Baba Bir Singh (1768–1844), a soldier-turned–religious preacher and saint, was born in Punjab's Amritsar area in the village of Gaggobua on July 1, 1768. the son of Dharam Kaur and Seva Singh. Bir Singh enlisted in the Sikh army following the death of his father (during one of the operations against Multan's Afghan rulers). He took part in the invasions of Kashmir and Peshawar under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. A Sikh saint from the Kuri tribe named Baba Bhag Singh had an impact on him in the Rawalpindi district after he had served in the army for several years. Bir Singh started preaching Guru Nanak's teachings and gained a sizable following in the Majha region quickly. In the village of Naurangabad, close to Tarn Taran, he established his dera. The Dera, known as Santpura, quickly gained popularity as a destination for pilgrims; it is estimated that every day, some 4,500 people were served in the langar there. Baba Bir Singh had such sway that he was supported by a volunteer army of 1,200 musketeers and 3,000 horses.
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Baba Bir Singh was a staunch supporter of the Ranjit Singh dynasty and was very saddened by the catastrophe that had befallen it as a result of the courtiers' envious behavior following the death of the Maharaja in 1839. Sikh warriors and the peasantry began to seek his advice during that crucial time. Atar Singh Sandhanvalia, who had been living in British India for a while, crossed the Sutlej into Sikh territory on May 2, 1844, and he later joined Baba Bir Singh, who was camped out close to Harike Pattan. Many Sikh sardars, including Diwan Baisakha Singh and Jawahar Singh Nalwa, the son of the renowned Sikh general Hari Singh Nalwa, and Prince Kashmira Singh and Prince Pashaura Singh had already sought refuge at Bir Singh's dera. The Dogra hegemony over Punjab was being challenged by a Sikh uprising, which had its epicenter in Bir Singh's camp.
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Hira Singh, the Dogra prime minister of the Sikh empire, was alarmed by these events and despatched a powerful force of 20,000 men and 50 guns, led by Mian Labh Singh, to attack Baba Bir Singh's stronghold. On May 7, 1844, the army besieged the camp. Baba Bir Singh prohibited his Sikh followers from responding by asking, "How can we attack our brethren?"He was struck by a besiegers' shell while meditating in the presence of the Holy Book. Hundreds of Baba Bir Singh's supporters drowned in the river while attempting to cross it during the intense cannonade, along with Prince Kashmira Singh and Atar Singh Sandharivalia. But the soldiers would never forgive Hira Singh for pressuring them into a deed that resulted in the death of a holy man.
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By agreeing to construct a samadhi where Baba Bir Singh had been cremated and set aside land producing Rs 5,000 annually for its upkeep, he attempted to atone for what had happened, but his detractors were far from placated. Before the year was through, he had to pay with his own life for this assault on Naurarigabad. When it arrived at the headquarters, the General Court's battalion, which had taken the lead in the assault, was boycotted and was always referred to as gurumar (murderer of the guru or holy man).
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