Pratap Singh Giani
Encyclopedia
Pratap Singh Giani was a Sikh
academician, scholar and calligraphist.
He was born in 1855, the son of Bhai Bhag Singh Giani of Lahore
. As a young boy, Partap Singh learnt Punjabi
, Urdu
and Sanskrit
and studied Sikh
scriptures. In 1884, he accompanied Thakur Singh Sandhanvalia to England
to read the Guru Granth Sahib
to the deposed Sikh ruler of the Punjab
, Maharaja Duleep Singh and to re-convert him to Sikhism. Partap Singh remained in England
for six months. On return to India
, he worked as a granthi (scripture-reader) at Gurdwara Kaulsar in Amritsar
. When Maharaja Duleep Singh was due to come back to India, Partap Singh accompanied Thakur Singh and his sons to Delhi
with the intention of going to Bombay to receive the Maharajah. On hearing the news of Duleep Singh's detention at Aden
, Partap Singh returned to Amritsar while Thakur Singh proceeded to Pondicherry. At Amritsar, Partap Singh worked secretly for Thakur Singh distributing his pro-Duleep Singh letters among his confidants and friends. Towards the close of 1887, he was arrested at Amritsar and sent to Lahore
jail. He escaped from prison
and, turning a sadhu, travelled to different parts of the country in the company of holy men. During one such journey he happened to meet Max Arthur Macauliffe
, then engaged in translating the Sikh scripture into English.
Macauliffe was impressed by his learning and wished that he would assist him in his work. Partap Singh, who had introduced himself under the assumed name of "Bava Ishar Das", revealed thereupon his identity to him. Macauliffe interceded with the government on his behalf and had the warrants of his arrest withdrawn in January 1889.
Partap Singh settled down in a house in Kaulsar near Baba Atal, in Amritsar, and for several years performed katha expounding the Holy Writ in front of the Akal Bung.
A fine calligraphist, Partap Singh transcribed volumes of the Guru Granth Sahib, the most famous of them being the one still preserved in the Harimandir Sahib. This copy, completed in 1908, is written in very bold Gurmukhi characters on large-sized 25" by 28" sheets of Kashmiri
paper and is installed on the first floor of the Harimandir Sahib where it is used for the recital of akhand paths or unbroken readings of the Guru Granth Sahib. The entire volume, 1527 leaves, that is, 8054 pages, with double borders in red, blue and yellow, is written in Giani Pratap Singh's hand and is known as Vadde Baba Ji (largesized Holy Volume). The name of the scribe is mentioned at the end of the text, on a separate sheet. Volumes of the Holy Books transcribed by Giani Partap Singh are also preserved at Baba Atal and Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded.
In 1902, Partap Singh joined Aitchison College
, also known as Chiefs College, Lahore, as granthi and instructor. According to the records of the college, he was employed initially at a salary of Rupees 5 per month, which was later increased to Rupees 50 per month from 1904. He taught in this college as a Sikh religious teacher till his death in 1920.
According to Panjaba Phain, August 1916 issue, he was the first secretary of the Sanatan Singh Sabha (also referred to as Amritsar Singh Sabha). He was also editor of the earliest published Sikh newspaper
Akal Prakash, which made its first appearance in 1876. He is also said to have translated into Punjabi Major Evans Bell's book, The Annexation of the Punjab and Maharaja Duleep Singh. Pratap Singh died at Lahore on 20 July 1920.
Pratap Singh's son Kartar Singh Giani was a lawyer at Amritsar
and was later a member of the Sikh Gurudwara Judicial Commission. His grandson Harinder Singh Giani
was a respected lawyer practicing in the Punjab and Haryana High Court
at Chandigarh
. His great-grandson Harpreet Singh Giani
is an advocate
and a Barrister-at-Law currently practicing in the Punjab and Haryana High Court
at Chandigarh
.
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
academician, scholar and calligraphist.
| Pratap Singh Giani | |
 |
|
| Born | 1855 |
| Died | July 20, 1920 |
He was born in 1855, the son of Bhai Bhag Singh Giani of Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
. As a young boy, Partap Singh learnt Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
, Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and studied Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
scriptures. In 1884, he accompanied Thakur Singh Sandhanvalia to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to read the Guru Granth Sahib
Guru Granth Sahib
Sri Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
to the deposed Sikh ruler of the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
, Maharaja Duleep Singh and to re-convert him to Sikhism. Partap Singh remained in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for six months. On return to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, he worked as a granthi (scripture-reader) at Gurdwara Kaulsar in Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
. When Maharaja Duleep Singh was due to come back to India, Partap Singh accompanied Thakur Singh and his sons to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
with the intention of going to Bombay to receive the Maharajah. On hearing the news of Duleep Singh's detention at Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
, Partap Singh returned to Amritsar while Thakur Singh proceeded to Pondicherry. At Amritsar, Partap Singh worked secretly for Thakur Singh distributing his pro-Duleep Singh letters among his confidants and friends. Towards the close of 1887, he was arrested at Amritsar and sent to Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
jail. He escaped from prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
and, turning a sadhu, travelled to different parts of the country in the company of holy men. During one such journey he happened to meet Max Arthur Macauliffe
Max Arthur Macauliffe
Michael MacAuliffe, also known as Max Arthur Macauliffe , was a senior British administrator, prolific scholar and author. Macauliffe is renowned for his translation of Sikh scripture and history into English....
