BRIEF LIFE SKETCH OF BRAHAM GIANI
SANT BABA GIAN SINGH JI MAHARAJ
Honorable Braham Giani Sant Baba Gian Singh ji Maharaj was born in the year 1912 (Samvat 1969), in village Bambeli, Tehsil Mahilpur, District Hoshiarpur. Bhai Harnam Singh, father and Sardarni Prem Kaur, mother were the fortunate parents of this respected soul.
Dense forest surrounded the Bambeli village. The word ‘Ban’ signifies a forest. The earlier name of the village was ‘BAN BELI’ and this changed to the single word Bambeli with the passage of time. The seventh Master, Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib ji came to this village and blessed the villagers. The villagers were indeed fortunate that the Seventh Master remained in this village for quite some time. Earlier there was a Dera of the Udasin sect, which is now an unknown entity.
The parents of Sant Baba Gian Singh ji were dedicated followers of Sikhism. They used to often visit the village of Jiyan to pay homage to the Reverend Braham Giani Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj. The parents introduced their son Sant Baba Gian Singh ji at an early age to serve the great saint. As a youngster, Sant ji performed his work enthusiastically.
It was from this Dera of Jiyan that in 1928, Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj of Nirmal Kutiya Johalan had asked for a devotee to volunteer and pick a basket of sweets (received by him on the occasion of the Bhog ceremony of Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj) and take it to Johal Kutiya. Sant Baba Gian Singh came forward to perform this duty. He took the responsibility of walking on foot with Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj, with the basket on his head from village Jiyan to Nirmal Kutiya Johalan.
During his school days, Sant Baba Gian Singh ji had very little interest in sitting with the other youngsters and frittering away the time after the school was over. Instead he devoted his time in serving the Holy Saint at Jiyan Sahib. His body was full of energy and strength and he did not feel shy in accepting hard work.
At the young age of sixteen years, he renounced his home, parents and his entire friends and relatives and came to the Kutiya of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj at Johalan. While at the Kutiya he performed all kinds of work. He looked after the animals in the corral. Washing the animals, cleaning the stables and providing timely fodder to the animals was all part of his duty. He used to go to nearby villages for collecting food in the form of alms for his Gurudev and other sadhus of the Kutiya. He later learnt to cook simple vegetarian food for his Gurudev.
Along with these duties, the divine study cleansed his inner self and he became a virtuous saint. The selfless service for his Gurudev brought modesty in him. In a short span of time he reached the heights of spirituality.
His Gurudev recognized this stage of his. One day Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj laid a cloth on the floor and asked Sant Baba Gian Singh ji to sit on it. Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj then went around Sant Baba Gian Singh ji. After finishing a complete circle Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj bowed before his disciple. At that time Jathedar Nirmal Singh of village Haloowal was present and watched this ceremony. He was astonished to see the strange event and could not stop himself from asking Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj, “Maharaj ji! What is the meaning of this strange action of yours?”
Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj replied, “Today, I have given everything to Sant Baba Gian Singh ji. This small nursery will blossom one day as a great Kutiya with immense fragrance covering the entire world. Sant Baba Gian Singh will be recognized and become popular as a kingly saint.”
With the passage of time, the words uttered by Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj came out to be true.
Sant Baba Gian Singh ji was installed as the chief of the Kutiya when the soul of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj merged with the Eternal on 9th November 1971 (24th Katak 2028 Bikrami Samvat). The ritual of tying the turban in a ceremony called DASTAR BANDI (Turban is tied on the head of a person who is given the responsibility of the entire administration of the place) was performed with the concurrence of the Nirmal sect saints by Sant Baba Roshan Singh ji, the chief saint of Dera Baba Karam Singh ji of Hoti Mardaan (Pakistan) situated at Maksoodpur in the Kapurthala district.
Sant Baba Gian Singh ji after taking on the reins of the Kutiya administration in his hands traveled in India and abroad and spread the message of truth of the Ten Masters amongst the devotees. He preached the teachings enshrined in Sri Guru Granth Sahib and encouraged his devotees to protect themselves from evil by accepting the ambrosial nectar of the two edged sword prepared by five beloveds (Panj Piaras).
