Introduction

‘Apart from their dress, diet, martial spirit involving love for horses and weapons, the Nihangs have always been distinguished from others because of their high spirits in all circumstances. The Gurmat principle of accepting the will of God and remaining unaffected by favourable or adverse situations has been best followed by these peoples. They never bothered about their living comforts, non-availability of food for days together, wounds and injuries caused while fighting or the hard and difficult circumstances in which they had to fight, sometimes, single-handedly with a large number of enemy forces. How cheerful they remained in these situations becomes clear from their language and vocabulary used by them while talking among themselves.’(S.J.S Pall, The Beloved Forces of the Guru, page 121)

Like many nomadic communities, the Nihang Singhs have through the centuries developed a distinguishable dialect. This language is historically known as GarrGaj Bole (The Thundering Language) of the Khalsa. It combines a mixture of Punjabi, Hindi, Farsi and other dialects used in the regions of India. Bolay, words which form part of the Nihang dialect, usually served militaristic or psychological purposes. Svaiyai, or poetic verses often is a means of preserving oral history or traditions, which Bhai Rattan Singh Bhangu take great effort to preserve in his epic Pracchin Panth Parkash. Finally Jaikaray are battles cries which are raised by Nihang Singhs in order to draw strength from Akal Purakh (Timeless Being) and strike fear in the enemy.

Vocabulary


A bola literally means a saying; bolay are the sayings of Nihang Singhs which in recent years have even become popular in common Punjabi culture. Often an item is called by the characteristics it possesses or the effect that it has. For example, a chilli is called ‘larakki’ which refers to someone with a fighting nature as a result of the sting it leaves on ones tongue. A fever or illness which causes weakening is referred to as ‘Aakarhpun’ - destroyer of pride/arrogance. A staff or wooden stick is called Ukuldan – one which bestows wisdom, referring to the beating which it delivers someone who has made a mistake.


In many ways the language of the Nihang Singhs sheds light on the difficult times which they have gone through and illustrates how they maintain high spirits ‘Chardi Kala’ in tough and easy times. They essentially developed a distinct idiom to describe ordinary and dull things in life, or make the most out of dire conditions. This is illustrated by the luxurious titles given basic necessities needed for survival which have not always been available to Nihangs, an example being the term ‘Mitha Parshada’, meaning sweet blessed food which actually refers to leftover chapatti which is a day or more old.

The bolay also reflects the military struggles of the Khalsa. Those who have opposed the Sikhs at any stage in history find themselves somewhat ridiculed in Nihang dialect. The term for a donkey is ‘Thanedar’, meaning police officer as Nihangs are renowned for their carefree disregard for worldly authorities which the police represent. Muslim priests (Qazi’s) encouraged many atrocities on the Sikhs during the Mughal Rule of India, in return the Singhs use the term Qazi when referring to a cockerel.

Some bolay also serve military and defence purposed. Nihang Singhs refer to their kashere (briefs) as a chouni, meaning encampment. The Nihang Singh kasherra is notoriously large in size and from a far distance would appear to enemy scouts as tents of the Khalsa warrior; suggesting the Khalsa warriors numbered far greater then they did. Furthermore, one single Nihang Singh fashions himself to be ‘sava lakh’ or 125,000, thus enemies spies are never able to evaluate the numbers of the Khalsa army as from every quarter they would hear different numbers. Nihang Singhs also refer to milk as samunder (ocean). Hearing of Nihangs drinking the ocean would strike fear into enemy ranks long before they ever encountered the Khalsa on the battlefield. Such psychological tactics have always been used by the Khalsa. Nihang Darshan Singh states:

‘Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji would rename some of the smaller or weaker Singhs in the ranks of the Khalsa army. Maharaj would bestow them with lofty titles such as ‘Dharti-Halla Singh’ (earth shaker). This would not only send fear and doubt deep within the ranks of the enemy soldiers, but encouraged the Singhs in the Khalsa army to fight heroically with courage and confidence and honour the names given to them by the Guru’. (Audio recording, July 2006)

A selection of Nihang Singh bolay and the object which they refer to in English are listed below:

