Bhai Nirmal Singh Ji

Bhai Sahib was a farmer, raised by his grandmother after losing his mother young. He became the finest wrestler in his district — a man of discipline, sacrifice and total commitment. These qualities never left him. He simply found a higher arena.

After arriving in England in the 1960s, alcohol became part of his social life — until a chance encounter with an elderly Gursikh at work changed everything. Bhai Sahib offered to carry his heavy loads in exchange for being taught Gurbani and carpentry. That exchange became the first thread that pulled him entirely toward Guru Sahib.

By 1971–72 the pull was undeniable. He went directly to Bhai Ram Singh Ji's (ex AKJ UK Jathedar) house and said he wanted Amrit di daat and an Akhand Paath in his home — read not by hired Gianis, but by Kirtee Singhs who earn an honest living. Bhai Ram Singh said to Bhai Sahib that AKJ rehat is too much of an extreme jump for you, but Bhai Sahib was adamant that he was to take Amrit from kirtee Gursikhs in AKJ. When he told his Singhni, Bibi Salinder Kaur Ji, to dispose of all the alcohol, she hid it in the garden instead — unconvinced he would last. When he found out, he said simply:

Both Bibi Salinder Kaur Ji and Bhai Nirmal Singh Ji took Amrit together. He stood on one leg for the entirety of the Amrit Sanchar — an act of complete surrender and warrior's focus — and asked his daughter to do the same.

From that day, his life became a living sadhana. Every morning without fail — in health and in illness — he woke at 1am for Amrit Vela. Bhai Sahib's Amritvela would last for 5 to 6 hours with a minimum of 2 hours naam abhiyaas. He completed the full Sundar Gutka daily, did Sehaj Paath completing the cycle monthly, and rang a bell each evening to call the family to Kirtan.

He sat through entire nights of Kirtan, back straight, khartala in hand, nourished by something this world cannot provide. After every Amrit Vela, he would ask Bibi Ji to prepare degh — "The Shaheed Singhs and puratan rooha are here. They must have degh."

His ardaas was unlike anything those who witnessed it had seen. Bhai Surat Singh Puran Ji would say: "Bhai Nirmal Singh Ji Guru Sahib de naal sidhia gala karde aa!" — He speaks directly with Waheguru. He would begin facing one direction and, absorbed in total communion, turn 90 degrees without realising.

During Amrit Vela he would have Darshan of Guru Sahib and Shaheed rooha. He would quietly ask Bibi Salinder Kaur Ji whether she had seen them — and when she confirmed the same darshan, he would simply smile and say nothing, never drawing attention to his own spiritual state.

His daughter would ask after Amrit Vela: "Did Sangat come today?" — because the Naam abhiyaas echoing from Baba Ji's room sounded like twenty Gursikhs doing abhiyaas together. Bhai Sahib would laugh softly: "No — it was just me."

For many years, there would be daily knocking at the front door of Bhai Sahib's home at 1am, but when checked there was no one outside. Bhai Surat Singh Puran Ji, during one of his many extended stays at his home, told him: "Never lock the door at night — leave it ajar. The Shaheed Singhs come for Amrit Vela." From that day, the door was never locked.

In his forties, Bhai Sahib was struck down by severe Tuberculosis. Every medication failed, and he became unable to stand. His sister, Bibi Parkash Kaur, a naam abiyassi Gursikh herself, took him back to India.

When Bapu Atma Singh Ji Panjokhre Wale heard the news, he gathered Gursikhs and began an Akhand Paath immediately — the instructions absolute: no one to enter the room, even langar and water left at the door. The Akhand Paath rose in such chardi kala that at the Madh di Ardaas — when Bhai Sahib had not been able to stand for weeks — he rose to his feet. He stood. He walked. After the Bhog, he ate normally.

The children were married by 1996. In October 1997 — exactly twenty years later — Bhai Nirmal Singh Ji left this world. In those twenty years he had one mission: to burn away everything remaining between his soul and Sachkhand. Not a single morning or day wasted.

In 1976, whilst walking his daughter to her Amrit Sanchar in Anandpur Sahib, an elderly Singh — Bapu Bawa Singh Ji Kamarhaati — saw Bhai Sahib from a distance and ran toward him. They held each other and did naam simran for nearly two hours — two souls recognising something beyond this life.

On the same day, another Singh came running from the mountain — recognising Bhai Sahib's soul from a previous janam, calling him his brother — and they embraced each other whilst doing naam simran for over an hour. These were not coincidences of earth. These were souls finding each other again, briefly reunited in the city of the Guru's own making, Anandpur Sahib.

Bhai Nirmal Singh Ji was the first Singh to keep Sarbloh in the UK — a distinction he held for over thirty years. He was recognised for his wisdom by youth from all Jatheh Bandiyaa across the UK, and many modelled their lives on his. But of all his qualities, the one most remembered is this: he never spoke ill of anyone.

Even hospitalised and critical, even on an oxygen mask, Bhai Sahib did Simran for three to four hours with the Gursikhs who came to visit. The nurses would pass his room and remark that there was a light around his head — like a halo. He was welcoming souls into the room, calling them by name: "Aajo sajno!" — giving Fateh to the Shaheed Singhs as they came.

He left on 24th October 1997.

A few years after his passing, Bhai Surat Singh Puran Ji stayed at Bhai Sahib's daughter's home. During Amrit Vela one morning, in deep bairaag, he said: "Bhai Nirmal Singh Ji, tusi sidhe Sachkhand vich chale gae. Daas nu vi laijande naal." Bhai Sahib and Puran Ji had deep pyaar for one another — they knew the depth of their relationship and that it was beyond this earth.