Shaheed Bhai Jeewan Singh
- Epitome of Selfless Sacrifice –
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Over the years, demand has had been made by cross
section of people to honour Shaheed Bhai Jeewan Singh for the supreme
sacrifices made by him and his ancestors. As mark of respect and honour to
this great saint and warrior who fought for upholding the supreme ideals of
Equality, Liberty, Fraternity and religious tolerance, Government of India,
Ministry of Communications and IT, Department of Posts, released a Commemorative
Postage Stamp with First Day Cover on 23-12-2010.
I must mention the laudable initiative and intense
efforts made by S. Charanjit Singh Atwal, former Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha
(2004-2009) in getting this stamp released. I also had a proud and heartwarming
feeling in getting this work completed.
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No sacrifice in the annals of the history of mankind
has any parallel with the sacrifice of Shaheed Bhai Jeewan Singh and his
ancestors. The ancestors of four generations of Bhai Jeewan Singh were extremely
devoted followers of Sikhism. Bhai Jeewan Singh is also popularly known as
Bhai Jaita and assumes a significant place in the history particularly in the
history of Sikhs. Bhai Jeewan Singh was born on 13th December,
1661 at Patna in the house of Bhai Sada Nand and Mata Premo. The Ninth Guru
of Sikhs, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur himself gave him the name Jaita. The early life and childhood of Bhai Jaita was
spent in the family of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur and he grew up along with Gobind
Rai (Sri Guru Gobind Singh).
The
Kashmiri pundits visited Sri Guru Teg Bahadur and narrated the ghastly tale
of torture, religious intolerance and forced conversion of Hindus to Muslims
by Mughal rulers of Kashmir to Guru Sahib and sought his protection for
saving their religion. Guru Sahib asked them to tell Mughal Rules to convert
him first to Islam and if they succeed all Kashmiri pundits will also follow.
Despite innumerable restrictions and punitive actions, the Mughals did not
succeed in their evil design. Against the tyranny and religious intolerance
of adamant Muhal Emperor Aurengzeb, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur marched towards
Delhi and was arrested at Agra along with Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das, Bhai
Jaita, Bhai Dayala, Bhai Udai and Bhai Gurditta and was imprisoned in Delhi.
With the permission of Guru Sahib and with the assistance of Khawaja Abdullah
ji (Kotwal of Chandni Chowk) under the directions of Bibi Jabunisha (daughter
of Aurengzeb), Bhai Jaita, Bhai Uday and Bhai Gurditta escaped from jail.
Guru ji assigned them different works and responsibilities.
During
his term in the jail, Guru Teg Bahadur wrote 57 Sholakas. He deputed Bhai
Jaita with those 57 Shalokas, five paisa coin, a coconut, Tilak and a letter
to Anandpur Sahib for presenting all these to Sahibzada Gobind Rai. Bhai
Jaita accomplished this task and returned back to Delhi. During all these
times, Bhai Jaita traversed long journeys and kept Sahibzada Gobind Rai informed
about the activities in Delhi. When it became clear that Guru Teg Bahadur ji
would give his supreme sacrifice, Sahibzada Gobind Rai called a congregation
of devotes and commanded as to who would bring back the body of Guru Teg
Bahadur ji from Delhi after his martyrdom. There was pin drop silence in the
congregation and nobody could muster courage to undertake such a challenge.
Bhai Jaita, a fearless disciple and supreme devotee of Guru Ghar stood up and
took this responsibility upon him and sought blessings of Sahibzada Gobind
Rai.
On 11th
November 1675, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur ji was beheaded at Delhi in most brutal
manner. An order was proclaimed by the rulers of the day that whosoever dares
to take the head and body of Guru ji shall be dealt in the same manner. For
his supreme sacrifice for protecting the Hindus and their religion, Sri Guru
Teg Bahadur is remembered as “Hind-di-Chadar” in the Indian
History who saved the whole Hindu Community. This supreme sacrifice also has
no parallel in the history of mankind.
A plan
was prepared at the Dharamshala of Bhai Kalyana ji to protect the beheaded
body of Guru Sahib for taking it to Anandpur. Bhai Sada Nand ji, father of
Bhai Jaita ji, directed him (Bhai Jaita ji) to behead him and replace his head and body
with that of the Guru Sahib and take the Head and body of Guru Teg Bahadur ji
to Anandpur. Despite immense surveillance of armed guards, intense rain and
unruly weather, Bhai Jaita ji recovered the beheaded head of Guru Sahib and
reached Kiratpur Sahib after traversing a journey of nearly 300 kilometers.
On knowing the developments, the Emperor, ordered confiscation of Dharmshala
of Bhai Kalyana and a mosque was constructed on it. Only during 1783,
Jathedar Bhagel Singh demolished the said mosque and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj
Sahib was constructed in the hereditary property of ancestors of Bhai Jeewan
Singh.
