Ghallughara (Sikhism)

Ghallughara (Punjabi: ਘੱਲੂਘਾਰਾ, romanized: ghallūghārā Punjabi pronunciation: [kəl˨luːkäː˨ɾäː]) is a historical Punjabi concept in Sikhism for a holocaust, massacre, or genocide.[1] This term refers to many historical massacres and genocides of Sikhs and it is deeply significant in Sikh history and consciousness, primarily with reference to three major events i.e. Chhota Ghallughara,[2][3] the Vadda Ghallughara[4][5] and the 1984 Ghallughara.[6][1] The word Ghallughara first occurs in Ratan Singh Bhangu's Panth Prakash, specifically in an episode in the work titled Sakhi Ghallughare Ki (lit. 'eyewitness account of Ghallughara').[1] Much information of the two historical Ghallugharas of the 18th century are sourced from Bhangu's works, as he had eyewitness accounts to glean information from due to his family-background.[1] The 1984 military operation at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, known as Operation Blue Star, is known by Sikhs as Tija Ghallughara (lit. 'third holocaust'),[7] Ghallughara Dihara, or Ghallughara Diwas (lit. 'day of the genocide').[8][9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Singh, Harinder (31 December 2024). "Ghallugharas & Raj: Exterminations to Sovereignty". Sikh Research Institute. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  2. ↑ p.86, Routledge, W. Owen Cole, Piara Singh Sambhi, 2005
  3. ↑ Singh, Harinder (20 May 2025). "Chota Ghallughara: Remembering 1746". Sikh Research Institute. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  4. ↑ Kaur, Amrit (8 February 2018). "Vadda Sikh Ghallughara - The Bigger Holocaust". Punjab Khabar. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  5. ↑ "Sikh Legacy: Remembering Vadda Ghallughara". Sikh Research Institute. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  6. ↑ According to the Punjabi-English Dictionary, eds. S.S. Joshi, Mukhtiar Singh Gill, (Patiala, India: Punjabi University Publication Bureau, 1994) the definitions of "Ghalughara" are as follows: "holocaust, massacre, great destruction, deluge, genocide, slaughter, (historically) the great loss of life suffered by Sikhs at the hands of their rulers, particularly on 1 May 1746 and 5 February 1762" (p. 293).
  7. ↑ Singh, Parmjeet (13 March 2026). "The Sikh Reference Library: A Persistent Quest for a Stolen Heritage". Sikh Siyasat News. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  8. ↑ Gupta, Sayan (2018). "Sikh Visual Culture in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries: Suffering, Trauma and Martyrdom". Sahapedia. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  9. ↑ Singh, Kanika (January 2018). The Story of a Sikh Museum. Ashoka University. pp. 95–99.


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