"SARDAR JI 12 BAJ GAYE" You have heard this quote many a times and even sikh guys use such kind of quotes on other sikh guys to make fun of them, But have you ever tried to figure out from where this quote comes from. To know about this you need to go back to history and there only you can find the true meaning of this quote. The real story behind this quote is something like:-
During 17th Century, when India was ruled by Mughals (Muslim Extremists), Hindus were humiliated and deprived of any right to conduct their religious practices. Mughals treated the Hindu women as there own property and were forcing all Hindus to accept Islam and even used to kill the people if they refused to accept.
During that time, Sikh's ninth Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur Ji came forward, in response to a by request some Kashmir Pandits (Hindu Priests) to fight against all these cruel activities. Guru Ji told the Mughal emperor that if he could succeed in converting him to Islam, all the Hindus would accept the same. But, if he failed to do so, he should stop all of his oppression. The Mughal emperor happily agreed to the challenge and invited Guru Ji to Delhi. Guru Teg Bahadur Ji was tortured for five days, he was made to sit on hot iron plates, hot oil was poured on his body. He was boiled in hot water and subjected to many more tortures in the hope that he would cave in and accept Islam. Guru Ji however did not even scream once, he was a true devotee of God and had been meditation on God for decades. After extreme tourtures when Aurengzeb failed to convert Guru Teg Bahadur Ji to Islam, he beheaded the Guru in Chandni Chowk, Delhi.
Thus Guru Ji sacrificed his life for the protection of Hindu religion. Can anybody lay down his life and that too for the protection of another religion? This is the reason he is still remembered as "Hind Ki Chaddar", Shield of India. For the sake of whom he had sacrificed his life, none of the them came forward to lift his body, fearing that they would also be assassinated.
Seeing this incident our 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji made a resolution that he would convert his followers to such human beings who would not be able the devotees of God but in order to protect their religion and the right of worship for others they would be warriors as well.
At the start, the Sikhs were very few in numbers as they were fighting against the army of hundreds of thousands headed by Mughal emperor. At that time, Nadir Shah, a Muslim extremist, raided Delhi in the year 1739 and looted India and was carrying lot of Indian treasures and nearly 2200 Hindu women along with him. The news spread like fire and was heard by Sardar Jassa Singh who was the Commander of the Sikh army at that time. He decided to attack Nadir Shah's army at midnight.
He did so and rescued all the Hindu women and they were safely sent back to their homes. It didn't happen only once but thereafter whenever any army from Afghanistan or Iran attacked and looted an Indian city and were trying to carry the treasures and women in order to sell them in Arab markets, the Sikh army although fewer in numbers but were brave hearted attacked them at midnight,12 O'clock and rescued the women along with the treasure.
Whenever there was a similar incident, people started to contact the Sikh army for their help and Sikhs used to attack the raiders at Midnight, 12 O'clock. Sikhs did so because they were fewer in number and could use the darkness to their advantage. It continued and became a known fact that at midnight, nearly at 12 O'clock, it is very difficult to fight against Sikhs as the Sikhs mastered the art of fighting at night.
That was the true behind the quote SARDAR JI 12 BAJ GAYE, now next time if anyone have to quote over sikhs or have to make jokes over them then should have to think again to do so. Sikhs are the one who saved our country and because of them you are living here.
Forward this story to all of your friends to show them the true history of Sikhism and one should never have to make fun of any religion because if you will do so it may happen that next time the same person will make fun of your religion.