Gurudwara Dera Baba Karam Singh ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਡੇਰਾ ਬਾਬਾ ਕਰਮ ਸਿੰਘ

ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਡੇਰਾ ਬਾਬਾ ਕਰਮ ਸਿੰਘ

Sant Baba Karam Singh was a Parcharak (preacher), a spiritual leader of Sikhs, who founded Dera Hoti Mardan.

Mahaan mahapurush Baba Karam Singh Sahib Ji was born in 1826 A.D. in the early morning hours to Mata Suba Devi and Sri Kirpa Singh Ji in a village called Kazia, district of Rawalpindi India (now part of Pakistan). Towards the end of the eighteenth century and in the beginning of the nineteenth century, in this predominately Musalman (Muslim) area, there were a few Hindu and Sikh families. Amongst those families was one Gurmukh, lover of God's name, Bhai Kirpa Singh. God had blessed him with three daughters, but yet he constantly prayed to God for a son.

Kazia was a beautiful village with greenery all around with beautiful streams flowing through it. The beautiful and serene surroundings of this place had, since anyone could remember, attracted Sadhus to set up Deras at this place. Once Sri Maan Sant Sahib Singh, along with his followers, set up a dera there. Sant Sahib Singh was the eleventh successor to the throne of Baba Lakhmi Chand (son of Guru Nanak Dev Ji). A complete Mahapurush (very, very great being) Sant Sahib Singh, would help alleviate the physical and mental problems of people who flocked to him from far and wide seeking his blessings.

Baba Karam Singh Ji's aunt (Masi ji), Kartar Kaur Bedi heard of the advent of Sahib Singh Ji. When she saw people getting the blessings of Sant Sahib Singh Ji, she thought that since her sister was also unhappy (over her failure to deliver a son) why not take the entire family to Sant Sahib and maybe he would make their wishes come true.

Chaar padhaarathh jae ko maagai ||

One who prays for the four cardinal blessings

Saadhh janaa kee saevaa laagai ||

should commit himself to the service of the Saints.

Shabad by Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Page 266 SGGS

With such thoughts in her mind she inspired her sister's entire family to go to Sant Sahib Singh Ji's dera and seek his blessings. The family with a lot of love and devotion presented offerings to Sant Sahib Singh Ji and bowed to him. Sant Sahib then said, "Welcome Gurmukhs! Tell me the reason for your visit". On hearing this, Bibi Kartar Kaur hesitated a little and then said, "Baba Ji! You know everything, this Gurmukh family has come to your feet as it seeks your blessings for the deliverance of a son". On hearing this, Baba Ji closed his eyes and went into a samadhi (a state of deep meditation). After some time, he opened his eyes. The condition of his body was in a amazing state. There was a divine light in his eyes, noorani chamak (a heavenly glow on his face) on his face. All of a sudden he said:

"You'll have a son, but..."

On hearing - "but.." , the Gurmukh family's faces went pale and all them, while gazing at Baba Ji's face, wondered just what "but.." meant.

Noticing the delicate state that the family had been left in by his incomplete sentence, Baba Ji ventured to explain, "Gurmukhon! Don't worry! Concentrate on the lotus feet of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. What i meant by 'but..' was that if the son is born in the afternoon, he will grow up to be a great warrior, if he is born in the evening he will be a great daani and if he is born in the early morning hours, he will be a great Sant Mahatma, who will distribute God's name amongst crores of people. He while uttering God's name will merge into the same. He will make thousands of people love God's name. After this, it is upto God's play himself."

On hearing this, happiness flowed though the entire family and all of them while taking leave of Sant Ji, bowed to him again. Sant Ji told them to spend all the time they could, uttering God's name and as they left, he bestowed blessings from Guru Nank Dev Ji's house.

The family then spent time uttering God's name, reciting Gurbani, listening to kirtan in the Gurudwara and performing seva with true devotion. They would wash Guru Granth Sahib's rumaalaas with their own hands, serve the saadh sangat and derived great pleasure in doing so. On doing so, they pleased the Almighty and as the fifth Guru Nanak has recited:

Sathigur hoe dhaeiaal th saradhhaa pooreeai ||

When the True Guru is merciful, then your desires will be fulfilled.

Sathigur hoe dhaeiaal n kabehoo(n) jhooreeai ||

When the True Guru is merciful, you will never grieve.

