Gurbachan Singh Manochal: Difference between revisions

Gubrahcan Singh Manochahal

Baba Gurbachan Singh was the last major Sikh Resistance leader to fall. The Indian Government had put a RS 25 lakh reward on his head and was searching the entire Tarn Taran area for him, conducting 45 raids at one time to trap him. Baba Ji escaped each time and continued to be a painful thorn in India's side. When all the other Singhs had been martyred and the entire Indian Security Force was on his trail, he refused the order to go and hide in Pakistan and spit on the offer to surrender. He simply could not be caught. Even in the end, he was martyred not by police bullets, but by the betrayal of those he considered his own.

Baba Ji was a Saint-Soldier and a farsighted General.

Birth

Baba Gurbachan Singh Manochal was born on June 6, 1954 at village Manochahal in Amritsar district. His parents were Bapu Atma Singh and Mata Gurmej Kaur. His parents were simple farmers but their family had a heritage of struggle against injustice. Bapoo Atma Singh's uncle had become Shaheed in the Jaito Morcha, marching against the British Raj.

Bapoo Atma Singh and Mata Gurmej Kaur

Baba Gurbachan Singh was from childhood a very strong and muscular boy. He enjoyed wrestling and other sports. The family moved from village Manochahal to Naushehra Pannuan when Baba Ji was still young because his mother's brothers had left for Singapore and left behind a large farm that had to be maintained.

Becoming a Baba

Baba Ji was in the tenth grade when once he saw a boy inappropriately teasing and harassing a group of girls. Baba Ji grabbed the troublemaker and beat him badly. The teacher found out and in front of the entire class asked the young Gurbachan Singh to explain why he had beaten the other boy. Baba Ji explained, "Sir, he was harassing the bibis and after all, all women should be like our sisters. So, I couldn't help myself and I did what I had to."

The entire class began to laugh at Gurbachan Singh's use of the word "bibis"