ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>GURCHARAN SI&#7748GH</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="GURCHARAN,SIDGH"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279GURCHARAN SI&#7748GH, a K&#363k&#257 leader (formally designated <i>s&#363b&#257</i>, i.e. governor or deputy, by B&#257b&#257 R&#257m Si&#7749gh) who attempted to seek help of the Russians against the British, was born in 1806 at Chakk Pir&#257&#7751&#257 in Si&#257lko&#7789 district, now in Pakistan, the son of Atar Si&#7749gh Virk. He joined the army of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh as a trooper in 1833 and served the Sikh State up to its annexation in 1849. He was initiated into the K&#363k&#257 faith about 1870 by the K&#363k&#257 <i>s&#363b&#257</i>, Jot&#257 Si&#7749gh, also of the Si&#257lko&#7789 district, and shortly afterwards was himself appointed a <i>s&#363b&#257</i>. After the deportation of B&#257b&#257 R&#257m Si&#7749gh to Rangoon in 1872, Gurcharan Si&#7749gh travelled extensively preaching the K&#363k&#257 creed and making converts. He got in contact with Russians after they had firmly established themselves in the central Asian region. He knew Pashto and Persian languages and was fully familiar with Afghanistan and the territories beyond having visited K&#257bul several times. He possessed a strong physique capable of undertaking long and arduous journeys. His descriptive roll as given in the police records at the time of his arrest in 1881 was: "Light complexion, large eyes, aquiline features, white beard and moustaches, height about 5 ft 11 inches, age 75 years; general appearance -- a fine and handsome specimen of a Sikh."</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In 1879, Gurcharan Si&#7749gh carried a letter to the Russian authorities purporting to be from B&#257b&#257 R&#257m Si&#7749gh, the K&#363k&#257 leader. He reached Tash Kurghan in April 1880 where he was received by the Russian governor of Tashkent. The letter in Gurmukh&#299 began with <i>sal&#257ms</i> to the Russian emperor, the governor-general and other Russian officers and among other things went on to say that R&#257m Si&#7749gh was the spiritual leader of 3,15,000 K&#363k&#257s, all brave soldiers; that the tyrannical British government had imprisoned him in Rangoon; that the British were afraid of losing the Punjab to the K&#363k&#257s; that Russians would go to India to expel the English and that both the Russians and the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 would rule over all India. The Russian authorities showed keen interest in Gurcharan Si&#7749gh's mission, but they were non-committal and wished to proceed with caution. A letter was, however, given to the K&#363k&#257 leader:</p> <blockquote class="C1"><p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Greetings from the Commander-in-Chief and the Governor-General to Baba Ram Singh and Baba Budh Singh. The letter was duly received from Gurcharan Singh, careful consideration was given it, and the contents were gratifying to note. Thanks for the informative communication, but it is desirable to have details, more fresh news about the affairs and situation in India. The prophecy of Guru Govind Singh and Guru Baba Nanak was noted for information. Everything will happen according to the Will of God. The prophets know best when the hour will strike.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</blockquote></p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gurcharan Si&#7749gh reached Bhai&#7751&#299 S&#257hib by a circuitous route via Pesh&#257war and R&#257walpi&#7751&#7693&#299 and delivered the Russian letter with the accompanying presents to B&#257b&#257 Buddh Si&#7749gh for onward transmission to B&#257b&#257 R&#257m Si&#7749gh. The British government came to know about the movements of Gurcharan Si&#7749gh and began to keep a strict watch upon him. He was soon arrested and sent to Mult&#257n jail. After his release in 1886, he was kept under police surveillance in his native village in Si&#257lko&#7789 district.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Fauja Singh, <i>Kuka Movement</i>. Delhi, 1965<BR> <li class="C1"> Ahluwalia, M.M., Kukas: <i>The Freedom Fighters of the Panjab</i>. Bombay, 1965<BR> <li class="C1"> Ga&#7751&#7693&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>K&#363ki&#257&#7749 d&#299 Vithi&#257</i>. Amritsar, 1944<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">M. L. &#256hl&#363w&#257l&#299&#257<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>