Sahib Singh Bedi
{{Short description|Descendant of Guru Nanak}}
{{Infobox religious biography
| religion = Sikhism
| name = Sahib Singh Bedi
| image = Pahari equestrian miniature painting of Sahib Singh Bedi, circa 19th century.webp
| caption = Pahari equestrian miniature painting of Sahib Singh Bedi, circa 19th century
| honorific prefix = Baba
| birth_date = {{birth date |df=y|1756|4|7}}
| birth_place = Dera Baba Nanak, Punjab
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1834|7|17|1756|4|7}}
| death_place = Una, Himachal Pradesh
| children = Bishan Singh
Bikram Singh
Attar Singh
| office1 = Bhai Daya Singh Samparda
| predecessor1 = Baba Sobha Singh
(Anandpur Sahib)
| successor1 = Baba Bhag Singh (Kuri)
| parents = Baba Ajit Singh Bedi
Mata Sarupan Devi
| known_for = *Brahmgiani Saint
- Direct Descendant of Guru Nanak Dev ji
- Being a central figure in establishing the Sikh Empire
- Preaching the teachings of the Sikh Guru to the masses, initiating countless into Khalsa
- Head of Bhai Daya Singh Samparda
- Rajguru of the Sikh Empire
}}
Baba Sahib Singh Bedi (Punjabi: ਬਾਬਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੀ ਬੇਦੀ, 7 April 1756 – 17 July 1834) is a renowned Sikh Brahmgiani Saint, who was a direct tenth-generation lineal descendant of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru.{{Cite book |last=Bhai Sher Singh |url=https://archive.org/details/sri_bir_mrigaish_gur_bilas_devtaru/page/n11/mode/2up |title=Sri Bir Mrigaish Gur Bilas Devtaru - Bhai Sher Singh |date=1911}}{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Harbans |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/29703420 |title=The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism |date=1992–1998 |publisher=Punjabi University, Patiala |isbn=0-8364-2883-8 |volume=4; S-Z |location=Patiala |pages=18–19 |oclc=29703420}}{{Cite book |last=Grewal |first=J. S. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1018168644 |title=Early Nineteenth-Century Panjab. |date=2015 |publisher=Taylor and Francis |others=Indu Banga |isbn=978-1-317-33694-5 |location=London |oclc=1018168644 |quote=Baba Sahib Singh Bedi, son of Kala Dhari, a descendant of Baba Asa Chand, also has been a man of felicity and miracle. He came into possession of Una. He died there and his samadh is a place of pilgrimage.}}
Biography
= Early life =
Baba Sahib Singh Bedi was born to parents Baba Ajit Singh Bedi (died 1773) and Mata Sarupan Devi on 7 April 1756 at Dera Baba Nanak (in present-day Gurdaspur district) in the traditional Punjabi month of Chet sudi. His birth is said to be prophesised by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs. In 1770, his family shifted to Una located at the foothills of the Sivalik Hills region (in present-day Himachal Pradesh), where they held land.
When he was around 18 years old (~1774), Sahib Singh Bedi visited Anandpur Sahib, where he was initiated into the Khalsa by Baba Sobha Singh of Bhai Daya Singh Samparda, who was a beloved Sikh of Guru Gobind Singh.{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Jivanpal |last2=Singh |first2=Inderjit |title=Thirteen Diamonds {{!}} The Treasures of Bhai Daya Singh Ji |url=https://www.santisharsinghji.com/product/thirteen-diamonds-the-treasures-of-bhai-daya-singh-ji/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CA%20Gilmpse%20into%20the%20history,:%20Jivanpal%20Singh,%20Inderjit%20Singh. |access-date= |website=Sant Ishar Singh Ji {{!}} Salana Barsi {{!}} Rara Sahib UK |language=en-GB}} Sobha Singh was given the duty of taking care of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib by the tenth Guru, becoming known as Jathedar Baba Sobha Singh amongst the Sikhs.{{Cite book |last=Giani Isher Singh Ji Nara |url=https://archive.org/details/tat-saar-granth-bir-mrigesh-giani-ishe/mode/2up |title=Tat Saar Granth Bir Mrigesh - Giani Isher Singh Ji Nara |date=2023-05-04}} He preached the message and the teachings of Sikhi and initiated many into the Khalsa through Amrit Sanskar.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqoS0IqmJhk&t=4791s |title=Unveiling the History & Contributions of Sikh Sampardas |date=2023-05-07 |last=BoS TV |access-date=2025-02-15 |via=YouTube}}
= Later life =
File:Sahib_Singh_Bedi_Seated_With_His_Son_Tegh_Singh_Bedi_North_India.jpg
