Bhai Fauja Singh
Encyclopedia
Fauja Singh (Gurdaspur
, Punjab (British India)
, May 17, 1936 – Amritsar
, April 13, 1978) was one of 13 Sikh
s killed during a protest against the Nirankari
s in 1978. The Sikhs opposed to the Nirankaris consider him a martyr
.
they moved to the village of Gazneepur, which is 6 miles on the Gurdaspur Dera Baba Nanak road. He
In 1964, he got baptised
by taking Khande Bate Dee Pahul at a smagam organised by the Akhand Kirtani Jatha. On Vaisakhi 1965 his marriage took place with Bibi Amarjit Kaur and on this occasion Bhai Jeevan Singh performed the Kirtan. At the age of 28 Bhai Fauja Singh again took up the appearance that was most loved by the Tenth Guru. Whoever the Guru blesses, he showed that person how to wear the uniform of Akal Purakh
`s Khalsa
army.
Bhai Fauja Singh learnt Gatka
and persuaded other young Sikhs to learn it as well. He was the best Gatka player in the area and there was nobody around who could beat him.
"I have been in the Jatha for quite a while now and have been lucky enough to meet many highly spiritual Sikhs of the Guru. Bhai Fauja Singh was different: he had Bir Ras and Nam Ras. Bhai Fauja Singh was always ready to fight against un-righteousness and stand up for the truth. Some highly spiritual Singhs from the Jatha told him to just meditate. They did not think that in these peaceful times there would be a need for our people to give "Shaheedi". The Sikhs gave "Shaheedi" at the time of the Gurus because the Hindu Rajas, Mughal and Pathan rulers where trying to destroy the Sikh religion. But now the situation was different. Some brothers even joked about his Bir Ras." (Prof. Gurmukh Singh)
Professionally, he was an agriculture inspector.
According to Bhai Fauja Singh the Khalsa Panth's plant was drying up due to the cycle. He used to say to his companions, "…there is a lot of disrespect taking place of our religion and future generations will ask what were our forefathers like, who accepted everything quietly. The words of Shaheeds are special. The spiritual bliss they get from reading verses such as, Purja Purja Kat Marai Kab Hoo Nah Shadai Keth only they know." Bibi Amarjit Kaur said that during his last six months, Bhai Fauja Singh kept saying to her, "Bring a picture of my dead body in front of you. Will you be able to bear it? Be strong and don't despair." Bibi Ji realised that one day he would give his life for the Panth.
Bhai Fauja Singh used to say some very special things and everybody would wonder where he discovered these truths. He used to say that a greedy person could never be religious. To be a religious person you have to be honest and content and live by the Will of God. He had honesty, meditation and contentment. He ate what he received happily, and was never greedy, living by the will of God.
; they would call the KarSeva in Harmander Sahib, Bikar Seva; make fun of the Rehat-Rehni; say that Gurbani was meaningless, and insult the Panj Piare
. Even though all this was happening the Sikh leadership closed its eyes and ears and did not care about the deeply hurt minds of the Sikhs. Because of this stance taken by the Sikh Panth, the Nirankaris grew in confidence. They grew so much in confidence that on the day of the birth of Khalsa, the Vaisakhi of 1978, in Amritsar, their leader sat under a canopy with a fan being waved over him, and held a procession through the streets boasting that Guru Gobind Singh Ji made 5 beloved ones and I have made 7 stars, (Sat Sitaraes).
Gurbachan Singh
's apparent insults against the Gurus. Bhai Fauja Singh was barefooted and all the Singhs were reciting Gurbani. The Nirankari army fired at the Singhs, and Bhai Fauja Singh and 12 other Singhs became Shaheeds (killed in the Amritsar Massacre of April 1978) and 70-75 Singhs were wounded. After his Shaheedi, the Leaders and Jathedars of the Panth stated that Bhai Fauja Singh and the other Singhs had given "Shaheedi" ("Martyr") for the great task from which we had been hiding.
However, it is contested that this was in an unlawful act and should nit be seen as a martyrdom, which would also exclude Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale from martyrdom as he used holy ground as a place of violence against his government. This has been seen as an offensive act as it was staged on the grounds of the Golden Temple.
