As told by Col. Piara Singh jee to Bh. Manmohan Singh
In Jeevan Chritar Bh. Sb. Randheer Singh
In Jeevan Chritar Bh. Sb. Randheer Singh
In the first decade of the 20th Century, there was a very big gathering to commemorate the Shaheedee of Sree Guru Gobind Singh jee’s younger Sahibzaaday at their martyrdom place at Sree Fatehgarh Sahib. Officials from Patiala State and British Government officers were organizing the event. The whole event was planned under the leadership of Patiala State’s Maharaja. There was a very big crowd. Thousands of Sangat were in the tent that the Divaan was being held in. The Maharaja of Patiala along with his officials was also present. I, along with five or six of my fellow soldiers had come to see the festival as well.
It was morning. In the Divaan, keertan of Sree Aasaa Dee Vaar was being sung by one of the Panth’s most famous ragi jathas. When we arrived, we had the idea that before sitting in the Divaan, we would go visit Mata Jee’s Burj [another nearby Gurdwara/tower where the Sahibzaaday and Mata Gurjee were imprisoned] and then we would enjoy the rest of the program worry free. With this thought all us soldiers went to the Burj. Upon entering, we saw an amazing sight:
A young man, dressed in Khalsa clothing and shastar was sitting alone in deep meditation. He was singing Sree Aasaa Dee Vaar with a harmonium and his consciousness was so deep that it was as if he was in a deep trance. His eyes were closed. He was singing keertan with profound reverence and love in a spiritually intoxicated way. At that time, the Aasaa Dee Vaar had almost concluded.
Seeing his amazing love and hearing the unique keertan, we were so moved that we went and sat behind him. Very soon the keertan ended and that young man, with the same spiritually intoxicated, half-shut eyes, rose to perform ardaas. We also stood to join him. But perhaps he did not know we were there. He performed the ardaas with a unique faith. Remembering that time now and recalling that young man’s face even today touches the heart. All of us joined him in the ardaas and the words that young man spoke were like this:
Oh protector of the Khalsa Panth, Dashmesh Pitaa jeeo, At this sacred place you accepted the Shaheedee of this Daas’s two brothers. The beloved Sahibzaaday at such a young age had the great opportunity to embrace martyrdom here. Today, at this sacred place, this younger brother of the Sahibzaaday also presents himself to ask for Shaheedee. Whatever is happening at this place, Daas is unable to bear it. There will be a confrontation with the pleasure-loving and political power-wielding Maharaja and the officials of the English government. I have no hope that they will pay attention to my request. And so Pitaa jee, it is my Ardaas that my life may go but may there be no disrespect of this holy place as it is happening now. To complete this task, I appear here before you to ask for Shaheedee.
The words were something like this, but the faith and determination with which they were said is not expressible. At the conclusion we all bowed.
When that Singh (Bhai Sahib Randheer Singh jee) turned around, we gave him a Fateh. With his half-closed eyes he replied with a Fateh but seemed not to notice or care about our presence. He began to walk towards the main Divaan. We now understood that his ardaas was related to the Divaan and certainly something was about to happen.
We all decided that we would help this Singh and followed him thinking that perhaps he was going to go do something in the Divaan that the organizers would try to stop. We were soldiers and made a strategy to spread ourselves amongst the Divaan so that the cry to hear what the Singh wanted could come all directions.
When that Shastardhari Singh bowed before Guru Maharaj, instead of turning around and trying to find a place to sit, he just stood there. He began to bang the two heavy kaRaas on his hands and in a very loud voice began to sing some Gur-Shabad. The Asa Dee Vaar Keertan was interrupted. A commotion erupted. The organizers loudly began to tell that Singh to sit down and be quiet. But no one was listening. That Singh was facing Guru Sahib and not mindful of anyone, was doing keertan. He had such a loud and echoing voice that the Ragis had to stop their keertan.