Nihang Bola Aanday Aakar Pun Aring Baring Badam Basant Kaur Bata Bateray - Billa Birajkay Bhuchange Choona Chugal Chup DC Dhullay Garday Gobinday Gobindyia Gurh Heeray Hulla Jaan Bhai Jhatanga Jahaj Kulga Kastoora Kesar Laraki Mamla Mastana Mitha Parshad Morcha Nihal Kaur Parsram Patwaree Pathan Siri Pootni Qazi Rupa Samundar Sarb Ras Siropa Sukha Subedar Tehsildar Thanedar Theekar Tid Fookni Tokhay Baj Vaheer

English Potatoes Body illness Lying down Chick peas Corn Iron bowl Aubergine Englishman Seated Son Flour Mirror Sugar Limper Meat Rice Watermelon Carrots Jaggery White hair Hurry Horse Goat Cart Baldy Pig Tumeric Chilli Money Care free/ empty Chapati Endeavour Blanket Axe Cat Cauliflour Train Cockerel Onion Milk Salt Beating Cannabis Sweeper Intelligent Donkey Body Tea Spoon Mobile camp

Oral Ballads

A Salok, Svaiyai or Dohra is a poetic measures used widely within Indian literary traditions. Nihang Singhs deploy these rhythmical and/or poetic techniques in order to preserve their history or tradition. There have been many educated, creative and intelligent Singhs to have served in the Nihang Singh armies over the past few hundred years. They were able to preserve the traditions, history, heritage, symbology and prophecies of their forefathers by compiling into short ballads or verses.

The act of brushing their teeth using tree bark is accompanied by oral verses filled with historical symbolism and prophetic visions. The process starts by the Nihang Singh stating:

“We have broken it with five, cut it with our saw and made it the wife of thirty two...”

This refers to grasping the tree branch and breaking off a twig with five fingers of the hand and then chewing it with the jaw, thus having it serve the thirty two teeth. Having brushed his teeth the Nihang Singh proceeds to tear the twig in two, throwing one piece away and using the other to clean his tongue. While doing this he recites;

“The Singh has ripped her in two and thrown her away, the Qazi (Muslim preist) has preserved her like his own daughter. He who does not rip and throw away the Datan is in truth a Muslim.”

This verse highlights the Muslim priests upholding the honour of the Mughal rule (under which Sikhs suffered many atrocities), while the Khalsa fought many hardships against tyrannical rulers such as Aurangzeb. The ripping of the datan (twig) represents the act of defeating the Mughal empire which the Sikhs eventually did do and established their own rule across Northern India. Performing datan, cleaning ones teeth with twig of trees such as Neem, Kikker or Sukhchain serve great health benefits and is an important tradition of the Nihang Singhs. The chewing of the twig also helps activate important nerves and veins leading to the brain which aide in early morning meditation. The creation of an oral passage to accompany this act ensures the tradition will survive despite the popularity of tooth brushes, the use of which is frowned upon within Nihang battalions.

There are similar meaningful verses which capture the methodology and, historical and symbolical significance of various other Nihang Singh traditions such as tying of dumalla, shaheedi raghra etc. These will be discussed in the relevant pages of the traditions section.

Old ballads recited by veterans also take note of the various forces who have at different times in history opposed the Khalsa, and the fate which they have received. In recent times, Nihang Singh Baba Shiv Ji has become famous for his recitation of these measures. A video of him reciting ballads on the tradition of Shaheedi Degh, drink of the martyrs, and the great acts of the martyrs of the Sikh faith can be seen below:



Oral History

In looking at the oral traditions of the Nihang Singh it is vital to note the important work of Bhai Rattan Singh Bhangu who compiled the Pracchin Panth Parkash – ‘The Ancient History of the Panth’ (Sikh community).

The policy of British imperialists was to seek to compile a history of the locals in the region which they held colonial ambitions over. In the early 1800s Sir David Ochterlony entrusted his deputy Captain Murray with the compilation with collecting a legitimate history of the Sikhs. In a chance meeting between Rattan Singh Bhangu and Captain Murray, the latter convinced him to compile a history of the Sikhs. Rattan Singh Bhangu belonged to a very prestigious family of Nihang Singhs. His grandfather was the famous warrior Mehtab Singh who killed Massa Ranghar for desecrating the Sikh holy shrine of Harimandir Sahib. The leader of Mehtab Singh’s Dal or battalion was Sham Singh – the other grandfather of Rattan Singh Bhangu. The full scale involvement of his family in the Sikh struggles of the 18th Century thus allows Rattan Singh Bhangu to give an insightful account of the historical events and the philosophy of the Nihang Singhs. Following various conversations with Captain Murray in which he narrated many accounts of Sikh history, Rattan Singh spent more than thirty years preparing a historical volume for his Khalsa brethren. At the very beginning of his work he states;

