Bhai Himmat Singh

Bhai Himmat Singh (1661–1705) was one of the Panj Pyare, or the Five Beloved in Sikhism. He was born in 1661 at Jagannath Puri in modern day Odisha, India. (his family business was water supplying). He came to Anandpur at the young age of 17, and attached himself to the service of Guru Gobind Singh. Bhai Himmat, as he was called before his initiation, was one of the five Sikhs who one by one offered to lay down their heads in response to the Guru's successive calls made at an assembly of the Sikhs especially summoned on the occasion of Baisakhi of 1756 Bk corresponding to 30 March 1699. He along with the other four received the vows of the Khalsa at Guru Gobind Singh's hands and was renamed Himmat Singh. Bhai Himmat Singh proved a brave warrior and, while at Anandpur, he took part in battles with the surrounding hill chiefs and imperial commanders. He died in the battle of Chamkaur on 7 December 1705 together with Bhai Sahib Singh and Bhai Mukham Singh.