SHAHEED BHAI MANI SINGH JI (Painting)
Chanchal Manohar Singh
PAYING HOMAGE TO SHAHEED BHAI MANI SINGH
JI ON HIS 289th MARTYRDOM DAY (JULY 9, 2026)
(d. 1737)
Bhai Mani Singh Ji Shaheed was born in the village Kaibowal also known as Kaimbowal
near Sunam, Tehsil and District Sangrur in a Dulatt Jat family. This village got turned into ruins
during an invasion by Nadir Shah and became extinct. When he was five years old his father
Chaudhary Kala Ji brought him to the presence of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib at Anandpur
Sahib, District Ropar. Bhai Mani Singh Ji was approximately the same age as Gobind Rai Ji (Sri
Guru Gobind Singh Ji) so they grew up together.
There is some discordance between the historians about the exact date of birth of Bhai
Mani Singh Ji although most of them agree that when he was about 5 years of age his father
Chaudhary Kala Ji brought him to the presence of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji. At that time
he was also known as Mania. He was of the same age as Gobind Rai Ji. He grew up along with
Gobind Rai Ji.
According to Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha Bhai Mani Singh Ji was born in the village
Kaibowal, near Sunam, son of Dulatt Jat Chaudhary Kala Ji. When he was five years old his
father gave him away to Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib. He was approximately the same age as
Gobind Rai Ji (Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji).
In our daily ardas (prayer) we pay obeisance to our great martyrs saying "dharm het sees
ditte, band band katwai, charkharian te chareh…….dharam nahi haria" and pay our homage to
those who after being tortured in various ways sacrificed their life were cut into pieces limb by
limb, whose bodies were broken on the death wheel… who for their religious conviction
remained steadfast in their religion…". When we utter the above mentioned words we should try
to visualize the tortures impinged on the martyrs, the valour with which they bore the pain and
not just utter these words as a repetition drill.
According to one historians Bhai Mani Singh Ji was the most learned and most respected
Sikh of the time. He was born in a family which strictly followed the life style set by the Guru.
Under the Mughal rule Bhai Mani Singh Ji at an age of 80 years was tortured to death cutting
limb by limb. Among the Sikhs who were martyred in the 18th century Bhai Mani Singh Ji's
name is very prominent. It was the time that thousands of Sikhs were killed.
Some historians have confused Bhai Mani Singh Ji with Bhai Mani Ram Ji and under the
name of Bhai Mani Singh Ji have given all the facts about Bhai Mani Ram Ji. Because of this
blunder they have stated that Bhai Mani Singh Ji was born in Multan and that he had five sons.
Because of this mistake by one historian several other writers have committed this mistake. It is
worth mentioning that in The Encyclopedia of Sikhism published by Punjabi University, Patiala,
(Vol. III), the bio-graphy of Bhai Mani Singh Ji and Mani Ram Ji appear on the same page
number 39 which makes it clear that Bhai Mani Singh Ji was born in village Kaibowal in District
Sangrur of Punjab whereas Bhai Mani Ram Ji was born in Multan. Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha's
book Mahan Kosh has given the biographies of Bhai Mani Singh Ji and Bhai Mani Ram Ji on the
same page (Number 950-951) which makes it clear that Bhai Mani Singh Ji was born in village
Kaibowal whereas Bhai Mani Ram Ji was born in Multan. Giani Gian Singh in Panth Prakash
says that he was born in a Dulatt Jat family at village Kaibowal also known as Kaimbowal near
Sunam in Sangrur district of Punjab. Giani Gian Singh in his book Panth Prakash, Giani Bhajan
Singh in his book Sade Shaheed and many other historians have pin-pointed that Bhai Mani
Singh Ji came of a Dulatt Jat family of village Kaibowal also known as Kaimbowal near Sunam
in Sangrur District of Punjab. This village became extinct during an invasion by Nadir Shah and
was re-established only a few decades ago. Around 1975-76 as a memorial to Bhai Mani Singh
Ji's birth place, Gurdwara Bhai Mani Singh Ji was established and named Gurdwara Janam
Asthan Bhai Mani Singh Ji on the ruins of village Kaimbowal which is a three storeyed spacious
stately Gurdwara Sahib. Another memorial Gurdwara has been raised in recent decades in
Kaimbowal near Longowal close to his birth place.
