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Misls
The Sikh Confederacy was a confederation of twelve Sovereign state, sovereign Sikh states (each known as a Misl, derived from the Arabic word مِثْل meaning 'equal'; sometimes spelt as Misal) which rose during the 18th century in the Punjab region in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. History In order to withstand the persecution of Shah Jahan and other Mughal emperors, several of the later Sikh Gurus established Akal Sena, military Khalsa Fauj, forces and fought the Mughal Empire and Hill States of India, Simla Hills' Kings in the Battles involving the Sikh Empire#Early Afghan-Sikh Battles, early and Sikh Empire, middle Mughal-Sikh Wars and the Hill States–Sikh wars. Banda Singh Bahadur continued Sikh resistance to the Mughal Empire until his defeat at the Battle of Gurdas Nangal. For several years Sikhs found refuge in the forests and the Sivalik Hills, Himalayan foothills until they organized themselves into guerilla bands known as ''jathas''. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
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 (Sikh Army), Dal Khalsa. He was also Misldar of the Ahluwalia (misl), Ahluwalia Misl. This period was an interlude, lasting roughly from the time of the death of Banda Bahadur in 1716 to the founding of the Sikh Empire in 1801. He founded the Kapurthala State in 1772. Early life Jassa Singh was born on 3 May 1718 CE in a Kalal Sikh family in the Ahlu village near Lahore, Punjab. Originally known as Jassa Singh Kalal, he styled himself as Ahluwalia after his ancestral village. Jassa Singh is described as a member of the Kalwar (caste), Kalal or wine distiller caste. During the period of Kharak Singh of Kapurthala, Kharak Singh (r. 1870-1877) a Bhati, Bhatti Rajput origin story was also created. According to this tradition, one of the Bhatti Rajputs Rana Har Rai had to leave the throne of Jaisalmer for refusing to mar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sikh State
A Sikh state is a State (polity), political entity that is ruled by Sikhs. There were various Sikhs, Sikh states, empires, and dynasties, beginning with the first Sikh state established by Banda Singh Bahadur to the Sikh-ruled princely states of Presidencies and provinces of British India, British India. Sikhism turned toward militancy by the end of the 17th century and by the 18th century, the Sikhs had established themselves as a dominant player in regional affairs, becoming the political elite of the Punjab. This transformation has been described as being one of rebels turning into rulers. During British-rule, the idea of Sikhs being a unique nation developed further and was aided by the colonial administrative policies. However, territoriality has not played a major part in the self-identity of the Sikhs. History Theological underpinnings There was a prevailing Sikh belief in the mid-16th century that Guru Nanak was the master of both spirituality and temporality (''d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sarbat Khalsa
Sarbat Khalsa (lit. meaning ''all the Khalsa''; Punjabi: ( Gurmukhi) pronunciation: ), was a biannual deliberative assembly (on the same lines as a Parliament in a Direct democracy) of the Sikhs held at Amritsar in Punjab during the 18th century. It literally translates to the "entire Sikh Nation" but as a political institution it refers to the meetings of the Dal Khalsa and the legislature of the Sikh Confederacy. Procedure Meetings of the Sarbat Khalsa began with an Ardās, a Sikh prayer for guidance. The body then chose Panj Piare, or five members, to act as the governing body of the mass meeting. To become one of the Panj Piare members would have to be nominated, answer objections from the assembly, and be subject to a direct vote. After their election the Panj Piare sat next to the Guru Granth Sahib on the Akal Takht of Harmandir Sahib. Members put proposals up for consideration and the Panj Piare intervened in disputes that came up during the assembly. A pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nawab Kapur Singh
Nawab Kapur Singh (1697 – 9 October 1753) was a major Sikh leader who led the community during the early-to-mid 18th century. He was the organizer of the Sikh Confederacy and its military force, the Dal Khalsa. He is held in high regards by Sikhs. Early life Nawab Kapur Singh was born into the Virk clan of Jat in 1697. His native village was Kaloke, now in the Sheikhupura district of Punjab, Pakistan. When he seized the village of Faizullapur, near Amritsar, he renamed it Singhpura and made it his headquarters. He is thus, also known as Kapur Singh Faizullapuria, and the small principality he founded, as Faizullapuria or Singhpuria. Initiation into the Khalsa fold In 1721, Kapur Singh underwent amrit-initiation at a large gathering held at Amritsar on Vaisakhi Day, from Panj Piarey led by Bhai Mani Singh. The title of Nawab In 1733, the Mughal government decided, at the insistence of Zakarya Khan, to revoke all repressive measures issued against the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839) was the founder and first maharaja of the Sikh Empire, in the northwest Indian subcontinent, ruling from 1801 until his death in 1839. Born to Maha Singh, the leader of the Sukerchakia Misl, Ranjit Singh survived smallpox in infancy but lost sight in his left eye. At the age of ten years old, he fought his first battle alongside his father. After his father died around Ranjit's early teenage years, he became leader of the Misl. Ranjit was the most prominent of the Sikh leaders who opposed Zaman Shah, the ruler of Durrani Empire, during his third invasion. After Zaman Shah's retreat in 1799, he captured Lahore from the Sikh triumvirate which had been ruling it since 1765. At the age of 21, he was formally crowned at Lahore. Before his rise, the Punjab had been fragmented into a number of warring Sikh (known as misls), Muslim and Hindu states. A large part of Punjab was under direct Durrani control. By 1813, Ranjit Sin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gurmata , however it is not binding on non-Khalsa Sikhs.
