Bhai Fauja Singh. 'Fauja' means soldier, and he truly lived to his name. Much of his life was spent in fighting against unrighteousness and standing up for the true principles of Sikh Dharma.
Bhai Sahib longed for young Sikhs to come forward and take on a life in the Khalsa army. He would feel great pain whenever he heard of any act of contempt against Gurmat principles. His lifestyle was a throwback to our great forefathers and Sikh ancestors and his speech and conversation levelled on the theme of a warrior lifestyle. He had no regard for his own prosperity and wealth and recognised everything as the property of the Khalsa.
-Bhai Sahib Hazoraa Singh
I know he was a fierce and brave warrior of the Guru, but I remember him as a gentle and kind teacher. We were so young, and so new to Sikhi, and so ignorant. Bibi Amarjeet Kaur and Bhai Fauja Singh treated us like spiritual children, and patiently taught us and inspired us on the Guru's Path. They wrote the sweetest letters to encourage our devotion to Waheguru. He never chastized us or humiliated us for the hundreds of thousands of mistakes that we made every day - instead there was such a pure love that any mistake was gently corrected and immediately forgiven.
-Bibi Shanti Kaur Khalsa
One day there were about 12 Sikhs from our village who were sitting in conversation with Bhai Sahib. Bibi Jee was there too. He told her that they were so lucky to not have had children. He said that Guru Sahib had blessed them with these children who were already grown up. He recognised the youth as his children and showed them the utmost love and devotion.
-Bhai Sahib Hazoraa Singh
Bhai Fauja Singh was a very carefree soul. He did not care for his own self nor for luxuries, etc. which we all seem to be gathering today. Once, in a Gathka spar fight with swords, Bhai Sahib was cut on the leg by the other Singh. When some Singhs came to look at the cut, Bhai Sahib told them not to bother about it..but it was clear to everyone that the cut was a serious one. It was about 4 inches long and one inch deep. However to everyones amazement, he continued to fight as if nothing had happened. This was the everyday life of this most special Gursikh.
-Master Niranjan Singh Ji, Gurdaspur
His daily routine began by waking up at 2 a.m Amrit Vela. After having a bath he would begin Nam Simran. After Nam Simran he would do Nitnem, the Satguru`s Darshan, Kirtan, Sat Sangat and then he would be happy doing Sewa all day long. Bhai Fauja Singh's house was very close to the Siri Darbar Sahib, for many years so many Singhs and Singhnis used to visit him when going to the Darbar Sahib. The couple lived on the third floor where there were no facilities for water. Every night, before going to sleep, Bhai Fauja Singh would fill buckets of water from the water pump down below and take them upstairs for the Amrit Vela Ishnan of the Sangat staying there. The three flights of stairs were so narrow it was even difficult to walk up them without carrying anything. When we asked him to make some facilities for the water, he would laughingly reply, "Sister, if some other facilities were made available then I would not be able to do this Sewa anymore".
He was always ready to help others by himself or by giving money and his mind was always thinking of the Satguru or the Panth. Laziness, sleep and hunger were never around him.
We used to talk at home amongst ourselves that this was a soul of a Shaheed sent here for a particular reason and when that event has taken place it will go, we could not see it staying for long. Guru Ji gave his blessings and made him give Shaheedi to wake up the sleeping Khalsa Panth and bring back the Khalsa spirit and love, devotion and respect for Satguru. This Singh was always ready to obey the Guru`s orders. It was out of this spirit of devotion and sense of duty towards the Guru that Bhai Fauja Singh immediately got up from doing the Sewa of the Langar and presented himself. He completed the Sewa that Satguru had sent him to do. Bhai Fauja Singh and the other 12 Gursikhs gave their lives to break the unconsciousness of the Panth and to make it stand on its own two feet again. The Panth should uphold the respect of the Satguru at all times.
-Bibi Harsharan Kaur Ji, Jullunder
This is the day to be proud of, that at least there were men among us who would live by the very tradition of the Khlasa. There were men among us while alive who could live and who could take eleven bullets in their body and still say, “Waheguru-Waheguru-Waheguru.” They went as a true Son goes to defend the Grace of the Father.
– Siri Singh Sahib Ji
We should follow equally in the very footsteps, of these gracious people who at least knew how to die, and not how to die in the Name of the Guru and the Khalsa. So, now we can tell our children that Sikh History has not ended, it has begun, as a new page of life.
