This is a story of a heroic Akali leader, the story of Jathedar Kartar Singh (Jhabbar), gleaned, to begin with, from his personal journals by Bhai Narayan Singh whose narrative in Punjabi has now, at long last, been translated in English by Sardar Karnail Singh for a wider audience. It is a story of a simple man of a rustic background with no formal education, no organizational base or constituency who, with his matchless daring, piety and astuteness, did single handedly bring about gurudwara reforms. Historians appear to have ignored his role notwithstanding his validation by Dr. Ganda Singh, the doyen of Sikhs historians. SGPC deserves praise for throwing light on Kartar Singh and for recognizing his invaluable service to the Sikh panth.

Sardar Kartar Singh was a preacher who lived his life by what he preached. He was to devote all his time and energy in the panthic service. He was a natural born leader with an uncanny sixth sense to read the winds of religio-political changes. He was the first to perceive the threat posed by Gandhi's politically driven non-cooperation movement to Sikh religious reforms. He will be long remembered for singularly spearheading the campaign to gain control of Sikh Shrines from the amoral mahants. During the long-drawn campaign he was jailed thrice for life (one of the life penalty was commutation of a death sentence). He was a truly real renaissance man.

Kartar Singh was born in 1874 in the village of Jhabbar, now part of Sheikhupura district in Pakistan, a stronghold of the fiercely independent-minded Virks. His personal diaries say little about his early years, which in all likelihood were spent working the family farm. That is not to say that his rural rearing isolated him from the winds of religious and political change that were sweeping the Punjab landscape.

Punjab that Kartar Singh had inherited was a shattered homeland. In 1849, the kingdom of the Sikhs came to an unhappy end. For the Sikhs, who cherished their freedom from the times of the sixth Guru, who were imbued with a sense of fighting for justice and equity by the tenth Guru, who ruled Punjab for nearly a hundred and fifty years (1699-1849) - first under the misls and later under the Sikh kingdom of Maharaja Ranjit Singh - to find themselves an endangered species was utterly shocking.

Gurudwaras, the principal places of Sikh gathering, were no longer under Sikh management, control over which had long since passed into the hands of the Udasi Sadhus "with Hindu inclinations". Sikhs sought to regain control over their Gurudwaras, the British preferred the status quo to stop Sikhs from getting organized. Kartar Singh was to spend the rest of his days trying to wrest control of the Gurudwaras from the corrupt mahants.

Another threat was posed by the steadfast proselytizing zeal of the Christian church and the resurgent Hinduism in the form of the Arya Samaj. Numbers of Sikhs declined sharply leaving the Sikh body politic in disarray. To stop their losses, the Sikhs launched a counter campaign of their own known as Shudhi, or conversion of Muslims and lower castes to Sikhism. It was thus that, in 1904, at age 30, Kartar Singh came under the influence of Bhai Mool Singh (Gurmula) who was to administer the amrit to him. Two years later, Kartar Singh entered the Gharjakh Vidyala seminary where he spent three years to "acquire Gurmat knowledge". Kartar Singh moved his residence to Lahore on the urging of Sardar Lall Singh.

In Lahore, to his dismay Kartar Singh discovered that the Singh Sabha of Lahore consisted of nineteen members who met irregularly. Within two months he enrolled five hundred members and started weekly congregations. He traveled throughout Punjab preaching Gurmat. In 1912, he constituted the "Khalsa Diwan Khara Sauda Bar" which was to render "monumental Panthic services".

Kartar Singh was destined to prove his true political mettle during the 1919 crisis. In March of that year the British passed the Rowlat bills, a black law denying right of assembly for political protest. These black laws had sent many of the people into paroxysm of rage. On April 11, demonstrators gathered at Lahore's Shahi Mosque when the police precipitated matters by shooting a student. "At the burning ghat, Kartar Singh delivered his maiden political speech against the Government."

Three days later, on Baisakhi day, the crisis reached critical mass when British soldiers mowed down hundreds of innocent people at Jallianwala Bagh. News reached Kartar Singh while he was addressing a congregation at the Gurudwara Sacha Sauda at Chuhar Kana. Young men formed squads and blew up government assets such as canal bridges, electric wires and railway stations. Kartar Singh was among the rounded up ringleaders. He was tried, convicted and sentenced to death. A month later his sentence was commuted to life in Andaman Islands and soon, thereafter, he was freed. At Andaman he got a good grounding in political theories.

