Dalit bid to save Sikhism from Brahminical Counter-Revolution
DR. (MRS.) K.K. SIDHU, A-8/3, SFS FLATS, SAKET, NEW DELHI - 110 017

This refers to the DV Editorial of July 1, 2004: "Chamar power rescues Sikhism".

When we talk about Dera Sach Khand, Ballan (Jalandhar dt.), a religious centre of socio-cultural activity, which we visited in June 2004, we cannot help recognizing its connection with the Bhagati-Sufi movement and its great patron, Guru Ravidass.He became a cult figure around whom the activities of Dera Sach Khand Ballan revolve. As such, these are modelled around Bhagati-Sufi movement. Sadhus and saints of different hues, sitting on the dais, on the death anniversary of Sant Sarwan Dass on June 11, 2004 resembled the sant sabha (meeting of saints), mentioned in old texts particularly the Guru Granth — Sant Sabha Jaikaro (hail the meeting of saints).

Shiva as Adi Budha: Man's desire to seek social justice and equality is universal. As Indian society took its course towards that,something very deep and very profound happened. It was because the chains of slavery were the strongest and social inequality was severest here, the leaders of social change had an arduous task before them. The more arduous task a man takes the more perfect his personality becomes. Thus extraordinary thinkers and brilliant minds arose on the Indian scene to lead an extraordinary socio-cultural revolution. The name given to this cultural revolution is Bhagati-Sufi movement. Jagjit Singh in his book, Sikh Revolution, describes that aspect of the movement led by Ravidass, Kabir etc. as radical Bhagati movement. Since it was not the first time that Indians worked for social equality and that this fight was a recurring phenomenon, so Bhagati-Sufi movement leaders had a long tradition behind them. They had generations and generations of intellectual guides to follow, starting from the Budhas themselves. It is said that Guru Ravidass had Goraknath as his guru and Goraknath's Nath movement traces its origin to Shiva movement. Shiva himself is actually an Adi Budha. It were the sants of Nath movement who are mentioned in the Quran with high regards.

Gurnam Singh Revelation: When we look at the Ravidass movement, particularly from its Dera Sach Khand, Ballan, side we are pleasantly surprised at its close resemblance with Sikhism. Our Editor, V.T. Rajshekar, immediately pointed out this as we landed at Ballan. He says this in his July 1 Dalit Voice Editorial. Its resemblance in the manner of dress, address in kirtan mode and many other respects speaks of the similarity between the two. However its depth and appeal to masses, leaves us in no doubt that it is not a mere copy of Sikhism, it is something by itself, if not away from Sikhism. We are going to discuss about its connection with Sikhism because it is clear that even if it did not directly rise from Sikhism it bears a close connection to it. It is clear that when the Sikh revolution was launched, the Sikh gurus drew heavily upon the Bhagati-Sufi movement. This indeed is the subject of Prof. Gurnam Singh's latest book, Sikh Lehar De Sirjak (2004, Bahujan Samaj Parkashan, 2-Bhagat Singh Nagar, B/h bus Stand, Muktsar).

Sikhism was Anti-Brahmin: Gurnam Singh says that Bhagati-Sufi movement formed the general base of Sikhism on which it reclined heavily to take nourishment and furnish its revolutionary content. He proves this quoting extensively from the Guru Granth that the Sikh gurus were persistent in their efforts to make their followers take the path of bhagats, sants and sadhus of this movement. Same thing is happening again in history at Ballan.

Under the Ballan experiment (as our Editor calls it) the people are asked to follow the path laid by the Bhagati-Sufi movement. We saw it happening in the Dera during the function referred to above.

Singers were delivering sermons in kirtan-mode urging devotees, flocking to the Dera in their thousands if not lakh, to follow the saints, gurus and sadhus of radical Bhagati-Sufi movement.

The Bhagati movement was sold in different shades and hues by different people. While its one end falls close to Brahminism the other represented by intellectuals from shudra and ati-shudra "low castes" is anti-Brahmin.

