GarrhGajj Bole (Code Words)
Kalgidhar Maharaj prepared the army of the Nihung Singhs. This army is referred to as the Akaali Fauj. Guru Maharaj give us this command:
ਖਾਲਸਾ ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਕੀ ਫੌਜ॥
ਪ੍ਰਗਟਯੋ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਪ੍ਰਮਾਤਮ ਕੀ ਮੌਜ॥
(ਸਰਬਲੋਹ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ)
Guru Maharaj also referred to this Fauj as the Laadli Fauj (the Beloved Forces).
Just like other militaries, Nihung Singhs have code words. Nihung Singhs refer to these code words as GarrhGajj Bolay.
In 1739 CE, when Naadir Shah called a Dawa against India, the Nihung Singhs did not let him just go freely. The Nihung Singhs kept interrupting his invasions. Finally, Naadir Shah asked Zakariya Khan to explain to him who the Nihung Singhs were. The Governor of Lahore, Zakariya Khan had stated that they live in the jungles where a King rode on each horse. They have special sayings which the average person won’t understand. Giani Gian Singh beautifully write about these words in Panth Prakash:
ਪਾਨੀ ਕੋ ਪਰਸਾ ਪਰਪਾਕਾ॥
ਲੰਗਰ ਮਸਤ ਬਤਾਵੈ ਫਾਕਾ॥
ਗੰਜਾ ਕੋ ਕਲਗਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਆਖੈ॥
ਕਾਣੇ ਕੋ ਲਖਨੇਤ੍ਰਾ ਭਾਖੈ॥
ਕਹੈ ਸੁਨਹਿਰਾ ਕੂੰਡੇ ਤਾਈ॥
ਭੰਗ ਤਾਂਈ ਸੁੱਖਾ ਸਰਦਾਈ॥
ਪਾਖਾਨੇ ਕੋ ਕਾਬਾ ਭਾਖੈ॥
ਪੜਾ ਮੁਗਲ ਮੈਲੇ ਕੋ ਆਖੈ॥
Although Nihung Singhs faced excruciating pain while living in the Jungle, they still expressed chardi kala. For example, Nihung Singhs referred to death as charrhaee (meaning ascension/rising).
All of the Nihung phrases have meaning to them. Every phrase’s meaning has something which hints towards the original word. For example, hot peppers are referred to as Larraakee (fighter/aggressive), salt as Sarab Ras (meaning that salt contains all the taste required in food). In this way, all of the phrases are meaningful and not meaningless like the average Punjabi slang. Just like after cha (tea) we add the meaningless choo at the end.
After understanding these phrases, we realize how fearless Puratan Nihung Singhs were. In the rule of the Mughal, donkeys were referred to as thaanedaar, dogs as qutubdeen, among others. They did not have even a bit of fear from Mughals.
These Khalsa sayings are found in Mahaan Kosh and Giani Gurwinder Singh Ji Nangli’s Sampardaic Ucharan Bodh. These Nihung Singh phrases kept growing as the hardships increased. The Lifestyle of Nihung Singhs is said to be born from these phrases. Like one Mann (a form of large weight measurement) in seeds is said to be a Kinka (worth a drop) for them.
Baba Kartar Singh (Mota Akhar) have written that about an event from 1934 CE. Akaali Lehar’s Bhai Teja Singh (Bhhuchr) had the entire Budha Dal arrested. At the time, the Jathedar of Budha Dal was Baba Sahib Singh Kaladhari. Baba Kinka Singh went to Jail in Lahore along with Baba Sahib Singh Ji.
The name Kinka Singh was created at Lahore Jail. It was given based on an event with a British Jail Warden. This officer had Budha Dal doing work in prison. Kinka Singh was told to press one raw Man (16 Ser) of Saroh (Mustard) for the purpose of making oil. They had taken out one Man of Oil and drank all of it.
When the British Sepoy asked Baba Ji where the oil went, Baba Ji replied: "only a Kinka came out and I drank it”. The British officer was surprised and removed Baba Ji from the jail. The officer had stated to him that your Kinka is not going to be sufficient for us. From this event, a phrase came to be: a raw Man is referred to as a kinka. Behind every phrase, there is a Nihung Singh’s life story behind it.
Baba Kinka Singh Ji, Baba Karhhtorhh Singh Ji, Baba Karhhaakaa Singh Ji, and Baba Harsa Singh are all GurBhais. When the SGPC increased its management oversight, they had to make decisions about the Akaali Phoola Singh Chhauni. There was a bit of a hiccup with the SGPC. The Nihung Singhs stated they wanted more funding and the SGPC would not provide the necessary resources. There was a decision that SGPC would feed Rotis to 4-5 Singhs and through this, you’ll be able to estimate the rations of Nihung Singhs. Then Baba Kinka Singh had 21 rotis. The rations were then re-evaluated based on this event.
Baba Kinka Singh lived their final days at Samaadha Baba Naudh Singh Ji and used to take 21 rotis for themselves and 21 rotis for their horse’s langar (per meal).
Some of the Singhs’ phrases from Abdali's time are still known. When the harsh reign of Abdali came, the Pathaans used to carry almonds, raisins, dried fruits filled in their pockets where the Nihung Singhs’ pockets were filled with chick peas. Seeing the Pathaan’s luxury, they did not get scared but rather referred to chick peas as almonds and remained in chardi kalaa. Nihung Singhs refer to Holaa as Saugi. In this way, difficult times produced these codeword phrases. Even today, chick peas are referred to as badaam. In this way, these phrases have the hidden hardships of Nihung Singhs behind them.
