Hari Singh Burdak

Hari Singh Burdak (1884-1966) ( _hi. हरीसिंह बुरडक) was a freedom fighter of Shekhawati region in Rajasthan, India. He was born in year 1884 in a Jat Hindu family of Burdak gotra in village Palthana of Sikar district in Rajasthan, India. He was a brave, fearless and straightforward person. Smt Parvati Chaudhary, Jat Samaj monthly Magazine, July 1998 issue page 10, published from Agra by RS Faujdar ] He continued his struggle for farmers from 1930 to 1947 as a prominent leader of Prajamandal.

Condition of Shekhawati farmers

Before independence the conditions of the farmers in the Shekhawati region were worst. The farmers of the Shekhawati region were exploited and oppressed by the Jagirdars during British Raj. They were deprived of fundamental rights. They were given inhuman treatment when the Jagirdars did not get cesses known as “lag” or “begar” in time, they were given hard punishments and their crop used to be destroyed. Dr Natthan Singh, "Jat-Itihas", (Jat History), Jat Samaj Kalyan Parishad, F-13, Dr Rajendra Prasad Colony, Tansen marg, Gwalior, M.P, India 474 002 2004]

The exploitation of farmers by the Rao Raja of Sikar was at peak when Hari Singh Burdak took a lead in movement against oppression of Jagirdars. Hari Singh understood the consequences of struggle against the Jagirdars but even then he united the farmers in 1933 in Palthana village and was successful in motivating them for the agitation. The farmers elected him as sarpanch. He led the farmer’s movement in 1934 in Khuri village and in 1935 in Kudan village. Hari Singh’s strategy of the movement of farmers was based on the demands of settlement of lands, rights over the land and fixation of rates of the produce but this did not work initially and he failed to achieve the success. Smt Parvati Chaudhary, Jat Samaj monthly Magazine, July 1998 issue page 10, published from Agra by RS Faujdar ]

When Hari Singh decided to stop paying the lags or cesses, The Jagirdars tried to suppress the movement in many ways with the help of police of Jaipur state in both Khuri and Kudan villages. Smt Parvati Chaudhary, Jat Samaj monthly Magazine, July 1998 issue page 10, published from Agra by RS Faujdar ] Many farmers were killed and a large number were sent to jail. A Jat farmer was beaten to death in the market of Sikar town; his dead body was thrown and insulted. Dr Natthan Singh, "Jat-Itihas", (Jat History), Jat Samaj Kalyan Parishad, F-13, Dr Rajendra Prasad Colony, Tansen marg, Gwalior, M.P, India 474 002 2004]

Jat Prajapati Mahayagya

After successful Jhunjhunu adhiveshan in 1932, a deputation of Jats from Sikar district, under the leadership of Prithvi Singh Gothra met Thakur Deshraj and requested him to do a similar adhiveshan in Sikar also. After long discussions Thakur Deshraj proposed to have a yagya at Sikar. A meeting for discussing this issue was called in Palthana village in October 1933. This was attended by all activists from Shekhawati and one member was invited from each family in Sikar district. About 5000 people gathered in the meeting. The Sikar thikana wanted to make this meeting a failure. For this, the thikanedar sent hundreds of handcuffs loaded on camels along with the police force to terrorize the people taking part in the meeting. [Dr Pema Ram & Dr Vikramaditya Chaudhary, Jaton ki Gauravgatha (जाटों की गौरवगाथा), 2004, Publisher - Rajasthani Granthagar, Jodhpur, p. 145 ] Thakur Deshraj addressed the people that :"these handcuffs would get you independence. If you are afraid of these you would never get freed. We have gathered here for a religious purpose and we will complete". [Dr Pema Ram & Dr Vikramaditya Chaudhary, Jaton ki Gauravgatha (जाटों की गौरवगाथा), 2004, Publisher - Rajasthani Granthagar, Jodhpur, p. 146 ]

