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It seems detractors of the Guru Khalsa Panth have been creating ruckus and pandemonium in the Sikh community forever – but Panth has dealt with these challenges accordingly - in the highest of spirits.

After Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji’s accession to Sachkhand, when Bhai Gurbakhash Singh (Baba Banda Singh Bahadur) reached Punjab, a revered Sikh Ragi, Kirtani Bhai Balakee Singh Ji and his companions met up with the Sikh General and the Khalsa Fauj in the outskirts of the town of Payal and Ghurram circa around 1709.  

They came to court of the Khalsa with a serious complaint against the heresy that had been spreading under the tutelage of the Masands and their heterodox Ramrai congregation in the town of Payal.

MASANDS CODEMN SRI DASAM BANI AND ATTACK RAGI SINGH

In anguish, Bhai Balakee Singh Ji  described an incident at Payal where he was reciting Sri Dasam Guru Sahib Ji’s Chaupai Sahib during Rehras, and the heretical Ramrai Masands physically attacked him and  broke his stringed musical instrument known an a Saranda, and began to make derogatory remarks against Guru Sahib Ji also.    Should they be taught a lesson, asked Bhai Balakee Singh Ji?

Upon hearing the complaint of the vicious attack on Guru Sahib, His Dasam Bani, His beloved Kirtanis,  the Khalsa Fauj along with Baba Banda Sahib Bahadur set for and laid siege and plundered the town of Payal, and gave the Ramrai Masands the harshest punishment for their blasphemous actions.

The Khalsa Army then installed Bhai Balakee Singh Ji as the Chief Khalsa Constable for the Payal, and set forth to the town of Malerkotla with their armaments.

This incident is chronicled by the famed Sikh historian Giani Gian Singh Ji in his manuscript “Shamsher Khalsa”, published in the 1890’s.

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

Just as those Ramrai Masands, three centuries later, modern day illiterate missionary-heretics are trying to misguide the Sikh community, and are spewing the same type of venom against Sri Dasam Patshah’s Bani and attacking any Gursikh Kirtanis who recites it.  

Heretics such as Sarbjit Dhunda, and Inder Ghagga have called Sri Dasam Bani, “ਗੰਦ” (trash) and a products of the Hindu Granths.  Dhunda has even stated that verses recited by Sri Darbar Sahib Kirtanis (Ragis) are so offensive that they bring even prostitutes to shame.

Is history repeating itself, only time will tell when these heretics will be dealt with in accordance to the norms and traditions of the Khalsa Panth as was done in the case of the Masands Ramrais.