Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the World Wars

By Mohindra S Chowdhry

Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the World Wars is a fascinating history of the much-forgotten Sikh contribution to the two World Wars. Containing much new research and modern ideas, the book explores how an alliance with Britain enabled Sikhism to spread across the globe and Sikhs to step forward as global partners.
Mohindra S. Chowdhry begins his book by exploring the Sikh revolt against the Mughal Empire. He demonstrates how this revolutionary movement proved not that Sikhs were opposed to Islam, but that Sikhism stood for basic human rights, liberty and freedom to follow the religion of their choice.
The book also shows how Sikhs eventually allied themselves to the British, after first battling it out with them in the hills and plains of the Punjab. He describes the commonality between the two cultures and their ways of looking at life. This common ground developed into loyalty; a bond which gave the British access to a superb fighting force during the two World Wars, and an alliance which enabled the Sikh brotherhood to enter onto the world stage and has resulted in their spread across the globe.
Mohindra concludes with the argument that it is the duty of Sikhs, inspired by deep-rooted principles of justice and equality, to take up the challenges wherever they are to participate in the mainstreams of political and social life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
• Release date: Mar 28, 2018
• ISBN: 9781789010985

Book preview

The Defence of Europe

by Sikh Soldiers in the

Two World Wars

Mohindra S. Chowdhry

Copyright © 2018 Mohindra S Chowdhry

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.

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This book is dedicated to Sant Sepohey (Saint Soldiers), the sons of soil and toil– the True Grit’’ and their allies who gave their \to-day for our To-morrow".

Contents

Foreword by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Amarinder Singh

Foreword by the Lord-Lieutenant of the County and City of Bristol, Peaches Golding OBE

Acknowledgements

Preface

1 Introduction

2 Sikhs and Mughals

3 Sikhs vs Sikhs

4 Sikhs vs British, 1810-1850

5 The Sikh contribution during the First World War

6 Personal narratives from the First World War

7 Sikhs in the Second World War

8 Conclusion

Foreword

by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Amarinder Singh

In his book The Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the Two World Wars, Mr Mohindra Chowdhry makes reference to the Pre and Post-Aryan periods in Northern India, and then sketches the growth of Sikhism whilst maintaining that, though there may have been struggles with the existing order, there was never any antagonism against any particular religion. He draws a historical parallel betweem the attempts by the Mughals to eradicate Sikhism with the persecution of the Jews through history. He traces the high point of Sikh influence in the region, leading to their alliane with the British and thence on to the global stage. Mr Mohindra Chowdhry argues that it is very important for the Sikhs to play an important role in the life of the nations and to blend in well with the communities of the individual Countries in which the Sikhs now live. It is equally important to keep their identity and to be faithful to their adopted countries. For a Sikh, he claims, one’s motherland is where one is born and Punjab, however, is the land of Sikh ancestors.

Foreword

by the Lord-Lieutenant of the County and City of Bristol, Peaches Golding OBE

For more than three decades, I have been privileged to call Mohindra Chowdhry my friend. Over the years, I have witnessed first-hand how this kind, warm and avuncular gentleman has encouraged Sikhs across Bristol and beyond to play a full role in the mainstream life of the communities in which they live. His purposeful introductions between Sikhs and local city leaders have bridged gulfs between communities by raising awareness of cultural and religious traditions. These deeply rooted principles of cohesion and participation are evident in his book The Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the Two World Wars.

The book recounts Sikh military history from the days of the predominately Mughal Dynasty in eighteenth-century India to the present day. His considered insight exposes how centuries-old myths about Sikhism – which itself stands for basic human rights, liberty and the freedom to choose the religion of one’s choice – was not the source of historic Sikhism-Muslim or Sikhism-British conflict, but something entirely different. He identifies how these myths grew and what impact they have had.

Above all, Mohindra explores how the principles of Sikhism enable its followers to integrate so successfully into communities and societies whose values may differ from theirs; as at its core, Sikh values spread harmony on the basis that all humanity stems from the same root or source. As Mohindra might say, it is by one’s own actions that each individual is judged. Although I am not a military historian, the letters written by Sikh military men fighting in World War I provided a window into their lives and experiences. Likewise, photographs taken during the second World War underline the impact of the wars on India and the world of today.

