- Sep 3, 2009
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The Nirmalas descended into Sikh Gurdwaras and institutions from Benares beginning 1765 bolstered by the following six factors:
The damage they did to Sikhi will go way beyond that done by the Udasis. This is because they infiltrated into the inner sanctums of the Sikh psyche – our philosophy, literature and Gurbani interpretation and translation – areas which the Udasis had not stepped foot.
In short the Nirmalas would make for a superior breed of hijackers of Sikh spirituality. The reason why they called themselves NIRMALEY was to fool the Sikhs into believing that they were indeed the PURE KHALSAS. And that the rest were Un-Nirmal – either incomplete, impure, or of lower order.
ESTABLISHTING LEGITIMACY THROUGH THE BIG NIRMALA BLUFF
The Nirmalas used a historical cum philosophical lie to establish their legitimacy amongst Sikhs. They created a fake narrative that Guru Gobind Singh ji ordered five Sikhs to become and remain celibate (bhramcharee). He then ordered them to go to Kanshee (Benares now) to study Sanskrit and the Vedas.
The story is patently fake on a number of accounts as follows:
In the entire gamut of Sikh literature, the above story cannot be found except for a single mention in the Mahan Kosh. The five sentence para therein makes no mention of whether and when they returned from Benares and what role, if any was accorded to them by Guru Gobind Singh. They were celibate; hence had no offspring. Even if they did go to Benares; it is likely that they all died in Benares.
WHAT IS THE TRUTH THEN REGARDING THE ORIGIN OF THE NIRMALAS?
There is historical evidence that the first group of Nirmalas came from Benares to Punjab after 1765 (57 years after the demise of the tenth Guru) – in the aftermath of the destruction of the Darbar Sahib by Ahmad Shah Durani in 1764.[1] Durani reduced Darbar Sahib to rubble by dynamite and it remained that way till 1765.
It was 1765 that the genuine Sikhs had a Sarbat Khalsa in the jungles and took a decision to rebuild the Darbar Sahib. It was expected to be slow and tedious process – given the fact that authentic Sikhs did not have the freedom of movement; let alone the resources; and that the Udasi controllers and managers of Darbar Sahib had fled the scene.
This decision to rebuild was thus conveyed far and wide and it reached Benares. It was a perfect opportunity for the Nirmalas who were centered in Benares then, to travel to Punjab for the purpose of taking over the Darbar Sahib.
The most influential group of Nirmalas was led by an individual who took the name of Surat Singh. He had dreams of taking control of Darbar Sahib as the Nirmala headquarters. He completed the Nirmala take-over of Darbar Sahib by 1780 by which time it had become the center of Nirmala thought.
Surat Singh was a Vedic intellectual who was a prolific writer, poet and kathakaar of the Vedas, Upnishads and other Snatan texts.
While in Punjab and having infiltrated the Sikh Gurdwaras he started travelling and doing katha of Gurbani in full Vedic slant.
Surat Singh’s son Sant Singh, born and educated in Punjab, got appointed as granthi of Darbar Sahib. He remained so throughout the period of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1799 – 1839) by getting into the good books of the emperor.
Sant Singh’s son Gurmukh Singh became leader of Akaal Bunga (which would subsequently be renamed Akaal Takat). So for all intents and purpose the Nirmalas had succeeded in taking over the highest seat of Sikh Authority within 70 years of the culmination of the Guru period.
Gurmukh Singh’s son Ripduman Singh would become granthi of Darbar Sahib and of Akaal Bunga. Granthi Sant Singh had a chela – Darbara Singh; who too would be appointed a granthi at Darbar Sahib
SO, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THE NIRMALAS CONTROLLED DARBAR SAHIB FROM 1780 – 1920 (140 years). The period translates into 6 Generations. This also means that they controlled the maryada at Darbar Sahib (and most other major Gurdwaras for one century and half. During this period the Nirmalas – by virtue of their superiority in terms of intellect, resources, passion and intent – succeeded in easing out the Udasis from virtually all major Sikh Gurdwaras.
CORRUPTING THE SIKH PSYCHE – REVERTING SIKHI TO VEDANTIC SLANTS
As stated above, the Nirmalas – primarily by virtue of their Benares education, experience and backing – were better equipped to distort and corrupt Sikhi. They did this by infiltrating into the inner sanctums of the Sikh psyche – our philosophy, literature and Gurbani interpretation and translation.
Virtually all the (mostly distorted) texts that the Nirmalas wrote during the 140 years they were in control of Sikhi are considered “Classical Sikh Texts” or “Puratan Itihas” by Sikhs. This false regard for them is due to the following four reasons.
FIRST, when the primary texts were composed, the authentic Sikhs were still busy fighting for survival or consolidating themselves. They were never in a position to systematically weigh these texts for their validity, veracity and accuracy. Above all, authentic Sikhs were NOT able to see if the texts measured up to the philosophy of Gurbani.
SECOND, the Nirmalas – because they were in control of a large number of Sikh Gurdwaras, were actively propagating these texts in the name of “Sikhi Parchar.” Over the 6 generations that they held sway over the Sikh psyche, the distortions came to be accepted as the “truths” of Sikhi.
