Mazhabi - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

A Mazhabi Sikh is a member of the Rangretta clans Churas

Chura

Chura is a caste in Punjab whose traditional occupation is sweeping. Churas are largely followers of Sikhism and secondly Christianity. A small minority practice Valmikism an off shoot or cult form of mainstream Hinduism which still incorporates elements of Sikhism in its practices...

who have embraced the sikh faith who are mainly found in the Punjab region

Punjab region

The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...

, Kashmir

Kashmir

Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...

and Rajastan. The word "Mazhabi" is derived from the Urdu

Urdu

Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...

term "Mazhab" ("sect"), and can be translated as "the religious" or "the faithful"

Mazhabis are best known for their history of bravery, strength and self sacrifice in the Sikh

Sikh

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...

, Khalsa

Khalsa

+YouWebImagesVideosMapsNewsMailMoreTranslateFrom: ArabicTo: EnglishEnglishHindiEnglishAllow phonetic typingHindiEnglishArabicAssumptionGoogle Translate for Business:Translator ToolkitWebsite TranslatorGlobal Market Finder...

, British Indian army

British Indian Army

The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...

and Indian army

Indian Army

The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...

. The Mazhabis were designated as a martial race

Martial Race

Martial Race was a designation created by Army officials of British India, where they classified each ethnic group into one of two categories: 'Martial' and 'Non-Martial'. A 'martial race' was typically considered brave and well built for fighting. The 'non-martial races' were those whom the...

by British officials. "Martial Race" was a designation created by officials of British India to describe "races" (peoples) that were thought to be naturally warlike and aggressive

Aggressive

“Aggressive” is a New York-based Grammy award-winning music video and commercial directing team of Alex Topaller and Daniel Shapiro.Aggressive has been described by Movie Creation Mag as “having a fascination with the wonderful, in the likes of the surrealist Rafal Olbinski” and “tenacious about...

in battle

Battle

Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...

, and to possess qualities of courage

Courage

Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation...

, loyalty

Loyalty

Loyalty is faithfulness or a devotion to a person, country, group, or cause There are many aspects to...

, self sufficiency, physical strength

Physical strength

Physical strength is the ability of a person or animal to exert force on physical objects using muscles. Increasing physical strength is the goal of strength training.-Overview:...

, resilience

Resilience

Resilience is the property of a material to absorb energy when it is deformed elastically and then, upon unloading to have this energy recovered. In other words, it is the maximum energy per unit volume that can be elastically stored...

, orderliness

Neatness and tidiness

Orderliness is associated with other qualities such as cleanliness and diligence—and the desire for order and symmetry, and is generally considered to be a desirable quality....

, the ability to work hard for long periods of time, fighting tenacity

Psychological resilience

Resilience in psychology refers to the idea of an individual's tendency to cope with stress and adversity. This coping may result in the individual “bouncing back” to a previous state of normal functioning, or using the experience of exposure to adversity to produce a “steeling effect” and function...

and military strategy

Military strategy

Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organizations to pursue desired strategic goals. Derived from the Greek strategos, strategy when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow sense as the "art of the general", 'the art of arrangement' of troops...

. The British recruited heavily from these Martial Races for service in the British Indian Army

British Indian Army

The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...

. The British recruited heavily from the Mazhabi sikhs. On the out break of the Indian mutiny in 1857, the British immediately recruited 12,000 Mazhabis to crush the mutiny. After the mutiny, it was only the Mazhabi Sikhs who got recognition as a martial race after they took part in Younghusband’s mission to Lhasa in 1903.

History

The Mazhabis originally belonged to the population of Punjab

Punjab (India)

Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...

and Haryana

Haryana

Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...

in Northern India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. Accorded a low caste status in the Hindu faith; the Churas were employed as scavengers, sweepers and labourers. The Sikh faith had a special appeal for the churas and they rapidly embraced it as it did not differentiate on the basis of caste

Caste

Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...

or creed

Creed

A creed is a statement of belief—usually a statement of faith that describes the beliefs shared by a religious community—and is often recited as part of a religious service. When the statement of faith is longer and polemical, as well as didactic, it is not called a creed but a Confession of faith...

and held everybody equal. This emboldened the downtrodden to fight against injustice, tyranny and persecution.

