Baba Jiwan Singh (Gurmukhi: ਬਾਬਾ ਜੀਵਨ ਸਿੰਘ; born Jaitha; 13 December 1661 – 22 December 1704) was a Sikh general and companion of Guru Gobind Singh.
Early life
Bhai Jaita was born in 1661 at Patna, Bihar (India) to Sada Nand and mother, Mata Premo transcendence and immanence, in pantheism and nondualism.[2][citation needed] He grew up at Patna where he got training in various weapons and learned the art of warfare. In addition, he learned horse-riding, swimming, music, and Kirtan.[3] When Sikh families staying at Patna returned to Punjab Bhai Jaita and his family went to Ramdas village and lived with Bhai Gurditta, the great-grandson of Baba Buddha. Later, Jaita married Bibi Raj Kaur, daughter of Surjan Singh.[4]
When Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth guru of Sikh, was martyred by the Mughals at Chandni Chowk, Delhi, Bhai Jiwan Singh along with two other Sikhs, recovered his dismembered body from a crowd and brought it back to his son, Guru Gobind Singh.[5][6]
Painting of the head of Guru Tegh Bahadar being brought to Anandpur, where Guru Gobind Singh pays obeisance, circa 19th century
There after Guru Gobind honoured them with the title Mazhabi ("faithful")[7] and said loudly, "Rangrete Guru Ke Bete"(The Rangretas are the Guru's sons) to the all Mazhabi Sikhs. After that, Bhai Jiwan Singh was instructed by his father to behead him in order to swap the head of his father for that of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji. Bhai Jiwan Singh carries out his father's wish and carried the head of Guru Tegh Bahadur from Delhi to Gobind Rai in Anandpur Sahib.[8][9]
Battles and Death
Singh was with the Guru during the evacuation of Anandpur Sahib[10] and fought the battles of Bhangani, Nadaun, Anandpur Sahib, Bajrur, Nirmohgarh, all four wars of Anandpur Sahib, Bansali/Kalmot and Sarsa.[11][12]
Bhai Jiwan Singh also wrote about the exploits of Guru Gobind Singh, in his magnum opus the 'Sri Gur Katha'.[13]
^Khanna, Bharat (25 December 2016). "Martyrdom of Bhai Jiwan Singh observed". The Tribune. "Guru Gobind Singh hugged Bhai Jiwan Singh and said 'Rangrete Guru ke Bete' after Bhai Jiwan Singh brought back the head of beloved ninth Sikh guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had challenged the Sikh community to take back the head of their Guru," said Kiranjit Singh Gehri, Vice-Chairman, Shaheed Baba Jiwan Singh Nishkam Sewa Society. "People are rarely aware of the facts that Baba Jiwan Singh, known as the first General of Khalsa Panth. Baba Jiwan Singh along with his father Sadanand and uncle had planned how to bring back the guru's head. Bhai Jiwan Singh replaced the head of his father with that of the guru's head. All this was possible with the help of Aurangzeb's daughter Zeb-un-Nisa, who used to take classes of music with Baba Jiwan Singh. When the ninth guru was in jail, it was Zeb-un-Nisa, who helped Bhai Jaita to escape from the jail along with 52 hymns of Guru Tegh Bahadur," added Gehri.
^Gandhi, Surjit Singh (2007). History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606-1708 C.E. History of Sikh Gurus Retold. Vol. 2. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. pp. 664–65. ISBN9788126908585. As per order of the government the Guru's body was to be quartered and exposed to public view, obviously to impart stern warning to all such people as dared to go against the wishes and order of the Emperor. But because of prompt and timely action of Sikhs, this could not be done. According to Bansavali Nama, a furious storm raged immediately after this brutal deed was accomplished. In the confusion caused by it, a man, named Jaita (later Jiwan Singh) the resident of Dilwali Gate, Delhi, dashed out of the crowd and instantaneously disappeared with the holy head of the Guru.
