BOTA SINGH (d. 1739), an eighteenth century martyr of the Sikh faith who belongs to the village of Bharana in Amritsar place. In those days of dire persecution, he along with many fellow Sikhs had sought the safety of jungles and wastes. At nightfall, he would come out of his hiding place and visit certain human habitations in searching of food. Occasionally he would come to Amritsar by night to have a dip in a holy tank, spend the day in the wilderness around Tarn Taran. One day he was noticed by certain humans who thought he was a Sikh.
But one of the party said that he was not a Sikh, for had he been one he would not hide himself thus. The taunt cut Bota Singh to the fast. Go with by his companion Garja Singh, a Rarighreta Sikh, and with a bamboo club in his hand, he had taken up the position on the grand trunk road, near Tarn Taran, near Sarai Nur udDin,. To announce his presence and proclaiming the sovereignty of the Khalsa, he began collecting toll from the passersby. Find everyone submitting tamely to his authority, he sent up a communication to a provincial governor himself.
Zakariya Khan, the governor, sent up a contingent of one hundred horse under Jalal Din arresting Bota Singh alive and bringing him to Lahore. Jalal Din asked Bota Singh and Garja Singh to accompany and surrender him to Lahore, promised to secure them the governor’s pardon. Bota Singh and his comrade refused the offer and fell fighting courageously against heavy odds. This occured in 1739.
Bhai Bota Singh Garja Singh, the tale Recounted in Depth
Many of us are familliar with the story tale of Bhai Garja Singh and Bhai Bota Singh. The fact is however, that the true details of their bloody and heroic shaheedee are not commonly known. The details are awe-inspiring. How with smashed bones they crawled toward the enemy is avoided by most history books.
Are not all the Sikh Singhs Dead?
It had been four months since a Singh had been seen in a Punjab. Hundreds if not thousands of Singhs had been killed and humans atarted to say that all the Singhs have been matyred. They might say, The Mughals beaten up the Sikhs. They totally get rid of them. The Singhs no longer battle the Mughals nor do they attacked. Four months have been passed and there has no word from the Khalsa. It seems that the Khalsa has been totally killed off.
Bhai Bota Singh
Bhai Bota Singh was from the Taran Taaran zone and had been separated from a main Jatha of Singhs. Bhai Bota Singh was an unmarried Singh who was pretty much strict in his rehit. He was a sevak of the Satguru and in his heart he was the true warrior with absolutely no fear. He was pretty much true to every word that he spoke.
It was amrit vela and Bhai Bota Singh left his hidden place in the jungle and was quiet way walking out. They were stunned to see a Singh after such a longer time and one of presented the question, “How did this Singh remained alive? How did he survived this long? No, he should be a fake. No Singhs can be found anywhere at present, since the Mughals wiped them out.
The second traveller replied, It should be some coward, who is afraid and weak. The Singhs were a pretty much proud people and didn’t go about in hiding. The Khalsa used to battle the Mughals everyday. The Khalsa was never be scared of death. How could this man be a real Khalsa if he has been hiding for so much long, in the fear of being killed? The real Khalsa used to cause chaos for the enemy and might sacrifice his head for the sake of others. This could be no Khalsa.
Sacrifice to Awaken the Panth
Bhai Bota Singh heard these words and stopping in his tracks. His feet were planted solidly in the ground. He had heard this entire conversation with closer attention. Hearing these words, Bhai Bota Singh reached a conclusion: “There is no alternatiive now, but for me to sacrifice my head. If I sacrificing my head the humans will again say Indeed! The Singhs live! and news of my battle will travelling all over Punjab. The nation will understand that the Khalsa lives and the Khalsa too will be motivated to re-start its battle against a enemy. I will fight my battle on the major road. When I given my head, the Mughals will be shamed for having attacked a lone Singh with such cowardice and the talk of the Khalsa will begin and the Khalsa will rise up again! Once the Khalsa lays its claim to rule of this land and we would seize this land back from the enemy.