Acknowledgements

I want to thank my father, Sardar Nand Singh Chowdhry, and my mother, Sardarne Virahn Wali, for their constant support when I was younger, and for handing down the Sikh faith, which has always provided me with comfort and support. With regards this project, I would like to thank Adeela Shafi for her help with the initial ideas and Paul Morrissey for his assistance with my research as it developed. The Imperial War Museum provided access to digitised images and permission to include some in these pages, for which I am most grateful. Professor David Omissi was most generous in allowing me to use his materials in the form of soldiers’ letters translated from various languages in northern India. I have been a constant visitor to Bristol Central Library during the last three years, and I express my gratitude to the staff there who have been so helpful. I also thank my brother-in-law, Brigadier TPS Chowdhury, AVSM (Retd.) The Bombay Sappers for his excellent advice and help for writing this book – my first project.

Preface

At a recent Diwali celebration in Bristol, UK, which I was hosting, I told the following story to the guests....

The scene is a Sikh soldier in the Western Front at the Somme, in Belgium. This brave soldier was lying on the ground with his rifle at his side, and looking for some German soldiers. Suddenly, a shell dropped a few yards from him; luckily, he was not injured.

When the smoke cleared, there, just in front of him, was a 5 feet-deep hole, left by the exploding shell. Well, he thought, this is a perfect defensive position, and he jumped into the hole. Now he was able to aim at the enemy, who were not far off. He managed to shoot eight enemy soldiers and was still trying to get more.

Suddenly, and so typical of the British, his staff sergeant, who was always complaining about the Sikh’s lack of a helmet, shouted from behind: ‘ oye, Singh...come back from that f...... ing hole, and stop showing off ! And don’t get that turban dirty.’

I hope the guests enjoyed the anecdote, they certainly seemed to. But why do I repeat this here? The story reveals what this book is about. This book is about the ‘soldier saints’, those soldiers of the Sikh tradition whose bravery is the stuff of legend. How did this tradition of excellence in the martial arts come about? How did the environment of the Panjab mould them, how did the teachings of the prophets reach so deeply into their spirits and shape their collective behaviour? And what about this association with the British? How did this come about? And how has this association with the British military and the establishment affected the journey of the Sikh nation?

This is my story.

Mohindra S Chowdhry

1

Introduction

Long hair is a Sikh tradition, and very difficult to manage, especially for a boy. My mother would sit me down sometimes and try to comb out the tangles. As I squirmed around in discomfort and impatience, she would try to distract me, telling me stories about my family and their exploits in north India. When I look back at those times in Delhi, I often think that it was only through my mother that I heard these stories, so rich in detail but also in spirit; I seemed to have picked up very little from my father or other male relatives.

My years in England as a young man were the years when I began to discover myself and my Sikh identity. The Sikh story stayed dormant in some corner of my mind; it was not forgotten, nor even fresh, but still just alive. The human side and the human approach of the story interested me most, rather than the religious side. I started inquiring within myself, still unsure how to ask questions, satisfied to keep a lid on my disturbed feelings.

Quiet often I had the opportunity to watch Hollywood movies and the British produced blockbusters, either on the TV or in the cinema halls, where only the contributions made by the United States or the United Kingdom were high-lighted; seldom was any reference made of the participation of other communities, such as the Sikhs, in both the World Wars. This omission took place not only in Europe or North America but also in India as well. Even today the Indian moviemakers choose not make an effort to highlight the Sikh participation in the defence services, nor in general day to day life, a participation which is in every way pivotal.

I was determined that one day I would try to fully illustrate the Sikh input during both the World Wars, where they fought with great valour for the freedom of mankind, as they travelled to strange lands and gave their lives for the people whom they had never met before, but had a mutual friend, the British. The British had great faith in the Sikhs and the Sikhs made sure not to let them down, and the British launched them onto the world stage. The result of this excellent partnership was that, as we see to-day, Sikhs are residing in almost every democratic country on this planet and their services are highly appreciated in the main stream.

Those who build character are the great Builders, the Sikh Women.

I am very aware that the worlds I describe in my chapters are very male dominated; let’s be honest, in the earlier centuries which I describe in this book, it was a male-dominated world, based on physical strength and the skills of battle. It is very sad thing, but I do not think there are any female voices in my story, but the truth is that it is the woman who provided the continuity in every aspect, and delivered the Khalsa of 1699 and Khalsa of today. It is the women who were the invisible force, an unseen power of nature. For the majority of the time womens’ contributions have been behind the scenes and greatly recognised by the Sikh scriptures; they still played a pivotal role, without making demands. It is the woman who brought up the next generations of great warriors and kept the fire of Sikh revolution burning and completed their successful evolution.

