By Prof. Gobind Singh M.A. LL.B. Ph.D. London
The aggressive and imperialistic policy of the British government in India left no stone unturned to annex the Sikh empire after obtaining a foot-hold therein as a consequence of the First Anglo-Sikh War of 1846. Naturally the Sikhs Hindus and Muslims of the Punjab were scared by the unfair tactics of the British govt in accepting Maharaja Daleep Singh as the nominal head of an administration virtually under the control of the British Resident. In this patriotic struggle against the occupation of the Punjab and the subservience of the Lahore Darbar Bhai Maharaj Singh a Sikh preacher and saint played a vital and heroic role.
Very little is known about the early life of Maharaj Singh who was previously known as Nihal Singh. In his boyhood he got his education in the Dera of Sant Tota Singh Thhikriwalla Here he came in contact with Baba Samund Singh who recognized his patriotic fervor and reli. gious zest and predicted that one day Maharaj Singh would become a leader of the Sikh community. He taught him the basics of the Sikh faith and encouraged him to take an active part in the running of the Langar (free kitchen). Later he sent Maharaj Singh for further training to the Dera of Baba Bir Singh of Marhana Nagar.
Baha Bir Singh maintained a big Ashram and supplied free food to many people daily. Impressed by the sincerity and sense of responsibility he gave Nihal Singh the new name of Maharaj Singh and put him in sole charge of the Langar. Maharaj Singh not only looked after the cooking arrangements but also procured supplies of food-grains and vegetables from the neighboring villages. For 12 years he served at this place and enhanced the reputation of this Ashram as a hospice and community welfare center.
His Patriotic Mission
During the interim between the First and the Second Anglo-Sikh War (1846-1849) there were lots of intrigues in the Lahore Darbar affecting Maharaja Daleep Singh’s minority administration Hira Singh Dogra a minister of the Lahore Darbar wanted to punish Attar Singh Attariwalla Prince Kashmir a Singh and Prince Pishora Singh for their rebellious activities These persons had taken shelter in Baba Bir Singh’s Ashram. the Darbar army decided to attack the Dera of Baba Bir Singh to arrest the above so-called ‘rebels’ Baba Bir Singh ordered Maharaj Singh to purchase food and Karah Parisad for thousands of people. So large quantities of cooked food were kept ready for the soldiers coming with artillery and cavalry to arrest the wanted persons. Baba Bir Singh told the attacking force that these persons had taken sanctuary in his hospice but they were free to go if they wanted to. The commander ordered the attack and bombarded the place on May 61844. Before his death Baba Bir Singh appointed Maharaj Singh as his successor and caretaker of his Ashram.
(1) Bir Singh who was regarded as a suint and many others were killed but Maharaj Singh survived the ordeal.
Bhai Maharaj Singh became the head of 2 popular movements against the British occupation of the Punjab. As the grip of the British power over the Punjab tightened Maharaj Singh became suspect in the eyes of the British officials. At this time (1847) some Sikh Sardars and demoted soldiers of the Lahore Darbar made a plot to murder the British Resident Lt.Col. Henry Lawrence. Prema and Sardar Lal Singh conspired to attack him at a meeting fixed for April 211847 in Shalimar Gardens Lahore This is known as the Prema Conspiracy case. It was alleged that Maharaj Singh had given moral support to the conspirators and as such the authorities ordered his arrest. He was so much respected and honored as a saint that no one dared to disclose his whereabouts in spite of the award for his arrest. However his property whatever it was confiscated. For three years he moved about in the Punjab and yet the police and the military force could not capture him. This fact is supported by the Governor-General Lord Dalhousie in a note dated Sept.301848 mentioning The Zamindars (land-owners) the people and the Chiefs openly displayed entire sympathy in the cause and the Darbar officials and the ‘Kardars’ who were ordered to pursue him followed him tranquilly and remained on the best terms with him. (2) Fearlessly Maharaj Singh moved from one village to another and even military areas stirring the masses to revolt against British rule and to save the Khalsa Darbar and the remnants of the Sikh army from destruction.
At this time (Sept.1848) occurred the Multan Revolt in which Diwan Moolraj and some Sikh Sardars like Sher Singh and Attar Singh protested against the aggressive and anti-Sikh policies of the British administrators. Bhai Maharaj Singh wanted to join the agitation led by sardar Chattar Singh Attariwalla in Hazara against the British occupation of the Punjab Maharaj Singh went to Rawalpindi by a circuitous route to get assurances of help in terms of men and money before the outbreak of this revolt and he was fairly successful in this task.
Later Maharaj Singh went to Ram Nagar exhorting the Sikh soldiers to be vigilant against the plots of the British to divide the Sikh community and to annex the Punjab to their own territories. It is uncertain whether he took any part in the actual fighting in the battles of Chillianwalla and Gujrat. However there is no doubt that he gave a lot of support to the Sikh cause. The greatest need of the Sikh army during these battles was the shortage of food and fodder. Maharaj Singh procured adequate supplies of these things from the neighboring villages and arranged for their transport to the rebel army.
