Baba Deep Singh | |
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Baba Deep Singh
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Born | 26 January 1682 Pahuwind, Amritsar district, India |
Died | 11 November 1757 Shaheeda Sahib, Amritsar district, India |
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Baba Deep Singh (1682–1757) is revered among Sikhs as one of the most hallowed martyrs in Sikhism and as a highly religious person. He is remembered for his sacrifice and devotion to the teachings of the Sikh Gurus. Baba Deep Singh was the first head of Misl Shaheedan Tarna Dal – an order of the Khalsa military established by Nawab Kapur Singh, the then head of Sharomani Panth Akali Buddha Dal.
The Damdami Taksal also state that he was the first head of their order. His name is also found as Deep Singh (without the "Baba" honorific) and Baba Deep Singh Ji.
Baba Deep Singh was born in 1682 to father Bhagta and mother Jeyoni in a Sandhu Jat Sikh family. He lived in the village of Pahuwind in Amritsar district.
He went to Anandpur Sahib on the day of Vaisakhi in 1699, where he was baptised into Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh. Baba Deep Singh took Khande di Pahul or Amrit Sanchar (ceremonial initiation into Khalsa). As a youth, he spent considerable time in close companionship of Guru Gobind Singh. He started learning weaponry, riding and other martial skills. From Bhai Mani Singh, he began learning, reading and writing Gurmukhi and the interpretation of the Gurus' words. After spending two years at Anandpur, he returned to his village in 1702. He was summoned by Guru Gobind Singh at Talwandi Sabo in 1705, where he helped Bhai Mani Singh in making copies of the Guru Granth Sahib.
In 1709, Baba Deep Singh joined Banda Singh Bahadur during the assaults on the towns of Sadhaura and Sirhind. In 1733, Nawab Kapur Singh appointed him a leader of an armed squad (jatha). On the Vaisakhi of 1748, at the meeting of the Sarbat Khalsa in Amritsar, the 65 jathas of the Dal Khalsa were reorganized into twelve Misls. Baba Deep Singh was entrusted with the leadership of the Shaheed Misl.