Sardar Mahna Singh Ji Bio

He married in a village called Marhri, near Batala, District Gurdaspur. He was blessed with two children. One was Harnam Singh and the other was the girl called Harnam Kaur. A few years later the mother of the children passed away.

He re-married to Shrimati Lakshmi, daughter of Chaudhri Ganga Singh – Koocha Punjab Singh, Amritsar. She was blessed with six sons and three daughters. The eldest was Sunder Singh, who went to England to become a Doctor in 1919. He studied at the Royal Medical College in Edinburgh and after qualifying came back to India in 1929. next was Inder Singh followed by daughter Jai Kaur then came Tirath Singh next was Naranjan Singh, the sixth son was is Joginder Singh and seventh is Awtar Singh, the eighth was a daughter Parkash Kaur, who died in her childhood at a tender age of three.

Begining as a Building Contractor

Having become an experienced building contractor he left Amritsar in search of bigger contracts. He arrived at Nagpur and was given the contract to build a Jail. After successfully completing this contract he had earned enough money to become even more enterprising.

From Nagpur he went to Vishakhapatnam. This is a sea port on the sea port on East coast of India. Vishakhapatnam had a large shipyard called Hindustan Shipyard and an Oil Refinery. Most of the cargo ships arrive from foreign lands bringing goods for Bhilai Steel Plant and Rourkee Steel Plant Projects. There is a line here linking Calcutta to Madras. It was 1891 and he was 27years old. Reaching there he met the maharaja of Jeypore in Orissa who was in search of a contractor to built his palace. The Maharaja’s ambassador arrived in Vishakhapatnam. He introduced himself to the ambassador of Maharaja Bikeram Dev – the ruler of Jeypore state in Orissa. The Maharaja of Jeypore had a guest house on the beach at Vishakhapatnam. He would spend Summer in the guest house by the sea. Jeypore is 150 miles from Vishakhapatnam. The journey to Jeypore was long rough, hilly and wild forest terrain. Bullock carts were used to travel and it took four days to reach Jeypore. No medical treatment was available and malaria was rampant. The wild lions would frequently be seen on the way.

First Big Contract

He took his nephew Vidawa Singh with him. Vidawa Singh – an intelligent , experienced draughtsman and designer remained with him throughout most of his life. They reached Jeypore with the ambassador in four days and met the Maharaja of the state. It was decided that the place would be built according to the maharaja’s wishes. An agreement was written between him and the maharaja and the construction of the palace begun.

He brought 200 skilled workers which included carpenters and masons from Punjab. It took 10 years to complete the palace. Special teak wood was brought over from Rangoon to add grandeur to the palace. The Maharaja was overjoyed with the palace, gave him all the money he wanted for his labour and gave him a special honorary title out of respect.

The auction started at 10am. The opening bid was 6000 rupees which went to 8000 rupees then to 10000 rupees. Sardar Mahna Singh went to offer 14000 rupees which increased to 23000 rupees at the end of the auction. There was no doubt in auctioneers mind whether a common man could afford this money. The Deputy Commissioner invited Sardar Mahna Singh into the auctioning area and asked him to pay a quarter of the 23000 rupees to secure the land. Sardar Mahna Singh promptly obliged. He paid the rest in 30 days as requested. From then onwards the people of Amritsar considered Sardar Mahna Singh a rich and important person of the city.

It took six years to complete the most elegant and lavish building in the city. The idea of a Theatrical Cinema Hall was suggested to Sardar Mahna Singh by Madan Theatre Co. in Calcutta. Madan Theatrical Co. was the biggest production company in India and whenever Sardar Mahna Singh Jee went to Calcutta he would stay with his friend Mr. Madan – owner of Madan Theatrical Co. who would constantly encourage Sardar Mahna Singh to build a theatre hall as there was no such hall in Amritsar. All the bricks used were made at his own kiln and each was engraved with his initials – M.S. The building was built with a cinema hall and a large stage area was also constructed around the screen to allow Theatre Companies to perform live. The foundation of the building was dug 20 feet deep and 8 feet wide. This was filled with best quality bricks again made at his own kiln carrying his initials. Iron girders were used in the construction . A double storey gallery was constructed in the hall which could seat 2000. Several rooms were built for the accommodation of actors. Restaurant and Hotel arrangements would also be made for people visiting from other towns to enjoy the Theatre. This was the biggest Theatrical Hall in the whole Punjab. The show would start at 9.30 pm to 5 am.