When Guru Tegh Bahadur was killed by the Mughals

Mughal (tribe)

The term Mughal is simply a Turkic word and many groups in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh use the term Mughal to describe themselves...

in Delhi

Delhi

Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

,Bhai Jaita ji (Baba Jeevan Singh ji) brought his head back to Guru Gobind Singh. Guru Gobind Singh declared that the Rangrettas (Mazhabis) were his sons, and admitted them to the Sikh faith. Originally, the term Mazhabi referred only to the descendants of these people.

Reputation as soldiers

Over the years, the Mazhabi Sikhs acquired a reputation as fine and formidable soldiers. The British recognised them as "once a redoubtable foe of the English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

, and now one of the finest soldiers in the British army

British Army

The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...

". The Mazhabis are highly regarded for their determined resolve to complete the assigned tasks against all opposition; and were deployed in various military campaigns in India and abroad. The British were greatly impressed by their superior physique and the martial and religious fervour imparted by Sikhism. In addition to their soldiering reputation, the Mazhabis were also known for their loyalty and it was noted that during their service with the army, they never once betrayed the trust placed in them. The British noted that during the First World War, the Mazhabi Sikh soldiers reached a "remarkably high standard" and that their contribution to the war surpassed that of the Jatt Sikhs. Whilst the Mazhabi Sikhs were an important part of the British Indian Army

British Indian Army

The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...

; British Army

British Army

Regiments carried attached Mazhabi Sikh platoons

Platoon

A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...

. The Welch Regiment

Welch Regiment

The Welch Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1969.-History:It was formed as the Welsh Regiment during the Childers Reforms of 1881, by the amalgamation of the 41st Regiment of Foot and the 69th Regiment of Foot...

carried a Mazhabi Sikh Platoon from 1933. Major-General A.E.Barstow

Arthur Edward Barstow

Major-General Arthur Edward "Bustling Bill" Barstow CIE MC was an officer in the Indian Army and commanded the Indian 9th Infantry Division during the Battle of Malaya. He was killed by the Japanese on 28 January 1942 while trying to cross a demolished railway bridge near Layang Layang village...

described the Mazhabi Sikhs as "...extremely good soldiers." and goes on to mention that the Sikh Pioneer Regiments, "...have a proud record of service in many campaigns." Historically they have fought battles for Guru Gobind Singh

Guru Gobind Singh

Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...

and the Mazhabis formed the majority of Akali Nihang ranks, even throughout the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Maharaja Ranjit Singh

Ranjit Singh

Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...

also enlisted them in large numbers for the existing misl

Misl

Misl generally refers to the twelve sovereign states in the Sikh Confederacy. The states formed a commonwealth that was described by Antoine Polier as an "aristocratic republic"...

s, and in the irregular corps.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh had a great admiration for their bravery and enlisted the Mazhabis extensivly into the Khalsa Army which he nurtured into an excellent instrument of war. Being afraid, however, to form them into separate corps, Maharaja Ranjit Singh attached a company of Mazhabis to the existing battalions (misls). During his reign, the Mazhabi Sikhs were generally stationed on the Peshawer border, where constant fighting against invading Islamic Afghan and Pashtun forces gave them the opportunity to show their bravery and endurance.

Maharaja Gulab Singh

Maharaja Gulab Singh

Maharaja Gulab Singh was the founder and first Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, the second largest princely state in British India...

of Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...

raised a corps of Mazhabi Sikhs in 1851. The British also recognised the great fighting qualities and prowess of these soldiers in the Anglo-Sikh Wars

Anglo-Sikh wars

There have been two Anglo-Sikh wars:*The First Anglo-Sikh War *The Second Anglo-Sikh War...

