| 1924 |
1st Shaheedhi
Jatha of 500 Akali Sikhs, under the command of Jathedar Udham Singh
of village Verpal, marched from Sri Akal Takhat for Gangsar, Jaito.
It reached Jaito on Feb 20-21, the third anniversary of Nankana tradegy
WHERE IS JAITO? A village under Nabha, which falls on the Bathinda-Ferozpur
railway line. It is 96 miles from Lahore and 17 miles from Bathinda.
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JAITO? On this place situated near
a fort, is a historical Gurudwara of Guru Gobind Singh Patshah.
Maharaja Hira Singh constructed the beautiful buildings of this
Gurudwara. The sarowar is popularly known as "Gangsar".
About a mile and a half north of Jaito is "Tibhi Sahib"
Gurudwara, where Guru Gobind Singh Patshah used to organize and
participate in the evening recitation of Rehras. Both Gurudwaras
have extensive land sanctioned to it by the Nabha rulers. Additionally,
extensive financial resources are made available on an annual basis
from the Nabha rulers and the surrounding villages. A maela celebration
is held every 7th of Pooh month (Dec.-Jan.) and Katak (Oct.-Nov.)
Puranmashi. Jaito's markets are well renowned. People come from
far distances to buy and sell their herds.
WHY AKALIS COURTED ARREST? The key issue involved was resoration
of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of Nabha. Maharaja of Nabha, well-known
for his pro-Tat Khalsa Proclivities, had a dispute with Maharaja
of Patiala, known for this pro-government role. Although Maharaja
of Nabha had absolutely no dispute with the government, as a result
of mediation, he was forced to abdicate in July 1923. Col. Michin,
with the help of troops and armoured cars, took the Maharaja by
surprise on July 8, 1923 and taunted him with the query, "Where
is that Akali?" The news of deposition by the government raised
a strom of protest against the Government's interefernce in Nabha
and was decsribed as a challenge to the Akali movement. As a result
tensions mounted. The Akalis, in defiance of state orders, continued
to hold diwan indefinitely. The Nabha police in order to arrest
all the Akalis, including the one reading the holy Granth Sahib,
was said to have disrupted the Akhand Path on Sept. 14, 1923. This
dispute took such a tragic shape and got so inflames by Feb. 21,
1924 that several people lost their lives. After sixteen shaheedi
jathas apart from one from Bengal and another from Canada, the agitation
process was completed two years later, on August 6, 1925, after
the concurrent bhog of 101 Akand Paaths.
Ref.
- Mahan Kosh
- "The Sikhs in History," by Sangat Singh, 1995
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