For quite sometime I wanted to write the Gurmukhi jeevan of Baba Khazaan Singh, the father of Sant Sunder Singh Bhindranwalay (11th Jathedhar of Guru Ji's Damdami Taksal). Sant Sunder Singh jee Bhindranwaalay was a great Gursikh who led an exemplary life, did massive parchaar of Sikhi, inspired countless to take amrit and taught Gurbani and Gurbani meanings to countless students, in his short life of 42 years or so. While many have heard about the Gurmukhi life of Sant Sunder Singh jee, few are aware of how great his father was. This is a feeble attempt by this insect to write something on the great life of Baba Khazaan Singh jee. This is based on Dr Sher Singh's book on Sant Sunder Singh, Sant Gurbachan Singh's coverage of Sant Sunder Singh's life and oral narrations from Gursikhs from time to time.

Baba Khazaan Singh was the middle son of Baba Makhan Singh the grandfather of Sant Sunder Singh jee. Here are some highlights of Baba jee's jeevan:

1) Baba jee was a simple farmer who worked hard to earn bread for his family. He was from village Bhinder Kalan in Ferozepur district of Punjab.

2) Baba jee was extremely honest. He never let even a grain not belonging to him, come to his home. While working in his fields, he used to constantly do Naam Simran and Gurbani paath.

3) He got married to a very Gurmukhi bibi Mata Taab Kaur jee. She was not educated but due to her husband's satsangat, she developed keen interest and love for Gurbani.

4) Baba jee had great urge to have darshan of Guru Sahib. In year 1887, a year before the birth of Sant Sunder Singh jee, at the time of Avtaar Purab of Siri Guru Nanak Dev jee, Baba jee decided to go all out for darshan of Guru Sahib. He committed to doing strict amritvela and doing one Siri Sukhmani Sahib standing on one leg, 3 hours and 45 minutes before sunrise. Just few days had passed while engaging in day night paath like this that Baba jee was hit with extreme Bairaag. He gave up all interest in world and started doing bhajan day and night. At the behest of some gursikhs, who asked him to come in Sehaj Avastha, he started taking care of his worldly duties again.

5) Before the birth of Sant Sunder Singh, Baba jee did 36 lakh (3.6 million) jaap of Mool Mantr.

6) Later in his life he did 125,000 jaap of Siri Jap jee Sahib.

7) Later in his years he did 101 Paaths of Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee in the span of 3 years. This means about 3 Sehaj paaths a month. Along with this he did 36 lakh paaths of Mool Mantr, all within 3 years. This means massive paath a day, for three years.

8) He used to do at least 100 angs worth of baani a day.

9) He used to do 3300 jaap of Mool Mantra a day.

10) He had about 100 angs of baani fully memorized.

11) He used to wear only Khaddar.

12) He was a very strict amritdhaari.

13) He never let a day pass without going to Gurdwara Sahib.

14) He used to eat only once a day at 10am.

15) Before eating food, he used to look for someone to share with.

Reading the life of Baba jee, I was surprised. So much kamaayee and no one knows his name. I have no doubt that even today there are many gupt gursikhs out there about whom we know nothing. Hearing about kamaayee of Baba jee I feel like putting my nose in a chapnee and dying.

May Guru Sahib do kirpa on us and may we lead our life like Baba jee and other great gursikhs.

By Bhai Kulbir Singh Ji