Even today, a large number of Gurdwaras have their clergy do katha of the Suraj Parksash granth – a highly distorted, adulterated and blasphemous multi-volume text of the “history” of our ten Gurus written by a Nirmala poet Kavi Santokh Singh with the help of scores of Bhramin scholars.
THIRD, these distorted “Classical Texts” became the text books of Nirmala controlled institutions that trained Sikh Clergy – ragis, kathakaars, parharaks etc –allowing for continuous and cyclic propagation of the distortions in these texts.
FOURTH, the nature of the subject matter of these “classical texts” were such that they relied heavily on Brahmanical mythology, supernatural deeds, strange phenomenon, mystical narratives, paranormal chronicles, magical deeds, miraculous powers etc – stuff wholly rejected by Gurbani, but immensely liked and preferred by the Sikh masses who, as a result of sustained efforts of adulteration of Sikhi, had become gullible and amenable to such distortions.
FIFTH, as time went by, increasing number of Nirmalas occupied positions of authority and influence in Sikh institutions – including the SGPC. Instead of protecting the sanctity of true and authentic Sikhi principles as enshrined in the SGGS, these Nirmala “Sikh leaders” defended and sanctified the distorted texts.
SIXTH – as the Nirmalas began to EXPAND their bases to Deras and Taksals, these institutions then became their centers of influence. These Deras – because they are NOT in mainstream Sikhi and thus subjected to virtually no scrutiny by Sikh intelligentsia – were able to keep propagating the distorted texts indefinitely. (More about the roots of the Deras in Nirmala thought in Part 4).
WHAT THE NIRMALAS DID.
The following is a sampling of the so called “Classical Texts” that were written by the Nirmalas. All of them have become deeply embedded in Sikh psyche due to the six factors as explained in the preceding paragraph.
Nirmala Soorat Singh wrote the JANAM SAKHI of Guru Nanak – a highly distorted text of the entire life story of Guru Nanak – and labelled it as Bhai Mani Singh Walee – meaning authored by Bhai ji.
The use of Bhai Mani Singh’s name is both a lie and purposive. It’s a lie because Bhai Mani Singh’s shaheedee is 24 June 1734; while Soorat Singh entered Punjab after the Sarbat Khalsa of 1765.
The lie is purposive because the Nirmalas understood the fact that Sikhs would accept literature under the name of Bhai Mani Singh ji, but may have apprehensions about Nirmala writers who were in the early stages of their infiltration into Sikhi.
The Nirmalas were educated. They could have written under their own names. This act of hiding behind respected Sikhs or anonymity – on its own exposes their agenda which was that they wanted to be the hidden hand behind the corruption of Sikhi.
Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha has exposed three more major texts that were authored by Nirmalas as ghost writers but put under the names of others.
It is interesting to note that Gurbilas Patshai 6 has remained a standard text for Sikh Clergy. It was banned in the 1970s by a decree of the Akaal Takhat due its deviant and deeply blasphemous content[2].
Three decades later, in 1998, as a reflection of the control of the modern day Nirmalas on Akaal Takhat; the Gurbilas Pathahi 6 was republished by none other than the then head granthi of the Darbar Sahib – Gyani Joginder Singh Vedanti – who would later become Jathedar of Akaal Takhat. The republished blasphemous book contains forewords from virtually every significant Sikh Clergy.[3]
It is a sign of almost complete infiltration of Nirmala thought into modern day Sikhi that a new breed of Nirmalas had – in 1998 – gathered the courage to publish the offensive Gurbilas Patshahi 6 under their own names – something the ORIGINAL Nirmala writers – Gurmukh Singh and Darbara Singh – were unable to do.
The deeply intellectual and courageous Gyani Gurbaksh Singh Kala Afghana published a book exposing the para by para distortion of Gurbilas Patshahi 6 in 2002 and the blasphemous text was withdrawn once again.[4]
The Nirmalas knew that authentic Sikhs would not accept Bhagat Maal. To achieve believability as well as to keep their hand hidden, it too was published under the name of Bhai Mani Singh.
It is worth noting that the “Rehatnamas” have not escaped the Nirmala scheme of adulteration. It is for this reason that one finds voluminous injunctions that are totally anti-Gurmat in them. Anti-woman commands, directives that advocate the use of drugs and liquor, and the involvement of Hindu mythological gods and goddesses during the 1699 ceremony are examples of dictates that are found in the Rehatnamas authored by the Nirmalas under the names of prominent Sikhs who were contemporaries of the tenth Guru.
It is interesting to note that virtually all texts composed by the Nirmalas have a standard outline. Each portion begins with a Sikh posing a question to the Guru. The Guru’s “answer” serves two objectives: one it allows the Nirmala writers to add Brahmin stuff to fool the Sikhs; two, it allows the Nirmala writer to put the deviant reply “under the name and authority of the Guru.”
THE EPITOME OF NIRMALA DISTORTION – THE SURAJ PARKASH GRANTH
Authored in 1843 by ‘Kavi Churamani’ Bhai Santokh Singh, a shining star of the Nirmala Sect, the ‘Sri Gur Partap Suraj granth’ commonly known as simply ‘Suraj Parkash’, is perhaps the MOST voluminous and LARGEST text of Sikh history and philosophy.
It is written in complicated Brij poetic language – with an almost complete Brahmanical and Vedic twist. The subject matter of the Suraj Parkash comprises the lives of the Ten Gurus and the story of Banda Singh Bahadur. The chapter on Guru Nanak is given special emphasis – as if to root bippar beliefs into the origins of Sikhi from 1469 itself.
