Vadbhag Singh Sodhi

Last updated

Vadbhag Singh Sodhi
Vadbhag Singh.png
Vadbhag Singh (right, damaged depiction). Illustration from a janamsakhi about his life.
Personal
Born1716
Kartarpur, Punjab, India
Died31 December 1761
Mairi Himachal Pradesh,India
Religion Sikhism
Parent(s)Ram Singh Sodhi (father)
Raj Kaur (mother)
SectDhirmalias

Vadbhag Singh Sodhi (1716 – 31 December 1761; his name is also spelt as Wadbhag Singh Sodhi, alternatively known as Sodhi Vadbhag Singh) was a direct descendant of Guru Hargobind and a prominent figure of the heretical Dhirmalia sect of Sikhism. [1]

Contents

Biography

Early life

Baba Vadbhag Singh was born at Kartarpur, a town near Jalandhar, Punjab of the Doaba region in 1716 A.D. He was the son of Baba Ram Singh and Mata Raj Kaur. He was a descendant of Dhir Mal, the first cousin of Guru Gobind Singh. He succeeded to the hereditary gaddi (religious seat) of Sodhis of Kartarpur. [1]

Sodhi's Revenge

Photograph of Gurdwara Tham Sahib Gurdwara Tham Sahib.jpg
Photograph of Gurdwara Tham Sahib

In March 1757, Afghans destroyed Kartarpur and set fire to a historical pillar known as Thambh Sahib. Many civilians were killed and Kartarpur was looted. Sodhi was the custodian of Kartarpur, but was not present during the incident. [2]

He created an alliance with Adina Beg, the last Mughal governor of Punjab, at his request. The alliance was against the Afghan invaders and occupiers, and included Jassa Singh Ahluwalia. [3]

In the Battle of Mahilpur (1757) Sodhi was one of the generals of the Sikh army which was aided by Adina Beg. [4] A hard-fought battle occurred which the Sikhs and Adina Beg won despite Afghan use of light artillery. [5] [4] [6]

After the battle the forces attacked Jalandhar and defeated resistance that was put up. Sodhi had Jalandhar destroyed and looted in revenge for what happened in Kartarpur. Sodhi dug up the body of Nasar Ali, the faujadar of Jalandhar, and had it dragged. Nasar Ali was involved in the Kartarpur episode. He also burned the corpse. [7] He further defiled the tomb with pork. [4] [8] Muslim women were seized and were converted to Sikhi after which they could marry any Sikh they pleased. [3]

Death

After the battle Sodhi lived Mairi for the remainder of his life. He died on 31 December 1761. A shrine now stands at this location. [1]

Shrine

Punjabi folk religion shrine dedicated to the veneration of Vadbhag Singh located in Kartarpur, Jalandhar, Punjab, India. Guru Bhag Singh Kartarpur Punjab India.JPG
Punjabi folk religion shrine dedicated to the veneration of Vadbhag Singh located in Kartarpur, Jalandhar, Punjab, India.

Dera Baba Badbhag Singh Gurudwara (Devanagari: डेरा बाबा बड़भाग सिंह) (Gurmukhi): ਡੇਰਾ ਬਾਬਾ ਬਡਭਾਗ ਸਿੰਘ is a shrine of Dera Baba Vadbhag Singh. It is located in Mairi village in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is known for Holi mela. Visitors come from North Indian states and union territories including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh. [9] [10] The shrine is about 10 km from Amb. Nehrian, a small village serves as an entry point to the Holy place. Followers believe visiting the dera (shrine) cure patients possessed by evil spirits or affected with other malign influences. He is worshipped by both Sikhs and Hindus.[ citation needed ]

Hola Mohalla fair

The Hola Mohalla fair is held at Dera Vadbhag Singh on the full moon day in the Vikrami month of Phalgun (February–March). The fair lasts for ten days, i.e. a week before the full-moon and two days after. The fair is attended by those possessed people and their relatives or who seek protection against similar malign influences. [1] Most of the women who attend the fair are possessed.[ citation needed ]