‘Now I narrate the saga of the Singhs, as my own elders narrated to, and as I have heard from other ancient Sikhs, the old Sikhs had many virtues.’ (Pracchin Panth Parkash, Part 1, Page 1)

The above Quartet goes a long way in defining both the methodology and objectives of oral history for the Nihang Singh, the elders of the community are both the source of and motivation for oral history. This connection is perhaps strengthened by the modern day diasporas of the Nihang Singhs; as the largely male dominated community consists of many orphaned children, the reverence held for elders and for those who have been long members of the community comes as no surprise. There is a strong expectation of the old to pass down their knowledge to younger members of the community. In turn, throughout one’s life there is constant reference to those that came a generation before; past members for the community are held in great esteem.

Having gathered history based on what his elders and other important Sikhs of the time had themselves experienced, Rattan Singh proceeded to write the history of the Khalsa from the coming of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji to the contemporary situation of the Sikhs in the early 1800s. Perhaps no other text so vividly captures the saga of the Khalsa Panth following the ascension of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The Nihang Singhs certainly hold it with great esteem. Baba Labh Singh, a student of the late Jathedar Baba Santa Singh Budha Dal states;

“Baba Santa Singh used to say that of all the historical texts which we have, Panth Parkash is the most accurate. There are no mistakes or discrepancies in what Bhai Rattan Singh wrote – this is the true history of the Khalsa Panth. Bhai Rattan Singh was a himself a Nihang Singh from a great noble family as was blessed by this service to the Panth by Guru Gobind Singh and aided by Shaheed Singhs (martyrs) themselves.” (Audio Recording, March 2008)

On a daily basis oral narration (katha) of Pracchin Panth Parkash takes place within Nihang Singh battalions. For complete katha of Panth Parkash by the late Jathedar Baba Santa Singh please see the audio pages in the multimedia section of this website.

Jaikara – Battle cry

The battle cry of the Sikhs is known as the Jakara which literally means battle cry. It serves the purpose of invoking a higher entity which may include . The modern day Jakara of recited by the majority of the Sikhs is;

“He who says will be blessed. The Timeless Being alone is true”.

The above is in many ways a toned down version of the original Sikh battle cry as still observed by the Nihang Singhs. Whereas the modern Sikh Jakara employs the word Bole (to speak), the Nihang Singhs use the word (Gajj) meaning to roar. An example Jakara recited by Nihang Singhs can be read below;

‘So came forth Guru Gobind Singh who waged war with the resounding of the battledrum of righteousness. He eliminated the Turk Aurangzeb who was full of ego. Commotion reigned through the lands and the people fled from their homes. In such terror the whole world did suffer. The kings, emperors and court officials were reduced to dust. Other than the true Guru, none could cut through the shackles of fear. The Minas and the masands shall be uprooted, as will those who use tobacco and those who harm woman. The Turks shall be made to flee. The beloved Singhs of the Guru shall come roaring the battle cries; He who roars this shall be blessed. Roar the jakara and be blessed. The Timeless Being alone is true.

Oh keeper of the white hark and rider of the blue steed, keep your armies forever alert and ready.
Master of the cauldron and sword, preserve the honour of our ancient traditions. Great True King of the Sodhi Clan, may your Khalsa forever chant the praises of the Timeless Being.

Roaring this may One blessed, and may those who have attained martyrdom come to our aide: The Timeless Being alone is true.

May we be victorious with our cauldrons and swords. May the Khalsa be victorious in every venture and battle .

Jakara
Conclusion

Oral tradition is evidently an important feature of the Nihang Singh lifestyle. The Bolay form the unique language of the Nihang Singhs which illustrates their defiance of worldly authority, comical nature and high-spiritedness. In order to keep alive and preserve the importance of various traditions, the Nihang Singhs have created ballads of Svayai which are passed down from generation to generation. The efforts of Rattan Singh Bhangu and his complilation of Pracchin Panth Parkash is an important source of Sikh history and capture the oral narratives of the veterans fighting at the frontlines of the Khalsa struggles during the 18th Century. Into the modern age the Nihang Singhs continue to practise the traditional battle cry known as the Jakara, representing their commitment to the military traditions of the Sikh Gurus and warriors of past.