Glimpses of God for Contemplation

Sheikh Farid (1175-1265)

Separated from God, my body burns like an oven,

My bones burn like firewood.

To meet the Beloved I would walk until my feet were tired,

I would walk on my head.

[ Guru Nanak comments:]

You need not burn yourself like an oven, 

need not inflame your bones.

Why torture your poor limbs? 

Behold the Beloved in your own heart.

(Guru Granth Sahib p. 2764)

First Sikh to place Nishaan Sahib

S. Gursharan Singh from Jamshedpur is the first sikh to place Shiri Nishaan Sahib on the Mount Everest. 

Shaheed Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh and His Family

Bhagat Singh was born in a Sikh family of farmers in the village of Banga of Layalpur district of Punjab (now in Pakistan) on September 27th of 1907. His family stood for patriotism, reform, and freedom of the country. His grandfather Arjun Singh was drawn to Arya Samaj,  a reformist movement of Hinduism, and took keen interest in proceedings of  the Indian National Congress. Bhagat Singh's father Kishen Singh and Uncle Ajit Singh were members of Gadar Party founded in the U.S. in early years of the 20th century to uproute British rule in India. Both were jailed for alleged anti-British activities. 

Ajit Singh had 22 cases against him and was forced to flee to Iran. Thereafter he went to Turkey, Austria, Germany and finally to Brazil to escape Black Water (Kalapani) punishment for his revolutionary activities in India.

Young Bhagat Singh

Young Bhagat Singh was brought up in a politically charged state of Punjab which was left with a seething memory of the Jalianwala Bagh massacre of more than 400 innocent lives and  thousands injured (1919). As a lad of fourteen he went to this spot to collect soil from the park of Jalianwala (bagh) in his lunch box, sanctified by the blood of the innocent and kept it as a memento for life.

Studies

Bhagat Singh was studying at the National College founded by Lala Lajpat Rai, a great revolutionary leader and reformist. To avoid early marriage, he ran away from home and, became a member of the youth organization Noujawan Bharat Sabha which had memberships of all sects and religions. He met Chandra Shekhar Sharma (Azaad), B.K. Dutt and other revolutionaries. They used to print handouts and newspapers in secret and spread political awareness in India through Urdu, Punjabi and English. These were all banned activities in India at the time, punishable with imprisonment.

Anti-British feelings 

Anti-British feelings were spreading; Indians wanted some proper representation in running the administration of their country to which British reciprocated only on paper. Noticing restlessness was spreading, the British Government appointed a commission under the leadership of Sir John Simon in 1928, to report on political happenings. There was no single Indian member in this commission, and all the political parties decided to boycott the commission when it planned to visit major cities of India.

In Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai and Pandit Madan Mohan Malavia decided to protest to the commission in open about their displeasure. It was a silent protest   march, yet the police chief Mr. Scott had banned meetings or processions. Thousands joined, without giving room for any untoward incident. Even then, Mr. Scott beat Mr. Lala Lajpat Rai severely with a lathi (bamboo stick) on the head several times. Finally the leader succumbed to the injuries.

Revenge

Bhagat Singh who was an eye witness to the morbid scene vowed to take revenge and with the help of Azaad, Rajguru and Sukhdev plotted to kill Scott. Unfortunately he killed Mr. Sanders, a junior officer, in a case of mistaken identity. He had to flee from Lahore to escape death punishment.

Defence of India Act

Instead of finding the root cause for discontent of Indians, the British government took to more repressive measures. Under the Defence of India Act, it gave more power to the police to arrest persons to stop processions with suspicious movements and actions. The act brought in the council was defeated by one vote. Even then it was to be passed in the form of an ordinance in the "interest of the public." No doubt the British were keen to arrest all leaders who opposed its arbitrary actions, and Bhagat Singh who was in hiding all this while, volunteered to throw a bomb in the central assembly where the meeting to pass the ordinance was being held. It was a carefully laid out plot, not to cause death or injury but to draw the attention of the government, that the modes of its suppression could no more be tolerated. It was agreed that Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt would court arrest after throwing the bomb.

It was a forgone conclusion in 1929 April 8th at Delhi Central Assembly. Singh and Dutt threw handouts, and bombed in the corridor not to cause injury and courted arrest after shouting slogans Inquilab Zindabad (Long Live, Revolution!)

