Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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him home. Arrived there, the} stood before him with joined palms,
awaiting his orders.'36 'All power was now usurped by the Sikhs, and
one Bir Singh, a man of poor origin, belonging to pargana Haibetpur
Patti in the Barri Doab, was appointed Subahdar or governor of Sirhind
(Kanwar Khan, entry of 2nd Rabi 11, 1122. Bir Singh also appears as
Baz, Taj and Baj Singh).'36a This happened within eighteen months
of Guru Gobind Singh's death, i.e. very close to the Guru period when
the Khalsa for the first time achieved political power temporarily. The
next sixty years or so were spent in the revolutionary struggle against
the Mughals and we have seen the spirit which animated the Khalsa
during that period. But, when the success of the revolution became
apparent, a large number of people, who had not fully imbibed the
Sikh ideals, joined the Khalsa, for, the doors of the movement were
open to one and all who accepted baptism. This became necessary
because the movement depended for its successes entirely on the
masses joining it in large numbers. Also, with the death of the older
generations and the heavy casualities of the genuine revolutionaries
in the grim struggle, the strength of elements inspired by the true
Khalsa ideals, who set the tone of the movement, grew less and less.
The movement was now separated from the Guru period by a gap of
three generations. The result was that the purpose for which the Khalsa
was created was gradually pushed to the background. Its place was
taken by a new group consciousness, which may, for the sake of
convenience, be called Khalsa national consciousness. This sense of
nationality was heightened by the political success the Khalsa achieved.
When the Khalsa was now in a position to assume political power, the
concept of 'Khalsa Raj' was given a new twist. It was decided that
every member of the Khalsa was free to take control of any area that
he could, with the proviso that nobody could or should eject anyone
who had occupied the area first. The latter condition was probably
meant to ensure that every member of the Khalsa had an equal right
to acquiring political power. It was forgotten that the Khalsa was
created to fight domination and not to become an instrument of
domination itself.
All the same, the Sikh movement was a great achievement from
the plebian point of view. It is true that the Sikh revolution remained