Sunday Special--Sidhus and Brars Laadley' of Sikh Gurus!

HIstory of Sidhu and Brar Clan Origin and history

Sidhu

Derived,from Sanskrit 'siddha'  meaning ‘accomplished’

The Sidhu are a Rajput Sikh clan descended from Bhati Rajput Rawal Jaisal, King of Jaisalmer. Rao Jaisal constructed the fort in the Indian Golden City of Jaisalmer. Rao Khewa Jat, the great grandson of Rao Jaisal, married into the Jat clan, and thus Sidhu Rao, the founder of the Sidhu clan was born. Geographically, the Sidhu are from the Punjab region of India.

Baba Ala Singh, a  Jathedar of Phulkian Misl, who  became the first ruling chief of Patiala, was born in 1691 at Phul, in present day   Bathinda district of the Punjab, the third son of Bhai Ram Singh. His grandfather, Baba Phul, had been   as a small   boy blessed by Guru Hargobind, Ala Singh's father and his   uncle, Tilok Singh, had both received    the rites    of         initiation      the     hands         of     Guru      Gobind       Singh       who conferred       on      their     family      the       panegyric,"Your house        is        mine       own." Guru Hargobind        introduced      the process      of militarization        to       Sikhism, likely      as      a        response       to his      father's      execution       and       to        protect the        Sikh          community.He       symbolized         it         by        wearing        two      swords, representing        the         dual        concept       of        miri       and        piri       (temporal        power        and        spiritual         authority). In front        of        the Harmandir Sahib        in         Amritsar, Guru      Hargobind        constructed       the         Akal       Takht         The         Ruling          Sikh          Sidhu             families  of         Patiala,Jind,Faridkot and Nabha in Punjab The Maharaja of Patiala was a maharaja in India and the ruler of the princely state of Patiala, a Sidhu Jat state. The first Maharaja of Patiala was Baba Ala Singh Sidhu (1695–1765), who was granted the title by Ahmed       Shah Abdali        of       Afghanistan   in 1764. whom    it    had    been   assigned by the   Khalsa. On 29  March 1761, Ahmad Shah Durrani    had already recognized by a written decree the sovereignty of Ala Singh over the territories held by him. At the time of his seventh   invasion of India, he confirmed him in the government of Sirhind (1765) and granted him the title of Raja, with the robes of honour as well as with a drum and a banner as insignia of royalty.

Sidhus are the descendants of Bhatti Rajputs. They claim Yaduvanshi descent. At one time, the Bhattis ruled over the lands of Northern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, from Mathura to Ghazni. Ghazni and Lahore were seized by the king of Bukhara (in today's Uzbekistan) after a long period. The Bhattis migrated and settled in the area of Bhatner (Hanumangarh in present-day northern Rajasthan).

Devraj, Jaisal, and Hemraj

A Bhatti chieftain named Devraj founded Devgarh. Rao Jaisal from his lineage was a renowned king who founded the state of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. His son, Rao Hemraj had a dispute with his brothers which led to his settlement in Hisar in 1180.

When Mohammed of Ghor invaded India, he was given maximum support by Rao Hemraj and his followers. Rao Hemraj was rewarded with the control of the Sirsa, Hisar and Bathinda areas. Rao Hemraj built a fort in Hisar. He ousted the Panwar Rajputs from the area of Muktsar. He died in 1214.

Jondhar, Ma

Rao Hemraj's son Jondhar had twenty-one sons, each of whom founded a new clan. One of his grandsons, Mangal Rao, rebelled against the Delhi government, but was killed. Khiva Rao, a grandson of Mangal Rao, had no issue. He married a girl from a Sarao Jat family. He was discared by his community and built Khiva Khota.

Sidhu

Khiva Rao sired Sidhu Rao in around 1250. Sidhu Rao's descendants merged back with the Jat community. Sidhu is the founder of the Sidhu Clan.

Sidhu was also married into a Gill Jat tribe. He sired six sons from this marriage:

• Dahar's descendants are know as Bhaike of Kainthal and Jhumba.
• Dhar's descendants are know as Pirkotias.
• Roop's progeny are Rosse of the village of Tehna in Faridkot.
• Suro's progeny are know as Meharmia.
• Mano's descendants are settled in Malkana and Naurang villages and known as Manokes.
• Bhura's descendants are known as Harikas and Brars.
• Hari Rao was born in the family of Sita Rao, the elder son of Bhura. He was the founder of the Harkike Sidhu branch. Kaonke, Attari, Harike and Fattanke belong to this lineage. They are not of Brar lineage.
• Jarth, the second son of Sita Rao, sired Brar who founded the Brar Clan.

Thus, Sidhus have nine sub-clans:

1. Brar
2. Harike
3. Bhaike
4. Pirkotiye
5. Rosse
6. Jaid
7. Manoke
8. Bains
9. Johl

A descendant of Sidhu married into a Dalit family and his progeny merged with Dalits. Sidhus thus, are also found among backward castes such as Dalit castes such as Mazhabi Sikhs.

The Brars

Brar was the fifth generation descendant of Sidhu. He was a known marauder and warrior. He regained Bathinda after defeating the Bhattis. He also rebelled against the Delhi government. He made Bidowali in Bathinda as his stronghold. He died around 1415 BCE in Bidowal. During Timur's raid on Northern India in 1398, the Brars robbed Timur in the area of Tohana in today's Haryana. After marauding, the Brars used to take shelter in the jungles of the area. The enraged Timur started deforestation on a large scale. Timur killed a large number of Brars and avenged his losses.

