Bhai Taru Singh was born on 6th October 1720 in the house of Shaheed Bhai Jodh Singh and Bibi Dharam Kaur in village Poohla, in Amritsar district of Punjab. His younger sister’s name was Tar Kaur. His father, Bhai Jodh Singh attains martyrdom in a battle. His mother raised him with her best. He took Amrit under the guidance of Bhai Mani Singh.
Zakariya Khan debarred Sikhs from all occupations. He did not allow them to do farming, business, or any occupation. He stopped all offerings at Gurudwaras. After doing all these things, he was not able to bow or kill the Sikhs. The reason behind this was the true spirit of Sikhism. Many Sikhs, who were not even rich, use to cut major shares from their earnings and use to send that to the Sikhs who were hiding in jungles. Bhai Taru Singh was also one of the Sikhs from those who use to provide support to Sikhs in the hides. Bhai Taru Singh used to till the land, give revenue to the government, and from the leftover, he try to give maximum to those Sikhs who were in jungles due to the tyranny of the government. The Sikhs, who were in exile by government persecution, were having great respect for him. Even the people living in his village and nearby areas (including Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims) were also having great respect for him because of his helpful nature. This was the reason that no local informer gave any information about him to Zakariya Khan.
One incident is must to mention here to understand the background of the martyrdom of Bhai Taru Singh. Bhai Teru Singh’s village was under the Patti district. Zafer Beg was head of that area and was a relative of Zakariya Khan. Zakariya Khan was governor of Punjab and was the brother-in-law of Mir Mannu. Mir Mannu was the son of Delhi’s minister Kamru-din-Mir-Atish.
Zafar Beg kidnapped the daughter of Rahim Baksh Mashi and took her to Patti. Her name was Salma. Rahim Baksh Mashi approached many Chaudaries and even Zafar Beg to release his daughter but nothing worked. Zafar Beg and Rahim Baksh Mashi both were Muslim but the corruption and immorality were at their peak. Rahim Baksh finally decided to take shelter of Khalsa. He was knowing that Bhai Taru Singh follow Sikhism. So, If he goes to Bhai Taru Singh for help then despite his religion, Bhai Taru Singh will help him. Rahim went to Bhai Taru Singh’s home. By chance, there were some more Sikhs present at Bhai Taru Singh’s home, who came to meet him. When Rahim told Bhai Taru Singh about his daughter, everyone present there was listening to him. The Sikh who came to meet Bhai Taru Singh took Rahim to their Jatha which was in the jungle. On the same night, the Sikhs took Rahim Baksh with them and attacked the fort of Patti. They set free the girl from the abduction of Zafar Beg. When Zafar Beg came to know about the people behind this act he set his mind to take revenge. He consults with Zakariya Khan and use Harbhagat Niranjania (Hindu Chaudary of Jandiala) as tool to capture Bhai Taru Singh. Harbhagat Niranjania was having a hate for Sikhs.
Zakariya Khan sends to Moman Khan with soldiers to arrest Bhai Taru Singh. Moman Khan tends to arrest Bhai Taru Singh along with his sister and mother. Villagers oppose him and give him money in form of a guarantee.
Sikh Jathe wanted to free Bhai Taru Singh by force, but he refused and said that he want to show the tyrants that Sikhs are not afraid of death.
Bhai Taru Singh was arrested, imprisoned and tortured, and then bought in front of Zakariya Khan.
Bhai Taru Singh greets everyone in the court of Zakariya Khan with the greetings of Sikhism, “WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH”. He was told by officials to do a salute to Zakariya Khan but Bhai Taru Singh refused to do it.
Then he was asked why he give food to the Sikhs in hides. Bhai Taru Singh told that after tilling the land, we pay tax to you. Whatever is left is ours, we eat it by sharing it with our community. We take nothing from you. So this is not unlawful even according to your law.
Then, the governor came to his true colors. He said Bhai Taru Singh to accept Islam or accept death. Bhai Taru Singh replied,” How do I fear for my life? Why must I become a Muslim? Don’t Muslims die? Then why should I abandon my faith? Will I never die, if I become Muslim? If, I will die then why change my faith? It will be proud for me to die in my faith by protecting it. Then the governor said to Bhai Taru Singh,” I want to beat you with my shoe on the head till I make you bald.” Bhai Taru Singh said while smiling,” God knows whose shoe will be and whose head will be.”
The governor tried to tempt him with offers of lands, wealth, and women. He offered him that he will be married to a wealthy royal family woman but Bhai Taru Singh refused to leave his faith. Seeing that Bhai Taru Singh was so inflexible, he gave the order to scrap Bhai Taru Singh’s scalp from his head. Bhai Taru Singh rejoiced that the hairs of his head were still intact. This was done on 9th June 1745. After this, Bhai Taru Singh was bought to prison and left to bleed to death. Suddenly, after this incident, Zakaria Khan was not able to urinate. His pain was increasing with time. Doctors from the area were called for the cure, but all in vain. One of the royal doctors asked him that he might have been cursed because he gave punishment to the Sikh and that Sikh said him some words. Zakaria Khan was scared and he believes in that. Due to unbearable pain and as a last resort, he finally bow in front of Khalsa Panth and send an apology to the Khalsa Panth for his tyranny and persecution of Sikhs and begged for their forgiveness. Nothing worked after he called one Sikh he know, which was attached to the government as a contractor. His name was Bhai Subeg Singh. Bhai Subeg Singh was a very intellectual and respectable person in society. When Bhai Subeg Singh arrived, he was told everything about Bhai Taru Singh, his punishment, and his words. Actually, he knew it before from someone. He was a well aware and a devotee Sikh. Bhai Subeg Singh said that if Zakaria Khan’s head will be hit by the shoes of Bhai Taru Singh, then Zakaria Khan might feel relief because Zakaria Khan is responsible for the present condition of Bhai Taru Singh.
Some of his courts’ religious officials also suggested the same. So they did it and Zakaria Khan feel some relief. The act was performed every day and the Zakaria Khan’s condition improved but he died after 22 days.
Upon hearing that he had miraculously outlived the Zakaria Khan, Bhai Taru Singh also left his body for Sachkhand on 1st July 1745. Bhai Taru Singh was barely 25 years of age. His dead body was cremated outside Delhi Gate at Lahore, where a “Shahidganj”, or martyrs’ memorial was later constructed. During Sikh Empire, this Gurudwara was allotted a big land for its maintenance. It’s now a place for pilgrimage for the Sikhs.