Letter from Saragarhi

In a weeks time, Mullocks Auction house will auction this letter from a soldier describing the scene at Saragarh.

It makes for an interesting read, not least because the writer describes the scene at the outpost as "an aweful sight".

Does anyone have any more information about J A Lindsay who served in the Tirah campaign?

And are there any other letters out there describing Saragarhi which have remained lost?

Sikhs At Sandhurst - nearing completion

It's nearly a year since we embarked on creating a new film for the "Sikhs At War" project.

"Sikhs At Sandhurst" is about the hidden history of Sikhs which can be found at the Royal Military Academy, one which not many know about apart from the officers who are trained there.

It tells the story of the first person of Sikh decent to have been accepted there - Victor Duleep Singh - the son of the last Maharaja of Punjab.

Victor's story is fascinating, as he is the product of British Sikh integration.  He lived a Christian life, and hisis life was as colourful as could be for a Victorian gent! 

The new film touches upon Victor's time at Sandhurst - and how he should not have been allowed to go to Sandhurst.

It delves into the history of Sikhs who served during Empire, and how their contribution in the frontier with Afghanistan is remembered to this day.

In fact, it fits in perfectly with my other research venture at the moment - the story of Saragarhi.

For me, the Sikh effort on the frontier is an epitome of the valiant and invaluable contribution Sikhs made during empire.  Which was so fruitful that the British (indeed the world) reaped the rewards in the Great War and WW2.

Back to the production, and editing took a lot longer than we would have liked, due to some technicality but is now nearly completion due to the hard work and 'never say quit' attitude of my fantastic editor Juggy.

"Sikhs At Sandhurst" will be released soon ... if you'd like to access it for your film festival / event / screening, it runs 20 mins long and you can contact us via this email.

Found Saragarhi!

So further to my last post, I've been fortunate enough to have found a military expert who has helped verify my theory about where Saragarhi and the nearby forts are.

Great!

So I'm looking forward to releasing this soon in the book - the next challenge is actually getting access to the location, which is an army cantonment!

Not so great!

It's a reminder that the area in question is highly dangerous even 116 years after the Sikhs fought there for Britain.

Nonetheless looking forward to continuing my research and finishing the book.

Which is being entitled "Saragarhi: The Forgotten Battle" ... look out for it!

Where is Saragarhi?

Writing on my next book on Saragarhi is gearing up ...

Here's a Google map photo of where the battle site MIGHT be.

If you can help my research with any photos or details please get in touch.

Why the BBC are wrong about M Duleep Singh

The source of inspiration and strength for all Sikhs, historically and presently, is the amrit (or Khande di Pahul) which the tenth Guru Gobind Singh gave to devotees to turn them into Khalsa (or Pure).

Taking amrit is a sacred and transformative ceremony which is commemorated every year on April 13th (or 14th) - the original five (Panj Pyare) who took it had to give their heads.

Next Sunday 14th April, the BBC will in a new documentary about the life of M Duleep Singh connect the story of the last ruler of the Punjab to the Sikh ceremony to mark the Vaisakhi.

In doing so they will say that Duleep took amrit to once again become a Sikh.  The amrit initiation ceremony is detailed here.

Duleep Singh living the life of a country gent at Elveden

But did the Maharaja really undertake the initiation ceremony?

I was pre-interviewed for the programme and shared with my thoughts that he could not have done so because:

1 - he could not have taken amrit as he did not have 5 Singhs at his side or Guru Granth Sahib to undertake the ceremony when it's supposed to have taken place

2 - even if he had done he did not maintain his rehit (conduct) as a Khalsa Sikh by abstaining from meat, alcohol, illicit relations

3 - he also did not keep his hair unshorn

4 - in Paris in later life and with the death of his son, he continued his Christian beliefs - and was finally buried in a Christian burial.

I stated to the BBC that Duleep's re-embracing of his Sikh roots was purely selfish - in his pursuit to stick it to the British and his dream of regaining his lost kingdom and inheritance.

He re-embraced Sikh values by becoming a learner and absorbing the story of his ancestors.  Yet whether he undertook some sort of a ceremony (even children are given amrit as choole) is a matter which is under researched.

Through my own reading I've come to the conclusion that he did reaffirm himself to be a Sikh in some manner - but not through the process of becoming Khalsa.  Nor did he espouse Khalsa values or wish to.

I also know, off record, other BBC contributors who severely doubt that Duleep became Khalsa - and so steered away from the issue in their interviews.  What makes the edit and how the programme is presented for Vaisakhi is another matter.

Sadly, the BBC might be putting out there this myth that Duleep had takem amrit.  So I urge others to research into this and tell his story more accurately based on fact and not for the sake of telling a 'Sikh story' at Vaisakhi, a form of festival journalism which the BBC are developing a record of.

Duleep's life story of tragic-privilege is very relevant to British Sikhs today - I would suggest all to read into it and understand it, primarily because it helped successive Sikhs migrants prosper and integrate into a British society that understood their culture, roots and background.

It's an aspect of Sikh history I cover in my book "Turbanology: Guide to Sikh Identity".

Sikh At Queen's Coronation

Check out this cool clip of a Sikh soldier getting ready for the Queen's coronation in June 1957...

Editing...

We've been in post-production on "Sikhs At Sandhurst" for several months - the short film should have been done last year but we've been working on the sound and graphics.

Filmmaking is difficult enough, but more so when you work on a minimal (or non-existant) budget.  I've spoken to several people in the past few months about why factual films on Indian history don't get made - it must be because of the reluctance of investment into this area from within the community.

