Talk:Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh/Archive01

Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed was born in early sixth decade of 1600, (~1660-1665) according to one version and in 1644 AD according to another version. He died in November/December 1737 according to one version and June 15, 1734 AD according to another version.

Bhai Mani Singh was indeed a great and illlustrious personality in Sikh history.

Bhai Kesar Singh Chhibber was a Brahman and the son of Gurbaksh Singh, a Daroga of Harimandir Sahib. His had been a dedicated Sikh family of scholars/dedicated men in the service of Gurughar for several generations starting from Bhai Praga's ji. Bhai Mati Das Chibber and Bhai Sati Das Chibber, who were martyred at Chandni Chowk Delhi along with ninth Guruji, belonged to this illustrious Brahman Sikh family. According to Bhai Kesar Singh Chibber's own evidence, he (Bhai Kesar Singh Chibber) was born in 1699 AD and thus enjoyed the company of Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed at Amritsar till his death (1737 AD). Bhai Chhibber proclaims loudly and with the beat of drum that Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed was of Kamboh/Kamboj lineage. It is also noteable that Bhai Kesar Singh was 38 years old when Bhai Mani Singh was executed in 1737 AD. Thus, Kesar Singh Chibber was very much a CONTEMPORARY of Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed. Moreover, Chibber lived in Amritsar where Bhai Mani Singh also lived and acted as Granthi of Harimandir as well as the compiler of Adi Granth and Dasam Granth. Bhai Kesar Singh Chibber is thus supposed to have been very much knowledgeable and familiar with Bhai Mnai Singh's family particulars.

The readers are encouraged to contribute their views on this topic in this discussion forum.

Let us hear also from those who are keen to identify Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed either with the great grand father of Giani Gian Singh Dullat or else with Bhai Mani Ram Rajput from Alipore/Multan now in Pakistan.

Let it be clearly stated at the outset here that Giani Gian Singh (A Dullat Jat by caste himself---born in 1822---death in 1921)) claims Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed was a Dullat Jat. On the other hand, Giani Garja Singh Punwar/Vanjara Rajput(of Mehra Shimpa or Vanjara/Rajput by caste, who was born in the start of 20th century) has tried to put his claim that Bhai Mnai Singh Shaheed belonged to his Vanjara Rajput caste.

It is not the fault of these Gianis ji. The personality of Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed is so glorious and illustrious that every body wants to associate himself with Bhai Sahib Ji and claim him as from his own lineage".

"This is indeed a great tragedy of Sikhism that the caste of great Sikh personality is being projected here, but both Giani Gian Singh ji and Giani Garja Singh ji must be blamed for this deplorable scenario.

Well, let the knowledgeable readers contribute on this topic in a detached manner, starting from the very fundamentals and let's verify who among these latter claimants is telling truth and who is telling the lies here.

KLS

Sikhiwiki Spreading Misinformation on Bhai Mani Singh

The following extract is taken from Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed, an article on Sikhiwiki website: See Link: [[1]]

Bhai Mani Singh (1662 to 1737) was a Sikh scholar, warrior and leader during the eighteenth century during the times of Guru Gobind Singh. He is considered one of the most hallowed martyrs in Sikh history. The nature of his martyrdom has become a part of the daily Sikh Ardas (prayer). Bhai Sahib is believed to be born in about 1662 the son of Mal Das of Alipur in Muzaffargarh district (now in Pakistan) and a brother of Bhai Mani Ram whose five sons were among the first few to be initiated at the time of the inauguration of the Khalsa on 30 March 1699. It is believed that Bhai Mani Singh remained unmarried all his life.

Bhai Mani Singh took part in the battles of Anandpur both as an ensign and a fighting soldier. He also fought at battle of Chamkaur and was one of the three Sikhs who survived that critically unequal battle and came out with Guru Gobind Singh unscathed. Bhai Mani Singh constantly attended upon the Guru thereafter until his death in a chance skirmish with Mughal troops near Chittor during the Guru's march to the Deccan along with Emperor Bahadur Shah. A minor dispute between the foraging parties of the two camps had developed into a fierce encounter. Guru Gobind Singh sent Bhai Mani Singh to the scene to intervene and settle the issue, but a chance bullet hit him and proved fatal. The exact place and date of the incident are not known. While Giani Garja Singh, editor of Shahta Bilas quoting Bhatt Vahis, places the event in Chittor in Rajasthan (3 April 1708), Kavi Sainapati, a contemporary of Guru Gobind Singh, in his Sri GurSobha records that the skirmish took place near the River Narbada (Narmada), which was crossed a few weeks after the date metioned in the former work. The Nihang Sikhs trace the origin of their order from Bhai Mani Singh.

