Bhai Singha Purohit
Mukhlis Khan attacks Amritsar
When Mukhlis Khan attacked the city of Amritsar Sahib , Guru Hargobind Sahib said to his Sikhs, “It is not right to fight within the Gurdwara complex. I have decided to fight in the battlefield”. Thus, Guru started to arrange for a face-to-face battle. It was an emergency. Guru ordered to evacuate the city. All the families were ordered to leave the city. Guru’s own family was also to be shifted. Time was running very fast. Guru himself was busy in making plans for the battle. It was the first battle in the history of Sikhism. A new page of the Guru-history was to be written there.
Bibi Viro Missing
When Guru’s family reached Ramsar Sahib, they came to know that Bibi Viro, the daughter of Guru Hargobind Sahib was missing. She was just a child at that time. When the family was leaving the city, she was playing with dolls and other toys. In such haste, no one could know that she did not sit on any carts, which were being used to take the family members out of the city. Meanwhile, the Mughal Army had entered in the city. Mughal army men were roaming here and there. In such a dangerous situation, Bibi Viro was all-alone there in the complex.
== Guru Hargobind sent Bhai Singha with Bhai Babak Rababi
It was a very difficult situation. Guru Hargobind Sahib thought that any reliable warrior should go there and bring Bibi to Ramsar Sahib safely. Guru needed a person, who was a fearless warrior, reliable, and above all, known to Bibi Viro . It was obvious that Bibi would not go with an unknown person. In such a critical time, Guru selected his ‘Purohit’ for this challenging job. This ‘Purohit’ was a great warrior. He was a mighty commander of Sikh Army. Above all, he was like a family member to Guru and Bibi viro knew him very well. His name was Bhai Singha . Because, he originally belonged to Brahman Purohit’s family, so some Sikh books call him ‘Singha Purohit’.
Guru ordered Bhai Singha Purohit , “Purohit ! Go to my home and bring Bibi Viro safely here. He sent Bhai Babak Rababi to accompany him. Bhai Baabak was not only a great Ragi of Guru-Darbar, but a Sikh of great courage and warriorism. As per Guru’s instructions, both the warriors disguised themselves as Mughal Army men. Guru gave them a gun for the safety.
The Army of Moghuls had reached Amritsar city and they were looking for Guru Hargobind and Sikhs throughout the city. There were no Sikhs left in the city besides Bhai Singha Purohit, Bhai Babak Rababi who were there to save Bibi Viro and to take her back safely.
Bhai Singha finds Bibi Viro
Both the brave Sikhs reached in front of Guru’s palace. Bhai Singha Purohit called Bibi Viro . Bibi Viro opened the window and saw Bhai Singha out there. Bibi viro came out of the palace and sat behind Bhai Singha on his horse.
Bhai Singha leaves with Bibi Viro
Bhai Singha said to Bhai Baabak , “Let us go without any delay”. They prayed to almighty and Guru and left from there. A Mughal chief was on guard duty in the front of ‘Darshani Deodi’ (entrance door of Darbar Sahib) along with other soldiers. He had a spear in his hand. When Bhai Singha and Bhai Baabak reached near him, he said, “Who are you? Where are you going?”
Bhai Baabak replied, “All are our brothers. Be careful. Everybody is looking for the Guru. Have you not seen the Guru yet?”
When Bhai Singha ran his horse, Bibi Viro ’s shoe fell down. Some small bells were attached to that shoe, which ringled. Mughal chief heard this and yelled very loud. Bhai Singha and Bhai Baabak did not waste their time and ran away on their horses. Bibi Viro ,as said earlier, was with Bhai Singha. Mughal army men started to chase them. They were shouting, “Enemies are running. They are carrying Guru’s family. Catch them, catch them”.
Bhai Singha asks Bhai Babak to shoot
Bhai Singha said to Bhai Baabak , “It is now time to fire”.
When Bhai Baabak listened this, he fired a shot and Mughal chief was lying dead on the land of Amritsar Sahib .
Bibi Viro comes back safely
With happy minds, both the warriors reached in front of Guru Hargobind Sahib and touched the holy feet of warrior Guru. Bibi viro was in her family now. Guru was very pleased with the service of both of the brave Sikhs.
Bibi Viro was saved. She was saved so that she could give birth to five warriors to fight in the battle of Bhangaanee, for their cousin Guru, the tenth holy King, Guru Gobind Singh . She was saved by Bhai Singha , whose grand-son was to fight in the battle of Bhangaanee for his Guru, Guru Gobind Singh . Wow! Wonderful Guru history!
Bhai Singha's Martyr in battle
Well, on the other hand, battle was already started outside of the city. Sikhs were fighting bravely in the dark of night. Many Sikhs were martyred in the battlefield. When Bhai Bhaanu , a warrior Sikh, was martyred in the battlefield, Guru called Bhai Singha Purohit . Bhai Purohit reached near Guru . Guru asked him to go to the battle, because other Sikh warriors were being martyred by the Mughal army men.
Brave Bhai Singha bowed his head before Guru and started to make arrangements for a memorable battle. He was waiting for the early morning. In the early morning, Guru Sahib himself sent him to the battle. Five hundred warrior Sikhs were under the command of Bhai Purohit .
