SRI BIBI HARBANS KAUR

Here is an amazing short life story of the great Sikh lady, wife of Late Devout Vir Sriman Sardar Joginder Singh Ji of village Raipur: Sri Bibi Harbans Kaur Ji belonged to the ancient Gursikh family devoted to Faith generation after generation, from Daudpur. Her paternal uncle, Sriman Sant Hira Singh Ji, was a leading light of the Jatha. His devotion to Nam-Simran and Godly-Love was exemplary. This young girl was born and brought up and greatly influenced by the high spirituality of her uncle. At the time of her birth saintly Bhai Hira Singh Ji prophesied, that she was destined to be a great devout and her strong Sikh Faith would be worthy of emulation.

When she attained marriageable age, as a consequence of Sant Bhai Hira Singh Ji’s blessing, she got married as per Gurmat Anand Karaj to Sriman Bhai Joginder Singh Ji. It was indeed a great blessing that such devout spiritual seekers got united in marriage. Though their economic condition was bordering on poverty, yet they enjoyed enrichment of Nam-Wealth. Their spiritual flourishment together was truly exemplary. Their minds got focused on pure Gurmat as soon as they got Baptised. With their total reliance on Efficacious Nam, they never cared much about worldliness. The handling of household duties by Bibi Harbans Kaur was so auspicious, that soon everything got transformed. The hard days ended into a great sense of great prosperity. The talents of Bhai Joginder Singh Ji came to be recognised and rewarded by Patiala State. Though worldly riches now abounded, yet humility of spirit was retained. Sister Harbans Kaur Ji was living embodiment of Gursikh living in thought, word and deed. Her head was always adorned with light bluish turban. She had a strong healthy body and with turbaned head she carried herself with great dignity, worthy of great devout Sikh lady.

She personally attended to all household chores. The sound of Nam-Simran became automatic all the time along with her normal activities. It is rare to find such Faith in personal life. She would always take full head-bath. She followed this practice everyday, even soon after delivery of a new-born, not caring for medical advice against this. The blessing of such firm Faith was, that she never suffered even a slight sickness throughout her life. She always eagerly looked forward to serve holy ones and her kitchen was always open for this service. She prepared food and served all by herself. The visitors were always fully satiated. This auspicious service never experienced any shortage.

She was very adept in reading the hidden meaning of actions of devout and their devotion. Once she was serving self-prepared food to the great spiritualist, godly Bhai Atma Singh from Moga. It so happened that suddenly Sri Bhai Atma Singh Ji went into trance and stopped eating from his plate, yet he kept munching with his mouth. His eyes were rolled up and his face shone in Divine-splendour. Bhai Joginder Singh Ji sitting close by was perplexed with this strange going-on. In amazement, he enquired the meaning of all this from his wife, that without taking food from his plate Bhai Atma Singh appeared to be taking invisible food. Bibi Harbans Kaur Ji replied, “There is nothing to wonder. Bhai Randhir Singh is offering him morsels from Narangwal.” Hearing this, Bhai Joginder Singh noted the time of the occurrence. At that very time I was served food by my wife, Srimati Kartar Kaur at Narangwal. I had taken only a few morsels and then stopped eating even though my hands took food from the plate.

My mother sitting by my side noticed this strange occurring. Puzzled by this, she enquired from Kartar Kaur explanation of this wonderment. Srimati Kartar Kaur could also read through the strange happening like Bibi Harbans Kaur. She promptly replied, “There is nothing unusual or surprising about it. He is feeding his Sarb-Lohee friend (sharing commonness of eating from Iron utensils) Bhai Atma Singh Ji, who is being served by sister Harbans Kaur at that house of Bhai Joginder Singh at Patiala.” When I came out of my trance, I too noted the time. After few days Bibi Harbans Kaur, Sant Hira Singh Ji, the great devout Ascetic Bhai Atma Singh Ji and Bhai Joginder Singh Ji visited Narangwal. The mutual query was addressed and the events found to coincide.

Sri Bibi Harbans Kaur was such, outstanding and assertive that all wives of Patiala high officials and chieftains acknowledged her over-powering religious influence. The consorts of ministers and royal queens all held her in great respect. They used to send other ladies to the palace, but none ever dared to ask Bibi Harbans Kaur. She was without a parallel in her chastity. Sri Bhai Joginder Singh Ji was then a member of Shromani Gurdwara Prabandak Committee (S.G.P.C). The agitation against British Rule by Akali-Panth was at its peak. Almost every member of S.G.P.C suffered imprisonment due to participation in this agitation. Bhai Joginder Singh was not keeping good health those days and had grown weak. However Bibi Harbans Kaur aroused his religious fervour like brave wives in Sikh history and encouraged him for the sacrifice of Jail-term. However at the moment of departure unintentional tears came to her eyes. Bhai Joginder Singh was astonished at this and asked the reason for this show of weakness after putting up a brave front thus far. Bibi Harbans Kaur put on smile and replied that the possibility of early reunion was remote. We seem to be destined for long separation. Sardar Joginder reassured her that he was fine now with her blessings and there was nothing to fear. In fact Bibi Harbans Kaur had envisioned her own death, though she never revealed this to him. By the time Sardar Joginder Singh returned after his term of imprisonment, Bibi Harbans Kaur had left for Heavenly Abode-Eternal. He could not cope up with the pangs of separation from his faithful godly wife. His health deteriorated fast. Though Bibi Harbans Kaur completed her life sojourn successfully as the very embodiment of Faith, yet the family left behind suffered incompletion of their household affairs. The acceptance of Divine-Will by Bhai Joginder Singh was unique in bearing this terrible loss! (Extract from Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh Ji’s book “Rangle Sajjan” translated by Bhai Jaspinder Singh Ji)