Left - Bhai Rasal Singh Ji during the 1970's, Right - Bhai Sahib in a Recent Photo.
DASUWAL, PUNJAB (KP) - Bhai Rasal Singh Ji, the elder brother of Shaheed Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar and Bhai Mehal Singh Babbar, passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 2nd, 2010, at home in his ancestral village.
Bhai Rasal Singh Ji, hailing from the village of Dasuwal, district Amritsar, lived the life of a true rehatvan GurSikh and endured many hardships during the 1980s and 1990s when police atrocities in Punjab were at a height. Along with his brother Jathedar Bhai Sukhdev Singh Babbar, Bhai Rasal Singh Ji’s young son, Bhai Amrik Singh was also killed by the Indian police in 1992.
Decades later, several police cases have still remained pending against Bhai Sahib – illustrating his continued persecution by the Punjab Police even at this ripe age.
Despite being in his seventies and suffering so many losses, Bhai Sahib remained in Chardi-Kala, and steadfast in the iron discipline that true Singhs are known for. Bhai Rasal Singh always dressed in the Khalsa banna, cooked and prepared his own food, and kept strict ‘Sarbloh Bibek’ until his last breath.
Bhai Kesar Singh Chibber, who documented the life of the Sikhs in the 1700s, describes the Rehat-Behat of such GurSikhs in BansavaleeNama :
ਪਰ ਤਿਸ ਸਮੇਂ ਸਿਖ ਆਹੇ ਜਤੀ ਸਤੀ ਰਹਿਤਵਾਨ।
ਪੰਜ ਪੰਜ ਸੱਤ ਸੱਤ ਦਿਨ ਭੁਖੇ ਰਹਿਨ ਪਰ ਐਲਾ ਮੈਲਾ ਧਾਨੁ ਨ ਖਾਨ।
ਤਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਤਪ ਕਰਿ ਤੁਰਕਾਂ ਦਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਨਾਸੁ।
ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਤਪ ਭਜਨ ਸੀਸ ਦੇਣੇ ਕਰਿ ਖਾਲਸੇ ਜੀ ਦਾ ਹੋਣਾ ਹੈ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸੁ ।੫੪।
(ਬੰਸਾਵਲੀਨਾਮਾ)
Rare are Gursikhs such as Bhai Rasal Singh Ji, and those described above who are blessed with such determination and discipline.
Antim Ardaas and services in memory of Bhai Rasal Singh Ji are scheduled to be held at village Dasuwal on January 11th, 2010.
Waheguru Jee dee kirpa nall bhai rasal singh gursikhi kesa susaa nall nibha gaee.
Guru Sahib Sannu vi uhnaa de vargaa sabar, santokh te bibek budh bakshan.....
What a great family of babbar shers (lions)!
Those lines from Bansawlinamaa are amazing...thanku.
sanu vi gursikhi de seva parmatmha bakhse