After the organizers moved forward to stop that Singh, we (soldiers) began to call from all sides that this Singh should be asked what he wants and the entire Sangat should hear him. Many others joined our voices and this request became the entire Sangat’s request. The organizers were hesitant but saw that they had no choice and asked the Singh what he wanted and what his real purpose was. The Singh came to the stage and said with great sprit:
Sadh Sangat jee, I regret that I am guilty of having broken your consciousness from the holy keertan of Sree Aasaa Dee Vaar. I, with folded hands, request your forgiveness for this offence but would like to say that I have done so under a special compulsion. Before taking this step, I had spoken with the organizers but they did not pay attention to my request and acted as though I had said nothing. At this sacred place, Dashmesh Pitaa jee’s beloved Sahibzaaday spilled their blood. It was here that jagat-mata, Mata Gujree jee sacrificed herself for her faith. GurbaaNee, Dhur kee BaaNee, supreme BaaNee is the greatest of all. At such a sacred place, for such sacred baaNee to be sung, and that too on such a sacred occasion, by such a keertanee jatha which has been kicked out of the Panth by the Akaal Takhat for patit-karams (is unacceptable). According to the orders of Sree Akaal Takhat Sahib, this keertanee jatha does not have permission to sing keertan in any Gurdwara Sahib or Divaan until it appears before the Punj Pyaaray, has its mistake forgiven and then re-takes amrit to become Singhs again.
Ask the leader of this Jatha whether it is true that at the town of Amokay, did he not violate an innocent and pure-souled young girl with his unholy and disgusting actions? And is it not true that because of his disgusting act, has he not been ordered to stop doing keertan? In such circumstances, it is intolerable that such a patit Jatha be doing keertan amongst thousands of faithful Sangat and that too at such a sacred place and at such special occasion. Perhaps this jatha is associated with the organizers and because of this my requests were not heeded earlier, but now I turn this issue over to the entire Sangat.
These words were like magic. The entire Sangat of thousands was silent. These words were said in an unspeakable spirit and determination. The organizers were sitting embarrassedly. That Ragee Jatha, even before the speech had finished, had taken its instruments and gone who knows where? The Sangat began to call out Shame! Shame! and asked that very Singh Sahib (whom they had heard doing keertan just now) to sing the rest of Asaa Dee Vaar. With enthusiasm he sat down and with great happiness and love, with a feeling of thankfulness, sang such keertan that the Sangat was intoxicated.
This was how I first met Bhai Sahib Randheer Singh jee.
It was morning. In the Divaan, keertan of Sree Aasaa Dee Vaar was being sung by one of the Panth’s most famous ragi jathas. When we arrived, we had the idea that before sitting in the Divaan, we would go visit Mata Jee’s Burj [another nearby Gurdwara/tower where the Sahibzaaday and Mata Gurjee were imprisoned] and then we would enjoy the rest of the program worry free. With this thought all us soldiers went to the Burj. Upon entering, we saw an amazing sight:
A young man, dressed in Khalsa clothing and shastar was sitting alone in deep meditation. He was singing Sree Aasaa Dee Vaar with a harmonium and his consciousness was so deep that it was as if he was in a deep trance. His eyes were closed. He was singing keertan with profound reverence and love in a spiritually intoxicated way. At that time, the Aasaa Dee Vaar had almost concluded.
Seeing his amazing love and hearing the unique keertan, we were so moved that we went and sat behind him. Very soon the keertan ended and that young man, with the same spiritually intoxicated, half-shut eyes, rose to perform ardaas. We also stood to join him. But perhaps he did not know we were there. He performed the ardaas with a unique faith. Remembering that time now and recalling that young man’s face even today touches the heart. All of us joined him in the ardaas and the words that young man spoke were like this:
Oh protector of the Khalsa Panth, Dashmesh Pitaa jeeo, At this sacred place you accepted the Shaheedee of this Daas’s two brothers. The beloved Sahibzaaday at such a young age had the great opportunity to embrace martyrdom here. Today, at this sacred place, this younger brother of the Sahibzaaday also presents himself to ask for Shaheedee. Whatever is happening at this place, Daas is unable to bear it. There will be a confrontation with the pleasure-loving and political power-wielding Maharaja and the officials of the English government. I have no hope that they will pay attention to my request. And so Pitaa jee, it is my Ardaas that my life may go but may there be no disrespect of this holy place as it is happening now. To complete this task, I appear here before you to ask for Shaheedee.
