bhai Jivan Singh (13 December 1649 – 22 December, 1705) was the name given to Bhai Jaita after he had received the rites of initiation at the hands of Guru Gobind Singh on the day – 14 April, 1699 when the Khalsa was inaugurated. He was a Sikh from Patna, India who had belonged to the Majhabi (scavenger) caste.

He received initiation into Khalsa panth from Guru Gobind Singh who had previously given him the special honour by addressing him as “Ranghareta Guru Ka Beta” (“the young man of the Ranghar caste is the Guru’s own son”). The Ranghar caste was a caste created for those born of a union between a Hindu and a Muslim. Both the children and their descendants were considered outcasts by the Hindus.

It was Bhai Jaita who had risked his life to recover and return the severed head of Guru Tegh Bahadur to the Guru for cremation. He became famous when he cut the head of his own father (bhai sada nand) and remaing body was buried under the home where all family residing and placed on where ninth guru of sikhs Guru Teg Bahadur sahib ji, and then he rescude the severed head of ninth guru of the sikhs Guru teg bahadur sahib ji who has been executed in the dilhi on the order of Aurangzeb .

He succeeded in evading the guards and escaping with the severed head of the ninth Guru to Anandpur where he was received with much honour by Guru Gobind Singh. othe

Bhai Jaita Ji, his uncle Bhai Agya Ram Ji and Bhai Oodai Ji hurriedly removed the head and trunk of Guru Ji, put Bhai Sada Nand Ji’s head and trunk at that place and disappeared on tiptoe. Putting Guru Ji’s head and trunk on their horses tethered at some distance, Bhai Agya Ram Ji reached his house at Bhai Kaliana’s Dharamshal in village Raisinha near Delhi. They cremated Guru Ji’s body by raising a pyre within the house.

The Kotwal of Chandni Chowk, Khwaja Abdullah and Aurangzeb’s daughter Zebunnisa had assisted in this act. Later when Emperor Aurangzeb came to know of the cremation, he martyred Bhai Agya Ram Ji and his family by torturing them to death. However, no reference is available regarding what happened to Pandit Shiv Narain Ji’s family. Aurangzeb confiscated the site of Bhai Agya Ram’s house and built a mosque there. Later on Jathedar Baghel Singh demolished this mosque and built there a Gurdwara named Rakab Ganj Sahib.

After he cremated the Guru Ji’s trunk in his uncle’s house, Bhai Jaita took the head along, taking advantage of the dark of the night and rainy weather and deceiving the royal forces. Following a zig-zag passage and passing through Bagpat, Taraori, Ambala, Nabha etc. he reached Kiratpur Sahib on 15 November, 1675 A.D.

Battles
Baba Jiwan Singh Ji had stood by Guru Ji and showed the feats of his bravery in the following battles:

1. The Battle of Bhangani
2. The Battle of Nadaun
3. The Battle of Anandpur Sahib
4. The Battle of Bajrur
5. The Battle of Nirmohgarh
6. The First Battle of Anandpur Sahib
7. Sudden Attack on Anandpur Sahib
8. Second Battle of Anandpur Sahib
9. Third Battle of Anandpur Sahib
10. Fourth Battle of Anandpur Sahib
11. The Battle of Bansali/Kalmot
12. Sudden Attack-A Battle near Chamkaur Sahib
13. Freeing a Brahman Woman at Bassi Kalan
14. The Battle of Sirsa
15. The Battle of Chamkaur

While fighting the battle of Sirsa, Sahibzada Ajit Singh was caught in the siege of the enemies. Baba Jiwan Singh rode his horse, holding swords in both hands, held the reins of his horse in his mouth, made a short work of many enemies and succeeded in extricating Sahibzada Ajit Singh safe and sound from the circle of the enemy.

There can hardly be any fighter in the world who may ride his horse, holding the reins in mouth and wield two swords with his right and left hand at the same time. Similarly, no match to Baba Jiwan Singh Ji has been so far born in the world who may make sure shots with two rifles at the same time. That is why during the warfare he always kept his two guns Nagni and Baghni with him.

Guru Ji introduced the war-drum (Ranjit Nagara) to inject heroism in his soldiers during the war, the second of which could be heard over a long distance. The drum was beaten under the supervision of Baba Jiwan Singh Ji because he was the Chief Drummer, and the fighting was always started with the beat of the drum.

He possessed special expertise in guerilla warfare. In addition to this Guru Ji had appointed him the Chief of the Intelligence Department. According to historical research he was also the tutor of the two elder sons (Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji & Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji) of the Guru Ji in military training.

Sri Gur Katha

He was not only a great fighter, but he was also an excellent poet. His work “Sri Gur Katha” is a great contribution to the Sikh religion. This book contains a first hand account of Guru Ji’s battles.

The praises of Guru Ji sung in a devoted and emotional manner in this book make Baba Jiwan Singh Ji a poet of the rank of Bhatt Poets in Guru Granth Sahib. The picture of the personality of Satguru Ji is matchless and unique. He has also recounted in this book all the incidents in relation to Amrit captivation, the mode of preparing Amrit, the importance of five symbols in Sikhism, sikh conduct and conventions, martyrdoms of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji and Bhai Sada Nand Ji (The Father of Bhai Jiwan Singh Ji) in detail.

To express his thoughts and emotions Baba Jiwan Singh Ji has used various like Kabitt, Swaiyya, Dohira, Sarkhandi, Kundlia, Rala, Bisham Padi (Shabad), Chopayee, Sortha etc. To express his meaning Baba Ji has used various literary techniques such as Alliteration, Simile, Metaphor, Proverbs, Examples, Weepsa Alankar, Utparokhia Alankar and Ulek Alankar. Baba Ji’s writing is dominated by thoughts founded on devotion, on which account essence of solace is supreme, but he has also made use of Pathos, Vir Ras and Vibh Ras.

The style is the image of a writer’s personality. Love of the Guru in his heart, courage, devotion, faith, forbearance, humility, enthusiasm etc. all have contributed to making his style distinctive.

The Martyrdom of Baba Jiwan Singh Ji at Chamkaur Sahib

Guru Gobind Singh Ji along with 40 Singhs, including two of his older sons, and the five Panj Piyare, the original “Beloved Five” reached Chamkaur di Garhi, after leaving Anandpur on the night of December 22/23, 1704A.D., crossing the flooded Sarsa rivulet, and resting at Kot Nihang Khan. They asked permission of the city chief for shelter to rest for the night in their garhi or haveli.

The Battle Of Chamkaur Sahib was a battle fought between Khalsa led by Guru Gobind Singh against the Mughal forces led by Wazir Khan and other Mughal Generals.