Shaheed Bibi Paramjit Kaur Sandhu

 

Bibi Paramjit Kaur was born to the blessed womb of mother, Mata Narinder Kaur and father, Sardar Gurmail Singh in the village of Jandiala, district Jalandhar. Bibi Paramjit Kaur was one of five brothers and sisters. She studied up to tenth grade. Her father, Sardar Gurmail Singh worked as a transporter in Mumbai. He was an avid supporter and devotee of the great Sant Giani Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale. So much so, that Sardar Gurmail Singh had very close ties with them and with key members of the Damdami Taksal. This close connection meant that Sardar Gurmail Singh’s family were regularly in contact and provided support for Sant Ji and their Singhs wherever needed. As the family lived a very devoted and religious lifestyle, Bibi Paramjit Kaur also was a strong and devote Gursikh. She was notably a very spiritual soul and would be seen to recite and sing Gurbani all day long, as she went about her chores. Aswell as upholding her religious values, Bibi Paramjit Kaur was well educated and an intelligent individual who was humble at heart.

 

At the time she was of a marriageable age, Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale himself arranged her marriage to Bhai Harminder Singh Sandhu, who was the General Secretary of All India Sikh Students Federation and hails from the village of Matia, district Amritsar. The Anand Karaj (Sikh Marriage Ceremony) was held at the complex of Sri Darbar Sahib (Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar), all arranged by Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale. The Anand Karaj was arranged in such a way that Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale had organised for more than one couple to be married at the same time. This was close to the Sikh values of having a simple wedding and to receive the blessings of the Saadh Sangat (Sikh congregation). Following their Anand Karaj, Bibi Paramjit Kaur and Bhai Harminder Singh made a decision to live together at Sri Darbar Sahib complex. The Dharam Yudh Morcha was in full flow at this point and it was their collective desire to stay, participate and serve the cause for the Khalsa Panth.

 

The Dharam Yudh Morcha was announced and began on 19th July 1982, after the unlawful arrest of Sant Giani Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale, Bhai Amrik Singh and Baba Thara Singh. An Ardas was concluded at the Sri Akaal Takht Sahib to initiate this Dharam Yudh Morcha. Bibi Paramjit Kaur dedicated herself to this movement and served selflessly. She educated the Sikh women and influenced many to join the cause. She worked alongside and avidly supported Bibi Upkar Kaur who was the President of the Women’s wing for the All-India Sikh Students Federation.

 

On 3rd June 1984, the Indian Army attacked Sri Harmindar Sahib Complex. All those willing to fight and defend the complex were staged at different vantage positions, which was strategized by none other than General Shabeg Singh. On 4th June 1984, the Indian Army came firing with cannons and tanks. These two brave women fought fearlessly against the army and eliminated many hundreds of Army men as they attempted to enter Sri Darbar Sahib complex. Bibi Paramjit Kaur and Bibi Upkar Kaur, along with their group of brave women were positioned at the Akaal Rest House. Here they had clear view of the entrance and the army men attempting to enter the Parikarma.

 

The Sikh women situated at the Akaal Rest House had enough ammunition to retaliate and eliminate hundreds of army men entering Sri Darbar Sahib complex. Dead bodies of these army men continued to pile up. This was down to the bravery of these great Sikh women, especially Bibi Paramjit Kaur and Bibi Upkar Kaur for leading the Sikh females from this position. They were strategical and resourceful. As well as keeping the rain of bullets on the army men, the other women used the time to reload magazines and firearms, which they then distributed to the Singhs who were fighting from different positions around the Sri Darbar Sahib Complex.

 

On the evening of 5th June, there was a stoppage in the shelling and firing from the Indian army. By this point, the Indian Government and the Indian Army were well defeated and could not make a stronghold into the complex. They stopped and went away to deliberate their next tactics. Based on the account from Bhai Balbir Singh Sandhu, that same evening due to the stoppage in bombing and shelling, the Singhs considered and decided it would be a good time to allow the women in the Akaal Rest house to exit to safety. Especially, majority of the women were the blessed wives of the Jhujaru Singhs who were fighting and willing to die for the sanctity of Sri Harmandir Sahib. However, when the women were presented with this, they were just as determined as the Singhs to fight defending the holiest Sikh temple. Fiercely, they rejected the offer and said they too would lay their lives for the Khalsa Panth. They too wanted to inhale the scent of Shaheedi (martyrdom) and sacrifice their own life for their Guru.

 

Accepting this as their wish, the Singhs then ordered the women to move to another area of the complex, to the quarters of Baba Atal Rai Sahib. Before moving over to the quarters of Baba Atal Rai Sahib, Bibi Upkar Kaur reassured her group of women by saying, “It doesn’t matter if we are being moved, Baba Atal Rai Sahib is still within the complex and this is the pledge we have made that we will give our lives on this complex. And even though the position is not as forefront as the Akaal Rest House, all we need is a small line of sight to view the Army men and we will still obliterate them from where we are, they will have nowhere to run. No one can stop us from fulfilling our promise!” Bibi Upkar Kaur continued, “The Indian army is continuing to attack Sri Darbar Sahib and we will not leave the battlefield at any cost. Even if we have to now move bases, let’s make sure we take our firearms, my sisters! Let’s see how this heinous enemy can enter our holiest shrine. We will answer them with the rain of our bullets. We are for sure going to attain Shaheedi (martyrdom). Our eternal prayer to our beloved Waheguru, may we be reborn again and again to fight for our nation and until we attain freedom from the oppressor, causing them upheaval and diminishing them from the roots. Only then will our souls be able to think about attaining an eternal spiritual home in the heavens.”

 

Then when Bibi Upkar Kaur, Bibi Paramjit Kaur marched towards the rear quarters of Baba Atal Rai Sahib, the Indian army surrounded these Singhania. Bibi Upkar Kaur immediately took up arms and started firing, as did the other women with her. It was there on the battlefield, Bibi Upkar Kaur, Bibi Paramjit Kaur and the other Sikh women were martyred on the night of 5th June 1984 while fulfilling their oath.

 

Contrary to Bibi Paramjit Kaur’s Shaheedi, it was saddening to know that her own husband fell short of his dedication to the cause. He, along with Akali leaders such as Gurcharan Tohra and Harchand Longowal surrendered themselves as a means to get out and were arrested. They were taken to Jodhpur Jail. After coming out of jail, the Jhujaru Singhs soon caught up with him and shot him dead.

 

Information given by the family of Shaheed Bibi Paramjit Kaur Sandhu