The words were something like this, but the faith and determination with which they were said is not expressible. At the conclusion we all bowed.
When that Singh (Bhai Sahib Randheer Singh jee) turned around, we gave him a Fateh. With his half-closed eyes he replied with a Fateh but seemed not to notice or care about our presence. He began to walk towards the main Divaan. We now understood that his ardaas was related to the Divaan and certainly something was about to happen.
We all decided that we would help this Singh and followed him thinking that perhaps he was going to go do something in the Divaan that the organizers would try to stop. We were soldiers and made a strategy to spread ourselves amongst the Divaan so that the cry to hear what the Singh wanted could come all directions.
When that Shastardhari Singh bowed before Guru Maharaj, instead of turning around and trying to find a place to sit, he just stood there. He began to bang the two heavy kaRaas on his hands and in a very loud voice began to sing some Gur-Shabad. The Asa Dee Vaar Keertan was interrupted. A commotion erupted. The organizers loudly began to tell that Singh to sit down and be quiet. But no one was listening. That Singh was facing Guru Sahib and not mindful of anyone, was doing keertan. He had such a loud and echoing voice that the Ragis had to stop their keertan.
After the organizers moved forward to stop that Singh, we (soldiers) began to call from all sides that this Singh should be asked what he wants and the entire Sangat should hear him. Many others joined our voices and this request became the entire Sangat’s request. The organizers were hesitant but saw that they had no choice and asked the Singh what he wanted and what his real purpose was. The Singh came to the stage and said with great sprit:
Sadh Sangat jee, I regret that I am guilty of having broken your consciousness from the holy keertan of Sree Aasaa Dee Vaar. I, with folded hands, request your forgiveness for this offence but would like to say that I have done so under a special compulsion. Before taking this step, I had spoken with the organizers but they did not pay attention to my request and acted as though I had said nothing. At this sacred place, Dashmesh Pitaa jee’s beloved Sahibzaaday spilled their blood. It was here that jagat-mata, Mata Gujree jee sacrificed herself for her faith. GurbaaNee, Dhur kee BaaNee, supreme BaaNee is the greatest of all. At such a sacred place, for such sacred baaNee to be sung, and that too on such a sacred occasion, by such a keertanee jatha which has been kicked out of the Panth by the Akaal Takhat for patit-karams (is unacceptable). According to the orders of Sree Akaal Takhat Sahib, this keertanee jatha does not have permission to sing keertan in any Gurdwara Sahib or Divaan until it appears before the Punj Pyaaray, has its mistake forgiven and then re-takes amrit to become Singhs again.
Ask the leader of this Jatha whether it is true that at the town of Amokay, did he not violate an innocent and pure-souled young girl with his unholy and disgusting actions? And is it not true that because of his disgusting act, has he not been ordered to stop doing keertan? In such circumstances, it is intolerable that such a patit Jatha be doing keertan amongst thousands of faithful Sangat and that too at such a sacred place and at such special occasion. Perhaps this jatha is associated with the organizers and because of this my requests were not heeded earlier, but now I turn this issue over to the entire Sangat.
These words were like magic. The entire Sangat of thousands was silent. These words were said in an unspeakable spirit and determination. The organizers were sitting embarrassedly. That Ragee Jatha, even before the speech had finished, had taken its instruments and gone who knows where? The Sangat began to call out Shame! Shame! and asked that very Singh Sahib (whom they had heard doing keertan just now) to sing the rest of Asaa Dee Vaar. With enthusiasm he sat down and with great happiness and love, with a feeling of thankfulness, sang such keertan that the Sangat was intoxicated.
This was how I first met Bhai Sahib Randheer Singh jee.
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