Baba Sahib Singh Bedi was greatly respected by the Sikh misldars (chiefs) during the era of the Sikh Confederacy and acted as a common uniting cause between the various bickering, rival chiefs against an outside enemy.{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Bhupender |title=Baba Nanak Shah Fakir |date=23 December 2022 |publisher=Blue Rose Publishers |isbn=9789357046602 |edition=1st |pages=15 |quote=Sahib Singh Bedi (1756-1834), a contemporary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was tenth in direct descent from Guru Nanak. He was a selfless man and by virtue of his descent from the holy Guru and his age, he enjoyed the status of father of the Sikhs. He was always wont to appear as a saviour when the Sikhs were in a crisis and threatened with disruption. The venerable Sahib Singh Bedi united the Sikhs when there were differences between them and stopped them from being misled by the enemy when he was trying to sow seeds of discord among them. Such was the prestige of the man that the Sardars obeyed without demur; they readily and implicitly lay down their swords at his feet and agreed to abide by his decision.}} He played a pivotal role in the unification of the Sikh Misls and the establishment of the Sikh Empire. Furthermore, Baba Sahib Singh was responsible for applying the tilak and saffron paste during the coronation ceremony of Maharaja Ranjit Singh on 11th or 12th April 1801 in Lahore.{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Rishi |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1101028781 |title=State Formation and the Establishment of Non-Muslim Hegemony : Post-Mughal 19th-century Punjab. |date=2015 |publisher=SAGE Publications |isbn=978-93-5150-504-4 |location=New Delhi |oclc=1101028781 |quote=For instance, it was decided that a big gathering was to be held where Ranjit Singh would take the title of 'Maharaja'. The gathering took place on 12 April 1801 in which all the notable persons, including mukaddams, nambardars, chaudharis (government officials), came from far and near to congratulate him. In this gathering, Ranjit Singh declared that from then onwards he should be addressed as sarkar. Waheeduddin writes in his account based on his family archival material that Baba Sahib Singh Bedi daubed Ranjit Singh with saffron paste and proclaimed him the Maharaja of Punjab.}}
Baba Sahib Singh was respected as the Rajguru of the Sikh Empire, admired by not only the Maharaja and the Sikhs, but also the non-Sikh population. He was also the founder of the locality of Bedian located near Lahore on tracts of land allotted to him by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.{{Cite book |last=Khalid |first=Haroon |title=Walking With Nanak |publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited |year=2022 |isbn=9789354928475 |quote='Bedian village was occupied by the descendants of Guru Nanak before Partition. They were called Bedi, hence Bedian. They were referred to as Bedi because in ancient times they used to recite the Vedas, from which they earned the title of Vedis or Bedis,' continued Iqbal Qaiser. 'Baba Nanak had two sons, Sri Chand and Sri Lachman. Sri Chand became an ascetic and never married but Sri Lachman did and had children. Baba Nanak's lineage is therefore preserved through his younger son. During the tenure of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, there was a man called Baba Sahib Singh Bedi who was respected widely because of his piety and religious lifestyle. Ranjit Singh allotted him vast tracts of land around the cities of Gujranwala and Lahore. It was on this land that Sahib Singh Bedi founded the village of Bedian near the city of Lahore. Here he also founded a religious centre that would preach the teachings of Guru Nanak. He chose this spot because he wanted to counter the propaganda being spread by the sect founded by Prithi Chand at Heir, which as you can see is not far from Bedian. When the British took over Punjab they allowed the Bedi community settled here to retain their land. At the time of Partition all of them migrated to India to be replaced by Mewatis and Arains from Amritsar.}} He established a Sikh religious educational school at Bedian, partly choosing this location to combat the rival heretic Mina sect, founded by the disgruntled and rebellious Prithi Chand, which was headquartered at Heir village nearby. Baba Sahib Singh is renowned for preaching the teachings of the Sikh Gurus to the masses, initiating countless into Khalsa.{{Cite book |last=Azad |first=Giani Mohan Singh |url=https://rarasahib.com/online-library/ |title=Pachhami Parkash |publisher=Gurdwara Karamsar Rara Sahib |language=Punjabi |trans-title=Biography of Sant Karam Singh ji (Hoti Mardan)}}
Baba Sahib Singh passed away on 17th July 1834 in Una. He was survived by two sons, Bishan Singh and Bikram Singh.{{Cite book |last=Dilagīra |first=Harajindara Siṅgha |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/37769917 |title=The Sikh Reference Book |publisher=Sikh Educational Trust for Sikh University Centre, Denmark |year=1997 |isbn=0-9695964-2-1 |edition=1st |location=Edmonton, Alb., Canada |pages=588–89 |oclc=37769917}} His many students included Baba Bhag Singh of Kuri, who was given Amrit by Baba Sahib Singh himself.