Bhai Taru Singh - Scalped Alive

Dadi: "Beta Guddu, do you know why Sikhs keep their hair long and never cut it?"

Guddu: "Is it a religious rule, Dadi?"

Dadi: "It's much more than a rule. The uncut hair, the kesh, is considered a gift from God and a source of spiritual strength. Let me tell you about a man who chose to have his scalp removed rather than let anyone cut his hair."

Guddu: "His scalp? That sounds horrible!"

Dadi: "It is a terrible story, beta. But it's also a story of faith so deep that it defied even the cruelest torture. His name was Bhai Taru Singh."

Guddu: "Who was he?"

Dadi: "He was a simple farmer who lived in a small village near Amritsar around 1720. After his father died in battle, his widowed mother raised him and his sister as devoted Sikhs. He grew maize on his little farm and lived a quiet life."

Guddu: "What happened?"

Dadi: "This was a dark time for Sikhs. The Mughal governor Zakaria Khan had put a price on every Sikh's head. Sikhs were being hunted like animals. Many had fled to the jungles and mountains."

Guddu: "Where did they get food?"

Dadi: "That's where Bhai Taru Singh came in. He and his sister secretly gave food and money to the hiding Sikhs. They saved whatever they could from their modest income to support those fighting for survival."

Guddu: "That was dangerous!"

Dadi: "Very dangerous. A Muslim informer betrayed them. One day, twenty armed soldiers arrived to arrest Bhai Taru Singh and his sister."

Guddu: "What did he do?"

Dadi: "Here's something beautiful, beta. When the soldiers arrived, Bhai Taru Singh insisted on feeding them first before going with them! Can you imagine - showing hospitality to the people who came to take you to your death?"

Guddu: "That's incredible kindness."

Dadi: "The villagers managed to bribe the soldiers to release his sister, but Bhai Taru Singh was taken to Lahore. They brought him before Zakaria Khan himself."

Guddu: "What did the Governor want?"

Dadi: "First, he offered Bhai Taru Singh wealth, a noble wife, and power - all for just converting to Islam. Bhai Taru Singh refused. Then Zakaria Khan asked where he got his power to endure the torture they had already inflicted."

Guddu: "What did he answer?"

Dadi: "He said, "My strength comes from my kesh - my uncut hair, blessed by Guru Gobind Singh himself.""

Guddu: "What did the Governor do?"

Dadi: "Zakaria Khan decided to take away that source of strength. But here's what happened - when he ordered a barber to cut Bhai Taru Singh's hair, something strange occurred. According to Sikh tradition, the hair became as strong as iron! The blade couldn't cut through."

Guddu: "Really?"

Dadi: "Whether we understand it as miracle or metaphor, the barber couldn't do it. So Zakaria Khan ordered something far worse - he commanded that Bhai Taru Singh's scalp be completely removed with a sharp knife, so his hair would never grow again."

Guddu: "*gasps* That's... that's torture!"

Dadi: "On June 9, 1745, they carried out this horrific punishment. Through it all, Bhai Taru Singh could only be heard reciting Japji Sahib. He didn't scream. He didn't beg. He prayed."

Guddu: "Did he survive?"

Dadi: "He was thrown into a dungeon to die slowly. But something unexpected happened. Zakaria Khan himself fell terribly ill! He couldn't pass urine, his stomach swelled, and he was in agony. His doctors couldn't help him."

Guddu: "What was wrong with him?"

Dadi: "The Governor realized it must be connected to what he had done to Bhai Taru Singh. In desperation, he sent a message to the Khalsa begging forgiveness for his persecution of Sikhs."

Guddu: "Did they forgive him?"

Dadi: "Some Sikhs suggested that if Zakaria Khan struck his own head with Bhai Taru Singh's shoe, he might find relief. The once-mighty Governor actually did it - and felt temporary relief. But his agony returned and continued for 22 days until he died."

Guddu: "And Bhai Taru Singh?"

Dadi: "When news came that he had outlived Zakaria Khan, Bhai Taru Singh peacefully let go of his breath on July 1, 1745. He had won. The Governor who had ordered his scalping was dead, while his spirit remained unbroken."

Guddu: "What does this story teach us, Dadi?"

Dadi: "So many things! First, true power isn't physical - Bhai Taru Singh's strength came from his connection to the divine, not from muscles or weapons. Second, our beliefs are worth more than comfort - he could have said some words, let them cut his hair, and lived, but he chose integrity over safety. Third, kindness even to enemies - feeding the soldiers who arrested him showed a soul so pure that persecution couldn't corrupt it. And finally, tyranny defeats itself - Zakaria Khan destroyed himself through his cruelty, while his victim achieved eternal honor."

Guddu: "His hair was that important to him?"

Dadi: "The kesh isn't just hair, beta. It represents surrender to God's will - accepting ourselves as God made us. For Bhai Taru Singh, cutting his hair would have been breaking his promise to the Guru. And some promises are worth dying for. Now, whenever you see a Sikh with a turban, remember that their uncut hair carries the memory of heroes like Bhai Taru Singh."