May 4th, 2009 
Aman 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.
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