On his return to the mainland (circa 1920) Kartar Singh found himself closely monitored by law enforcement. Although he was a much sought after political speaker he remained a preacher at heart. It was the sexual shenanigans at the historic holy shrines that were to provoke Kartar Singh to launch a campaign to bring these Gurudwaras under panthic control. The modus operandi was to dispatch special Jathas to the targeted Gurudwara, perform kirtan and prepare and serve langar; in other words, a de facto occupation.

Pro-Congress Sikhs tried to dissuade Kartar Singh from seizing Gurudwaras promising that an independent India would transfer control of all religious places to Sikhs post haste. Recognizing that the historic Gurudwaras were in the possession of Hindu leaning mahants, whom an independent de facto Hindu government would dare not dislodge, the politician in Kartar Singh rebuffed the offer.

1920 was a watershed date. In October, some of the important Sikh shrines passed into the hands of the panth without much ado. First to fall was the Gurudwara of Babey Di Bar and was followed successively by Harminder Sahib and Sri Akal Takht Sahib. The pujaris of Sri Akal Takht Sahib bribed a Nihang Jatha to neutralize the panthic control but that was of no avail. At the request of Kartar Singh, Bhai Teja Singh (Bhuchar) was appointed Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. On October 11, 1920 Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, summoned Jathedars Kartar Singh and Teja Singh and appointed a nine member committee to which he handed over the possession of Golden temple complex, which was the forerunner to the SGPC.

The takeover of the next shrine, Gurudwara Punja Sahib, involved protracted negotiations requiring dispatch of Jatha after Jatha to show panthic firmness. Kartar Singh was to report the daily happenings for the newspaper 'Akali'. In December, Kartar Singh "called a convention of Sikhs in Gurudwara Mai Nikayan (Sheikhupura)" and formed "Akali Jatha Khara Sauda Bar". Thus was founded the Akali Dal.

Next, Kartar Singh set his sights on the recovery of the Gurudwara Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib. But, the news of the take over of Gurudwara Punja Sahib continued to reverberate around. Different people were to react differently to the panthic mission to wrest control away from the mahants. Soon, Kartar Singh was under attack in several quarters.

Obvious opposition came from the mahants who had the most to lose. The mahants were to gird themselves to frustrate all panthic efforts to gain control of their shrines. At the same time the mahants appealed to the police, the law courts and the British government to stop what they called illegal seizures. The police were concerned mainly with peace and order and not possession. The magistrates tried to wrestle with material implications of possession and ownership of property. With the increasing number of Sikhs taking the amrit to enlist into Jathas the British were to assess the threat that posed to their interests. They were determined to squelch any revival of Khalsa spirit even if it meant deploying the army.

Mahant Narain Das of Gurudwara Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib was to use ruse after ruse to catch Kartar Singh and other Jatha leaders off guard and when one scheme failed he would employ a different stratagem to thwart them. But the unkindest cut of all was the opposition from within. Often Kartar Singh found himself at odds with the panthic leaders. For example, Sardar Teja Singh (Samundari), Master Tara Singh and others issued a verbal "hukam" to Kartar Singh to cease all efforts at seizing Gurudwara Janam Asthan.

Kartar Singh gave in reluctantly but Bhai Lachman Singh and his Jatha who had performed ardas to take possession of the Gurudwara and who felt that it was "not in keeping with the Sikh tradition to go back on it" nonetheless went ahead, entered the shrine and "bolted it from inside". Mahant Narain Das was to let loose his own goon militia on the peaceful 'squatters' with dire consequences: Bhai Lachman Singh was burnt alive, Bhai Dalip Singh was shot dead and Bhai Waryam Singh was butchered.

On hearing of the massacre Kartar Singh "chalked out" an action plan. Devout Sikhs were to be mobilized. On February 20, 1921 hundreds gathered at Chandar Kot Bridge discovering that the Government had taken control of the shrine and placed it under guard of British army. Notwithstanding an order of not to proceed from Mr. King, Deputy Commissioner of Lahore Division, and despite a warning that the army was armed to the teeth, Kartar Singh led eleven Jathas, consisting of two hundred volunteers each, to march forward. Sensing the determination of the Jatha, Deputy Commissioner Currie approached Kartar Singh to know what was it that they wanted. Kartar Singh replied, "keys to the Gurudwara". After some discussion Commissioner King handed the keys to Kartar Singh with the proviso that they form a committee to whom will be given the possession of the shrine.

