Baba Nihal Singh

1979 Amritsar – Gurumustuk sitting with Baba Nihal Singh

12 Responses to “Baba Nihal Singh”

1. Anonymous says:

   August 10, 2005 at 11:43 am

   Who is baba nihal singh?

2. Anonymous says:

   August 10, 2005 at 12:25 pm

   Wow :| You’re a lucky guy Gurumustuk Singh! that’s amazing

3. Harpreet Singh Gill says:

   August 10, 2005 at 1:33 pm

   http://allaboutsikhs.com/history/his0522.htm

   1964 11 Sikhs were gunned down at Paonta Sahib (Himachal Pradesh) by the Mahant’s henchmen.
   The sangat of Poanta Sahib had requested head of Tarna Dal (not Nihal Singh, but the one before him) to visit the Gurdwara. They complained that the residing masand was abusing the Gurdwara premises through drinking, raping women that came alone, and making prostitutes dance inside. After several such requests Babaji decided to visit Poanta Sahib accompanied by 13 GurSikhs. They left, from Gurdwara Haria Welan Hoshiarpur, riding horses and horse drawn carts. When they arrived near Gurdwara Poanta Sahib, two GurSikhs carried Babaji’s message for the masand requesting initiation of a Akhand Path at the Gurdwara. The masand did not give a definitive answer, instead assured to respond before the next morning. Meanwhile the masand confided with the local police chief, one of his corrupt friends who endorsed and permitted his evil acts.

   Babaji started the Akhand Path next morning which proceeded uninterrupted for 2 days. On the 2nd day, the masand came with the police. They arrested Babaji who was outside at that time and fired at the GurSikhs inside, who were conducting the Akhand Path. The GurSikhs had no guns. For they had not come with the intent to fight, but rather to hear the sangat’s concerns. As a result they were brutally massacred. Eleven died and two survived. As each Pathi was shot while reciting the Guru Granth Sahib, another simply pushed his body and continued the uninterrupted recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Nihal Singh, 21 at the time, continued with his choar sewa (even when he had been shot 3 times) until the last GurSikh was shot. As the Akhand Path was interrupted, Nihal Singh finally fell. The only survivor was the youngest GurSikh, a 11 year old, who was found hiding behind a nagara (drums). Besides him all others were presumed dead. It wasn’t until the bodies were being loaded up in a cart that a small child saw Nihal Singh breath and informed the local sikhs. The local sikhs who had gathered by now, screamed to get him some medical attention. Fortunately they succeeded in their efforts. He received medical attention and survived with Vaaheguru’s grace. He was subsequently honored by many gurdwaras as “Jinda-Shaheed” Jathedar. The masand was finally removed. Akhand paths are held each year in the commemoration of this event.

4. Harpreet Singh Gill says:

   August 10, 2005 at 1:45 pm

   One day a Nihang Singh was on a bus… the conducter starts coming around to give out tickets….
   Guy 1: “Give me a ticket to Anandpur.”
   The Nihang slaps him.
   Guy 1: Why did you slap me?
   Nihang Singh: Why did you say Anandpur, can’t you say Anadpur Sahib?
   other guy gets scared
   Guy 2: Give me a ticket to Jalandhar Sahib.
   Nihang slaps him too.
   Guy 2: Why did you slap ME? I said Sahib…
   Nihang Singh: It is not a dharmik isthaan…
   The third guy gets scared
   Guy 3: Here’s the money…just ask the Nihang where I am going.

5. Harpreet Singh Gill says:

   August 10, 2005 at 1:52 pm

   http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040928/edit.htm#5
   Nihang and the ticket collector
   by Darshan Singh Maini

   THE Nihangs are not often seen in cities, and we know, they are a very special tribe, with a hoary history in Sikh chronicles. It’s on some special occasions — festivals, village sports, gurpurb celebrations — that we watch them in action, attired in their full regalia. Their very clothes proclaim them, for they wear heavy blues and saffrons and always carry their weapons, particularly a long and sharp spear. Their turbans are worn like a pagoda adorned with Khanda, small steel swords etc. Now, one thing that’s not generally known to the people is their own home-grown rhetoric or idiom, and that language is often is amusing as it is confusing.

