Chandigarh, 23 July, 2025 (Yes Punjab News)
Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha, a representative body of the Singh Sabha Gurdwaras, today commemorated 111th anniversary of Koma Gaga Maru Steamship episode as Guru Nanak Jahaz Remembrance Day and organized a “Special Lecture” marking the historical incident took place on this day at Vancouver, Canada.
Komagata, Japenese steamer carring 377 British subjects including 31 Sikhs, 24 Muslims and 12 Hindus from Punjab, was derived disembarking under exclusionary immigration laws and ultimately forced to depart from Vancouver’s Burrard on 23 July, 1914.
The steamship Komagata Maru was hired by Baba Gurdit Singh, who established the Guru Nanak Jahaz Steamship Company and renamed the vessel as Guru Nanak Jahaz was a purposeful act that political, cultural and spiritual significance, said eminent academician and historian Dr. Gurdev Singh Sidhu while delivering a special lecture at the Singh Sabha Complex here.
Dr. Sidhu said, today, descendents and communities across Canada remember this journey as a courageous stand against colonialism at home, only to be met with discrimination and injustice upon arrival.
The passengers met the legal requirements to enter Canada as British subjects, yet were confined to the ship for nearly two months without access to basic necessities, and were sustained through the efforts of local Sikh and Punjabi societies, along with Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, and Indigenous organizations that mobilized to provide support and facilitate access to the vessel;
Despite constitutionally challenging the discriminatory laws and appealing to British Columbia’s highest court under the leadership of Baba Gurdit Singh and with the support of legal counsel, the laws were upheld, resulting in the ship’s forced return to British India; upon arrival, 19 passengers were killed by British colonial forces at Budge Budge, with many others injured or imprisoned for their role in pursuing the Guru Nanak Jahaz journey;
The gathering later adopted a resolution urging the Government to observe 23 July, anniversary of Komagata Maru incident as “Historical Remembrance Day” with commemorating the vessel as “Guru Nanak Jahaz.
Those who spoke included Sham Singh (President) Rajwinder Singh Rahi, Jaspal Singh Sidhu, Hamir Sing, Major Harmohinder Singh, Harbans Singh Sodhi, Pritam Singh Rupal, Dayaa Singh Delhi, Dr. Khushhal Singh.
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