Shabad by Guru Amar Daas Ji, Page 149 SGGS

As the lines of Gurbani above mention, with the grace of Satguru Sacche Patshaah, the pleasure of the Saadh Sangat and with Mahapurush Sant Sahib Singh Ji's blessings, Mata Suba Devi became pregnant. As Guru Arjan Dev Ji has mentioned in GurBani:

Oudharai maahi aae keeaa nivaas ||

He came to acquire a home in the womb,

Maathaa kai man bahuth bigaas ||

And his mother's heart is so very glad. ||

Shabad by Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Page 396

On becoming pregnant, Mata Suba Devi's nature changed. She acquired a divine countenance, always had a smile on her face, humility showed through, an intense love for God's name and an eagerness to serve the sadh sangat developed. As the True Guru's bani says:

Dasi Maasi hukam baalak janam liyaa|| Mitiya sog mahaa anand thiya||
Dispelling Superstitions

Baba Karam Singh Ji even as an infant had a very pleasing countenance. People would consider it a privilege to hold the infant in their hands. They would derrive immense pleasure in showering affection on the young one. The young one was the cynosure of all eyes and everyone who saw him fell in love with him.

Some superstitious ladies poisoned the mind of Mata Suba Devi telling her that since the infant got so much attention, it would fall ill or something bad would happen ( nazar lag jaana ). On hearing this, Mata Suba Devi changed her behaviour. She would not let people meet the infant on some pretext or the other.

Sri Kirpa Singh noticed this change in his wife and questioned her about it. She then told him everything about the superstitions. On hearing this, Sri Kirpa Singh tried to explain to her that these things were not true but it failed to have any effect on Mata Suba Devi.

One afternoon, Kaka Karam Singh Ji was playing and his mother was busy with some household work. All of a sudden a sweet voice said, "Sat Kartar", "Sat Kartar". On hearing this sweet voice, Mata Suba Devi turned around to see a God loving, bani da rasiyaa, tall Gurmukh Mahatma with a white beard wearing white clothes standing at their door. On seeing such a Godly figure, Mata Ji immediately requested Mahatma ji to sit on a manji. As he sat down, Mahatma Ji lifted Kaka Karam Singh Ji and put him on his lap and began showering affection on the little child.

He then said, "O mother of the young one! Your son is a Sant Mahatma. He will dispel a lot of superstitions from the minds of people and will spread God's name far and wide. People who have forgotten God's name will be put back on path by him. Don't hide the infant from people. Let them love the young one and derive pleasure from doing so. Nothing bad will happen to him. Don't believe in such superstitions."

After saying this, the Mahatma said "Sat Kartar" and immediately left the house. Mata Suba Devi immediately ran after him but as she went out, she couldn't see anyone. Mata Ji repented for her behaviour and fell into a depression. When Sri Kirpa Singh came home and saw the gloomy demeanor of his wife, asked her what the matter was. When he heard what had happened said, he said that "This was the play of God. In order to make us understand the truth, he performed this miracle. As the fifth Guru Nanak states:

"Kot paradh humaare khandeh, anik bidhi samjhaweh||"

The Almighty has many ways to dispel superstitions. This was one of his ways to make us understand that we should not believe in superstitions". Soon after this incident, Mata Ji changed her behaviour and happiness returned to the Gurmukh parivaar.
Almighty Performs Duty for his Son

Kazia village was a very beautiful, serene place and hence attracted many Saints who often set up deras there. Baba Karam Singh Ji ( now 15 years old ) would serve the Sants with all his mind and heart and receive their blessings. Once Baba Ram Singh Ji ( a complete Mahapurush ) visited Kazia. He inspired Baba Karam Singh Ji to serve his parents ( stating that this was the best form of seva ). Baba Karam Singh Ji decided to take up a job so that he could serve his parents financially.

He took up a job in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's army. But after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Sikh empire did not last very long. Then, Baba Karam Singh Ji took up a job in the British army. There he performed acts of such bravery and compassion that he soon became very popular amongst his fellow soldiers. All this while Baba Ji continued to meditate on the Lord's name. He would inspire his fellow soldiers to remember God's name. British officers too, held him in high esteem.

After the 1857 mutiny was quelled by the British, the British gave a free hand to their soldiers to indulge in looting and arson. On seeing the terrible state of people, Baba Ji suddenly became very quiet and totally withdrew into a shell. He would appear to be sad and lost, always on the verge of tears. His fellow soldiers became very concerned and asked him repeatedly as to what the matter was. He replied that the problem did not invlove worldly affairs but was more spiritual in nature. On hearing this, his followers grew quiet. Baba Karam Singh Ji was now totally possessed with a desire to be united with God. He wanted to give up all material bondings and devote his life to serving the Almighty. His yearning for a sight of the Almighty had crossed all limits and boundaries.

As is mentioned in Gurbani:

"Ghat ghat ke anter ki jaane"