CROWN CINEMA – OPENING CEREMONY – 15TH JUNE 1915

RECENT PHOTOGRAPH OF THE CINEMA 

The opening ceremony of the Crown Cinema was celebrated on 15th June 1915. The building was decorated with 2000 Electric bulbs and a band played outside. Mahna Singh Theatrical Hall was written with the string of light bulbs which were installed on a gigantic wheel in front of the theatre. All the VIP’s and all the Ramgarhia Community were invited to attend this occasion. Mr. C.M. King – Deputy Commissioner of the city opened the lock to the Crown Cinema gate with a gold key. About 18000 rupees were spent on this party. The full name of the Cinema was Crown Cinema – Sardar Mahna Singh Theatrical Hall. This was the first cinema hall in the city and silent films were shown. Orchestra musicians played background music during the film. In those days Amritsar wasn’t privileged with the electricity. A portable steam generator was installed to run both the projectors and outside lights. A band played outside the hall every night to attract people.

CROWN CINEMA – OPENING CEREMONY – 15TH JUNE 1915

In view to the Mahna Singh’s financial status and his support to British Govt. during First World War, Deputy Commissioner D.C. King did the honour to raise the Union Jack on the top of the Building. The cinema was the only building in Amritsar to such an honour.

 

In 1915 most people of the city were not accustomed to see a film at the cinema so very few came and for the first two or three years the cinema lost money. Many attractive games were introduced to attract more people. Free film shows were shown for six months to encourage the public – the cinema slowly began to meet its expanses. An European manager, Mr. Louis was employed on a high salary to run the cinema. Accommodation and conveyance to and from work was provided for him.

RECENT PHOTOGRAPH OF THE CINEMA 1986

FIRST BUS SERVICE BETWEEN JEYPORE AND VISHAKHAPATNAM – 1918

 

SARDAR SUNDER SINGH JEE THIRD SON SEATED ON THE LEFT CHAIR – WITH THE DRIVER, HELPER AND THE MANAGER.

 

PHOTO TAKEN BY THE FAMILY’S “FULL TIME PHOTOGRAPHER”

 

DHARAM SAHALA – NOW DONATED TO SHRI GURU TEG BAHADUR COLLEGE FOR WOMEN- 1986

Ramgarhias Given Rights to Vote

In those days the Ramgarhia Community was considered as a lower community because of their low incomes and were therefore given on right to vote in a political elections. They had no voice as far the higher authorities were concerned. Ramgarhias were skilled workers expert at furniture making (carpentry) and building work but had no right to vote. Sardar Mahna Singh felt grieved by this and approached higher authorities to convince them of the value of his community. Permission was given and the right of vote was given to Ramgarhias of Amritsar.

Father and Son – Municipal Commissioners

He then stood for elections of the Municipal Commissioners seat in Amritsar. Ninety thousand rupees were spent by him for the election campaign. He united the Ramgarhia community educating them about the value they should put on themselves. They rallied behind him and despite a strong campaign by the opposition he won the seat. This was 1909 and he was the first Ramgarhia Municipal Commissioner in Amritsar. Later on, his son Sardar Harnam Singh was also elected Municipal Commissioner of Amritsar. There were now two Ramgarhias elected in Amritsar.

SARDAR HARNAM SINGH JI

COL. RAJINDER SINGH JI

He was an expert horse rider and in swimming he had no equal. He would visit Taran Taran every Masya festival and bathe in the Srowar there. Once a young villager challenged him to swim along the diagonal of the Sarowar – touch the other end and come back without resting. The villager could not come back without resting. Sardar Harnam Singh was very influential and led a princely life. He was a building contractor and owned a brick kiln. He was president of the Brick Kilns Association. He was always ready to help the needy and deserving. He died in 1967 at the age of 83.

