Martyrdom of Bhai Taru Singh Ji.

Bhai Taru Singh ji was born in village Phoole, in Tehsil Kasur of Lahore which was ruled by Zakariya Khan Bahadur who was viceroy of Mughal Empire to Lahore at that time. Many Sikh & Hindu scholars have documented Bhai Taru Singh ji.

The most prominent work that I have consulted for this thread is book Prachin Panth Prakash by Bhai Ratan Singh ji Bhangu Nihung. This does not mean that other scholars haven’t done great job. I am obsessed with the family lineage of Bhai Ratan Singh Bhangu & believe his account

is the best to comment on Shaheeds.
Ratan Singh’s grandfather was ‘Mehtab Singh Mirakotiya’ who beheaded the Mughal tyrant Masa Rangan. His maternal grandfather was Sham Singh Karoariyamisal wale. With that lineage in blood, his account also stands mirror for any distortion’s.

For example @Wikipedia says that Bhai Taru singh ji converted to Sikhi whereas Ratan Singh ji has clearly written about Bhai Taru singh Ji as,

“Hathi Japi Tapi, Saacho hai, Suro hai, Nihung Taru Singh Bhai”

Implying that Taru Singh Ji was a devout Sikh from birth.

The importance of Bhai Taru Singh’s supreme sacrifice should be understood from mention in Ardaas. It should be noted that “Khopriyan luhiyan” is used meaning there were others who suffered same fate, & Ardaas further says “Sikhi kesa savasa naal nibhay”. What did they give their

Heads for? You have to understand the importance of ‘kes’ here. Ardaas clearly says that ‘Kes ’ is as essential to a Sikh as is ‘swas’ to life.
I hope this puts lot of us in introspection mode today & we return to Sikhi. Lot of people undermine the importance of Kes in shaheedi

Bhai Taru Singh’ was a not a political leader, neither was he a soldier. He was a simple man who simply provided food to Sikhs and soldiers who were in Jungles fighting the tyranny of Mughal empire.

Harbhakt Niranjaniya was the one who complained to ZakariaKhan about Taru Singh

The interaction between Niranjaniya & Zakaria Khan is written by Rattan Singh as.
Zakaria Khan- “I have deprived Sikhs of everything and they won’t survive long enough in jungles eating fruits & leaves, Sikh Qaum will perish”

Niranjaniya-“You are mistaken because you are

talking about those in jungles. There are so many Sikhs like Taru Singh who live in villages & provide food to those in Jungles”

“Aap sahe wo nang ar bukh, dekh na saakey wo singhan ar dukh
“Aap guzaran agni naal, singhan ghaale poshak”

Zakaria Khan fumed in anger hearing

all this and ordered for arrest of Bhai Taru Singh Ji, his sister and his mother.

When 10 ehdiyas or soldiers arrived in Phoole village. They found out that Taru Singh enjoyed respect & honour from Hindus & Muslims alike.
Taru Singh ji was not at home when they arrived but

he returned home soon after he was told that ehdiyas had come looking for him. His mother was told that there is an arrest warrant for her son. Bhai Taru singh ji upon reaching readily accepted the arrest and sought blessings from mother Dharam Kaur. According to Ratan singh ji

mother told him that she has washed his hair (kes) with milk all through his childhood & would not want to hear that he gave up on kes in Lahore. Taru Singh ji assured his mother that he would prefer death over conversion.
The soldiers then revealed that they have orders to

arrest mother & sister too. It is said that the villagers assembled with sticks & rods and soldiers gave up the idea of arresting the duo.
Some scholars also point that villagers of the next village on the way had assembled in huge numbers and shouted out that they would fight

and outnumber 10 soldiers if Taru Singh wants them to. Taru Singh ji declined saying that it is once in a lifetime thing that I became Sikh, & many of you can become too, but I doubt if any of you will ever get a chance of meeting Sahibzadas or Dasam Paatshah.

Upon arrival in

Lahore, Zakaria Khan bribed Taru Singh to convert to Islam & his sins of providing food to soldiers would be forgiven. Zakaria also offered wealth & beautiful girls if he agreed to do so.
Taru Singh Ji is said to have told him that he only wishes to die & nothing can change that

Zakaria Khan is said to have said,

“Tu ho musalman tab teri chadha ga main jaan”

Meaning~ I won’t let you die without converting you or cutting your hair.

Bhai Sahib is said to have responded as

“Hum sidak na haare, is sidak par kayi janam so waare”

Zakaria Khan got

angry and ordered for barbers to cut Taru Singh’s hair. Many scholars have inferred the metaphors as ‘hair became iron wires & could not be cut’ However Ratan Singh Ji says that it was Bhai Taru Singh Ji’s sidak that was as strong as iron & it scared most of the barbers and their

hands trembled & scissors kept falling.
The emperor lost control of his anger & told Bhai Taru singh ji that he would beat his head with Shoes until his hair fall off.
Bhai Sahib is said to have responded with a smile that it would be shoes that would take emperors life.

Cobblers were ordered in & they sharpened their blades (rambi) on anvil in front of Bhai Sahib.
Ratan Singh describes the process as

“Paeni thi Rambi Rakhi, maathe madyo diyo tikayae

Maathe te kanna taaye geechyo de patvaye”
In this way the scalp was taken off from head.

“Jiv jiv singhan turk sataave
Teo teo singh mukh laali aavey”
Ratan singh notes that Bhai Sahib actually was glowing when all this was done to him. He was chanting Japji all along.

Bhai Taru Singh ji survived 22 days without scalp and passed away on 3rd June.

It was in

these days that Zakaria Khan developed strong pain & urinary problems. He is said to have called Shahbeg Singh & told him that he had committed sin & wants Panth to forgive. Shahbeg singh who was later crucified in a charkha told him what Taru Singh has said. Zakaria Khan should

best his head with shoes of Taru Singh & he will be relieved of pain. He did that & found momentary relief too & is said to have passed away with injuries to head caused by beating of shoes proving Taru Singh’s word. We shy away from saying these things but they were no ordinary

singhs. They were Gurmukhs & Gurus own sons.
It is said that water was taken from Amritsar & Bhai Taru singh ji was given a bath by Shahbeg singh while Kara prashad was prepared. Bhai Sahib left for heavenly abode after completing Anand Sahib.

Ratan Singh hi writes that he

found his virtuous place by side of Guru as written in bani about such singhs
“Satguru saeti ratya dargeh paayieh thav”

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