   They generally live in their own deras, away from towns, and are known to have their own diet and drinks. Bhang, for instance, is their speciality, and after their repast, they practise gatka, a kind of martial game — sword-display, horse-riding etc.

   But the encounter between a Nihang Singh a ticket-collector in a running train really forms the heart of our little story. This incident I’m going to recall here took place some 50 years ago. Accompanied by some members of our family, we boarded a train from
   Delhi to Jabalpur to attend the marriage. ceremonies of a dear cousin.

   And then, when we had been in a special compartment with reserved seats for sitting for six or seven hours, a Nihang Singh boarded our compartment, carrying his usual weapons and fully dressed in their tribe’s prescribed robes. His entry was so dramatic that most of the passengers looked awe-struck, and the children retreated into the laps of their mothers. His loud greetings, “Boley so Nihal� woke up all those dozing or dreaming, He cast a roving eye around, but finding no empty seat, stood like a sentinal right in the middle of the train. He kept reciting sotto-voce some hymns or Nihang mantras, but, otherwise he remained calm, cool and collected. This produced a salutary effect, and the passengers began to feel somewhat at ease.

   And then came that memorable encounter, the Nihang’s brush with a ticket collector in uniform and a punching machine in hand. He went on checking all the seated passengers, one by one, leaving Nihang Singh in peace. And, finally, before he was going to leave the compartment he suddenly turned round on his heels to confront the Nihang Singh. The conversation that followed is put down here somewhat in the manner in which it took place, “May I see your ticket, Nihang Singh Ji,� he said with due respect and salutation.

   The Singh Ji stood gazing at his face, registering no emotion, a statue rooted in the middle of the floor. The ticket collector repeated his request. But he drew a blank again, Non-plussed, the ticket-collector bawled out: “Singh Ji, have you a ticket with you?� “Ticket, eh, what ticket?� he responded in a mocking tone. But the ticket collector was not to be intimated that way. He again repeated his demand, a little more stringently. And the Nihang Singh uttered those memorable words which sent the whole compartment into peels and peels of laughter. “No, I carry no ticket. But who are you to demand one?� “That’s my duty�, the ticket collector added. “Why, is this your train?� “No Nihang ji, it belongs to the Government�. “And the Government belongs to the people�, retorted Nihang Singh. “The people, the earth on which the train is running belongs to God. who’re you to claim it? Take you train off the lines, of the earth�, he quipped with an amused eye. The poor ticket-collector beat a hasty retreat, leaving the passengers laughing and laughing and laughing, the Nihang Singh’s circular, loony logic having done the trick.

6. Harpreet Singh Gill says:

   August 10, 2005 at 1:53 pm

   Baba Nihal Singh, Horshipur lived up to his name

   1980 With the protection of Baba Nihal Singh, Krishan
   Kaur Khalsa was the first woman to perform kirtan, in
   recent time, within the confines of Sri Harimandir
   Sahib. Vikram Singh Khalsa was performing kirtan on
   the Gurupurab for the birthday for Guru Ram Das Ji.
   This kirtan was for a Bhog on the roof of the
   Harimandir Sahib — not in the main hall. When he
   finished, he motioned for Krishna Kaur Khalsa to play.
   As she began some SGPC sevadars moved to stop her but
   Baba Nihal Singh and some other Nihungs stood in their
   way and protected her right to perform kirtan within
   the confines of the Harimandir Sahib. Still no Sikh
   woman has performed kirtan in the main darbar.

   In 1979, Sikhs of American descent performed Kirtan in
   Darbar Sahib for the very first time while observing
   Guru Ram Das’s Prakash Utsav. Sardar Vikram Singh
   Khalsa, Ajeet Singh Khalsa, and Guru Sangat Singh
   Khalsa performed kirtan in the main darbar.

