Bhai Amolak Singh’s 1978 Vaasakhi Sakhaa Lecture in English - Part 1
As we promised we have an exclusive article in the remembrance of the Mahan Shaheeds of the 1978 Vasaakhi Sahka.
Around the Annual AKJ Smagam in 2004, the Youth Sevadaars at Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Coventry arranged a mini camp, as it was the 26th anniversary of the Vasaakhi 1978 Sakha.
During the Camp we were blessed that Bhai Amolak Singh Jee (Australia) came to give a talk in English to the 100-150 attendees of the camp. We at Sevatothemax believe that as the Talk was around 2 hours long and videoed, that we should share with Sangat the Veechar which happened that day. We are unable to put the actual Video up due to the very poor quality of the sound. However we will include Pics of the talk in the Article. We would like to thank the Sevadaar who completed this seva on behalf of the website.
The young audience asked Bhai Sahib all the questions. Sevadaars will try and keep to the original answers as much as possible. Comments will also be included.
What happened to the families of the Shaheeds after 1978?
The Families are all grown up now, children are all married. It's been 26 years now, and they have been looked after Panth and our Singhs.
Why are you still alive?
I was crying at that time and I was wondering why I haven't gone.
Me and the Singh's we used to do kirtan together, we used to talk to each other and get together.
They were my masters, my gurus. Bhai Amolak Singh Ji learnt Gatka from Bhai Fauja Singh and from Bhai Kewal Singh.(Bhai Kewal Singh Jee can be seen in the above picture standing to the right, Bhai Amolak Singh Jee is on the left)
I was unconscious when they all died, I was told in hospital. I wanted to die and go with them. No-one wants to die but I wanted to because it was a good time to go. Its like, if you go to any yatra, or gurdwara and your friends are with you, you would tell your mum that you want to go.
**Sevadaar Note - This show's the love that existed between the Gursikhs. The Sangat they did under the guidance of Bhai Fauja Singh must have been something special. If we look at ourselves is our Sangat like this?**
Who were the Nirankaris?
Before 1978 there was narthari they were all false, they had all non sense stuff inside them. The government was behind them, they didn't do anything. They came to Amritsar and the akali government was with them, they didn't stop them.
**SEVADAAR's Note - Below is a little summary about the Sant Nirankaris, we think it is important to inform the sangat of their History and Evil Parchar. THE BELOW INFORMATION IS NOT PART OF THE LECTURE****
Neo (Sant) Nirankaris:
Although real force behind the stupendous establishment of Delhi Nirankari Darbar, the Neo-Nirankaris, was Baba Avtar Singh, its real founder was Shri Buta
Singh. Baba Buta Singh was born in 1883 in Campbellpur District in West Punjab. After serving in army for about 9 years, he ran a photographer's business in Rawalpindi for 12 years. In 1924 he took a legitimate contract of opium and started a shop there. A year later he went to Murree Hills Cantonment and started the work of tattooing.
Baba Buta Singh was endowed with musical trait. Impressed by his singing talent, Kahan Singh, a granthi at Nirankari Darbar had introduced him there. His `melodious voice' captured the audience and he became very popular. Unfortunately, he developed a habit of drinking. A few times he was reprimanded for coming to the Gurdwara and singing under the influence of alcohol. Ultimately he was expelled from the Darbar and banned ever to come back. Kahan Singh, who was his drinking partner, took him on his shoulders, went round the streets of Rawalpindi and pronounced him as the Guru of Nirankaris. As he did not have much success there, Baba Buta Singh moved to Peshawar. There he met Shri Avtar Singh who ran a bakery business.
