Lehal Library

116 The Agrarian Uprising because of the unshorn hair under their turbans and their flowing beards, the only choice left to them was either to give up the external emblems of their faith or keep out of the way of Mughal soldiers. Many succumbed to the terror which was let loose and became clean-shaven sahajdhru'is;~ others who were determined to remain Khalsa left the care of their lands, their women and children to their kinsmen and retreated to inaccessible hill tracts and jungles. For them, the only way of survival was the way of all outlaws-to plunder state treasuries and the homes of the rich. The most important result of this policy of repression was to uproot a large number of peasants from the land and convert them into professional soldiers. Thus the Sikhs were provided with a standing anny with an intimate and continuing connection with the peasantry. It provided an added economic incentive and made the rising of the Sikhs like that of the Jacquerie: the reaction of desperate landless men fortified by religious enthusiasm and a militant creed. The Sikhs, who were now without a personal leader, staned the tradition of deciding matters concerning the community at the biennial meetings which took place at Am1itsar on the first of Baisakh and at Divali. 111ese assemblies came to be known as the Sarbat KhnL.~ii and a resolution passed by it became a gurmata (decree of the Gum). The Sarbat Khalsa appointed jathediirs (group leaders), chose agents, and entmsted them with powers to negotiate on behalf of the Sikhs. For the first five years after Banda·s execution, very little was heard of the Sikhs. The focal point shifted from the Punjab to Delhi, where Gum Gobind Singh 's two widows, Mata Sundari and Sahib Devan, were living in retirement. Bhai Mani Singh looked after them and gave advice to parties of Sikhs who came to pay them homage. The sabajdhiiris settled down to peaceful trades. The Khalsa, who remained in the plains, were divided between the bandai, who wished to deify Banda and the tat khiilsii, who, while revering the memory of their leader, disapproved of the 3 TI1e aulhors of A Sharl Hislory of the Sikhs (p. 110) maintain thaL the term sahajdhfrri came int-0 use at this time; until then, the word for the cleanshaven Sikh was hh11/iisii as disLinc.t from the khalsa.