Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj had a lot of love and respect for the holy land of Sri Anandpur Sahib. He along with his disciples and other devotees often visited Sri Anandpur Sahib. All of them stayed on the outskirts of the town in a tent. Sant Baba ji gave daily discourses on the splendid and incredible Almighty Satguru. He made his disciples understand the true wisdom of the divine.
It was the month of February in the year 1920, when Sant Baba ji reached Sri Anandpur Sahib. In the coming days, the festival of Hola Mohalla was to be celebrated. The Sodhi’s of the town were followers of Sant Baba ji. They requested Sant Baba ji to participate in the celebrations. An elephant was specially caparisoned for the occasion. Sant Baba ji sat on the elephant along with the Sodhi’s, during the procession.
During those days the social life in the town was at its worse. The town was dominated by the wicked and immoral elements of the society. They brazenly abused, insulted and harassed the ladies walking in the bazaar.
Women did not venture out to save their honor. Thus the women had no other option but to sit on top of their houses on both sides of the bazaar, to watch the procession. This however, did not deter these men to pass dirty remarks and wallow in their wickedness. Instead of celebrating holi festival by throwing colors on others, these men would throw cow-dung on the meek. There was no one who could stop them for indulging in dirty discussions, creating nuisance and chaos in the bazaar, and general hooliganism. The Mahants/priests had given them full leeway so that they themselves could carry on unhindered with their evil practices in the management of the historical Gurdwaras. The British Police were mute spectators to the whole show.
Greed and sin are the king and prime minister; falsehood is the treasurer. Sexual desire, the chief advisor, is summoned and consulted; they all sit together and contemplate their plans. Their subjects are blind, and without wisdom, they try to please the will of the dead. (Page 468-469)
Sant Baba ji observed the acts of these strong young men who had diverted their energies to evil in this fashion and were misusing their muscle power. As if this was not enough, Sant Baba ji was himself witness to one such shameful act in the Choli Wala Bazaar.
When the procession of Hola Mohalla had reached Choli Wala Bazaar, it was observed that a few strong young men appeared carrying a completely naked man lying stretched on a ladder (Normally used to carry the dead). His body had been painted black. Two to three persons acting like the priests lead the mourning procession. They were chanting the words, ‘Ram Naam satya hai,’ repeatedly, which is the practice when mourners carry the dead to the cremation ground.
On seeing the Sodhi’s sitting on the elephant, for whom at least they had some respect, they abandoned the ladder with the man on it and ran away. The naked man was caught and handed over to the police.
Sant Baba ji was very alarmed and upset on watching the immoral acts. He was worried about the future of the youth. During the entire procession and even afterwards, he did not speak a word. He instead sat in deep contemplation. He was seeking guidance from Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. Without waiting for anything to happen, he came back to his abode at Jiyan.
Jathedar Partap Singh Moila of Wahidpur and other well-known Sikhs sat for a discussion on the subject of arresting the worsening trend amongst the youth and giving them the right direction. They all were really depressed on viewing the filthy scenes. They concluded that only a divine soul truly following the discipline defined by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib could mould the minds of these rogues and save the society from the nuisance of these aggressive evil doers. Jathedar ji and others were followers of Sant Baba ji and all of them reached Jiyan village to request Sant Baba ji to lead and guide them in this effort.
The Jathedar ji and others gave their views and opinions on stopping the menace. Sant Baba ji listened patiently to everyone. He found that no one had tried to understand the core issue. After everyone had spoken, he said, “All the historic Gurdwaras in Sri Anandpur Sahib should be freed from the evil clutches of the self styled Mahants/priests and placed under the control of the Prabandhak Committee. It is only in this manner that the code of conduct prescribed by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib can be restored in the holy town.”
Sant Baba ji had conveyed through these words that some drastic and far-reaching steps were required to be taken. Those present there welcomed the decision and were happy that Sant Baba ji would be present to guide them. Slogans of ‘Bole so Nihal Sat Sri Akal’ were raised by the sangat to thank Sant Baba ji.
