Harsangat Raj Kaur is one of the rarest white Sikhs who has become a Nihang. Legends and histories both attest to the Nihangs' martial prowess. Their austerity and self-discipline is respected. Flaunting their blue flowing robes, sporting large blue turbans surmounted by steel quoits, and displaying their martial skills with swords and on horseback, the Nihangs, an order of Sikh warriors, are famous for their extraordinary victories in historical wars.
Harsangat Kaur Raj was born in Texas to a Christian mother and a Muslim father of Iranian descent. Harsangat could have been just another kid growing up in the US dealing with interracial issues. Instead, she adopted a completely different identity and lifestyle. Harsangat became a Nihang, a member of the armed Sikh warrior order. Today, she is a mounted archer in true Sikh tradition.
Inspired by a Nihang Sikh, Kaur not only embraced the lifestyle but also completed the ritual baptism to become a Nihang Singhni. During his first visit to the UK in 2012, Baba Budda Dal Jathedar, Joginder Singh, baptized her.
From childhood, Harsangat Raj Kaur took pleasure in mounting the back of a wild horse. She was trained as an archer as well. She was fascinated by what she calls "the brotherhood of the horse" and got drawn to the Nihang way of life. She claims that this way of living feels natural to her and that she can now recite Gurbani with ease. Kaur has also been to Takht Shri Damadama Sahib, where she practiced writing in sand using the Gurmukhi alphabet, the Sikh script."My father's native tongue is Farsi, so it's an advantage for me with Punjabi and Gurmukhi at times."She said.
She shared how her family reacts when she wears the flowing robes of a Nihang. She said, "It's not their favorite image of me." However, since she embraced Sikhism, she has witnessed several changes in her lifestyle. She says that her life has changed in a better way for which she is very thankful to Waheguru.
The fact that some Sikhs have suffered racist attacks in the US does not surprise Kaur. "Growing up, I had to hide the fact of being Persian. I personally don't like the attention that it (dressed as a Nihang) can bring," she says.
In Texas, she dreams of having her own dal (group) of Nihangs with horses. She wants a place where the Sangat can come and meditate.
Harsangat is a modern-day heroine, who has blazed her own path. She is an inspiration to all the women that they can practice their faith and worship the name of the Universal power, Waheguru. Taking immense pride in her identity as a Persian-Scandinavian Singhni, Kaur embodies the spiritual determination, tenacity, and fortitude it takes to be a Nihang.