Sriman Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj was born to Bibi Ram Kaur and Bhai Sahiya Singh ji, in village Nangal Chhotta of Distt Hoshiarpur, Punjab, in the year 1880 (Samvat 1937). He was just nineteen years old when he joined the Army and enlisted in the 22nd Sikh Regiment.
Baba Harnam Singh was a baptized Sikh. He had accepted the Khande Batte da Amrit (Ambrosial nectar of the two edged sword) before joining the Army.
During the course of his Army service he happened once to visit the abode of Sriman 108 Sant Baba Karam Singh ji Maharaj. Sant Baba Karam Singh ji Maharaj took him under his aegis and instructed him to recite the Name of the Lord. Sant Maharaj ji graced him with the blissful wisdom of the Lord and enlightened him generously with the divine knowledge. He of course was himself an achieved soul and had been blessed by the Lord with the knowledge of the deeper mysteries of the Creator and His Creation.
He left the Army service on 31st March 1908 after serving for nine years seven months and twenty-nine days. He came to the village Jiyan where his paternal aunt lived with her family. He lived there settling himself in the periphery of the village. He was to find peace and spiritual contentment there.
The region was full of seasonal rivulets. Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji would sit and meditate at convenient places along the path of some seasonal rivulet. He continued in this way with his contemplation and worship for many years in this area. He rigorously followed the directions of his Gurudev and immersed himself in TAP (austerities), NAAM SIMRAN (Constant recitation of the Lord’s Name) and in reading of the holy verses from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji established Gurdwaras in village Barri Laheli, and village Harian Vela, where the Seventh Master Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib had visited. Tahli Sahib Gurdwara was constructed in village Gondpur, where Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib had rested for a while. A Gurdwara was constructed at village Jiyan also.
The historical Gurdwaras of Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib, Gurdwara Anandgarh Sahib, Sri Kiratpur Sahib were liberated peacefully from the personal control of rich Pujaris. He lead the peaceful struggle of Jaito and was successful in the fortification. He was also instrumental in laying the foundation stone of Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib, the birth place of Khalsa.
Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji’s soul merged with the Eternal on 20.12.1928.
He had two beloved disciples Sant Baba Hari Singh and Sant Baba Basant Singh ji. Sant Baba Hari Singh was asked to look after the Dera at Kaharpur and construct the historical Gurdwara at Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib. Sant Baba Basant Singh was asked to spread the message of the Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji, bless the seekers with Dasam Patshah’s Khande da Amrit and construct Gurdwaras. Both the disciples served the Sikh Panth in their own way.