The leaders came forward and offered their services to Sant Baba ji saying, “We are ready to sacrifice ourselves for the good cause. We may be given any type of duty to perform.” Some of them also said, “We are quite willing to spend any amount of money that may be required to achieve the goal.”
In order to get wider acceptance of the decision and also to find out the right procedure for attaining the mission, Sant Baba ji asked Jathedar Partap Singh Moila, “Send an invitation letter to Sikh leaders in Garh Shankar tehsil and ask them to participate in a meeting which we will hold at Gurdwara of the Seventh Master at Goindpur, in Hoshiarpur district. The views of these leaders should also be taken into consideration before finalizing the action to be taken.”
The meeting was held on the designated date. After the discussions a resolution was passed at this meeting, which envisaged the following:
a) Everyone should only wear black turbans. Other people should be motivated to follow this practice.
b) Dedicated Sikhs be created from amongst the present lot by motivating them through narration of the stirring deeds, achievements and directions showed by the Sikh Masters. The sacrifices and spirit of the Sikhs during and after the Eternal merger of the Sikh Gurus be also recounted.
c) An enquiry committee to unearth the actual facts that had polluted the minds and led the youth astray
Babu Kaintha Singh Langeri and Jathedar Mula Singh of Bahowal were two prominent members of this enquiry committee. The committee was asked to submit the report of their findings in the next meeting to be held at Jiyan.
The committee members stayed at Shahidi Bagh for eight days. They silently collected the requisite information. A report was prepared and placed before Sant Baba ji at Jiyan. The report detailed out the reasons, which they had found to be leading to the growing menace of evildoers in the society of Sri Anandpur Sahib.
A copy of this report was forwarded to Shromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in Sri Amritsar. Bhai Piara Singh Langeri, a follower of Sant Baba ji and a member of the SGPC took the report by hand to Sri Amritsar.
Bhai Piara Singh Langeri conveyed strongly to the SGPC the feelings of the Sikh sangat, the decisions taken under the leadership of Sant Baba ji and the action suggested by Sant Baba ji. The President of the SGPC was requested to permit Sant Maharaj ji to free the Gurdwaras from the control of the Mahants and place them under the direct supervision of the Prabandhak Committee.
Two months passed but there was no sign of the permission coming forth. After much time a letter did come from the SGPC, but disappointingly the letter only sought to prevent them from acting. It outlined the following reasons for not permitting Sant Maharaj ji and the sangat to take precipitate action at this stage:
1. Baba Kharak Singh, the veteran of such actions was lodged in Jail and therefore no protest march should be taken out in his absence
2. Keeping in view the incident at Sri Nankana Sahib, which had left many dead, the proposed protest should be postponed for the time being. Also Sri Kesgarh being at an elevation, the Mahants/priests of the Gurdwara were strategically better placed and thus there was a possibility of heavy casualties.
3. The possession of the Gurdwaras should be instead obtained through the courts by adopting due process of law.
The sangat of Doaba was very disappointed to receive such a reply from SGPC. They became restless. They felt that the permission of SGPC to sacrifice themselves for the cause of obtaining the keys of Sri Darbar Sahib and then again for the morcha at Sri Nankana Sahib had been granted readily enough, but the SGPC was now discouraging them from taking the same course of action for the liberation of the Gurdwaras/Takhat Sahib, in their own area. The sangat did not understand how to proceed further. They just had only one refuge and that was to request Sant Maharaj ji.
On the occasion of the annual martyrdom celebrations of the younger Sahibzadas at Fatehgarh Sahib, a big gathering was addressed on the 13th Poh Samvat 1979. The members of a committee constituted by Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj held a meeting. It was announced that the Gurdwaras of Sri Anandpur Sahib and Sri Kiratpur Sahib be liberated from the illegal occupation of the Mahants. The sangat would be guided by Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji who would lead the sangat for achieving the task. It was also decided in the meeting that Sikh leaders from various towns and cities should attend another meeting at Jiyan to formalize the issue.
