Bhai Mani Singh was born on the 10th of March, 1644 as Mania (Mani Ram) in Alipur village of Multan district(now in Punjab, Pakistan) in a Rajput family.

At the age of 13 Bhai Ji came as a follower with Guru Har Rai Sahib to Kiratpur with his fatherBhai Mai Das Ji and stayed back to serve the Guru-Ghar.

At the ageof 15 years Bhai Ji got married to Bibi Seeto Ji, daughter of Bhai Lakhi Rai Ji.

Bhai mani

singh Ji

After the battle of Nadaun in 1690, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib entrusted him the duties of Diwan.

At the time of leaving Anandpur, on the night of December 20-21, 1704, the Guru Sahib entrusted him to take the Guru Mahal (Mata Jeeto Ji – also known as Mata Sundari Ji) to a safe place. In May, 1705, at the call of the Guru Sahib he reached Talwandi Sabo where he helped the Guru Sahib in compiling the final recension of Guru.

Granth Sahib and prepared some copies for distributing among the Sikhs. In 1708, Mata Sunder Kaur Ji sent him to Amritsar to take charge of Darbar Sahib.

In 1735 , Zakria Khan, the Governor of Lahore, ordered village headmen and landlords to finish Sikhs of their areas.

He also appointed Diwan Lakhpat Rai, an enemy of the Sikhs, the administrator of Amfitsar and Qazi Abdul Razak as the police chief.

One day the Governor asked them, 'What is the reason that no matter what the number of Sikhs we kill more are created ?" The Qazi replied, "Their Guru had put the elixir of life in the pool at Harmandir Sahib. Whosoever bathes in that pool, gains eternal life." Hearing this, the Governor ordered the filling up of the pool with sand and turned Bhai Mani Singh out from the service of Harmandir Sahib.

one evening Qazi Abdul Razak came to Bhai Mani Singh and said, "My children are very ill. Medicines of local physicians and doctors are having no effect.

Children wake up with nightmares." Bhai Mani Singh went with him to his house. He sprinkled water from the pool of Harmandir Sahib over the children and said to them, "Be not afraid during the night."

As the Lord would have it, the children stopped having nightmares. Qazi Abdul Razak stopped silting up the pool.

With the help of the Qazi, Bhai Mani Singh got permission from the Governor to allow Sikhs to have free access to Harmandir Sahib for ten days on the occasion of Diwali of 1737, on the condition to pay tax of Rupees five thousand and so he wrote letters to invite the Sikhs.

The Governor and Diwan Lakhpat Rai secretly planned to kill the Sikhs coming for the pilgrimage.

Bhai Mani Singh came to know of their plan in time. He sent messages to Sikhs not to come and so no fair was held.

Bhai Sahib refused to pay the tax as no Sikhs attended the celebration event. He was asked by the Qazi to embrace Islam or face death.

Bhai Mani Singh Ji refused to convert and boldly opted for death. By orders of Zakariya Khan, Bhai Mani Singh Ji was executed in Lahore in December, 1737.

This was a gruesome execution in which Bhai Mani Singh Ji’s executioner was ordered to chop Bhai Mani Singh’s body to pieces, joint by joint.

The irony of the execution was that Bhai Mani Singh Ji had the last word.

When the executioner started to cut into Bhai Mani Singh’s wrist, Bhai Mani Singh gestured to his finger tips telling the executioner that he should follow the orders of his commander with strictness and not be lenient.

Very puzzled by the interruption, the executioner and guards asked Bhai Sahib what he meant. Bhai Mani Singh replied, “you have been ordered to execute me by chopping my joints, have you forgotten that my joints start with my finger tips.”

The executioner began to cry in adoration of Bhai Sahib’s faith and belief in Sikhi.

As the execution took place Bhai Sahib simply smiled and recited Sri Jap Ji Sahib, as the last of Bhai Sahibs joints were cut the Jap Ji Sahib Paath finished.

Bhai Mani Singh was martyred about one month after the day on which Diwali festival was to have held in 1738.

His Sahid Ganj is outside the Masti Gat of Lahore, and near the Lahore fort.

So great was the faith and sacrifice of Bhai Mani Singh Ji, that to this day Sikhs all over the world remember the love and faith they had and pay homage to their sacrifice in our daily Ardaas.

The entire life of Bhai Mani Singh Ji is a lighthouse for the Sikhs.

Nine of his ten brothers, seven of his sons and many grandsons laid down their lives for the causes so dear to the Sikh Gurus.

His martyrdom will keep inspiring Sikh generations for all time to come emulate his personal life and unflinching faith in Sikh ideals.