These words of Thakur Deshraj played a lightening effect amongst the people and they all were energized for further struggle with the Jagirdars. People listened the leaders very calmly and meeting was a great success. Police could do nothing. The leaders who attended the meeting were Sardar Harlal Singh, Chaudhary Ram Singh Kunwarpura, Chaudhary Ghasi Ram, Kunwar Net Ram Singh, Panne Singh Deorod's elder brother Bhoor Singh etc. There was a speech by Master Ratan Singh Pilani. A resolution was passed in this meeting to conduct a seven day "Jat Prajapat Mahayagya" (Prayer ceremony for the Lord of Universe) in Sikar on next "basant" in 1934, to spread the principles of Arya Samaj and create awakening in Shekhawati. It was decided for this purpose to collect "ghee" and money from each household. A "yagya" committee was formed consisting of Chaudhary Hari Singh Burdak of Palthana village as its president, Master Chandrabhan Singh as minister. Deva Singh Bochalya, Thakur Hukum Sing and Bhola Singh were made incharge of publicity. [Dr Pema Ram & Dr Vikramaditya Chaudhary, Jaton ki Gauravgatha (जाटों की गौरवगाथा), 2004, Publisher - Rajasthani Granthagar, Jodhpur, p. 146 ] The office of managing committee was earlier in Palthana. In December 1933 this office was transferred to Sikar.

The Jat Prajapati Maha-Yagya took place at Sikar from 20 - 29 January 1934. Kunwar Hukam Singh Rahees Angai (Mathura) was made Yagyapati or Chairman of the Yagya. Chaudhary Kaluram of village Kudan was the Yagyaman. Acharya Shri Jagdev Sidhanthi received an invitation for this Yagya at his Gurukul at Kirttal, In that invitation was he requested to attend the Yagya and bring twenty Bhramcharis and disciples with him. Volunteers went to all the households in all the villages in the region and collected material that would be needed. They collected Ghee, Flour, Gur, and invited all the householders to participate. Hundreds of cans of Ghee and hundreds of sacks of flour were collected.

During the Yagya 3000 men and women adopted the Yogyopavit, which was a symbol Kisan sangathan. Sheetal Kumari daughter of Kunwar Netram Singh adopted yagyopavit. Chaudhary Chimana Ram of Sangasi brought his wife wearing salwar-kurta. The unity of Jat farmers in this Yagya had terrified the Jagirdars of Sikar. The role played by Sardar Har Lal Singh and Thakur Deshraj was unparallel which made this yagya a grand success.

Sikarwati Jat kisan Panchayat

The Jat Prajapati Mahayagya of Sikar was attended by about a lakh farmers and was a grand success in awakening of the farmers of Shekhawati. This annoyed the Rao Raja of Sikar and his other thikanedars. Jats had still one grievance that they were not able to take the procession of "sabhapati" of yagya on elephant as planned because the Rao Raja of Sikar had helped in getting the elephant run away. Immediately after the yagya Jat leaders held a meeting under the chairmanship of Thakur Deshraj to settle the issues with Rao Raja Sikar and his thikanedars. They founded a body called "Sikarwati Jat Kisan Panchayat". Thakur Deva Singh Bochalya was elected General Secretary and Hari Singh Burdak as "sarpanch" of this body. [ Dr Pema Ram, "Kisan Andolan Ka Itihas" (शेखावाटी किसान आन्दोलन का इतिहास), 1990, Publisher - Sri Ganesh Sewa Samiti, Jasnagar, District Nagaur - 341518, p. 90 ] During those days a folk song was very popular amongst the women of Shekhawati which is as under in Rajasthani language::चलिए सखी यज्ञ देखन कूँ, सीकर के अस्थाना में ।:तोही सरपंच दिखाऊँ पलथाना में ।। [ Dr Pema Ram, "Kisan Andolan Ka Itihas" (शेखावाटी किसान आन्दोलन का इतिहास), 1990, Publisher - Sri Ganesh Sewa Samiti, Jasnagar, District Nagaur - 341518, p. 85 ]