In 1943, Baba Buta Singh nominated Baba Avtar Singh as his successor. Baba Avtar Singh took over the rein and declared himself as the Nirankar incarnate. In his book, Yug Pursh he wrote, "Towards the end of 1900 when the people of the world had forgotten the teachings of their avatars and prophets, and tyranny and un-righteous conduct prevailed all-around, Nirankar decided to send another great soul to the world to retrieve people from the wrong path. He convened a meeting of Rama, Krishna, Mohammed, Jesus Christ and Nanak and apprised them of the situation, but all of them expressed their inability to undertake the Mission on account of the bad treatment meted out to them previously by the people. I too was latently present in the meeting and was listening to the whole talk. At last after persuasion by other prophets, God asked me to go to the world to re-instate righteousness. I bowed my head and expressed my willingness to carry out God's behest, subject to the condition to which God agreed, that if any sinner of the world showed respect to my Sant Brahm Giani, that is to me, even by mistake, then he will attain salvation."
In 1947 Baba Avtar Singh moved to Delhi and `set up the Sant Nirankari Mandal as a registered body in 1948 with an executive of seven members. He issued special scripture under the title Avtar Bani and laid down the following five fundamentals of the sect:
`(1) All our possessions are a divine loan which we must utilise only as trustees and not as masters.
`(2) No discrimination on caste, creed, colour, religion in our worldly status.
`(3) No criticism of any one's diet, dress or living.
`(4) No renunciation of the world.
`(5) No divulgence of Gian except with permission of the True Master (i.e. Nirankari Baba himself).'
Contemplating on Baba Avtar Singh's declaration of self-incarnation, and his fundamentals, there could have been no quarrel with the Sikhs. A number of other sects with their own theories of incarnation and fundamentals, such as Naanmdharis, Nirmalas, Radha Swamis, Ram Raias, Nanak Sarias, etc. have been flourishing in Punjab and all over the world, for decades. They had no physical or ideological qualms with Sikhs. Thousands of practising Sikhs have been attending both the Gurdwaras and the centres of such sects simultaneously. Then what did cause so much tension between the Neo-Nirankaris and Sikhs?
The preaching of Nirankari faith through the `vocabulary and symbolism' of Sikh religion caused the resentment among the Sikh masses. The Panj Pyaras of Guru Gobind Singh were imitated as seven stars of Nirankaris. `Names of venerable Sikh personages from history were assigned to the members of the Nirankari leader's family and followers. Among them may be mentioned Mata Sulakhni (Guru Nanak's wife), Bibi Nanki (Guru Nanak's sister), Bhai Gurdas and Bhai Gurdas Singh, both highly regarded in Sikh piety.' The Sikh terms, Sangat, Satguru, and Sachapadsha were peculiarly used. Most of all `inspired utterances of the Sikh Gurus, were frequently quoted, but with slant. The scriptures were quoted and expounded openly to suit the Nirankari bias.'
Baba Gurbachan Singh's, recorded and published, articulations, such as the following, further inflamed the situation;
*Kar-sewa at Harimandir is Bekaar-sewa.
*Sarovers of Gurdwaras are pools which serve no purpose, these better be filled up.
*Guru Gobind Singh was either fighting battles or hunting, he knew nothing about meditation.
*The Nirankaris summing up their supplication by repeating `jo tudh bhave sai bhali kar, toon sadha salamat NIRANKAR'.
*How can any sensible person call the writings in this bulky miscellany (Guru Granth Sahib) as Divine Revelation?
The ideological strife was augmented by the open patronage and support extended by Mrs. Gandhi's regime. A prominent journalist, Sat Pal Baghi revealed in the India Express,"…. She (Mrs. Gandhi) wanted to weaken the Sharomani Akali Dal…. She thought an elaborate plan to strengthen the Nirankaris … throughout the country and abroad…." The Nirankaris were known to be getting financial help from Government funds, neither open to audit nor scrutiny by Parliament.
The bitterness took an ugly turn when a few followers of Keertni Jatha of Bhai Randhir Singh went to Nirankari Samagam at Amritsar to request him to desist from distortions of Sikh tenets. While the negotiations were going on, the Jatha were hit with the volleys of bullets. That culminated into the death of thirteen of the Sikhs. Ultimately the saga ended in the assassination of Baba Gurbachan Singh a few years later.
Part 2 - Tomorrow
Source : http://www.geocities.com/pritpal_bindra/s-022.html