Tempo:
HISTORY OF THE SIKHS
64 1675-1708.
Muhammadanism destroyed.
CHAP. Ill
be abandoned, their temples viewed as holy and their upon as sacred; the Brahman's thread must be broken; by means of the Khalsa alone could salvation be attained. They must surrender themselves wholly to their faith and to him their guide. Their words must be 'Kritnash, Kulnash, Dharmnash, Karmnash,' the forsaking of occupation and family, of belief and ceremonies. 'Do thus,' said Gobind, 'and the world is yours.' ^ Many Brahman and Kshattriya followers murmured, but the contemned races rejoiced; they reminded Gobind of their devotion and services, and asked that they also should be allowed to bathe in the sacred pool, and offer up prayers in the temple of Amritsar. The murmurings of the twice-born increased, and many took their departure, but Gobind exclaimed that the lowly should be raised, and that hereafter the despised should dwell next to himself.rivers looked
1
of the
The text gives the substance and usually the very words numerous accounts to the same purport. (Cf. also Mal-
colm, Sketch, pp. 148, 151.) - Churhas, or men of the Sweeper caste, brought away the remains of Tegh Bahadur from Delhi, as has been mentioned (ante, pp. 59-60, note 2). Many of that despised, but no oppressed race, have adopted the Sikh faith in the Punjab, and they are commonly known as Ranghrheta Sikhs. Ranghar is a term applied to the Rajputs about Delhi who have become Muhammadans; but in Malwa the predatory Hindu Rajputs are similarly styled, perhaps from Rank, a poor man, in opposition to Rana, one of high degree. Ranghrheta seems thus rather a diminutive of Rangghar than a derivative of rang (colour) as commonly understood. The Ranghrheta Sikhs are sometimes styled Mazhahi, or of the (Muhammadan) faith, from the circumstance that the converts from Islam are so called, and that many Sweepers throughout India have become Muhammadans. [These Mazhabis in the past have proved themselves, and are at the present time, extremely good soldiers. The Pioneer regiments 23rd, 32nd, 34th into which they are recruited have a proud record of service in many campaigns. Mr. Candler,
—
—
in
an
article
in
Blackwood's
Magazine,
September
1909,
observes: 'The general reluctance of the low-caste Hindu to elevate himself by becoming a Sikh may perhaps be explained by the historical exception of the Mazhabis. These Sikhs, the descendants of converts from the despised Sweeper caste, were welcomed by the Khalsa at a time when they were engaged in a desperate struggle with the forces of Islam. But when the Sikhs dominated the Punjab they found that the equality their religion promised them existed in theory rather than in fact. They occupied much the same position among the Jat and Khalsa descended Sikhs as their ancestors, the Sweepers, enjoyed among Hindus. They were debarred from all privileges and were, at one time, excluded from the army.' According to the census Report of 1912 the Mazhabi popu-
now numbers 21,691. 'They have taken to husbandry and have been declared as a separate agricultural tribe in the districts of Gujranwala and Lyallpur.' (Census Report, 1912.) —Ed.] lation
64 1675-1708.
Muhammadanism destroyed.
CHAP. Ill
be abandoned, their temples viewed as holy and their upon as sacred; the Brahman's thread must be broken; by means of the Khalsa alone could salvation be attained. They must surrender themselves wholly to their faith and to him their guide. Their words must be 'Kritnash, Kulnash, Dharmnash, Karmnash,' the forsaking of occupation and family, of belief and ceremonies. 'Do thus,' said Gobind, 'and the world is yours.' ^ Many Brahman and Kshattriya followers murmured, but the contemned races rejoiced; they reminded Gobind of their devotion and services, and asked that they also should be allowed to bathe in the sacred pool, and offer up prayers in the temple of Amritsar. The murmurings of the twice-born increased, and many took their departure, but Gobind exclaimed that the lowly should be raised, and that hereafter the despised should dwell next to himself.rivers looked
1
of the
The text gives the substance and usually the very words numerous accounts to the same purport. (Cf. also Mal-
colm, Sketch, pp. 148, 151.) - Churhas, or men of the Sweeper caste, brought away the remains of Tegh Bahadur from Delhi, as has been mentioned (ante, pp. 59-60, note 2). Many of that despised, but no oppressed race, have adopted the Sikh faith in the Punjab, and they are commonly known as Ranghrheta Sikhs. Ranghar is a term applied to the Rajputs about Delhi who have become Muhammadans; but in Malwa the predatory Hindu Rajputs are similarly styled, perhaps from Rank, a poor man, in opposition to Rana, one of high degree. Ranghrheta seems thus rather a diminutive of Rangghar than a derivative of rang (colour) as commonly understood. The Ranghrheta Sikhs are sometimes styled Mazhahi, or of the (Muhammadan) faith, from the circumstance that the converts from Islam are so called, and that many Sweepers throughout India have become Muhammadans. [These Mazhabis in the past have proved themselves, and are at the present time, extremely good soldiers. The Pioneer regiments 23rd, 32nd, 34th into which they are recruited have a proud record of service in many campaigns. Mr. Candler,
—
—
in
an
article
in
Blackwood's
Magazine,
September
1909,
observes: 'The general reluctance of the low-caste Hindu to elevate himself by becoming a Sikh may perhaps be explained by the historical exception of the Mazhabis. These Sikhs, the descendants of converts from the despised Sweeper caste, were welcomed by the Khalsa at a time when they were engaged in a desperate struggle with the forces of Islam. But when the Sikhs dominated the Punjab they found that the equality their religion promised them existed in theory rather than in fact. They occupied much the same position among the Jat and Khalsa descended Sikhs as their ancestors, the Sweepers, enjoyed among Hindus. They were debarred from all privileges and were, at one time, excluded from the army.' According to the census Report of 1912 the Mazhabi popu-
now numbers 21,691. 'They have taken to husbandry and have been declared as a separate agricultural tribe in the districts of Gujranwala and Lyallpur.' (Census Report, 1912.) —Ed.] lation
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