It’s easy to joke on a Sardar, but It's too difficult to be a Sardar" I was standing at Jalandhar station when my attention was drawn towards a Sikh youth standing near me wearing a Black turban, sporting a long beard and wearing a kirpan (sword) over his shirt. After a while, one local train arrived, totally packed. The Sikh youth tried to board the train but failed to do so. Just then a voice was heard from the back coach 'Sardarji Barah Baj gaye' (Sir it's 12 o'clock!). The Sikh youth looked over at the speaker (who was a young person) and instead of showing any anger, smiled at him. The smile was so enigmatic that it seemed as if there was some hidden truth behind it. Not able to hide my curiosity, I walked towards him and asked why he smiled at the person who teased him. The Sikh youth replied, 'He was not teasing me but was asking for my Help'. I was surprised with these words and he told me that there was history behind those words. I was eager to know what he was talking about and the Sikh youth narrated the following (I did not reveal that I was a non-keshdhari (Sikh): During 17th Century, when Hindustan was ruled by Moghals, all the Hindu people were humiliated and were treated like animals. Moghals treated the Hindu women as their own property and were forcing all Hindus to accept Islam or face death. During this period our Ninth Guru, Sri Guru Teg Bahadarji came forward, in response to a request of some Kashmiri Pandits to fight against these cruel activities and save them. So our Guruji went to the Moghal Emperor and told him that if he succeeded in converting him to Islam, he would ensure that all the Hindus would accept the same. But, if he failed, he should stop all these atrocities. The Moghal emperor happily agreed to that but even after lots of torture to Guruji and his four fellow members he failed to convert him to Islam. Since the Moghals were unable to convert them to Islam, the Moghul Emperor ordered for their assassination. The Guruji along with his other four fellows sacrificed their lives in Chandni Chowk. Thus our ninth Guruji sacrificed his life for the protection of the Hindu religion. In history, can you show me any instance of anybody laying down his life for the protection of another religion? This is the reason he is still remembered as "Hind Ki Chaddar" (Shield of India). The people for whose sake he had sacrificed his life did not have the guts to come forward to lift his body, fearing that they too would be assassinated. Seeing this incident our 10th Guruji, Sri Guru Gobind Singhji (Son of Guru Teg Bahadarji) founder of Khalsa (the Pure) made a resolution that he would convert his followers to such human beings who would not be able to hide themselves and could be easily identified. At the start, the Sikhs were very few in numbers as they were fighting against the Moghal Army. At that time, Nadir Shah raided Delhi in the year 1739 and looted Hindustan and was carrying lot of Hindustan treasures and nearly 2200 Hindu women along with him. The news spread like a fire and was heard by a Sardar Jassa Singh who was the Commander of the Sikh army at that time. He decided to attack Nadir Shah's Kafila on the same midnight. He did so and rescued all the Hindu women and they were safely sent to their homes. It didn't happen only once but thereafter whenever any Abdaalis or Iranis attacked, looted Hindustan and tried to carry the treasures and Hindu women along with them for selling them in Abdal markets, the Sikh army (although fewer in numbers) attacked them at midnight, 12 O'clock and rescued all the women. After that time, whenever there was a need, people started to contact the Sikh Army for their help and the Sikhs used to attack the raiders at Midnight, 12 O'clock. Nowadays, these "smart people" have spread these words that at 12 O'clock, the Sikhs go out of their senses. This historic fact was the reason which made me smile over that person as little did he realize that he was asking for my help saying 'Sardarji Barah Baj Gaye' and it meant that his Mother, Sister, Wife or Daughter was in trouble! Plz do forward this mail to all ur friends so they can know about Sikh history (of course, if you feel it worth sharing with others). "Its easy to joke on a Sardar, but It's too difficult to be a Sardar"...