Sikhism is based on that part of the movement that was out and out anti-Brahminical and launched by saints from the "lower castes".

Sant Namdev was a tailor, Kabir a weaver and Ravidass a Chamar, to name three of the most prominent ones. Jagjit Singh calls this aspect of the movement "radical Bhagati movement". Even this part of the movement was sought to be hijacked by Brahminical counter-revolutionaries, covering it with the false name of Hindu reform movement. But Jagjit Singh calls it a cultural revolution. That means the Ballan movement is also following that particular part of the movement that Sikhism followed. The Sikh gurus took these saints as the guiding stars that are now propitiated by the Ballan (and other Ravidass Dera) saints. In other words, the Ballan movement is also seen revolving round these very saints as the Sikh movement once did.

Sikhism's colourful phenomenon: Gurnam Singh establishes it most authentically that Sikh revolution took its origin from the radical Bhagati movement. Can we then say that Sikhism is the outward appearance of this movement? Can it be said that if Sikhism is a phenomenon, and the radical Bhagati (Sufi) movement is its essence? In such a social situation as this, essence is the substance of a phenomenon. It is something from which it (phenomenon) originated and that to which it would return.

That means if Sikhism is a phenomenon, the radical Bhagati (Sufi) movement is its content.

This is what Gurnam Singh proved. If we take it as essence, then it is not just the cause of a phenomenon, it is its very law. It can be regarded as an interweaving of the laws of existence and functioning of a phenomenon. Such is the role of Radical Bhagati (Sufi) movement, in giving rise to not only countrywide movements that were contemporary to Sikh revolution, but also the colourful phenomenon called Sikh revolution.

Power behind Ballan movement: The Sikh gurus were thus drawing the nourishment for the Sikh revolution from something general e.g. the Radical Bhagati movement. In other words, if the Radical Bhagati-Sufi movement is the general, the Sikh movement is individual, drawing its life sap from this general. As per law an individual will depend/rest/recline heavily on the general. Not only this, the general is something from which an individual originated and into which it would return. And also as an individual, it is to be dominated by the general. Dera Sach Khand, Ballan, is another individual, arising through the operation of law of the general. It is this general e.g. the essence of Radical Bhagati movement, that both these movements share. Thus the relationship between the two is clear.

Brahmins Destroy Budhism: To sum up, we can say that the same law e.g. the law of the general (the essence) is operative in giving rise to both Sikhism and Ravidass Dera movements with Ballan as a particular case under discussion.

The essence from which the Radical Bhagati movement and Sikhism arose is several millennia deep. After the fall of Budhism, the Brahmin hand remained heavy on India's Budhists for centuries. Budhists were degraded to shudra and ati-shudra level. Babasaheb Ambedkar says that the shudra was the name given to Budhists. Caste ghettoes, into which they were thrown, were not only devoid of light and sound of knowledge but also physical security. Guru Ravidass as he arose on this scene declared:
" A slave cannot have a faith of his own. He has to remain without it perforce".

Muslims saved Budhism: Budhist revolution that ran for centuries, however, remained etched on their memories till the eve of Muslim invasions. Kapur Singh writes in the Desh Punjab (Nov.2002, p.28):
A sect of Brahmins from Sen caste were living in Maldah (Bengal) country. They committed untold atrocities on Budhists. It is written in two ancient texts, Shuniya Puran and Dharam Puja Vidhari, that seeing this happening to Dharmis (his followers), Niranjana (Gautam) in Vaikunth went into uncontrollable rage. Bearing khuda (Muslim name for god) as his name, he descended on the most pious land of Jajpura. Riding a magnificent black horse, wearing a high black cap, Niranjana was reborn to protect the Dharmis (pious Budhist people) from cruel Brahmins. Thirty three crore devis and devtas dressed in the manner of Yavana soldiers were his companions on horse back. Thus Niranjana took birth to protect pious people and punish cruel Brahmins.

