Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh
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Bhai Mani Singh, a great Sikh personality of eighteenth century, occupies a very esteemed position in Sikh history. He assumed the control and steered the course of the Sikh destiny at a very critical stage in their history. A great scholar, a devoted Sikh, and a courageous leader, Bhai Mani Singh willingly laid down his life to uphold the dignity of the Sikh religion as well as nation. The nature of his martyrdom has become a part of the daily Sikh Ardas (prayer).
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[edit] Year of birth
There is some uncertainty about the exact year of birth of Bhai Mani Singh. Giani Thakur Singh writes his year of birth as 1672 AD while some other writers put it at 1670 AD. But according to Sohan Singh Seetal, a well known Sikh historian, Bhai Mani Singh was born in 1664 AD. Principle Satbir Singh wrote the year of birth as 1672 in his 1970 edition but changed it to 1662 AD in the later editions of "Sada Itihaas" [1]. According to Dr Santokh Singh also, Bhai Mani Singh was born in 1662 AD [2]. These earlier dates are indirectly based on Giani Giani Singh's references to ninth Guru's visit to village Akoi/Malwa in year 1665 AD. Based on critical analysis of ancient Sikh writings, it may appear that Bhai Mani Singh was born no later than 1665 AD, hence years given by Giani Sohan Singh Seetal or Principal Satbir Singh/Dr Santokh Singh etc. appear much closer to the truth.
According to Shaheed Bilaas edited and published by Giani Garja Singh ji in 1961, the birth date of Bhai Mani Ram (alias Bhai Mani Singh Rajput) of Alipore, Multan is 1644 AD.
[edit] In the service of the Guru
Bhai Mani Singh is said to have been brought in the early years of his childhood to the presence of Guru Tegh Bahadur at Anandpur. He was approximately of the same age as the Guru's own son, Gobind Rai. Both grew up together - Gobind Rai and Mania were the names they went by in those pre-Khalsa days. Mani Singh remained in his company even after he had ascended the religious seat as Guru. Mani Singh accompanied the Guru to the seclusion of Paonta where Guru Gobind Singh spent some three years exclusively given to literary work.
Bhai Mani Singh took Amrit at the hands of Guru Gobind Singh Ji on the day of the creation of Khalsa. When Guru Gobind Singh Ji left Anandpur on the night of December 20, 1704, his family got separated at river Sirsa in the confusion created by the Mughal attack. Bhai Mani Singh took Mata Sundri Ji and Mata Sahib Devan to Delhi via Ambala.
In 1706, Bhai Mani Singh escorted Guru Sahib's wives to Talwandi Sabo where the Guru was staying. When Guru Sahib left Agra with Emperor Bahadur Shah for Nander in 1707, Mata Sahib Devan and Bhai Mani Singh accompanied him. Afterwards Bhai Mani Singh escorted Mata Sahib Devan Ji back to Delhi where she lived with Mata Sundri Ji for the rest of her life.
Mata Sundri Ji came to know of the trouble that was brewing between the Tat Khalsa and Bandai Khalsa military factions of the Sikhs. She appointed Bhai Mani Singh as the Granthi of Harimandir Sahib and sent him to Amritsar with Mama Kirpal Singh (Chand), the maternal uncle of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. On his arrival at Amritsar in 1721, Bhai Mani Singh restored peace among the Khalsa and put the affairs of Harimandir Sahib in order.
[edit] The Mughal Empire
By 1737, the Mughal government of Lahore had strictly prohibited the Sikhs to visit Amritsar and bathe in the holy tank. To overcome this restriction, Bhai Mani Singh applied to Governor Zakariya Khan for permission to hold the Diwali festival at the Golden Temple. The permission was granted for a tribute of Rs.5,000. He hoped that he would be able to pay the sum out of the offerings to be made by the Sikhs who were invited to come.
The Sikhs came in large numbers, and Zakariya Khan, under the pretext of keeping order, sent a force under Diwan Lakhpat Rae to Amritsar. It was to march towards the city on the day of the festival in order to intimidate and disperse the Sikhs, and the festival broke up at the approach of the Mughal army.
[edit] Execution
Bhai Mani Singh was arrested for not paying the stipulated sum. He was asked by the Qazi to embrace Islam or else face death. Bhai Mani Singh stoutly refused to barter his faith and boldly opted for death. By orders of Zakarya Khan, Bhai Mani Singh was executed at Nakhas, Lahore in December, 1737 AD. The Nakhas has since been known as Shaheed Ganj - the place of martyrdom [3]. This was a gruesome execution in which Bhai Mani Singh's body was chopped to pieces joint by joint starting from the extremities.
