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Giani Partap Singh (1904 - 1984) preacher, journalist and author, was the son of Bhai   Makkhan Singh and Mata  Mathura  Devi of the village of Nara in Rawalpindi district of the  Punjab  (now in Pakistan). Born on 3 January 1904, he learnt Gurmukhi and scripture reading at home and passed his middle school examination from the village school in 1918. He read with deep interest literature brought out under the influence of the Singh Sabha movement  and joined the  Khalsa Upadeshak (Missionary) College, Gujranwala, from where he passed, in 1922, the Giani examination of the Panjab University, Lahore. In 1923, he was engaged by the Shiromani  Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee as a preacher. Soon afterwards he was arrested for making a seditious speech and sentenced to one and a half year's imprisonment. Giani  Pratap Singh  served as assistant jathedar of Sri Akal Takht,  Amritsar,  from 1938-48 and jathedar of  Takht  Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur, from 1948-52. He was then appointed Jathedar of Sri Akal  Takht.  Amritsar,  from which position he retired in 1955.
PARTAP SINGH. GIANI (1855-1920), SIKH schoolman and calligraphist, was born in 1855, the son of Bhai Bhag Singh Giani of LAHORE. As a young boy, Partap Singh learnt PUNJABI, Urdu and Sanskrit and studied Sikh Scriptures. In 1884, he accompanied Thakur Singh Sandhanvalia to England to read the GURU GRANTH Sahib to the deposed Sikh ruler of the Punjab, Maharaja Duleep Singh. Partap Singh remained in England for six months. On return to India, he worked as a GRANTHI, scripturereader, at Gurdwara Kaulsar in AMRITSAR. When Maharaja Duleep Singh was due to come back to India, Partap Singh accompanied Thakur Singh and his sons to Delhi with the intention of going to Bombay to receive the Maharaja. On hearing the news of Duleep Singh`s detention at Aden, Partap Singh returned to Amritsar while Thakur Singh proceeded to Pondicherry. At Amritsar, Partap Singh worked secretly for Thakur Singh distributing his proDuleep Singh letters among his confidants and friends. Towards the close of 1887, he was arrested at Amritsar and sent to Lahore jail. He escaped from prison and, turning a sddhu, travelled to different parts of the country in the company of holy men.


In 1956, Giani Pratap Singh floated a monthly journal, the Gian Amrit, which he himself edited and published until December 1981 when it was handed over to Dr Man Singh of the Nirarikari Darbar. He also wrote over two dozen books and tracts on religious and histrorical themes. Some of his better known works are Gurmat Laikchar (1944), Itihasak Laikchar (two volumes, 1945), Sansar da Dharmik Itihas (1948), Akali Lahir da Itihas (1951), Naqli Nirankari (1967), Kuka Gurudom (1972), Amritsar Sifti da Ghar(W7) wdAkdK Lahir de Mahan Neta (1976). The Languages Department of the Punjab Government honoured Giani Pratap Singh in 1981 for his
 
contribution to Punjabi journalism. He was also honoured by Kendari Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Delhi, for his services to Sikh religion.
During one such journey he happened to meet Max Arthur Macauliffe, then engaged in translating the Sikh Scripture into English. Macauliffe was impressed by his learning and wished that he would assist him in his work. Partap Singh, who had introduced himself under the assumed name of Bava Tshar Das, revealed thereupon his identity to him. Macauliffe interceded with the government on his behalf and had the warrants of his arrest withdrawn in January 1889. Partap Singh settled down in a house near Baba Atal, in Amritsar, and for several years performed kathd expounding the Holy Writ in front of the Akal BUNGA. A fine calligraphist, Partap Singh transcribed volumes of the Guru Granth Sahib, the most famous of them being the one still preserved in the Golden Temple. This copy, completed in 1908, is written in very bold GURMUKHI characters on largesized 25" X 23" sheets of Kashmiri paper and is installed on the first floor of the Golden Temple where it is used for the recital of akhand paths or unbroken readings of the Guru Granth Sahib. The entire volume, 1527 leaves, i.e. 3054 pages, with double borders in red, blue and yellow, is written in Giani Partap Singh`s hand and is known as Vadde BabaJi (largesized Holy Volume). The name of the scribe is mentioned at the end of the text, on a separate sheet. Volumes of the Holy Books transcribed by Giani Partap Singh are also preserved at Baba Atal and Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded. About 1901, Partap Singh joined the Ailchison (Chiefs) College, Lahore, as granthiand instructor. According to Punjabi Bhain, August 1916 issue, he was the first secretary of the Amritsar Singh Sabha. He was also editor of the earliest published Sikh newspaper AkdIPrakdsh, which made its first appearance on 21 Har, 407 Nanakshahi AD 1876. He is also said to have translated into Punjabi Major Evans Bell`s book. The Annexation of the Punjab and Maharaja Duleep Singh. Partap Singh died at Lahore on 20 July 1920.
Giani Pratap Singh was assassinated on 10 May 1984 inside his house at Amritsar by some unidentified men.
 