Sant Baba Gian Singh ji was instrumental in establishing Gurdwaras at various places in India and abroad. This was necessary for the sangat to get together in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, recite and listen to Gurbani Kirtan, understand the meanings of the Holy Hymns from learned persons, remain in touch with the history of the Sikhs and follow the right path to becoming a divine personality.
He spent his entire thirty years as chief of the Kutiya in guiding people to follow the right path and improve their spiritual standard of living. Many people whose course of life was changed have desired for a biography of Sant Baba Gian Singh to help the coming generation also. Sincere efforts are being taken to bring out such a book.
Kabeer, it is good to perform selfless service for two - the Saints and the Lord.
The Lord is the Giver of liberation, and the Saint inspires us to chant the Naam. ||164|| (Page 1373)
Sant Baba Gian Singh ji was inspired by the above words of Saint Kabir and followed them in practice. He spent his entire life in the service of the sangat, in enjoining the devotees with the Guru and taught the devotees the true method of reciting the Name of the Lord.
The spread of Sikhism by the Holy saints of Nirmal Kutiya Johalan due to the deep and pious meditation of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj, the selfless service and utterance of the words ‘Satya Vachan’ by Sant Baba Gian Singh ji to all orders of his Gurudev, is evident from the ever increasing number of baptized Sikhs at Nirmal Kutiya Johalan. In every annual congregation it is observed that the number of baptized Sikhs in the gathering has increased in comparison from the previous assembly.
In order to keep alive the spirit of his Gurudev (Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj) Sant Baba Gian Singh ji engaged himself along with the sangat in constructing Gurdwaras at places where the Gurudev had performed austerities. Sant Baba Gian Singh ji himself carried bricks and mortar and other building material at these places showing the correct path of SEWA to the devotees. The foundation stone of the Gurdwara at village Marula, the birthplace of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj was laid by him on 12th April 1982. A beautiful Gurdwara stands in the village today in the memory of the Gurudev.
Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj, the revered saint and Gurudev of Sant Baba Gian Singh ji remained involved in deep meditation for fourteen years in the jungle area on the outskirts of village Fatehpur and Bhatolian. Sant Baba Gian Singh ji, in order to make this place known to the world did a marvelous thing.
A side road from the main road of village Kabirpur leads to the place of penance of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj in village Fatehpur Bhatolian. A beautiful entrance gate at the start of the side road on the main road was built. A Gurdwara at the place of austerities was constructed. It is a serene place and devotees pray at the Gurdwara to fulfill their wishes.
Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj was a sadhu who sacrificed every worldly comfort. He passed on this spirit of sacrifice to his beloved disciple Sant Baba Gian Singh ji. An excellent example of this spirit was demonstrated when a devotee Sardar Gurcharan Singh of England, gifted his house in Mohali to Sant Baba Gian Singh ji.
Sant Baba Gian Singh ji said to Sardar Gurcharan Singh, “Sardar ji! We sadhus don’t need palatial houses to live in. Convert this house instead into a Gurdwara for the benefit of the sangat.”
A five-member committee appointed by Sant Baba Gian Singh ji looks after the administration of the Gurdwara.
A number of Gurdwaras were constructed at different places under the aegis of Sant Baba Gian Singh ji Maharaj. He was also instrumental in building the following historical Gurdwaras.
1. Gurdwara Ramsar of the Sixth Guru of the Sikhs, at village Kot Kalan, District Jalandhar. 2. Gurdwara Shahidan, of the Sixth Guru of the Sikhs at village Sagranwali, District Jalandhar. 3. Gurdwara Bowli Sahib of the sixth Guru of the Sikhs at Phillaur, District Jalandhar. 4. Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Adda Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar City; 5. Gurdwara Shahidan, of the Sixth Guru at Jandu Singha, District Jalandhar; 6. Gurdwara Danda Sahib, of the Seventh Guru at Sandhwan.
Description and background of some of the Gurdwaras is depicted in the form of stories.