The organization and structure of the text is reflective of Brahmanism. Its 51,829 verses are divided into portions, rut (season), according to the twelve signs of the zodiac, sub- cosmic metaphor of suraj, i.e. the sun divided into chapters called arisu (rays). The sections are named after the sun’s course, viz. the twelve zodiacal signs, the six seasons and the two solstices (winter and summer solstices) which in turn comprise 1151 sunbeams, each one comprising a chapter.
The poetry of the text is complex – by design – to allow only the Clergy to interpret it for the masses. The subject matter is blasphemous at times and Clergy were expected to judge their audiences and skip these parts where necessary.[5]
The Suraj Parkash was translated exhaustively into prose Punjabi, by the Nirmala Bhai Vir Singh in a 14-volume annotated edition published during the period 1927-35.
It is a tragedy that Nirmala Bhai Vir Singh is held in such high esteem in the Sikh Panth, when his biggest contribution is to popularize the distortion of the lives of our Gurus. In essence, Vir Singh brought the elitist Suraj Pakash into the grasp of the lay Sikh.
Vast number of Sikh historians such as Principal Satbir Singh have merely regurgitated the Suraj Parkash without making any attempt to weigh its contents against the principles of Sikhi, Gurmat and Gurbani.
The Sikh Panth has since come to recognize the deviation that is Suraj Parkash. In 2004 the Dharam Parchar Committee of SGPC, acting on complaints from Sikhs about the anti-Sikh information being spread through “classical texts” and on the advice of the Sikh scholars and historians, launched the ‘Sikh Srot Ithasik Granth Sampadna Project’.
The project was tasked with fresh editing of the classical Sikh literature in order to present the correct version of the history of the Gurus and the Khalsa Panth. Dr Kirpal Singh, a prominent historian, and chairman of the Institute of Gurmat Studies Chandigarh was tasked with the job.
The Suraj Parkash was chosen first of all because of its popularity amongst Sikh clergy and severe disinformation contained in this epic. The first four volumes of this edited version (covering Part One of the Suraj Parkash pertaining to Guru Nanak) were published in 2009.
As an indication of the deep rooted nature of the Nirmala infiltration into Sikh thought, despite its massive adulteration, the Suraj Parkash remains the standard text for all dera and taksaal trained Clergy – granthis and kathakaars in particular. It is usual for these kathakaars to hold serial discourses on the text of Suraj Prakash in gurdwaras, normally in the afternoons or evenings. The same in done in the Darbar Sahib Complex on a daily basis.
It is perhaps a sign of the success of the Nirmalas that large numbers of Sikhs have chosen to partake in regular discourse of this deviant, distorted and blasphemous text instead of the enlightening Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji.
This despite the revelation by the learned scholars of SGGS ji that the Suraj Parkash is 95 percent in contradiction to the SGGS ji.
Nirmala Santokh Singh thus stands as the lead hijacker of the Sikh belief system and the Suraj Parkash Granth as his primary weapon. He stands as the one Nirmala doyen, an icon and epitome of the massive and deepest corruption of the Sikh psyche. His success is unmatched. Permanent perhaps.
His adulteration of the Sikhi of our Gurus sits within the deepest recesses of the Sikh mind, institutions and our clergy. It is difficult to imagine that Sikhs will be able to free themselves from the shackles of the darkness that Santokh Singh transmitted through Suraj Parkash.
THE EPITOME OF NIRMALA DISTORTION – THE TRANSLATIONS OF THE SGGS.
The Nirmalas were not content on distorting the history of the Sikh Gurus and Bhagats. They ventured into providing translations of Gurbani by giving it Vedic and Bhramanic interpretations.
Nirmala Kavi Santokh Singh was amongst the first to provide a translation of Guru Nanak’s Jup Banee. His Garab-Ganjnee Teeka set the tone for Sikh clergy to interpret Gurbani as an extension of Vedic, Puranic and Bhramanical beliefs. This Teeka was financed by the Maharaja of Kaithalpatee Udey Singh.
It is ironic that Udey Singh would select Nirmala Santokh Singh to translate Guru Nanak’s seminal banee after being impressed with Santokh Singh’s two major works – The Balmiki Ramayan and Atum Puran. It is equally ironic that a scholar of Vedic and Puranic Texts names his Teeka as Garab-Ganjnee. He explains his choice on page 184[6] as containing an understanding of Jup Banee to the extent that it will “break the ego of anyone who thinks he or she knows the meanings of Jup.”
It is most ironic that Sikhs have regarded this epitome of ego that is Garab-Ganjnee to be considered “authentic and authorative.”
In 1883, a group of Nirmalas would come together to provide a translation of the entire Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. The outcome would be the Fareedkoti Teeka – known after the rulers of Faridkot state who financed the venture. The first copy would be printed in 1906 at Wazir Hind Press Amritsar; which was owned by Nirmala Bhai Vir Singh.[7]
THOUGH THIS TEEKA, THE NIRMALAS SUCCEEDED IN TURNING THE SGGS INTO THE FIFTH VEDAS. For all future attempts in translating the SGGS, the Fareedkoti Teeka would became the standard reference. The result would be that Sikhs would never be able to shed the Vedantic slant towards Gurbani.