Charity Minded

Sardar Mahna Singh was not well known for his riches in Jeypore but he was famous for his generosity. He helped financially in the marriage of 200 girls from poor families. He allowed Sadhus to travel free of charge on his buses and provided food for them on their journey. He would donate cows, blankets and money to Brahmins and the poor on the day of the eclipse of the moon. This donation was worth thousands of rupees every year. Once upon a time at Vishakapatnam while he was walking along the beach he saw some young men gathered at the beach. They had arranged a beach party. With them they had a Cockrail which they were planning to kill and cook. Sardar Mahna Singh asked them about the cost of the bird. They said that they had paid 6 annas for it. He paid them a gold coin for it and saved the bird from slaughter.

In Amritsar he was well known both for his generosity and for his wealth. In about 1907 a poor man who earned his living hood by playing the Rabab from house to house and begging for rice and flour had two daughters. Both of these girls were the right age for marriage. Their father was very worried that he would never be able to afford their wedding costs – he had no one who could help. Somebody told him to go and see Sardar Mahna Singh. When the plight of the girls was disclosed to Sardar Mahna Singh he was moved and immediately asked his daughter Harnam Kaur to bring a bag of rupees (containing 1000 rupees). He gave this bag to the rabab player who went home overjoyed. He married his daughters with the money given to him. (This story was recited by the rabab player in 1938 to the youngest son of Sardar Mahna Singh – Sardar Awtar Singh when he came to play the rabab at Sardar Awtar Singh’s house).

Sardar Mahna Singh donated thousands of rupees to Gurudwara Baba Deep Singh Ji near Chabha Saluh village. He built rooms and gave land to Gurudwara Sahib on Taran Taran Road. He built one and a half storey building for Gurudwara Govindwal Sahib near river Bias.

He donated thousands of rupees to all schools of the city. He denoted in the foundation of Temprace Hall outside the Hall Gate. He donated in the formation of Lansdam Club, company Gardens whose president was the Deputy Commissioner of the city and he was also a member of the club. he denoted to Gowshalla where cows were protected and bred. He built the gate of Akalian Ka Bagh where two statues of Nihangs were fixed on either side of the gate. Two shops were also built next to the gate. This gate is situated near Banswala Bazar. Fifteen thousand rupees were spent on this gate which is still present there.

Sardar Mahna Singh constructed many water wells in the city where the supply of water was inadequate and was ignored by the Municipal corporation.

Roads named after Father and Son

The city of Amritsar remember Sardar Mahna Singh and Sardar Harnam Singh by naming roads after them. From Jallianwala Bagh to Sultanwind Gate is an important road named after Sardar Mahna Singh. From Sultanwind gate to Sultanwind Village the road is a mile long and is named after Sardar Harnam Singh .

SARDAR HARNAM SINGH ROAD

He built a colony of 50 Bigas of land called Sardar Mahna Singh Kot, outside Chatwind Gate, on Taran Taran Road. There were 260 plots of land in the colony where residential houses have been built now. and were developed with drains, water supply and electricity. Schools and playground for children were also planned. There was a Ring Road around the colony which was 70 feet. The roads and streets are 40 feet wide which was 70 feet wide. All the Roads and Streets in this colony were named after his 7 sons.

PART PLAN OF KOT MAHNA SINGH 1937

He had a guest house built where his friends or holy sadhus could stay. He only allowed his relatives to stay in his residential house.

At the age of 55 he started the biggest contract of his life. This was at Jeypore and was worth millions of rupees. The contract was to salvage wood from the huge forests in Jeypore.

SARDAR MAHNA SINGH JEE- WILLING

The Maharaja gave him five years lease of the forest which would be increased after the expiry of the first five years. An agreement was made between Maharaja and Sardar Mahna Singh. To start this work a lot of money was required. Sardar Mahna Singh mortgaged all his property in Amritsar to money lenders at a rate of 2% compound interest – this was a very high rate at the time but he felt confident that he could repay the loan with the massive earnings from the forest contract.

 

He setup a saw mill at Matpara which was 30 miles away from Jeypore. The roads were constructed and bridges built over the streams and small rivers between Jeypore and Matpara to ease the passage of Bullock Carts. Portable steam engines were brought from Punjab to run the saw mill. these engines were dragged along a hilly terrain by elephants. This was a very slow process with the elephants the load a mile in a day. It took several months for the engines to reach Matpara. He employed 2000 workers to cut the forest wood. He employed Punjabi Engineers and mechanics to run the saw mill. He constructed 500 Bullock carts for loading and carrying the timbers from the forest. One thousand Buffalo were purchased to drag these carts. A huge stock of food was stored to feed these animals. 