Jathedar Partap Singh Moila, sent invitation letters to the different Sikh leaders of the area for a meeting to be held at Jiyan, at the abode of Sant Baba ji.
On the designated day influential Sikh leaders collected and discussed the issue threadbare. Everyone was in favor of freeing the historic Gurdwaras of Sri Anandpur Sahib and Sri Kiratpur Sahib from the control of the Mahants. An issue cropped up that the plans and preparedness of the Mahants should be studied before any action was taken. A spy could perform this difficult task by collecting information from the Granthi. Sardar Gurdit Singh of Garh Shankar came forward and expressed his desire to perform the task of a spy. He said he would collect the secrets from the granthis and convey the same to Jathedar Partap Singh Moila on every third day. All agreed to this.
It was also suggested by Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj that at least 60000 baptized Sikhs would be required for the success of the mission. Distribution of ambrosial nectar of the two edged sword should therefore be arranged to baptize the seekers. The leaders should work hard to motivate the Sikh youth to embrace the Sikh ways of sacrificial life and conduct such exercises at different places. While everyone agreed to follow the instructions of Sant Baba ji and perform this colossal task, yet they requested Sant Baba ji that his spiritual and pious personality could more easily convince the youth to move in this direction. Contribution of Sant Baba ji in this regard was thus vital to the cause.
The inspiration and motivation that Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj provided did infact succeed in moulding the minds of many. Not only the youth but the elders also were eager to embrace baptism of the two edged sword. Sant Baba ji moved from place to place and worked tirelessly to achieve the mission. Everywhere, well built persons with a strong mind came forward and followed the instructions of Sant Maharaj ji enthusiastically. The figure of sixty thousand baptized Sikhs was achieved in a short time. The contribution of Sant Baba ji was extraordinary and memorable in this regard.
On the other side, Sardar Gurdit Singh, the spy, kept on collecting vital information about the Mahants. The informer Granthi in the Gurdwara conveyed to Sardar Gurdit Singh that the rejection of the protest march by SGPC had reduced the apprehension of the Mahants/ priests of the Gurdwaras. This meant that they had dropped their guard and were not expecting any further action from the Sikh leaders of Doaba.
Sant Baba ji was convinced that the time was ripe to take some aggressive action. On the request of Jathedar Partap Singh Moila and other leaders, Sant Maharaj ji gave his decision that groups of 200 Sikhs each from various directions would march and converge at Sri Anandpur Sahib. The first batch should reach there by 2.00 am, one night before the Sangrand of Maghi.
Jathedar Partap Singh Moila requested Sant Maharaj ji to join the first batch and Sant ji Maharaj agreed to do so.
The information was secretly passed on to the 200 Sikhs. They were instructed to set out individually and collect on the night of Lohri on the banks of river Sutlej by 11.00 pm. Sant Baba ji also started for the river Sutlej. Jathedar Partap Singh Moila was the chief of this group. Sant Baba ji and Jathedar ji reached the banks at Pattanpur before 11.00 pm. 127 Sikhs out of the 200 had already reached there.
Sant Baba ji instructed the Jathedar and his men that further wait for the rest of the Sikhs should not be done and the river be immediately crossed by all those present. They crossed the river. A strict vigil at Pattanpur obviated the risk that anyone could cross the river and act as an informer to the Mahants.
Sant Baba ji personally led this group across the river Sutlej at night. Everyone was able to get across the river without even getting wet, so low was the water level at that time due to the spiritual power of Baba ji. Those who came late and could not join Sant Baba ji, were not so fortunate and had to face the rising river water getting completely drenched.
Here the group was divided, as per Baba ji’s command, into smaller groups for each of which group leaders were appointed. Each sub-group was assigned specific tasks. The following were the persons designated by Sant Baba ji to perform the duties assigned to each after the liberation:
1. Jathedar Partap Singh Moila of Wahidpur as Head Jathedar of Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib 2. Jathedar Moola Singh of Bahowal as Joint Jathedar of Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib. 3. S. Jarnail Singh of Moranwali as Assistant Jathedar 4. S. Labh Singh of Jassowal as Assistant Jathedar 5. Master Puran Singh as secretary 6. Giani Mehar Singh Langeri as the priest (Granthi).
