Around the times of the creation of Pakistan Gurbachan Singh ji played a huge role in shaping the Sikh foundations in Punjab for the next centrury. He got over 100,000 people baptized into the Khalsa fold. He was the 12th Jathedar of the Damdami Taksal followed by Sant Gaini Mohan Singh ji Bhindranwale. He would travel around in villages and towns and major cities doing katha and kirtan. He did santiya of SGGS many times. He would hold smagams throughout Punjab some of which would coincide and join with other major body such as with Namdharis and others. He also helped initiate thousands of akhand paths.

Biography

1st Santiya Katha

Under the instructions of Sant Gaini Sunder Singh ji Sant ji on the day after Dussehra samagam started his first major sanitya katha at Bhoparai Kalan, Ludhiana district, Gurdwara Sahib. Sant Gaini Kirpal Singh je aided in completion of the katha after Majh ke vaar 4th pauri (ang 139). Before starting the katha Sant ji told the told of the lifestyles of Mahapurakhs and their contributions.

2nd Santiya Katha

The next katha was started after the tradition carrying sangat of Gurudwara Panjokhra Sahib of 8th King Satguru Shri Hare Krishin ji Pakhowal, Ludhiana district, request to Sant ji to do Katha. They had only approached Asa raga when sudden news came of Sant Gaini Sunder Singhs demise of health and relocation to Ludhiana hospital where the jatha stayed till his passing away. The rest of the katha began after the 1931 AD Bhoparai annual program.

3rd Santiya Katha

The third katha of SGGS ji was started Harh Sangrand 1932 AD again Bhoparai Kalan, Ludhiana district at as per traditions after the bhog of Akhand Path. The katha was started after 5 repetitions of Mool Mantra and Gurmantra and a Question and Answer period by Sant ji's disciples.

4th Santiya Katha

After listening to Shah Daleep Singh's, the head of village Metha, Amritsar district, plead Sant ji started katha near Vaisakhi day 1934 with 25 Singhs present in the jatha doing katha and kirtan. During this time they also repaired and made improvements to the Saravor in the historical Gurudwara of Sri Haregobindpur Sahib.

5th Santiya Katha

After competing the 4th Sanitya Katha on 1935 Visakhi day the jatha took a break and toured various areas. They came back as planned and started the fifth Sanitya Katha at Panjokhra Sahib, present day Ambala District, in Haryana, during Harh on Sixth Satguru's Sri Guru Haregobind Patshah ji's Avtar Gurpurb. On the first day there were 27 Singhs present and the number began to grow.

6th Santiya Katha

In 1936 AD at Ramgarh, near Jagraon, Ludhiana.

7th Santiya Katha

After the annual meetup on 1938 AD month of Asu on full moon (sangand) at village Bhindra Kalan, in present day Moga District, Sant Ji went to Gurdwara Akhand Prakash there and started the 7th Santiya Katha of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. At the beginning 48 Singhs joined the jatha to learn path and understand it's meanings. After staying at Bhindra for a while they all moved the location to village Metha (in Amritsar District) at two time Kirtan and Katha resumed.

8th Santiya Katha

1940 on Kattak punia Avtar Gurpurb of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Sant Ji started his 8th Santha Katha of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji at Sant Kirpal Singh's Gurdwara Rode village, in present day Moga District. The students from the previous Katha where there with about a total of about 80-85 Singhs present. Whilst still at Rode the students asked Sant ji after finishing santhiya katha of Shri Guru Nanak Prakash Granth to do Dasam Granth's santhiya which they started. On 1941 a few days before Visakhi the jatha travelled to Takht Sri Damdama Sahib for the annual Salana Jorh Mel and reached Talwandi Saboki. They then returned back to Rode where they would do Katha of Shri Guru Granth Sahib ji and then Katha of Dasam Granth. Sangat in large numbers would come to listen to Sant ji do katha with people coming in from the neighbouring regions Vairokai, Rajianai, Salasar, Lundai, Bhloor, Ludhiana to listen to katha or meet with old students, meet those with sharda or do satsangat.

9th Santiya Katha

In Kanha Kacha village, present day Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan on 1942 AD five days before Kattak punia Gurpurub after Akhand Path's bhog Sant ji started his next Santiya Katha. Before starting he went through the correct pronunciation of Gurbani and the reason behind compiling Shri Guru Granth Sahib ji in detail.[1]

10th Santiya Katha

Sant ji started the 10th Santiya Katha at Bhindra Kalan, in present day Moga District, at Poh Sudi ੭'s Gurpurub after taking out a huge procession.