What a revelation. What did our Brahminical history books say? They say Muslims killed Budhists and destroyed Budhism. But the truth is Muslims saved Budhism.

That means Muslims were saviours of Budhists of this land. They descended on this land to save Budhists from Brahminical atrocities.

The shudras and ati-shudras took two courses of escape from caste ghettoes of Brahminism. A large chunk of them converted to Islam. Other course was they opened their eyes, straightened their backs and arose from centuries-old slumber was even more glorious than this. They started a very powerful anti-Brahmin movement which soon took the shape of a revolution. It can be said that Budhist revolution kept on shedding its brilliance even after bhikhus/Shiva-Shankaras/Shambus were physically annihilated. Sidhas/naths/yogis appeared in their place, forming another (second or third) layer of intellectual guides of people on the sands of Budhist times (history).

Islam attracts Budhists: Thus the shudras and ati- shudras started challenging Brahminism as sidhas/naths/yogis raising the banner of Budhist revolution again. Islamic invasions had gained full momentum in the 10th century. The above episode given by Kapur Singh happened in the 12th century. There is clear evidence that intellectuals had woken up earlier and sidha/nath/yogi movement had started by the 8-9th century.

This was the glorious path, other than conversions to Islam, that the Indian shudras took. Leaders of Bhagati-Sufi movement called sadhus, bhagats, sants, gurus and satgurus were the direct descendents of naths and yogis. They formed the fourth or fifth layer of intellectual guides. Drunk with the essence of a deep Budhist culture, distilled and brewed by their predecessors and decanted in Islamic vessels, they turned out to be intellectuals par excellence. And Islamic socio-cultural environment gave boost to their spirits.

Correct (not falsified) history of India, leaves no doubt that pure monotheism of Islam, devoid of rituals and priests, touched the hearts of erstwhile Budhists. Fiery devotional appeal of Islam affected the spiritually-minded shudra and Untouchables as they rose from their prolonged slumber.

Gorak Nath movement: When under the influence of Islam their spirits revived, they set to unite their own countrymen under a similar faith and worship of one supreme being as Islam. Sadhu/yogi and nath, predecessors of sants/Bhagats and gurus of Bhagati movement, first grasped this truth, uncovered under Islamic influence and started the Nath-Yogi movement. Guru Ravidass had started following Gorakh Nath's movement rendering his own sermons on the same pattern. The poetry and kirtan-mode of narrating his works was the same as seen in the nath movement.

Ample evidence is available that yogis and naths were honourable guides of people. As folk lores are no individual's personal property those of Punjab also leave us in no doubt that sidhas/yogis and naths were spiritual guides of people. According to one Punjabi folklore, with the Muslim arrival in India, yogis started pouring into plain from their hiding places in mountains. It is a well known fact of history that as atrocities on Budhists became unbearable our intellectual guides fled the plains of North India for their very lives, hiding in the hills.

Waris Shah writings : The Brahmins first joined these sects, then corrupted and co-opted them and then spread rumours against them. Our Ballan sojourn has put a stamp on our conviction that the yogis and naths were working on the lines of bhikhus and at least till the early phase of bhagati movement, they were highly respected ideals of people. And our Ballan visit has confirmed the fact that the nath/yogi/sidha movement was started by "lower castes" and it is kept kindling by them only.
Ballan has cleared the lurking doubt in our mind. Folk songs in Punjab are sung till date in praise of yogis. A famous Punjabi writer of 18th century, Waris Shah, has immortalized yogi as a hero on our minds. In Punjab a lover is called a yogi or a ranjah. For centuries on end a lover used to make his appearance in a young girl's imagination as a yogi. At Ballan, I was pleasantly surprised to see yogis and sadhus getting a place of honour in the Dera. Managers of the Dera were concerned about their welfare and comforts, as they arrived for the June 11 function.

