Akali Hanuman Singh

Shaheed
Baba Hanuman Singh
Mural of Hanuman Singh from Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai in Amritsar, circa 19th century
Jathedar of the Akal Takht
In office
1823–1846
Preceded byPhula Singh
Succeeded byPrahlad Singh
7th Jathedar of Buddha Dal
In office
1823–1846
Preceded byPhula Singh
Succeeded byPrahlad Singh
Personal details
BornHanuman Singh
November 1755
Naurang Singh Wala, Firozpur, Punjab
DiedJanuary 1846(1846-01-00) (aged 90)
Sohana, Mohali, Punjab
Parents
  • Garja Singh (father)
  • Harnam Kaur (mother)

Baba Hanuman Singh (November 1755 – January 1846),[1] also known as Akali Hanuman Singh or Amar Shaheed Baba Hanuman Singh, was a Nihang Sikh and was the 7th Jathedar of Budha Dal and Jathedar of Akal Takhat.[2] He was the successor of Akali Phula Singh.[3][4] He was the first one among Nihang Sikhs who fought against the British. He attained martyrdom during a battle with the British and Patiala State in 1846.

Biography

In November 1755, he was born to Garja Singh and Harnam Kaur in the village of Naurang Singh Wala in Zira, Ferozpur.[5][6] At the age of 68, he was appointed as the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of authority in Sikhism.

After defeat of the Sikh Empire against the British, Jathedar decided to re-group the Nihang Sikh army against the British at the Patiala Chauni. Raja Karam Singh, the ruler of Patiala, along with other Malwa princely states, maintained an alliance with the British East India Company. There were strict orders to shoot Nihangs on sight.

After the battle of Sabraon, the survivors of the Budha Dal sought out respite amongst the cis-Sutlej states south of the Sutlej river. Hanuman Singh received an invitation from the ruler of Patiala State, Narinder Singh.[1] When Jathedar Hanuman Singh arrived at Patiala, Raja Karam Singh ordered a cannon assault on the Nihang forces, resulting in the deaths of a significant number of Nihang Singhs. Rest were forced to move to the forests nearby. Hanuman Singh and around 500 Nihang warriors survived this attack, and continued armed resistance against sustained British-supported artillery fire, using swords, bows and arrows, axes, and matchlock firearms.

Wooden Engraving of 'Akali Chief' (likely Akali Hanuman Singh), by G.T. Vigne, ca.1846

Baba Hanuman Singh was wounded badly and died at the battle of Sohana, Mohali at the age of 90.[7] He was succeeded in his position by Jathedar Baba Parladh Singh Nihang Singh, who continued the leadership and upheld the associated traditions and responsibilities.

His memorial, Gurdwara Singh Shaheedan, is situated in Sohana.[8][9] In recognition of his life and contributions, a memorial known as Gurdwara Singh Shaheedan has been established in the village of Sohana. This site serves not only as a place of religious importance but also as a center for commemorating his legacy. To honor his memory and inspire younger generations, a Kabaddi academy has been established in Sohana bearing his name.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 Nihang, Nidar Singh (2008). In the master's presence : the Sikhs of Hazoor Sahib. Parmjit Singh. London: Kashi House. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-9560168-2-9. OCLC 260209971. In the aftermath of Sobraon, the Buddha Dal survivors sought respite among the independent Sikh principalities south of the Satluj. Their elderly jathedar, Akali Hanuman Singh Nihang (d. 1846), received an invitation from the young king of Patiala, Narinder Singh (1814-1862).
  2. ↑ The Sikh Courier, Volumes 9-12. Sikh Cultural Society of Great Britain. 1977. p. 24.
  3. ↑ Bansal, Bobby Singh (2015). "Notes and References". Remnants of the Sikh empire : historical Sikh monuments in India and Pakistan. New Delhi, India. ISBN 978-93-84544-89-8. OCLC 934672669. 53. Akali Phula Singh was born in the village of Shinh near the town of Banga in Jalandhar district in 1761. He was the head of the fanatical sect the Akalis until his death in 1823. He was succeeded by Akali Hanuman Singh as the seventh leader of the Nihangs...{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ↑ Singh, Kamalroop. "A wedding party, something old, something new: The history of the formation of the British-Sikh regiments." p. 63. HumaNetten 36 (2016): 57-80.
  5. ↑ "nihangsingh.org". Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  6. ↑ "Sakhi Series: Akaali Baba Hanuman Singh Ji". SikhNet. 6 April 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  7. ↑ Singh, Ishwar (2022). Akali Baba Hanuman Singh. HarperCollins. ISBN 9798888154342.
  8. ↑ ARIHANT, EXPERTS (2018). KNOW YOUR STATE PUNJAB. [S.l.]: ARIHANT PUBLISHERS. p. 189. ISBN 978-93-131-6766-2. OCLC 1264717219.
  9. ↑ ਬਾਬਾ ਹਨੂਮਾਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਦਾ ਜਨਮ ਦਿਹਾੜਾ ਸ਼ਰਧਾ ਨਾਲ ਮਨਾਇਆ: Retrieved from Punjabi Tribune: 04/12/2014
  10. ↑ Malhi, Jasbir (15 December 2025). "Thrilling horse races become the centre of attraction". The Indian Express. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.