With price tags on their head, Sikhs had to live in hide outs in deep forests, deserts, caves or in snow clad foothills of the Himalayas; it is the Sikh woman who kept the household going while looking after the old and young. Apart from this, they were also responsible for providing food and clothing to their own families, and also to the other dependents, including the hunted ones deep in to the hideouts. Very little is said about this, but is worth exploring with great admiration. In Sikh history the part played by the Sikh woman is written in golden words and even the Gurus in the Holy Scriptures have paid special tributes to their role played in the past.

After his mystic experience with ‘God’, Guru Nanak reached an understanding between man and woman based on equality. Both he and the Gurus who succeeded him encouraged men and women to take part in all the activities of Sikh worship and practice.

In Sikhism there is no gap between man and woman, they are sides of the same coin. Guru Nanak said in 1499 that it is woman who keeps the race going and that we should not consider women cursed and condemned (when) from woman are born leaders and kings. Discrimination in Sikh society has no religious basis. The impurity of mind is greed, falsehood and impurity of tongue, the impurity of eyes is to gaze on other women and the wealth of others. All impurities come and go with doubt and attachment to duality. Birth and death occur with ‘God’s’ will.

‘From a woman man is born, without her there will be no one at all.

Within woman, man is conceived; to a woman he is engaged and married

Woman becomes his friend, through woman future generations come

When his woman dies, he seeks another woman, to woman he is bound

So why call her bad? From her kings are born

From woman, woman is born, without woman there would be no one at all’.

Guru Nanak, Rag Asa Mehala 1, page 473. (Guru Granth Sahib)

‘She becomes a doorway to salvation’.

The ultimate description for a Sikh woman is this verbal portrait, inspired by the blessed, faithful Sikh woman.

Many women are mentioned in Sikh history, women who saw their children hacked to pieces. I can still remember my mother telling me the stories of great Sikh Gurus and warriors who were only too happy to give their best and everything for the faith, so that the future generations could live an honest, happy and unselfish life.

There are many famous women in Sikh history who did not hesitate to jump in the battlefield with a sword to protect the faith. The Sikh woman participated during the formative years of Sikhism then and during both the World Wars and in no way was their part less than Sikh men. The 5th Nanak (Guru Arjan) says that Guru Nanak said ‘God (mother) before name of father’. God is our mother as well as our father.

‘Thou o Lord, art my Mother and Thou my Father

Thou are the Giver of peace to my soul and very life

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, page 1144.

It further says ‘…in all beings is the Lord pervasive, the Lord pervades all forms male and female ‘. This is clearly explaining that women are equal to men and in no way they are inferior. When Guru Gobind Singh baptized Khalsa in 1699, He instructed both Men and Women to observe same tenets. This shows that in his view, women were equal to men. There have been many famous women who were responsible for making Sikh history into such a glorious one, though this theme is beyond the scope of this book.

The Author

I was born a Sikh, from a Sikh family which goes back many generations. I have been inspired by the teachings and tenets of Sikhism during all my years, while travelling to every continent. I feel its traditions and power coursing through my veins. It is important that my readers understand that I write this as a proud Sikh, and that it is written from the perspective of a Sikh.

In these pages I want to share with my readers my view of the great changes which I have studied and pondered: how the Sikh nation has spread from the Punjab to its present day reach across the globe. I want to share with my readers about how I believe we, the Sikhs, have arrived at where we are today. But I am not a scholar; I am an engineer and a businessman, and I would be interested to hear how you respond to my ideas.

So, how did it all start? I want to start at the geographical and archaeological beginnings. If you don’t like ancient history, you might want to turn to later chapters where I write about more recent times, but you might miss out on the roots of a great tradition.