The next day, the Executive Com mittee of the Khalsa Council elected to send three representatives to Amrit sar, to participate in the Bhog ceremony of the Akand Path following the deaths of the martyrs. These representatives were Mukhia Singh Sahib Lehri Singh Khalsa, Secretary in Chief for the Eastern Domain, Sardarni Sahiba Sat Kirpal Kaur Khalsa, Assistant Secre tary General of the Khalsa Council, and Singh Sahib Swami Singh Khalsa.
"With these words I'll feel blessed and pray to the Guru if one day we had to repeat the history here, we should be equally good. We should follow equally in the very footsteps of these gracious people who at least knew how to die, and how to die in the Name of Guru and as Khalsa. So now we can tell our children that Sikh History has not ended, it has begun as a new page of life." - Harbhajan Singh Yogi
"This day must not be forgotten. This is the day to remember the Martyrs of Amritsar. This is the day to be proud of, that at least there were men among us who could live to the very tradition of the Khalsa. There were men among us while alive who could live and who could take eleven bullets in their body and still say, 'Waheguru'. They went as a true son goes to defend the grace of the father." - Harbhajan Singh Yogi
also attended the cremation.
In April 2009, In the city of Amritsar
, Khalsa Action Committee and Dal Khalsa activists declared Fauja Singh and other 12 Sikhs "martyrs of faith". Dal Khalsa separately paid homage to Fauja Singh
In the year 1989, Shaheed Bhai Fauja Singh Charitable Trust was established in city of Amritsar to take care of orphan children of Sikh militants and any other orphan children irrespective of their caste and creed. This trust is being run by Fauja Singh's widow Amarjit Kaur.
Gurdaspur
Gurdaspur is a city in the state of Punjab, situated in the northwest part of the Republic of India. It is located in the center of and is the administrative head of Gurdaspur District. It was the location of a fort which was famous for the siege it sustained in 1712 from the Mughals...
, Punjab (British India)
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
, May 17, 1936 – Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
, April 13, 1978) was one of 13 Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
s killed during a protest against the Nirankari
Nirankari
The Sant Nirankari Mission , abbreviated as, SNM, and also known as Universal Brotherhood Mission, is a spiritual organization.The Sant Nirankari Mission is neither a new religion nor a sect of an existing religion, but an all-embracing spiritual movement dedicated to human welfare...
s in 1978. The Sikhs opposed to the Nirankaris consider him a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
.
Early life and getting merit
Fauja Singh was born in District Gurdaspur. His father, Sardar Surain Singh, was a middle class farmer. After the formation of PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
they moved to the village of Gazneepur, which is 6 miles on the Gurdaspur Dera Baba Nanak road. He
In 1964, he got baptised
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
by taking Khande Bate Dee Pahul at a smagam organised by the Akhand Kirtani Jatha. On Vaisakhi 1965 his marriage took place with Bibi Amarjit Kaur and on this occasion Bhai Jeevan Singh performed the Kirtan. At the age of 28 Bhai Fauja Singh again took up the appearance that was most loved by the Tenth Guru. Whoever the Guru blesses, he showed that person how to wear the uniform of Akal Purakh
Akal Purakh
Akal Purakh is a Sikh name used for God.Literally it means "a timeless being whom never dies." The first word Akal, literally timeless, immortal, non-temporal, is a term integral to Sikh tradition and philosophy. It is extensively used in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib and Dasam Granth hymns by Guru...
`s Khalsa
Khalsa
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army.
Bhai Fauja Singh learnt Gatka
Gatka
Gatka is a weapon-based Indian martial art created by the Sikhs of the Punjab region. The word gatka refers to the wooden stick used in sparring matches. The term might have originated as a diminutive of the Sanskrit word gadha or mace....
and persuaded other young Sikhs to learn it as well. He was the best Gatka player in the area and there was nobody around who could beat him.
"I have been in the Jatha for quite a while now and have been lucky enough to meet many highly spiritual Sikhs of the Guru. Bhai Fauja Singh was different: he had Bir Ras and Nam Ras. Bhai Fauja Singh was always ready to fight against un-righteousness and stand up for the truth. Some highly spiritual Singhs from the Jatha told him to just meditate. They did not think that in these peaceful times there would be a need for our people to give "Shaheedi". The Sikhs gave "Shaheedi" at the time of the Gurus because the Hindu Rajas, Mughal and Pathan rulers where trying to destroy the Sikh religion. But now the situation was different. Some brothers even joked about his Bir Ras." (Prof. Gurmukh Singh)
Professionally, he was an agriculture inspector.
