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soon succeeded in winning over the Britishers who unleashed concessions to restore<br />

their confidence and morale.<br />

Impact of Culture and Syllabi<br />

According to George Eaton, a person is infused with the existing prejudices<br />

against certain group. If a child is asked why he hates a minority group living around<br />

him, he repeats the reasons embeded by his domestic and external environment. He is<br />

true in assuming the things in the conceived perspective. “The cultural norm is now<br />

his norm; he is socialized.” 60 The Sikh children read chapters from the Hindu classical<br />

literature in the syllabi. G. W. Leitner prepared a report on the indigenous education<br />

of the Punjab in 1882 and shed light on the Hindu policy towards the sister<br />

communities:<br />

The educated Hindus, whose one great aim is the consolidation of all non-<br />

Muhammadans of India into one nation, are endeavouring to substitute Nagri for<br />

Gurmukhi, and some dialect of Hindi for the Bhasha or vernacular of the country. 61<br />

So the Hindus made an utmost endeavour to infuse the Muslim hatred into the Sikh<br />

and Hindu communities. 62 Young Jai Singh, a Sandhu Jat from Kanah (Lahore), went<br />

to Amritsar to get baptism and the people were impressed by his beauty. They<br />

inquired about his native village, he told ‘Kanah.’ The Sikhs appreciated his name as<br />

it resembled Kanaihya, “Kanaihya is one of the names of the beautiful Lord<br />

Krishan.” 63 In the folk song, a Sikh lady expresses her desire about to what type of<br />

husband she seeks. She ostensibly idealizes the Hindu personality:<br />

Ni keho jia ver loriey<br />

Ram Chandra jia ver loriey 64<br />

(Husband I would desire to have must be like Ram Chandra)<br />

The Sikh classical literature was replete with the anti-Muslim sentiments which<br />

infused hatred towards the Muslims. Even in the Satyarth Parkash and Mahan Kosh,<br />

13

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