Baaz Singh

To know the history of Baaz Singh, we would be see some past inscription. In the ‘Bangash’ area (today is ‘Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’) a state was established by ‘Sardar Bhagwant Singh Bangashi’. Firstly the name that was using for them was ‘Bhagu Niwana’ and ‘Bhagu Wanjara’. Because, that time they were not baptized. The book was written in 1961 named as ‘ਆਲੋਚਨਾ’(Alochna). This news is written in the last pages of that book.

Moreover, when Bhagu Wanjara knew that the ‘Guru Gobind Singh Ji’ was persecuted by the ‘Aurangzeb’ government, he had come to Guru Ji along with his brothers. The names of the four brothers are ‘ਕੁਰੀਆ’, ‘ਬਾਜੂ’, ‘ਸ਼ਾਮਾਂ’ and  ‘ਭਾਗੂ’. These names are found in ‘Bhatt Wahiyan’. These four brothers took the ‘Pahul’ of ‘Khanda Baata’ from Guru Gobind Singh Ji. And, became ‘Sardar Baaz Singh’, ‘Sardar Kaur Singh’, ‘Sardar Bhagwant Singh’, ‘Sardar Sham Singh’.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji sent ‘Baaz Singh’, ‘Kaur Singh’, and ‘Bhagwant Singh’. In addition to them, he also sent ‘Kahan Singh’ and ‘Baloh Singh’ as ‘Panj Pyare’ to the Punjab. He sent them along with ‘Baba Banda Singh Bahadur’. Baaz Singh, king of a state became a rebel. And, after coming to Punjab with Baba Banda Singh Bahadur as ‘Panj Pyare’, and he Conquered ‘Sirhind’. Therefore, they got arrested on 15th of December 1715 in the ‘Garhi of Gurdas Nangal’.

All the singhs were standing along with Banda Singh in front of the ‘Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki’(ਖਵਾਜ਼ਾ ਬਖਤਿਆਰ ਕਾਕੀ ਦੀ ਦਰਗਾਹ). A Muslim writer saw that happening, how Bhagwan Singh Lubana was martyred along with Baba Banda Singh Bahadur in front of the Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki? Although he was a king who established a state in the most difficult area on the banks of ‘Attack’ or ‘Atak’ and today stand before the king as a pawn.

Baaz Singh was appointed the Governor of ‘ਅਜਸਮਾ ਸਿਰਹਾਣੇ’ (Ajasma Sirhane). He was the younger brother of Bhagwan Singh. On that time ‘Sarbra Khan’ said to ‘Mohammad Ameen Khan’ that who is Baaz Singh?

Baaz Singh saw in the eyes of Sarbra Khan and said ‘I am the Baaz Singh’. Sarbra Khan said that, ‘Are you! seriously, who killed ‘Wazir Khan’ in Sirhind? Who killed ‘Qutubuddin’? Who killed Mustba Khan? So now where is your bravery gone?

However, Baaz Singh was a prisoner but he slightly move his head upwards again and said ‘ਬਾਦਸ਼ਾਹ 8 ਮਹੀਨੇ ਤੋਂ ਤੇਰੀ ਕੈਦ ਦੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਆ ਪੈਰਾਂ ਚ ਬੇੜੀਆਂ ਤੇ ਹੱਥਾਂ ਚ ਹੱਥਕੜੀਆਂ ਨੇ, ਅੱਧੇ ਪਿਆਲੇ ਪਾਣੀ ਤੇ ਗੁਜ਼ਾਰਾ ਕੀਤੈ,  ਖਾਣ ਨੂੰ ਰੋਟੀ ਨੀ ਮਿਲੀ ਪਰ ਇਹ ਨਾ ਸਮਝੀ ਕ ਬਾਜ਼ ਸਿੰਘ ਦੇ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਬਾਜ਼ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਰਗੀ ਦਲੇਰੀ ਚਲੀ ਗਈ।‘. It means ‘King! I am in your prison for 8 months, you tied me in handcuffs and shackle, I have spent time on a half cup of water. And, I also did not get the food to eat but don’t you think that I lost my Bravery.’

Baaz Singh challenged to Sarbra khan that you are sitting in the security of 25,000 soldiers. If you are brave then unlock my single handcuff or a single fetter. The king was challenged by a prisoner. Naturally, if a king is challenged by a prisoner, then the king’s self-esteem is at stake.

Mohammad Ameen Khan ordered his soldier to unlock Baaz Singh. Even today there is a picture in the Darbar Sahib Amritsar Museum based on the book ‘Mosrae Alamgiri’. When a soldier arrived around the Baaz Singh and then he jerked so hard, breaking his handcuffs. He pulled out the same soldier’s sword and struck him so hard that the soldier’s head detached from his torso and fell at the feet of the ‘Farkshiar’. Baaz Singh killed 13 more soldiers, and Farkhshiar who surrounded by the security of 25,000 soldiers, left the throne of Delhi and marched inside the fort. Finally, Baaz Singh, Kaur Singh, Bhagwan Singh. And, in addition to them ‘Sham Singh’ son of ‘Baba Lathia’, from the ‘Lubana family’, were martyred along with Baba Banda Singh Bahadur on 25 June 1716.