A Gurmata ( Punjabi: ਗੁਰਮਤਾ; literally, 'Guru's intention' or 'advice of the Guru'), alternatively romanized as Gurumatta, is an order upon a subject that affects the fundamental principles of Sikh religion and is binding upon all Sikhs. Role Gurmata is similar to Fatwa in the Muslim tradition with a difference that Fatwa is not binding on all Muslims while Gurmata is binding on all Khalsa The term ''Khalsa'' refers to both a community that follows Sikhism as its religion,Khalsa: Sikhism< ... History Gurmatas were used in the 18th century to refer to the resolutions passed by the Sarbat Khalsa, a large gathering of esteemed Sikhs. ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nishan Sahib
The Nishan Sahib (), also known as the Sikh flag, is used to represent the Sikh people worldwide. In 1936, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee ratified the Rehat, Sikh Rehet Maryada, which states its colour as either basanti (xanthic) or surmai (navy blue). It is a triangular flag with a Khanda (Sikh symbol), Khanda in its centre, made of cotton or silk cloth, and has a tassel at its end. The most common form of the Nishan Sahib, used in gurdwaras around the world, features a saffron (orange) colour. The Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Akal Takht decided on 15 July 2024, in accordance with the Sikh Rehat Maryada, that only basanti or surmai colours are acceptable, while kesri (saffron) is not. Overview The flag is hoisted on a tall flagpole outside most Gurdwaras. The flagpole itself, covered with fabric (called ''chola'') of the same colour as the flag proper, ends with a Khanda (sword), Khanda on top (In the past an Astbuj, nagani Barcha, barsha or a teer would be pla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sikh Gurus
The Sikh gurus (Punjabi language, Punjabi: ਸਿੱਖ ਗੁਰੂ; Hindi: सिख गुरु) are the spiritual masters of Sikhism, who established the religion over the course of about two and a half centuries, beginning in 1469. The year 1469 marks the birth of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Nine other human gurus succeeded him until, in 1708, the ''Guru Gaddi, Guruship'' was finally passed on by the tenth guru to the holy Sikhism, Sikh scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, which is now considered the living Guru by the followers of the Sikh faith. The guruship was also passed onto the ''Guru Panth'', consisting of the Khalsa; however, this form of guruship went into decline following to rise of Ranjit Singh. Etymology and definition ''Guru'' (, ; , Punjabi language, Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ, International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "teacher, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. Bhai Vir Singh (writer), V ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mughal Emperors
The emperors of the Mughal Empire, who were all members of the Timurid dynasty ( House of Babur), ruled the empire from its inception on 21 April 1526 to its dissolution on 21 September 1857. They were supreme monarchs of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern day countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. They ruled many parts of India from 1526 and by 1707, they ruled most of the subcontinent. Afterwards, they declined rapidly, but nominally ruled territories until the Indian Rebellion of 1857, where they gave their last stand against the British forces in India. The Mughal dynasty was founded by Babur (), a Timurid prince from the Fergana Valley (modern-day Uzbekistan). He was a direct descendant of both Timur and Genghis Khan. The Mughal emperors had significant Indian and Persian ancestry through marriage alliances as emperors were born to Persian princesses. During the reign of 6th Mughal Emperor Aurangze ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan I, (Shahab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram; 5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666), also called Shah Jahan the Magnificent, was the Emperor of Hindustan from 1628 until his deposition in 1658. As the fifth Mughal emperor, his reign marked the zenith of Mughal architectural and cultural achievements. The third son of Jahangir (), Shah Jahan participated in the military campaigns against the Sisodia dynasty, Sisodia Rajputs of Mewar and the rebel Lodi (Pashtun tribe), Lodi nobles of the Deccan Plateau, Deccan. After Jahangir's death in October 1627, Shah Jahan defeated his youngest brother Shahryar Mirza and crowned himself emperor in the Agra Fort. In addition to Shahryar, Shah Jahan executed most of his rival claimants to the throne. He commissioned many monuments, including the Red Fort, Shah Jahan Mosque, Thatta, Shah Jahan Mosque and the Taj Mahal, where his favorite consort Mumtaz Mahal is entombed. In foreign affairs, Shah Jahan presided over the aggressive campaigns agai ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indian Subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. (subscription required) Although the terms "Indian subcontinent" and "South Asia" are often also used interchangeably to denote a wider region which includes, in addition, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, the "Indian subcontinent" is more of a geophysical term, whereas "South Asia" is more geopolitical. "South Asia" frequently also includes Afghanistan, which is not considered part of the subcontinent even in extended usage.Jim Norwine & Alfonso González, ''The Third World: states of mind and being'', pages 209, Taylor & Francis, 1988, Quote: ""The term "South Asia" also signifies the Indian Subcontinent""Raj S. Bhopal, ''Ethnicity, race, and health in multicultural societies'', pages 33, Oxford University Press, 2007, ; Q ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Punjab
Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and northwestern India. Pakistan's major cities in Punjab are Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Multan, Sialkot, and Bahawalpur, while India’s are Ludhiana, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Patiala, Mohali, and Bathinda. Punjab grew out of the settlements along the five rivers, which served as an important route to the Near East as early as the ancient Indus Valley civilization, dating back to , followed by migrations of the Indo-Aryan peoples. Agriculture has been the chief economic feature of the Punjab and formed the foundation of Punjabi culture. The Punjab emerged as an important agricultural region, especially following the Green Revolution during the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, and has been described as the " breadbask ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
