Shaheed Bhai Surjit Singh Ragi

Martyr of June 1984

 

A warrior of Damdami Taksal, Bhai Surjit Singh Ragi was born in 1958, in the house of Sardar Jagat Singh and from the blessed womb of Mata Amrit Kaur, in village Balali in the Haryana state. Bhai Sahib had 4 brothers, Bhai Harbhajan Singh, Bhai Ranjit Singh, Bhai Harbans Singh, Bhai Pritpal Singh and a sister, Bibi Gurdeep Kaur. From his childhood, Bhai Sahib was attached to Sikhi and always remained in high spirits. Bhai Sahib was born into a Brahmin family, but the family were blessed with Sikhi due to being in the congregation of Damdami Taksal. At first, Bhai Sahib started learning Gurbani Santhaya under the guidance of Sant Kartar Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale, and then continued to learn Kirtan and serve the Sikh nation with Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale.

 

It was during his stay at the headquarters of Damdami Taksal, Bhai Sahib learnt Kirtan with Raags. Bhai Sahib had a very sweet voice, that made anyone listening to his Kirtan, feel happy and blessed. Bhai Sahib was mostly seen reciting Gurbani and always spoke about positive things. Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa also had great amount of love for Bhai Sahib. Bhai Sahib was also active during the Dharam Yudh Morcha and had given many voluntary arrests and fulfilled duties of coordination of congregation.

 

Then the time came, to suppress the growing activism of the Sikhs in Punjab, the Indian prime minister, Indira Gandhi ordered her tanks and cannons to attack Sri Darbar Sahib and kill Sikhs that dared to ask for their basic human rights. On the night of 4th June, both, the Indian army and the defenders of faith exchanged fire. The electricity and telephone lines were all terminated within the complex. A curfew had now been permanently placed, no one could enter the complex and no one could leave the complex. Anyone who tried to leave or enter was simply shot by the Indian army soldiers. It was like this that many pilgrims, children, elderly and women were martyred during this attack. It is also worth mentioning, the Saroop of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj that was Parkash at Sri Darbar Sahib on the morning of 4th June was taken from Sri Akaal Takht Sahib’s Kotha Sahib. But due to blind firing that night, this Saroop of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj was not bought back to Kotha Sahib. The Granthi Singhs that were on duty, Giani Puran Singh and Bhai Mohan Singh did the Sukhasan of that Saroop in Sri Darbar Sahib and it was the same Saroop that was Parkash on the 5th June morning by them.

 

On the early hours of 5th June, following the Amrit Vela code of conduct, the Singhs did the Parkash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj in Sri Akaal Takht Sahib. Bhai Surjit Singh Ragi along with his Jatha, Bhai Mokham Singh and Bhai Gursharan Singh Ragi performed Asa Di Var at Sri Akaal Takht Sahib. While Kirtan was being performed, the sounds of bullets and blasts could be heard. With the blessing of Akaalpurakh, the Singhs fulfilled all duties of Sri Akaal Takht Sahib that morning and then went to Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa who was in the basement of Sri Akaal Takht Sahib. During the day, the Indian army was making its advances towards Sri Akaal Takht Sahib. Then on the 5th June at 9pm, the whole of Punjab was placed under curfew.

 

It was from the afternoon of 5th June to 6th June that Bhai Surjit Singh Ragi attained martyrdom fighting the Indian army. Bhai Surjit Singh Ragi was given the duty of providing ammunition to the Singhs fighting from the positions allocated around the complex. It was during fulfilling this duty, Bhai Sahib had attained martyrdom and became a warrior of the Sikh nation with his name shrined in its history with gold.

 

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bhai Surjit Singh Ragi