KHURSHUID KHALSA (Khurshid, lit, the sun rays of the sun) is a book in Urdu pertaining to the history of the Sikhs from the time of Guru Nanak published at Aftabi Hind Press in Lahore in 1885. The book caused a considerable amount of controversy in contemporary Sikhism. Already riven into two factions, the Amritsar and Lahore groups, the antagonism between the two one espousing the cause of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the deposed sovereign of the Punjab, and the other openly hostile to him sharpened. Members of the Kuka sect were the principal supporters of the Maharaja.
The book written by Baba Nihal Singh, an employee of Maharaja Bikram Singh of Faridkot, contained passages favourable to Maharaja Duleep Singh, who had by then turned a foe of the British, The Lahore party objected and asked the author to withdraw the book. At celebrations in honour of Guru Nanak`s birth, a portrait of Duleep Singh was displayed by the Amritsar leaders in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib which was resented by the Lahore party. In October 1885 Gurmukh Singh, secretary of the Khalsa Diwan Lahore, issued a letter clearing the Diwan of any connection with the publication and throwing the entire responsibility on the author and the publisher. The author had the implicit support of the Amritsar faction. The book was considered to be subversive of the Sikh tenets and the author was expelled from the membership of the Singh Sabha.
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Let’s delve into Khurshuid Khalsa—an 1885 Urdu book that delves into Sikh history and identity with a bold and often polemical narrative. Written by Bava Nihal Singh, an employee of Maharaja Bikram Singh of Faridkot, the book offers a historical account that begins with the era of Guru Nanak and carries forward an interpretation of Sikh history marked by the turbulent politics and religious debates of its time.
Historical and Political Context
Published at AftabiHind Press in Lahore in 1885, Khurshuid Khalsa emerged during a period of intense discussions over Sikh identity. The late 19th century saw the Sikh community divided along regional and ideological lines—primarily between factions in Amritsar and Lahore. At its heart, the book was both a scholarly work and a politically charged commentary. It was written at a time when rivalries already simmered between those who supported the deposed Maharaja Duleep Singh and those who opposed him. Certain sections of Khurshuid Khalsa contained passages favorable to Maharaja Duleep Singh—a stance aligning with the supporters in the Amritsar faction—thus heightening the controversy and drawing ire from the Lahore party.
Content and Scholarly Contributions
Khurshuid Khalsa (translated as “The Sun Rays of the Khalsa”) sought to illuminate Sikh history from its earliest beginnings. It presents a detailed narrative that intertwines historical events, religious teachings, and sociopolitical commentaries. Bava Nihal Singh compiled historical anecdotes, doctrinal insights, and evaluations of key events in Sikh history. By doing so, he aimed to provide a comprehensive overview that was both accessible and authoritative for the Sikh community.
The work is notable not only for its exhaustive treatment of Sikh history in Urdu but also for its stylistic boldness. Written in a language that was widely read in the region at the time, the book made Sikh history available to a broader audience, including those who might not have been fluent in Punjabi or Gurmukhi. Its detailed narrative, grounded in earlier oral histories and historical texts, added an important dimension to the historiography of Sikhism during a time when traditional accounts were being reexamined and reformulated in response to modern influences.
Controversies and Impact
Khurshuid Khalsa was not without its detractors. The book’s apparent support for Maharaja Duleep Singh—a figure who had come to be seen by many as a political adversary to the British and as a divisive symbol within the Sikh community—sparked significant controversy. The Lahore faction of Sikh leadership, alarmed by the publication’s political implications, took strong measures to distance themselves from it. For instance, at celebrations honoring Guru Nanak’s birth, when a portrait of Duleep Singh was displayed in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib, the protest from the Lahore faction was immediate and vehement. In October 1885, Gurmukh Singh, the secretary of the Khalsa Diwan Lahore, formally disassociated the Diwan from the work, placing the entire responsibility for its contents solely upon the author and the publisher.
This episode not only underscored the volatile nature of Sikh politics at the time but also highlighted how Khurshuid Khalsa influenced the discourse on Sikh identity. The book became a touchstone in debates over loyalty, religious authority, and the proper understanding of Sikh history—elements that continue to be of scholarly interest even today.
Enduring Legacy
Despite its controversies, Khurshuid Khalsa remains a significant work in the study of Sikh historical literature. Its detailed account of Sikh tradition, rendered in the refined yet accessible medium of Urdu, stands as a testament to the dynamism and complexity of Sikh selfdefinition during the colonial era. The book is frequently referenced in discussions about the evolution of Sikh historiography, and its impact is seen in the way later generations have grappled with the interplay of politics, identity, and religious doctrine.
