Sarbarah

❧

Wikipedia

Photograph of Man Singh of Rariala presiding as Sarabrah of the Golden Temple complex at a meeting outside the Darshani Deohri, Amritsar, ca.1880–85

The Sarbarah was a custodianship position in British Punjab where a person would oversee the affairs of the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar as a temple-manager. The person who fulfilled the role was appointed by the colonial-government.[note 1][1] The position was created by the British after their annexation of the Punjab and it ended in 1920.[1]

History

Formation

Photograph of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, by William Henry Baker, circa 1860's

In the period after annexation in 1849 until 1859, the Golden Temple complex was managed by a series of mahants under British-control.[2] The Extra-Assistant Commissioner, under the Chief Commissioner of Punjab, held the power to fine persons for misconduct and also the ability to bar their entry into the complex.[2] After the Indian Mutiny, the pujari caretakers of the shrines of the Golden Temple, the Akal Takht, and auxiliary shrines started bickering over management of funds from daily offerings and the Sikh sardars supposed to manage the shrines failed to fulfill their duties, thus a meeting was held in 1859 headed by Raja Teja Singh of Sheikhupura at his residence.[3] The meeting was to resolve any disputes over the management of shrine and set-out the framework for managing them, with the meeting being attended also by Deputy Commissioner Cooper.[3][4] Thus through the dastur of 1859, the pujaris became servants of the Golden Temple and any parties that had rights over the shrine and its institutions, but the pujaris could still enjoy the temple's property and income.[5] Furthermore, in 1860 there was rivalry between Jodh Singh and Pardaman Singh over who should be appointed as the sarbarah.[5]

After the administrative regulations (dastur-ul-amal) were created by Sikh delegates, a committee (that the British had direct-control over) was created that could appoint a manager for the complex.[2] The committee consisted of nine trustees (sardars), who worked regularly regarding the finances, administration, and discipline regarding the complex whilst the sarbarah carried out the instructions of the nine sardars. The committee of trustees also acted as the Municipal Committee of the town of Amritsar.[3]

Controversies and opposition

In 1883, the committee structure was silently ended and the position of sarbarah became more powerful without a committee overseeing them, with the sarbarah now answering to the Deputy Commissioner.[3][4] Thus, corruption began to increase in the role.[3]

Painting of native members of the Amritsar Municipal Committee discussing plans for the drainage of Amritsar, by Bishan Singh, 1868

The position of sarbarah was appointed by the Punjab government, specifically the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar District and/or their Divisional Commissioner, whom were supported by the Lieutenant-Governors. The chosen Sikh for the role was characteristically pro-British (termed disparagingly as todis[6]) and well-known.[7] An example is Man Singh, who had served the British in the Indian Mutiny of 1857–58 as part of Hodson's Horse, later having the sarbarah role which he held until an old-age.[8]

The system was criticized in the local press for its inefficiency and malpractices.[2] Two sarbarahs in-particular faced a lot of criticism: Jawala Singh and Arur Singh.[2] It was alleged that karah parshad from the complex would be delivered to the houses of Magistrates and police-officers.[3] The expensive scarves that were meant to wrap the Guru Granth Sahib were auctioned off by the sarbarah or their usage allowed for wives and children of priests of the complex.[3] In 1896, there was a proposal to electrify the Golden Temple complex to beautify it and provide lighting, however this project would stall due to its controversy, as many Sikhs thought it would pose a danger to the shrine.[2] Thus, the electrification project did not finalize until the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee took over management of the complex in the 1920s.[2] By the early 20th century, Sikh organizations, such as the Chief Khalsa Diwan, agitated for reform to end the British influence in the temple managerial position and permit the Sikhs to appoint their own manager.[2] Jawala Singh was controversial due to claimed corruption, appropriation of funds, being a military-man, and his lack of education due to him being a supposed "illiterate Jat".[2] In 1901, Jawala Singh claimed in court to be a representative of Guru Ram Das in his role, which sparked calls of blasphemy against him.[2]

Photograph of the Governor of Punjab at the Golden Temple alongside members of the temple management, Amritsar, Punjab, ca.1910

Arur Singh, Jawala's successor, was criticized for nepotism, his opium consumption, and neglecting his duties as caretaker since he was preoccupied with his work as Honorary Magistrate in Nowshera Nangli.[2] Furthermore, there were concerns raised about nefarious activities taking places in the various hospices (bungas) that surrounded the complex, such as gambling and women of "doubtful character".[2] On 1 May 1905, Arur Singh banned Brahmins from bringing in idols and worshipping them on the parikarma, washing their clothes in the sarovar, and spitting into and rinsing their mouth with its waters. However, he continued to allow them to perform puja, bathe in the tank, and apply tilak.[9] Arur Singh stroked controversy when he arranged a Sikh diwan in-front of the Akal Takht for General Dyer after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre to display loyalty to the British.[10] Arur Singh also awarded a saropa (robe-of-honour) upon General Dyer, which led to further opposition to the institution.[11]

