Nihangs: Guru ki Ladli Fauj

Nihangs: Guru ki Ladli Fauj

Nihangs or Akalis (literal meaning “the immortals”) are a distinctive order of armed Sikh warrior. The word Nihang originates from the Sanskrit word ‘Nihshank’ which means fearless, flawless, pure, carefree and indifferent to worldly gains and comforts. It also comes from the Persian term Nihang, meaning crocodile, alligator or shark and represents the one who is ferocious. They are identified or distinguished by their loose dark blue apparel and their decorated turbans surmounted by steel plates unlike the other Sikh warriors who don’t follow any restrictions of colour or pattern. The Khalsa Sikhs were divided into two sects - one who took on the blue attire that Guru Gobind Singh Ji used to wear and the other sect which decided not to follow any colour pattern. The colour blue or saffron is both from the same religion or faith but that doesn’t make Sikhism closer to any one sect than the other. Saffron or kesri colour is associated with Asceticism and spirituality whereas blue is associated with Warrior Dom and temporal affairs.  They are always armed with swords, daggers, spears and sometimes even guns and follow strictly the Khalsa code of conduct.

 Nihangs see themselves as ‘Guru ki ladali Fauj’ (the Guru’s army) and have their own unique practices. They hoist blue Nishan Sahib (flag) and use slogans like ‘chhardi kala’ meaning forever in high spirits. Nihangs wear miniature versions of five weapons in front of the turbans, namely the chakram, the khanda (sword), the Karud (dagger), the kirpan and the tir (arrow). They wear iron bracelets or jangi kada around their wrist and chakram and iron chains around the neck. They also wear leather shoes called jangi moze with a sharp metal fitting at the toe which can be used as a weapon.

During the Brtish rule in Punjab from 1849 onwards, Akali regiments were disbanded and their numbers went down drastically. The term Akali over the period of time came to be linked with Gurdwara reformers who organized themselves into the Shiromani Akali Dal - a political organization, during the Grudwara reform movement in 1920-25. Nihangs are no longer referred to as Akalis. The last prominent Nihang known as Akali was Akali Kaur Singh (1886-1953). Despite growing power of the Sikh misls in the 18^th century, Nihangs continued to relinquish power and live a self-disciplined life. Impressed by their bravery and discipline, Maharaja Ranjit Singh made them join a special wing of his army as they would not accept any salary.

19^th century historian Rattan Singh Bhangu, has described Nihangs as the ones who are unaffected by pain or comfort and have surrendered themselves to meditation, charity and repentance. They have their own deras and a specific way of life. Those who are married take the charge of the deras and the others move around in the state. The deras have weapons which are licensed and everyone undergoes martial training like gatka, horse riding and wielding weapons. Nihangs get monetary support from the neighbouring communities to run these deras.

Despite religious connotations associated with Nihangs, they also actively participate in other social and other movements.  Their participation in the Farmers’ protest last year bears testimony to this.