21. Bhai Himmat Singh Ji
HIMMAT SINGH, BHAI (1661-1705) was one of the Panj Piare, or the Five
Beloved, celebrated in Sikh history, was born in 1661 at Jagannath in a low
caste family of water suppliers. He came to Anandpur at the young age of 17,
and attached himself to the service of Guru Gobind Singh. Bhai Himmat, as he
was called before his initiation, was one of the five Sikhs who one by one
offered to lay down their heads in response to the Guru's successive calls
made at an assembly of the Sikhs especially summoned on the occasion of
Baisakhi of 1756 Bk corresponding to 30 March 1699. He along with the other
four received the vows of the Khalsa at Guru Gobind Singh's hands and was
renamed Himmat Singh. Himmat Singh proved a brave warrior and while at
Anandpur, he took part in battles with the surrounding hill chiefs and
imperial commanders. He attained martyrdom fighting in the battle of Chamkaur on 7 December 1705.