==References==
1. Punjabi Khain. August 1916
 
2. Griffin, Lepel, and C.F. Massy, Chiefs and Families of Note in the Punjab. Lahore, 1909


[[Category:Sikh Scholars]]
[[Category:Sikh Scholars]]

Revision as of 01:20, 3 July 2007

PARTAP SINGH. GIANI (1855-1920), SIKH schoolman and calligraphist, was born in 1855, the son of Bhai Bhag Singh Giani of LAHORE. As a young boy, Partap Singh learnt PUNJABI, Urdu and Sanskrit and studied Sikh Scriptures. In 1884, he accompanied Thakur Singh Sandhanvalia to England to read the GURU GRANTH Sahib to the deposed Sikh ruler of the Punjab, Maharaja Duleep Singh. Partap Singh remained in England for six months. On return to India, he worked as a GRANTHI, scripturereader, at Gurdwara Kaulsar in AMRITSAR. When Maharaja Duleep Singh was due to come back to India, Partap Singh accompanied Thakur Singh and his sons to Delhi with the intention of going to Bombay to receive the Maharaja. On hearing the news of Duleep Singh`s detention at Aden, Partap Singh returned to Amritsar while Thakur Singh proceeded to Pondicherry. At Amritsar, Partap Singh worked secretly for Thakur Singh distributing his proDuleep Singh letters among his confidants and friends. Towards the close of 1887, he was arrested at Amritsar and sent to Lahore jail. He escaped from prison and, turning a sddhu, travelled to different parts of the country in the company of holy men.


During one such journey he happened to meet Max Arthur Macauliffe, then engaged in translating the Sikh Scripture into English. Macauliffe was impressed by his learning and wished that he would assist him in his work. Partap Singh, who had introduced himself under the assumed name of Bava Tshar Das, revealed thereupon his identity to him. Macauliffe interceded with the government on his behalf and had the warrants of his arrest withdrawn in January 1889. Partap Singh settled down in a house near Baba Atal, in Amritsar, and for several years performed kathd expounding the Holy Writ in front of the Akal BUNGA. A fine calligraphist, Partap Singh transcribed volumes of the Guru Granth Sahib, the most famous of them being the one still preserved in the Golden Temple. This copy, completed in 1908, is written in very bold GURMUKHI characters on largesized 25" X 23" sheets of Kashmiri paper and is installed on the first floor of the Golden Temple where it is used for the recital of akhand paths or unbroken readings of the Guru Granth Sahib. The entire volume, 1527 leaves, i.e. 3054 pages, with double borders in red, blue and yellow, is written in Giani Partap Singh`s hand and is known as Vadde BabaJi (largesized Holy Volume). The name of the scribe is mentioned at the end of the text, on a separate sheet. Volumes of the Holy Books transcribed by Giani Partap Singh are also preserved at Baba Atal and Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded. About 1901, Partap Singh joined the Ailchison (Chiefs) College, Lahore, as granthiand instructor. According to Punjabi Bhain, August 1916 issue, he was the first secretary of the Amritsar Singh Sabha. He was also editor of the earliest published Sikh newspaper AkdIPrakdsh, which made its first appearance on 21 Har, 407 Nanakshahi AD 1876. He is also said to have translated into Punjabi Major Evans Bell`s book. The Annexation of the Punjab and Maharaja Duleep Singh. Partap Singh died at Lahore on 20 July 1920.

References

1. Punjabi Khain. August 1916

2. Griffin, Lepel, and C.F. Massy, Chiefs and Families of Note in the Punjab. Lahore, 1909

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