SOBHA SINGH, a native of Doaba region, joined Bhai Maharaj Singh, a leading figure in the 1848-49 revolt, in his march to Multan in aid of Diwan Mul Raj in June 1848, and remained with him throughout till he reached Dev Batala, in the Jammu territory, after the battles of Chelianvala and Gujrat. He again joined him at Kurala, in Hoshiarpur district and assisted him in enlisting volunteers for the planned rising. M.L.A.
References :
1. Ahluwalia, M.L., Bhai Maharaj Singh. Patiala, 1972
Bhai Maharaj Singh’s stirring rebellion in the mid‐nineteenth century stands as a powerful emblem of Sikh defiance and the fight for freedom. Born as Nihal Singh and later known by his Khalsa name Bhagvan Singh before coming to be revered as Bhai Maharaj Singh, he emerged as a saint-soldier whose leadership rallied many to resist British colonial forces. In the late 1840s—most notably around 1848—he became a pivotal figure in mobilizing armed resistance that predated and presaged later large-scale uprisings against colonial rule. His commitment to the Sikh principle of Miri-Piri (the union of temporal and spiritual authority) was demonstrated in his unwavering courage and strategic acumen in organizing opposition, even as his actions brought him into direct confrontation with a powerful empire .
In a symbolic and cultural confluence that spans time, the legacy of this revolutionary spirit found an enduring echo in the art of Sobha Singh. While Sobha Singh is widely celebrated as one of Punjab’s most eminent painters—whose soulful portraits of Sikh Gurus and nationalist heroes have defined the visual memory of the community—his work also captures the indomitable spirit of Sikh freedom fighters like Bhai Maharaj Singh. Though Sobha Singh was born decades later (in 1901), his art functions as a vibrant archive of Sikh valor and heritage. In his masterful canvases, the resolute determination, sacrifice, and valor of figures like Bhai Maharaj Singh are rendered with heartfelt precision, ensuring that the sacrifices of the past continue to inspire future generations. Thus, joining the narrative of Bhai Maharaj Singh’s 1848 rebellion with the legacy of Sobha Singh is to witness a dialogue between historical courage and lasting artistic expression—a union in which the fiery spirit of freedom is both enacted on the battlefield and immortalized on canvas .