DARBARA SINGH, BABA (1814-1870), second in the hierarchy of the Nirankari sect, was the eldest of the three sons of Baba Dayal, the founder of the sect. He was born at Rawalpindi on 1 Baisakh 1871 Bk / 11 April 1814 and succeeded to his father`s seat on 30 January 1855. From among the creed of religious and social reform preached by his father, he gave his utmost attention to one item marriage by Anand ceremony. He summoned an assembly of his followers and admirers at the Nirankari Darbar at Rawalpindi on 13 March 1855, and married a Sikh couple in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib, without inviting Brahman priests and dispensing with the rite of circumambulations around a fire.
This kind of simple ceremony had in fact been reintroduced by his father himself as far back as his (Baba Dayal`s) own marriage in 1808. Baba Darbara Singh aimed at demonstrating the Anand rite at a large gathering with a view to popularizing it. Baba Dayal`s marriage, it is said, was solemnized by reciting the Lavan and Anand hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib as the couple sat reverently in front of it and by sealing the union with ardas. Baba Darbara Singh had four circumambulations of the Guru Granth Sahib performed by the couple, each accompanied by melodious singing of a stanza from the four part hymn, Lavan, by Guru Ram Das.
He undertook an extensive tour of Dhanni Pothohar and Chhachh areas in northwestern Punjab promoting this Anand form of conjugal rite and making many converts to the Nirankari sect in the process. He is also said to have performed one such marriage at Amritsar on Monday, 15 April 1861, witnessed by a large congregation. In order to organize the expanding community he established several dioceses called biras, and appointed diocesan heads known as biredars. A significant contribution of Baba Darbara Singh to standardizing the form of Sikh ceremonies was the preparation in 1856 of a hukamnama, setting forth a code of social conduct and giving detailed description of the rites of passage.
To quote a few excerpts from the document; If a child is born, whether a son or a daughter, we sing the Guru`s hymns and offer the Guru`s karah prasad (the Sikh sacrament). Brother, there is no impurity (in child birth) as Guru Nanak cautions in Asa di Varan the sJoka: (the relevant sloka and the hymn follow) …. Then after forty days the mother comes to Darbar Sahib along with the child. We then offer kara prasad in the name of the Guru. The child is given a name from the Guru Granth Sahib …. When God brings the child to the age of understanding and when he is betrothed, we recite the following hymn of the Fifth Guru in the measure Ramkali: (the hymn follows)…. The Guru`s wedding hymns are chanted as the marriage ceremony is performed.
Sikh men and women recite the Anand by the Third Guru in the measure Ramkali…. Brother, we do not display the dowry as this is prohibited by the Guru. And when, by the grace of the Formless One, a Sikh has completed his life, and the call comes, and the Sikh departs, we cover the body with a white shroud and, singing hymns, carry it for cremation or for releasing it into a flowing stream. We do not mourn… when we cremate a Sikh, we recite Anand and Kirtan Sohila and then distribute karahprasad, if we can afford to do so.
After that we come before the Guru Granth Sahib, reciting hymns and inaugurate an end-to-end reading of the Guru Granth Sahib…. The hukamnama lays special emphasis upon cultivating the Divine Name, reciting the sacred hymns, and shunning of Brahmanical rites and rituals. For instance, it says, “We should not seek advice from the Brahmans who in their pride spread superstition…. The Brahman claims that it is disgraceful to eat at one`s daughter`s house, but he himself performs marriages for a fee…. Brother, all years, months and days created by the Guru are auspicious.
In the words of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Tenth Master, the Guru`s Sikh sets about his task remembering the Guru`s name, regardless of all ill omens… Moreover, brother, the opportunity for union (with God) comes only during this life. So let us repeat the Name now, no one will be able to do it later…” The various injunctions are supported by quotations from the Guru Granth Sahib. Baba Darbara Singh died at Rawalpindi on 13 February 1870. He was succeeded by his younger brother, Baba Ratan Chand, affectionately called Sahib RattaJi.
References :
1. Webster, John C.B., The Nirankari Sikhs. Batala, 1979
2. Jolly, Surjit Kaur, Sikh Revivalist Movements. Delhi, 1988
3. Farquhar, J.N., Modern Religious Movements in India. Delhi, 1977
4. Harbans Singh, The Heritage of the Sikhs. Delhi, 1983
In the late 15th century, Guru Nanak embarked on a road to propagate an ideology of fruitful living, not another religion of blind faith. He linked the spiritual salvation of man with that of social salvation. It was an ideology, which if followed in its entirety, would not only lead to personal well being, but also the well being of the society as a whole. Nanak had established a third Panth. Here, Panth does not mean a religious system, but a ‘way’, a way for society to prosper. This ideology created a sense of a social responsibility in man which involved him to create a society in which he could solve the problems of socio-political oppression, aggression, discrimination and conflict. Guru Nanak died in 1539; however his ideology survived him.