Sun was not risen yet. Bhai Singha gathered his ‘Jatha’ of 500 Sikh warriors. Riding on his horse’s back, Bhai Singha reached in the battlefield. As soon as he reached there, guns started to shout. The enemy attacked like a full flowing river. There was great noise on both the sides.
Mohammed Ali was leading the enemy’s army. Bhai Singha Purohit deployed his soldiers in trench. When he saw the enemy shouting near the holy city, Bhai Singha said to his warriors, “Fire at once at these ‘Malechh’ people you are looking at. Kill all of them”.
As soon as Bhai Singha ordered to fire, Sikhs started to fire their guns. Many Mughal army men were killed in a moment.
Now, it was time to use swords, the common weapon of those days. Bhai Singha advanced towards the enemy. Other Sikh warriors followed him. The limbs of the warriors were being cut into pieces.
After sometime, Bhai Singha noticed that Sikhs were being killed in the battlefield. This made him very angry. According to the ‘
Gur Prataap Sooraj Granth’: -
Im Mare Maar Singhe Nihaar. Lalkaar Paryo Jeh Bal Udaar. Bal Bipra Guru Prodha Subhat. Tab Bhayo Samukh Maare Ulat. (Raas 6, Ansu 10, Page 2827).
Means, when he saw Sikhs being killed there, he, who had too much power, started to challenge (the enemy). Then, the powerful Brahman, who was Guru’s Purohit and a warrior, came in front of (enemy) and killed them.
Bhai Singha started to shot his arrows towards enemies. Wherever he shots his arrows, they would cross the bodies of enemies. Hissing like snakes, Bhai Singha’s arrows were flying here and there. Bhai Singha Purohit killed whoever came in his way.
The fight by Bhai Singha created tumult in the enemy’s camp. The enemies could not face the bloodthirsty arrows of Bhai Sahib. At last, the enemies had to run away.
Mohammed Ali, the enemy’s chief, gathered his army again and thus Mughal army men again came in the battlefield. Until now, Mohammed Ali had understood that it was Bhai Singha Purohit, who was creating trouble for Mughals. In anger, he came in front of Bhai Singha and started to fire his gun. Bhai Singha jumped his horse for many times and thus saved himself from Mohammed Ali’s bullets.
However, Bhai Singha was a target of many guns, he continued to shot his arrows and was killing the enemies continuously. This made Mohammad Ali very mad. Now, he fired at Bhai Singha Purohit’s horse. Bhai Singha ’s horse was shot and Singha ’s fell down on land. Bhai Singha was now without horse among the hundreds of horsemen enemies. Obviously, enemies were happy now.
Hundreds of Mughal horsemen surrounded Bhai Singha , who was fighting all alone there. He was too alert. He continued to shot his arrows towards enemies. Whoever came near to him, Singha donated him an arrow and sent him to the other world.
A single man was killing many Mughal soldiers. This made Mohammed Ali angrier. He ordered to fire at Bhai Singha from all the directions. It was, now, not possible for Bhai Singha to save him from bullets. He was all-alone there in the battlefield fighting against the hundreds of Mughal horsemen. Some bullets injured him. Even then, Bhai Singha Purohit continued to transfer enemies to the other world.
However, Mohammed Ali did not hesitate to kill the horse of Bhai Singha , but Bhai Singha did not kill Ali’s horse. This is a good point to understand the character of this brave warrior of Guru Hargobind Sahib .
Mohammed Ali was jumping his horse here and there. Sometime he would shout on his soldiers, sometime he would fire on Bhai Singha . Absentmindedly Mohammed Ali came near to Bhai Singha . It was a good chance for badly injured Bhai Singha . Bhai Singha was not there to miss such a chance. He shot an arrow, which struck into Mohammed Ali’s forehead. The gun fell down from Ali’s hand. Now, Bhai Singha shot another arrow, which gave salvation to Mohammed Ali. Ali died there and his horse ran away.
Bhai Singha Purohit shot all of his arrows. Now he was without arrows. The enemies forwarded towards Bhai and fired at once. Bhai fell down. Even then, enemy’s soldiers continued to attack him using swords. His limbs were cut to small pieces. According to ‘ Gur Prataap Sooraj Granth’: -
‘Huye Khand-Khand Mil Gayo Khet’. (Raas 6, Ansu 11, page 2828).
Cut to small pieces, he was intermixed into the earth.
Thus, a wonderful warrior received a wonderful death. His martyrdom in the battlefield caused Guru ’s participation in the battle. When Guru heard that Bhai Singha Purohit had been martyred, he himself came in the battlefield and won the battle.
Bhai Singha Purohit fought in favor of Guru Hargobind Sahib . The time will write another beautiful episode of great Guru history, when grandson of Bhai Singha Purohit will fight in favor of grandson of Guru Hargobind Sahib . Yes, Amritsar to Bhangaanee, the journey is not too long.
References
- 1. Sri Gur Pratap Sooraj Granth
- 2. Gur Bilas Patshahi 6
- 3. Brahman Sikh Itihas
- 4. Twaareekh Guru Khalsa
- 5. Mahan Kosh by Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha
