BHAI
Dalla Singh was (later Dall Singh) a Siddhu Jatt and chaudhari or landlord of
Talvandi Sabo, enthusiastically received Guru Gobind Singh when he
arrived there with his entourage early in 1706, and attended diligently
to the needs and comforts of the daily-growing sangat. According to Bhai
Santokh Singh, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, Dalla maintained a private
army of several hundred warriors of whom he was very proud. He more than
once commiserated with Guru Gobind Singh on the events that had
overtaken him, boastfully adding that had the Guru called him for
help he would have joined him with his bold warriors and that he
(the Guru) would have been saved much of the travail. Guru Gobind
Singh every time dismissed the topic saying, "God's will must prevail,
It is useless to brood over the past."
Bhai Dal singh would often boast the bravery of Jutts., vis-a-vis
other communities.
once as Dalla was repeating his boast, two artisans of Lahore came and presented the Guru with two costly muzzle-loading guns. The Guru asked Bhai Dalla to provide a couple of his men as targets for him to test the range and striking power of the weapons. The strange demand stunned Dalla and put his men out of their wits, and none of them came forward. The Guru there upon invited two Ranghreta Sikhs, father and son, who happened to be busy tying their turbans near by. They both came running, turbans in hand, each trying to be in front of the other in order to be the first to face the bullet. Bhai Dalla, astonished at the Sikh's spirit of sacrifice, was ashamed and learnt to be humble. He understood that the brotherhood of Khalsa was much much braver than his jutts. He took the initiation of the Khalsa, receiving the name of Dal Singh. A small domed shrine within the precincts of Takht Damdama Sahib at Talwandi Sabo honours Dal Singh's memory to this day. A sword and shield and a few other articles claimed to have been bestowed upon him by Guru Gobind Singh are preserved in the descendant family as sacred relics. |
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