11th Santiya Katha

The next katha date was decided at Poh Sudi ੭'s Gurpurab after when a short break occurred before starting the katha.

Incident of taking money for marriage

When Sant ji was doing katha on taking money for a girl's marriage and the ill punishments those will receive a man stood up and confessed that he took 700 rupees to have his sister married. Sant ji told him to bring his sister and 700 rupees. The man, his sister and her husband came the next day and in front of the sangat gave the 700 rupees to the guy's sister and had the guy take Amrit and told him as per Guru ji's hukam you will never be in money troubles again.[2]

12th Santiya Katha

After arriving at Pakhowal, Ludhiana district on February 15th Sant Ji began Akhand path on the 16th and on 18th did bhog after which he started the 15th Santhiya Katha of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. On the first day he only did just the katha of mool mantra. Every day the katha would be done and in the day also Sri Guru Nanak Prakash katha would be done too.

13th Santiya Katha

After completing 12th Santiya Katha they began the next Santiya Katha. They did so at Bhai Arjan Singh's house and after Akhand Path's bhog started with Dasam Granth Katha.

On 16th they reached Sudhar village and stayed until 26th. On 23rd at two times they did diwan at Sudhar collage. On 27th they reached village of Jodh. On 28 they reached Buthari village. On Nov 1 Guru Nanak Sahib Ji's Gurpurab had two Akhand Path bhogs and a bhog of Japji Sahib katha. They held a procession after the katha. 8th to 15th they were at Nungal village, 16 - 17th at Khara village, 18th - 19th at Mundi Ahmedgarh, 10th at Mansa Mundi, During 21 November to 27 December they continued to do kirtan and katha at village Malau. At two times Amrit Sanchar happened where 50 Khalsa got initiated. 28th they reached Kundowal village.

Tour of the 4 Takhats

14th Santiya Katha

On Guru Nanak Sahib ji's Gurupurab on the 29th of November they had 2 bhogs of SGGS ji done one for the the joy of the Gurpurab and one for the joy of starting a new Katha. The Singhs recited the mool mantra 5 times and began the katha. On 9th December while it was raining they did the bhog started by the residents of Nungal village. In the mornings they had the routine to do Katha of SGGS ji and in the evenings to do katha of Bhai Gurdas's Varan and katha of Gurpartap Suraj Granth.

Death

Baba ji would get sick every now a days for a few days. Ultimately this sickness took his death.

On 14 Harh Friday night at 12:00pm after it started raining a sevadar moved Gurbachan Singh's bed from outdoors to indoors and because of the rain mixing with dirt and dust as they moved around it became hard for Sant ji to breath. Doctors give pills but this did not help them an injection was given Doctors would normally give a second injection only until 2 hours after however to aid the pain they give it only after 30 minutes. At 1:30 pm Sant ji told his disciples that his end is coming and his body is being captured and to call all the Singhs together. The Sikhs from around came and gathered and did a farewell fateh. Sant ji gave the following teachings then:[3]

Being' Amritdhari and strong in rehat .

. Be saved from bad ways of the kurehits .

. Jap naam.

Do Gurbani's Nitnem .

. Prepare everybody and give Amrit.

Whoever gets budh (knowledge) of Gurbani share it with others.

(knowledge) of Gurbani share it with others. Always represent as a limb of the Khalsa panth.

Give help to panthic leaders.

Modestly tone down accusations of worldly promotions, royalty/government positions, or other worldly positions quest to accusation.

Teach Gurmat elegantly alongside pure teachings getting blessings from everyone.

Topping up and stocking up on Gurbani and naam and distribute it in the same manner.

Do uncountable Sehaj Paths and Akhand Paths.

He also told the sangat that don't worry about how many akhand paths you will do on my passing away as you will be doing Akhand Paths all your life. So don't worry about how many Akhand Paths you do as long as you do one.

A close sevadar[4] of Sant ji could not stand his loss so he also jumped into the sacred pyre.

Next head

Afer Gurbachan Singh ji's passing away on July 8th (Dussehra) Sant Gaini Mohan Singh ji was made the next head after the turban tying ceremony[5]

Media

Gurbachan Singh's entire Santiya of SGGS MP3 can be found on the web

Read more

Gurmukh Darshan (1984) - Jathedar Kirpal Singh, published by Manmohan Singh Brar, Amritsar

See also

↑ pg.184 Gurmukh Darshan (1984)

↑ pg.211 Gurmukh Darshan (1984)

↑ Gurmukh Darshan pg.327