BHAI TARU SINGH G

Biography[edit]

Born in Amritsar Punjab during the reign of the Mughal Empire, Bhai Taru Singh was raised as a Sikh by his widowed mother. During this time, Sikh revolutionaries were plotting the overthrow of the Mughal governor of Punjab, Zakaria Khan. Bhai Taru Singh and his sister gave food and other aid to the Gursikhs. An informant reported them to Zakaria Khan, the governor of Punjab, and the two were arrested for treason. Though his sister's freedom was bribed for by the villagers, Bhai Taru Singh refused to seek a pardon.^[2] Bhai Taru Singh Jee had partaken amrit from Bhai Mani Singh Jee and was much influenced by him. When he was caught along with his sister. many Sikhs offered to rescue him as they were famous to attack in the midnight in those days. Bhai Taru Singh However said that he wanted to show Mughals that Sikhs are not afraid of death. However at much convincing he allowed his sister to be rescued. Sikhs and villagers paid bribes and got his sister rescued.

After a period of imprisonment and torture, Bhai Taru Singh was brought before the Khan and asked him where he got his powers from to undergo all of the agony. His reply was through his Keshas given by Guru Gobind Singh. Zakaria Khan then gave him the choice of converting to Islam or having his hair cut off. In reply, Bhai sahab asked him if by converting to Islam could he guarantee that he would never ever die?. If the answer was no, then its better to die serving his Guru. In response to having his hair cut off, Bhai Taru Singh said that Zakaria Khan would be killed by Bhai Taru Singh's shoe. Angered, Khan called barbers to cut Bhai Taru Singh's hair but they were scared to go near him, so Zakaria Khan called an executioner to cut off his scalp. Amidst the torture bhai sahab could only be heard reciting Japji Sahib.

The exact method of his execution is somewhat ambiguous. Sikhs believe that once Bhai Sahib had been returned to prison to await a slow death . Holy water(Jal) from Amritsar was brought after 22 days and put on his head to begin his last rites. Zakaria Khan was stricken with unbearable pain and the inability to urinate^{[citation needed]}. As a last resort, Zakaria Khan sent an apology to the Khalsa Panth for his persecution of the Sikhs and begged for their forgiveness. It was suggested that if Zakaria Khan hit himself with Bhai Taru Singh's shoes, his condition might be lifted. Although the shoe cured the Khan's condition, he died 22 days later from hitting himself with the shoes. Upon hearing that he had miraculously outlived the Khan, Bhai Taru Singh left his body.^[3]

A more elaborate version of this narrative includes attempts by the Khan's barber and cobblerto forcibly cut off Singh's hair and, failing that, his scalp. God prevented them from touching him with their tools, and finally a carpenter was brought in to cut off his head with an adze.^[4]In other variations of the story, the top of the skull was removed with the hair and scalp.^[2][5]

Legacy[edit]

In 1762 A.D., the Bhangi Sikh Sardar army conquered Lahore and took over the public square where Bhai Taru Singh was scalped. The Abdullah Khan Mosque adjacent to the square was also occupied and converted into Shaheed Ganj Gurdwara.^[6] Today Bhai Taru Singh is viewed by Sikhs as a martyr and a symbol of the importance of Kesh and of steadfast faith. A gurdwara in the Naulakha Bazaar in Lahore marks the place where his scalp and hair was removed.^[3

Bhai Taru Singh

Bhai Taru Singh

Zakriya Khan was carrying on a cruel, all-out campaign against the Khalsa. Hence, all daring and desperate Sikhs had gone away to places where the Mughal armies dared not to trouble them. So they had become out of the reach of the government. However, in several small villages there yet lived some gentle, harmless Sikhs. They were peaceful and peace loving by nature. daring military adventures were against their natures. They were averse to active clashes with the government. They wanted to live and work in peace. They kept themselves engaged in peaceful pursuits. At the same time, they practiced the main principles of life taught by their Gurus. They earned their living by honest labor; they shared their honest earnings with those in need, irrespective of cast or creed; they recited Gurbani and kept meditating on God. They were friends and helpers of all who needed help. Such persons were loved and honored by their neighbors; yes; even by their Muslim neighbors. One such Sikh was Bhai Taru Singh. He was a Jat living in Poola, a small village in the present district of Amritsar. He was a young man of 25. He was very gentle, kind hearted and pious. He loved a peaceful life. He enjoyed helping and serving those who needed his services and help. He loved all and he was loved by honored by all. 