Brahmins target Muslims: That means the concepts propagated during the latest counter-revolution have not reached the lower shudra and ati-shudra caste. They continue to be guided by heroes from our past. All others styling themselves as higher castes (which also means class) from Jats onwards are lost to this truth.

Thus when the Bhagati-sufi movement itself displayed original and great ideas widely propagated in the populace and put to test on the ground level, it started fulfilling the conditions for the appearance of a new law. This law appeared as an exception to the general rule (that was already under operation). A new and higher form of social relations, generating new social forces, started developing. It is in the nature of things including social upheavals, that the law (that is the anonymous power of the general) can only operate through the individual. Thus the Bhagati-Sufi movement itself became the general providing essence to the Radical Bhagati Movement that took over as an individual and started operating.

Proving the profundity of essence of Bhagati-Sufi movement, the radical Bhagati movement (spearheaded by Namdev, Kabir, Ravidass and other intellectuals who have a respectable place in the Guru Granth) shot up as a phenomenon.

Brahmins quickly sensed its harmful effects for Brahminism. They started targeting the Mughal princes who showed inclinations towards these liberal trends.

Khusro & Dera Shikoh victimised: The first prince Khusro, then Dera Shikoh became their targets. Dera Shikoh's curiosity and zeal to investigate the genesis of the Bhagati-Sufi movement and its Radical Bhagati phenomenon cost him dearly.

The Radical Bhagati movement unequivocally repudiated the authority of the Brahminical scriptures and tradition. It ridiculed the Brahmin, condemned the veneration of "sacred" places, denied the theory of avtarhood. They started using native language in place of Sanskrit for the expression of their ideology. They rejected the sectarian Hindu gods and goddesses, avtaras, ritualism and ceremonialism. Thus it was out and out a revolution.

The Radical Bhagati movement soon shot up into a phenomenon. The outward appearance of this phenomenon was very dazzling to say the least. Griersson quoted by Jagjit Singh (Sikh Revolution, Kendriya Singh Sabha, New Delhi/Amritsar, 1984 p.77) was very enamoured by it as he writes:
No one who reads the Indian religious literature of 15th and following centuries can fail to notice the gulf that lies between the old and the new. We find ourselves in the face of greatest revolution that India has ever seen —greater than even that of Budhism.

Maharashtrian origin: Thus the Bhagati Sufi movement inspired the best of Indian minds who turned this (Bhagati-Sufi) movement itself into what Jagjit Singh calls Radical Bhagati movement. Griersson (ibid p.77), calling Bhagatas and sants of Radical Bhagati Movement, wandering devotees, writes that they lived in highest spiritual exaltation and compares them with great poet and mystics from his own background. It changed not just the quality but also the quantity of the cultural milieu of this land. The whole country was under the spell of a cultural revolution.

Though it manifested chiefly in North India, Guru Ravidass writes that it was brought from Dravida country (South)— Bhagat Dravid Upaji. This is a pleasant revelation. It proves the thesis of Brother Gurnam that Sikh revolution took origin from Maharashtra. It is supported by Guru Ravidass himself. Jagjit Singh (ibid p.78) also writes that the Radical Bhagati Movement originated in Maharashtra.

Satnami revolt is an offshoot of this revolution. However Islamic fundamentalists goaded by Brahmins, who had established blood relations with Mughals by now, made the state so blood thirsty that it put down not only the Satnami movement mercilessly but put to death many Sufis. Starting from Guru Arjun Dev, Guru Teg Bahadur, Guru Govind Singh sons and numerous Sikhs became sacrificial goats in the hands of Brahmins who had started leading the Mughal state itself by the nose.

Muslim respect for Kabir & Nanak: The many uprisings speaks volumes of the changes it brought about in the cultural milieu of India. It raised it to such a level that religious approach of Radical Bhagats left no place for Hindu-Muslim rift. It is a well known fact that Kabir and the Sikh gurus had equally respectable images among both Muslim and Hindus. When Kabir and later Guru Nanak died, both Hindus and Muslims put forward their claims for their mortal remains.