Dissolution

The British attempted to appoint a new sarbarah in 1920 but the Sikhs demanded that they be given full control over the management of the complex.[12] The new sarbarah, Captain Bahadur Singh, would leave the position shortly after his appointment due to Sikh opposition.[13] Sundar Singh Ramgarhia would become the caretaker of the complex as the new sarbarah, leading toward the start of management of the complex by the SGPC.[10][2][12] After Sundar Singh Ramgarhia became manager, the "keys affair" (morcha chabian) would erupt in 1921, due to the British declining to handover the keys to the complex's treasury (toshakhana) to the new management.[2][14] On 29 October 1921, the SGPC demanded that the sarbarah Sundar Singh Ramgarhia hand-over the keys to them to guarantee their total control over the management affairs of the complex.[15] However, the colonial government opposed this move under the guise of claiming that the Sikh reformers would appropriate funds for radical, political agendas.[13]

List of sarbarahs

List of sarbarahs
Name Portrait Term
Jodh Singh 1859–1862
Mangal Singh Ramgarhia 1862–1879
Man Singh Waraich 1879–1890
Arjan Singh Chahal 1890–1896
Jawala Singh 1896–1902
Arur Singh Shergill 1902–1920
Bahadur Singh 1920
Sundar Singh Ramgarhia 1920–1921

Notes

  1. ↑ 'Sarbarah is alternatively spelt as sarbrah, sarabarah, or sarabrah.

References

  1. 1 2 Singh, Gopal (1971). "Appendix". The Religion of the Sikhs. Allied Publishers. p. 190. ISBN 9780210222966.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Myrvold, Kristina (Dec 2, 2024). "Overview". Sikh News in India, 1864-1924: Colonial Reports on Vernacular Newspapers of Punjab. Vol. Two: Religious Places, Practices, and Relations. BRILL. pp. 599–600. ISBN 9789004707085.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Nijjar, Bakhshish Singh (1996). History of the United Panjab. Vol. 2. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. pp. 52–54. ISBN 9788171565351.
  4. 1 2 Mirza, Sarfaraz Hussain; Hasnat, Syed Farooq; Mahmood, Sohail (1985). The Sikh Question: From Constitutional Demands to Armed Conflict. Centre for South Asian Studies. pp. 162–165.
  5. 1 2 Journal of Regional History, Volume 3. Department of History, Guru Nanak Dev University. 1982. pp. 93–95.
  6. ↑ Bharti, Vishav (16 July 2022). "Simranjit Singh Mann defends grandfather who honoured General Reginald Dyer". The Tribune. Retrieved 9 November 2025. Mann's comment has once again raked up a debate over "todis" (British loyalists) during the colonial rule and his grandfather's "hurtful" act.
  7. ↑ Kerr, Ian J. (1999). "Handle With Great Care: British Actions Towards the Sikhs and the Golden Temple in the Last Half of the 19th Century". Golden Temple. Publication Bureau, Punjabi University. p. 87. ISBN 9788173805691.
  8. ↑ The Sikh Review, Volume 49, Issues 565-576. Sikh Cultural Centre. 2001. p. 69.
  9. ↑ Panjab University Research Journal: Arts, Volume 40. Punjab University. 2013. p. 137.
  10. 1 2 Kaur, Madanjit (1983). The Golden Temple, Past and Present. Department of Guru Nanak Studies, Guru Nanak Dev University Press. pp. 62, 71–72. ISBN 9780836413250.
  11. ↑ Sandhu, Devinder Pal (1992). Sikhs in Indian Politics: Study of a Minority. Patriot Publishers. p. 63. ISBN 9788170501497.
  12. 1 2 Ahluwalia, M. L. (1985). Gurdwara Reform Movement, 1919-1925, an Era of Congress-Akali Collaboration: Select Documents. Ashoka International Publishers. p. 118.
  13. 1 2 Tuteja, K. L. (1984). Sikh Politics, 1920-40. Vishal Publications. p. 46.
  14. ↑ Josh, Sohan Singh (1991). My Tryst with Secularism: An Autobiography. Patriot Publishers. p. 36. ISBN 9788170501275.
  15. ↑ Grewal, J. S.; Banga, Indu (1999). History and Ideology: The Khalsa Over 300 Years. Tulika. pp. 179–181. ISBN 9788185229126.