Gyani Gurmukh Singh of the Singh Sabha Movement – a reform initiative aimed at cleansing Sikhi of Udasi, Nirmala and Vedic influences – stood in opposition to the Fareedkoti Teeka. The Movement’s position was that the translation ought to be done by eminent and learned Gursikhs who could provide an authentic (Tatt Gurmat) translation of the SGGS.
Gyani Gurmukh Singh was in turn excommunicated by the Akaal Takhat clergy who had – together with a majority of the clergy – been un-moved by the infusion of Vedic stuff into Sikhi.
THE NIRMALA INFLUENCE ON SIKHI TODAY
The Nirmala influence on Sikhi today is deeply rooted, very widespread and clearly observable. The Nirmalas and their thought systems have especially infiltrated the Deras, Taksaals, Gurdwaras, Sikh Institutions, Sikh Clergy, Gurbani Understanding and the Sikh Psyche. More on this in PART 5 of this Series.
It can thus be argued that the average Sikh individual and institution today is permeated in Nirmala thought. Such deep and widespread is the Nirmala inculcated Vedic / Bhramanic influence on Sikhi that it is difficult to imagine Sikhi being freed from the shackles of this virus.
While efforts to take Sikhi back to its original and unique self (Tatt Gurmat) are being undertaken by groups (such as missionary parcharaks and modern day Singh Sabha movements) who are passionate about ridding Sikhi of the Nirmala and Udasi influence, there has been a backlash from the Taksalee and Dera groups under the auspices of the Sant Samaj to promote the Nirmala influence even more.
Part FOUR will look at the Sant / Dera / Talsalee groups’ role in the hijacking of Sikhi.
Next PART FOUR: Sikhi Hijacked: The Dera Sants.
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- There was a vacuum of leadership and control of Sikh Gurdwaras, given that genuine Sikhs were very much in the wilderness and in survival for life mode;
- The Udasis had for 50 years proven that deviant and anti-Sikh groups could succeed in running and controlling Sikh Gurdwaras with impunity, thus providing the Nirmalas with a working model;
- There was an abundance of Sikh Gurdwaras that were still available for occupation and control for the Nirmalas, allowing them to creep in and take control surreptitiously;
- In their half century occupation of Sikh Gurdwaras and institutions the Udasis had distorted, corrupted and tainted Sikhi, making it easier for other deviant groups to infiltrate with impunity. Sikhi had been amply distorted by the Udasis – for almost 3 generations – to the extent that Sikhs were willing to accept Nirmala control with open arms even;
- The Nirmalas – given their Benares education, origin and backing – were inherently superior in intellect, capacity, numbers as well as spiritual prowess (albeit Vedic) to actually replace the Udasis as the primary occupants and controllers of Sikh Gurdwaras and institutions.
- The Benares-based Nirmalas were intimately connected to Brahmanism – the enemy of Sikhi from the day Guru Nanak refused to adorn the Janeyu – rejecting Bippar domination in essence. The Nirmalas thus had a much deeper passion and greater drive to corrupt and dominate Sikhi than the Udasis.
The damage they did to Sikhi will go way beyond that done by the Udasis. This is because they infiltrated into the inner sanctums of the Sikh psyche – our philosophy, literature and Gurbani interpretation and translation – areas which the Udasis had not stepped foot.
In short the Nirmalas would make for a superior breed of hijackers of Sikh spirituality. The reason why they called themselves NIRMALEY was to fool the Sikhs into believing that they were indeed the PURE KHALSAS. And that the rest were Un-Nirmal – either incomplete, impure, or of lower order.
ESTABLISHTING LEGITIMACY THROUGH THE BIG NIRMALA BLUFF
The Nirmalas used a historical cum philosophical lie to establish their legitimacy amongst Sikhs. They created a fake narrative that Guru Gobind Singh ji ordered five Sikhs to become and remain celibate (bhramcharee). He then ordered them to go to Kanshee (Benares now) to study Sanskrit and the Vedas.
The story is patently fake on a number of accounts as follows:
- Guru Gobind Singh ji was a Sanskrit scholar; in the tradition of Guru Nanak and Guru Arjun ji. The Guru Granth Sahib contains compositions and entire Banees of Guru Nanak and Guru Arjun ji in Sanskrit titled Salok Seheskrtiti Mehla 1 and Mehla 5. (SGGS 1353 – 1361). Sikhs were thus already exposed to Sanskrit in the spiritual context. It is therefore inconceivable that Guru ji would send Sikhs to Benares to study Sanskrit instead of teaching them in their Sikhi locations.
- Guru Gobind Singh ji had Sanskrit scholars in his Darbar. Kirpa Raam Duut was a top notch Sanskrit scholar with Guru ji. He was tasked with teaching Sanskrit to Sikhs. Sikhs in Punjab were well versed in Sanskrit. Jhajju Jheevar in Pajokhra Village for example was a Sanskrit scholar. For someone considered to be of a “low caste Jheevar” to become a Sanskrit scholar meant that large number of Sikhs across all sections of society had a working knowledge of Sanskrit. It is thus improbable that any of our Gurus had to send Sikhs to Benares to study a language.
