Baba Deep Singh was the saint soldier who
weilded the holy sword and who called out the real man among
the herds of humanity Deepa of Phuvin, a village in the
district Amritsar, born as Bhai Bhagatu Ji's son in January
1682 A.D. (14 Marh, Samvant 1739) was the blessed son of
Punjab, who became the defender of the national honour.
In a way his entire life had been a
preparation for his ultimate martyrdom in 1765. Let us go back
to 1699, the Baisakhi, when Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave us
a new lease of life. The Khalsa Panth was founded with the
holy Guru's invocation to the Singhs among men to step forward
and sacrifice their lives, give Seesh in the service of God.
The consecrated Amrit infused in the youth the lenging to
dedicate themselves to the teaching of Dashmesh Pita, the
preceptor and our father divine.
The ensuing Baisakhi witnessed throngs of
Sikhs at Anandpur Sahib. Among them was the eighteen year old
Deepa, accompanied by his parents. Once again the consecrated
water was stirred accompanied by recitation of Gurbani by the
Panj Pyaras and Dashmesh Pita, leading the five beloveds as
their Jathedar, their leader. Deepa was blessed with this
nector divine, the Amrit and intiated into the Khalsa Panth,
known as Deep Singh.
The impact of community worship and
community meal, partaken with the recitation of the holy
hymns, the shabads, was so great that Deep Singh found himself
drawn to the holy precints of Anandpur Sahib. With the
permission of his parents, he implored Guru Maharaj to give
him the privilege of staying there for some time and imbibe
the tenets of Sikhism.
Baba Deep Singh was quick in learning
Gurmukhi. He tood to the Gurmukhi alphabet instinctively, and
before long, he had developed a beautiful hand writing. Bhai
Mani Singh initated him into learning to holy scrputure, the
Bani and the keen learner, Deep Singh lost no time in learning
the hymns, the Bani, by heart.
Equally adept at horse riding and weilding
the weapons, Baba Deep Singh distinguished himself in hunting
with Satguru Sahib, he shot a lion and credited himself as a
brave hunter. Barely 20 or 22 of age, Baba Deep Singh was a
scholar and a valient soldier.
Baba Deep Singh was summoned by his parents
to his native village for his marriage, with the permission of
the Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Before the marriage
could be performed, news was received at their village that
Guru Ji had left Anandpur Sahib and his four sons and many
Sikhs had fallen as martyrs while fighting against the armires
of treacherous Hindu Hill Kings and Mughal rulers.
On hearing about these events, Baba Deep
Singh left his home and riding his horse, proceeded in search
of his beloved Guru. His earnest search proved fruitful when
he found Guru Gobind Singh Ji at village Sabo ki Talwandi (Now
Damdama Sahib in the District of Bhatinda). Tears rolling down
his eyes, Baba Deep Singh lay at the feet of Guru Ji asking
for-giveness for not being present at Anandpur Sahib during
the siege. Guru Ji blessed Baba Deep Singh and told him that
he was being assigned special duty of preparing copies of Adi
Granth Sahib. He was asked to assist Bhai Mani Singh Ji in
this literary task of utmost improtance. They would act as
preachers of Sikhism while at the sametime, participate in
battles to be fought in the defence of the faith.
