Jagga Jatt

From SikhiWiki
Revision as of 03:20, 5 March 2012 by TariButtar (talk | contribs) (→‎Early life: quotation)
Jump to navigationJump to search
Jagga Jatt
ਜੱਗਾ ਜੱਟ
[[Image:|250px|center]]
Full Name : Jagat Singh Sidhu
ਜਗਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਿੱਧੂ
Birth : 1901/1902
Parents : Sardar Makhan Singh
ਸਰਦਾਰ ਮੱਖਣ ਸਿੰਘ and Bhagan
ਭਾਗਣ
Spouse : Inder Kaur
ਇੰਦਰ ਕੌਰ
Children : Gulab Kaur
ਗ੝ਲਾਬ ਕੌਰ
Death :
Other Info: Died at the age of 29-30

Jagga was a heroic rebel of Punjab. He is known of "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor" as Robin Hood, actually he is known as the Robin Hood of Punjab.

Early life

Jagga was born in 1901 or 1902 in village of Burj Ran Singh in the Chunian tehsil of Kasur district in British Punjab. Jagga's father S. Makhan Singh passed away when he was only a small child. His father had owned 10 Murabba (250 acres) of land the ownership of which then passed to the young Jagga. He grew up under the care of his Chacha (uncle) S. Roop Singh and mother Bhagan.

Makhan Singh and Bhagan had six children before Jagga but none of them survived. At last Makhan Singh went to a saint Inder Singh in the nearby village of Sodhi Wala. The saint told him to buy a Bakkra (male goat) before the birth and told that it should be touched by the newly born. The saint also told him not to name the child starting with the letter J.

However, the child was born and finally survived with the death of the make goat touched by him but an uncle of the child insisted on naming the child as Jagat Singh which was against the directions of the saint. Finally the young child survived by the great saint's blessings.

Jagga owned 10 Murabba (250 acres) of land so he was not asked to do anything by his uncle and mother. He had grown up as a pampered child. Once he cut a lot of sugar cane from his one uncle and distributed among his friends. For that, he was given a hard beating by his uncle. Jagga went to that uncle's well at night and broke all the Tinds and threw into the well. When this uncle told the villagers to report against Jagga, the relatives asked him, "Who told you to name him Jagga?" and so his uncle realized his mistake.

In village Burj Ran Singh, most families were Muslim Telis but only 17 or 18 families were of Sidhu Jatts. Both communities used to live in harmony. When Jagga was in his teen age, he started to go wrestle at Akhaara (English: open wrestling ring) with his friend Sohan Teli. Sohan Teli maintained his friendship with Jagga till the last breath of his life. Due to Jagga's fondness of wrestling, this is said in a folk song.

“ਜੱਗੇ ਜੱਟ ਦਾ ਜਾਂਘੀਆ ਪੱਟ ਦਾ, ਕਿੱਲੀ ਉੱਤੇ ਟੰਗਿਆ ਰਿਹਾ।”


Transliteration: jagge jatt da janghia patt da, killee utte Tangia reha.

-'

He married to Inder Kaur of village Talwandi. They had only a girl child named Gulab Kaur aka Gaabbo who is living now at village Vanwala near Lambi in Sri Mukatsar Sahib district. She is believed to be 90+ now.

Personality and nature

Jagga was of a medium height, wheatish skin color, sharp features, strong body, trimmed beard and Kundhian Muchhan (ringed whiskers).


During the english rule, all the people of guts and independent nature were watched carefully by the British Governments. The first units of informers were Patwari, Nambardar, Thanedar and other Safedposh people. One day Jagga went to Patwari to get the numbers (Farad) of his land. Jagga paid no respect to the Patwari and paid no bribe. Patwari refused to give him the Farad. Jagga gave him the worst beating of his life and thus he had to give him farad and apologize as well.

In one of the folk songs we hear,

“Kachche Pulaan te Larhaiyan hoiyan, Chhaviyan de Ghund murh gaye.”

This Kachcha Pul (English: bridge) was located between Jagga's village and his in law's village. Beharhwala's Nakais used to live at their Bhua's village in Talwandi. These Nakais had some relation with Maharaja Ranjit Singh's in-laws and were very notorious for their evils. Nobody could cross the bridge without their permission. One day, when Jagga was going to cross the bridge, one of the Nakai hit his horse with a bamboo club thus the horse and Jagga both fell down. Though Jagga was alone, the Nakais were 5-6 brothers. They had a fierce fight and finally Jagga won the fight. Later those Nakais fled the area and settled in Lahore.

Jagga's fame in the area resulted in attracting the ire of the Jaildar of Kal Mokal. Jaildar considered Jagga's braveness to be a challenge for him. He stuck Jagga in a false case and convicted him for 4 years in jail.

Becoming an outlaw

Later Jagga got released and came back to his village. In those days a theft incident was happened in the village. As the inspector of the area, Asgar Ali, was a friend of Jaildar they both found this theft incident to be another chance to harass Jagga. The inspector called Jagga to be present at the police station and the leading and friendly people, named Kehar Singh and Mehal Singh of Kaawan village and Dulla Singh of Jajjal village, persuaded Jagga to be present at the police station but Jagga declined. From that day Jagga went underground and became an outlaw.

