In a unique cultural and political gesture, the Bahujan Dravida Party (BDP) has released what is believed to be the first Tamil song dedicated to Sikh history. The track, titled "Srishti-Ki-Sadar – Guru Tegh Bahadur," serves as a homage to the ninth Sikh Guru, commemorating the 350th anniversary of his martyrdom.
A Song of Revolution and Egalitarianism
The composition was officially launched by acclaimed filmmaker Pa Ranjith at the Margazhiyil Makkal Isai (People's Music in Margazhi) festival in Chennai on December 27. The song's opening line, "Our Guru Tegh Bahadur ji, who followed the sacred way of Guru Nanak," sets the tone for a powerful tribute that praises the Guru for tearing apart caste tyranny and winning righteous battles.
Jeevan Singh, the founder of the BDP and the lyricist behind the song, provided deep insight into its message. He explained that the portrayal of Guru Tegh Bahadur goes beyond being a defender of Sikhism alone. Instead, the song frames him as a universal protector of humanity and a revolutionary figure who stood against religious oppression and the hierarchical structures of Sanatan Dharma. "The song asserts a timeless truth: true peace exists only where the weak and marginalised are embraced," Singh emphasized.
Visuals and Voices of Unity
The music video for the track combines modern technology with symbolic imagery. It features AI-generated visuals alongside clips of the performers. The vocal duties are handled by singers Pudhuvai Sithan Jayamoorthy, M Faridha, and P Samanaraja.
The video begins with a poignant scene from a langar (community kitchen) at the ‘School of Miri Piri Tamil Nadu,' showing children partaking in a shared meal, a core Sikh tradition of equality. It further illustrates the Guru's extensive travels across India and visually bridges communities by featuring both Tamil and Punjabi Sikhs, highlighting a pan-Indian connection.
Political Context and Community Engagement
The launch event saw attendance from senior BDP leaders and representatives from the Sikh community. Notable figures included the party's national treasurer, Raj Gopal, and Surjit Singh, the director of United Sikhism Tamil Nadu.
This artistic initiative is not an isolated act but follows the BDP's deeper political engagement with the Tamil Sikh community. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party fielded seven candidates of Tamil Sikh origin. Significantly, all these candidates were part of a group of roughly 200 individuals who participated in the 2021 farmers' protests at the Singhu border. A few among them had embraced Sikhism, underscoring the evolving socio-political identity the song seeks to represent.
By creating "Srishti-Ki-Sadar – Guru Tegh Bahadur," the Bahujan Dravida Party has forged a novel link between Tamil cultural expression and Sikh historical narrative. It celebrates Guru Tegh Bahadur not just as a religious icon, but as a timeless symbol of resistance against caste discrimination and a beacon for egalitarian values, resonating with the party's core ideology.
