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Kuka movement Punjab

The ‘Kuka movement’ started with religious reform became helpful in the freedom struggle

Many small and big movements took place during the freedom struggle. His contribution to the independence of the country is considered important. Some of those movements also happened which were started for religious or a particular community, but later they turned against the British Empire for some reason. Such movements also made the British chew gram during the war of independence.

One of those names comes from ‘Kuka Movement’. Which is considered a big movement of the Sikh community against the British. For which many people had sacrificed their lives.

The Kuka movement started from Punjab. The foundation of which was laid by Bhagat Jawarmal. He is also known as Sian Sahib. Its purpose was to reform Sikhism and maintain its purity. He made a place called Hazro his headquarters. It is said that Jawarmal started this movement with his disciple Balak Singh, but Baba Ram Singh made him immortal in the pages of history.Actually, after Javarmal, the main operation of his campaign came in the hands of Ram Singh. Ram Singh was born in Bhaini, a small village 7 km from Ludhiana in 1815 AD. His father used to work as a carpenter. Born in a poor family, Ram Singh’s life was full of struggles. In 1840 he served as a soldier in the army of Raja Naunihal Singh. During the same time he met Baba Balak Singh. Through them he came in contact with Bhagat Jawaharlal. Impressed by them, he left the army job and started campaigning against the bad things born among the Sikhs. His aim was that the misguided people should follow the teachings of Guru Gobind Singh.

He wanted to make religion pure by removing prevalent evils and superstitions. Apart from this, abolition of caste discrimination, right of equality to Sikhs, abstinence from consumption of meat, alcohol and other intoxicants, encouragement of inter-caste marriages and equality of women, etc. were included in their Kuka movement. He was against child marriage.

He condemned infanticide and dowry system. Seeing these noble objectives of his, a large group of people had joined this movement.

According to historians, in 1857 Baba Ram Singh formed the Namdhari sect in his village Bhaini. He established 22 preaching centers in different areas of the country and abroad. In which the names of Gwalior, Lucknow, etc. are included. Through these centres, Baba Ram Singh had started propagating social and religious teachings loudly.