 

Animals  Lover

 

Because the area was hilly and rough on steep slopes the Buffalo cartmen used long wooden rods which would be pressed against the kidney of the Buffalo to stop the animal from running down the slope too fast. This would cause great pain to the animal if it tried to run. Sardar Mahna Singh had given instructions to all his cartmen not to use this rod on any animal instead the cartmen should come off the cart and lead the animal gently down the slope.

 

A band saw which could cut wood of 8 feet diameter was specially ordered from England – it took three and a half years to arrive. So three and a half years spent and wasted in the construction and setting up of the saw mill at Matpara.

 

Salur was a village in those days – it is a small town now. It is 75 miles from Jeypore and 70 miles from Vishakhapatnam. This was where Sardar Mahna Singh based himself. Here he built a bricked area with garages and workshops to repair his buses and lorries.

 

The director of Glander Arbathnote Co. from Calcutta approached Sardar Mahna Singh at Salur to got into partnership in forest project. An equal share was agreed and an equal repayment of the loan already taken was accepted. Papers were drawn for this agreement.

Things Started To Go Wrong

Before the final documents were signed Sardar Mahna Singh thought that he had led an independent and successful life without having to go into partnership with anybody. The Maharaja had been very kind to him and had agreed to extend the lease. Moreover he had already invested all the money in the forest contract so he felt that he should reap the profits alone and not share them with anybody. He changed his mind and refused to go into partnership with Glander Arbathnote Co.

During the fourth tear of the forest contract the Maharaja went to Allahbad to attend Kumbh Mela. This is a very famous Hindu Religious Festival which is celebrated every 12 years. Maharaja Bikermadev died during this festival due to heart failure. The affairs of the state came under a senior minister Ghasi Patter. The maharaja had a son Sri Ram Chandera Dev who should have succeeded his father but he was too young. So Ghasi Patter became his guardian and began running the state autonomously.

THINGS STARTED GOING WRONG

The director of Glander Arbathnote Co. came to know of the death of the Maharaja. He had wanted the forest contract but could not have it while the Maharaja was living. The lease issued to Sardar Mahna Singh was for 5 years and this was to expire soon. Keeping all this in mind he approached Ghasi Patter and bribed him with many lakhs of rupees. This bought him the next forest contract and a new 20 years lease.

Now that the Maharaja was dead the promise to extend the lease to Sardar Mahna Singh could not be kept. During the short period in the forest he managed to bring very little wood out of the forest. His investment in many lakhs of rupees was lost. His nephew Vidhawa Singh on whom Sardar Mahna Singh relied for advice and help left him due to some family differences. The loan which he had taken on all his property in Amritsar could not be repaid. Due to the high compound lending rate the loan amount had now trebled. This money had to be repaid as the money lender had the backing of the law. Most of the property in Amritsar was repossessed by the money lenders.

The power of attorney for the property in Amritsar was given to his eldest son Sardar Harnam Singh. He was an influential and a respected man of the city. To save the cinema Hall from the hands of money lenders he transferred the cinema on to his own mane. Later Sardar Mahna Singh transferred the cinema on his own name and also on Bhai Gurdit Singh Sultanwindia – a friend. The friend betrayed him in the long run and all the property including the cinema was taken by the money lenders.

Ralley India English Co. approached Sardar Mahna Singh with an offer to purchase a piece of land adjoining the cinema . They offered 2 lakh of rupees for this land but he refused. Maybe he should have sold this land to repay his loan.

The Causes Of the Downfall

The cause of his failure in the forest project could have been due to several reasons which include the fact that he had no experience of forest work – his skills lay in building work. He underestimated the cost of this project and did not realise the costs involved until much later on. The most important reason could have been that the contract with Maharaja was for 5 years only and he spent three and a half years in construction and setting up the saw mill at Matpara. He was 60 years old at the time and had taken on a massive project alone – his sons were not with him to help. His eldest son was at Amritsar looking after the cinema and other property. His second son Sardar Sunder Singh was in England studying medicine. The other sons were too young to be of any help and his nephew Vidhawa Singh left him. To top it all the Maharaja died.