The three centuries that followed marked an era of prosperity for Sikh ideology. The number of followers increased manifold. Compilation and installation of the Adi Granth immortalized the teachings of the Gurus. Even after the death of the last Guru, Sikh ideology continued to be propagated in its full zeal. Moreover, it led to the rise of the Sikhs as a great political power. However, the basic essence of the teachings of Guru Nanak was lost. Sikhs deviated from the Panth and again followed the path of blind faith. They were under great influence of the Brahmans. Even in the historic shrines, like Sri Harimandir Sahib, brahmanical ceremonies and idolatry were practiced. Under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Brahmans were still considered as the highest priests of the Sikhs. Prejudices, superstitions and caste divisions once again came into play and all the reforms of the Gurus were forgotten.
Dayal Das, a Sehajdhari Sikh, had read Gurbani understandingly and found a considerable difference between what was written and practiced. Hence, he embarked on a mission to purify Sikhism by refocusing the Sikhs on the Adi Granth Sahib. He emphasized on a return to the Guru’s word. The main idea of his mission was to reinterpret Nanak’s teachings, especially the belief in the ‘Nirankar’ (the formless) and to attempt to free the minds of the people from all superstitions. His mission eventually began to be referred as the Nirankari Movement.
What Baba Dayal preached was no different than the main teachings of Guru Nanak. He was a man of great spiritual power. He suggested that for all the religious matters, decision must be taken according to the Gurbani and emphasized on the concept of the ‘Nirankar’. With his sweet reasonability, he refocused the people on Gurbani.
The growing popularity and teachings of Baba Dayal were against the brahmanical ways that had completely possessed the Sikh mind. This soon created jealousy and enmity in the minds of the Sikhs and Hindus against Baba Dayal and he was excommunicated from the society. On account of severe enmity and jealousy, Baba Dayal settled on a place 4 miles away from Rawalpindi on the banks of the river Lai, where he spent the last few years of his life. This place came to be known as Dayalsar (present day Pakistan).
His successor Baba Darbara Singh issued a document which is called, ‘Hukumnama Akal Prukhji Ka Sab Sikhan Prati’, also known as ‘Document of Ordinance for the Sikhs to follow’. This document was issued in 1856-57 and it contains all the rites and ceremonies according to the Guru Shabad concerning birth, marriage and death. It clearly states that the birth of a child, whether a girl or a boy, is celebrated with hymns from Shri Guru Granth Sahib and Karah Prasad is distributed. Thus implying that girls and boys should be welcomed with equal enthusiasm. In this document, special reference is made to Sikh marriages where the bride and the groom circumambulate around the Shri Guru Granth Sahib four times reciting four chants composed by Guru Ravidas. These rites and ceremonies issued by Baba Dyal were not alien to what was mentioned in Shri Guru Granth Sahib.
The successors of Baba Darbara were Sahib Ratta Ji, Baba Gurdit Singh and Sahib Hara Singh, and they continued to propagate this ideology under the name ‘Nirankari’ in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. They also established a gurudwara at Rawalpindi which still stands there in the Nirankari Bazaar Colony.
The partition of Punjab in 1947 did not deviate prominent Nirankari leaders from their mission. Sahib Hara Singh, along with his family and a small band of followers, continued to propagate the ideology in India. His son Baba Gurbaksh Singh succeeded him and established Nirankari Gurudwara in Chandigarh and in Dyalsar, Delhi. Since then every year on the 8th of the Magh month, the Nirankaris have their annual gathering at the Nirankari Darbar in Chandigarh. 8th Magh also marks the demise of Baba Dyal Das.
Sikhism had emerged against the backdrop of rejecting brahmanical rituals and practices. It stood to maintain its distinct identity against all the challenges it faced. The Nirankari Movement continued to preserve this distinct identity during what we can call as the dark ages for the Sikh ideology. It would not be wrong to refer to it as a precursor to the Singh Sabha Movement. Baba Dayal did not establish a new sect within Sikhism. He embarked on a mission to purge Sikhism of all brahmanical practices that had crept into the religion and reinstate all social reforms set into motion by the Gurus. His Anand Marriage Act had social consequences whose reverberations can be felt even today. Baba Dayal worked with single-minded focus and determination. He had an iron will and despite all the indignities, he did not deviate from his mission. Today the Nirankaris are a forgotten community, often confused with Sant Nirankari Mandal. Though the heritage and history of the Nirankari Movement have been lost in time, the basic essence of this ideology manages to survive even today amongst a handful of followers.
