Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh - Year of Birth

Year of Birth

Bhai Mani Singh was born as Mania (Mani Ram) in Alipur village of Multan distt.(now in Pakistan Punjab) in a rajput family. The full record can be found in the 'Vahi of Bhatts',who maintains the family records of Rajputs from Marwar and Mewar. There is now uncertainty about the exact year of birth of Bhai Mani Singh. The following scholars er greatly and show how uncertain they were: Giani Thakur Singh writes his year of birth as 1672 AD while some other writers put it at 1670 AD. But according to Sohan Singh Seetal, a well known Sikh historian, Bhai Mani Singh was born in 1664 AD. Principal Satbir Singh wrote the year of birth as 1672 in his 1970 edition but changed it to 1662 AD in the later editions of "Sada Itihaas" . According to Dr Santokh Singh also, Bhai Mani Singh was born in 1662 AD . These earlier dates are indirectly based on Giani Garja Singh's references to ninth Guru's visit to village Akoi/Malwa in year 1665 AD. Based on critical analysis of ancient Sikh writings, it may appear that Bhai Mani Singh was born no later than 1665 AD, hence years given by Giani Sohan Singh Seetal or Principal Satbir Singh/Dr Santokh Singh etc. appear much closer to the truth.