As we have seen, most of the daring, adventurous Sikhs had been driven from their homes. They lived in forests. One such place was Baba Buddha's Bir. It was quite near Bhai Taru Singh's village. Bhai Taru Singh took special pains to serve these exiled brethren of his. He cultivated his fields. Most of what he produced was offered to those whom the iron rule had driven into the wilderness. His aged mother and youthful sister were gentle and pious like him. They took delight in assisting him in every way. What they did for their exiled brethren was this. The two ladies ground the grain and baked cakes of bread. Usually, the cakes were made of a mixture of wheat and gram flour, salted and spiced. At night, Bhai Taru Singh took a basketful of them into the jungle nearby. He also carried a bucketful of milk. His exiled brethren used to be waiting for him. He distributed the cakes and milk among them. He used to sit and talk with them during a good part of the night. Sometimes, he happened to have learnt of some fresh government move against them. He warned them of it.

This went on for some years. As already mentioned one particular vile, mean enemy of the Khalsa. He was Harbhagat of Jandiala. He was ever at pans to harm the Sikhs. He found out about the work being done by Bhai Taru Singh. He was cut to the quick to hear that Bhai Taru Singh was very popular with his neighbors, even with his Muhammadan neighbors. He decided to put an end to Bhai Taru Singh's life and activities. So determined he went to Zakriya Khan. he said to him, 'In a small village named Poola, there lives a dangerous rebel Sikh. His name is Taru Singh. He has the outward garb of a gentle, innocent, peace loving man of religion. But really, he is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He is a friend and helper of thieves and dacoits. He helps and shelter men of bad character. He also supplies milk and food to Sikhs living in the jungles. Your orders are that nobody should help or harbor these outlaws. He does both. He thus disobeys your orders. He is a dangerous rebel. He should be hauled up and punished. Zakriya Khan rewarded Harbhagat for this useful information. He sent a body of armed men to arrest Bhai Taru Singh and bring him to Lahore. His men went to posthaste to Poola. They arrested Bhai Taru Singh and he was taken to Lahore. There he was put in prison. In the prison he was subjected to severe, inhuman tortures for many days. He was asked to embrace Islam and get his hair cut. He was told, 'If you do that, you will be given in marriage a beautiful damsel of high Mughal family. You will be given riches and high position. You will lead a life of happiness and pleasure. If you refuse, you hair will be forcibly cut, you will be subjected to still severer tortures.'  

'Finally, you will beheaded or broken on the wheel. Be well advised. Don't throw away your life and all that it can offer you.' Bhai Taru Singh firmly and defiantly refused to give up his faith. He said, 'Even if I were offered kingship of the whole world, even if all the beauties of Paradise were offered to me as my personal servants, even if the treasure of the entire world were placed at my feet, I would not give up my religion. It is far more precious and dear than all these. I would not let my hair be cut, not even a single hair. I am prepared to die. May God and the Guru let me die with my hair all intact.' Zakriya Khan said, 'Your God and Guru are powerless here. I am here to grant your prayer. Your hair shall not be cut. It will remain intact. Your scalp along with the hair shall be scraped off. What do you say to that ?' Bhai Taru Singh replied, 'That will be very good of you, indeed. Kill me in any manner that you like. Be quick. I am eager to join my martyred brethren at the feet of the Almighty and All-loving Father of all.'

Zakriya Khan gave the orders. Bhai Taru Singh was taken to the Nakhas, outside the Delhi gate. Thousands had been butchered there in the near past. A shoemaker was ordered to scrape off Bhai Taru Singh's scalp. Bhai Taru Singh stood the ordeal bravely. He went on reciting Japji and repeating the name of God. The scalp with the hair intact was scraped off. It was thrown before him. He bowed, and thanked God and the Guru. He was thankful that his hair had not been cut. After that, he was taken back to the prison. The tortures were repeated. After a few days he let his soul fly from his body and go to the feet of the All-loving Father. This happened on the 1st of July 1745. His torturer, Zakriya Khan, had died a few hours before him, after having borne intense suffering. He had an attack of kidney pain. He could not pass urine. His abdomen swelled up till breathing became difficult. In this hour of terrible suffering, he thought within himself, 'I have put a saintly, innocent person to horrible tortures. May be my agony is due to that act of mine.' He sent a messenger to Bhai Taru Singh, asking for forgiveness. Bhai Taru Singh said, 'I have no ill-will against him. All happens as willed by God. As far as I am concerned, he is forgiven. But he will have to render an account of his doings. The inmates of hell are waiting to welcome him.'

As soon as these words were spoken, Zakriya Khan was able to pass urine. His abdomen subsided. His pain was gone. But he died a few hours before Bhai Taru Singh's soul was released from his body.

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