'Dead' soldier vacationing in Punjab village

By Jaideep Sarin, Indo-Asian News Service

Kapurthala (Punjab), Sep 24 (IANS) Call it blind faith or plain superstition - but the 'soul' of a dead soldier of the Indian Army is vacationing in a Punjab village.
People line up every day in Kuka village at the house of dead soldier Sepoy Harbhajjan Singh to pay their respects.

The sepoy (a private), who died along the India-China border near the trade route of Nathu La in Sikkim way back in 1968, continues to live not only in the minds of people in his village but also in the minds of soldiers.

That is one reason why the Indian Army goes through an annual ritual of transporting the 'soul' of the dead man all the way from Sikkim to his village for his annual two-month 'vacation'. The ritual is being carried on for over 35 years now. Believe it or not, he has also been getting promotions over the years and is now an honorary captain.

Two soldiers accompany the sepoy's neatly pressed uniform from Sikkim in an air-conditioned coach of a train. Villagers recently came to the Jalandhar railway station to welcome the 'dead soldier' and took the uniform to his village house.

At his house, the sepoy - fondly referred to as 'babaji' by the locals - is considered a kind of deity, and people come from nearby areas to pay obeisance.

The devout first bow before the Guru Granth Sahib - the holy book of Sikhs - and then pay their respects to 'babaji'. They put money and other offerings in the sepoy's room where his garlanded photograph is kept on his bed.

The other memorabilia in the room include the uniform of the soldier, his boots, suitcase and bags.

Even though Harbhajjan Singh is considered dead in army records and his mother Amar Kaur gets a pension, the army not only goes through the annual ritual but has also allotted a permanent room in its regiment barrack in Sikkim. The sepoy is taken back to his army unit around Nov 15 after his annual leave is over.

Soldiers still believe that Harbhajjan Singh, who died after falling into an icy stream while on patrol duty in Sikkim in 1968, guards the border with China.

Legend is that Harbhajjan's body remained untraced at that time despite many attempts. It was only when his commanding officer saw a dream in which the sepoy told him that his body was at a particular spot that another search was carried out. The body, army men say, was recovered from the precise spot.

But there are retired soldiers like Piara Singh who refuse the buy the 'soul' theory of Harbhajjan Singh. Piara Singh has even petitioned the court to put an end to the annual ritual of the sepoy saying it was based on superstition.

The Tarksheel (Progressive) Society here also rubbishes the whole concept, saying that the tales of the army about the sepoy were unfounded and unscientific.

'How can an army that is so technologically advanced think like this and indulge in superstition?' asked Daljit Singh, another villager.

Copyright Indo-Asian News Service

Yea i heard many tales about Harbhajjan Singh.. a.k.a Baba in Sikkim. But im not sure if that is true! I'm not superstitious or religious person though.. I'm more spiritual and traditional person.:)

i am also confused......but i believe the sentiments of the people who follow him

I don't think it's real, it's people they want to believe. that's good let them

yeah, we sud respect their belief.