Baba Kesar Singh

Baba Kesar Singh

Kesar Singh who is my great(4x)-grandfather was born into a Sahota Sikh Jatt family to
Deewan Singh at the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s rule in village Chaksabu, Punjab,
India. He was born roughly around 1825-1835. He had 3 brothers respectively named
Kishan, Bishan, and Sher. In the time he was raised in India the caste system was still
strictly followed. His whole family were farmers so therefore he also became a farmer as
well. But that said, it was still lenient enough that you could still do other businesses
alongside your caste work. Since, they were 4 brothers the land he inherited was quite
less. He was married and had a family to raise as well. He had a son named Sundar
who he wanted to give a bright future to. In the beginning stage he lived in poverty so, to
make a good living he worked really hard. Alongside farming he supplied for shops that
needed supplies from far places be it clothes, food, etc…. Basically anything the shop
needed. Soon his luck changed. In a nearby village Mohran there was family of
landlords whose elders had died, and the children were quite young so they needed a
person to lease their 500 acres farm to. For the time being it was being taken care of by
a family friend. This family had done something big that pleased Maharaja Ranjit Singh
who gave them 500 acres as a reward. Many people tried their luck, but to no success.
That family friend getting tired had asked the last person who had leased it if he knew
anyone who was trustworthy and a hard worker. That person replied with Kesar’s name.
Kesar was then contacted by the Landlord’s family friend and he kept the land on lease
even though initially he was refusing since he was poor. But he had gotten lucky that
the family friend who was getting tired of people leaving said he will pay the remainder
if he can’t before taking it back. After he took it on lease he ploughed some of the farm
by himself and he gave the rest to other people on the terms of 50-50 split on the
profits. He had good luck that the weather stayed good throughout the year and crops
yielded excellent results. It is said that only type of crop paid the whole rent and the rest
were just his own profit. There is a story behind the weather though. Everyday when he
would go around to check on the farm there was a saint that used to sit under a tree
nearby. Kesar would always go to him everyday and listen to him before going back.
Near the end of the year It wouldn’t rain and the crops were dying. Kesar was sad and
worried of not being able to pay the rent of the lease, and not wanting to make the
family friend pay the rest and be indebted to him. One day he went to the saint sadly
and the saint asked him what the issue was and after Kesar explained the situation.
Saint told him not to worry and do some good deeds and donate to the poor. On his way
back home, something incredible happened, it started to rain. He did a lot of donations
that day. It is said that when he went back the next day to give his thanks to the saint he
was gone. From that day forward, Kesar continued to donate and help the poor in
memory of the saint. Kesar kept the leased land for 1 year and with the profit he bought
a lot of land totalling 100 acres by the end of it. He also opened 2 other businesses
which were a sugar mill and a brick factory which also became very successful and big.
After this he lived a very happy and luxurious life. In fact, he was the first in the village to
have a 3 floor house that had a modern look to it with a solid foundation. Because of
this he was known as “paake wale” which translates to “solid one”. It might not make
sense in English that’s the literal translation of the name. The name “paake wale”
stayed for generations ahead and it still is used by fellow villagers when they see us. He
had become the richest person in the entire village. Kesar singh died in 1907 from old
age in his home in Chaksabu aged between 72-82.

Baba Kesar Singh

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