[edit] A scholar
Bhai Mani Singh acted as scribe when Guru Gobind Singh Ji - the then Guru of the Sikhs - dictated Sri Guru Granth Sahib. He also transcribed many copies of the sacred Sikh scriptures which were sent to different preaching centers in India. He also taught the reading of Gurbani and its philosophy to the Sikhs.
Bhai Sahib was responsible for collecting the Gurbani[4] of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and compiling it in the form of Dasam Granth (Book of the Tenth Guru). Besides this, Bhai Sahib also authored Japji Sahib Da Garb Ganjni Teeka (teeka means translation and explanation of a work). He expanded the first of Bhai GurDas's Vaars into a life of Guru Nanak which is called Gyan Ratanawali. Mani Singh wrote another work, the Bhagat Ralanawali, an expansion of Bhai GurDas's eleventh Vaar, which contains a list of famous Sikhs up to the time of Guru Har Gobind.
In his capacity as a Granthi of Darbar Sahib at the Golden Temple, Bhai Singh is also stated to have composed the Ardaas (Supplication) in its current format; he also started the tradition of mentioning deeds of various Gursikhs with the supplication.
[edit] References
- ^ Sada Itihaas, 1998, p 154, Principle Satbir Singh.
- ^ The Guru's Word.
- ^ Shaheed Bilaas of Giani Garja Singh (1961) states that Bhai Mani Singh (Rajput) was arrested after Diwali of 1733 AD and was executed on June 14, 1734 AD i.e. about 8 months after his arrest following Dewali (See: Shaheed Bilaas, Bhai Mani Singh, 1961, p 93, Editor Giani Garja Singh) whereas all other ancient sources and oral Sikh traditions assert that Bhai Mani Singh was martyred shortly after his arrest following Dewali---hence his Martyrdom is said to have occurred in the month of November or December according to other ancient sources. It must be remembered that the Mughal rulers of Punjab were noted for their quick executions of the Sikhs. It is highly improbable that they could ever have waited for eight months to execute Bhai Mani Singh after he was formally arrested and charged shortly following the Dewali. This does not make sense at all. This is another point in Shaheed Bilaas of Giani Garja Singh which conflicts with the traditionally accepted ancient Sikh sources. To all probability, Bhai Mani Ram alias Bhai Mani Singh Rajput of Alipore (born 1644) had died naturally of old age on June 14, 1734. He was already over 90 years on that date. His death was later confused with that of actual Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed by Kavi Sewa Singh Bhat simply to please his Patron, Bhai Sangat Singh, the great grand son of Bhai Mani Ram Rajput (See: The Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Vol IV, 1998, p 95-96, (Ed) Dr Harbans Singh; Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh (a research book), 2004, pp 37-98, S Kirpal Singh).
- ^ Literally "Word of the Guru".
[edit] Books and articles
- Ancient Bansawalinama, Charan 10, 13, 14, Bhai Kesar Singh ji Chhibber.
- Panth Parkash, Giani Gian Singh ji.
- Prachin Panth Parkash, (ed) Bhai Vir Singh, New Delhi Edition, p 222-223, Rattan Singh Bhangu.
- Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Prof Harbans Singh.
- Encyclopaedia of Sikh Literature, Mahan Kosh, 1974, foot note, p 951.
- Gurmat Sudhakar, Bhasha Vibhag, 1970, p 221, Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha.
- Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji di Shabad Murti, p 38, Bhar Randhir Singh ji.
- Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed and his Caste, Kamboj Chetna Manch 1993, p 86, Dr Parkash Singh.
- Sidki Jeewan, Mani Singh Shaheed Da Jeewan Britaant, 1907, Giani Thakur Singh.
- Jeewan Sandesh, (Itihaas Number), Giani Gurdit Singh ji.
- Bhai Mani Singh, Bhasha Vibhag, 1961, p 85, Dr S. S. Kohli.
- Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji de Darbari Rattan, 1994, p 251-252, Prof Piara Singh Padam.
- Glimpses of Sikhism and the Sikhs, 1982, Sher Singh Sher.
- Bansawalai Nama Das Patshahian ka, Bhai Kesar Singh Chhibber, Singh Brothers Amritsar, 1997, p 26, Editor Piara Singh Padam,
- Kambojas Through the Ages, 2005, p 248-267; Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed, 2004, Kirpal Singh ji.
- Punjab History Conference, Twenty Second Session, March 25-27, 1988, part I, Proceedings, Punjabi University Patiala, 1989, p 80, Dr G. S. Nayer Member Editorial Board, Punjabi University Patiala.
- Identity of Bhai Mani Singh, Article, Published in Punjab History Conference, Twenty Second Session, March 25-27, 1988, part I, Proceedings, Punjabi University Patiala, 1989, p 80-81, Prof Gurmukh Singh.
- Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed, (a research book), January 2004, Jullundur, K. S. Dardi.
- These Kamboj People, 1979, K. S. Dardi.
[edit] External links
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