The reafter Baba Deep Singh remained at
village Sabo ki Talwandi (then renamed as Guru Ki Kanshi), for
the rest of his life, preparing copies of Adi Granth Sahib and
preaching the teaching of Sikh Gurus. These copies of Adi
Granth Sahib were prepared and sent to Sikh centres far and
wide. After Guru Gobind Singh Ji had left for his heavenly
abode, Bhai Mani Singh was assigned duties at Amritsar Sahib
by Mata Sunder Kaur, wife of the Tenth Guru. Baba Deep Singh
had to manage the aggairs of Sikh community at Sabo ki
Talwandi, which had become a centre of Sikh studies and
preaching. He caused number of Sikhs becoming scholars of Sikh
Phillosphy. He arranged preaching of Sikh way of life in the
entire Malwa area, in very systematic manner. On various
occasions, he led the brave Sikhs for punishing the cruel
officers of Mughal rule of the area whenever complaints were
received about their cruel acts. His frequent expedition to
punish the excesses committed by culprits infused fighting
spirits in the oppressed. In the year 1709 A.D., when Baba
Banda Singh Bahadur arrived in Punjab to fulfil the mission of
punishing the cruel rulers assigned to him by Guru Gobinb
Singh, Baba Deep Singh led a large group of brave Sikhs and
helped in the conquest of Sadhaura and other towns, by Baba
Banda Singh Bahadur.
In 1746 A.D. Yahia Khan Governor of Lahore
sent his Hindu chief Lakhpat Rai to lay a siege of Kahnoowan
jungle, where the Sikhs had taken refure. Baba Deep Singh was
also present in that jungle among his Sikh brother. Fed up
with surprise attacks of sikhs from within the thick jungle on
his army, Lakhpat Rai, throwing all civilized norms to the
winds, got the jungle set on fire. Thousands of sikhs parished
in the jungle fire and in the adjoining river. This battle of
Kahnoowon jungle is known in Sikh history as Chotta Ghaloghara
the small holocast.
Baba Deep Singh, alongwith his brave
companions came out of the jungle and attacked the enemy
soldiers, like hungry tigers and fought their way out towards
Malwa.
Later when Sikhs were organised into twelve
misals, Baba Deep Singh was appointed Jathedar of Misal
Shahedaan (Martyrs Misal). Many among his group were scholars
writers and ragis.
At the invitation of Mughlani Begum,
Ahmedshah Abdali invaded India for the fourth time in the year
1756 A.D. On his return journey Abdali was accompanied by his
soldiers who carried enormous stocks of gold, silver and other
valuables looted from Mathura, Bindraban, Agra and Delhi
towns. These valuables were loaded on the back of horses and
other animals. In addition thousands of beautiful unmarried
girls and married women, both of Hindu and Muslim communities,
were being forcibly taken against their wishes, to serve as
maidens and slaves of Abdalis, and to be auctioned in open
market. They were herded together in bullock carts and tied to
prevent their escape enroute.
When the leaders of Khalsa Panth (Misaldars)
came to know of this carvan passing through Punjab, they
decided to intervene with force, to free these girls and
women, to save their honour and that of the country. The cries
for help of these unfortunate women fell on deaf ears and
nobody dared to rescue them till the caravan arrived near
Kurukshetra. Baba Deep Singh's Jatha (army) was assigned duty
near river Markanda. When he and his brave companions heardd
the wailings of those slave girls, boys and women, they came
out of the surrounding jungles and pounced upon Abdali's
caravan, like a lightening from the sky. While som of them
engaged themselves in fighting the Abdali's soldiers, other
drove away many bullock carts laden with women and valuables
to the nearby jungles hideouts. They were successful in
rescuring about 300 women/girls and 100 boys from the clutches
of Abdali. None among other brave communities such as Rajputs
and Marhattas could dare attack Abdali's carvan to rescue
these crying and helpless slaves, but saints soldiers of Guru
Gobing Singh dared to attack Abdali's carvan and frees the
unfortunate sons and daughter of the country, risking their
own lives. These freed boys, girls and married women whether
Muslims of Hindus, were escorted safely to their homes by the
Sikh soldiers whose moral/charcter was of the highest order
ven at those difficult days.
Other Sikh leaders who were assigned duties
close to river beds of Satluj, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum too
rescued thousands of more slaves and deprived Abdali's caravan
of many valuables as well.
Because of these dare devil and noble acts
of Sikhs, slaves used to sing Moreen Baba Kachh Walea Chhai
Naheen Taan Ran gai Basre noon gai i.e. 'O' brave Sikh wearing
underwears, liberate the enslaved Women, otherwise they would
be taken to Basra.