Meanwhile the killers of Sanders were identified by the treachery of Bhagat Singh's friends who became "Approvers." Bhagat Singh thought the court would be a proper venue to get publicity for the cause of freedom, and did not want to disown the crime. But he gave a fiery statement giving reasons for killing which was symbolic of freedom struggle. He wanted to be shot like a soldier, and not die at the gallows. But, his plea was rejected, and he was hanged on the 23rd of March 1931. He was 24.

Bhagat Singh became a legendary hero for the masses. Innumerable songs were composed about him, and the youth throughout the country made him their idol. He became a symbol of bravery and of the struggle to free India.

Sikh Martyrs:Bhai Tara Singh ji

Mughal Rule and Sahib Rai

During Mughul rule, the village heads (Chaudhary) used to have considerable authority over local population. They often exercised these powers most mercilessly in order to awe the subjects into submission. One such fellow Sahib Rai was head of village Naushahra. He was a hot headed and cruel person. He would often let loose his horses in the green fields of farmers of the village, causing extensive damage to their crops.If the aggrieved farmers complained to him about it, he used to abuse them, instead of sympathising with them or redressing their grievances.

Sikh Farmers Request

Once the Sikh farmers of the village together requested him to keep his horses confined to the areas meant for grazing and not let them graze in their fields thereby destroying their crops.

Instead of giving them any assurance, Sahib Rai turned them saying, “ I will definitely tie my horses but with the ropes made out of your beautiful Keshas (Hair)". Such insulting words were unbearable for the Sikhs who valued their Keshas more than their lives. Deeply hurt, they narrated the incident to S. Baghel Singh and S. Amar Singh of the nearby village, Bhusay.

Horses were Caught

A few days later, S. Amar Singh and S. Baghel Singh caught hold of Sahib Rai’s horses, while those were destroying the crops of Sikh farmers of village Naushehra, and sold them to S. Aala Singh, the then ruler of State of Patiala. The proceeds were donated to S. Tara Singh, a saint of village Wan, Taran Taaran District Punjab,  for free Kitchen (Langer).

Bhai Tara Singh

Bhai Tara Singh was God fearing devoted Sikh saint. He owned considerable agricultural land and had established a Gurudwara on his land. Sikhs passing through his village were provided shelter and free meals at this Gurudwara apart from other facilities required by them. S. Tara Singh, apart from being a saint, mostly absorbed in meditation, was a brave Sikh conversant with use of arms. He had fought many a battles under the leadership of Banda Singh Bahadur.

Sahib Rai Failed 

Chaudhary Sahib Rai found out through his agents that S. Baghel Singh and S. Tara Singh had caught and sold his horses. Accompanied by some of his supporters, he entered Bhai Tara Singh’s residence unannounced, and uttered insulting remarks towards Sikh community. Bhai Tara Singh tried to pacify the Chaudhary, but failed to do so. At this, the Sikhs at the Gurudwara thrashed Sahib Rai and his men, making them run for their lives.

Jaffar Beg and 200 policemen

Thus infuriated Sahib Rai went straight to the police chief of the area based in the town Patti in Amritsar District and narrated to him the exaggerated version of the humiliation suffered by him at the hand of Sikhs. Jaffar Beg, the police chief, assisted by a contingent of 200 policemen proceeded towards the residence of Bhai Tara Singh to teach Sikhs a lesson.

S. Baghel Singh Facing Raiders

S. Baghel Singh who had gone out of Bhai Tara Singh’s residence to answer call of nature very early in the morning, noticed the raiding party. He asked them to stop and shouted, “BOLE SO NEHAL SAT SRI AKAL” at the top of his voice to alert other Sikhs. At the same time, he started firing at the invaders from his gun.

Bhai Tara Singh, on hearing gun shots, along with other Sikhs rushed to the assistance of Baghel Singh. They engaged the invading soldiers in a fierce battle. Despite superiority in numbers and better equipped, two nephews and ten other soldiers of Jaffar Beg were killed at the hands of brave Sikhs. S. Baghel Singh also attained martyrdom in that battle. He had engaged the raiders single handedly and by sacrificing his own life, managed to alert other sikhs.