- Gristh or life as a householder is a core principle of Sikhi. All our Gurus with the exception of 8 year old Guru Harkrishen ji were all Gristhees – married with families. It is thus unthinkable that Guru Gobind Singh ji would order five Sikhs to be non-Ghristhee – celibate; more so because the SGGS critiques and rebukes celibacy. No Guru would instruct a Sikh to go against the tenets of Gurbani.
In the entire gamut of Sikh literature, the above story cannot be found except for a single mention in the Mahan Kosh. The five sentence para therein makes no mention of whether and when they returned from Benares and what role, if any was accorded to them by Guru Gobind Singh. They were celibate; hence had no offspring. Even if they did go to Benares; it is likely that they all died in Benares.
WHAT IS THE TRUTH THEN REGARDING THE ORIGIN OF THE NIRMALAS?
There is historical evidence that the first group of Nirmalas came from Benares to Punjab after 1765 (57 years after the demise of the tenth Guru) – in the aftermath of the destruction of the Darbar Sahib by Ahmad Shah Durani in 1764.[1] Durani reduced Darbar Sahib to rubble by dynamite and it remained that way till 1765.
It was 1765 that the genuine Sikhs had a Sarbat Khalsa in the jungles and took a decision to rebuild the Darbar Sahib. It was expected to be slow and tedious process – given the fact that authentic Sikhs did not have the freedom of movement; let alone the resources; and that the Udasi controllers and managers of Darbar Sahib had fled the scene.
This decision to rebuild was thus conveyed far and wide and it reached Benares. It was a perfect opportunity for the Nirmalas who were centered in Benares then, to travel to Punjab for the purpose of taking over the Darbar Sahib.
The most influential group of Nirmalas was led by an individual who took the name of Surat Singh. He had dreams of taking control of Darbar Sahib as the Nirmala headquarters. He completed the Nirmala take-over of Darbar Sahib by 1780 by which time it had become the center of Nirmala thought.
Surat Singh was a Vedic intellectual who was a prolific writer, poet and kathakaar of the Vedas, Upnishads and other Snatan texts.
While in Punjab and having infiltrated the Sikh Gurdwaras he started travelling and doing katha of Gurbani in full Vedic slant.
Surat Singh’s son Sant Singh, born and educated in Punjab, got appointed as granthi of Darbar Sahib. He remained so throughout the period of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1799 – 1839) by getting into the good books of the emperor.
Sant Singh’s son Gurmukh Singh became leader of Akaal Bunga (which would subsequently be renamed Akaal Takat). So for all intents and purpose the Nirmalas had succeeded in taking over the highest seat of Sikh Authority within 70 years of the culmination of the Guru period.
Gurmukh Singh’s son Ripduman Singh would become granthi of Darbar Sahib and of Akaal Bunga. Granthi Sant Singh had a chela – Darbara Singh; who too would be appointed a granthi at Darbar Sahib
SO, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THE NIRMALAS CONTROLLED DARBAR SAHIB FROM 1780 – 1920 (140 years). The period translates into 6 Generations. This also means that they controlled the maryada at Darbar Sahib (and most other major Gurdwaras for one century and half. During this period the Nirmalas – by virtue of their superiority in terms of intellect, resources, passion and intent – succeeded in easing out the Udasis from virtually all major Sikh Gurdwaras.
CORRUPTING THE SIKH PSYCHE – REVERTING SIKHI TO VEDANTIC SLANTS
As stated above, the Nirmalas – primarily by virtue of their Benares education, experience and backing – were better equipped to distort and corrupt Sikhi. They did this by infiltrating into the inner sanctums of the Sikh psyche – our philosophy, literature and Gurbani interpretation and translation.
Virtually all the (mostly distorted) texts that the Nirmalas wrote during the 140 years they were in control of Sikhi are considered “Classical Sikh Texts” or “Puratan Itihas” by Sikhs. This false regard for them is due to the following four reasons.
FIRST, when the primary texts were composed, the authentic Sikhs were still busy fighting for survival or consolidating themselves. They were never in a position to systematically weigh these texts for their validity, veracity and accuracy. Above all, authentic Sikhs were NOT able to see if the texts measured up to the philosophy of Gurbani.
SECOND, the Nirmalas – because they were in control of a large number of Sikh Gurdwaras, were actively propagating these texts in the name of “Sikhi Parchar.” Over the 6 generations that they held sway over the Sikh psyche, the distortions came to be accepted as the “truths” of Sikhi.
Even today, a large number of Gurdwaras have their clergy do katha of the Suraj Parksash granth – a highly distorted, adulterated and blasphemous multi-volume text of the “history” of our ten Gurus written by a Nirmala poet Kavi Santokh Singh with the help of scores of Bhramin scholars.
THIRD, these distorted “Classical Texts” became the text books of Nirmala controlled institutions that trained Sikh Clergy – ragis, kathakaars, parharaks etc –allowing for continuous and cyclic propagation of the distortions in these texts.
FOURTH, the nature of the subject matter of these “classical texts” were such that they relied heavily on Brahmanical mythology, supernatural deeds, strange phenomenon, mystical narratives, paranormal chronicles, magical deeds, miraculous powers etc – stuff wholly rejected by Gurbani, but immensely liked and preferred by the Sikh masses who, as a result of sustained efforts of adulteration of Sikhi, had become gullible and amenable to such distortions.