, then engaged in translating the Sikh scripture into English.
Macauliffe was impressed by his learning and wished that he would assist him in his work. Partap Singh, who had introduced himself under the assumed name of "Bava Ishar Das", revealed thereupon his identity to him. Macauliffe interceded with the government on his behalf and had the warrants of his arrest withdrawn in January 1889.
Partap Singh settled down in a house in Kaulsar near Baba Atal, in Amritsar, and for several years performed katha expounding the Holy Writ in front of the Akal Bung.
| Pratap Singh Giani | |
 |
A fine calligraphist, Partap Singh transcribed volumes of the Guru Granth Sahib, the most famous of them being the one still preserved in the Harimandir Sahib. This copy, completed in 1908, is written in very bold Gurmukhi characters on large-sized 25" by 28" sheets of Kashmiri
Kashmiri language
Kashmiri is a language from the Dardic sub-group and it is spoken primarily in the Kashmir Valley, in Jammu and Kashmir. There are approximately 5,554,496 speakers in Jammu and Kashmir, according to the Census of 2001. Most of the 105,000 speakers or so in Pakistan are émigrés from the Kashmir...
paper and is installed on the first floor of the Harimandir Sahib where it is used for the recital of akhand paths or unbroken readings of the Guru Granth Sahib. The entire volume, 1527 leaves, that is, 8054 pages, with double borders in red, blue and yellow, is written in Giani Pratap Singh's hand and is known as Vadde Baba Ji (largesized Holy Volume). The name of the scribe is mentioned at the end of the text, on a separate sheet. Volumes of the Holy Books transcribed by Giani Partap Singh are also preserved at Baba Atal and Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded.
In 1902, Partap Singh joined Aitchison College
Aitchison College
Aitchison College, Lahore, is one of the most prestigious educational institutions of its kind in South Asia. Established in 1886, it has retained its character over the years, maintaining the public school tradition of providing an education that uses academics, sports and co-curricular activities...
, also known as Chiefs College, Lahore, as granthi and instructor. According to the records of the college, he was employed initially at a salary of Rupees 5 per month, which was later increased to Rupees 50 per month from 1904. He taught in this college as a Sikh religious teacher till his death in 1920.
According to Panjaba Phain, August 1916 issue, he was the first secretary of the Sanatan Singh Sabha (also referred to as Amritsar Singh Sabha). He was also editor of the earliest published Sikh newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
Akal Prakash, which made its first appearance in 1876. He is also said to have translated into Punjabi Major Evans Bell's book, The Annexation of the Punjab and Maharaja Duleep Singh. Pratap Singh died at Lahore on 20 July 1920.
Pratap Singh's son Kartar Singh Giani was a lawyer at Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
and was later a member of the Sikh Gurudwara Judicial Commission. His grandson Harinder Singh Giani
Harinder Singh Giani
Harinder Singh Giani was an eminent jurist, who practiced at the bar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court at Chandigarh for over 42 years. He was the Senior Central Government Standing Counsel in the mid-nineties...
was a respected lawyer practicing in the Punjab and Haryana High Court
Punjab and Haryana High Court
Punjab and Haryana High Court is a common High Court for both the States of Punjab and Haryana and Union territory of Chandigarh, in India. It is situated at Chandigarh, the capital of the States of Punjab and Haryana. The sanctioned strenghth of this High Court is 68 judges consisting of Chief...
at Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
. His great-grandson Harpreet Singh Giani
Harpreet Singh Giani
-Biography:Harpreet Singh Giani was educated at the DAV College, Chandigarh and after obtaining a law degree from the Panjab University at Chandigarh, was admitted to the bar in 1999...
is an advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
and a Barrister-at-Law currently practicing in the Punjab and Haryana High Court
Punjab and Haryana High Court
Punjab and Haryana High Court is a common High Court for both the States of Punjab and Haryana and Union territory of Chandigarh, in India. It is situated at Chandigarh, the capital of the States of Punjab and Haryana. The sanctioned strenghth of this High Court is 68 judges consisting of Chief...
at Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
.