. The stubborn and sustained resistance offered by them and their ability to maintain themselves frugally amazed them. The British

British people

The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...

had admiration for the mazhabi as they made capital soldiers. The British raised the first Corps of Mazhbi Sikh Pioneers, the fore bearer of the Sikh Light Infantry

Sikh Light Infantry

The Sikh Light Infantry previously known as The Mazabhi and Ramdasia Sikh Regiment is an elite Regiment of the Indian Army. Its name was changed to the Sikh Light Infantry in 1944. The Sikh Light Infantry is the successor unit to the Mazhabi Sikh Pioneers 23rd, 32nd and 34th Sikh Pioneers...

, in 1850. During the British Raj

British Raj

British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...

, they were initially recruited for a coolie

Coolie

Historically, a coolie was a manual labourer or slave from Asia, particularly China, India, and the Phillipines during the 19th century and early 20th century...

corps meant for road construction. In 1855 there were only 1500 sikh soldiers, most of them were mazhabis. In 1857, 12,000 Mazhabis were listed for the 23rd

23rd Sikh Pioneers

The 23rd Sikh Pioneers were a regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1857, when they were known as the 15th Regiment of Punjab Infantry....

, 32nd

32nd Sikh Pioneers

The 32nd Sikh Pioneers were a regiment of the Indian Army during British rule. The regiment was founded in 1857 as the Punjab Sappers ....

and 34th

34th Sikh Pioneers

The 34th Sikh Pioneers was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1857, when they were raised as the Punjab Sappers....

Pioneer Regiments. They were deployed at the Siege of Delhi

Siege of Delhi

The Siege of Delhi was one of the decisive conflicts of the Indian rebellion of 1857.The rebellion against the authority of the British East India Company was widespread through much of Northern India, but essentially it was sparked by the mass uprising by the sepoys of the units of the Army which...

, Siege of Lucknow

Siege of Lucknow

The Siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defense of the Residency within the city of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After two successive relief attempts had reached the city, the defenders and civilians were evacuated from the Residency, which was abandoned.Lucknow was the capital of...

and Capture of Lucknow

Capture of Lucknow

The Capture of Lucknow was a battle of Indian rebellion of 1857. The British recaptured the city of Lucknow which they had abandoned in the previous winter after the relief of a besieged garrison in the Residency, and destroyed the organised resistance by the rebels in the Kingdom of Awadh The...

during the Indian Rebellion of 1857

Indian Rebellion of 1857

The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...

. The raised Pioneers were a splendid Corps and displayed remarkable valour in the field. They earned a high reputation as soldiers, and became a significant component of the British Indian Army. In 1911, there were 10,866 Sikhs in the Indian army, out of which 1,626 were Mazhabis; They had been reduced to 16% of their original enlistment numbers back in 1857.

The first world war

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

would see a rise their enlistment numbers as the Mazhabi sikh pioneers, 23rd Sikh Pioneers

23rd Sikh Pioneers

The 23rd Sikh Pioneers were a regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1857, when they were known as the 15th Regiment of Punjab Infantry....

, 32nd Sikh Pioneers

32nd Sikh Pioneers

The 32nd Sikh Pioneers were a regiment of the Indian Army during British rule. The regiment was founded in 1857 as the Punjab Sappers ....

and the 34th Sikh Pioneers

34th Sikh Pioneers

The 34th Sikh Pioneers was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1857, when they were raised as the Punjab Sappers....

were developed into three battalions each. The mazhabi sikh pioneers performed well during the great war. The 1/34th Sikh pioneers won the title of "Royal" during the Great war. The unit armourer and blacksmith made a highly burnished screen, proudly displaying the magnificent achievements of the Mazhabi Sikh Pioneers as epitomized in their Battle Honours. The 34th Royal Sikh Pioneers presented this screen to his majesty King George V of the United Kingdom in 1933. The Mazhabis, along with the Ramdasea Sikhs, were recruited to form the Mazhabi and Ramdasea battalions, that were later merged together to form the Sikh Light Infantry

