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Saka Tarn Taran
A religious
gathering was held at Akal Takht, Amritsar on 15th-16th November 1920 A.D.
In this a committee of one hundred and seventy-five members was formed
which was named Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. This was a
religious organisation with the aim of reform in Gurdwara management and
uplift of the religious moral and cultural level of the Sikhs. As such,
the committee was taking the management of the Gurdwaras in their hands.
The committee of
the Sikhs wsa in control of managment of Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar since
the 13th October 1920 A.D. The managment of Gurdwara, Taran Tarn fell
under Sri Darbar sahib but the priests had become self-willed being far
away from Amritsar. They divided the ihncome of the Gurdwara among
themselves. Many of the priests had become extremem alcoholics and drug
addicts. They used to say openly, "Gurdwara is our shop. One may come if
he wishes and anybody who does not like may not come."
In the full
congregation at Akal Takht on the 24th January, 1921 A.D., a lady said,
"The priests of Gurdwara Tarn Taran threw my son into the pool after
tieing a stone round his neck and teased and molested my daughter inside
the Gurdwara." Hearing this, the Committee decided to take the management
of Gurdwara, Tarn Taran into their hands.
On the 25th
January, 1921 A.D., Bhai Teja Singh Bhuchar with a Squad of forty Singhs
reached Gurdwara Tarn Taran at 8 A.M after reciting Guru's word for two
hours in Gurdwara, the squad told the priests the purpose of committee. A
meeting took place between the Singhs of the squad and the priests at 4
P.M, when another Squad led by Kartar Singh Jhabbar also reached there. In
this meeting Singhs placed five conditions before the priests. At 8.30
P.m., a priest came and informed the squadm, "All priests are ready to
accept the conditions of committee. Let some prominent persons of the
squad come inside the Gurdwara and get their signatures on them."
Bhai Sharan
Singh and some other Singhs went inside Darbar Sahib (court hall).
Brickbats started raining on the Singhs sitting in the congregation from
an adjoining house. Intoxicated priests attacked the Singhs who had gone
inside with choppers and clubs. The Singhs remained calm. The priests put
out the lamps inside the Gurdwara and put curtains on the doors so that
the happenings inside may not be seen from outside. Out of the Singhs who
had gone inside, seventeen were injured. Bhai Hazara Singh of Aladinpur,
district Amritsar and Bhai Hukum Singh of Wasaoo Kot, district Gurdaspur
attained martyrdom. They were the first martyrs of the Gurdwara Reform
movement. On arrival of more squads on 26th January, the priests handed
over the management of the Gurdwara to the Prabhandak Committee.
Source:Excerpts taken from these books.
Bed Time stories
by Santokh singh jagdev.
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