His nephew Vidhawa Singh became very jealous of the success of his uncle and he joined the service of an overseer with Maharaja Sri Ram Chander Dev who became Maharaja after the death of his father. Vidhava Singh was 12 years younger than his uncle. He began to mislead the young Maharaja causing great misunderstanding between his uncle and Maharaja. Vidhava Singh convinced the new Maharaja that the palace that Sardar Mahna Singh had built for his father was not built to the specification agreed and that he had used substandard materials in the building. He also proved that he had been overcharged for the work. Vidhava Singh who was the building manager at the time the palace was being built knew exactly what had not been done to specifications. Engineers from Madras were called and their findings convinced the Maharaja that Vidhava Singh had been right. This caused great hostility between Sardar Mahna Singh and the new Maharaja.

When Glander Arbathnote Co. took the forest contract over they employed labour on temperary contracts. They paid the cartmen for on a fixed rate for loading, delivering and unloading of timber. There were no animals to feed now. This was the responsibility of the cartmen. They paid the workers at a fixed rate based on the amount of work they did. They did not install expansive machinery in the forest. Their planning of work was more efficient. They opened a Hospital for the treatment of workers in the forest where malaria was rampant and attack by wild animals was frequent. They started a training school to train workers for work in the saw mill. They employed expert managers to run the project. They earned millions of rupees over the 20 years. When India became independant in 1947 the Government refused a renewal of their lease. The forest contract was later given to an Indian company.

The House Burnt Down

Misfortunes never come alone . His eldest son Sardar Harnam Singh separate from him due to family differences and on 13th April 1924 (Visakhi) his magnificent residential house caught fire. Many lakhs of rupees burnt in it. All the earned money including gold coins and jewellery were kept in a wooden chest which melted in the fire. Gold and silver could be seen flowing in the drains. This was the last straw.

End of Era

Sardar Mahna Singh died in 1948 in Orrisa. When the news of his death reached. Amritsar the court of the city was closed and the national flag was flown at half mast in respect of this great man. Schools and colleges were closed for the day. In the local Newspapers the Tirbune, front page headlines read “Cinema Pioneer Died Leaving Behind Seven Sons And Two Daughters” followed by a lengthy write up about his life. Similarly from Calcutta in their international newspaper “Amritbazar Patraka” a long article about his services was published. At Jeypore schools and colleges were closed for a day in remembrance of a noble man.

About His Family

Sardar Tirath Singh Ji

His fourth son Sardar Tirath Singh studied at Khalsa College , Amritsar. He was one of the members of the college team. He was an excellent cricket player. He settled at Jeypore in 1930. He started a building construction business there. He became a Honorary Magistrate and stayed a magistrate for several years. He died in 1962. His two sons are living in Jeypore now. His eldest son Sardar Balbir Singh is the director of Government Industry Department, and the other son Sardar Kuldip Singh is a foreman in a Government Mig Factory near Jeypore at Sombara and lives with his mother.

SARDAR BALBIR SIBGH JEE

Bibi Harnam Kaur

 

Sardar Mahna Singh’s eldest daughter Bibi Harnam Kaur was married to Sardar Budh Singh from a well known Ramgarhia family at Piplawala – District in Hoshiarpur in Punjab.

BIBI HARNAM KAUR JEE

Sardar Budh Singh went to England in 1911 to study Civil Engineering. After three years he returned and joined the Armed services as a Civil Engineer at the beginning of the First World War. After the war he became a District Engineer in Faridkot State – Punjab. At the age of 43 he became paralysed. Sardar Mahna Singh – his father-in-law provided a home for him in the Cinema Building and paid his monthly expanses. He was bed ridden until his death. He left behind a 15 years old son He left behind a 15 years old son Sardar Balwant Singh and his wife Shrimati Harnam Kaur. Both mother and son came to brother and uncle Sardar Harnam Singh who looked after them for a long time. After completing his studies Sardar Balwant Singh became an overseer in Northern Railway. He died two years before his retirement was due. He had two daughters and a son. His son Sardar Malvinder Singh is a Captain in the Indian Navy now. His two daughters are now married.