Sikh Light Infantry

in 1941 for the World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

Social status

The social status of the Mazbhi Sikhs has varied over time. Unlike several other Dalit groups that still practise Hinduism, the Mazhabi Sikhs have abandoned all ties with Hinduism and its traditional caste roles. During the British raj, the Mazbhis were listed as an agricultural caste on British censuses of caste populations. Historically the Mazhabi Sikhs are generally found throughout the Punjab province, however the Mazhabis are most numerously found in Ferozepore

Firozpur District

Ferozepur district is one of the twenty two th districts in the state of Punjab in North-West Republic of India.It comprises an area of 11,142 km². The surface is level, with the exception of a few sand-hills in the south and south-east...

, Lahore

Lahore

Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...

, Amritsar

Amritsar

Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...

and Faridkot

Faridkot

Faridkot is a small city and a municipal council in Faridkot district in the state of Punjab, India.It's a division with headquarter at Faridkot consists of three Districts Faridkot, Bathinda and Mansa...

. The Mazhabi Sikhs perform much of the agricultural labour in these areas.

In spite of the Sikhism's egalitarian tenets, many Jat Sikhs continued to look down upon the Mazhabis. In March 1966, the Federation of Mazhabi Sikhs offered to support Arya Samaj

Arya Samaj

Arya Samaj is a Hindu reform movement founded by Swami Dayananda on 10 April 1875. He was a sannyasi who believed in the infallible authority of the Vedas. Dayananda emphasized the ideals of brahmacharya...

and Jan Sangh in an agitation against the formation of the Jat Sikh-majority Punjabi Suba

Punjabi Suba

Punjabi Suba was a proposed state in northwest India. It was proposed by Shiromani Akali Dal in 1966. The Punjabi Suba movement resulted in the trifurcation of the East Punjab into three states: Punjab , Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.-References:...

. According to a report published in The Tribune
The Tribune
The Tribune is an Indian English-language daily newspaper published from Chandigarh, New Delhi, Jalandhar, Dehradun and Bathinda. It was founded on 2 February 1881, in Lahore , by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising five eminent persons as...

on 16 March 1966, a spokesperson for the organization stated that "the Sikh Scheduled Castes had been reduced to a position of mere serfs by the Sikh landlords who would literally crush the Mazhabi Sikhs if Punjabi Suba was formed." In 2005, 56 expelled employees of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee

Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is an organization in India responsible for the upkeep of gurdwaras, Sikh places of worship in three states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. SGPC also administers Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. Gurdwaras in Delhi are the administered by Delhi Sikh...

abandoned Sikhism, and alleged that they were being discriminated against because they were Mazhabis.
The Government of India

Government of India

The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...

recognises Mazhabi Sikh as a "Scheduled Caste

Scheduled Castes and Tribes

The Scheduled Castes , also known as the Dalit, and the Scheduled Tribes are two groupings of historically disadvantaged people that are given express recognition in the Constitution of India...

", as part of their official affirmative action

Affirmative action

Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...

program. The urban Mazbhis have made social and economic progress over the years, and are very active in the Panjab Akali party (Sikh nationalist party). However, poverty and illiteracy is still rampant among the Mazhabi Sikhs living in the rural areas of Punjab.

Music

Balwinder Safri, UK Bhangra Legend and lead vocalist to the Safri Boyz. The Safri Boyz are Britain's
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

biggest selling Bhangra artists and are considered to be one of the most popular bands ever seen in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. He has won numerous "best vocalist" awards as a solo artist and has produced the highly acclaimed album "Get Real".
Hans Raj Hans
Hans Raj Hans
Hans Raj Hans is an Indian Punjabi language singer.Early lifeHans was born in Shafipur, a village near Jalandhar, Punjab, India. He is the second son of Late Sardar Arjan Singh Ji and Mata Ajit Kaur Ji . Hans had no musical history in his family, yet he began singing at a young age. Hans...

famous singer, sang in Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...

film Kachche Dhage
Gippy Grewal famous punjabi singer song like phulkari,hathyar,flower
Labh Heera famous punjabi folk singer
Lehmber Hussainpuri
Lal Chand Yamla Jatt
Hardeep Singh Gill, GA, PUNJAB STATE WAREHOUSING CORPORATION Govt. Of Punjab,INDIA

Personalities & Literature

Daya Singh Arif (1894-1946) One of Punjab's most famous poets and writers of the 20th Century. He was learnt in Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...

, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...

, Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...

, Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...

, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...

and Arabic. He began writing poetry in his teens and published his maiden book Fanah da Makan (Abode of Mortality) in 1914. This was followed by his most popular and famous piece of work Zindagi Bilas (Discourse of life) in 1915. These works were published in many editions bringing him great fame. He also composed historical ballads about the Sikh Gurus, warriors and martyrs called parsangs. The majority of these are lying unpublished with his son. One of his most popular books is Saputtar Bilas which was published in 1921. The Punjab Government held a memorial in his honour, at his native birth place in 1967.
Giani Ditt Singh An influential sikh scholar of the 19th century. Leader of the Lahore group and Tat Khalsa. He was a scholar, author and journalist. He wrote more than forty books covering Sikh doctorine, history, martyrology and social reform.
Bhai Jaswant Singh, Accomplished Writer and Mazhabi Sikh Historian.

≈

Government & politics

Buta Singh, Home Minister under the Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...

government and erstwhile Governor of Bihar. He began his political career with the Akali Dal in 1960 and was elected to the Lok Sabha of Punjab in 1962 but joined the congress party in 1964. He was closely associated with Prime minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...

Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...

and her sons Sanjay Gandhi
Sanjay Gandhi
Sanjay Gandhi was an Indian politician. The younger son of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Feroze Gandhi, he was a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family...

and Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...

.
Charanjit Singh Atwal
Charanjit Singh Atwal
Charanjit Singh Atwal was deputy speaker of the 14th Lok Sabha of India. He represented the Phillaur constituency of Punjab in 14th Lok Sabha and is a member of the Shiromani Akali Dal political party....

, Deputy speaker and speaker in the Indian Houses of Parliament
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...

hails from Ludhiana, Punjab. He is a respected member of the Indian Parliament for 20 years and has over 40 years of service in politics. He has been in the field of politics since 1957 and was elected to the Punjab State Assembly
Punjab Legislative Assembly
The Punjab Legislative Assembly or the Punjab Vidhan Sabha is the unicameral legislature of the state of Punjab in northern India. At present, it consists of 117 members, directly elected from 117 single-seat constituencies. The tenure of the legislative assembly is five years, unless sooner...

in 1977. He is considered among the top hierarchy of the Shiromani Akali Dal
Shiromani Akali Dal
The Shiromani Akali Dal , translation: Supreme Akali Party) is a Sikh nationalist political parties based in Punjab. The current party to be recognized by the Election Commission of India is the one led by Parkash Singh Badal...

.
Sh. Lakhwinder Singh, Indian Forest Service, Chief Conservator of Forests, Kerala
Late.S.Gurmej Singh Gumanpura minister in Late Giani Zail Singh Council Of Ministry & Late Beant Singh council of Ministry (Government of Punjab, India)
Late. Tara Singh Lyalpuri Akali leader & minister (Govt. of Punjab)
Sardool Singh Bundala Ex. Minister in Capt. Amrinder Singh council of ministry in Punjab(India)
Late S.Ajit Singh,Member parliament Bathinda. First and Second Lok sabha.1951-1962
Late S.Sujan Singh,Ex.Minister of state in S.Parkash singh badal Govt. (Dept. of panchayti raj and rural development)

kuldip singh served as DDPO CUM COLLECTOR.Also running Patient Welfare Society at P.G.I. Chandigarh and S.U.S Education and Welfare Society issapur p.o.Dera Bassi Mohali 9417011608.

