MOTA SINGH, BHAI

MOTA SINGH, BHAI (1902-1921), one of the Nankana Sahib martyrs, was the son of Bhai Hari Singh and Mat Thakari, Ramdasia Sikhs, weavers by profession, originally of Bassi village in Hoshiarpur district, who had migrated for better living to Chakk No. 18 Bahoru in Sheikh upura district (now in Pakistan). Mota Singh was born on 15 Poh 1959 Bk/28 December 1902 in his mother`s village Thandhevala in FIroxpur district. As he grew up, he learnt enough Gurmukhi to be able to read the Sikh granth fluently.

He took the Khalsa pdhul and inspired his parents to have the Guru Granth Sahib in their own home where members of the Khalsa Baradari (an association of Sikhs belonging to the so called lower castes) began to assemble to listen to gurbdm recited and explained by him. He was drawn into the Gurdwara Reform movement and had himself registered as an Akali volunteer. On 19 February 1921, he was all dressed up and ready to go to bring home his bride when the call was received for the liberation of Gurdwara Janam Asthan. He joined the Dharovali group in the same dress and fell a martyr the following morning in the reckless shooting in the compound of the Gurdwara Janam Asthan.

References :

1. Shamsher, Gurbakhsh Singh, Shahidi Jivan. Nankana Sahib, 1938