His date of birth is in-dispute amongst sources. Dharam Singh gives a year of birth of 1785 whilst the Encyclopædia Britannica gives a date of 1797.[5][1]
Biography
Early life
He was born into a Batra Arora family in the village of Chhoī (located in present-day Attock district, Rawalpindi division, Pakistan) to parents Dial Singh and Mata Bhag Bhari.[5][6] He had a brother named Manna Singh.[5] At a young age, he worked in the family business as a supplier of provisions to the Hazro Fort's garrison.[5] The Hazro Fort was located near his childhood home.[5] When he came of age, he was wed to Mai Toti.[5] After this point, little biographical details on his life survives but what is known is that he lived as a spiritually-inclined man who became greatly influenced by Bhagat Jawahar Mal of the local area of Hazro.[5]
Spiritual career begins
Eventually, he had come to possess his own group of followers.[5] He invoked the authority of Sikh scriptures and emphasized the importance of the name (nam) for salvation.[7] The account of Balak Singh was first given by the Sikh scholar Giani Gian Singh, writer of the famed Panth Prakash. In village Hazron, Guru Balak Singh had set up a shop.[8] He earned his living by simple labor and delivered spiritual message to the people. Soon, the village became an important place for the seekers of spiritual wisdom and the curious devotees came to Hazron to receive the spiritual tutelage of Guru Balak Singh.
Balak Singh constructed a meeting place located in Hazro where him and his followers would convene, it is here where he would first come into contact with his future successor, Ram Singh.[5]
Claimed meeting with Guru Gobind Singh
Namdhari Sikhs believe he was the successor of Guru Gobind Singh, a stance that differs them from mainstream Sikhism. Namdharis believe Guru Gobind Singh lived to the ripe-old age of 146 when he died in the year 1812, long enough to be contemporary with Namdhari Guru Balak Singh and pass on the Guruship to him.
Meeting with Ram Singh and later life
In the year circa 1841, Namdhari Guru Ram Singh, while serving in the Naunihal Regiment of Sikh army and on tour of Lahore to collect royal coffers, met Balak Singh in Hazron. Ram Singh had been assigned to the garrison of Hazro, which provided the chance meeting between the two.[5] Guru Balak Singh was overjoyed to see Ram Singh and according to folklore told him: "I had been waiting for you.[9]" He told Guru Ram Singh that he was the next in line to him.
After meeting the young Ram Singh, Balak Singh decided to take him under his wing as his disciple and taught him about the Sikh gurus, Sikh heroes, and the Khalsa Panth.[10]
In approximately 1860, having moved south with his garrison, Ram Singh would meet with his mentor, Balak Singh, and request to take the reins as a spiritual preacher of his master's doctrine, a request which Balak Singh granted.[5]
Guru Balak Singh gave Ram Singh "Patasha" (sugar bubbles), a coconut, five paise coins and took five rounds around him in reverence and bowed before him, making him his successor.
Namdhari Guru Ram Singh, after leaving the service of army, came back and performed different activities. In 1857, Guru Ram Singh started the Namdhari movement and made Sri Bhaini Sahib as the headquarters for his mission.
Namdhari Guru Balak Singh stayed in Hazron, and carried on his work of spiritual upliftment of the people. He died on 6 December 1862.[11]
Teachings
Painting of Balak Singh sitting cross-legged on rock
Balak Singh emphasized being in a continual state of meditation in-remembrance of the Transcendental Reality.[5] He further stipulated to his followers to bathe at-least three times per day, emphasizing cleanliness.[5] Another teaching was the disavowal of using a leather bucket for water, since cows are held in high-regard.[5] He taught the importance of the Anand marriage ceremony.[5] He asked his followers to offer a sacrement of karah prashad worth one and a quarter rupees per month.[5] He instructed his followers to not eat any food cooked by an individual who was not a Sikh.[5]
Prohibitions included the giving of dowry, consuming alcohol, and the eating of meat.[5] Characteristics that were praised were truthfulness and honest labour.[5]
Balak Singh, had merely stressed upon the importance of chanting God's name as the only righteous religious ritual.[1] Ram Singh however would introduce many new elements into the orthodoxy and orthopraxy of the sect.[1]
^Singh, Harbhajan (2000). Namdhari Sikhs: A Brief Account (As Narrated by Giani Gian Singh). SATJUG, Sirsa. p. 41.
^Anjan, Tara Singh (2012). Satguru Ram Singh and Kuka Movement. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 14. ISBN978-81-230-1790-7.
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