MYTHICAL CHARACTER-1
INDIAN ARMY
BABA
HARBHAJAN SINGH
SARASIJ
MAJUMDER
Baba
Harbhajan Singh, a soldier deployed in the Nathula pass in Eastern Sikkim has
been guarding the India China border for the past 56 years. He is just like any
other soldier. He takes two months a year off to visit his parents in
Kapurthala district in Punjab, stays up at night for our safety, has promotions
that he is entitled to (currently an honorary captain) and sends his salary home.
BUT THERE IS
ONE BIG DIFFERENCE, HE IS DEAD.
He died 56 years ago.
He got recruited as a soldier in Amritsar and joined the
Punjab regiment.
He was posted in14 Rajput Regiment. He participated in the
India-Pakistan war in 1965. This was the first time in his life when he
participated in any war.
Later, he was transferred to 18 Rajput Regiment, and he
worked very hard for the next 3 years in this regiment.
In 1968, during Sino-Indo war, he was posted at the Nathu La
mountain pass in Eastern Sikkim, where many battles took place between the
Indian army and China’s people liberation army.
Once, while he was carrying goods and supply for the army in operation at a distant post,
he tripped accidentally, and got trapped in a glacier, ultimately may got buried, which led to his
death. His body got carried 2 kms away from the site of accident. Interesting
thing was that, he himself helped his unit to discover his body for cremation
in a dream of the officer of the search party. His body was found after three
days.
He was given the status of martyr.
Later he paid a visit
to one of his friends in his dreams and asked for a shrine to be built in his
name. The unit obliged and Harbhajan Singh became Baba Harbhajan Singh after
that.
Miracles which are hard to believe.
Baba Harbhajan Singh is believed to be
continuously performing his duty even after his death. For this, he is paid a
salary, he has a rank in his army, he is also promoted as per rules. He was
even sent to the village on a leave of 2 months until a few years ago.
After his death, he interacted to the Chinese
army officer. Further, The Chinese army wrote a letter to the Indians asking
‘Who is this person doing the horse riding every night?’
Many army officers claimed that baba Harbhajan
slapped them when they did not maintain the discipline.
The
legend has become so popular that a special reservation for the Baba is
actually made and his berth left empty for the entire journey to his home town
every year with other soldiers accompanying him so as to reach him till his
home. A small sum of money is also contributed by soldiers posted in Nathula to
be sent to his mother each month. Every year on 11 September, the goods of Baba
Harbhajan Singh are conveyed with full respect to the railway station New
Jalpaiguri. And from there, three soldiers sent his goods to their village,
KUKA, in the Kapurthala district of the Indian state of Punjab. As he goes to
the holidays like an army officer.
Baba Ji also helps the fellow army officers in
finding enemies.
There is also a room of Baba in the temple, in
which beds are cleaned and planted daily. Baba’s army uniforms and shoes are
kept. It is said that after cleaning daily, mud and salve are found in their
shoes.
The spirit of Baba Harbhajan Singh warns his unit of any
impending dangers at least three days in advance. He does the duty of keeping
the soldiers on the night duty awake. His colleagues polish his shoes, wash his
clothes and carry his portrait to his office and back. They also randomly find
his shoes muddy and his bed sheet disturbed.
Even the Chinese respect him, they leave a seat vacant for
him at the flag meetings.
Colonel
Rajinder Singh's addition:
For about an year plus in the seventies, I had the good
fortune of commanding the Army Post at Nathula Pass, Sikkim. “La” literally
translated means a Pass. The Post included the Shrine of Baba Harbhajan Singh
on the road side with a sheer 300 - 400 feet drop on one side. During this
tenure, we were responsible for upkeep of the Shrine through harsh snowfall in
winters and short pleasant summers with pink, white and red Rhododendron
flowers in full bloom. The Shrine has his complete military uniform and even a
pair of slippers for Baba Harbhajan Singh. He is considered the Guardian of all
vehicles and living beings traversing through this Pass and the surrounding
areas. It is a miracle that, to the best of my knowledge, there wasn’t a single
accident or fatality on this Pass even with snow piling up a couple of feet on
the road requiring special driving precautions. There were talked of instances,
especially during zero visibility / night with dangerous snowy conditions,
where Baba Harbhajan Singh himself appeared and guided vehicles for a safe
passage.
Some references:-
1.0 https://www.abplive.com/news/india/indian-soldier-baba-harbhajan-singh-temple-in-east-sikkim-servings-country-even-after-death-2507557
2.0 https://www.amarujala.com/photo-gallery/lifestyle/travel/know-every-thing-about-indian-army-baba-harbhajan-singh-mandir-in-east-sikkim-things-to-do
3.0 https://www.tripoto.com/india/trips/the-mystery-of-baba-harbhajan-singh-610f69e217554
Image:-- Google
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