Sant Baba Gurbachan Singh (Bhindranwale)

Respected Panthic diamond, treasure-trove of knowledge, Brahm Giani, complete in the practices of the Khalsa, Sant Giani Gurbachan Singh Jee Khalsa Bhindra(n) Vale was born on Wednesday 12 February 1902 at Amrit Vela (Ambrosial Hours). After his birth he was bathed and taken to the Gurdwara into the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee, the Birth Ceremony was performed and Amrit was given to Sant Jee. Karah Parshad was prepared, Ardas performed and a Hukamnama taken. Sant Jee was named from the first letter of the Hukamnama, per Sikh tradition. His parents were devout Sikhs and due to the religious outlook of the household, from a young age Sant Jee started placing a Rumala over a stool and doing Chaur over it with peacock feathers as a child. In childhood he learnt the correct pronunciations of the following – Panj Granthi, 21 Vars, Bhagat Bani & Das Granthi, and memorised the 5 morning Nitnem Prayers. Upon listening to Kirtan, Sant jee’s spirit would get uplifted to some inexplicable inner spiritual state of enjoining at the feet of Satguru jee. Due to the guidance of his paternal uncle at the age of 7 years, Sant Jee was an Akhand Pathee of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee. At the age of 13 years he also mastered the Sanskrit language, he read Ramayan, Mahabharat, Yoga Vishest and other Vedic Granths, after understanding and pondering on the teachings of these, Sant Jee read the Faridkoth Teeka of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee, authored by 52 Nirmala intellectuals, he gained much knowledge from this. But the spiritual taste/elixir he was searching for was not discovered. In 1920 Sant Sundar Singh Jee arrived at Village Akhare on their preaching tour, it was here upon meeting Sant Sundar Singh Jee that the young Sant Gurbachan Singh gained the inner peace that he was searching for. The Jaap/mediation of Vaheguru Gurmantar began intrinsically. By listening to the Katha and Kirtan of Sant Sundar Singh Jee, Sant Gurbachan Singh’s heart was finally filled with peace and bliss. It was at this point that he felt he should become a part of the Khalsa Panth and he took Amrit. He became such a true Khalsa that he made his life a continuous penance, such a blissful repetition of Simran began which he enjoyed to his last moments, a non-stop invigorating meditation. Mind, body and wealth were all sacrificed at the feet of the Guru.