Brar had six sons but only Dull and Paur could attain fame. Brar had three brothers whose descendants also call themselves as Brars. The Harike Sidhus also claim to be Brars although they are not. Faridkotiye and Sangharke belong to the lineage of Dull while Phoolke, Mehrajke and Ghurajke are from the lineage of Paur. They are mostly settled in the Bahia area of Bathinda.

Dull sired four sons named Ratan Pal, Lakhan Pal, Binay Pal and Sehan Pal.

Ratan Pal's descendants are settled in the villages of Abloo, Daan Singh Wala, Kotli, Kili, Mehma Sarja and Kundal. Lakhan Pal’s descendants are called Deonke. Sehan Pal's progeny is settled Nagedi Sran and Fidde while Binay Pal’s in Matta, Doda, Kauni, Bhagsar and Jhutti Patti of Bathinda. Sanghar from the lineage of Binay Pal attained eminence. He had fourteen sons including Bhallan.

Guru Gobind Singh with his Four Sons

Bhai Dan Singh Brar

Guru Gobind Singh's two younger sons, Zorawar Singh (b. 1696) and Fateh Singh (b.1699), and his mother, Mata Gujari, were after the evacuation of Anandpur betrayed by their old servant and escort, Gangu, to the faujdar of Sirhind, who had the young children executed on 13 December 1705. Their grandmother died the same day. Befriended by another Muslim admirer, Ral Kalha of Raikot, Guru Gobind Singh reached Dina in the heart of the Malva.Bhallan, founder of the Faridkot principality, was an ardent follower Guru Har Gobind, the 6th Sikh guru. He helped Guru Har Gobind-ji in the Battle of Mehraj, but died issueless in 1643. He was succeeded by his nephew, Kapura, who founded the town of Kotkapura in 1661. Nawab Kapura was the chaudhry of eighty-four villages. Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th guru of the Sikhs, en route from Machhiwara, after staying at Dina and after short stopovers at various other places, reached Kotkapura and asked Nawab Kapura Brar for his fort to fight the pursuing Mughal army. Kapura was a Sikh, but did not want to earn the ire of the Mughals by helping Guru Gobind Singh openly in his war with them; otherwise, the famous last battle of Muktsar (Khidrane Di Dhaab; now a historic town) between Guru Gobind Singh and the Mughal army would have been fought at Kotkapura. However, Nawab refused the fort to the guru. There he enlisted a few hundred warriors of the Brar clan,

DAN SINGH was a Brar Jatt of the village of Mahima Sarja in present-day Bathinda district of the Punjab, joined along with his  son the contingent of Brars raised by Guru Gobind Singh after his escape from Chamkaur in December 1705. Dan Singh by virtue of his devotion and daring soon won the Guru's trust as well as the leadership of the Brar force. The anonymous author of Malva Des Ratan di Sakhi Pothi states that he was appointed asupali (asvapal) or keeper of horses.

It was at his suggestion that Guru Gobind Singh chose a high ground near the dhab or pool of Khidrana (now known as Tibbi Sahib near Muktsar), to defend himself against the pursuing host of the faujdar of Sirhind.

When, during the Guru's journey towards Talvandi Sabo, the Brars became restive and demanded their arrears of pay from the Guru, Dan Singh tried to pacify them and advised them to be patient. As they remained adamant and sought immediate payment, the Guru halted in the open near Chhateana village and disbursed pay to all men who, according to the Malva Desh Ratan di Sakhi Pothi, numbered 500 cavalry and 900 foot. At the end, as the Guru asked Dan Singh to come forward and receive his pay, he answered, "Be pleased to give me sikkhi (Sikh faith) instead, O True King! Of worldly possessions I have enough." The Guru was pleased to hear this answer and remarked, "You have saved the honour of the faith for Malva as Mahan Singh saved it for Majha." Dan Singh received the vows of the Khalsa., Guru Gobind Singh told him to ask for a boon, but the only wish Dan Singh expressed was that the Guru visit his village which was close at hand. The Guru obliged him and blessed him as well as his co-villagers Dan singh was later responsible for getting the brars into the folds of Khalsa. At this time all the Brars in Punjab are following the panth of the Khalsa. Recent Brar Khalsa that comes to mind is Saint Sardar Jarnail Singh Bhindrenwale, whose army of Khalsa warriors valiently defended Golden Temple.

Sant Jernail Singh Brar( Bhinderan wale) and General K.S Brar

K.J.S Brar ,then Executive Engineer PWD B& R

Tail piece.

What an unpleasant Coincidence ! To me the operation Code named Blue star appeared to be an all Brar affair,Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was a Brar Sikh,

The operation was tasked to General Kuldip Singh Brar(a Brar Sikh),who planned this Operation Blue Star, and after the Operation,the restoration work was entrusted to my friend and colleague,Kanwal jit singh Brar Executive engineer(a Brar Sikh),who ultimately riggled out of the situation,with the help of Politician Hacharan singh Brar (a Brar Sikh)!

P.S. ( Pichho.n Suzhi)

Incidently,this articlle has been written to apprisemy 'Azeez' Sukhman Brar and friends,I.S Brar, KJS Brar,Gurdev Singh Sidhu,Parmpal Singh Sidhu,Mrs.Veronica Sidhu of their Royal past and closeness of their clan to Sikh Warrior Gurus , Guru Hargobind Singh &Guru Gobind Singh.

 

 Tejinder Kamboj