Jaffar Beg and Zakaria Khan Panned together

Jaffar Beg could barely save his own life by beating a hasty retreat. Jaffar Beg went straight to Lahore and narrated the incident to Zakaria Khan, Governor of Lahore. He sought his support to avenge his humiliating defeat at the hands of Sikhs. Zakaria Khan was a sworn enemy of the Sikh community.  He sent a punitive expedition consisting of 2,000 horses, 5 elephants, 40 light guns, and 4 cannon wheels under orders of his deputy, Momin Khan.

One of the Sikh residents of Lahore rushed to village Waan and informed Bhai Tara Singh of this impending attack by a huge Mughal force and advised him to go elsewhere. Bhai Tara Singh had barely 22 men with him at that time. Bhai Tara Singh accompanied by about twenty two Sikhs present at that time in his Dera (house), decided to stay and face the inevitable, bravely. The Sikhs planned their strategy and took up positions at vantage points to face the enemy and inflict maximum casualties on the raiders. Momin Khan, mobilising more forces en-route and accompanied by another commander Takki Beg, mounted attack on village Waan, much before Sunrise. The sikhs were waiting and answered the attack by a deadly shower of bullets from their guns, felling the front row enemy soldiers dead.

Takki Beg insulted y Momin Khan

Momin Khan ordered Takki Beg to engage Bhai Tara Singh. Bhai Ji, in a swift action, thrust his spear into Takki Beg’s mouth. A shower of blood flowed from Takki Beg’s mouth, who ran back to save his life. Momin Khan added insult to Takki Beg’s misery by asking whether Takki Beg was chewing Paan in the battle field. Takki Beg, reacting sharply, told Momin Khan to move forward to receive his share of Paans being distributed by Bhai Tara Singh.

Momin Khan, instead of himself moving forward, sent forward his nephew Mureed Khan, whose head was cut off with a sharp low of sword, by S. Bhomi Singh, in a swift attack.

Losing so many men and patience, Momin Khan ordered his entire force to attack the Sikhs at the same time. Thus ensued hand to hand fight. The Sikhs put up a brave fight, killing hundreds of enemy soldiers before laying down their own lives as well. Not a single Sikh surrendered to the enemy. Their heads were taken back to Lahore and thrown in a dry well where Gurdwara Shaheed Singhania now stands in Landa Bazar. The Gurdwara Sahib now marks the site where the dead bodies of Bhai Tara Singh and his 20 companions were cremated.

This is how the Sikhs tried to uproot the cruel Mughal regime from Punjab, lock, stock and barrel. They fought to the finish, inflicting very heavy casualties on the enemy forces.  We should be thankful to the Sikhs of those days because of whose bravery and sacrifices the mighty Mughal rule finally came to an end in Punjab towards the end of eighteenth Century.

Sikh Martyrs Bhai Dharam Singh Ji

BHAI DHARAM SINGH JI, (1666-1708), was one of the Panj Piare or the Five Beloved, the forerunners of Khalsa, came of farming stock. 

He was the son of Bhai Sant Ram and Mai Sabho, of Hastinapur, an ancient town on the right bank of the Ganges, 35 km northeast of Meerut.

Dharam Das, as he was originally named, was born around 1666. As a young man, he fell into the company of a Sikh who introduced him to the teachings of the Gurus. 

He left home at the age of thirty in quest of further instruction. At the Sikh shrine of Nanak Piao, dedicated to Guru Nanak, he was advised to go to Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur, where he arrived in 1698. 

Baisakhi

A few months later came the historic Baisakhi congregation at which five Sikhs responding to five successive calls of Guru Gobind Singh offered one after the other to lay down their heads Dharam Das was one of those five. The Guru blessed them and called them Panj Piare, the five beloved of him. 

They were anointed as the first five members of the brotherhood of the Khalsa inaugurated on that day. Guru Gobind Singh then begged them to administer to him the vows of initiation. 

Dharam Das, who, after initiation, became Dharam Singh, took part in the battles of Anandpur. He was in Guru Gobind Singh's train when Anandpur and thereafter Chamkaur were evacuated. 