Starting seva
After 1970 Bhai Fauja Singh started doing a lot of Seva for Gursikhs. He worked around Amritsar. He used to spend all the wages he and his wife earned on the Seva of the Singhs. Bibi Ji told us that sometimes he used to say "All the money we spend on ourselves is wasted but the money we spend on doing Seva for the Gursikhs is not wasted and is saved in our bank". Then he would say "The tenth Guru formed the Khalsa by shedding his blood. When this plant gets dried up, it needs more blood. Then the Guru`s beloved ones spill their blood to keep the Khalsa`s flag flying. This cycle comes approximately every 50 years".According to Bhai Fauja Singh the Khalsa Panth's plant was drying up due to the cycle. He used to say to his companions, "…there is a lot of disrespect taking place of our religion and future generations will ask what were our forefathers like, who accepted everything quietly. The words of Shaheeds are special. The spiritual bliss they get from reading verses such as, Purja Purja Kat Marai Kab Hoo Nah Shadai Keth only they know." Bibi Amarjit Kaur said that during his last six months, Bhai Fauja Singh kept saying to her, "Bring a picture of my dead body in front of you. Will you be able to bear it? Be strong and don't despair." Bibi Ji realised that one day he would give his life for the Panth.
Bhai Fauja Singh used to say some very special things and everybody would wonder where he discovered these truths. He used to say that a greedy person could never be religious. To be a religious person you have to be honest and content and live by the Will of God. He had honesty, meditation and contentment. He ate what he received happily, and was never greedy, living by the will of God.
- "I first met Bhai Fauja Singh in 1972 at the Darbar Sahib. He did not know me but he said his Fateh to me and met me like we had been old friends. He took me to where he was staying and kept me there for two or three days. During this first meeting he told me something very secretive that I am now sharing with the readers after his Shaheedi. He told me that in his previous life he was in Baba Deep SinghBaba Deep SinghBaba Deep Singh is revered among Sikhs as one of the most hallowed martyrs in Sikhism and as a highly religious person. He is remembered for his sacrifice and devotion to the teachings of the Sikh Gurus....
's Jatha and became Shaheed at Lohgarh. Now again he has done Shaheedi for the Khalsa Panth in the holy city of Amritsar near Lohgarh. Those that have seen and met Bhai Fauja Singh all agree that he was filled with the spirit of "Mohai Marnai Ka Chow Hai". (Prof. Gurmukh Singh)
- Shakespeare said, "What's in a name?", but the name Bhai Fauja Singh given to him by his parents, from the Hukamnama of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, was definitely a true picture of him. Bhai Fauja Singh really was a soldier of the Guru's army in this and his previous life."(Prof. Gurmukh Singh)
Opposition
For over 30 years the Nirankaris have tried to oppose the Sikhs having full support by Indian Government. They speak wrongly in front of Sri Guru Granth SahibGuru Granth Sahib
Sri Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
; they would call the KarSeva in Harmander Sahib, Bikar Seva; make fun of the Rehat-Rehni; say that Gurbani was meaningless, and insult the Panj Piare
Panj Piare
The Panj Piare , name given to the five Sikhs, Bhai Daya Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh, Bhai Himmat Singh, Bhai Mohkam Singh and Bhai Sahib Singh, who were so designated by Guru Gobind Singh at the historic divan at Anandpur Sahib on 30 March 1699 and who formed the nucleus of the Khalsa as the first...
. Even though all this was happening the Sikh leadership closed its eyes and ears and did not care about the deeply hurt minds of the Sikhs. Because of this stance taken by the Sikh Panth, the Nirankaris grew in confidence. They grew so much in confidence that on the day of the birth of Khalsa, the Vaisakhi of 1978, in Amritsar, their leader sat under a canopy with a fan being waved over him, and held a procession through the streets boasting that Guru Gobind Singh Ji made 5 beloved ones and I have made 7 stars, (Sat Sitaraes).
Baisakhi Day, 1978 and the Martyrs of Amritsar
On the day of Vaisakhi 13 April 1978 Singhs went to protest against the Nirankari procession and against NirankariNirankari
The Sant Nirankari Mission , abbreviated as, SNM, and also known as Universal Brotherhood Mission, is a spiritual organization.The Sant Nirankari Mission is neither a new religion nor a sect of an existing religion, but an all-embracing spiritual movement dedicated to human welfare...
