The lynching of a man at the Singhu border by the Nihangs because of the alleged desecration of the Sikh holy book made the news of the Nihangs. Outlook tells you everything you need to know about the Nihangs.

Q. Who are the Nihangs?

Rep. They are a distinctive order among Sikhs and are identified by their loose dark blue clothing and feathered turbans. They are always armed with swords, daggers, spears and sometimes guns. They see themselves as Guru Ki Fauj (the army of the Guru) and have their autonomous practices.

Q. What does the word Nihang mean?

Rep. “Etymologically, the word Nihang dates back to the Persian Nihang (alligator, sword) or the Sanskrit Nihsanka (fearless, carefree). The word could also be a modified form of Nisang often used in Sikh scriptures to mean nirlep (without spot, without sin, without any connection to anything), ”says the chapter on Nihangs in the Encyclopedia of Sikhism edited by Harbans Singh.

Q. How was the Nihang Order born and its dress?

Rep. There are also various theories about the origin of this martial order. One is that Fateh Singh, the infant son of Guru Gobind Singh, appeared before him in a dark blue chola and a large blue feathered turban, pointing out to the Guru that it should be the robe of the Akalis, the soldiers. of God. Another theory is that after his escape from Chamkaur, the Guru donned a blue robe as a disguise. He burned it on reaching the village of Dhilvan near Kot Kapura in December 1705, but his servant Man Singh kept a small piece of blue cloth and stuck it on his turban as a sign of respect. Another version is that Naina Singh Akali of the Nishananvali misl (Khalsa combat unit) introduced a large feathered turban, which later became the Nihang outfit.

Q. How did they become an important order among the Sikhs?

Despite the rise of the Sikh misls (combat units) in the 18^e century, the Akali Nihang gangs continued to relinquish power and cultivate self-discipline and austerity. This gave them prestige and autonomy even when Maharaja Ranjit Singh founded the Sikh kingdom. Impressed by their valor and discipline, the Maharaja made them join a special wing of his army, as they would not accept a salary. The Nihang Wings led daring expeditions in the Battles of Kasur (1807), Multan (1818), Kashmir (1819) and Nowshera (1823) on behalf of the Sikh kingdom.

Q. What was their relationship with the Mughals and the British?

Rep. The Encyclopedia of the Sikhs says they were persecuted during the Mughal era as well as under British rule, to which they were openly hostile. “The process of suppression had in fact started even before the annexation of the Punjab in 1849. In 1848, a chief of Nihang, Ganda Singh, who refused to leave one of the minarets adjoining the Golden Temple, was arrested with his men, and taken to Lahore, ”says the encyclopedia, edited by Professor Harbans Singh. “Ganda Singh and two of his companions were sentenced to death and the others were imprisoned for seven years. “

Q. What is their way of life?

Rep. They get up early in the morning and recite nitnem (daily prayers), which include banis from Guru Granth Sahib, the Dasam Granth attributed to Guru Gobind Singh and the Sarab Loh Granth, which depicts the struggle between good and evil; between the all-steel incarnation of God and Brijnad, the king of demons. They passionately recite Chandi Di Var by guru Gobind Singh, describing the battle between the gods led by the goddess Durga and the demons.

They take care of their horses, on which they cover long distances. They also take care of their livestock. Nihangs never smoke and don’t like someone in their neighborhood. They eat meat, but are supposed to slaughter the animal themselves and not buy meat from the market. All their weapons and utensils are made of steel.

Q. How are the Nihangs organized?

Rep. They are organized in Dals (forces). The Buddha Dal and the Taruna Dal are the most important. If there is a saying that one Khalsa is equal to sawa lakh (1,25,000) – a popular saying among Sikhs – Buddha Dal of Nihangs is called 96-karori (an army equivalent to 96 crores).

Q. Do they have a reclusive existence or are they also involved in social activities?

Rep. Nihang orders aren’t just exotic. Tyagi Mohan, who teaches the Punjabi language at the Punjabi University in Patiala, explains that Buddha Dal of Nihangs runs three schools: in Patiala, Samana and Zirakpur near Chandigarh. The schools have an English language and have also trained officers. Nihang Dals also offers a service during natural disasters, he adds.