Military personnel

Naik Darshan Singh MVC, received Maha Vir Chakra
Maha Vir Chakra
The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It may be awarded posthumously. Literally Maha Veer means extraordinarily brave.-Appearance:The medal is made...

for great valour in the face of the enemy.
Sub Maj Bachan Singh MC, awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....

medal during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, Sikh Light Infantry
Sikh Light Infantry
The Sikh Light Infantry previously known as The Mazabhi and Ramdasia Sikh Regiment is an elite Regiment of the Indian Army. Its name was changed to the Sikh Light Infantry in 1944. The Sikh Light Infantry is the successor unit to the Mazhabi Sikh Pioneers 23rd, 32nd and 34th Sikh Pioneers...
Sub Mohinder Singh MC, awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....

medal during World War II, Sikh Light Infantry
Sub Basant Singh IOM, awarded the Indian Order of Merit during World War II, Sikh Light Infantry

Religious & Historical figures

Baba Jeevan Singh, Sikh general and Close and famous associate of Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...

. He was martyred at Chamkaur during the withdrawal from Anandpur in 1704
Baba Sangat Singh, Brother of Baba Jeevan Singh
Bhai Mati Das A Mazhabi Sikh Martyr who accompanied Guru Teg Bahadur
Guru Teg Bahadur
Guru Tegh Bahadur became the 9th Guru of Sikhi on 20 March 1665, following in the footsteps of his grand-nephew, Guru Har Krishan. Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed on the orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi....

to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

. His body was sawn in half.
Bhai Dyala A Mazhabi Sikh Martyr who accompanied Guru Teg Bahadur to Delhi. He was Boiled alive in a cauldron.
Bhai Gurditta He accompanied Guru Teg Bahadur to Delhi.
Bir Singh, Sikh warrior and close associate of Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
Dhir Singh, Sikh warrior and brother of Bir Singh
Nabbau Singh
Bhai Garja Singh
Akali Phula Singh, The most celebrated figure and leader among the Akalis
Akali
In the context of Sikhism, Akali may refer to:*any member of the Khalsa, i.e. the collective body of baptized Sikhs*a term for Nihangs*a politician of the Akali Dal political parties...

He is perhaps the most influential figure during Ranjit Singh's
Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...

reign and fought at the conquests of Kasur, Mahmudkot, and Kashmir. He was killed at the Battle of Naushera.
Sardar
Sardar
Sardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...

Kala Singh A Mazhabi Sikh Clan Chief & Warlord
Warlord
A warlord is a person with power who has both military and civil control over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. The term can also mean one who espouses the ideal that war is necessary, and has the means and authority to engage in war...

, who firmly established Sikh rule in the notorious Gandghar
Gandghar
Gandghar is series of mountains east of the Indus River in Pakistan. The city of Haripur is situated at the front of these mountains. In the south, it is bordered by the Tarbela Dam and in North it borders Hasan Abdal. There are various tribes living on these mountains, especially Mashwani at the...

mountains. He established himself as administrator of Hasan Abdal
Hasan Abdal
Hasan Abdal is an historic town in Northern Punjab, Pakistan. It is located where the Grand Trunk Road meets the Karakoram Highway near the North-West Frontier Province province, northwest of Wah. It is 40 km northwest of Rawalpindi. It has a population of about over 50,000. It is famous for...

and set up his head quarters at Sarai Kali
Sarai Kale Khan
Sarai Kale Khan is a historic locality and a Gujjar village of Basista / Bosatta Gotra , migrated from Khanpur village situated in South Delhi in 16th - 17th Century . During past, it was known as Moocho waali Sarai because every male have had long moustaches, which was a symbol of manliness...

. This was the furthest frontier outpost bordering Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

at the time. Sardar Kala Singh firmly suppressed the fanatical Muslim war chiefs and Pathan
Pathan
Pathan may refer to a member of the:*Pashtun people; an ethnic group native to Pakistan and Afghanistan*Pathans of Punjab*Pathans of Rajasthan*Pathans of Uttar Pradesh*Pathans of Bihar*Pathans of Gujarat*Rohilla...

tribes in the area and established his own authority.