The dolis (afflicted persons) are seated in rows while metal platters and drums are beaten to charm the evil spirits. During the drumming, the dolis who continue tossing and swaying their heads about are made to inhale the smoke of burning incense. A number of methods are adopted to torture the evil spirits until they leave the body. At that stage the spirit is asked to proceed to the dhaulidhar (waterfall) to which it agrees. The spirit is then questioned whether it has arrived and sees Baba Vadbhag Singh with a cage. When the spirit replies in the affirmative, it is asked to enter the cage and to request Baba Ji to shut the cage. The dolis is then seen to have recovered. Every visitor who attends the fair pays obeisance at the shrine besides taking a holy bath at the dhaulidhar or charan ganga, especially on the full moon–day. The devotees take the dhaulidhar's sacred water home. The most important ceremony at the shrine is the hoisting of the flag Nishan Sahib. It is done on the full moon day. The old Nishan Sahib is retired after recitation of supplication. The devotees try to obtain a piece of the old cloth or various other articles attached to the old flag, such as cowrie shells, betelnuts, or coins. Possession of these is regarded as a boon. A young pine tree that may be as tall as 80 feet (24 m)., and whose trunk measures 5 feet (1.5 m) in diameter is earmarked every third year to serve as a flagpole for the Nishan Sahib. Lacs of people attend the fair from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan and Himachal. The Sikhs of Doaba, Majha and Malwa tracts of Punjab especially are votaries of Vadbhag Singh and attend the fair in large numbers.[ citation needed ]

Nearby places

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baba Gurditta</span> Son of Guru Hargobind, father of Guru Har Rai (1613–1638)

Baba Gurditta was the son of Guru Hargobind, and the father of Guru Har Rai of Sikhism. There is a gurudwara in Kiratpur Sahib, Punjab which is in remembrance of Baba Gurditta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Una, Himachal Pradesh</span> City in Himachal Pradesh, India

Una is a City and a Municipal Council in Una district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It serves as the headquarters of Una district. There are 11 wards under Municipal Council. Una City is home to the Kila, which is a historical fort and an ancestral home of the descendants of the first guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jalandhar district</span> District in Punjab, India

Jalandhar district is a district in Doaba region of the state of Punjab, India. The district headquarters is the city of Jalandhar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doaba</span> Region of Punjab, India

Doaba, also known as Bist Doab or the Jalandhar Doab, is the region of Punjab, India that lies between the Beas River and the Sutlej River. People of this region are given the demonym "Doabia". The dialect of Punjabi spoken in Doaba is called "Doabi". The term "Doaba" or "Doab" is derived from Persian دو آب meaning "land of two rivers". The river Sutlej separates Doaba from the Malwa region to its south and the river Beas separates Doaba from the Majha region to its north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Majha</span> Region in the central parts of the historical Punjab region

Majha is a region located in the central parts of the historical Punjab region, currently split between the republics of Pakistan and India. It extends north from the right banks of the river Beas, and reaches as far north as the river Jhelum. People of the Majha region are given the demonym "Mājhī" or "Majhail". Most inhabitants of the region speak the Majhi dialect, which is the basis of the standard register of the Punjabi language. The most populous city in the area is Lahore on the Pakistani side, and Amritsar on the Indian side of the border.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ravidassia</span> Indian religion

Ravidassia or the Ravidas Panth is a religion based on the teachings of Guru Ravidas. It was considered a sect within Sikhism until 2009. However, some Ravidassias continue to maintain Sikh religious practices, including the reverence of the Guru Granth Sahib as their focal religious text, wearing Sikh articles of faith (5Ks), and appending Singh or Kaur to their names.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dera Baba Nanak</span> Town in Punjab, India

Dera Baba Nanak is a town and a municipal council in Gurdaspur district, in the state of Punjab, India. It is the sub-district headquarters of Dera Baba Nanak tehsil. It is 36 km away from Gurdaspur city, the capital of the district. Since November 2019, a corridor between India and Pakistan has been established at its shrine.

