Shaheed Bhai Jeewan Singh  

- Epitome of Selfless Sacrifice –

 

 

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.

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)   *******************