Shaheeds Garja Singh and Bota Singh – Immortal Symbols of Sikh Valor
The Khalsa shall forever remain alive; they have always fought against tyranny.
The early 18th century was an extremely difficult time for the Sikhs. The Mughal regime was determined to eliminate every trace of Sikh existence from Punjab. Laws were passed allowing the looting and plundering of Sikh homes. Rewards were offered for capturing or killing Sikhs. Under these brutal conditions, Sikhs were forced to abandon their homes and take shelter in remote forests, mountains, deserts, or riverbanks.
Even in such extreme adversity, the Sikhs continued to include this line in their daily Ardas (prayer): “Bless us with the holy sight and bath at Amritsar.” To fulfill this spiritual longing, they would attempt to reach Sri Harmandir Sahib at night or during odd hours. Many were martyred by government soldiers posted around the shrine.
The situation had become so severe that Sikhs could not even move freely through villages, as there was a risk of being identified and attacked. Amidst this environment, the governor of Punjab, Zakaria Khan, falsely declared that there were no Sikhs left in Punjab—an attempt to demoralize the remaining community and discourage others from taking Amrit (baptism) and joining the Khalsa Panth.
In 1739, Baba Bota Singh and Baba Garja Singh were heading toward Amritsar and were hiding in bushes along the Tarn Taran-Amritsar road. During that time, Sikhs only traveled by night and remained hidden during the day. Two travelers passed by and noticed them. One said, “They look like Sikhs,” to which the other replied, “That’s not possible. Didn’t you hear the announcement that all Sikhs have been wiped out?”
Hearing this conversation, Baba Bota Singh and Baba Garja Singh were deeply moved and decided to publicly challenge the false narrative. They emerged onto the road, proclaimed that the Khalsa still ruled Punjab, and began collecting a symbolic toll from travelers: one coin for a cart, and a smaller one for a donkey. They even sent a direct message to Zakaria Khan mocking the government:
“Tell that poor Khan that Baba Bota Singh rules this land with his staff. One coin per cart, one per donkey!”
People paid this small toll willingly, and stories of the bravery of these two Singhs spread quickly. They exposed the lie that the Sikhs had been exterminated.
Eventually, the government sent a heavily armed force to capture them. The two Singhs fought with unmatched courage, killing many soldiers before attaining martyrdom themselves. Their sacrifice proved that the Khalsa was still alive, active, and fearless.
This powerful event showed that no form of state oppression can ever suppress the voice of truth and justice.
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