On his
reaching Kiratpur Sahib, Bhai Jaita ji sent a message through few disciplines
to Guru Gobind Singh. The head of Guru Teg Bahadur ji was placed in a
palanquin, in most devoting and befitting manner by sprinkling flower petals,
procession reached Sri Anandpur Sahib. On 16th November 1675, last
rights were performed by preparing a sandalwood pyre. After cremation
ceremony, in a mammoth gathering filled with gloom, sadness and tears, Sri
Guru Gobind Singh asked Bhai Jaita to narrate the prevailing scene in Delhi
on the martyrdom of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur ji. Bhia Jaita narrated the scene to
Sri Guru Gobind Singh and told that Sri Guru Teg Bahadur was beheaded in most
brutal manner and his bleeding head and body was lying apart in most
disrespectful manner in dust and filth. There were repeated commands from the
brutal murderers asking for any Sikh to come forward for taking away head and
body of their Guru but fearing death and consequences for such daredevil act,
no one came forward. This lead to Bhai Sada Nand (father of Bhai Jaita),
directed him to behead him and replace his head and body with the head and
body of Guru Teg Bahadur and take the head of Guru Sahib to Anandpur Sahib.
Hearing this Guru Gobind Singh pulled Bhai Jaita in his arms and took him in
his tight embrace. Guru Gobind Singh also whole heartedly appreciated and
commended the supreme sacrifice made by Bhai Sada Nand and utmost devotion of
Bhai Jaita in the service of Gurus and community. For upholding the honour of
Gurus and community, he was conferred the epithet ‘Ranghreta Guru Ka Beta’
which means the young man of Ranghar caste is the Guru’s own son.
This incident and its narration by Bhai Jaita left an indelible impression in
the mind of Guru Gobind Singh Ji which also was instrumental in paving way
for establishing Order of Khalsa in 1699. Bhai Jaita was a Sikh belonging to
scavenger (Ranghar) caste and the people of Ranghar caste were declared
outcast in the Hindu religious order.
On
initiation in Khalsa order in 1699, Bhai Jaita was renamed as Baba Jeewan
Sigh by Guru Gobind Singh. He participated in at least 14 wars and military
actions alongside the Guru on the orders of Guru. He was an extremely
spiritual person, intensely devoted, an able General and strategist in war
craft. When Guru Gobind Singh entered Garhi Chamkaur Sahib on 21st
December 1704 he was with him. A unique and fierce battle was fought in the
Garhi of Chamkaur in which 40 Singhs were pitched against an army of one
million Mogul soldiers. In this war, two sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji namely
Sahibzada Ajit Singh and Sahibzada Jhujhar Singh attained martyrdom. Guru
Sahib before leaving the ‘Garhi’ took a decision to give his ‘Kalgi’
and ‘Pushaka’ (Costume) to a great personality who has been
extremely devoted and whose generations have rendered utmost selfless service
to the Gurus and Sikh community and has given supreme sacrifices for the
community. Baba Jeewan Singh ji was conferred this supreme honour. Guru
Gobind Singh ji presented him the ‘Kalgi’, the ‘Armaments’ and the
‘Pushaka’ before leaving Garhi of Chamkaur. A number of writers
including the Guru ji’s court poet ‘Kankan’
and ‘Bhatt Wahis’ have written on
this incident in a quite detailed manner.
While fighting the Mughal army at Garhi of Chamkaur on 23rd
December, 1704, Baba Jeewan Singh ji attained supreme martyrdom. A Gurdwara
namely Shahid Burj which commemorates the martyrdom still stands. This shrine
was built in old Sirhind bricks to which a small hall has been added lately.
Bhai Jaita, happens to be the first Dalit
poet from Punjab. Earlier, young Gobind Singh was overwhelmed with emotions and
had embraced Bhai Jaita when the latter had brought the severed head of Guru
Tegh Bahadar under the most violent circumstances from Delhi to Anandpur in
1675 and called him ‘Ranghrete Guru ke Bete’ (Ranghrete, the
untouchables, are guru’s own sons). Bhai Jaita had turned out to be a
fearless and daring Sikh warrior who had endeared himself so much to the
Tenth Guru that he was declared as the ‘Panjwan Sahibjada’ (Fifth Son)
in addition to his own four Sahibjadas. Even though he is now given
some space in the Sikh iconography, it is hardly known or acknowledged that
he was also a scholar poet. He had composed a long poem ‘Sri Gur Katha’ which
is an eyewitness account of important events surrounding Guru Gobind Singh. It
is worth noting that this composition has eluded the notice of scholars of
Sikh literature and history whose efforts to unearth the literature and
materials pertaining to the Sikh tradition is otherwise remarkable.
His identity as Ranghreta has been subsumed by
his identity as a Sikh as he says:
Jayayte taranhar gur, taar diye
ranghretde
Gur paras ne kar diye, ranghrete gur
betde
(O! Jaite the savior guru has saved
the ranghretas
The pure guru has adopted ranghretas
as his sons)
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