant's men closed the main gate
and started firing from roof tops. Twenty-six
Singhs became martyrs to those bullets
in the courtyard while another sixty
or so sitting inside the Darbar Sahib
became targets of bullets. When the
Mahant's men saw no one moving, they
came down with swords and choppers.
Any Singh they found breathing was cut
to pieces.
At the sound of the gun-fire, Bhai
Dalip singh and Bhai Waryam Singh who
were sitting in the factory of Bhai
Uttam Singh, got up and rushed towards
the Gurdwara. When the Mahant saw them
coming, he shot Bhai Dalip Singh with
his pistol while his men cut Bhai Waryam
Singh to pieces. They threw their bodies
into kils where other bodies were also
burning. When no Singh with hair could
be seen upto the railway line, the Mahant
asked his men to collect all the dead
bodies, pour paraffin and burn them.
The body of one alive singh was tied
to a tree and burnt.
At 9.15 a.m., Sardar Uttam Singh conveyed
the news by telegram through Sardar
Karam Singh Station Master at Nankana
Sahib Railway station to the Governore
of Punjab, commissioner, Deputy Commissioner,
Superintendent of police and Sikh centres.
Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Curry reached
at 12:30 P.M. while Commissioner, Mr.
King arrived at 9.30 P.M. They arrested
twenty PAthans and locked the Gurdwara.
City was handed over to Army which cordoned
it to restrict any Akali movement to
take over Gurdwara. Sardar Kartar Singh
Jhabbar arrived with his Squad on 21st
February. Commissioner informed him
that if he tried to enter city with
his squad army will open fire. Kartar
Singh Jhabbar and his jatha of twenty
two hundred Singhs did not listed to
commissioner and kept on moving towards
city. At end, Commissioner Mr. Curry
handed over the keys of Gurdwara to
Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabbar. At 7.30 P.M.
on the 22nd february, the bodies were
cremated according to Sikh tradition.
An urdu newspaper called 'Zamindara'
wrote in its editorial of 23rd February,
1921 A.D., "what more proof of
shamelessness of muslims is required
than that they have helped the Mahant.
O, Shameless Muslims, isn't the cup
of your shamelessness and impudence
full as yet? You used your guns and
swords against those who went to Nankana
Sahib to perform religious duties. You
are not fit to be called Muslims. You
are worse than infidels." Mahant,
20 Pathans and other of his group were
sentenced by British. Only Mahant and
couple of Pathans got death sentence
for this crime of more than 50 murders.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Santok singh Jagdev of Sikh missionary
society "Bed-Time stories -7"
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