On his way back home, Ahmedshah Abdali
appointed his son, Tamur Shah, as Governor of Lahore and Jahan
Khan as army chief with the orders to destroy Sikhs and their
holy shrines. Jahan Khan, commanding a large army raided
Amritsar. Baba Gurax Singh and his 30 Sikh companions laid
down their lives to protect the sanctity of Sri Hari Mandir
Sahib. Jahan Khan after overcoming the resistance of these
brave Sikhs not only got the building of Harmandir Sahib
pulled down but also got the sacred water tank around
Harmandir Sahib filled with garbage.
The news of this descration of Harmandir
Sahib and sacred sarover was flashed to Baba Deep Singh at
Damdama Sahib by some residents of Amritsar. The news sent
shock waves through the hearts of brave Sikhs. Baba Deep Singh
declared his intention to take revenge for this brutal and
unholy act of enemies of Sikh community. This decision of Baba
Deep Singh was flashed from village to valiant in the Malwa
belt. Sikhs in large numbers answered this valinat call of
Baba Ji by placing their services at his disposal. Mothers
blessed their young sons, wives their husbands and sisters
their brother and sent them happily to punish the brute rulers
for their unholy act.
Many brave Sikhs with whatever weapon they
had with them collected at Damdama Sahib. Baba Deep Singh drew
a line on the ground with his double edged Khanda, weighing 18
and addressed the gathered Sikhs, Only those should cross this
line who are prepared to die but not turn back to the enemy in
the battlefield.
Five hundred Sikhs crossed the line drawn by
Baba Deep Singh and started towards Amritsar under his
leadership. Enroute many maore joined them. By the time they
reached Taran Taran Sahib, their number had swelled to 5,000.
The news of march of these brave Sikhs
determined to take revenge for descration of their holiest
shrine and to restore its sanctity, reached the rulers in
Lahore. Jahan Khan commanding an army of 20,000 soldiers
proceeded towards Amritsar. Five miles from Amritsar, the two
opposing forces confronted each other. The Sikhs fought with
sch bravery that soldiers of Jahan Khan's army ran for their
lives. Hundred of soldiers of either side fell dead in the
battle field. Bhai Dayal Singh, companion of Baba Deep Singh
leading a posse of 500 Sikhs, attacked Amir Jahan Khan's force
and succeded in cutting Amir Jahan Khan's head.
After this victory, the sikh forces arrived
at Ramsar. By that time General Attai Khan, commanding a huge
army of soldiers arrived at the battle scene, to augment the
government forces. Baba Deep Singh attacked the enemy soldiers
with his 18 Kg. double edged sword and surged forward, putting
scores of enemy soldiers to death. However, he too received a
number of injuries from enemy attacks.
Amman Khan a Mughal General surged forward
to stop the advancing Baba Deep Singh, but Baba Deep Singh
felled him to ground with a severe blow of his 'Khanda'.
However Amman Khan's sword also simulfaneously cause a severe
blow to Baba Deep Singh and his neck was partially cut. As
such, Baba Ji's head tilted towards one side.
One of the sikhs, close to Baba Deep Singh,
reminded Baba Ji of his resolve to lay down his life only in
the precints of Harimandir Sahib. Baba Deep Singh held his
head partially cut with one hand and started wielding the
double edged sword more severely than before. When he finally
reached Ramsar, Baba Deep Singh fell martyr on the edge of the
sacred tank.
This way Baba Deep Singh and Sikhs under his
leadership put to death thousands of cruel ruler's soldiers
and commanders and took revenge for the descretion of
Harimandir Sahib. They showed to the world that Sikhs do not
tolerate descretion of their holy shrines lying down and offer
numerous sacrifices to maintain their sanctity even against
superior numbers. The perpetrators of descretion would also
not get away, unpunished for their misdeeds.
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