JAIMAL SINGH BHURFVALE, SANT

JAIMAL SINGH BHURFVALE, SANT (d. 1976), known for his austere living and dedication to send or holy service, was the son of Bhai Sher Singh, a shopkeeper of Chakval, a lahsil town in Jchlum district of the Punjab, now in Pakistan. Born in theearly years of the twentieth century, Jaimal Singh came under the influence of Sant Gopal Singh of Chakval who taught him to read Gurmukhi and the sacred texts. As he came of age, he left his native place and came to live at Amritsar sometime during 1930-31. He lived in a small hut near Gurdwara Ramsar, and worked as a porter.

Shifting to the derd of Giani Amir Singh, he resumed the study of the Sikh lore. Wearing sackcloth he would spend his spare time at Harimandar Sahib, the Golden Temple, worshipping and sweeping the parikramd floor or the circumam bulatory terrace around the sacred pool.  His humility and dedication won him wide esteem, and he came to be known as Sant Bhurivale, bhun in Punjabi meaning sackcloth or an old, worn-out blanket. His participation in kdrsevdfor the widening of the Golden Temple parikramd in the 1940`s when he was given charge of its southern flank brought him further repute.

He took up other works of kdrsevd, including those at Gurdwara PatshahT IX at Valla, 6 km cast of Amritsar, Gurdwara Damdama Sahib on the way to Valla, Gurdwara BhaT Marijh near Amrilsar, Darbar Sahib at Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdwara Fatchgarh Sahib, near Sirhind, and Gurdwara Patshahl IX at Karhall, village 20 km south of Patiala. Sant Jaimal Singh died in Amritsar in October 1976.