77 Sikhs out of the 127 were put under the command of Jathedar Partap Singh Moila to liberate Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib. 32 Sikhs were to perform the same task, under the control of Jathedar Moola Singh, with respect to Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib. 18 Sikhs were under the command of Jathedar Labh Singh to liberate Gurdwara Anandgarh Sahib.
At 1.30 am in the cold and dark night, all leaders after seeking permission from Sant Baba ji prayed for the success of the mission and started moving with their contingent, towards the respective Gurdwaras, they had been tasked to capture.
Everyone in these jathas was successful in reaching the historical Gurdwaras in silence and without meeting any obstacle. The keys were obtained without any difficulty and the buildings captured without having to resort to any violence whatsoever.
Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj and Jathedar Partap Singh Moila reached Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib. Giani Amar Singh, aged about seventy years was at that time the Head Granthi of this historic Gurdwara. He was personally a good and devout person. On hearing the knock on the door, it was opened by Giani ji himself. Giani ji of course recognized Sant ji Maharaj and paid him due respects. He then switched on the lights and asked for the instructions of Sant ji Maharaj.
Sant Baba ji said to him, “The panth has now taken over the control of Takhat Sahib. Jathedar Partap Singh Moila has been appointed Jathedar of the Takhat. Therefore please hand over the keys of the room where the sacred weapons of Guru Sahib are kept.”
Sant Baba ji then introduced Jathedar ji to the Head Priest.
Giani Amar Singh placed his head on the feet of Sant ji Maharaj and thanked him for the liberation of the Gurdwara. In full obedience to the instructions of Sant ji Maharaj he promptly handed over the keys to Jathedar ji. He infact then gave his blessings to Jathedar ji praying that he may successfully perform his new role as Jathedar.
Sant Baba ji then visited the Takhat Sahib, where he received the information that Jathedar Moola Singh Bahowaal and Jathedar Labh Singh Jassowaal had also been successful in capturing Gurdwara Sisganj Sahib and Gurdwara Anandgarh Sahib respectively. The Gurdwaras had been captured without any kind of resistance.
Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj instructed that vigil be kept at all the liberated Gurdwaras. Guards with drawn swords in hand were posted around all the Gurdwaras. Sant Baba ji also directed that after every half an hour, a group of five Sikhs, should move from one Gurdwara to the other raising the Sikh slogan of ‘Bole so Nihal! Sat Sri Akal!’ all along the route.
The residents of the town on hearing the slogans at regular intervals felt that the town had been taken over by thousands of Sikhs of the Khalsa Army.
In the morning, telegrams were sent to other Jathedars stopping them from sending further contingents of Sikhs, as per the earlier plan; since the task had already been accomplished.
The Mahants soon found out that the Sodhi’s of the town, rather than showing any resentment towards the liberators were actually involved in serving the Khalsa Army. The residents of the town infact turned out to welcome this development and honored Sant Baba ji and the Jathedar with garlands. All of them were served with langar.
The Mahants noted how warm the welcome had been and realized the futility of further opposing the liberators. They had seen the sewa and were infact quite moved by the gesture of the public. They decided to collect together and go to Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj and Jathedar Partap Singh Moila. They were naturally apprehensive, and were afraid of the treatment that could be meted out to them. They made obeisance before Sant Baba ji and humbly asked, “What will happen to us? What will be our fate?”
Sant Baba ji calmly replied, “You should from now on obey the instructions of Jathedar Partap Singh who has been appointed the Jathedar of Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib.”
All of them readily enough bowed their heads in agreement, grateful that they had escaped harsher punishment. Jathedar Partap Singh knew the background of the Mahants. He advised them, “Those of you who cultivate crops on the land attached to Takhat Sahib, will continue doing so but you will henceforth donate half of the crop to the langar. Those who are unemployed will partake the holy food from the langar.”