The Sikh Revolution remains the most brilliant of the products of radical Bhagati movement. As written independently by Prof. Sahib Singh (Sri Guru Granth Saheb Darpan, Sohan Lal Khanna, Raj Publishers, Adda Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar City, 1970 - IInd edition) and Prof. Gurnam Singh, ideas were set rolling by great minds of one generation taken up and raised to a higher level by the other and then the next generation. Saheb Singh says that these were carried on and on till the Sikh Revolution was launched. Gurnam Singh says that these ideas attained high standards because these were tested at ground level by the Sikh gurus. The whole world knows that when Sikh revolution came into full force it achieved brilliant efflorescence as great ideas were under practice.

To repeat the whole process of Bhagati-Sufi, Radical Bhagati and Sikh movement was ongoing, one transforming into the next. The Radical Bhagati movement itself was led by four generations of intellectuals. If some of them worked at local, then others like Namdev, Kabir and Ravidass worked at all-India level.

Each generation of leaders meticulously/flawlessly passed on the banner of revolution to the next and then the next generation. All authorities agree that it was a very spirited affair. By the time this scepter reached Guru Nanak, Sikh Revolution took shape.

Decline of Sikhism: In the later part of the process, as phenomenon of Bhagati Sufi movement was passing into Sikh Revolution the two were enclosed in a highly interactive single unit. As qualitative and quantitative changes passed through a number of intermediate phases mentioned above, a highly evolved social phenomenon appeared on the world stage in the form of Sikh Revolution. Also as the revolution started taking shape it started evolving at a higher speed. It was because as the level of organization of matter rises, the rate of its development accelerates. Then time came when the phenomenon that was Sikh Revolution became so much overpowering that its essence, the Radical Bhagati movement, went out of view and Sikhism as its outward manifestation (phenomenon) stood out in all its magnificence.

Now that the phenomenon of Sikhism is showing signs of decline, its essence the Radical Bhagati movement, has reappeared on the stage in the form of various Ravidass movements of which Dera Sachkhand, Ballan, is one representative.

This fact itself speaks volumes for the depth of the essence of Radical Bhagati Movement.

Namdhari & Gaddar movements: There were two courses that Sikh Revolution could take. One was to develop into a source for further social movements and revolutions (inside, if not outside, India). Its predecessor — Radical Bhagati movement —had taken this course. By so doing it could itself serve as the essence for the development of future movements if not phenomenon. To be fair to the situation, it did show this tendency here and there. Kuka, Namdhari, Gaddar (some of the) communist and other movements (that arose on the shoulders of Sikhs) for India's independence were clear-cut manifestations of this.

Before we come to its second course, whereby its downward slide (and dip back into Radical Bhagati movement) began, we will pause and consider the inherent peculiarity of social upheavals as against other natural processes. The transition in the case of social revolutions may not be that clear-cut as is seen in micro or cosmic processes. In socio-political situations, transition can be slow, incomplete or unclear at a particular stage.

Bhindranwale Movement: We have seen that after soaring high, shedding all-out brilliance, Sikhism fell back into historically insignificant sparks.

The above mentioned movements though brilliant turned out to be sparks only. The latest example of its brilliance was the movement launched under the leadership of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. That it also turned into a spark, is part of the same process. Why such brilliant efflorescence perished is the question now. (DV Edit Nov.1, 1998: "Slow death of a brave community: BSO using internal enemies to destroy Sikh identity").

The present juncture in history shows the downward slide of Sikhism. Its energetic and dynamic Sikh side is no longer in sight. It is clearly turning into a dead necrotic tissue. That is why the Sikhs are boasting of their past, never devoting even a single minute on their present status. They neither speak of its present nor future potential. We are not surprised that they have become admirers of Jews, if not Brahmins. Unlike Sikhism, these two groups are known for not contributing anything to humanity except gratifying their own greed.

