Kee Sade apne Barah Baj Gaye ah?

Last week my wife sent this to me, she said she sent it all her Hindu friends at her company as well to inform them where the phrase Barah Baj Gaye comes from. I admitted to her that if this is truely the history I was not aware of it. Today, on my business trip sitting in this hotel room as I cleaned my inbox I saw this again. Read this email she sent and then read the rest of my thoughts on this as I reflected on this alone in a strange city...

I was waiting at Jalandhar railway station when I noticed a Sikh youth wearing a black turban having a long beard and wearing a kirpan over his shirt. After a while, a totally packed train arrived. The Sikh youth tried to get in but failed. Just then a voice was heard from the back coach 'Sardarji Barah Baj Gaye'

The Sikh youth looked over at that voice maker who was a young mischievous person and instead of showing any anger gave him a smile.

His smile so enigmatic that I could not able to resist walked upto him to ask as to why he smiled at that person who teased him.

The Sikh youth replied, 'He was not teasing me but perhaps asking for my help'. I was surprised with these words. He told me that there was a big history behind that which I may like to know.

During 17th Century, when Hindustan was ruled by Mughals, Hindus were humiliated. Mughals treated Hindu women as there own property and were forcing Hindus to accept Islam or face death penalty.

At time, ninth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Teg Bahadarji came forward, in response to a request of Kashmiri Pundits to fight against Mughal atrocities. Guruji challenged the Mughal emperor that if he could succeed in converting him to Islam, all Hindus would accept the same. But, if he failed, he should stop harassing them.

The Mughal emperor happily agreed. Guruji and four of his followers were tortured. Since the Mughals were unable to convert them to Islam they were assassinated.

Thus Guruji sacrificed his life for the protection of Hindu religion. Can anybody lay down his life and that too for the protection of another religion? He is still remembered as "Hind Ki Chaddar"*, shield of India.

Tenth Sikh Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singhji (Son of Guru Teg Bahadarji) founder of khalsa made a resolution that he would convert his followers so that they can be easily located in thousands, and called for help.

Sikhs kept fighting against the Mughal emperors. At that time, Nadir Shah raided Delhi in the year 1739 and looted Hindustan and was carrying lot of Hindustan treasures and nearly 2200 Hindu women along with him. The news spread like a fire and was heard by Sardar Jassa Singh who was the Commander of the Sikh army at that time. He decided to attack Nadir Shah's Kafila on the same midnight. He did so and rescued all the Hindu women and they were safely sent to their homes. It didn't happen only once but thereafter whenever any Abdaalis or Iranis had attacked and looted Hindustan and were trying to carry the treasures and Hindu women along with them for selling them in Abdal markets, the Sikh army although fewer in numbers but brave hearted and attacked them at 12 midnight and rescued women.

After that time when there occurred a similar incidence, people started to contact the Sikh army for their help and Sikhs used to attack the raider's at 12 Midnight.

Those ignorant, feel that Sikhs go out of their senses at 12 O'clock.

This historic fact was the reason which made me smile at that person as I thought perhaps his mother or sister would be in trouble and wants my help and was reminding me by saying off 'Sardarji Barah Baj Gaye'

Let us respect all religions.

... so the thought that came to mind today was, historically when foreign Muslim invaders were taking Hindu daughters Sikhs would attack them and bring the girls back home safely. If we were the saviors of others daughters, their pride, their dignity then where did we pick up the disease of killing our own daughters?

Are we no longer ashamed of tarnishing our own turbans? We have become so bold that the fear of being marked as a “Kuri Maar” is not scary to us anymore, or could it be that with our Sikh leadership the way it is, its one eyed leading the blind.

We do not need any one to come tell us that our own little angels are being killed in medical clinics and hospitals all across Punjab today. So this time kyon na asee apney Barah Bajaa laiye lets sound off the biguls, wake up the artillery and let’s stop the killing our own daughters this time.

I invite comments with links to sites or NGOs working in Punjab for this cause.