We've always had difficulties with raising funds for the "Sikhs At War" project, but thankfully we've had volunteers undertake the work because they're passionate about it.

Hopefully this means we'll have the new film done by this Vaisakhi (April).

And then I'm exploring looking at a few other areas - if you have access to Sikh war medals from the Great War please get in touch via email.

Jallianwala Bagh and Sikhs today

Yesterday was a very auspicious occasion - David Cameron became the first sitting British Prime Minister to visit Sri Harimandir Sahib*.

Sikhs believe that for anyone to visit and pay their respects at the site in Amritsar is a blessing - bathing in the sarovar (pool) around it washes away sins, bowing at the house of the Lord brings you closer to the Almighty.  This applies equally to all people - regardless of sex, race, creed, caste.  To symbolise this Harimandir Sahib has four entrances and is a place where any can find peace.

On this visit the PM also saw the langar (free kitchen) which feeds thousands upon thousands of people of all distinctions a simple vegetarian meal - a central element of the Sikh faith is seva (selfless service).

The PM also visited Jallianwala Bagh nearby, where in 1919 Brigadier General Reginald Dyer massacred hundreds of people who had gathered in a protect on Vaisakhi day.  Dyer thought it a major insurrection - how wrong he was.

Now you might wonder where this fits in with the historic context of this blog, which promotes Anglo-Sikh history during the Wars.  I'll try to explain, keeping it short and succinct (so apologies in advance if this is too general):

Sikhs had been loyal soldiers for the British since the annexation of the Punjab in 1849.  They stood firm and loyal during India Mutiny in 1857.  And for their dedication and bravery were trusted to be sent to every arena of British conflict - from the North West Frontier, to China, to E Africa, to Mesopotamia.   During the Great War Sikhs fought in every arena the British did - including for the first time in Europe.

But Jallianwala Bagh changed the sentiment of the Sikhs - many of whom were butchered at the site.  It came just a month before the Third Afghan War when once again Sikhs were sent to Afghanistan in large numbers.  They served, but the mood had changed.  The British were no longer seen as the guardians of their lands, the decay of Empires was setting in and the Brits were becoming excessive and strong handed.  Not to say that these instances hadn't happened before - but now a wider Indian audience became receptive to this form of injustice.  Sikhs would join the movement for a Free India in droves and be at the fore of the independence movement.

I would recommend Sikhs today read more into the events - and find for themselves how it resonates for them.  For me it's an episode which marks the decline of the Raj because the British had lost their stronghold over the Sikhs - a relationship based on mutual respect.  It was the beginning of the end of the jewel in the crown, and many of those feelings continue to inform how Britain and India do business today.

There have been many questions about whether the PM should have apologised for the incident - I'm not a fan of politicians apologising for past historic mistakes.  But showing respect is a higher form of apology.  The fact that Mr Cameron made the effort to visit Amritsar and show respect at Sri Harimandir Sahib for me is more than enough (as many Indians may feel).

Journalistic bit
I shared many of these views with journalists who'd requested an interview yesterday on the visit.  I was also inundated by Sikhs trying to get on to the television to talk about it (a bizarre day when one is both subject to and object of media bids!)  BUT I was unable to go on due to commitments.

So I wanted to finish this post with some advise as many wanted to know how to represent the Sikh view in mainstream media.  It's important to make mention here, as I feel some media outlets missed a trick by not speaking to identifiable Sikhs in the UK:

1 - I'm easily contactable so contact me direct if you require my expertise.  I have a strong social media and web presence and one of my numbers is easily reachable.  So you don't need to be shifty or shy about how you got my number.

2 - Media are always looking for new, fresh, young voices on any issue (not just Sikh stories) - as long as they can articulate ideas.  So if you're trying to pitch me your 'community leader' and I ask if they speak English don't be offended, but don't lie ... I know everyone!

3 - Don't call a Gurdwara a temple - I know what a Gurdwara is, you know what a Gurdwara is so let's call it so.  If I can't take you credibly as a 'Sikh expert' how can I expect others to?  Similarly don't water down who you are - be proud of your faith and language.

4 - Let's be friends!  You don't need a lawyer to get in touch, play with a straight bat.

5 - Engage!  There is one Sikh organisation (which doesn't represent mainstream views) but is getting booked by many outlets.  It's because they engage with media - this doesn't mean sending out badly written press releases, but making contact with and keeping links with editors - and on a myriad of topics not just Sikh ones.

* Some might colloquially term the shrine "Golden Temple", but is a western invention which has stuck, which one doesn't like using.  Sikhs don't pray in temples but Gurdwaras.

Visit to the Royal Memorial Chapel

The Royal Memorial Chapel, Sandhurst, holds tributes to British officers who fought during the Great War and Second World War.

What's so unique about the chapel's memorial is that it pays tribute to the officers who led Sikh soldiers.

Sikhs fought for Empire for more than 100 years - from after the annexation of the Punjab in 1849 up to the Second World War in 1945.

They were loyal, brave and maintained their Sikh faith and traditions in battle.

I had the opportunity recently to visit the chapel and see the memorial to those who fought and died.

Hopefully, this short film for "Sikhs At War" will give you an idea of the significance of their sacrifice - and the importance of the act of Remembering those who served.

Volunteers required

The "Sikhs At War" project is looking for volunteers who can offer any assistance in the following ways.

- video graphic production
- graphic designer for print publications

- music production

- marketing experts

If you're interested, drop the team a message via: press@dothyphen.co.uk