 |
Baba Avtar Singh Ji was born in a small village named Latifal in Jhelum District (Pakistan) on December 31st, 1899 in the family of Shri Mukha Singh Ji and Smt. Narayani Devi Ji. He was being brought up with due affection and indulgence, but when he was just 6 years, his father fell ill and breathed his last. This untimely loss was a big jolt to the family. The burden of looking after the family fell on Mata Narayani's shoulders. The boy Avtar was entrusted to the care of Shri Nand Lal, a local priest, for education as there was no school in the village. In a short span of time he was able to study scriptures. Avtar proved to be extraordinarily intelligent and always spoke sweet language.
Family hardships made Avtar very strong and determined. He was on the look out for some job to earn livelihood. Once his maternal uncle came from Rawalpindi and Avtar, who was about 12 years old, also accompanied him to Rawalpindi. This was a step that marked the beginning of Avtar's life of determination and firm faith in goodness. In Rawalpindi, Avtar worked as domestic servant and also as a porter at railway station. There, he incidentally came in contact with Seth Sawan Mal, who had a Bakery. Impressed by his integrity and hard work, Seth Sawan Mal employed Avtar in his bakery and eventually handed over the whole unit to him. While showing due progress in the business and devotion to worship, he also got linked in the rising surge for the freedom of his country. He participated in a procession related to freedom movement in Amritsar in 1919. In the mean time, there was an Akali Movement and Avtar was sent as a leading member of the morcha at Jaiton, which led him to jail. While in jail he had an urge to know the self. He used to devote spare time in meditation. On being relieved from jail after two and a half years, he was a changed man. Quest for truth made him restless. Meanwhile, he was married to Budhwanti Ji.
Baba Avtar Singh Ji recited Gurbani regularly. Impressed by his interest, Dhanna Singh who used to supply milk at the bakery persuaded him to meet Baba Buta Singh Ji. And the holy meeting took place on the 25th of May, 1929. Baba Buta Singh Ji found him so keen to know the Truth that he revealed God-Knowledge to him instantaneously. Baba Avtar Singh Ji felt fully convinced of the Reality. Ecstasy took hold of him and he was all praise for the Master and Nirankar, the Formless God all around. He surrendered himself completely to Baba Buta Singh Ji and said that hereafter his life would be the same as Baba Buta Singh Ji would like it to be. He declared that he had found his destiny at the holy feet of Baba Buta Singh Ji. Baba Buta Singh Ji was also happy because he found in Baba Avtar Singh Ji the kind of devotee he had been looking for since long, a person who would surrender his body, mind and material assets at the altar of divinity and take the spiritual light to the masses and share the eternal bliss with those who were otherwise fumbling in the darkness of ignorance. So, both Baba Buta Singh Ji and Baba Avtar Singh Ji worked together and the movement gathered momentum. As expected, they faced a lot of opposition from the orthodox elements, but this failed to deter them from the path of truth. The two were together for about 14 years. On many occasions, Baba Avtar Singh Ji's honesty, sincerity, devotion and dedication towards his True Master and the Almighty was put to test. Every time, he proved upto the mark and won praise from the True Master.
Before Baba Buta Singh Ji breathed his last at Murree in 1943, he removed the white scarf from around his own neck and put it around Baba Avtar Singh Ji's neck, indicating that hereafter he would like Baba Avtar Singh Ji to head the Mission. He, however, told him in the presence of other devotees, "This white scarf may not be taken as a sign of decoration. It is a chain of sharp razors. If you keep your neck straight, the razors will not cause any harm, but as soon as you turn your neck, it would be suicidal." Baba Avtar Singh Ji bowed his head at the feet of Baba Buta Singh Ji and accepted his command. He knew that what he meant was not to divert his attention from the path of Truth at any time and under any circumstances thereafter.
Baba Avtar Singh Ji succeeded Baba Buta Singh Ji and preached the divine message during the period 1943-62. He was all out for the uplift of mankind through dissemination of the divine word. He faced opposition from different fronts in carrying out his missionary obligations, but he remained moulded and welded to the Truth. He appeased the flood of opposition with his humility and love. He possessed wonderful skill to convince his critics, provided they chose to listen to him. There are many instances where critics, after listening to Baba Ji, joined the Mission and dedicated their lives to the propagation of its message.
Following the Partition of India in 1947, Baba Avtar Singh Ji had to shift from Rawalpindi to Delhi. Baba Ji settled at Paharganj. Devotees migrating from Pakistan also maintained their link with Baba Ji and sought rehabilitation in and around Delhi. In order to meet the requirements of the children of the devotees and others, Baba Avtar Singh Ji opened Sant Nirankari School in Paharganj, (which is now a Senior Secondary School). Subsequently, he also established Sant Nirankari Colony in North Delhi and shifted the Headquarters of the Mission there. Santokh Sarovar was also dug near the Colony. |  |
To give an organisational outfit to the expanding Nirankari Mission, Baba Avtar Singh Ji founded Sant Nirankari Mandal in 1948 and got it registered with Headquarters at Delhi. Establishing branches in various cities with Pramukhs-incharge also came in the priority agenda of the Master for streamlining the spread of the Mission. For this very purpose, Sant Nirankari Sewa Dal also came into being. Publication wing was set up for books and periodicals. Books containing philosophy of the Mission were attempted by scholar missionaries with deep inspiration from the Master. Avtar Bani has been a unique contribution by the Master himself.
