1 The Sikhs of the
2 present day,
3 The Bengali,
4 The Hindu.
5 The Mussalman.
6 The Aligarh Maho-
7 medan College,
8 The KAdIsd Dewan.
9 Farly signs of im-
10 provements among the
11 Sikhs,
12 630 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB,
13 The brave Sikhs, true to their country and faithful to their nation, cheerfully
14 accepted the British rule, and an experience of nearly half a century has
15 now shown how conspicuous their loyalty to their new rulers and masters
16 has been. Under the banners of the British they have fought gallantly,
17 side by side with Englishmen, in the remotest regions of the earth.
18 But the high aspirations after conquest, and the glories of war have
19 ceased to inspire the Khdlsd. The Sikhs of to-day are gradually losing those
20 qualities which were once the essential characteristics of their race. Beyond
21 their excellent physique and an inborn bravery which, under a system of
22 proper discipline and training, is capable of being turned to useful account,
23 there is little in the Sikhs of the present time, looked on as a whole, to attract
24 special attention. Sikhs of course there are who have faithfully preserved
25 the glorious traditions of their forefathers, and who entertain the most
26 implicit reverence for the teachings of their great Gurus. But admirable as
27 this spirit is in its way, it is not all that the exigencies of the time require.
28 The present is an era when education serves as the readiest passport to
29 success. Like the Mahomedans, they have suffered themselves to be thrown
30 far behind the less manly, but more intelligent, of the Hindu races in the
31 field of competition for progress which Western education has thrown open
32 to all the people of this country. The quick-witted Bengaliand the thrifty
33 Hindu have eagerly seized the opportunities for advancement afforded by
34 British civilization, which the Mahomedan and the Sikh has each in his
35 turn neglected. The hard lessons of adversity, learnt by the Mahomedans, ,
36 have at length awakened them to a sense of their duty, and they have paid
37 such attention to the subject of education as the urgency of the times
38 required, establishing a college of their own at Aligarh, and holding conferences
39 in the great centres of civilization in India, in which education forms the sole
40 subject of their deliberations. Nothing can be more befitting the honour
41 of the Mahomedan community, than that the leaders of public opinion
42 among them, avoiding all concern with political matters, should devote
43 their heart and soul to endeavouring to raise their less fortunate brethren
44 in the scale of civilization, and afford them such educational facilities as
45 shall equip them for the struggle of life. It is believed they have
46 thoroughly realised the fact that it is education on sound principles alone
47 that will better their position in the future. Slowly, but surely, they are
48 working their way to progress, and, if they avoid pitfalls, there is good reason
49 to nee that their old prestige in the learned world may gradually be
50 regaine
51 "The leaders of the Sikhs represented by the “ Khdlsé Dewdn,” a body of
52 the Sikhs whose aim is to spread enlightened and advanced ideas among the
53 members of their community, recognizing the truth of the motto that “union
54 is strength,” brought themselves early to public notice by presenting
55 petitions to Government praying for certain concessions and privileges which
56 they considered would improve the condition of their co-religionists. These
57 first signs of change were hailed by all well-wishers of the: country with
58 feelings of satisfaction.
59 Their petitions received due consideration ; but it was apparent, never-
60 theless, that, however much it might desire to advance the prosperity of
61 its subjects, a Government could not do everything for them, and that it was
62 only proper and reasonable that, before they could expect help from
63 Government, they should help themselves, and adopt some such definite
64 scheme as would justify their solicitations. Accordingly, the “ Khdlsd Dewdn”
65 in the name of the Sikh community, set on foot a truly national movement,
66 Sri Satgaeq agit Sinigh| jedibrapy from the nobNipdiiaitélititasy @igesaiconise of a vast