Finding stay in the Punjab difficult after its occupation by the British forces 1849 Maharaj Singh moved to Jammu. From Chambi he sent messengers to different parts of the Punjab asking the people to sabotage the British administration. He was equally keen on securing the person of Maharaja Daleep Singh fearing that he might be exiled and then it would be difficult to continue the struggle for the liberation of Punjab. He made a plan for the abduction of Daleep Singh from Lahore but it did not succeed. The British authorities knew his great influence on the Sikh soldiers who might be tempted to revolt In this connection Sir Henry Lawrence President of the Board of Administration of Punjab wrote: Bhai Maharaj Singh a Sikh priest of reputed sanctity and of great influence the first man who raised the standard of rebellion beyond the confines of Multan in 1848 and the only leader of note who did not lay down his arms to Sir Walter Gilbert at Rawalpindi was tampering with the Sikhs of the Punjab Cavalry corps at Lahore.
(3) The authorities therefore promptly exiled Maharaja Daleep Singh to Farukh abad in United Provinces in April 1849. Then Bhai Maharaj Singh planned a general revolt in the Punjab. He moved to Sajuwal from July to October 1849 to organize attacks on the cantonments at Jallander and Hoshiarpur. For this purpose he motivated the local priests to persuade the people to help the rebel cause for the liberation of Punjab. He sent his personal friends like Bhai Kishan Singh and Nihal Singh to Kabul for obtaining assistance from the Amir of Afghanistan Jwala Singh Rarewalla and Mitha Singh to Anandpur Hari Singh to Ambala and Dharam Singh and Kahn Singh to Lahore.
(4) Aur Singh a descendent of the erstwhile rulers of Kangra promised to supply armed soldiers and adequate food grains. Maharaj Singh contacted many influential persons in Hajipur. He visited the Sikh soldiers at Hoshiarpur to reassure himself of their help. He checked the arrangements for assembling of sufficient forces at specified places in Mahjha Malwa and Hazara. He fixed Jan.31850 for attack on the Jallander and Hoshiarpur cantonments He collected stocks of weapons and grain near Tanda. For checking all these centers he used to hold meetings at night in secret spots.
His Arrest and Persecution Maharaj Singh reached Adampur on the night of Dec281849 to hold a meeting with his trusted friends in a garden in the suburbs. Unfortunately a Muslim in former happened to see him pass by and he immediately contacted Vansittart Deputy commissioner of Jullundur. The latter reached the spot with 20 soldiers and surrounded the garden. After arresting Bhai Maharaj Singh his personal attendant Kharaj Singh and other associates he lodged them in the local jail. Many people gathered near the jail to hold a protest demonstration. Fearing public disturbance the authorities place Maharaj Singh and Kharag Singh under heavy guard
Singapore along with his attendant Kharag Singh I Under a special British guard Maharaj Singh and Xharag Singh reached Singapore on June 141850. He was lodged in the New Jail but his Solitary cell was completely bricked so as to prevent light and ventilation. He was not allowed to Move out of this for this reason his health deteriorated. After a few months he lost his eye-sight. Later he developed throat cancer and could not Maharaj Singh felt resigned to the Will God and spent most of his ume in prayer and meditation. For six years he had not moved out of the cell or seen the sun or the sky. The end came on July 5,1856.
His the British rulers who had destroyed and dismembered the Sikh empire. The British had thus deprived the Sikh nation of its freedom and its future. Some of his letters addressed to Sikh soldiers show his fearless spirit and faith in the ultimate freedom and moral victory.
His Personality Seldom has an outstanding patriot and freedom-fighter suffered so much persecution and yet won compliments from his captors as Maharaj Singh did. His courage of conviction his valour his devotion to the freedom of the Punjab and his zeal for selfless service of the masses were admired even by his enemies. Vansittart who arrested him later wrote The Bahis not an ordinary man. He is to the natives what Jesus Christ is to the most zealous of Christians. His miracles were seen by tens of thousands and are now implicitly believed than those worked by ancient prophets. As such he recommended special treatment to be given to him on political considerations.
Bhai Maharaj Singh was a true Khalsa He bore no ill-will to the British officials. Before his arrest he warned his friends not to injure any British administrator. When one of his supporters shouted that he would kill the Deputy Commissioner of Jallander Maharaj Singh rebuked him saying You want to defame us. We shall never capture or harm unarmed people. Bring the Deputy Commissioner to me and I shall tell him that the Sikhs are not the enemies of the British people. All that we want is the sovereign right to freedom and if we get it we shall have no grudge against your community
McLeod later Commissioner of Jallander Division paid a tribute to the wisdom resourcefulness courage and devotion of Bhai Maharaj Singh. He wrote The Bhai alone was never found without resources. Any number of persons who might resort to him and hundreds and sometimes it is said thousands did so being quite sure of obtaining from him their daily meal for the purpose of providing which he carried about him scores of cooks and langris (chefs) and the requisite materials His life is an outstanding example of a martyr a devoted Khalsa who lived up to the Guru’s ideal of the saint-soldier and gave up his life for the cause of freedom justice and human dignity. References: 1.Mehar Singh GIANI: nAV Ratan (in Punjabi ) p.121 3.Calcutta Review:VoLXxq1 1854
Secret Consultations Jan.311850 2031
Sikh Review Caleutta-Dec1999 p.43.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 30, 1991
