Sant Bhai Rocha Singh Ji

B S Mahant

Sant Bhai Rocha Singh Ji commonly known as Thakar Sant Bhai Rocha Singh Ji. This is due to  his century long preaching and spreading of Gurmat teaching and attaining a very high level of Sant and Spayee after appointment for the purpose by Guru Gobind  Singh Ji himself. He served Sikh Panth during his life period stretching upto to 115 years.
Sant Bhai Rocha Singh was born at village Kossa Zilla Hazara near Rawalpindi. His father Bhai Punjab Singh was a Gursikh and professionally a businessman. He grew up in the Gurmat atmosphere because of regular visits to their place  by Sant Bhai Pheru Singh Ji and Sant Bhai Punjab Singh Ji who both were baptised Amrit by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. These two saints one after other were looking after Sikh Sangat regularly and advocating adoption of Sikh religion. This way Sant Bhai Rocha Singh Ji found a very favourable atmosphere at his home itself. Sikh Sangat used to gather daily as per the instructions of Guru Ji Maharaj. Gurbani was recited and Kirtan was performed. A Gurudwara was also constructed for the purpose in his village Kossa by Bhai Punjab Singh Ji father of Sant Bhai Rocha Singh Ji.
When Guru Gobind Singh Ji after leaving Anandpur Sahib stayed at Sabo Ki Talwandi, Sant Bhai Rocha Singh at the age of 17 years went there and offered himself for baptising Amrit and service to Guru Ji. Guru Ji was very pleased to see such a beautiful young man fond of Amrit and offering Guru Ji service for his whole life. Guru Gobind Singh baptised him Amrit and observing him suitable for spreading Sikhism, bestowed him Saropa and Kirpan and deputed Sant Bhai Rocha Singh Ji to Jammu & Kashmir, Poonch, Muzaffarabad, Pothohar Zilla Hazara near Rawal Pindi for preaching Sikh religion.
Therefore,  Sant Bhai Rocha Singh started his mission of serving Guruji and common masses. Since, it was period of cruelty, suppression and also superstition, people in these hilly areas were living a life not better than animals in any way. The public in general and Hindus in particular were having no way to get their grievances redress anywhere. But Sant Bhai Rocha Singh on his return from Sabo Ki Talwandi joined Sant Bhai Punjab Singh at Dera Chhatter class and remained there till the death of Sant Bhai Punjab Singh who appointed him as Mahant of Dera before his death and therafter Sant Bhai Rocha Singh carried on responsibility  given to him by Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
Sant Bhai Rocha Singh in order to prepare himself for the task undertook Tapasya (regular recitation of Guru Nam) for 12 long years in a hollow portion of a very old Deodar tree at village Panjla which is now known as Tapyana Sahib Shallkot village Panjla at Baramulla in Kashmir. Thereafter, Sant Bhai Rocha Singh Ji started preaching Sikh religion in every nook and corner of Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Zilla Hazara and adjoining areas by visiting them time and again so as to take regular care of the devotees and save them from the cruel hands of rulers. Realising that his task was very difficult under the prevailing situation, he thus raised a contingent of 400-500 armed devotees who could face all type of eventualities thrusted upon him while performing  his duties, by the notorious people in the garb of rulers, nawabs and chowdries.
And when people observed that Sant Bhai Rocha Singh has come to save them and is the first and last hope of their safety, they joined his mission of Gurmat and willingly/gladly joined him in good number within a decade period. Most of Hindu population adopted Sikhism and thus Sant Bhai Rocha Singh saved the minority population from the cruel rulers. But the arrival of Sant Bhai Rocha Singh on the seen as a revolutionary was not acceptable to those people who used to treat public in an inhuman way. Rocha Singh who was very wise to foresee attempts on his life by the rulers and nawabs and he had already  an armed force. These rulers were either defeated or killed during their thrusted battles on Thakar Bhai Rocha Singh. A number of battles in which many nawabs lost their lives include.
In battle with nawab Chhatla Khan at Kothian, Chhatla Khan was defeated and killed.
In the battle at Kala Di Gand, the Japtu Jabial who wanted to stop Thakar Ji too was defeated and killed along with many of his companions.
Again at Kam Raj, Kashmir the ruler of Kashmir was advised by his councellors to stop Sant Bhai Rocha Singh who was stated to be spreading Sikhism at the cost of Islam and was stated to be a danger to the ruler.
Thakar Ji’s armed sewadar faught with dedication and defeated Dilwar and  killed him.
These battles though thrusted on Thakar Bhai Rocha Singh created a favourable atmosphere as people from all religions and sects realised that he is neither territory hungry nor he is establishing his rule anywhere. He was just preaching Sikhism and fighting for the total population against all types of suppression on them. Even the Sultan of Kashmir realized his folly and bagged apology from Thakar. He  assured that henceforth no resistance would be made for his movement and preaching of Sikh religion.
Sant Bhai Rocha Singh thereafter established a Dera i.e Sikh preaching centre at Dehri Sahib Rawla Kot on a big Jagir offered by Salawant Khan, King of the area. Observing the end nearer, Thakar Bhai Rocha Singh Ji appointed his nephew and senior most disciple Sant Bhai Hakeekat Singh  as Mahant after him who also very ably carried on the responsibility and created many astonishing achievements by virtue of his very high degree of spiritual level. One of such happenings is well  known to everybody when on the request of Maharaja Gulab Singh, Sant Bhai Hekeekat Singh Ji performed ARDAS and got the big boulder broken into pieces in a fort at Bagh.
Sant Bhai Hakeekat Singh Ji appointed his only son Sant Bhai Jeet Singh Ji as Mahant of Dera Dehri Sahib after him who also proved to be a spiritual saints under whose able guidance Sikh Panth flourished and Sant Bhai Jeet Singh appointed his four sons as Mahant of Dera Dehari Sahib and allotted each one separate areas for their work who performed their duties very suitably till the time of partition in 1947. This centre of Sikh pilgrimage is in Pakistan now. Now a Dera under the same name of Dera Dehri Sahib is under construction for carrying on the responsibilities further as per the wishes and directions of Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj.

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