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Nihangs had a major role in defending the Sikh Panth after the fall of the first Sikh rule.
New Delhi:
The brutal killing of a 35-year-old-man at the Singhu border in New Delhi on Friday morning, allegedly for desecrating a sacred text, has brought the spotlight back on Nihang Sikhs. Videos show a group of Nihangs questioning the man before his death.
Following are 5 things to know about the Nihangs:
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Nihang is an order of Sikh warriors that traces its origin to the creation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. They are distinguished by their blue robes, decorated turbans and are often seen carrying weapons like swords and spears.
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Last year, a group of Nihangs had chopped off the hand of a policeman in Patiala with a sword after he asked them to show ‘movement passes’ during the Covid lockdown.
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The 19th-century historian Rattan Singh Bhangu describes Nihangs as “unaffected by pain or comfort”, “given to meditation, penance and charity” and “complete warriors”.
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Nihangs had a major role in defending the Sikh Panth after the fall of the first Sikh rule (1710-15) when Mughal governors were killing Sikhs and during the onslaught of Afghan invader Ahmed Shah Durrani (1748-65).
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The Nihangs are said to have their own deras and a specific way of life.
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