Akali Phoola Singh was born on January 14th 1761, in a village called Sarinh, which is in the present day district of Sangrur in Punjab. He is perhaps most famously known for his decision as the Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib, to whip Raja Ranjit Singh in front of the Akal Takht after the Raja had married a Muslim woman and become a patit (apostate).
Akali Jee’s father was Baba Ishar Singh of the Misal Shaheedan. He was seriously wounded in the Vadda Ghalughara of 1762 and he passed away soon after. Akali Jee was looked after by Baba Naina Singh of Misal Shaheedan and when he came of age he too joined this great Misal.
Misal Shaheedan was the Jatha of Baba Deep Singh. The Gursikhs of this Jatha were totally dedicated to Gurmat. They were Marr Jeevrais, meaning they had no desire to live. They only wanted to serve the Panth and their Guru. They were Naam-imbued Gursikhs that lived very spiritual lives. They followed Tat Gurmat and for this they were given the responsibility of holding the Nishan Sahib and the Nagara (battle drum) in 1734 when the Khalsa Panth was organised into 5 Jathas. They took care of the Gurdwaras and Takhts and were responsible for teaching Gursikhs about Gurmat, Gurbani, Shastar Vidiya etc.
Akali Jee moved to Sri Amritsar Sahib when he was a small child, where Baba Narain Singh spent most of his time. Here he quickly learned about Gurmat and Gurbani as well as Shastar Vidiya. From a small age he was blessed with the Sangat of Chardi Kala, non-compromising Gursikhs such as Baba Narain Singh and Giani Soorat Singh, the then head Granthi of Darbar Sahib. It is through the Sangat of these Gurmukhs that Akali Jee became the Gursikh he was. He too inhereited the non-compromising characteristics of these Gursikhs. Akali Jee his whole life never compromised on Gurmat at any point, whether it was his objection to the Europeanising of the Khalsa Army under Raja Ranjit Singh or his dedication to keep his high moral character—even under pressure from a woman to engage in an unholy act. Akali Jee never wavered when it came to Gurmat and for this reason he was well respected in the entire Panth.
Akali Jee was made the Jathedar of the Akal Takht by the Khalsa—a very high honour. When Raja Ranjit Singh married a Muslim woman by the name of Moran from Lahore, Akali Phoola Singh, as Jathedar of the Akal Takht Sahib declared that the Raja was no longer a Sikh and was a Tankhaiya—he was excommunicated from the Panth.
Akali Jee issued a Hukamanama which ordered the Raja to appear before the Panth in front of Akal Takht Sahib. Raja Ranjit Singh, to his credit, appeared before the Sangat at Akal Takht Sahib and accepted that he had made a mistake. Akali Jee ordered that he receive 50 lashes for his blunder. The Raja humbly accepted the punishment and took off his shirt and bowed before the Sangat, ready to receive his punishment. Seeing this, Akali Jee asked the Sangat to forgive and pardon the Raja. The Sangat obliged and the Raja was pardoned but he was ordered never to marry again and he accepted.
This was the honour and respect that the position of Jathedar of the Akal Takht brought. The Akal Takht was an autonomous power that even great kings dared not to offend. The Akal Takht brought great kings to their knees. This was all through the blessing of Akal Purakh. Raja Ranjit Singh did not try to replace Akali Phoola Singh as the Jathedar of Akal Takht in order to avoid his punishment, unlike the kings of those times and the leaders of today who would instantly replace religious heads for personal gain.
Akali Jee was not after the position of the Jathedar of Akal Takht, he had humbly accepted the Seva that he had been blessed with. For this reason he was not afraid to lose his position by calling out the king for his transgression and ordering that he be whipped in front of his subjects. For Akali Jee it was not a hard decision to make, for he knew that the Raja had erred, and had to be punished. He did not give special treatment to him because of his worldly position. Akali Jee knew that these worldly positions only last for so long, and are all temporary:
ਏਹ ਭੂਪਤਿ ਰਾਣੇ ਰੰਗ ਦਿਨ ਚਾਰਿ ਸੁਹਾਵਣਾ ॥
The pleasures of kings and emperors are pleasing, but they last for only a few days.