Effect of Jat Prajapati Mahayagya

The Shekhawati Jat movement had its genesis in the Jat Praja Pati Maha-Yagna a socio-religious festival held in January 1934. It lasted ten days and was the biggest of its kind in Rajputana. It facilitated a widespread involvement of Jats in a community festival. Each Jat household attending it was to contribute some cash and an unspecified quantity of ghee. A total of two hundred maunds of ghee were used in the sacrificial flame. The function concluded with a triumphal elephant ride hitherto prohibited by the rules of Sikar Thikana. The success of this movement encouraged the Jats to hold more meetings on local levels and print literature to glorify Jat history. The Yagna became a dominant symbol of folklore, which glorified it as the beginning of an anti-feudal struggle. The peasants demanded remissions in taxes and finally a Jat-Sikar Thikana Agreement was signed on August 23, 1934, by which the Thikana authorities conceded to abolish various lags (taxes) and agreed to provide for a mobile dispensary. The following year, the Kisan Sabha formally came into existence andUnder its aegis the famous Sikar Andolan of 1935 was launched. With outside mediation efforts of Jamnalal Bajaj, Sir Chhotu Ram-a renowned Jat leader of Punjab and Ratan Singh of All India Jat Mahasabha, a settlement was arrived at and the Jats were promised remissions of rent, abolition of internal cesses and an introduction of fixed rent tenure. The Jats were also promised equal opportunities in Thikana administration and were permitted to ride elephants and horses and to construct schools for their children. The formation of a Jat Kisan Panchayat was officially sanctioned and the right to agitate for redressal of grievances in non-Khalsa areas was conceded. Much however, could not be made out of these agreements for two reasons. First, the subordinate Thikanedars of Sikar did not fully cooperate with Sikar authorities to ensure compliance with the terms of these agreements. Secondly, the beginning of settlement operations and reform of revenue administration was a time-consuming process which Entailed enormous delay. This was interpreted by the Jats as a breach of agreement and hence, they indulged in acts of disorder and violence, which were perceived by Thikana authorities as signs of bad faith. In the meanwhile two unsavoury incidents led to a termination of agreements. The first, occurred at Khudi village, where the sight of Jat bridegroom riding a horse incensed the local Rajputs and the two sides readied themselves for an armed combat. The state authorities asked the two parties to disperse but the Jats refused. The state police charged and in the melee that followed, several people were injured. The second incident took place at Kudan village, where about one hundred armed Jats attacked Sikar revenue officials. The police fired upon the armed mob, which resulted in several casualties and injuries. A total of 104 Jats were arrested. Dr Vir Singh, The Jats- their role and contribution to the socio political life and Polity of North and north West India- Vol 2.Edited and com piled by Dr Vir Singh, ISBN 978-81-88629-51-0, distributed by D K Publishers, 4834 Ansari Road, New Delhi, web site www://dkpd.com. ]

As a result of these incidents Sikarvati Jat Panchayat and Kisan Sabha were declared unlawful bodies and several of their local members like Hari Singh Burdak and Master Chandrabhan were interned for stirring up the peasant struggle. They were imprisoned and all Jat schools were closed. The school building of Palthana was destroyed. Inhuman treatment was given not only to the Jat farmers but their wives were also insulted. As a reaction to this treatment Jats stopped paying land taxes. The Jaipur ruler sent captain Web to Sikar. He made an agreement after consultation with farmers on 13 August 1934 under which many taxes on farmers were waved off. The farmers were assured of no increase of taxes in future. [Wills, C.U. Report on the land tenures of sarnet thikanedars of the Jaipur State, 1933, Sikar Part, pp 13-14] They were assured of equal opportunity in public services and to get collected the taxes in consultation with Jat Panchayats as per category of land. This was termed a good attempt to get success through agitation by the Jat social organisation 'Jat Sabha' [Dr Girija Shankar Sharma, The Jats, Vol. II, Ed Dr Vir Singh, Delhi, 2006, p. 247] Such intermittent Movements and state reprisals continued till independence. Smt Parvati Chaudhary, Jat Samaj monthly Magazine, July 1998 issue page 10, published from Agra by RS Faujdar ]

The Rao Raja of Sikar kept Hari Singh in prison in Devagarh fort. He was expelled from Sikar thikana for about 14 months. During expulsion period also he was not silent, he went to Ajmer where he contacted Jaynarayan Vyas and Haribhau Upadhyay and got done the publicity of the oppressions on farmers of Sikar. He had started a school in Palthana, which was destroyed by the Jagirdars during his expulsion. He continued his struggle for farmers from 1930 to 1947 as a prominent leader of Prajamandal. As a result of his struggle the farmers of Sikar got success in the settlement of land, rights of farmers on the land, which they were cultivating, and the rates of lagan on land were fixed. Smt Parvati Chaudhary, Jat Samaj monthly Magazine, July 1998 issue page 10, published from Agra by RS Faujdar ]

Hari Singh Burdak expired in 1966.

References