1 POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF THE SIKHS, 291
2 their superiors, since neglect on the part of the latter, in these matters,
3 would be the seal of their own ruin.
4 The Sikhs attributed all their victories to Govind, for they believed They all fought in
5 they were invisibly led on by him against the enemy. Whether they ™®™™me% Gv"
6 plundered, robbed, killed, mutilated, or committed any other species of
7 outrage upon their enemies, they invariably called upon the name of Govind.
8 For Govind they fought with the utmost fanaticism ; for Govind they died
9 with the calmest resignation. As Singhs, or lions, they lived, fought and
10 died, and, as Singhs, their memories are cherished by their successors.
11 During the period of which we are writing, it was customary to build
12 towns and villages on elevations surrounded by walls,—primarily as watch-
13 towers, and secondly, as forts in case of emergency.
14 Persons were not considered to have attained manhood, or to have _ Proficiency in arms
15 any just claim to their wives and children, goods and chattels, &c., &c., becoming a sbember of
16 until such time as they could prove their rights by the argument of the jyepredominating
17 sword or lance. The agriculturist found, by experience, that the sword and
18 musket were as necessary implements of his calling as the plough, for he
19 dared not attend to his work unarmed. None could hope for membership
20 in the Khdlsé or governing body, without proficiency in equitation and arms.
21 When the Mahomedans were the predominating power in the Panjab, — treatment of the
22 they treated the Sikhs with little consideration, and it was now their turn to Nhomedans by the
23 suffer. They were employed by the ruling race in the most menial capa-
24 cities, agriculture being about the most honourable profession in which they
25 were allowed to engage, and, in this, only as tenants.
26 They were persecuted in every conceivable manner, their mosques being
27 desecrated and turned into pigsties, and their men into swineherds. The
28 grandest of their shrines were utilized as magazines and arsenals. In
29 the meanest of the mosques (which were in a dilapidated condition pre-
30 vious to the Sikh ascendency), the Muslims used to assemble secretly to
31 offer up prayers; but even in these they dared not pray aloud, for fear
32 of their enemies falling upon and annihilating them. ‘They were forbidden — they were treated as
33 the use of beef as an article of food, and those who showed any predilection joey st inti ibetics,
34 for it were despatched precipitately to the next world, (the cow being con-
35 sidered the most sacred animal of this world by the followers of Govind).
36 The Mazhabi Sikhs, z.e, those Mahomedans who had embraced the reli-
37 gion of Govind, fared very little better than those who adhered to the faith
38 of their fathers. They were not appointed to any post of trust under
39 their -conquerors, and were little better than serfs. The majority of the
40 well-to-do Mahomedans emigrated into British territory, and claimed the
41 protection of its rules. Here they were allowed to follow their religion un- _ atost of them conse-
42 molested. The mudazzan could now fearlessly summon the faithful to the gueatly emigrate to
43 performance of their devotion, and his stentorian voice gladdened the they enjoyed the |
44 hearts of those who had so long been in bondage, and who had been prevent-
45 ed by their idolatrous and infidel masters from performing their religious
46 duties according to-their divine law. Politics and religion could here be
47 discussed freely; subjects of which they could only dream while under the
48 control of the Khdlsd..
49 The country at this time in possession of the Sikhs comprised a]most _ sikh possessions in
50 the whole of the Panjab, including a portion of Multan, and most of the ePanithat this time.
51 territory lying between the Jamna and the Sutlej, and bounded on the
52 . north and west by the Indus, on the east by the territories of the rdjas
53 of Jammu and Nadaon, and on the south by the territories of the British
54 Government, and the sandy deserts of Jesalmer and Hissar. A general
55 estimate of the value of this country may be formed from the fact that, in
56 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com