NOW especially note the following statement in the above text:

"Bhai Sahib is believed to be born in about 1662 the son of Mal Das of Alipur in Muzaffargarh district (now in Pakistan) and a brother of Bhai Mani Ram whose five sons were among the first few to be initiated at the time of the inauguration of the Khalsa on 30 March 1699. It is believed that Bhai Mani Singh remained unmarried all his life"'.

COMMENTS ON THE ABOVE TEXT:

The writer/contributor who has put this erroneous and misleading information about Bhai Mani Singh on Sikhiwiki, is grossly ignorant of Sikh History.

Where is the evidence that BHAI MAI DAS OF ALIPORE, MUZZAFFARGARH DISTRICT, (NOW IN PAKISTAN) HAD TWO SONS namely (1) BHAI MANI RAM and (2) BHAI MANI SINGH?.

This person seems to have collected unproven/misleading/unauthentic hotchpotch stuff from different articles on BHAI MANI SINGH SHAHEED and pasted it on Sikhiwiki to draw a jumbled-up sketch of Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed. If it is the intent of Sikhiwiki to connect Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed to Rajput family (of Alipore, Muzzaffargarh), then it MUST follow Giani Garja Singh in letter and spirit and write the birth year of Bhai Mani Ram as 1644 AD (and not 1662 AD). Furthermore, he must also write that Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed (Multani Rajput of Garja Singh) had fathered TWELVE (12) sons(!) [See his Shaheed Bilas, Giani Garja Singh], and he did not remain unmarried all through his life. Sikhiwiki is clearly spreading misinformation to the innocent readers.

According to Suraj Prakash of Bhai Santokh Singh Chudamani, Bhai Mai Ram (Rajput-- Vanjara) was son of Bhai Mai Das of Alipore (Muzzafargarh) and had visited the tenth guru with five sons viz: Bachittar Singh, Udai Singh, Anak Singh, Ajab Singh and Ajaib Singh and took Amrit from the tenth Guru. The same fact is attested in the famous Sikh Encylopedia by Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha. No authority, whatsoever --ancient or modern-- has ever attested that Bhai Mai Das Rajput of Alipore (Muzzafargarh) had TWO sons called (1) Bhai Mani Ram (married, having had numerous sons) and (2) Bhai Mani Singh (who remained unmarried). This is clearly the brainchild of this ignorant Sikhiwiki writer who has contributed a grossly erroneous and misleading information on the Sikhiwiki to mislead the unsuspecting readers. The relevant text, therefore, be removed from the Sikhiwiki, or else corrected as soon as possible.

FEW IMPORTANT FACTS ON BHAI MANI SINGH:

• Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed (Kamboh) was different from Bhai Mani Ram (Rajput), son of Bhai Mai Das of Alipore and the two Mani's were not related to each other.

• Bhai Mai Das Rajput had a son called Bhai Mani Ram (Rajput) who was married, according to Garja Singh. Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed (Kamboh) was not married (according to Prachin Panth Prakash, Bhai Rattan Singh BVangu) and, therefore, latter had no issue all. Sikhiwiki is therefore, trying to propagate gross misinformation.

• Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed (Kamboh) was born in/around 1662-1664 AD, while Bhai Mani Ram Rajput (Alipore) was born in 1644 AD (See: Shaheed Bilas, Giani Garja Singh).

• Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed (Kamboh) was a childhood friend of tenth Guru ji as per attestation of Giani Gian Singh (Panth Prakash) , and ancient Sikh traditions also attest that he was almost of the same age as Guru Gobind Singh ji (whose year of birth was 1666 AD), while Bhai Mani Ram Rajput of Alipore/Mulatn (date of birth 1644 AD) was about 22 years older to Guru Gobind Singh ji. How come this Bhai Mani Ram Rajput/of Alipore (born in 1644 AD) could be a childhood friend of tenth Guru ji(born in 1666 Ad)?.

• Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed (Kamboh) remained unmarried all through his life (jati-sati, according Prachin Panth Prakash, Bhai Rattan Singh Bhangu), while Bhai Mani Ram (aka Bhai Mnai Singh Rajput of Bhai Garja Singh) had TWELVE sons, according to Giani Garja Singh (See Shaheed Bilas, by Giani Garja Singh).

• There many more gross historical discrepancies in the claim of Giani Garja Singh that Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed belonged to Rajput family of Alipore/Muzzafargarh. The modern research Scholars, including those from the Punjabi University, Patiala, have strongly disputed/disproved Giani Garja Singh's belated claim on Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed and have called Garja Singh's Shaheed Bilaas as an unproven document and a delibrate attempt of forged/fabricated documentation, and thus a subversion of genuine Sikh history (Kirpal Singh).

Satbir Singh 02:41, 1 November 2007 (UTC)