The Punjabi or the Indus Valley Civilization:

3250 to 2750 BCE

Let’s go back six thousand years to the Panjabi Civilization, also known as the Indus Valley Civilization. It is very important that we should do this, because the history of this area has roots which are very diverse, and far more complex than the current political arrangement; after all, present day Pakistan is a seventy year experiment, an Islamic state. But the Indus Civilization is one of three in the ‘ancient East’, along with Mesopotamia and Egypt, which were the cradles of early civilizations in the world, and the Indus civilization is perhaps the earliest. The civilisations in Egypt and Mesopotamia may have lasted longer but they co-existed with the Indus Valley Civilization between the years 2600 – 1900 BCE, and out of these three, the Indus was the earliest and most widely spread, extending from today’s North East Afghanistan to Pakistan and parts of present day northern India. I should mention here that I use the abbreviation CE to mean Common Era, to indicate dates after the birth of Christ, and BCE to mean Before the Common Era; the term ‘common’ refers to the fact that the Christian calendar is the most frequently used around the world. I am conscious that many of my readers will be of religions other than Christianity! The Sanskrit (a pre-Aryan language) literature suggests that India, like other countries in Europe, had successive ages of Stone, Bronze and Iron ages. But before I move into details about the Civilisation, we should look at this question: what do we mean by the Panjab, or Punjab, as it is more often written?

What is Punjab?

Under the shadows of the Himalayas, the tallest, the most beautiful and most challenging mountains in the world, is the fertile land of Punjab. To nurture its land are five rivers from which it derives its name: they are the Hydaspes, now called Jhelum, the Akesines, now called Chenab, the Hydrootis, now called Rave, the Hyphasis now called Satluj and the Hesidros, now known as the Beas.

In winter, Punjab is tremendously cold and there is no natural shelter from the icy winds from the Himalaya. The plains provide no shelter from the cold or heat of the sun, and no natural barrier, and yet it is a beautiful landscape with enough water provided by the five rivers to make it attractive to man. The challenges provided by nature, the makeup of the population from settlers from every part of the known world, combined with soldiers who defected from the invading armies, changed the character of people who lived there. It is important to note that all the invaders who we shall meet in the following pages, came via land, from the Khyber Pass, the north west of India, apart from the British, who came via the sea.

The strange mix up of natural and physical difficulties and manmade upheavals changed the people for ever and made them different to other homogeneous populations in looks, habit and character. They became a people of lighter complexion, tall, strong and fun loving, with a love of singing and drinking Somras (an alcoholic drink, a favourite with the Aryans, who we shall meet soon). Perhaps these qualities took Punjabis to every corner of the world and due to that, people from every corner of the world also began to arrive, not only recently but since centuries ago. If you can imagine then, people gathering on cold nights around a log fire, or on a hot summers afternoon gathering under a tree and talking about foreign lands, gossiping about politics, wine, women and wealth, the picture could not be much different to a Punjabi village then and now.

The Punjabi Civilization

But let’s return to the Punjabi Civilization, noting that it was both independent and indigenous. It grew from, and was the product of, the Punjabi soil, and had features which were not present in any of the other civilizations. This civilization possibly dates back to about 3250 to 2750 BCE. The population consisted of Poroto-Australoid, Mediterranean, Alpinoid and Mongoloid peoples. They were called Dravidians and were a very advanced civilization, and had well planned cities, agriculture and social life. Archaeologists also suggest that the civilisation appears to have been quite egalitarian, and does not appear to have been based on great militaristic figures or deities.

Going back before 6500 BCE, excavations at a site near the Bolan Pass (Mehrgarh, now in Pakistan) indicate the largest village or small town in the world at that time. This is a precursor of the Punjabi civilisation described above. The development of this village and its culture is not found parallel anywhere else during this period, or anywhere else in the world. This earliest development of Indus culture in terms of, for example, agriculture, arts and crafts, with an extensive drainage and water supply system, brick houses and town planning – with clusters of non residential buildings – we find nowhere else in the world at this time. All these were the typical features of the later Indus Valley Civilization, which is also known as the Harappa civilization.

A Non- Aryan era: the Rig-Vedic

This period is known as the pre-Aryan era and the original inhabitants were dark skinned or black Sudras, commonly known as aborigines, who originally hailed from central Asia; they were also known as Scythians or Tartars. Western scholars suggest that the Harappa civilization was an original Hindu civilization, which had no influence from Aryan migrations. These aborigines of the Rig-Veda (pre- Aryan people of Indus valley Civilization) were a black-skinned race also known as Aura as mentioned in the Rig-Veda. The Rig-Veda is, of course, an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns. It is one of the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism known as the Vedas. Later, during the Aryan and post Aryan period these aborigines were also called Rakshas, Syums, and Dasyus, Dasas or simply slaves.