At this time the Mughal forces had forbidden the entry of Sikhs into the holy shrine Sri
Darbar Sahib, Amritsar. After the martyrdom of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Ji on June 9, 1716,
the Government started persecuting and killing the Sikhs wherever found. For about sixteen years
the Sikhs were mercilessly killed which prompted them to live in jungles, deserts or other hideouts.
During 1732-33 Bhai Mani Singh Ji tried to bring together, the Sikhs who were divided in
groups. As soon as the Sikhs started organizing themselves the Government became very active.
In 1736 Zakria Khan the then Governor of Lahore organized an army of 20,000 soldiers to catch
and kill the Sikhs and appointed two commanders for this action, his nephew Mukhlis Khan and
Lakhpat Rai who was Diwan at that time. Different segments of this army roamed during to day
to catch and kill the Sikhs. Therefore, during the day the Sikhs tried to stay away from killer
forces but at night in the form of Jathas they would appear on important routes.
The Mughal forces were stationed around Sri Darbar Sahib to forbid the entry of Sikhs in
Darbar Sahib. As such it was not possible for the Sikhs to celebrate Baisakhi and Diwali festivals
at Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar. Around this time in 1737 Bhai Mani Singh Ji approached the
Governor of Lahore to allow the Sikhs to celebrate the upcoming Diwali festival at Sri Darbar
Sahib, Amritsar. He was granted this permission on the condition that at the end of the festival he
will pay Rs. 5000/- (Rs. 10,000 according to some historians) as tax.
Iqbal Qaiser in his book Historical Sikh Shrines in Pakistan published by Punjabi History
Board, Lahore writes about Shaheed Ganj Bhai Mani Singh Ji and if Bhai Mani Singh Ji had been
born in Multan he would have also pin-pointed his birth place as Multan this clearly shows that
Bhai Mani Singh Ji was not born in Multan, Pakistan. Amardeep Singh in his book titled The
Lost Heritage: The Sikh Legacy in Pakistan has not mentioned any place as place of birth of Bhai
Mani Singh Ji in Pakistan.
When in 1675 Gobind Rai Ji assumed Guruship Bhai Mani Singh Ji accompanied him.
When Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji went to Paonta Sahib he spent three years with him in literary
pursuits. On March 30, 1699 he was baptized, received (amrit) nectar at the hands of Sri Guru
Gobind Singh Ji.
Since 1696 there had been no care-taker at Sri Darbar Sahib. Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji
sent him to Amritsar to handle the affairs there. During this period he continued to keep a close
contact with Guru Sahib.
After the martyrdom of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Ji on June 9, 1716 Sikhs were only
beaten, looted and killed which had forced them to hide themselves in far off jungles and deserts.
After about a decade and a half of this situation, the Sikhs started organizing themselves in jathas
and became armed. As soon as the hakoomat (ruling authorities) realized that the Sikhs had
organized themselves and had started living in Sri Darbar Sahib harmoniously they decided to
crush their organizational power. In their view Bhai Mani Singh Ji was the main motivation to
promote the Sikhs to rebel against the Mughal empire, they decided to work out a plan to crush
the Sikhs. Lakhpat Rai was especially asked to go to Amritsar to suppress the Sikhs who gathered
at Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar. The government brought Sri Harmandar Sahib under its control
and all the routes leading to Sri Darbar Sahib were barricaded. In addition, mobile army
contingents were deployed to encircle and kill the Sikhs. The Chaudharies of surrounding
parganas were directed to catch the Sikhs anywhere and everywhere and have them sent to
Lahore where they were mercilessly killed. As reported by Teja Singh and Ganda Singh, under
these orders of the government thousands of Sikhs were tortured to death. These martyrdoms of
Sikhs got engraved so deeply in the hearts of Sikhs that since then their martyrdoms became part
and parcel of the daily prayer of the Sikhs.
On the night of December 5-6, 1705, when Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji evacuated the fort at
Chamkaur Sahib he escorted to Talwandi Sabo Mata Sundri Ji and Mata Sahib Kaur Ji to Delhi.
In 1706 he rejoined Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Talwandi sabo. He prepared under the guidance
of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji the final recession of the Sikh scripture Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
Sometime after Guru Sahib left for South he resumed his duties at Amritsar. After the battle at
Chamkaur Sahib in 1706 he rejoined Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Talwandi Sabo, now called
Damdama Sahib. In 1706 as per the orders of Guru Sahib he brought Mata Sundri Ji and Mata
Sahib Kaur Ji from Delhi to Talwandi Sabo in 1706. At Talwandi Sabo under the guidance of
Guru Sahib he prepared the final recension of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. After Sri Guru Gobind
Singh Ji left for Nanded he went to Amritsar and resumed his duties there.