FIFTH, as time went by, increasing number of Nirmalas occupied positions of authority and influence in Sikh institutions – including the SGPC. Instead of protecting the sanctity of true and authentic Sikhi principles as enshrined in the SGGS, these Nirmala “Sikh leaders” defended and sanctified the distorted texts.
SIXTH – as the Nirmalas began to EXPAND their bases to Deras and Taksals, these institutions then became their centers of influence. These Deras – because they are NOT in mainstream Sikhi and thus subjected to virtually no scrutiny by Sikh intelligentsia – were able to keep propagating the distorted texts indefinitely. (More about the roots of the Deras in Nirmala thought in Part 4).
WHAT THE NIRMALAS DID.
The following is a sampling of the so called “Classical Texts” that were written by the Nirmalas. All of them have become deeply embedded in Sikh psyche due to the six factors as explained in the preceding paragraph.
Nirmala Soorat Singh wrote the JANAM SAKHI of Guru Nanak – a highly distorted text of the entire life story of Guru Nanak – and labelled it as Bhai Mani Singh Walee – meaning authored by Bhai ji.
The use of Bhai Mani Singh’s name is both a lie and purposive. It’s a lie because Bhai Mani Singh’s shaheedee is 24 June 1734; while Soorat Singh entered Punjab after the Sarbat Khalsa of 1765.
The lie is purposive because the Nirmalas understood the fact that Sikhs would accept literature under the name of Bhai Mani Singh ji, but may have apprehensions about Nirmala writers who were in the early stages of their infiltration into Sikhi.
The Nirmalas were educated. They could have written under their own names. This act of hiding behind respected Sikhs or anonymity – on its own exposes their agenda which was that they wanted to be the hidden hand behind the corruption of Sikhi.
Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha has exposed three more major texts that were authored by Nirmalas as ghost writers but put under the names of others.
- Gurbilas Patshahi 6. This is a blasphemous book about the “life” of Guru Hargobind Ji that was authored by Nirmalas Gurmukh Singh and Darbara Singh during the period 1830 – 1840. Prior to Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha’s expose’ the Nimalas had spread the lie that an individual by the name of Sohan Kavi had authored it.
It is interesting to note that Gurbilas Patshai 6 has remained a standard text for Sikh Clergy. It was banned in the 1970s by a decree of the Akaal Takhat due its deviant and deeply blasphemous content[2].
Three decades later, in 1998, as a reflection of the control of the modern day Nirmalas on Akaal Takhat; the Gurbilas Pathahi 6 was republished by none other than the then head granthi of the Darbar Sahib – Gyani Joginder Singh Vedanti – who would later become Jathedar of Akaal Takhat. The republished blasphemous book contains forewords from virtually every significant Sikh Clergy.[3]
It is a sign of almost complete infiltration of Nirmala thought into modern day Sikhi that a new breed of Nirmalas had – in 1998 – gathered the courage to publish the offensive Gurbilas Patshahi 6 under their own names – something the ORIGINAL Nirmala writers – Gurmukh Singh and Darbara Singh – were unable to do.
The deeply intellectual and courageous Gyani Gurbaksh Singh Kala Afghana published a book exposing the para by para distortion of Gurbilas Patshahi 6 in 2002 and the blasphemous text was withdrawn once again.[4]
- Bhagat Maal. This book containing fake and anti-Gurmat stories relating to the lives of the Bhagats that have their Banee in the SGGS was written by Nirmla Surat Singh. The sole objectives of this book was to corrupt the legacy of the Bhagats.
The Nirmalas knew that authentic Sikhs would not accept Bhagat Maal. To achieve believability as well as to keep their hand hidden, it too was published under the name of Bhai Mani Singh.
- Bhagat Ratnawlee. This book is also authored by Nirmala Surat Singh. Its objective is to embroil the Bhagats in Brahminwaad and portray them part and parcel of the bippar clergy.
It is worth noting that the “Rehatnamas” have not escaped the Nirmala scheme of adulteration. It is for this reason that one finds voluminous injunctions that are totally anti-Gurmat in them. Anti-woman commands, directives that advocate the use of drugs and liquor, and the involvement of Hindu mythological gods and goddesses during the 1699 ceremony are examples of dictates that are found in the Rehatnamas authored by the Nirmalas under the names of prominent Sikhs who were contemporaries of the tenth Guru.
It is interesting to note that virtually all texts composed by the Nirmalas have a standard outline. Each portion begins with a Sikh posing a question to the Guru. The Guru’s “answer” serves two objectives: one it allows the Nirmala writers to add Brahmin stuff to fool the Sikhs; two, it allows the Nirmala writer to put the deviant reply “under the name and authority of the Guru.”
THE EPITOME OF NIRMALA DISTORTION – THE SURAJ PARKASH GRANTH
Authored in 1843 by ‘Kavi Churamani’ Bhai Santokh Singh, a shining star of the Nirmala Sect, the ‘Sri Gur Partap Suraj granth’ commonly known as simply ‘Suraj Parkash’, is perhaps the MOST voluminous and LARGEST text of Sikh history and philosophy.
It is written in complicated Brij poetic language – with an almost complete Brahmanical and Vedic twist. The subject matter of the Suraj Parkash comprises the lives of the Ten Gurus and the story of Banda Singh Bahadur. The chapter on Guru Nanak is given special emphasis – as if to root bippar beliefs into the origins of Sikhi from 1469 itself.
