Jatha

Jatha

A Sikh gang or Jatha is an armed body of Sikhs. They are significant in the Sikh tradition, having existed for 300 years since the beginning of the Khalsa.

Sikhs are considered lions by the name 'Singh' (Sher in Punjabi), in history Sikhs were commonly referred to as Akalis (meaning reckless and immortals) being well known for their martial skills, freedom in speaking their minds and their daredevil courage. During Mughal rule, Sikhs rose to power against the Muslim rule, when Sikhs first arose their daily activities consisted of weapons training, deep meditation, lion hunting and Combat Arts of the Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa. All over India Muslims were terrorizing other faiths such as Hinduism and Christianity, forcing them to convert to Islam. Sikhism does not believe in converting people and respect all walks of life, so Sikhs from all over India began forming armed gangs known as jathas to protect innocent people against the Mughal rule. It became necessary to join one or the other jatha to fight against the oppressors. The tenth master or guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa and identity of the Sikhs, every Sikh became baptized as a Saint Soldier and took the surname Singh to join the Khalsa, the Khalsa is the army of god made to defend and protect all people regardless of race, religion or creed. Gobind Singh created an army so fierce it shook the world in the face of injustice. The Mughal and Muslim Empire for the first time in history would fall and the Khalsa would rise to power.

Despite the very small number of Sikhs, they became victorious in hundreds of battles and narrated by many Sikh, Muslim, Hindu and Persian native accounts including historians, the ratio of the Sikhs to Muslims in battle was 1:5. When the Khalsa would march into battle they would preparer a huge war drum with a loud thundering beat and would rise the Nishans (Sikh flag) high and the opposing forces would know the Khalsa were coming. While the Sikhs spirit was boosting for battle, the opposing forces would get more worried. The Sikhs abolished the Muslim forces and Mughal Empire in the whole province in one stroke and where the first to destroy the Mughal Empire and set upon the Sikh Empire.