Under the direction of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji he rearranged Sri Guru Granth Sahib
which is known as Damdami Bir. Under the sponsorship of Mata Sundri Ji, he collected the
writings of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji and prepared Sri Dasam Granth Sahib.
In 1737 he applied to the Governor of Punjab to celebrate Baisakhi and Diwali festivals at
Sri Darbar Sahib. He received the permission to hold the Diwali festival at Amritsar and pay
Rs.5000 (10,000 Rattan Singh Bhangoo). The Government under the pretext of maintaining law
and order sent a force under Lakhpat Rai to Amritsar. The army gathered at Ram Tirath to
frighten the Sikhs and stop the pilgrims going towards Amritsar on Diwali. Learning about the
plan of the Mughal empire Bhai Mani Singh Ji sent words to the Sikh not to come to Amritsar at
Diwali. As such Rs. 5000 could not be collected by Bhai Mani Singh Ji. Thus he was martyred in
1737. The historians in general, agree that he was martyred when he was 80 years old. His age at
the time of martyrdom is not an important issue. The main thing is the way in which he was
tortured and martyred. His body was mangled limb by limb.
According to Iqbal Qaiser the site of martyrdom of Bhai Mani Singh is located inside
Masti Gate of Lahore. He has the honour of being a childhood friend of Dashmesh Pita (10th
Guru). He had compiled the Guru Granth Sahib under the divine guidance of Dashmesh Ji. In
1721 AD Mata Sundri appointed him as the Granthi of Harmandir Sahib. It is said that he called a
gathering of the Sikhs to come to Harmandar Sahib on the occasion of Diwali with the permission
of the then government. But he cancelled the programme and informed the sangats when he learnt
that the government would massacre the Sikhs gathered there. Bhai Ji was arrested on this
account. All kinds of cajoles, threats and tortures could not shake him from his life in the manner
of Sikhism. At last in 1724 AD he was hacked to pieces and martyred at this spot. Initially the
control of this Shaheed Ganj was with the Mahants but in 1923 AD, it passed on to the hands of
WAQF Board.
Some historians have written that Bhai Mani Singh Ji was martyred because of nonpayment
of the amount of Rs.5000. It may be added that Rattan Singh Bhangoo, Khushwant Rai
and Sohan Lal give another reason for the martyrdom of Bhai Mani Singh Ji. They say that Bhai
Mani Singh Ji was hauled up (i) for converting people to Sikhism in Lahore. (ii) refusing to shave
off his hair and (iii) in bluntly refusing to do so and had used strong words. It is very sad that at
the place of his martyrdom a carpenter has established his sawmill for cutting wood and iron.
In the fond memory of Bhai Mani Singh Ji in Sarafa Bazar, Rawalpindi, Paksitan
Gurdwara Bhai Mani Singh Ji has been established. Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha in his book Mahan
Kosh (1930) has stated that there is also a well which the cruel hakoomat got filled with the heads
of Sikhs. Under these allegations Bhai Mani Singh Ji was arrested and then killed by cutting him
limb by him.
As reported by Rattan Singh Bhangu in his book Prachin Panth Prakash after Sri Guru
Gobind Singh Ji left for his heavenly abode on October 7, 1708 Bhai Mani Singh Ji carried on his
duties at Amritsar under the directions of Mata Sundri Ji who was living in Delhi.
Two of Bhai Mani Singh Ji writings Gian Ratnavali and Bhagat Ratnavli are a very
valuable contribution to Sikh literatures.
It is very sad that the place of his martyrdom a carpenter has established his sawmill for
cutting iron and wood. It seems appropriate to the present writer to end this write-up with the
emotions expressed by Amardeep Singh (2016) while leaving the place of martyrdom of Bhai
Mani Singh Ji. Walking away the screeching sounds of lathe machines dismembering iron rods
were a vivid reminder of the supreme sacrifice of Bhai Mani Singh Ji who was cruelly martyred
(418-421).
This year i.e., in 2026 Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh Ji’s 289th Martyrdom Anniversary was
observed on July 9 by the Sikh Sangat all over the world.
DHAN DHAN BHAI MANI SINGH JI
Dr. Amrit Kaur, Retd. Professor, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab
Email: amritkaurchd40@gmail.com