Turbaned Brahmins: History speaks that Brahmins took away daughters and wives of their adversaries. And Sikhs have started admiring them. Doesn't it fit into our thesis that Sikhism is dead? Nothing of that which can be called Sikhism is left.

A phenomenon by its very nature has to be transient, changing or even vanishing. Its essence on the other hand is stable and lasting. This is what has happened to Sikhism. Sikhism as a phenomenon has dipped back into its essence from which it arose. Why it could not develop into a higher form of essence is left for us to consider. Here we turn to the strange though known reasons that brought the downward slide of Sikhism. We have ample evidence to say that Brahminical counter-revolutionaries cut its very roots, linking it to Radical Bhagati movement. Prof. Sahib Singh details the modus operandi adopted in his voluminous (10 vols.) works in Punjabi. The agency deployed by Brahmins was from within the Sikhs themselves.

Upper caste Sikhs hate Dalits: Needless to say some of them were turbaned Brahmins. Sahib Singh details the efforts they made to dissociate Sikh gurus' work from the work of bhagats/saints and gurus. e.g. leaders of Radical Bhagati movement at length. Some of these counter-revolutionary writers ridiculed bhagats/saints and gurus for their "low caste" status. The sadhus, saints and bhagats on the dais (dharam manch) on June 11 function of the Dera Sach Khand, Ballan, were repeatedly applauded at the function.

That means those whom the Brahmins ridicule, must be our most respected intellectual guides. Sufficient historical experience is behind us to explain that they alone can be sincere about our liberation. True to their counter-revolutionary intent, some of these turbaned Sikhs wrote the falsehood delinking Sikh gurus work from its essence. This is the falsehood that Prof. Sahib Singh has exposed in the course of his interpretative work on Gurbani.

Kapur Singh writes that only those people can write true history who are emotionally involved with it. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar said the same on several occasions. History of Sikhism has to be a work of both head and heart.

Prof. Gurnam Singh builds these broken bridges between the Radical Bhagati movement and Sikh revolution, demolished by counter-revolutionaries. But interestingly our upper caste English-educated historians including Sikhs of great repute are reluctant to accept that these bridges ever existed.

As a Dalit Sikh, Gurnam Singh, is found hard pressed to re-establish the connection of Sikh movement with the Radical Bhagati movement. Thus he treads the path that angels fear to tread. He has reached that truth where the upper caste Sikh historians have failed.

Prof. Sahib Singh answers this question: "How Kabir and Namdev writings reached Amritsar?"

Namdev as founder of Sikhism: No upper caste historian is interested in yoking the ship of Sikhism back to its original roots. It is clear that yoking it to Radical Bhagati movement will make the upper caste Sikhs lose their caste status and it will perforce make them join "lower castes", the natural owners of Radical Bhagati movement that is the base of Sikhism.

Lower caste" Sikh scholars are hovering around this truth as they want to establish Namdev as the founder of Sikhism. Here a Brahmin passes the judgement in one sentence: "Namdev's vocabulary is different". Everyone agrees that Namdev was founder of the Radical Bhagati movement. Phenomenon of Radical Bhagati movement and that of Sikhism were one developing (social) unit. In this unit the former passed into its later higher form as the unit completed its development.

Prof. Gurnam Singh has devoted his whole book to this subject. The great Sikh scholar, S. Kapur Singh, calls the approach of scholars like Khushwant Singh as arbitrary and invalid approach. Hetero-interpretation, as he calls it, seeks to evaluate and judge a religion according to postulates and norms alien or hostile to it. It is the approach of polemics and confrontation and not of understanding and appreciation.

Dalit Sants launched Sikh revolution: It is interesting in another sense also. Gurnam Singh repeatedly says that it were the Untouchable sants, bhagatas, satgurus and gurus who spearheaded the Sikh revolution. We have proved here without leaving an iota of doubt that they were "lower castes".