No doubt the above mentioned aborigines were from Mongolian and Chinese stock and are also known as the ‘tartars’. There is a likeness to these tartars, due to physical looks and spoken words in eastern Bengal, Assam and China. They share religious beliefs and customs. Researchers, such as General Brigs, and Mr Hodgson (the late resident of Nepal) are firm supporters of this school of thought, which suggests the genetic roots of this people.

Herodotus, the Greek philosopher and historian, speaking of these prehistoric Indians, says that they lived in marshes, along banks of the rivers, eating raw fish; their boats were made of reeds and they wore garments of bark, and they ate their dead. Another traveller, Megasthanes, says that they thought that the River Indus was the largest river in the world and at that time was infested with crocodiles or alligators. Megasthenes also informs that the primitive Indians were nomadic and they did not till the land but gradually began to till and the use of the turban became popular. Oxen were introduced to plough; the use of drums and worship continued till Alexander’s arrival. The trumpet was not invented. The women served in the army. In various parts of India, tools made of stone such as flint knives and axes have been found.

Otisias, another Greek writer, speaks of the Indus as a Great River which watered the lands of India and in which grew tall and stout reeds. He also spoke about elephants to his Greek audience and about birds with tongues which were able to speak, and if taught, would also speak Greek!

Thibeto-Burman peoples entered India via North Eastern passes; Kolarian peoples also entered Bengal via the North East and the Dravidians came via the North West. These now inhabit the southern part of India, as far as Cape Comorin, where perhaps the ancient Turainian-Scythian were living before them. These people were highly articulate, civilized and much more advanced than the Aryans who gradually overpowered them over a prolonged period. More of the Aryans later.

The Military or Martial traditions of

Ancient Punjab, in the Rig-Veda period

What I find interesting about the Rig-Veda period, four thousand years ago, are the many references to the martial and military traditions of the Punjab. Of course, this region has always had a great tradition of military expertise and pride. In this regard we are lucky to have not only archaeological evidence but also the rich resource of the Mahabharata and Ramayana Sanskrit texts. These great literatures tell us about the epic battles which were fought during this Rig-Vedic period, the most renowned being the Mahabharata War, using the same name as the text itself; more about this war later. Both works are mixtures of history and legends, both were frequently re-interpreted and rewritten and edited, and both were later converted into sacred literature where their heroes became gods. Consequently, important as they are to the literary and religious traditions, they are not easily pinned down to a historical period. I don’t think this really matters; what does matter is that they underline the significance of the great martial traditions of Punjab.

The diverse geographical regions of the Punjab were divided into many small kingdoms. They were often at war with each other for domination and very often the war involved very few soldiers, perhaps only in hundreds. These wars were like skirmishes and the weaponry involved had strange shapes and sizes with the unique Indian flavour, like elephants, long bows, bamboos and shirt less infantry soldiers; each kingdom added its own individual flavour depending on its geographical position in the Indian subcontinent. For example, the deserts of the North West were ruled by the Rajputs. They were skilled mounted warriors and supplied mercenary forces to others and by doing so became very rich and powerful states.

Further south in India, the Deccan, was defended by the fiercest warriors and was not overun by the Aryans from the north due its difficult geographical and climatic conditions, the climate being too hot for people from the north, and also for the horses and the elephants. The difficult terrain virtually made it impossible to pass. The hot and dry climate even adversely affected the bows and arrows to be used.

Little is known about the weapons during this pre- Aryan era as the advent of Aryans from 1500 BCE meant that virtually everything was lost due to the Aryan attitude towards the natives and, also the writing methods of this era. Some of the weapons found are similar to the hunting weapons but some are for warfare, such as maces, axes and spears. The maces were of stone as one finds in Egypt and Sumerian; these maces had wooden handles and head of alabaster, lime stone or softer stone like sandstone, which could be worked to the required shape easily. Leaf shaped daggers were also used where blades were made of bronze or copper and with one or two edges. They also used slings and bows. The arrow heads were narrow with long barbs.

