Nihang Sikh
Scaring a mother and daughter making a reel in a park in Ludhiana, Punjab and objecting to them wearing sleeveless clothes, stopping social media influencers from posting content, warning a tattoo artist for getting tattoos done on private parts, slapping a hotel agent in Heritage Street of Amritsar… there are many such cases due to which Nihang Sikhs are surrounded in controversies these days. Whenever such an incident comes to light, many questions arise that who are the Nihangs, why do they get so angry, do they have the right to interfere in people’s personal freedom, do they want to run the society as per their wish?
During a debate on a private TV channel, Nihang Manpreet Singh said on the tattoo controversy that he has no objection to getting tattooed, but he has objection to sharing tattoos made on private parts on social media. He claims that this sends a wrong message to the society, but when he was asked about threatening people, he claimed that they are working within the ambit of the law. They request the administration to register an FIR against the accused. If he had taken the law into his own hands, he too would have been slapped with National Security Restrictions (NSA) like Amritpal. Manpreet Singh also said that Punjab is the land of gurus and pirs. Dashmesh Pita Ji Guru Maharaj has ordered us to stop any misdeed wherever it is happening.
Find Your Mulank with a Simple Calculation
Check Your Moolank
Amidst all these controversies, now it is important to know why Guru Maharaj handed over this command to the Nihangs and what responsibilities he gave them, why Dashmesh Pita named them Guru’s beloved army, are these people still following the path shown by him?
Who are Nihang Sikhs?
Nihang is a traditional warrior sect of Sikhs. They belong to the Khalsa sect, which was founded by the tenth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. They are often called “Guru’s beloved army”. Their place in the Sikh tradition is not only religious, but also military and cultural. The word “Nihang” has many meanings: fearless, courageous and death-defying, so it is not just a title but a philosophy of life. It means a warrior who is always ready for struggle and remains away from worldly attachments.
What is the identity of a true Nihang?
Have you ever seen Sikhs wearing blue clothes, blue turbans and armed with traditional weapons? If yes, then they are called Nihang. The most distinctive feature of Nihangs is their dress. He wears a dark blue robe and a long, round and large turban. The turban has an iron wheel (chakram), the Khalsa symbol and iron ornaments.
They may have had traditional weapons as well as modern weapons like swords, daggers, spears and sabres. For them, weapons are not only a means of defense, but they also consider them a part of their religious and historical heritage.
How is the organization of Nihangs today?
Today Nihangs are not affiliated with any single organization. They are divided into many camps and groups. However, historically, Buddha Dal and Tarna Dal are considered to be the two major camps. Each Dera functions independently with its own leaders, followers and activities, therefore the actions of any one Dera or individual cannot be considered representative of the entire Nihang community.
Nihang camps are not just religious places. Horse riding, Gatka (Sikh martial art), traditional weapons training and religious education are also provided here. Many big camps are also engaged in agriculture, cowshed and social service work.
Also read: Guru Purnima 2026: Can one worship parents on Guru Purnima? Know what the scriptures say