He accompanied Bhai Daya Singh to the South to deliver Guru Gobind Singh's letter, the Zafarnama, to Emperor Aurangzab.

During the war of succession following the death of Aurangzeb on 20 February 1707, Guru Gobind Singh took the part of the rightful claimant to the imperial throne, Prince Muazzam and sent for his help Bhai Dharam Singh who with his small band of Sikhs fought in the battle of jajau (8 june 1707). He accompanied Guru Gobind Singh to Nanded and was with him at the time of his heavenly abode on 7 October 1708. A Gurdwara there preserves the memory of jointly Bhai Dharam Singh and Bhai Daya Singh.

Bhai Daya Singh Ji

Daya Ram 

Bhai Daya Singh was one of the Panj Piare or the Five Beloved celebrated in the Sikh tradition. He was son of Bhai Suddha, a Sobti Khatri of Lahore, and Mai Diali. His original name was Daya Ram.

Devoted Family 

Bhai Suddha was a devout Sikh of Guru Tegh Bahadur and visited Anandpur more than once to seek his blessing. In 1677, he travelled to Anandpur along with his family including his young son, Daya Ram, to make obeisance to Guru Gobind Singh, this time to settle there permanently. Daya Ram, already well versed in Punjabi and Persian, engaged himself in the study of classics and Gurubani. He also received training in the use of weapons.

First To Khalsa

In the historic Deewan in the Kesgarh Fort at Anandpur on 30 March 1699, he was the first to rise at the Guru's call and offer his head, followed by four others in succession. These five were the first to be admitted to the fold of the Khalsa and they in turn administered the rites of initiation to Guru Gobind Singh who called them collectively Panj Piare. Daya Ram after initiation became Daya Singh.

Although the five enjoyed equal status as the Guru's close confidants and constant attendants, Bhai Daya Singh was always regarded as the first among equals. He took part in the battles of Anandpur, and was one of the three Sikhs who followed Guru Gobind Singh out of Chamkaur on the night of 7th December 1705, eluding the besieging hordes. 

Zafarnamah to Aurangzeb

He was Guru Gobind Singh's emissary sent from the village of Dina in the Punjab to deliver his letter which became famous as Zafarnamah, the Letter of Victory, to Emperor Aurangzeb, then camping at Ahmadnagar. Bhai Daya Singh, accompanied by Bhai Dharam Singh, another of the Panj Piare, reached Ahmad nagar via Aurangabad, but found that it was not possible to have access to the Emperor and deliver to him the letter personally as Guru Gobind Singh had directed. Daya Singh sent Dharam Singh back to seek the Guru's advice, but before the latter could rejoin him with fresh instructions, he had managed to have the letter delivered, and had himself returned to Aurangabad. A shrine called Gurdwara Bhai Daya Singh marks the place of his sojourn in Dhami Mahalla.

Return Of Two

Bhai Daya Singh and Bhai Dharam Singh returned and, according to Sikh tradition, they re-joined Guru Gobind Singh at Kalayat, a town 52 km southwest of Bikaner (28 4'N, 73 - 21'E) in Rajasthan. 

Last Days

Bhai Daya Singh remained in attendance upon the Guru and was with him at the time of his death at Nanded on 7 October 1708. He died at Nanded soon after and a joint memorial there for him and for Bhai Dharam Singh known as Aaigitha (lit. burning pyre) Bhai Daya Singh and Bhai Dharam Singh marks the site of their cremation. 

Bhai Daya Singh was a learned man. One of the Rahitnamas, manuals on Sikh conduct, is ascribed to him. The Nirmalas, a sect of Sikh schoolmen, claim him as one of their forebears. Their Darauli branch traces its origin to Bhai Daya Singh through Baba Dip Singh.

Special Significance

In the institution of Panj Piares the names of the five Beloved one's have a very special significance. Bhai Daya Singh Stands for Compassion, Bhai Dharam Singh signifies the rule of Dharma or justice, Bhai Himmat Singh, denotes courage, Bhai Mohkam Singh refers to discipline and serinity, and Bhai Sahib Singh represents Sardari or Leadership/Sovereignty. 

Thus Guru Gobind Singh looking for an element of all five (Compassion, Justice, Courage, Discipline and Leadership) among his Khalsa.