The organization and structure of the text is reflective of Brahmanism. Its 51,829 verses are divided into portions, rut (season), according to the twelve signs of the zodiac, sub- cosmic metaphor of suraj, i.e. the sun divided into chapters called arisu (rays). The sections are named after the sun’s course, viz. the twelve zodiacal signs, the six seasons and the two solstices (winter and summer solstices) which in turn comprise 1151 sunbeams, each one comprising a chapter.
The poetry of the text is complex – by design – to allow only the Clergy to interpret it for the masses. The subject matter is blasphemous at times and Clergy were expected to judge their audiences and skip these parts where necessary.[5]
The Suraj Parkash was translated exhaustively into prose Punjabi, by the Nirmala Bhai Vir Singh in a 14-volume annotated edition published during the period 1927-35.
It is a tragedy that Nirmala Bhai Vir Singh is held in such high esteem in the Sikh Panth, when his biggest contribution is to popularize the distortion of the lives of our Gurus. In essence, Vir Singh brought the elitist Suraj Pakash into the grasp of the lay Sikh.
Vast number of Sikh historians such as Principal Satbir Singh have merely regurgitated the Suraj Parkash without making any attempt to weigh its contents against the principles of Sikhi, Gurmat and Gurbani.
The Sikh Panth has since come to recognize the deviation that is Suraj Parkash. In 2004 the Dharam Parchar Committee of SGPC, acting on complaints from Sikhs about the anti-Sikh information being spread through “classical texts” and on the advice of the Sikh scholars and historians, launched the ‘Sikh Srot Ithasik Granth Sampadna Project’.
The project was tasked with fresh editing of the classical Sikh literature in order to present the correct version of the history of the Gurus and the Khalsa Panth. Dr Kirpal Singh, a prominent historian, and chairman of the Institute of Gurmat Studies Chandigarh was tasked with the job.
The Suraj Parkash was chosen first of all because of its popularity amongst Sikh clergy and severe disinformation contained in this epic. The first four volumes of this edited version (covering Part One of the Suraj Parkash pertaining to Guru Nanak) were published in 2009.
As an indication of the deep rooted nature of the Nirmala infiltration into Sikh thought, despite its massive adulteration, the Suraj Parkash remains the standard text for all dera and taksaal trained Clergy – granthis and kathakaars in particular. It is usual for these kathakaars to hold serial discourses on the text of Suraj Prakash in gurdwaras, normally in the afternoons or evenings. The same in done in the Darbar Sahib Complex on a daily basis.
It is perhaps a sign of the success of the Nirmalas that large numbers of Sikhs have chosen to partake in regular discourse of this deviant, distorted and blasphemous text instead of the enlightening Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji.
This despite the revelation by the learned scholars of SGGS ji that the Suraj Parkash is 95 percent in contradiction to the SGGS ji.
Nirmala Santokh Singh thus stands as the lead hijacker of the Sikh belief system and the Suraj Parkash Granth as his primary weapon. He stands as the one Nirmala doyen, an icon and epitome of the massive and deepest corruption of the Sikh psyche. His success is unmatched. Permanent perhaps.
His adulteration of the Sikhi of our Gurus sits within the deepest recesses of the Sikh mind, institutions and our clergy. It is difficult to imagine that Sikhs will be able to free themselves from the shackles of the darkness that Santokh Singh transmitted through Suraj Parkash.
THE EPITOME OF NIRMALA DISTORTION – THE TRANSLATIONS OF THE SGGS.
The Nirmalas were not content on distorting the history of the Sikh Gurus and Bhagats. They ventured into providing translations of Gurbani by giving it Vedic and Bhramanic interpretations.
Nirmala Kavi Santokh Singh was amongst the first to provide a translation of Guru Nanak’s Jup Banee. His Garab-Ganjnee Teeka set the tone for Sikh clergy to interpret Gurbani as an extension of Vedic, Puranic and Bhramanical beliefs. This Teeka was financed by the Maharaja of Kaithalpatee Udey Singh.
It is ironic that Udey Singh would select Nirmala Santokh Singh to translate Guru Nanak’s seminal banee after being impressed with Santokh Singh’s two major works – The Balmiki Ramayan and Atum Puran. It is equally ironic that a scholar of Vedic and Puranic Texts names his Teeka as Garab-Ganjnee. He explains his choice on page 184[6] as containing an understanding of Jup Banee to the extent that it will “break the ego of anyone who thinks he or she knows the meanings of Jup.”
It is most ironic that Sikhs have regarded this epitome of ego that is Garab-Ganjnee to be considered “authentic and authorative.”
In 1883, a group of Nirmalas would come together to provide a translation of the entire Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. The outcome would be the Fareedkoti Teeka – known after the rulers of Faridkot state who financed the venture. The first copy would be printed in 1906 at Wazir Hind Press Amritsar; which was owned by Nirmala Bhai Vir Singh.[7]
THOUGH THIS TEEKA, THE NIRMALAS SUCCEEDED IN TURNING THE SGGS INTO THE FIFTH VEDAS. For all future attempts in translating the SGGS, the Fareedkoti Teeka would became the standard reference. The result would be that Sikhs would never be able to shed the Vedantic slant towards Gurbani.