Gurbachan Singh
Gurbachan Singh
Baba Gurbachan Singh was the leader of the Sant Nirankari sect, considered to be heterodox by mainstream Sikh. He was declared Satguru by his predecessor Baba Avtar Singh in 1962.He should not be confused with Gurbachan Singh Manochahal.-Events of 1978-1980:...
's apparent insults against the Gurus. Bhai Fauja Singh was barefooted and all the Singhs were reciting Gurbani. The Nirankari army fired at the Singhs, and Bhai Fauja Singh and 12 other Singhs became Shaheeds (killed in the Amritsar Massacre of April 1978) and 70-75 Singhs were wounded. After his Shaheedi, the Leaders and Jathedars of the Panth stated that Bhai Fauja Singh and the other Singhs had given "Shaheedi" ("Martyr") for the great task from which we had been hiding.
However, it is contested that this was in an unlawful act and should nit be seen as a martyrdom, which would also exclude Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale from martyrdom as he used holy ground as a place of violence against his government. This has been seen as an offensive act as it was staged on the grounds of the Golden Temple.
Response from the West
When the news of the tragedy first reached in the United States, the Khalsa Council was in session. It was already the 18th of April, but we immediately stopped our meetings, re cited Ardas and gathered at Guru Ram Das Ashram to sing Gurbani Kirtan in front of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib.The next day, the Executive Com mittee of the Khalsa Council elected to send three representatives to Amrit sar, to participate in the Bhog ceremony of the Akand Path following the deaths of the martyrs. These representatives were Mukhia Singh Sahib Lehri Singh Khalsa, Secretary in Chief for the Eastern Domain, Sardarni Sahiba Sat Kirpal Kaur Khalsa, Assistant Secre tary General of the Khalsa Council, and Singh Sahib Swami Singh Khalsa.
"With these words I'll feel blessed and pray to the Guru if one day we had to repeat the history here, we should be equally good. We should follow equally in the very footsteps of these gracious people who at least knew how to die, and how to die in the Name of Guru and as Khalsa. So now we can tell our children that Sikh History has not ended, it has begun as a new page of life." - Harbhajan Singh Yogi
Harbhajan Singh Yogi
Siri Singh Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji , also known as Yogi Bhajan and Siri Singh Sahib, was a spiritual leader and entrepreneur who introduced Kundalini Yoga and Sikhism to the United States...
"This day must not be forgotten. This is the day to remember the Martyrs of Amritsar. This is the day to be proud of, that at least there were men among us who could live to the very tradition of the Khalsa. There were men among us while alive who could live and who could take eleven bullets in their body and still say, 'Waheguru'. They went as a true son goes to defend the grace of the father." - Harbhajan Singh Yogi
Harbhajan Singh Yogi
Siri Singh Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji , also known as Yogi Bhajan and Siri Singh Sahib, was a spiritual leader and entrepreneur who introduced Kundalini Yoga and Sikhism to the United States...
Cremation
The cremation of the 13 Sikhs took place on 15/4/78 in front of Gurdwara Siri Ramsar Sahib and in the presence of a large congregation of about 25-30,000 people. All these Sikhs were cremated together. Jarnail Singh BhindranwaleJarnail Singh Bhindranwale
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was the leader of the Damdami Taksal, a Sikh religious group based in India, who supported implementation of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution. In 1981, Bhindranwale was arrested for his suspected involvement in the murder of Jagat Narain, the proprietor of the Hind...
also attended the cremation.
Afterwards
In April 2003, A Sikh gathering held at village Pheruman, 40 kilometers from city of {Amritsar] paid tributes to Fauja Singh and other 12 Sikhs who died in April 1978. Chief of supreme Sikh authority Akal Takhat addressed this event.In April 2009, In the city of Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
, Khalsa Action Committee and Dal Khalsa activists declared Fauja Singh and other 12 Sikhs "martyrs of faith". Dal Khalsa separately paid homage to Fauja Singh
In the year 1989, Shaheed Bhai Fauja Singh Charitable Trust was established in city of Amritsar to take care of orphan children of Sikh militants and any other orphan children irrespective of their caste and creed. This trust is being run by Fauja Singh's widow Amarjit Kaur.