Founder of the Shahid misl and martyr at Amritsar; 1682-1757
Baba Deep Singh
Baba Deep Singh studied under Bhai Mani Singh, served at Damdama Sahib, and led one of the Sikh bands that became the Shahid misl. He was killed near the Harmandir Sahib in November 1757 while marching to free Amritsar from the Afghans.
Early life
He was born in 1682 to Bhai Bhagata and Mai Jiuni at Pahuvind, 40 km southwest of Amritsar. He took the vows at Anandpur, rejoined Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Talwandi Sabo in 1706, and stayed to look after Damdama Sahib. The Encyclopaedia credits him with founding the Damdami Taksal, a school of Sikh learning.[EoS]
Campaigns
He fought under Banda Singh Bahadur and left him in 1714. In 1726 he had four copies made of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. He brought his men to Amritsar when the Mughals offered terms in 1733, and led one of the five divisions of the Taruna Dal. It became the Shahid misl, with its sphere south of the Sutlej.[EoS]
Death at Amritsar
Jahan Khan razed the Ram Rauni fort in May 1757 and filled in the sacred pool. Baba Deep Singh set out with a force that reached 5,000 by Tarn Taran, was badly wounded near Ramsar, and fell close to the Harmandir Sahib on 11 November 1757. Two gurdwaras mark the place he fell and the place he was cremated.[EoS]
What the sources disagree on
- The headless warrior
A legend says his headless body fought on, holding the severed head in the left hand and a sword in the right, until he reached Sri Harmandir Sahib. The Encyclopaedia records this as a legend that grew up after him.[EoS]
Images
A later fresco of Baba Deep Singh at Gurdwara Baba Atal, Amritsar. Commons notes disagreement over whether the frescoes date from Sikh rule or the mid to late 1800s.
Gian Singh Naqqash, Jaimal Singh Naqqash, Mehtab Singh Naqqash and Hukum Singh, 19th century, disputed. Gurdwara Baba Atal, Amritsar. Public domain. Source
Pages from a manuscript of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji attributed to Baba Deep Singh, about 1715-1730, credited by the Sikh Museum site to Gurdwara Chhevin Padshahi, Punjab.
Attributed to Baba Deep Singh, c. 1715-1730. Gurdwara Chhevin Padshahi, Punjab (per the Sikh Museum site). Public domain. Source
