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38 / Bhai Vir Singh
huntinginthe neighbourtngforest happened to come into the
village. Here awaited his best prize. Picking the bride from
amongst the sprightly bevy who had moved out of the
congestion of the house into the open, he threw her across
the saddle of his horse and sped away as suddenly as he had
come.
The family ofShaman,theHindu Khatri, wasplungedinto
despairandterror. ButthesameeveninghissonBalwantSingh
who had turned a SHill and lived in the jungle along with his
companionscarryingonanunequal, butdesperatebattle, with
their persecutors, chanced to visit his home. Hearing of the
fate which had overtaken his sister, he immediately turned
his horse in pursuit of the tyrant. As he reached nearhis camp,
hesawa heapoflogs, a comerofit alightwithfire. Into his ears
came a familiar voice reciting the lapji, the Sikh prayer. He
rushed to the spot and pulled away from atop of the pyre his
sisterwho had duped her abductor and decided to escape his
clutches byburningherselfalive. Rescued inthis manner, she
preferred to go with her brother into the jungle rather than
return home.
But the sumjatha, orband of warriors, operatingfrom the
hideout under the leadership of Sardar Sham Singh, was
engaged by a Mughal troop. Both brother and sister were
caughtfightingbravely. Theircaptorwasaninfluentialnawab,
determined on converting Balwant Singh to Islam andforcing
his sisterSurasti into his haremas one ofhis begums. Balwant
Singh and Surasti were escorted to the mosque, the former to
beforcibly shorn of the symbols of his faith and the latterto be
ushered into a marriage against her will.
Sardar Sham Singh got scent through one of his spies
and made a surprise attack. Balwant Singh and Surasti were
freed. Back inthejungle, the latter took the sum baptism. She
received the name of Sundar Kaur, shortened Sundari for
affection. Shepledgedherlife to the hazardous taskof serving
thejatha. Most of her time was spent helpingwith cookingin
the langar or community kitchen, and in prayer.
One day as rations ran short, she came out into the town
to sellhergold ringandpurchaseprovisions. Thereshemetan
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