Sardar Hari Singh Dhillon was an 18th century Sikh warrior and the chief of Bhangi Misl. During the formation of the Dal Khalsa he was acknowledged as leader of Tarna Dal, and he was made chief of Bhangi Misl following the death of Bhuma Singh Dhillion, who he was an adopted son of, in 1748. Hari Singh made the Bhangi Misl the most powerful of all the Misls. He was described as brave, fearless and a great warrior. Under Hari Singh the Bhang Misl expanded to Jammu, Lahore, Chiniot, Buria, Jagadhari, Firozpur, Kushab, Majha, Malwa, Sandal Bar and Jhang.

Sodhi is a clan of Khatris and Jatts originated from the Indian Punjab.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur</span> Sikh gurdwara in Kartarpur, Pakistan

Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, also called Kartarpur Sahib, is a gurdwara in Kartarpur, located in Shakargarh, Narowal District, in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is built on the historic site where the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, settled and assembled the Sikh community after his missionary travels and lived for 18 years until his death in 1539. It is one of the holiest sites in Sikhism, alongside the Golden Temple in Amritsar and Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakhpur</span> Village in Punjab, India

Lakhpur is a village near Sahni (Lakhpur-Sahni), Tehsil Phagwara, Kapurthala district, in Punjab, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panjab Digital Library</span> Organization digitizing and preserving Punjabs cultural heritage

The Panjab Digital Library is a voluntary organization digitizing and preserving the cultural heritage of Panjab since 2003. With over 65 million digitized pages, it is the biggest resource of digital material on Panjab. There are many historically significant documents stored and made available online. Its scope covers Sikh and Punjabi culture. The library funded by The Nanakshahi Trust was launched online in August 2009. Its base office is located at Chandigarh, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adina Beg Khan</span> 18th century Nawab of Punjab

Adina Beg Khan was a general, administrator, and statesman from the Punjab region who served as the Nawab of Punjab from April 1758 until his death in September of the same year. He began his career as a Patwari (accountant) and later as a Sepoy after joining the Mughal army, eventually drawing the attention of the Punjabi nobles. After serving through various posts in Punjab, he was recognised as the Nawab by Emperor Alamgir II during the power vacuum in 1758, earning the title Zafar Jang Bahadur.

The Battle of Kup was fought on 5 February 1762, between the Afghan forces of Ahmad Shah Durrani and the Sikhs, under the command of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Charat Singh. Ahmad Shah Durrani and the Afghan forces reached Malerkotla, west of Sirhind. They were met by between 30,000 and 50,000 Sikhs. Abdali's forces outnumbered the Sikhs in hand-to-hand combat and the Sikhs couldn't use their usual tactics of hit and run, but had to engage in battle while protecting the civilians at the same time. The Sikhs created a human ring around civilians as protection and fought the battle as they advanced towards Barnala. Abdali was able to break the ring and carried out a full scale massacre of the Sikh civilians. Ahmad Shah's forces killed several thousand Sikhs, and the surviving Sikhs fled to Barnala. According to various different estimates, as many as 5,000 to 30,000 Sikh men, women, elderly and children were killed in what is known as the second Sikh genocide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian campaign of Ahmad Shah Durrani</span> Overview of 18th-century Afghan military conquests in India under Ahmad Shah Durrani

Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani Empire, invaded Indian subcontinent a total of eight times between 1748 and 1767, following the collapse of Mughal Empire in the mid-18th century. His objectives were met through the raids and deepened the political crisis in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Amritsar (1757)</span> Battle between the Afghans and Sikhs

The Battle of Amritsar, also known as the Battle of Gohalwar, was fought between the Durrani Empire and Shaheedan Misl of the Dal Khalsa on 11 November 1757. Following the fourth invasion of Ahmad Shah Durrani, his army was attacked by Sikh bands under the command of Ala Singh and Baba Deep Singh. Following the attacks, Ahmad Shah desecrated the Sikh holy site known as the Shri Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. The news of the desecration reached Baba Deep Singh who vowed to liberate the holy site from the Afghans. This resulted in a pitched battle being fought in the village of Gohalwar, near Amritsar. The battle resulted in Baba Deep Singh being killed and an Afghan victory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kartarpur Corridor</span> Border corridor between the neighbouring nations of India and Pakistan

The Kartarpur Corridor is a visa-free border crossing and religious corridor, connecting the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, near Narowal in Pakistan to Gurudwara Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur district, Punjab, India. The crossing allows devotees from India to visit the gurdwara in Kartarpur, Pakistan, 4.7 kilometres from the India–Pakistan border on the Pakistani side without a visa. However, Pakistani Sikhs are unable to use the border crossing, and cannot access Dera Baba Nanak on the Indian side without first obtaining an Indian visa or unless they work there.

