Bhai Chet Singh

Bhai Chet Singh was one of the granthis, the priests who serve the Guru Granth Sahib, at Sri Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. He is named in the record at three turning points of the Punjabi Suba struggle: the police action of 4 July 1955, the end of Sant Fateh Singh's fast in January 1961, and the Panj Piare who judged Master Tara Singh in November 1961.

Key moments

• 4 July 1955: the SGPC's history of the morcha says the police climbed to the Guru Ram Das langar, the Prakash Asthan and the house of a Bhai Chet Singh, granthi of Sri Darbar Sahib, threw tear-gas bombs into the house, harassed his family and drove them out. It says the police fired and threw bricks and stones into the parikrama from these three points.
• 9 January 1961: Sant Fateh Singh ended his fast of 22 days with a glass of juice from the hands of Bhai Chet Singh, whom the Encyclopaedia of Sikhism calls one of the Golden Temple priests.
• 24 November 1961: named as one of the five Panj Piare, with Jathedar Achhar Singh of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Jathedar Sharam Singh of Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Giani Bhupinder Singh, head granthi of Sri Harmandir Sahib, and Bhai Kartar Singh. Their decision, announced on 29 November, found Master Tara Singh guilty of going back on his given word and set him a penance: an akhand path at the Akal Takht, one extra Japji path daily for a month, kadah prasad worth 125 rupees, and five days cleaning the sangat's shoes and the dishes in the Guru ka Langar.

Remembered for: being the granthi whose glass of juice ended Sant Fateh Singh's 22-day fast, and one of the five Panj Piare who judged Master Tara Singh. The sources we opened give no dates of birth or death.