The Kurukshetra or Mahabharata War, mentioned before, is recounted in the writings of the same name, the Mahabharata, probably at about 1900BCE, though many scholars are unsure about this. The great epic battle of Mahabharata was fought in the plains of Kurukshetra. So many gathered to fight the most horrific war ever on earth, according to and as described in the great Sanskrit poems. The blood stains were so deep that it took centuries to wipe out. The Army was organised in four parts with infantry, elephants, chariots and archers. The weapons in these two battles were war elephants, chariots, axes, swords, shields, javelins and maces. The Mahabharata mentions the use of a triangular noose weapon made of rope and iron balls for the weight that was used for strangling the opponents. Another example is ‘Sudarshan Chakara’, a spinning disc like weapon with very sharp edge that was hurled at the enemy. Many of these weapons were linked with the Hindu religion. A hammer on a long five foot pole with an eight sided club, which was very effective due to its length and the attacker, was at safe distance from the enemy. There were many strategic battlefield formations employed which is beyond the scope of this book, but interesting is that these formations were employed until a few hundred years ago in India.

The Post Harappa period; 1900-1500 BCE

The towns and villages of the Harappa civilisation were abandoned due to the River Sarasvati having dried up, but there was no real break of culture or civilization. At this time Punjab was the most diverse part of the subcontinent, or perhaps the world. This civilization was not shaped by any outside influence or force and shows real continuity. It proves that it was growth of its own, so we can call it genuinely ‘indigenous’. It is said that between the Indus River and Ghaggar-Hakera river, which was in North West India and eastern Pakistan, at its peak this civilization may have had a population of around five million. There were well developed techniques in handicraft and metallurgy (copper, bronze, lead and tin), and further examples of the urban planning, drainage, water supply and agriculture mentioned above.

The Arrival of the Aryans

The Aryan arrival in India was over a prolonged period from about 1500 BCE and it was extremely difficult for them to establish themselves over an enemy who was intelligent, clever and fully advanced in every respect; but it is also extremely difficult to know just how the Aryans overpowered the aborigines. The Aryans prayed to their ‘gods’ to grant them victory over their Dasyus, who are described as dark blue clouds, to keep them distinct from themselves, to place Dasyus on the left hand, to turn aside their arm, to increase the might and glory of the Aryans (Aryas) to crush the hostile Dasyus and bring the ‘black skins’ under the sway of the Aryans. The Dasyus were referred to as enemies, evil spirits, flat-nosed or no-nose, monsters and ‘godless’ black faced tribes, who lived in the cities and big houses and well built dwellings. At that stage they were an advanced civilization with power and immense resources at their disposal. The Aryan prayers to their ‘gods’ spell it out.

In order to degrade the original inhabitants, the Aryans started to refer to them as we have before, by various derogatory names. It must be added that because the Aryans were able to subdue the Dravidians in the north of India and began to push them towards the south, they were able to twist the truth, showing that, once again, the victor writes history, which is not necessarily fact. The whiter skinned Aryans projected themselves as ‘gods’ while projecting the Dravidians as evil, ugly, and down and out. The Aryans are called ‘Hindus’ of the new age, or post-Aryan Hindus, whose religious beliefs completely differ from the Hindus of the previous ‘Rig-Veda’ era.

After they were overpowered by the Aryans, the aborigines degenerated due to the Aryan unjust policies towards these Rig-Vedic Hindus. Over a short period the Indus Valley civilization seems to have just evaporated into thin air. It is important to note that at this stage the Aryans were nomads and the original inhabitants were those who were civilized and who had a great culture.

The Aryan ‘god’ Indra was considered the destroyer of the Dravidians and their big cities and townships. This ‘god’ was also called the destroyer of cities of Asuras (Dasyus), destroyer of ‘ungodly’ cities. Agne, the ‘god’ of fire is known to have destroyed the Iron walled city of Dasyus. Somewhat mysteriously perhaps, some researchers even suggest that gun powder was available and since the Aryans were nomads at this stage, then, only the aborigines could be responsible for possessing this gun powder. The mention of gun powder and its existence is often made in the ‘Rig-Veda’ and the assumption that the Chinese inventing it could be debatable.

The mere mention of big cities and walls of Iron and living in townships by the Aryans is enough to tell us that the Dravidians were an advanced civilization. These people were great temple builders and those historical constructions are still standing in India. Ferguson, for example, a great writer on Indian ancient architecture, says that the rock-hewn temple of Kylas at Ellora, the great pagoda at Tanjore and the temple at Seringhan were built by the race who were conquered by the Brahmins or Aryans. The Brahmins were superior Aryans or white skinned Hindus, who were at the head of the chain as a profession rather than a caste. At one stage they were the warrior-priests performing the religious and sacrificial ceremonies and had the ear of the king or even dominated the king, but not at the head of the caste system as we know it now.

