Deg Teg Fateh ( pa, ਦੇਗ ਤੇਗ਼ ਫ਼ਤਿਹ, meaning Victory to Charity and Arms) is a
Sikh
Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
slogan and the title of an anthem in the
Punjabi
Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan
* Punjabi language
* Punjabi people
* Punjabi dialects and languages
Punjabi may also refer to:
* Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...
language that signifies the dual obligations of the
Khalsa
Khalsa ( pa, ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ, , ) refers to both a community that considers Sikhism as its faith,[Kha ...]
: The responsibility to provide food, and to provide protection, for the needy and oppressed.
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Description
''Deg'' refers to the "cauldron" and ''Tegh'' to the "sword". The cauldron or kettle symbolizes charity and is a reference to the Sikh religious obligation to provide ''langar Langar may refer to:
Community eating
*Langar (Sikhism)
*Langar (Sufism)
Places
Afghanistan
*Langar, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
* Langar, Bamyan, Afghanistan
* Langar, Faryab, Afghanistan
* Langar, Herat, Afghanistan
* Langar, Wardak, Afghanist ...
'', the free distribution of food, to all people, irrespective of an individual's religion, caste or ethnicity.
The sword, or (''kirpan
The kirpan is a curved, single-edged dagger or knife carried by Sikhs. Traditionally, it was a full-sized sword but modern Sikhs have reduced the length to that of a dagger or knife due to modern considerations based on societal and legal chang ...
''), represents the warrior code
A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste.
History
Warriors seem to have been ...
of the ''Khalsa
Khalsa ( pa, ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ, , ) refers to both a community that considers Sikhism as its faith,[Kha ...]
''. The ''Khanda'' icon conveys these two principles.Khalsa
Khalsa ( pa, ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ, , ) refers to both a community that considers Sikhism as its faith,[Kha ...]
''. The ''Guru'' will protect you. Call upon the ''Guru's'' name. Your lives will be fruitful! You are the ''Khalsa'' of the great immortal God. On seeing this anthem, repair to the presence, wearing five arms. Observe the rules of conduct laid down for the ''Khalsa''. Do not use ''bhang
Bhang (IAST: ''Bhāṅg'') is an edible preparation made from the leaves of the cannabis plant originating from the Indian subcontinent. It has been used in food and drink as early as 1000 BC in ancient India. Bhang is traditionally distribu ...
'', tobocco, poppy, wine, or any other intoxicant ... Commit no theft nor adultery. We have brought ''Satyug'' Love one another. This is my wish. He who lives according to the rules of ''Khalsa'' shall be saved by the ''Guru''."
Adoption of Degh Tegh Fateh
The Sikh warrior Banda Singh Bahadur
Banda Singh Bahadur (born Lachman Dev) (27 October 1670 – 9 June 1716), was a Sikh warrior and a commander of Khalsa army. At age 15, he left home to become an ascetic, and was given the name Madho Das Bairagi. He established a monastery ...
incorporated this slogan into his seal, and Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
Sultan-ul-Qaum Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia (3 May 1718 – 23 October 1783) was a Sikh leader during the period of the Sikh Confederacy, being the Supreme Leader of the Dal Khalsa. He was also Misldar of the Ahluwalia Misl. This period ...
struck it into coins in 1765 after decisively defeating the rival Afghan
Afghan may refer to:
*Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia
*Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity
**Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pash ...
s.
This inscription was later adopted by the Sikh Misaldar Sardars and rulers on their coins. It was the national anthem of the princely state of Patiala during the Sikh Confederacy. This national anthem had been sung in all the Sikh States until 1948. B.K.S. Nabha describes it in the encyclopedia / dictionary ''Mahan Kosh
''Guru Shabad Ratnakar Mahan Kosh'' (Punjabi: ਗੁਰਸ਼ਬਦ ਰਤਨਾਕਰ ਮਹਾਨ ਕੋਸ਼), known by its more popular name of ''Mahan Kosh'' (ਮਹਾਨ ਕੋਸ਼), is a Punjabi language encyclopedia which was compiled b ...
'' (1930).[
]
Footnotes
References
{{Nationalanthemsofasia
Sikh literature
Asian anthems