Gyani Gurmukh Singh of the Singh Sabha Movement – a reform initiative aimed at cleansing Sikhi of Udasi, Nirmala and Vedic influences – stood in opposition to the Fareedkoti Teeka. The Movement’s position was that the translation ought to be done by eminent and learned Gursikhs who could provide an authentic (Tatt Gurmat) translation of the SGGS.
Gyani Gurmukh Singh was in turn excommunicated by the Akaal Takhat clergy who had – together with a majority of the clergy – been un-moved by the infusion of Vedic stuff into Sikhi.
THE NIRMALA INFLUENCE ON SIKHI TODAY
The Nirmala influence on Sikhi today is deeply rooted, very widespread and clearly observable. The Nirmalas and their thought systems have especially infiltrated the Deras, Taksaals, Gurdwaras, Sikh Institutions, Sikh Clergy, Gurbani Understanding and the Sikh Psyche. More on this in PART 5 of this Series.
It can thus be argued that the average Sikh individual and institution today is permeated in Nirmala thought. Such deep and widespread is the Nirmala inculcated Vedic / Bhramanic influence on Sikhi that it is difficult to imagine Sikhi being freed from the shackles of this virus.
While efforts to take Sikhi back to its original and unique self (Tatt Gurmat) are being undertaken by groups (such as missionary parcharaks and modern day Singh Sabha movements) who are passionate about ridding Sikhi of the Nirmala and Udasi influence, there has been a backlash from the Taksalee and Dera groups under the auspices of the Sant Samaj to promote the Nirmala influence even more.
Part FOUR will look at the Sant / Dera / Talsalee groups’ role in the hijacking of Sikhi.
Next PART FOUR: Sikhi Hijacked: The Dera Sants.
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- Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, Sikh Twareekh Vol 2. Dilgeer stands out as a historian who has done what no University of the Punjab, the SGPC or any other institution has done in documenting Sikh history in a comprehensive and holistic manner. His two relevant publications include Sikh Twareekh in five volumes (a complete Sikh history, from 1469 to 2007, in Punjabi) and Sikh History in ten volumes (a complete Sikh history, from 1469 to 2011, in English). The historical data in this portion of this essay is derived from Dilgeer’s work.
- One example of the wide spread blasphemy that fills the pages of this ugly book is a story of Guru Hargobind “eloping with a married Muslim girl named Kaulan, giving here refuge from her husband and marrying her.” It is shameful that Sikhs have accepted this hogwash story and set up Trust Funds under the name of Kaulan. Deviant preacher Guriqbal Singh of Mata Kaulan (later renamed Bibi Kaulan due to public pressure) is the current leader of the Trust.
- The acknowledgements and role of Sikh Clergy in the 1998 republished book are as follows: Historical Research by Ranjit Singh Jathedar of Akaal Takhat; Forewords by Gurcharan Singh Tohra President SGPC, Prof Manjit Singh Jathedar Takhat Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Kewal Singh Jathedar Takhat Damdma Sahib, Jathdar Majit Singh Calcutta, Kathakar Giani Sant Singh Maskeen, Giani Jaswant Singh Parwana Head Granthi Darbar Sahib, Gyani Joginder Singh Talwara and Principal Narinder Singh Soch.
The editors were Joginder Singh Vedanti Jathedar and Principal of SGPC run Sikh Missionary College Amritsar Prof Amarjit Singh.
The fact that these many Sikh leaders and institutions agreed to lend their name to this blasphemous book speaks of the infiltration of anti-Sikh forces into the Sikh psyche.
- Kala Afghana would pay a heavy price for his opposition to Gurbilas Patshahi 6. Its author Joginder Singh Vedanti would orchestrate the ex-communication of Kala Aghana during his (Vedanti’s) tenure as Jathedar of Akaal Takhat.
- This point became evident in a recent controversy by the deviant Pipli Wala Baba Satnam Singh who was exposed as saying that the “cause” of the sacrifice of the two younger sahibzadey of the tenth Guru was “Mata Gujri’s decision to defiantly withhold for her personal use” money and material that was ordered to be discarded by the Guru.
The Pipli Baba was further quoted as saying that the Guru then uttered the blasphemous words of “Gujree Ujree” meaning “Gujri will be ruined”. When taken to task by Sikhs the Baba’s response was that the narrative was contained in the Suraj Parkash Granth. He was speaking the truth. But no clergy or Baba has mentioned it before – presumably as clergy imposed censorship. The Pipli Baba probably assumed that no such censorship was necessary anymore given that the anti-Sikh forces had become brazen and blatant.
- Kavi Santokh Singh, Garab Ganjnee Teeka, Kavi Santokh Singh Memorial Society, 1986, page 184.
- The Fareedkot Teeka project began with Maharaja Bikram Singh of Faridkot employing Nirmala Giani Badan Singh of Dera Sekhwan to do the task. It took him six and a half years to complete it the first draft in 1883. This Teeka was reviewed by a committee appointed by Mahant Shamer Singh of Patna. After incorporating the comments of this committee, the first edition of this Teeka was published using funding provided by Maharaja Balvir Singh of Faridkot. It was printed in 1906 by the Wazir Hind Press, Amritsar owned by Nirmala Bhai Vir Singh. The second edition of this Teeka was published by Maharaja Harinder Singh of Faridkot in 1928.