It is worth noting that the caste system was introduced by the Aryans. This evil system got entrenched so well, it still exists even today in most of the Hindu dominated communities, and despite continuous efforts made by various religious or priestly classes they still have not managed to be rid of it. It is very possible that people of the Punjab became colour conscious since that time and people with fair complexion began to be appreciated more than the darker colour; a whiter colour gradually became the colour of the ruling classes. This gave birth to another complex, a never ending social evil, a prejudice which still exists in the form of racism. Slavery was introduced by them when they overcame the original aborigines. To maintain their superiority, the Aryans felt that they must depict the aborigines as barbarians in both mind and disposition and thus excluded them very systematically and carefully from the Indian commonwealth and regarded them as beasts rather than human beings. The ancient holy scriptures of the post Aryan era literature depict the aborigines as mere monkeys, or over grown monstrous beasts of that era. If that was not enough, look below.

1.The aborigines were excluded from living in the cities.

2.Their property consisted only of dogs and asses

3.Their only clothes were those which were left to them by the dead.

4.The ornaments they wear could only be rusty Iron.

5.They were not allowed to settle in one place, but had to wonder from place to place.

6.No respectable person could have intercourse with them.

7.They were to be hangmen or executioners or takers of life.

8.They could have the ornaments of the dead including the bedding and the clothes of the executed ones.

9.Those who were slaves were never released from bondage.

What Happened to the Aborigines?

As explained, the Aryan advent in the Punjab was gradual, not a sudden influx and most probably it took a few centuries rather than just a few years. That is the reason how they were able to overpower the original inhabitants by sheer cunning, rather than just a show of strength.

The aborigines of the pre-Aryan age were an advanced civilization, as explained above, and the Aryans perhaps just nomads. Under such circumstances it would have been be extremely difficult for both of them to live together in harmony. The Aryan nomadic tribes gradually began to push them further inland and away from fertile land and water. The Dravidians gradually began to move southwards -they still survive in the south of India – while the Thibeto – Burman and Kolarian peoples started to make their way towards unhealthy dense forests and dangerous mountains and hills. It is said that even now, they survive in small numbers and live in primitive deprived conditions as if time has forgotten them. They still live but in very small numbers, as if nothing has changed for them. This is very sad and since centuries many ‘godlike’ human beings appeared on the scene, nobody has tried to do anything for these time forgotten luckless people who are just vanishing; it is also true that there is very little awareness about them, and they are very fast disappearing, if not already so. Very little is known if they have been absorbed by another culture, or if the primitive conditions they have been living in are sufficient enough to hurry them in to oblivion. A very sad end of a civilization once perhaps the oldest and most distinguished on Earth and but now swallowed by time, an unkind stroke of fate.

A point worth noting is that the Hindu of the pre- Aryan era and Hindus of the post Aryan era are like chalk and cheese, and in many ways contrary.

A new Era: The Vedic period of ancient Punjab

1500 BC to 500 BC

To reiterate then, around 1500 BCE nomadic tribes from central and Eastern Europe started to arrive in small groups. They were called the Aryans of the Rig-Veda. The Aryan advent was a process and not an event. In other words they did not arrive in Punjab in big numbers but in small groups and they kept on coming over the next few hundred years. We can compare this event to modern times, how people of different cultures and nationalities have been moving and settling in various distant countries for better lives, opportunities and perhaps a very few in search of adventure. The effect of Aryan immigration in to the Indian subcontinent was immense and things were never the same; it changed the subcontinent and the lives of the people forever.

People always go to foreign lands for better lives for themselves and their future generations, for financial, political, religious security and freedom. The poorest countries have fewest migrants. This movement and diversity does influence lives in the host country to start with, for better or worse, but in a very short period, with inter-marriages and social interaction, the migrants usually blend into the host community. We can see the effects of migration in recent times in the U.S.A and Europe; these two continents have enriched themselves in every way and have learnt from each other to make life colourful and diverse to benefit mankind. Diverse communities embrace tolerance and improve quality of life. History shows us that every society needs fresh blood every now and then to keep itself healthy and motivated. We shall see how the Aryan advent in India changed everything forever. It is hard to imagine the Indian subcontinent today without the Aryans.

