Bhai Bachittar Singh Ji

Born: April 1663
Joti Jot: December 1705
Mother: Bibi Seeto Kaur
Father: Bhai Mani Singh Ji (Cut limb by limb)
Place of Birth: Padiana, India

Taking Amrit and Doing Seva

Bhai Bachittar Singh Ji was born in a Gursikh family so he had been with Guru Gobind Singh Ji since a very young age. He was only 3 years older than Guru Ji.
Bhai Sahib took Amrit on April 1699 from Guru Gobind Singh Ji himself.
Bhai Sahib was one of the 25 selected Singhs who stayed with Guru Ji at night time to keep watch.
Although Bhai Bachittar Singh Ji was a small person, he did plenty of Seva for the Sangat and Guru Ji.

Fighting the Drunken Elephant

For many years the Hindu Hill Rajas (Kings) were against the Sikhs. They didn’t want the Khalsa to grow and hated Guru Sahib for bringing so many people into a religion that doesn’t believe in caste or worshipping stones.
In 1701, the Hill Rajas attacked the Khalsa many times but they kept on losing the battles. One day, they decided that they need a new plan to attack Guru Sahib’s army which was staying at Lohgarh Fort.
One of the Hill Raja’s advisors, Parmanand, said to them “We should get a drunken elephant, covered in iron plates, to break down the door of Lohgarh Fort”.
Everyone really liked this idea and decided that the elephant should have a long sword attached to its trunk to kill anyone that tries to stop it.
The day before the attack, Guru Gobind Singh Ji found out. Guru Ji looked towards the Sangat and saw Bhai Duni Chand who was a very strong and tall man capable of fighting many people at once.
Guru Ji said to the Sangat “The elephant will be defeated and turned back by Bhai Duni Chand who is the elephant of this Darbar”.
Duni Chand heard these words and felt afraid. He could not understand how he alone could fight a drunken elephant covered in iron.
During the middle of the night, Bhai Duni Chand asked many Singhs if they could talk to Guru Ji about fighting the elephant in a different way.
All the Singhs told him “You are lucky Guru Sahib picked you. Guru Sahib himself will do kirpa and defeat the elephant but you will get the credit”. They told him that he will win.
Bhai Duni Chand decided to sneak out of Lohgarh Fort so he would not have to face the drunken elephant.
The next morning, Guru Sahib found out and he looked towards the Sangat to try to find another soldier to take on the elephant on their own.
Guru Ji’s eyes barely looked at Bhai Bachittar Singh and the small Singh stood up with his hands together and said “Maharaj, I am at your service. What are your orders?”.
Guru Ji told everyone that Bhai Bachittar Singh will face the giant elephant. Everyone was shocked because they couldn’t imagine a small person like Bhai Sahib fighting an elephant.
Bhai Sahib set off on his horse with a spear. He saw the army of the Hill Rajas and in front of them was a huge armoured elephant storming towards Bhai Sahib.
As they got closer Bhai Bachittar Singh lifted his Nagni Barsha (Spear) and stabbed the elephant in the forehead.
When he took the spear out, blood gushed out of the elephant’s head. The elephant panicked, turned around and started waving the sword around killing the Hill Raja’s men.
The Hill Raja army retreated and did not even get to Lohgarh Fort. Guru Sahib was pleased with Bhai Bachittar Singh Ji.

Morals of story:

Always do what Guru Ji tells you to.
Be Nirbhau (Fearless)
Guru Ji prefers a Sikh that is strong from the inside over a Sikh that is only strong from the outside.
With Guru Sahib’s help, you can do anything, even if it means fighting a giant drunken elephant!

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