Jagjit Singh in his book also leaves no doubt that it were the "lower castes" who spearheaded the Bhagati-Sufi and its Radical Bhagati phenomenon. It was a historical responsibility of "lower castes". And they fulfilled it admirably.

But we are pleasantly surprised to see the same trend continuing till date. Gurnam Singh must know that even at this stage in history, he, as a Dalit, is able to reach that truth which is out of the reach of upper caste Khatri/Arora Sikhs.

Khushwant Singh as an upper caste Sikh is writing under the heavy pressure of a high Brahmin official of the I&B Ministry. Khatri, Arora and Jat Sikhs are no longer in a position to shove away Brahminical pressure as they are more interested in their caste than religion. They are thus not able to see wood from trees. But Gurnam Singh is writing with perfect understanding of the situation.

Dalits inspired Sikhism: Gurnam Singh notices several connections between the Radical Bhagati Movement (writings of Kabir and Ravidass) and Sikhism. This approach is according to the basic postulates and doctrines of this religion and this alone qualifies to be called auto interpretation. His approach alone is worthy of approval. Gurnam Singh says it is the Radical Bhagati movement that is imparting its ethical, aesthetic, philosophical, scientific and political ideas to Sikhism.

The Radical Bhagati movement is the fundamental basis of existence of Sikhism, he says. This movement interweaves the laws of existence of Sikhism including its functioning. This movement is the organizing principle of Sikhism e.g. its basic elements are organised by it. It is the thread on which Sikhism hangs. Cut the thread Sikhism itself will fall, its general order will be destroyed. But the upper caste historians are working hard to make Sikhism lose its very thread.

Khushwant Singh Mischief: Another outcome of Khushwant Singh's interpretation of Kabir couplets (Dohas) turns out to be gold test to judge whether he is in Sikh field or not. It is in the interest of Brahminical counter-revolution to divide people on language, region, caste and creed lines. Revolutionaries on the other hand are hard pressed to bring unity and harmony in these spheres. ButKhushwant Singh talks of Kabir's and Namdev's language as different from the language used in the Guru Granth, Gurnam Singh has worked extensively on this topic also. He has successfully established links between the different languages used in the Guru Granth. According to him an effort was made by great revolutionaries to unite people on language lines as well. This fits perfectly with the revolutionary ethos of his work because we said the golden test of a movement is the former works for the unity of a people on various fronts and the latter for disunity. This yearning to take people out of numerous divisions and unify them had started from Budhist times. Budhism had achieved much by way of uniting India by the time Brahminism finally defeated it.

Genesis of Gurmukhi: By not recognizing the development of Punjabi into a highly evolved language unifying several languages of North India, upper caste Sikhs have gone against Sikhism itself, favouring the counter-revolution. They cannot rectify their mistake as it has gone deep into history now. As a khoji, true to its revolutionary ethos, Gurnam Singh has found that leaders of the Radical Bhagati movement had undertaken an arduous task of evolving a unified script and idiom of the languages including Kabir's and Namdev's language. Starting from Namdev, Kabir worked hard on this proposition and this work was earnestly taken up by Ravidass. Nanak, Angad Dev, Amar Dass and Ram Dass continued the work of unifying the language and Arjun Dev gave the final shape by editing the Guru Granth. Popular languages like Marathi, Saurseni, Avadi, other dialects of Hindi and numerous dialects of Punjabi were shaped and put in one capsule so as to unify these. And as founders of revolution they not only did not ignore this aspect but worked hard in this direction. When Namdev, the founder of the movement, stayed put in Punjab for decades, he was doing exactly this. But Khushwant Singh does not want to recognize this truth. Very interestingly, truth is so near at hand but ever active counter-revolutionaries do not want to grasp it, as if it will scorch their hands.