Akali Jee was a great Gursikh that never compromised when it came to Gurmat no matter what the issue or who the person involved was. He was a great warrior and scholar of Gurmat and Gurbani. He was the ideal person for the position of Akal Takht Jathedar.Akali Phoola Singh was born on January 14th 1761, in a village called Sarinh, which is in the present day district of Sangrur in Punjab. He is perhaps most famously known for his decision as the Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib, to whip Raja Ranjit Singh in front of the Akal Takht after the Raja had married a Muslim woman and become a patit (apostate).
Akali Jee’s father was Baba Ishar Singh of the Misal Shaheedan. He was seriously wounded in the Vadda Ghalughara of 1762 and he passed away soon after. Akali Jee was looked after by Baba Naina Singh of Misal Shaheedan and when he came of age he too joined this great Misal.
Misal Shaheedan was the Jatha of Baba Deep Singh. The Gursikhs of this Jatha were totally dedicated to Gurmat. They were Marr Jeevrais, meaning they had no desire to live. They only wanted to serve the Panth and their Guru. They were Naam-imbued Gursikhs that lived very spiritual lives. They followed Tat Gurmat and for this they were given the responsibility of holding the Nishan Sahib and the Nagara (battle drum) in 1734 when the Khalsa Panth was organised into 5 Jathas. They took care of the Gurdwaras and Takhts and were responsible for teaching Gursikhs about Gurmat, Gurbani, Shastar Vidiya etc.
Akali Jee moved to Sri Amritsar Sahib when he was a small child, where Baba Narain Singh spent most of his time. Here he quickly learned about Gurmat and Gurbani as well as Shastar Vidiya. From a small age he was blessed with the Sangat of Chardi Kala, non-compromising Gursikhs such as Baba Narain Singh and Giani Soorat Singh, the then head Granthi of Darbar Sahib. It is through the Sangat of these Gurmukhs that Akali Jee became the Gursikh he was. He too inhereited the non-compromising characteristics of these Gursikhs. Akali Jee his whole life never compromised on Gurmat at any point, whether it was his objection to the Europeanising of the Khalsa Army under Raja Ranjit Singh or his dedication to keep his high moral character—even under pressure from a woman to engage in an unholy act. Akali Jee never wavered when it came to Gurmat and for this reason he was well respected in the entire Panth.
Akali Jee was made the Jathedar of the Akal Takht by the Khalsa—a very high honour. When Raja Ranjit Singh married a Muslim woman by the name of Moran from Lahore, Akali Phoola Singh, as Jathedar of the Akal Takht Sahib declared that the Raja was no longer a Sikh and was a Tankhaiya—he was excommunicated from the Panth.
Akali Jee issued a Hukamanama which ordered the Raja to appear before the Panth in front of Akal Takht Sahib. Raja Ranjit Singh, to his credit, appeared before the Sangat at Akal Takht Sahib and accepted that he had made a mistake. Akali Jee ordered that he receive 50 lashes for his blunder. The Raja humbly accepted the punishment and took off his shirt and bowed before the Sangat, ready to receive his punishment. Seeing this, Akali Jee asked the Sangat to forgive and pardon the Raja. The Sangat obliged and the Raja was pardoned but he was ordered never to marry again and he accepted.
This was the honour and respect that the position of Jathedar of the Akal Takht brought. The Akal Takht was an autonomous power that even great kings dared not to offend. The Akal Takht brought great kings to their knees. This was all through the blessing of Akal Purakh. Raja Ranjit Singh did not try to replace Akali Phoola Singh as the Jathedar of Akal Takht in order to avoid his punishment, unlike the kings of those times and the leaders of today who would instantly replace religious heads for personal gain.
Akali Jee was not after the position of the Jathedar of Akal Takht, he had humbly accepted the Seva that he had been blessed with. For this reason he was not afraid to lose his position by calling out the king for his transgression and ordering that he be whipped in front of his subjects. For Akali Jee it was not a hard decision to make, for he knew that the Raja had erred, and had to be punished. He did not give special treatment to him because of his worldly position. Akali Jee knew that these worldly positions only last for so long, and are all temporary:
ਏਹ ਭੂਪਤਿ ਰਾਣੇ ਰੰਗ ਦਿਨ ਚਾਰਿ ਸੁਹਾਵਣਾ ॥
The pleasures of kings and emperors are pleasing, but they last for only a few days.
Akali Jee was a great Gursikh that never compromised when it came to Gurmat no matter what the issue or who the person involved was. He was a great warrior and scholar of Gurmat and Gurbani. He was the ideal person for the position of Akal Takht Jathedar.
