Bachittar Singh

File:Bhai Bachitar SIngh.jpg

A depiction of Bhai Bachitter Singh Puar Ji killing the drunk elephant set by Mughal forces on the Sikh forces in the battlefield with Nagiven by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. This photo was taken by outside the Sikh History museum on way from Mohali to Sirhind

Bhai Bachittar Singh (6 May 1664 – 22 December 1705), often known with the honorific "Shaheed" (martyr), was a Sikh hero, a general of Guru Gobind Singh. He was a brave and honourable soldier, who is remembered as the most bravest soldiers, in Sikh history. His father was the legendary Bhai Mani Singh Ji, and he belonged to Alipur riyasat Multan .

Family background

Bhai Bachitter Singh's family belonged to clan of sikh rajput warriors and was son of legendary Bhai Mani Singh Ji. His ancestors were very powerful kings & generals .

Family tree

• Raja Santal
• Raja Magh
• Raja Munja
• Raja Bhoja ( great polymath king of India )
• Raja Jai Singh ( started munjane bhojane Puar )
• Raja Sapta mukat
• Raja Chatra mukat
• Raja Udaydeep ( referred to as very learned man as well )
• Raja Randhawal
• Raja Udhar
• Raja Amb Charan
• Rao Loyia ji ( Loyia ji was first in his line to use rao as title which was used upto Rao Ballu grandfather of bhai mani singh )
• Rao Jagan
• Rao Mala
• Rao Radha
• Rao Lakshman
• Rao Jalha ( Jalhane Puar )
• Rao Haafa
• Rao Chaahad
• Rao Boodha
• Rao Moola
• Rao Ballu ( sikh general with guru hargobind sahib as quoted – "Rao Ballu ek beer bahadar , khashtham gur k raheyo saadar . Before joining guru ji Rao Ballu was very close to Akbar and strong rajput general of his time as quoted – "Ballu tu bharat k bheem jaisa , tujhe jaane shah chugatah ( mughal emperor )"
• Mayidas ji ( had high post in shahjahan's court as quoted – Mayidas shahajan ko milya , dekhe hindu musalman )
• Maniram / MANI SINGH after being baptised .
• Bhai Bachittar Singh, was the second son of Bhai Mani Singh, devotee of the Sikh Gurus. One of the five brothers presented by their father for service to Guru Gobind Singh, he joined the order of the Khalsa on the historic Baisakhi day, 14 April 1699, and shot into prominence during the first battle of Anandpur against the hill chieftains, when, on 1 September 1700, he was selected by Guru Gobind Singh to single-handedly face a drunken elephant brought forth by the enemy to batter down the gate of Lohgarh Fort.

      Pur Multan Alipur nede , Mayidas Rajput basere
      tin ke Maniram sut hoyo ,aye taha gur darsan joyo
      Paanch putra lai aone saath ,sharni paryo rahyo gurnath
      so panche bhrata kar khare , singh naam gur tin k dhare
      badho Bachittar singh payo , Udai Singh dusar bidatyo.......... 
              --- rut-20 ansh-3 of very famous Sri Suraj Parkash Granth

Second Battle of Anandpur

Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji and a small number of Sikhs were defending their position in Lohgarh fort of Anandpur Sahib during The Second Battle of Anandpur, which was under attack by numerically far superior forces under the rule of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and the Hindu rulers of the Hill States. Despite superior numbers, the besiedging forces were unable to penetrate the heavily-defended fort. They brought forth an armoured, druken elephant to batter in the gates. Bhai Bachittar Singh was tasked with stopping the elephant, armed with a Nagni Barcha, a type of spear. As the elephant approached the gate, Bachittar Singh, sallied forth on horseback and made a powerful thrust with his spear piercing the elephant's armour plate and injuring the animal in the forehead. The wounded elephant ran back creating havoc and great damage in the enemy's ranks. As a result of Bhai sahib's bold action, the Sikhs gained an upper hand in this conflict.

  Jalhane Puar baanke Alipur kay rajputo , tau se kaun adhe
  jaswari ram ka marya kesari , Haathi gail ladhe
  Bachittar Singh tero barcchi roshan , teri saang jharmal kare 
  tere naam se raje thar thar kaanpe , teri parbati halak pare
  tan mata tao Sito tere paanch supoot rann mein ladh mare
            --- written by Bhatt Desa Singh kaushish in 1706 AD

Other battles

Bachittar Singh also took part in actions at Nirmohgarh and Basali and in the last battle of Anandpur. On the fateful night of 5–6 December 1704, when Anandpur was evacuated, he was one of those who safely crossed the torrential Sirsa rivulet. At the head of a flanking guard watching pursuers from the direction of Ropar, he had an encounter with a body of irregulars near Malikpur Ranghran in which he was seriously wounded. He was carried, near death, to Nihang Khan's house at Kotla Nihang Khan by Sahibzada Ajit Singh and Bhai Madan Singh.
Guru Gobind Singh asked Nihang Khan to look after Bachittar Singh, after which he proceeded with the remaining forty or so Sikhs towards Chamkaur. Guru Gobind Singh, before his departure, bestowed upon Nihang Khan; a sword, a dagger and a shield.
The rumour spread that Nihang Khan was sheltering some Sikhs, the Mughal troops searched his house while the mortally wounded Bachittar Singh minhas lay in a small room attended by Nihang Khan's daughter. Living up to his name, Nihang Khan maintained his cool and succeeded in keeping the search party from entering the room by telling them that his daughter was nursing her very sick husband. Thus the danger was averted.

Death

Bachittar Singh's wounds proved to be fatal. He succumbed to his injuries and breathed his last on 8 December 1705.
Nihang Khan had the cremation performed secretly the following night.

See also

• Nihang Khan

References

• "Regional Briefs: Punjab", The Tribune, 6 May 2001.
• "Punjab places of interest", Indtravel.com. Accessed 4 April 2007.

• Sikh Rajput