As an outlaw

Being angry from the police's behaviour he snatched a rifle from a policemen at 'Kanganpur' village and then another from Atma Singh of Aachar Ke village and became a bandit but he robbed only the rich to help the poor and needy. He was a nice person and was always in favour of the poor. The first banditry by Jagga was took place at 'Ghumiari' village at some goldsmith's house, with his companions 'Jhanda Singh Nirmal Ke' and 'Thakur Singh Mandeyali'. They robbed all the gold from them and lit fire to the ledgers which were the loan records of the poor mass. This Ghumiari village is located at the border of Kasur and Lohore districts. Later he established his own group and his new members were Banta Singh, his childhood friend Sohna Teli, Lalu Nai, Bholu and Bawa. Lalu Nai was a cook for the group but also used to guard the place at night with rifle. Thakur Singh was his nephew and was in police before. Once his officer asked him to help in capturing Jagga and Jagga asked him to fulfill his long desire to have an encounter with the officer but he decided to be neutral.

Jagga used to inform police about his location in advance wherever he goes saying, "capture me there or don't vex the innocent." but no policemen ever tried to arrest him. In there days police used to sleep in locked police stations because of the fear that Jagga would get all their rifles and other ammunition. Inspector Asgar Ali made two entrence to the police station for his safety. Although he made many dacoities/banditrys but his banditrys of 'Sayadpur' and 'Layallpur' are the most famous.

Death

There was an othe famous bandit, Mallangi, in the nearby village of 'Sidhupur'. Mallangi was from a Muslim family and his close friend Harnam Singh belonged to a poor farmer family. Mallangi was so famous that this was a common sayin in the area:

ਦਿਨੇ ਰਾਜ ਫ਼ਿਰੰਗੀ ਦਾ, ਰਾਤੀਂ ਰਾਜ ਮਲੰਗੀ ਦਾ।


Transliteration:dine raaj firangi da, raateen raaj mallangi da.


Translation: In the daytime there is British rule but in the nighttime there is Mallangi's rule

-'

Once someone informed the police about Mallangi's location and so he and his friend Harnam Singh were killed in an encounter and his sister and little brother was murdered. Mallangi's father died with the shock.

As the news reached Jagga he decided to go to Mallangi's village to meet his blind and mournfull mother and also to find his informers. Jagga told Mallangi's mother that he'll take revenge from Mallangi's informer and killers. Deciding to spend the noon there, he asked his fellow, Lalu, to arrange the food. Lalu Nai, who want to kill Jagga for reward, called his five brothers with food and wine. Before meal Jagga and Banta decided to have some drink but Sohan Teli didn't drunk as he want to go to the nearby village to meet his friend. As they were enjoying, Mallangi's mother was so happy as she feeling Mallangi to be back in Jagga's disguise. After some time Jagga and Banta got intoxicated with alcohol and slept under the Boharh tree. Sohan Teli went to meet his friend. Suddenly, Lalu Nai and his brothers started shooting at intoxicated Jagga and Banta. Hearing the gunshots Sohan Teli came back and he also, was shot dead from behind when he tried to attack Lalu. This is mentioned in a song as follows:

ਜੱਗਾ ਵੱਢਿਆ ਬੋਹੜ ਦੀ ਛਾਵੇਂ, ਨੌ ਮਣ ਰੇਤ ਭਿੱਜ ਗਈ.. ਪੂਰਨਾ.., ਨਾਈਆਂ ਨੇ ਵੱਢ ਛੱਡਿਆ ਜੱਗਾ ਸੂਰਮਾ।


Transliteration: jagga wadhdhia boharh dee chhaven, nau man ret bhijj gyi poorna, naaeeaan ne wadhdh chhaddia.. jagga soormaa.

-'

Other info

Jagga better knew that the bandits have small life, so he engaged his daughter with the fellow, Kehar Singh's nephew 'Avtaar Singh'.

Avtaar Singh died in 2005 at 'Vanwala Anu' village of Sri Muktsar Sahib district but his daughter, 'Gulab Kaur' aka Gaabo, is still alive and is 90+. As common in Sikhism, her in laws named her 'Resham Kaur' at the time of marriage.

Village of Thamman Ke

Jagga's fellow Banta Singh had argued with his aunty (Punjabi: Chaachi) many times as she was involved in adultery with a Vairagi of her own village 'Thamman Ke'. Banta, and Jagga also, tried to conciliate her many times but she told them that she won't change. They shot her on the spot and went to her lover Vairagi's home. They challenged him to came out but he locked himself in the house. Jagga and Banta asked him to come out many times but he didn't and finally they set fire to the house as an idea to make him out but Vairagi and his family of about ten persons burnt to death instead. Jagga fell in deep sorrow on the death of Vairagi's innocent daughters. A song says:

ਜੱਗੇ ਮਾਰੀਆਂ ਥੰਮਣ ਕੇ ਕ੝ੜੀਆਂ, ਜੱਗੇ ਨੂੰ ਪਾਪ ਲੱਗਿਆ।


Transliteration: jagge maariiaan thamman ke kurhiian, jagge nu paap laggia

-'