Last letter from Sardar Mahna Singh Jee to his son Sardar Joginder Singh Jee in Nairobi, Kenya – 1947 – 1947

The Forgotten Gurdwara of Jeypore, Odisha

About the Author

The author of this article “The Forgotten Gurdwara of Jeypore, Odisha” is Anil Dhir

who’s an independent researcher based in Odisha, India He has done his Master’s in

English, History and Public Administration He’s a punjabi born and brought up in

Jeypore Anil is in the process of writing a book on the city of Jeypore, there will be a

chapter allocated to Mahna Singh.

While carrying out research for the book, he came across Nagi’s website that’s he

came to know me. He believes that Mahna Singh deserves an recognition for his

contribution to the city of Jeypore. I’m hoping to be visiting Jeypore at the launch of

the book 2017 and to thank Anil personally for dedicating a chapter to Gramp in his

book .

British named the state Orrisa but recently Indian Government has changed it to the

post British Raj name “Odhisa”.

The photos of Maharaja Vikram Dev in this article are from Nagi’s familly Photos

Archive”.

The Article About the lost Gurdwara of Jeypore, Odisha

Written by Anil Dhir

I found it in a small street, set off from the main road which has the Palace and the market.

The small one-roomed gurdwara was built like a small forest lodge with a verandah all around. Two huge trees at the entrance of the small room dwarfs the little structure.

This was the first gurdwara set up by any Sikh in Orissa, now Odisha, in India.

Built in 1883, on the land given by the erstwhile Maharaja of Jeypore, the little gurdwara had originally been a thatched hut for more than 50 years. The Guru Granth Sahib was placed in the small shrine sometime in December 1883 in a grand ceremony that was attended by more than 300 devout Sikhs.

Sardar Mahna Singh Nagi was born in 1864 in a village called Lola near Amritsar. He belonged to a community of Punjabi artisans — popularly known as ramgharias — which then, being of low income, had no right to vote. They were skilled workers expert at carpentry and building work.

Mahna Singh’s parents had died when he was just 12 years old. He could get very little education but he mastered the Punjabi language well. He was well versed in the Sikh martial arts and was an expert Gatka and sword fighter.

Due to penury he was forced to leave his ancestral village at a young age to earn his livelihood with his brothers. He worked with them as an apprentice carpenter. At the age of 18, he joined the army as a carpenter and saw action in the Second Afghan war in 1882.

After his discharge, he came back from the front and started taking small building contracts in Amritsar. He married in a village called Marhri, near Batala, District Gurdaspur and was blessed with two children. A few years later his wife
died leaving him to take care of the little children.

Having become an experienced building contractor, he left Amritsar in search of greener pastures. He arrived at Nagpur and was given the contract to build a jail. After successfully completing this contract he built up some capital and looked
out for more entrepreneurial opportunities.

From Nagpur he went to Vishakhapatnam, the port on the east coast of the subcontinent. It was 1891 and he was 27 years old.

Here he met the emissaries of Bikram Dev, the Maharaja of Jeypore. The Maharaja had shifted his Capital and was in search of a contractor to build his new palace.

Mahna Singh, along with his nephew Vidawa Singh, left for Jeypore which was a good 150 miles from Vishakhapatnam.

The journey to Jeypore was long and rough, through hilly and wild forest terrain. They travelled by bullock carts and it took four days to reach Jeypore.

The Maharaja was impressed by the credentials of Mahna Singh and gave him the contract to make the palace. After signing the agreement with the Maharaja, he went back to Punjab and brought back 200 skilled workers, including carpenters and masons.

It took Mahna Singh 10 years to complete the palace. The Maharaja was overjoyed and rewarded him with riches and out of sheer respect for his honesty and integrity, accorded him a special honorary title.

With so many Sikhs present in Jeypore, Mahna Singh requested the Maharaja to give him a piece of land for constructing a gurdwara. The Maharaja readily agreed and sometime in late 1893 the Gurdwara of Jeypore was consecrated with the Guru Granth Sahib.

On the day of the consecration, the Maharaja himself visited the gurdwara in a State procession and presented Mahna Singh with a double edged sword, which is still there.

This was the first gurdwara set up by any Sikh in Odisha.

Mahna Singh and his clan prospered and the small Sikh community soon grew. Others came and he helped them set up small businesses. The Maharaja would entrust most of his important works to Mahna Singh and took him on as an adviser.

Sardar Mahna Singh, though well known for his riches, was also famous for his generosity. He helped in the marriage of 200 girls from poor families. He allowed mendicants to travel free of charge on his buses and provided food for them on their journey. He gave away charity and donations worth thousands of rupees every year to poor and the pious.

The new gurdwara was the only one within miles. People flocked from afar to take part in the paatth, langar and gurpurabs.

The Maharaja too gave his benevolence and the citizens of other communities too would come for the langars. Over time the old thatched hut was transformed into a tiled roof and later on a tin roof was added.

Mahna Singh prospered and opened up a new business venture in Amritsar, however he did not sever his connections with Jeypore. After the death of the Maharaja, the new ruler was not well disposed toward him and he cancelled a lot
of leases and contracts that his predecessor had given.

Mahna Singh suffered huge losses and was practically reduced to a pauper.

He still preferred to remain in Jeypore. The gurdwara that he had set up saw many upheavals, but it maintained a continuous tradition of recitation of gurbani.

The post-independence years and the abolition of the princely kingdoms saw many of the Sikhs leave Jeypore, but there was an influx of new people who had come after the Partition of Punjab.

The new breed of Sikhs was not well inclined towards the existing Sikh gentry as the latter were mostly artisans by trade. The newcomers were uncomfortable in intermingling.

Mahna Singh died in Jeypore in 1948. Most of his relatives and the people he had got from Punjab left Jeypore. In the late 1950’s, the new arrivals built another gurdwara. They stopped going to the old one and it fell into neglect.

The few artisan families that were left behind managed to keep the Nishan Sahib flying. Now only half a dozen Sikh families would visit the old gurdwara.

However a few locals would always come and worship there.

In the langars that were held, the parshaad too changed form. Local cuisine was now being served in the langar.

Today, the old gurdwara still stands as a living testimony of a noble and kind man who spread the teachings of the Gurus not only in words but in deeds. It is maintained frugally, yet the neatness stands out. The woodwork and furnishings such as the manji and palki too are sparse, simple and spartan.

Strange, as examples of the excellent woodwork done by the Sikhs are still visible in many places in Jeypore. There are two small rooms at the entrance, where the granthi lives with his family. As the donations from the gurdwara are not sufficient, the granthi does the seva in the morning and then departs for other work.

The gurdwara has century-old artifacts which were presented by the Maharaja and Mahna Singh. The khanda that had been presented by the Maharaja is proudly displayed in front of the palki. There are calendar images which are more than seventy years old. Even the biradh saroops of Guru Granth Sahibs are carefully wrapped and kept in the ‘sach khand‘. I counted at least five of the old saroops.

The original Guru Granth Sahib that was brought by Mahna Singh in 1891 too is still there. Nobody has done the ‘Agan Bhent’ seva to date.

This gurdwara has been forgotten. Even the official directory of the Gurdwaras of Odisha published by the Orissa Sikh Pratinidhi Board does not list it.

It is tragic, as this is the first gurdwara of the State.

I had met the members of the other big gurdwara of Jeypore. When I told them of the historicity of this old gurdwara they just shrugged it away.

Incidentally, the new gurdwara is called the ‘Wadda Gurdwara’ (literally, the big gurdwara). The old one has been relegated by history as the ‘Chhotta Gurdwara’ (the small gurdwara).

[The author is an independent researcher based in Odisha, India. He has done his Master’s in English, History and Public Administration. His interests include flying, film making, collecting old books and manuscripts, Indian temple art and architecture, green issues, and traveling second class by Indian Railways. He has directed and produced an award winning film titled “The Last Post”. He has written three books and is now completing a book on the Sikhs of Odisha.]

August 16, 2014

 

The Forgotten Gurdwara Of Jeypore

Maharaja Vikram Dev of Jeypore (1889 – 1969)

Maharaja Vikram Dev of Jeypore with his Son