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The term Singh Sabha, as Khushwant Singh writes is loosely used for a movement of reform in matters religious, social literary and political among the Sikhs. It was an expression of the impulse of the Sikh community to rid itself of the base adulteration and accretions which were draining its energy and to rediscover the sources of its original inspiration. In some way the sing Sabha accomplished the task of reform of Sikhism which the Namdharis had begun, but they had been forced to drop. Its achievements were more substantial and its influence was deeper and widespread. Unlike Namdharis, this movement laid more emphasis on religious, social and literary considerable cooperation from the government in its programs.

There were both external and internal causes which led to the rise of the Singh Sabha movement. Externally, the efforts of the Christian missionaries and the militant elements among the Arya Samajists to win over the Sikh masses to their respective folds created a great commotion among the orthodox Sikhs. Their rabid tone of criticism of the Sikh gurus and their institution bitterly annoyed the Sikhs and provoked them to organize rival association to combat their anti Sikh propaganda. Within the community itself disruptive forces had divided it into two rival groups. One section regarded the Sikhism as new faith with independent identity while the other considered it only a branch of Hindu Protestants still having faith in the Hindu deities and religious practices.  A large majority belonged to the former group a small but important minority belonged to the latter. Amongst the latter were the priests of the Sikh gurudwaras who belonged to the Udasi sub sect who had never accepted Guru Gobind Singh’s forms and the symbol of the Khalsa.

The need for restoring the Sikhism to its original purity and to counteract the propaganda of the anti Sikh elements gave impetus o the Sikhs to originate Singh Sabha movement. In 1873, some prominent Sikhs of the Punjab convened a meeting in Majithia Bunga at Amritsar. Among those who attended this historic meeting were Kahen Singh Bedi, a decendent of Guru Nanak who enjoyed much prestige among the Sikhs, Kanwar Bikram Singh Ahluwalia, Thakur Singh Sindhawalia and several Sikh theologians including Giani Gian Singh of Amritsar. As a result of deliberations, a society under the name of Amritsar Sri Guru Singh Sabha was established with Thakur Singh Sidhiwalia as its President and Giani Gian Singh as Secretary.

To win over the sympathy of the government, the Singh Sabha resolved to cultivate loyalty to the Crown. The government also extended it cooperation to the Singh Sabha in its educational program. The movement soon gained support of the rich landed gentry and the orthodox elements among the Sikhs. A number of Sikh scholars and preachers were also drawn to its fold.

The ideology of the new movement percolated to the Sikh peasantry through the soldiers serving in the army or through those who had retired from the service. One of the Sikh regiments had organized a choir of reciters who toured the villages and sang sacred hymns in the Singh Sabha congregations.

 The response of the people to the work of Singh Sabha in the field of education was enthusiastic though it had to put in sustained efforts to enlist the support of the Sikh states in the Punjab and other aristocratic elements. The movement received a great fillip due to the efforts of an educated Youngman Bhai Gurumukh Singh.  He had Punjabi recognized as a subject for higher studies at the Oriental College Lahore in 1875. In the same year he was appointed as an assistant professor in that college.

With the invasion of Alexander in 326 B.C. which was not more than a raid, India saw a major change when it comes to the unification as a nation under the able leadership of Chandragupta Maurya. As a result of Alexander’s invasion, a large number of small and warring kingdoms and tribes in the Punjab were so seriously crippled that it became easy for Chandragupta Maurya to absorb them in his expanding empire. Soon after Alexander’s death, both the Punjab and Sindh began to enjoy the blessings of a unified rule, and became an integral part of the empire of Magadha so much that in 305 B.C. when Selucus crossed the Indus with his Greek army to reconquer Alexander’s lost possessions, he found the Punjab much too strong for him.

Alexander’s invasion led to the establishment of a number of Greek towns and settlements in the North-West India such as the city of Alexandria in Kabul region, Boukephala on the spot from where Alexander crossed the Jhelum, Nikaia the site of battle with Porus and Alexandria in Sindh. One of these towns is mentioned in the Mahavansha and is also noticed by the author of the Greek work Periplus. The invasion of Alexander was helpful in the reconstruction of the history of Punjab in specific and the Jambudveepa in general. The historians who came with Alexander have left clearly dated records of his campaigns which enable us to build chronology of various Indian historical events on a definite basis. His invasion of India has been aptly described as the “Sheet anchor” of Indian Chronology.

These historians have left valuable information about the political, social and economic condition of the people of India in the North West.  They tell us about the customs of Sati, poor parents putting up girls for sale in the market place, and the fine breed of Oxen in the North West India. Alexander sent from there about 700000 oxen to Macedonia for use in Greece. They tell us that the art of carpentry was the most flourishing craft in India and the carpenters built various types of Chariots, boats and ships.

Four distinct routes of communication by land and sea between India and Greece were opened because of the invasion of Alexander. It paved the way for more intimate intercourse between the two. It increased facilities for trade for Greek merchants and craftsmen. After the retreat of Alexander, for over two hundred years, some Greek dynasties, or dynasties partly Greek ruled over north western India. In many cases, these Greek colonists became absorbed in the society of the north western India. Apart from them one of the kingdoms which rose upon the ruins of Alexander’s empire was the Kingdome of Bactria upon the norther borders of India. This kingdom developed closer and friendly relations with the Mauryan Emperors who came to the throne of Magadha after Alexander’s departure from India.

 The arts and literature of both the countries were also influenced by each other to a certain extent. Greek scholars learnt philosophy, mathematics, medicine and surgery from the Indians. The Indians, in turn, learnt the art of making coins of a much better type than those hitherto manufactured here. Many such coins with the Greek inscription on them showing their origin have been discovered. Even the names of some Indian coins minted in India are of Greek Origin. Indian sculpture was also influenced by the Greeks. Much of the sculpture of this period shows Greek influence but this gradually passed away. It was the contact with the Greek states of west Asia that was responsible   for the rise of the Gandhara School of Art in the northern India. The Indians also learnt the science of Astronomy from the Greeks.