"Soldier protecting the border's even after death"
Whenever it comes to the national interest, our soldiers are at the forefront. Our soldiers, who are always ready to protect us on the border, live for the country and die for the country. Baba Harbhajan Singh was one such soldier. Baba Harbhajan Singh is completely different from the rest of the soldiers.
Captain “Baba” Harbhajan Singh was an Indian Army Soldier and he was posted at Nathula during Indo-China war 1968.
Moreover, he is also referred to as “Hero of Nathula”.
He was born into a Sikh family, in Sardana village (now Bathebhiani in Tarn Taran district)
Harbhajan Singh joined as a soldier to Punjab Regiment.
He was martyred at an age of 22, in 1968 near Nathula in eastern Sikkim (30 August 1946 – 4 October 1968).
The actual cause of death was said that Singh drowned in a glacier while leading a column of mules carrying supplies to a remote post.
His body was recovered after 3 days search and was cremated with full military honour.
Harbhajan has been accorded with the status of a Saint. A saint who protects the borders even after death.
But did he really die?
Soon after his cremation, it was believed that he appeared in of his fellow friend’s dream. Harbhajan Singh asked him to erect a shrine in his memory. Following what his friend told, a shrine was dedicated to him.
There are also stories of soldiers discovering that he visited the camps at night, used the bedclothes and boots in his room and on that can be found in various social network posts about him.
The baba shrine has a ready bedroom just like jawans where necessities like army clothes, boot, bed, blanket etc are kept. Further, there is also an office for him. Some sources suggest that he continues to draw a major’s salary every month.
Every year on 11 September, a jeep departs with his personal belongings to the nearest railway station, New Jalpaiguri, from where it is then sent by train to the village of Kuka, in the Kapurthala district of the Indian state of Punjab.
While empty berths on any train of the Indian Railways are invariably allocated to any waitlisted passenger or on a first-come-first-served basis by the coach attendants, a special reservation for the Baba is made.
Every year a seat is left empty for the journey to his hometown and 3 soldiers chaperone the Baba to his home. A small sum of money is contributed by soldiers posted in Nathula to be sent to his mother each month.
The Army is on high alert when Baba is on leave.
Captain Harbhajan Singh retired from the army a few years back.
During flag meetings between the two nations at Nathu La, even the Chinese Army set a chair aside to honour him.
