Shaheedi Bohr: Ludhiana’s living witness to Namdhari sacrifice

As the nation celebrates I-Day, this 150-year-old tree, Shaheedi Bohr, stands at the Namdhari Shaheedi Samarak as a living monument to two Namdhari revolutionaries, Suba Giani Rattan Singh and Sant Rattan Singh.

As the nation celebrates Independence Day, the city quietly remembers a chapter of resistance that predates 1947 — a story rooted not in Delhi’s corridors of power, but beneath a banyan tree in Field Gunj.

This 150-year-old tree, known as the Shaheedi Bohr, stands at the Namdhari Shaheedi Samarak as a living monument to Suba Giani Rattan Singh and Sant Rattan Singh — two Namdhari revolutionaries who were publicly hanged here on November 23, 1871, for leading an attack on a British-run slaughterhouse in Raikot. Their protest was not just political — it was spiritual, cultural and deeply humane. They freed cows, opposed colonial cruelty and challenged the desecration of sacred beliefs.

Their hanging was brutal and symbolic. The Britishers left their faces uncovered, hoping the visible agony would deter others. But it did the opposite. It galvanised the Namdhari Movement and etched their sacrifice into Punjab’s soil.

The roots of rebellion

The Kuka Movement, led by Satguru Ram Singh, was one of the country’s earliest organised uprisings against the British rule. On Baisakhi, he unfurled a white flag of defiance. Alongside him, Suba Giani Rattan Singh and Sant Rattan Singh not only led protests but also established parallel courts — refusing to recognise British justice. Rattan Singh, a respected scholar, presided over these community courts, embodying the movement’s vision of self-rule.

In July 1871, Namdhari Sikhs attacked a slaughterhouse in Raikot. The British, shaken by the boldness, launched a crackdown. Seven were arrested. Three were hanged publicly in Raikot. Rattan Singh and Sant Rattan Singh were sent to the Ludhiana jail, sentenced to death, briefly reprieved with a kala paani sentence, and finally executed under the banyan tree on November 23.

From jail to memorial

The site was once part of the Ludhiana’s old jail near the Civil Hospital. When the jail shifted to Tajpur Road, the Namdhari community petitioned for the land. It was granted in 1998 under CM Parkash Singh Badal, fulfilling a promise made by Beant Singh to allot the land for Rs 1. Today, the memorial includes the preserved banyan tree, a plaque detailing the martyrs’ sacrifice and a painting of the hanging scene.

Voices of remembrance

City resident Harinder Singh Namdhari, says: “This tree is not just wood and leaves — it’s our history, pain and pride. Every year on November 23, we gather here to remember the courage that helped shape India’s freedom.”

Rajesh Bhatt, a local historian, says: “The Namdhari sacrifice is often overlooked in mainstream narratives. But Ludhiana remembers it. This memorial is a reminder that freedom was fought for in every corner of the country — not only on battlefields but also in hearts and homes.”

Harpreet Kaur, a schoolteacher from Field Gunj, shares, “I bring my students here every year. They need to know that freedom came at a cost — and that two men once stood beneath this tree and chose death over silence.”

A tree that still speaks

As the Tricolour flutters across the nation on Independence Day, Ludhiana’s Shaheedi Bohr stands firm — its roots deep in sacrifice, its branches reaching towards justice. It reminds us that freedom is not just a date on the calendar but a legacy of courage, conviction and community.