Others

Bhai Atma Singh, Nankana Sahib Martyr
Bhai Kishan Singh, Nankana Sahib Martyr
Bhai Varyam Singh, Nankana Sahib Martyr
Bant Singh
Bant Singh
Bant Singh is a lower caste Mazhabi, Dalit Sikh farmer and singer from the Jhabhar village in Mansa district, Punjab, India, who has emerged as an agricultural labour activist, fighting against the power of the landowner...

, a labour activist, fighting against the power of the landowner. Described by Amit Sengupta as "an icon of Dalit resistance" he has been active in organizing poor, agricultural workers, activism that continues despite a 2006 attack that cost him both of his lower arms and his left leg."

External links

Imperial Gazeteer on Mazhbi
Sikh Light Infantry
Mazhabi
Scheduled Castes
http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/sikh-martyrs/atma-singh-bhai.html
http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/sikh-martyrs/kishan-singh-bhai.html
http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/sikh-martyrs/varyam-singh-bhai.html
DeWitt C. Ellinwood, S. D. Pradhan (1978)India and World War 1. Manohar Publishers p218
Royal Central Asian Society (1936) Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society, Volume 23. Royal Central Asian Society p326
Cyril Ernest Napier Lomax, John De Courcy (1952) The history of the Welch Regiment, 1919-1951. Western Mail & Echo p29
Leigh. M.S (1922) The Punjab and the war. Superintendent, Government Printing, Punjab p49
McQueen. Sir. J.W and Baaghaa. A.S (1994) Unseen faces and untold cases, heroes and villains of Sikh rule Volume 8 of Series in Sikh history and culture. Bahri Publications p106
Anderson. J.D (2011) The Peoples of India. Cambridge University Press p22
Great Britain and the East Volume 46 (1936)Great Britain and the East, Ltd p344
Barstow. A.E (1985) The Sikhs, an ethnology. B.R. Publishing Corporation p97
Barstow. A.E (1985) The Sikhs, an ethnology. B.R. Publishing Corporation p75
McLeod. W.H (2009) The A to Z of Sikhism. Scarecrow Press p59
McLeod. W.H (2009) The A to Z of Sikhism. Scarecrow Press p98
McLeod. W.H (2009) The A to Z of Sikhism. Scarecrow Press p128
Singh. B.L (1995 reprint) Short Sketch of the Life and Works of Guru Gobind Singh. Asian Educational Services p14
Singh. B.L (1995 reprint) Short Sketch of the Life and Works of Guru Gobind Singh. Asian Educational Services p15
Sikh Heritage Website
Glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and NWFP
North-West Frontier Province
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...

, H A Rose
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/force-multiplier/262949/
http://www.indianveterans.com/default_content.php?ssid=15
http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/sikh-political-figures/kala-singh.html
http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/famous-sikh-personalities/daya-singh-arif.html
Congressional Record, V. 147, Pt. 8, June 12, 2001 to June 25, 2001 p11493
Pathak, B and Lal, A.K. (2003)Social exclusion: essays in honour of Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Volume 1. Concept Publishing Company p291
Broughton, S., Ellingham, M., Trillo, R. (1999) World music: the rough guide. Africa, Europe and the Middle East, Volume 1. Rough Guides p88
Broughton, S., Ellingham, M., Trillo, R. (1999) World music: the rough guide. Africa, Europe and the Middle East, Volume 1. Rough Guides p89
Samar (Organization). (1994)SAMAR, Issues 4-6. Samar p37
Nalwa, V. (2009)Hari Singh Nalwa, "champion of the Khalsaji" (1791-1837). Hari Singh Nalwa - Khalsaji p305

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History

Reputation as soldiers

Social status

Music

Personalities & Literature

Government & politics

Military personnel

Religious & Historical figures

Others

See also

External links