Jassa Singh was born in 1723 in Punjab. He was the son of Giani Bhagwan Singh whose father Bhai Hardas Singh Bhamra had been baptised by the 10th Guru of Sikhs, Satguru Gobind Singh and became his ardent devotee. Bhai Hardas Singh was a master craftsman who manufactured weapons for the armies of Satguru Gobind Singh. He also prepared an early recension of Adi (first) Granth (compilation of Gurbani). It was kept at Sikh Reference Library, manuscript number 511, with the description, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji de Likhari Bhai Hardas vali Birh. This was one of the earliest manuscripts, which was considered special as it contained the saloks (stanzas) of Satguru Tegh Bahadur (9th Sikh Guru) inserted into the birh not long after his son Gobind Rai became Satguru Gobind Singh.

Whilst the name of Bhai Mani Singh is well known in the preparation of Sikh scriptures, the name of Bhai Hardas Singh is not. He was a Hazuri Likhari meaning he was official scribe to the Durbar of the Tenth Guru. Bhai Hardas Singh was also involved in the preparation of other Adi Granth manuscripts and pothis. This also included scribing Dasam Patshah Ka Granth (Granth of 10th Guru). He was one of several likharis who wrote the first recension of the holy Dasam Granth known as the Anandpuri Birh. His name appeared within this early manuscript. Satguru Gobind Singh was so pleased with the devotion and humility of Bhai Hardas Singh that he gave him his blessing that one-day his descendants would rule. In 1716, Bhai Hardas Singh was martyred in the Battle of Bijwara near Hoshiarpur, Punjab.

Bhai Hardas Singh had one son, Giani Bhagwan Singh, who was very knowledgeable in the both Granths (Birhs) of Sikhs. He had five sons, Jai Singh, Khasal Singh, Mali Singh, Tara Singh and the legendary warrior Jassa Singh.

The Battle of Bijwara made a great impact on the life of than 15-year-old Jassa Singh, who earlier had training in Sikh martial arts and military skills, education in Persian with a solid backdrop of Sikh religious practice. He was dauntless and brave to the extent of ‘do or die’. This was his heredity. He developed into a great statesman, valiant general and a proficient administrator. His knowledge of Gurbani, dedication to serve humility brought him success on and off the battlefield. His level headedness and administrative skills resulted in him establishing a passionate and just reign over a territory of 60,000 square miles. He was a commander of one of the twelve Sikh jathas/misls/confederacies with 10,000 army of horsemen.

On the Vaisakhi of 1747 the Sikhs passed a resolution to build the fort known as Ram (God) Rauni (enclosure) at Amritsar. This fort became the target of many skirmishes between Mogul invaders and Sikhs.
In 1753 the Sikhs assigned young Jassa Singh to re-build Ram Rauni. He designed, built and re-garrisoned the strong fort that continued to serve as a bulwark for the defence the Sikh shrine, Sri Hari Mander Sahib (Golden Temple). The new fortress was re-named Ram Garh (Fortress of God). He became the first Sikh Maharaja among the Sikh Misls and was bestowed with the title Ramgarhia. He went on to build many other remarkable exemplary architectural forts in different parts of his vast territories.

Maharaja Jassa Singh believed and encouraged his community to rule themselves and not be ruled by anyone including other Sikh Misls which led him in 1783 to capture Delhi and raised the Khalsa Flag at the Lal Kila (Red Fort) making his conquest of Delhi a first for a Sikh. Amongst his collections from Delhi when he returned to Punjab was the sill (throne) of the Mogul Emperors. Now on permanent display at the Ramgarhia Bunga in Sri Hari Mander Sahib. The recitation from the holy Adi Granth used to take place on the Mogul throne but was later discontinued along with removal of deities of Sanatan Dharam Avatars from sanctity of Sri Hari Mander Sahib, during the forceful occupation by terrorist Bhindrawala in 1980’s.

Maharaja Jassa Singh made Sri Hargobindpur the capital of his territories and minted Sikh currency with the image of Guru Nanak (1st Sikh Guru). Sri Hari Mander Sahib was first covered in gold foil by Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia. Sikh templs in Delhi and Punjab were repaired and extensively restored by him. Annual revenue of his confederacy was five millions Rupees.

Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia was affable, intelligent, morally motivated and spiritual. Whenever there was a threat to the Sikh faith, he was the first to accept the challenge. Moreover he was an excellent horse rider, shooter, archer and one of the bravest Sikhs of his time. With him as the leader, the Sikhs became champions of freedom in age of oppression and tyranny, enforced by the Mogul rulers.

Thus the Great Lion of Punjab, Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia left a glorious legacy of bravery, courage, spirit of adventure and love for the Sikh faith.

Ancestrally a Ramgarhia is a Sikh Vishwakarma. The professions that include design, engineering, architecture and all master craftsmen in the Sikh faith became to be known as Ramgarhia. The skill set of the Ramgarhia community was recognised by the colonial British government when architects, engineers and skilled crafts man were required to develop regional infrastructures in the vast colonies of the British Raj. Today it is a close knit worldwide community and still in their veins runs the blood of their mighty forefathers, martyrs and possesses the indomitable spirit of Lord Vishwakarma, Satguru Ram Singh, Bhai Lalo and Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia.
In the United Kingdom there are some thirty-five Ramgarhia Sikh temples.

The view of Sri Hari Mandir Sahib from the Ramgarhia Bunga. The Sill (throne used by the Mogul emperors) can be seen in the forefront, which was brought by Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia after his conquest of the Red Fort in Delhi.

Notes:
The word Pothi signifies a sacred book, especially one containing Gurbani or scriptural texts and of a moderate size. The original recension of Adi Granth prepared by Satguru Arjun Dev (5th Sikh Guru), which is now preserved at Kartarpur, near Jalandhar.

The word Gurbani consists of two roots Guru and Bani. Guru is a ‘spiritual master’ and Bani is ‘his utterance’.

The word Giani is an honorific Sikh title. In Punjabi it means knowledge. A Giani/Gyani is learned person who can recite and help people in understanding both sacred scriptures of Sikhs ie Holy Adi Granth and Holy Dasam Granth

Ramgarhia Bunga is a three-storeyed coloumn structure, a marvel Vishwakarma/Ramgarhia architecture and construction located in the vicinity of Sri Hari Mander Sahib commissioned by Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia in 1755 and is the only surviving example of Bunga architecture typology.

The above image is of Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia’s victory for the Red Fort in Delhi.