   1984: Baba Nihal Singh was Right Hand Man of Sant
   Jarnail Singh, and had many gevious with the Indian
   Army’s and Politians

   One Story i heard was that they; raided the camp and
   caught Baba Ji and his Singhs, and tied him upto a
   jeep and dragged him around the villages on a
   rope,tearing his skin apart and painstakenly broke his
   arms and legs. They tied his beard up with his “nala”
   from his kachera and beat him continuously. But baba
   ji , nver gave up.

   1964 11 Sikhs were gunned down at Paonta Sahib
   (Himachal Pradesh) by the Mahant’s henchmen.
   The sangat of Poanta Sahib had requested head of Tarna
   Dal (not Nihal Singh, but the one before him) to visit
   the Gurdwara. They complained that the residing masand
   was abusing the Gurdwara premises through drinking,
   raping women that came alone, and making prostitutes
   dance inside. After several such requests Babaji
   decided to visit Poanta Sahib accompanied by 13
   GurSikhs. They left, from Gurdwara Haria Welan
   Hoshiarpur, riding horses and horse drawn carts. When
   they arrived near Gurdwara Poanta Sahib, two GurSikhs
   carried Babaji’s message for the masand requesting
   initiation of a Akhand Path at the Gurdwara. The
   masand did not give a definitive answer, instead
   assured to respond before the next morning. Meanwhile
   the masand confided with the local police chief, one
   of his corrupt friends who endorsed and permitted his
   evil acts.

   Babaji started the Akhand Path next morning which
   proceeded uninterrupted for 2 days. On the 2nd day,
   the masand came with the police. They arrested Babaji
   who was outside at that time and fired at the GurSikhs
   inside, who were conducting the Akhand Path. The
   GurSikhs had no guns. For they had not come with the
   intent to fight, but rather to hear the sangat’s
   concerns. As a result they were brutally massacred.
   Eleven died and two survived. As each Pathi was shot
   while reciting the Guru Granth Sahib, another simply
   pushed his body and continued the uninterrupted
   recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Nihal Singh, 21
   at the time, continued with his choar sewa (even when
   he had been shot 3 times) until the last GurSikh was
   shot. As the Akhand Path was interrupted, Nihal Singh
   finally fell. The only survivor was the youngest
   GurSikh, a 11 year old, who was found hiding behind a
   nagara (drums). Besides him all others were presumed
   dead. It wasn’t until the bodies were being loaded up
   in a cart that a small child saw Nihal Singh breath
   and informed the local sikhs. The local sikhs who had
   gathered by now, screamed to get him some medical
   attention. Fortunately they succeeded in their
   efforts. He received medical attention and survived
   with Vaaheguru’s grace. He was subsequently honored by
   many gurdwaras as “Jinda-Shaheed” Jathedar. The masand
   was finally removed. Akhand paths are held each year
   in the commemoration of this event.

   Still Today Baba Ji lives on….Salute to a devouted
   Sevadar of the Panth

7. Anonymous says:

   August 10, 2005 at 2:59 pm

   Harpeet singh,

   Do you have more jokes like these, I can’t stop laughing……

   Gurinder

8. Mata ji Sat Kirin Kaur says:

   August 10, 2005 at 4:54 pm

   Hello, This is in 1979…not ’73.
   Baba Nihal Singh is the head of the Nihang Sikhs. He first met Yogi Bhajan this year.

9. SatKirin KAur Khalsa says:

   August 10, 2005 at 4:56 pm

   Harpreet Singh it was Black Krishna….not Krishan Kaur

10. Sat Kirin KAur says:

    August 10, 2005 at 5:08 pm

    The stories of Nihang Singhs ridong trains must be the cause that I have heard that Nihang Singh travel on trains without having to pay….I guess ereryone is too awestruck or afraid.

11. Harpreet Singh Gill says:

    August 11, 2005 at 6:04 am

    Sorry for omissions or mistakes

12. Ramanjot kaur says:

    January 18, 2010 at 5:42 pm

    I just can’t stop laghing the jokes r so funny XD