The Aryans introduced swords, shields, chariots and the horse. Later on the Greeks, Persians and Chinese also started to settle in this area. In 350 BC Punjab was perhaps the most cosmopolitan land on Earth. A point worth noting is that the Greeks were well familiar with this part of the world before Alexander invaded in 326 BC. Punjabis did business with most of the known world at that time and the Punjab was known as the land of plenty. Punjab was also called the ‘Golden Bird’ which fascinated most of the invaders from faraway lands. Agriculture flourished and cities like Jallundhar and Ludhiana became very rich and famous.

Due to its geographical position, invaders could only travel via land as opposed to sea, which was very difficult during that period. Punjab was under constant attack from Greeks, Persians, Scythians, Turks and Afghans, and as a result there was blood shed for centuries. People lived under a constant threat and to protect themselves, they started a warrior type lifestyle, and were always armed with the most modern sophisticated weapons of the times. Many people started producing arms, which became an industry itself, and supplies were sent all over the subcontinent. Successful invaders were able to help themselves and plunder was taken away to their respective countries and far away from the Indian sub continent. This provided more fuel for invaders to return and help themselves to more loot. Punjab has been controlled by many ancient Empires. This included Gandhara, Nandas, Mauryas, Sungas, Kushans, Guptas, Palas, Gurjara- Pratiharas and Hindu Shahis. The conquerors were able to take away a lot of men, women, and children as slaves and sold them in their own countries and other countries on the way. They also took horses, elephants, silver, gold, pearls, diamonds, timber and grain, cotton including spices, due to the fact that a lot of foreign invaders started taking chances, and India became an easy picking. The resources being taken away from the Punjabis made them immensely war- like, thus changing their basic character forever. At some times, Punjab became weak and poor due to this constant outside pressure, but there were better spells under the powerful chieftains or Kings. For example, during the Muryan Empire, the city of Taxila (northern Pakistan) housed a famous learning centre called Taxila University. The most famous thinker and politician of Vedic times, Chanakya, was a teacher there. Students from all over the world came to study. This place is now a United Nations World Heritage site. During other periods, Punjab was occupied by various emperors and thus its culture, character and language started to change; most influence was from Persia. From the Mughal period the official language was Persian until the early nineteenth century. Punjab integrated something of Greece, Persia, China, Tibet, Arabia, Egypt, central and western India into the local bloodstream. Here came Skylax, Alexander the Great, Huen Tsang and Fa Hien. In Punjab we had travellers with real interest, nomads who influenced the culture of civilized people with the result there was no national unity or identity. The constant upheaval among agricultural people who were tied to their land created a curiously Panjabi personality which at times is difficult to describe. North Punjab (North West frontier) was a breeding ground for soldiers and these virtually supplied the demand for soldiers for the rest of the subcontinent. My own opinion is that Punjab was always in the firing line and a warrior culture developed there well before the Aryan era, and this martial race spirit qualified them to be the top guns. This quality made them very competent soldiers and always in extreme demand not only in Punjab or India but also in other neighbouring countries too. It is no great surprise to find Punjabis, in the defence services both in India and Pakistan at present times as was in Rig-Veda period.

Punjab was the birth place of many legendry people from every walk of life but above all this was the birth place of, in my opinion, the greatest, bravest and among the best nations on earth, the Sikhs (Khalsa) they are also called the ‘Saint Warriors’ the true and real ‘sons of Soil and Toil’- ‘the True Grit’.

As agriculture took root in the Indus valley from 3500 BCE, one of the oldest – perhaps the oldest – civilizations began to develop but this, as we saw above began to be disturbed by Aryan migration from about 1500 BCE. In the mean time, agriculture had started to spread in rest of the Indian subcontinent. Punjab started to get the reputation as the land of plenty with rivers of milk and honey, a pleasant climate which those days attracted a lot nomadic tribes from the areas where the weather conditions were extremely harsh. Most of the migration was through the North West, but also some from the north east, since from other directions, the subcontinent was well protected by the Himalayas and the sea.

As said earlier that the Aryans were responsible for introducing chariots into the Indus valley during their migration. The nomadic tribes migrated and spread from north of the Caspian Sea and spread to the borders of China. The warring soldiers were able to impress and exploit the most expensive weapon of the time, the Chariot, which was not only up to date but agile as compared to then domestic donkey or bullock cart. This gave them tremendous military advantage over the indigenous people. They were able to use archery while, moving fast, and they used iron swords, lighter and stronger than bronze and copper.

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