Language of Guru Granth: Top experts of Gurmukhi (Punjabi) script gathered for a seminar, "Guru Angad Dev and Gurmukhi (Punjabi) Script", in Delhi recently. In the seminar they did not mention even the names of Namdev, Kabir and Ravidass while discussing the genesis of Gurmukhi (Punjabi) script.

They chose to bypass these important names, without whom no authority on script in the Guru Granth can hold any opinion. Further, they confirmed our view on the instability of their position when they avoided naths/yogis/sidhas names also. They came close to their times when they agreed to the existence of Punjabi script by eight century. It is clear that the language of the Guru Granth joins the nath/sidha/yogi if not Budhist language. Did Delhi (as the seat of power of the presentday rulers), the venue of seminar interfere in their reaching for the truth? The protectors of Punjabi are in this shape.
Brahmins marry the ever-ready Sikh women and themselves take over these hot seats. The present-day Sikhs are put on these chairs because the harm to Brahminism has receded. They have disrupted this unity, which our forefathers had assiduously built, in their latest counter-revolution going by the name of freedom struggle.

Conclusion: Concluding, we can say that arising out of the Bhagati Sufi movement (which itself was the product of nath/sidha/yogi movement), the Radical Bhagati movement was a fitting answer to that Brahminical counter-revolution which had sought to eradicate Budhism from India, if not earth. The grounds for the Bhagati-Sufi movement were prepared with the rise of Muslim socio-political power. It was carried on the shoulders of erstwhile Budhists who had come to be known as shudras and ati-shudras. Eminent shudra/ati-shudra revolutionaries emerged out of these powerful movements. As they took over leadership of the Bhagati-Sufi movement, they converted it to a mighty revolution that goes by the name of Radical Bhagati movement. As each movement came into its full swing, it was sought to be internally corrupted by the Brahminical forces. But every time a more formidable one took its place. Muslim invasions bringing Islamic ideology came up influencing the social environment in India. Naths/sidhas and yogis movement had itself started inculcating Islamic ideology at an early stage.

Ambedkarites holding Ballan Movement: As they incorporated this aspect of the Islamic ideology in their Budhist world view, an altogether new ideology started spinning in the form of Bhagati movement. The stream of Bhagati movement was soon joined by the Sufi movement. Thus, it were the discarded lowly shudras and ati-shudras who joined the stream of Budhism with that of Islam. A mighty revolution that goes by the name of Radical Bhagati movement emerged out of this Bhagati-Sufi movement.

The Radical Bhagati movement was the zenith to which any revolution can qualify. It formed the base of many revolts and the risings in India. And the mighty Sikh Revolution sprang out of it.

It was the Radical Bhagati movement that formed the essence of Sikhism. Sikhism arose as a phenomenon from out of the mighty Radical Bhagati movement which itself was a phenomenon. The phenomenon of Sikhism, however, has made a disappearing act as it was also sought to be corrupted from within. It has gone back into its essence the Radical Bhagati movement. Propounded essence of the Radical Bhagati movement is not only seen in the rise of Sikh phenomenon and revolution, numerous other movements arose from it.

Great promise of Ravidass movement: And wonder of all wonders is that it has started manifesting in the form of Ravidass Dera movements that too after a lapse of many centuries. Ravidass Dera movement holds great promise not only because of its root in the Radical Bhagati movement and Budhism but also Ambedkarism will be nourishing it. We found followers of Ambedkarism at the helm of Ravidass Dera movements. Brahminical forces were able to contain the Sikh revolution to the small province of Punjab is history now. Will they try to contain the nationally and internationally spread Ravidass movements laced with Ambedkar ideology? That Sikhism that has gone back to its essence will be participating in the build up of the present revolution is obvious.

(Dr. Sidhu, a paeditrician retired from Dr. Lohia hospital, Delhi, Editor of our Punjabi Dalit Voice, is a devout Jat Sikh noted for her deep studies in Ambedkarism and Sikhism.)