The senseless killing of Bhai Lachman Singh and his comrades was to turn Nankana Sahib into cause celebre. The Governor of Punjab, prominent Sikh leaders and even Mahatama Gandhi came to see the aftermath of the bloody struggle for its take-over. Gandhi asked the Khalsa to embrace his non-cooperation movement forgetful that his was a political movement whereas the Gurudwara Reform was a religious movement. Kartar Singh was opposed to Gandhi's overture but the majority of Congressite Sikhs passed the resolution. As a result Punjab government convened a meeting in March 1921 at which it was decided that Sikhs will not take "forcible possession of Gurudwaras", including that of Nankana Sahib, and that the government will enforce this policy vigorously. Whenever the police or a magistrate or a British official asked Kartar Singh under what authority he had taken over the shrine, Kartar Singh's pat reply was that the Gurudwara belonged to the Sikh panth and no one else.

In March 1921, the Punjab government convened a meeting at which it was decided that Sikhs will not take "forcible possession of Gurudwaras," including that of Nankana Sahib and that the government will enforce this policy vigorously. Consequently, Kartar Singh together with a few members of his Jatha were arrested immediately and lodged in Lahore Borstal jail. During their prison visit the Sikh leaders were told by Kartar Singh that the campaign for the take-over of the Gurudwaras was a religious and not a political movement. Kartar Singh was sentenced to eighteen years of rigorous imprisonment. Once again, Sikh leaders pleaded with the government and secured the release of the prisoners on the understanding that the campaign for forcible take-over will be ended pending legislation to deed all Gurudwaras to the Sikh panth.

Whilst in prison Kartar Singh had learned that the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar had issued an edict against the wearing of black turbans. On his release, Kartar Singh was instrumental in the passing of Gurmatta that all Sikhs should wear black turbans. At the same time, the Gurudwara committee also passed a resolution to take back the keys of Tosha Khana. To thwart the Akalis, the Sarbrah of Harminder Sahib, an appointee of the government, handed the keys to the magistrate. Word quickly spread that the government had taken possession of this holy shrine. Hundreds of Sikh took the amrit and the situation approached crisis point. In the end the government gave up and gave the keys to the panth.

The next crisis erupted over kar sewa at Harminder Sahib and Jaito morcha organized for the restoration of Maharaja of Nabha. Sikhs took amrit and volunteered for the morcha.. Many Akalis were arrested and in February 1924 a Shahidi Jatha was sent to Jaito. Over 50,000 sympathisers marched alongside the morcha. The crowd was fired upon, killing almost a hundred protestors. Another Shahidi Jatha headed for Jaito and in the face of mounting agitation the authorities finally capitulated. But, the new Governor of Punjab, Sir Malcolm Hailey, threw a damper by proclaiming that unlike his predecessor he will "strictly enforce law and order."

In his many addresses to various congregations, Kartar Singh explained the Gurudwara Reform movement and insisted that Sikhs not pay notice to the Governor but go ahead with the Jaito morcha. Kartar Singh was arrested and "sent to Campbellpur jail for 18 years." The Assistant Jail Warden translated his hostility towards Kartar Singh by planting evidence. Kartar Singh's health was on a steady decline. He was later transferred to Multan jail where he, again, suffered at the hands of his jailors. While he was incarcerated, the "long-drawn struggle for exercise of religious rights" came to an end with the passage of the Gurudwara Act, 1925.

With the passage of the Gurudwara Act, 1925 many Akali prisoners were released. Akalis held at various prison camps were then transferred to Rawalpindi jail. Harsh treatment in jails had taken its toll on Kartar Singh and his health deteriorated. He was released after serving a four and a half year sentence. He was elected to Nanakana Sahib Gurudwara committee where he "worked for several years." He devoted all his time in obtaining other concessions such as the return of income producing lands set aside for upkeep of Gurudwaras, allowing sale of Jhatka meat and so on.

But mostly, Kartar Singh spent his time preaching Gurmat and Sikh Rehat Maryada. Sikh historians have given short shrift to this stellar man by not taking the full measure of the man - a Sikh who is the quintessential Sikh votary and whose contributions to the development of Sikh institutions remain unparalleled.