Meanwhile, the Mission attracted people from all castes and communities. On the one hand, its ideology was easy to understand and follow in practical day-to-day life. The Mission prescribed no cumbersome rituals or costly ceremonies. It liberated them from all kind of taboos. Then, it loved all and hated none. And on the other, the masses had just experienced the havoc that communalism and religious intolerance could play with the mankind. They had gone through the misery before Partition and suffered from the agony even thereafter. They had not only seen the disease of casteism in its full swing, but felt the sting also. So, they welcomed the Mission where all of them were treated as equally respected and dignified members of the one human society. They found here what they really needed--the spiritual balm to heal their worldly wounds, the inner strength to bear the sorrow and the morale boosting to continue their journey of life. So, the number of people attending Nirankari congregations went on increasing day by day under the spiritual mastership of Baba Avtar Singh Ji.
One of the unique things related to Baba Avtar Singh ji is that during his life time itself he took a decision to revert from the Satguru to an ordinary devotee. While addressing a congregation in Delhi on December 3rd, 1962, he took the gathering by surprise as he said that hereafter they should address Gurbachan Singh Ji as Baba Ji. He asked them to no longer address him as 'Seth Ji' or 'Bhapa Ji' but show him the same respect as they had been showing to himself. With this the Satguru stood manifested in Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji. The next Annual Nirankari Sant Samagam which opened on November 5th, 1963 was, of course, the first occasion when the devotees from all over the country saw Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji as the Spiritual Head of the Mission.
As a devotee, Baba Avtar Singh Ji became an example to others. He showed full reverence to the Satguru of the time, Baba Gurbachan Singh ji. In all matters related to the Mission, he would take the decision of Baba Gurbachan Singh ji as final. Many times missionaries and devotees whould come and seek his advice. He would express his opinion, but advise them at the same time that they should go by the final decision that is taken by Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji himself.
It would be interesting to recall that during the first Mussoorie Conference convened by Satguru Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji in 1965, it was Baba Avtar Singh Ji who as one of the Missionaries put up a proposal that the Mission should have its own Satsang Bhawans at as many places as possible. He argued that this was necessary in view of the increasing number of devotees. They must have a common place for regular congregations. Baba Avtar Singh Ji also suggested that the devotees may be encouraged to contribute a small amount towards Building Fund on monthly basis. The proposal was, of course, accepted and approved by the Conference. And today we realise the significance and appreciate his far sightedness with gratitude.
It may be mentioned that in 1968 Baba Avtar Singh ji visited U.K. While Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji's tour the previous year had been devoted to simple familiarisation, Baba Avtar Singh Ji utilised his visit for an intensive communication of the message of the Mission. Instead of holding congregations in the open, he preferred to contact individuals on person-to-person basis. The result was that many people came forward to seek God Knowledge. Once they were blessed with the divine light, they would be keen to take it to others and help them come out of the spell of ignorance.
In 1969 Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji and Rajmata Ji planned their second tour to U.K. But they were reluctant because Baba Avtar Singh Ji was not well. It was the latter, however, who persuaded them not to abandon the proposed tour. He was conscious of the excitement of the devotees in U.K. So he would not like to frustrate the same by asking Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji to stay back for the reason of his own ill-health. Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji, accompanied by Rajmata Ji, left for U.K. The tour had, however, to be cut short because of sudden deterioration in the health of Baba Avtar Singh Ji who breathed his last after a few days of their return. In any case, Baba Avtar Singh Ji had proved how keen he was to see the Mission find roots abroad for which he himself had been able to sow the seed. His benign gesture to send Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji and Rajmata Ji to U.K. in spite of his illness, will always remain unforgettable.
Those who used to meet Baba Avtar Singh Ji during his illness, recall that he would never say that he was unwell. Whosoever enquired about his health, including the doctors, his reply was, "I am alright. Only my body has some problem......." This shows that he wanted to convey to the devotees that it is not the body that they should attach importance to, it is the Soul that they should value. And the Soul which is a particle of Super-Soul is above all ailments. No wonder, Baba Avtar Singh ji breathed his last without showing any sign of worry that usually looms large on the face of a dying person.
The message of detachment was further confirmed by Satguru Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji who decided to perform the funeral without any show off. Going by worldly norms, having been the spiritual head of the Mission for about 20 years and having lived the life so richly, Baba Avtar Singh Ji deserved a grand funeral with sandal wood etc. And his vast family of devotees had no dearth of the resources to arrange the same. But Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji explained that a dead body is just a dead body whether it belonged to an ordinary person, an intellectual, or even a holy man. So Baba Avtar Singh Ji was given a simple funeral at the electric crematorium in Delhi.
The story perhaps would not be complete if we did not mention that Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji decided not to have any commemorative function or congregation on the 17th of September, the day when Baba Avtar Singh Ji breathed his last in 1969. Instead he exhorted the devotees to pay homage to Baba Avtar Singh Ji on the 15th of August when they were already paying tributes to Jagat Mata Budhwanti Ji. The 15th of August was subsequently named as 'Mukti Parv' i.e. Spiritual Libaration Day. While the nation celebrates the Independence Day and expresses its gratitude to those who laid down their lives for freedom, the Nirankaris add another dimension, stressing the need for spiritual libration of man, the libration of Soul, and remembering those who dedicated their lives for this noble cause.