Sardar Gulab Singh was the founder of Dallewalia Misl, one of the sovereign states of the Sikh confederacy that rose during the 18th century in the Punjab region. The Dallewalia and Nishanwalia Misl were stationed as a reserve force at Amritsar to protect the holy city and tackle any emergency. The Amritsar and the Punjab region was subject to raids by the Afghans led by Ahmad Shah Abdali therefore the Sikhs had created misls to defend the Punjab region and push back the invaders.

The Battle of Mahilpur was fought between the Sikh Misls and Adina Beg Khan against the Durrani Empire in December 1757. Following the 4th invasion of Ahmad Shah Durrani, he appointed Timur Shah as the viceroy of Punjab with Jahan Khan as his deputy. The Afghans appointed Adina Beg Khan as the faujdar of the Jalandhar Doaba and exempted him from attending court at lahore, on the condition that Adina Beg pay revenue to the Afghan government. Soon a dispute regarding the payment of revenue occurred between Adina Beg and the Afghans. This dispute soon escalated which resulted in Jahan Khan sending an Afghan force to arrest Adina Beg. Adina Beg formed a military alliance with the Sikhs under the command of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Vadbhag Singh Sodhi. Adina Beg also gained the support of Sadiq Beg Khan, Khwaja Mirza Khan, and Raja Bhup Singh. Adina Beg along with the Sikh forces fought the Afghans at Mahilpur. The battle resulted in a victory for Adina Beg and the Sikhs and resulted in the entire Jalandhar Doaba being occupied and sacked by the Sikh forces.

The Battle of Qarawal was fought between the Sikhs under the command of Charat Singh against the Afghan forces led by Ahmad Shah Abdali and his Kalat ally Mir Nasir Khan I.The battle resulted in a victory for the Afghan forces and forced the Sikhs to withdraw to Amritsar.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Health and religious rituals in South Asia : disease, possession, and healing. Fabrizio M. Ferrari. Routledge. 2011. pp. 56–57. ISBN   9781136846298. OCLC   739388185.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. Singh, Teja (1999). A short history of the Sikhs. Volume one, 1469-1765. Patiala : Publication Bureau: Punjabi University. p. 148. ISBN   978-81-7380-007-8.
  3. 1 2 Singh, Teja (1989). A short history of the Sikhs. Volume one, 1469-1765. Ganda Singh (3rd ed.). Patiala: Publication Bureau, Punjabi University. pp. 148–152. ISBN   9788173800078. OCLC   1345653121.
  4. 1 2 3 Singh, Ganda (1959). Ahmad Shah Durrani father of modern Afghanistan. Asia Publishing House. pp. 196–198.
  5. Gupta, Hari (2007). History of the Sikhs volume II Evolution of the Sikh confederacies (1707-1769). Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd. pp. 137–140. ISBN   978-81-215-0248-1.
  6. Gandhi, Rajmohan (2013). Punjab:A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten. Aleph Book Company. pp. 198–199. ISBN   978-93-83064-4 1-0.
  7. Singha, H. S. (2000). The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (over 1000 Entries). Hemkunt Press. p. 201. ISBN   978-81-7010-301-1.
  8. Gupta, Hari (2007). History of the Sikhs volume II Evolution of the Sikh confederacies (1707-1769). Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd. pp. 137–140. ISBN   978-81-215-0248-1.
  9. "Old Delhi to Amb Andaura: 3 COV-Reserved Trains - Railway Enquiry".
  10. "Dera Baba Vadbhag Singh · Dera Baba Wadbhag Singh Rd - Mairi, Mairi, Himachal Pradesh 177211, India".