Historical Background

In the early 1920s, Sikhs across Punjab launched a sustained movement to free their historic gurdwaras from the control of hereditary mahants (custodians) who had often turned these sacred places into personal estates. This struggle became known as the Gurdwara Reform Movement, or the Akali Movement. Sri Amritsar Sahib and its surrounding villages were central to this effort. Near Sri Amritsar Sahib lay the area of Guru Ka Bagh, where a gurdwara and its attached land had fallen under the unauthorized occupation of mahants. The local sangat, inspired by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Akali Dal, resolved to reclaim the management of the shrine and its properties in accordance with Sikh tradition and community consent.

Beginning of the Morcha

In 1921, tensions grew as Sikh volunteers began peacefully asserting their right to worship and to manage Guru Ka Bagh. The mahants, resisting the loss of their control, sought the assistance of the colonial authorities. The government, viewing the Akali movement as a challenge to its authority, sided with the mahants and imposed restrictions on Sikh access to the site. In August 1922, Sikh jathas (volunteer bands) began arriving in large numbers to offer peaceful satyagraha. They would walk to Guru Ka Bagh, perform kirtan and ardas, and quietly accept arrest when stopped by police. Their discipline and nonviolence became a hallmark of the morcha.

Peaceful Resistance and Repression

The colonial administration responded with mass arrests and, at times, severe beatings of unarmed volunteers. Reports of Sikhs being subjected to physical violence while refusing to retaliate drew widespread attention across India and abroad. Leaders such as Sardar Kharak Singh Ji and other Akali organizers emphasized that the struggle was not against any individual or community but for the righteous management of Sikh religious institutions. The courage of the volunteers, who courted arrest without raising a hand in anger, earned the movement immense moral sympathy. Prominent national figures, including Mahatma Gandhi, praised the Sikhs' commitment to nonviolence and cited the Guru Ka Bagh Morcha as an inspiring example of peaceful resistance.

Outcome and Significance

The sustained pressure of the morcha, combined with growing public support and political negotiations, eventually led the government to concede key demands. The Sikhs secured the right to manage Guru Ka Bagh and other gurdwaras through community-elected committees. This victory strengthened the broader Gurdwara Reform Movement and paved the way for the Sikh Gurdwaras Act of 1925, which placed the management of most historic gurdwaras under the SGPC. The Guru Ka Bagh Morcha remains a landmark in Sikh history, remembered for its unwavering commitment to nonviolence, communal dignity, and the principle that the Guru's institutions belong to the Guru's people. It continues to inspire Sikhs and others who cherish peaceful struggle for justice and religious freedom.