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The first Singh Sabha, the Sikh reform movement that worked for the revival of Sikhism and modern education among Sikhs, was formed in 1873 at:
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Answer: Option D — Amritsar
Detailed Solution
The first Singh Sabha was formed at Amritsar on 1 October 1873.
Background:
- In the second half of the 19th century, Sikh leaders were worried about the decline of Sikhism.
- Many Sikhs had converted to Christianity, Islam or Hinduism, and some Sikh practices had become mixed with Hindu customs.
- Christian missionaries were active in Punjab, and the Arya Samaj also attracted many Sikhs.
- When four Sikh students of the Amritsar Mission School announced their intention to convert to Christianity, Sikh leaders decided to act.
About the Singh Sabha movement:
- The Amritsar Singh Sabha was founded by Sikh leaders, including Thakur Singh Sandhawalia and Giani Gian Singh.
- In 1879, a more radical Singh Sabha was founded at Lahore, led by Gurmukh Singh and Ditt Singh.
- The two Sabhas later came together under a Khalsa Diwan.
Aims of the Singh Sabhas:
- To restore the pure Sikh religion, based on the teachings of the Gurus.
- To remove rituals and practices that were not part of Sikhism.
- To promote the Punjabi language in the Gurmukhi script.
- To spread modern education among the Sikhs, by setting up schools and colleges.
- To publish books and newspapers on Sikh history and religion.
Achievements:
- The Khalsa College at Amritsar was founded in 1892, with the support of the Singh Sabhas.
- The movement led to a revival of Sikh identity and culture.
- It prepared the ground for the Akali movement of the 1920s, which fought for the control of the gurdwaras.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Lahore had the later, more radical Singh Sabha; Anandpur Sahib and Patiala are other important Sikh centres.
Quick tip
Remember: first Singh Sabha = Amritsar, 1 October 1873; Lahore Singh Sabha (1879); Khalsa College, Amritsar (1892).
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Socio-Religious Reform Movements — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Socio-Religious Reform Movements, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
In the 19th century, reformers worked to remove social evils and revive Indian society. This topic covers organisations such as the Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, Prarthana Samaj, Ramakrishna Mission, Theosophical Society, Satyashodhak Samaj and the Aligarh Movement, along with their founders and the social reforms they achieved. Questions usually ask who founded an organisation and when, or which reformer is linked to a reform. For example, Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj and campaigned against sati, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar championed widow remarriage, and Jyotiba Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj. A table of organisation, founder, year and place covers most questions. Practise the socio-religious reform movements questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.