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Along the road from Tarn Taran to Lahore, through Jhabaal, thrives the village of "Sarai
Noor Din" (Now re-named Kila Kavi Santokh Singh). At this village in September 1787, this
great Sikh historian Bhai Santokh Singh was born to Sardar Deva Singh and Mata Raj Devi.

At the age of eleven his father sent him to Amritsar to be tutored by Giani Sant Singh, who
was at the time in-charge of Sri Harmandir Sahib. Under the guidance of Giani Ji, Santokh
Singh gained immense knowledge of the Sikh scriptures, history and spirituality. His
diligence in studying prompted him to go to Benaras in 1808. At the time Kashi (Benaras)
was the centre of education. His astute mind and immense knowledge had the Pundits of
Kashi completely enchanted. After gaining considerable knowledge in various subjects, he
returned to Punjab.

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In 1813 Kavi Ji was appointed the Raj-Kavi of Boodia Riyasat (State), where he was greatly
honoured. But Kavi Ji's main aim in life was to write the Guru history, and that could only be
achieved by research and most importantly with spiritual guidance. To receive Godly
blessings he went to a nearby village "Dyal Garh", where he started his meditation on the
shores of the River Jamuna. His only 'Ardaas' (supplication) to the Almighty was, "O Lord,
grant me the boon, so that I can write Guru Jass and Gur Itihas according to Your wishes."
His meditated for five years and it is believed that Guru Ji gave him darshan (granted
audience) and bestowed on him the boon for which he had longed for.

      From 1818, Kavi Ji started
the mammoth task of writing. His first volume was the "Naam Kosh", a dictionary of
Sanskrit, which concluded in 1819 and at the birth celebrations of Guru Nanak "Katak Shudi
Puranmashi in 1821, his Maha Kav (Great composition of Poetry) of Guru Nanak was
inaugurated. The same year Kavi Ji got married to Bibi Ram Kaur of Jagadhri.
Simultaneously he was invited by Maharaja Karam Singh to come to Patiala, where Kavi Ji
was given all the due honour and was allocated a home and a regular pay packet for the
enhancement of his researches.

D 
In 1825, the Raja Saheb Bhai Uday Singh of Kaithal, summoned Kavi Ji over to him and
proclaimed him as Royal Poet and conferred on him all the conveniences that were required
for an accomplished writer. The first volume "Garab Ganjani"- a translation of Japuji Sahib
was completed here, followed by the translation of 'Balmiki Ramyan' into Braj. This
achievement so much impressed the Raja that he presented Kavi Ji with a village 'Morthali' as
a token of appreciation. The writer later translated the Upanishads and the Vedant Shastras,
which took nearly a year to complete.

h    h 

The greatest work of Kavi Ji is the Suraj Parkash or Gur Partap Suraj, which is a complete
history of the ten Gurus. An interesting event occurred when he had finished writing about
the nine Gurus. He was unable to proceed further regarding the tenth Guru. Even after
considerable research some of the anecdotes and stories of the tenth Guru could not be
confirmed. Eventually Kavi Ji went into a deep meditation and prayed to the Guru for divine
help. This divine help came in the form of a Sikh, who came to visit him and stayed at his
residence. The next morning the Sikh was not found anywhere but a bag was left behind,
which when opened contained all the material required by Kavi Ji for the completion of the
Granth. Kavi Ji was very much overcome by this miracle, as he writes,

 ÷
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Kavi Ji was sure that this was a boon from
Guru Gobind Singh Himself, to help him complete this gigantic task.

`  

During the fulfilment of this task, Kavi Ji's mentor the Raja Saheb expired and Kavi Ji was
thrown into an uncertain future. When he was told to look for another benefactor, Kavi Ji
replied,

"÷          

His belief in Satguru and his supplications again transformed into a vision of his Satguru and
Guru Ji enlightened him - to keep on writing and God will be with him all the time.

Undoubtedly this tremendous task was finished with the grace of God in 1843. After this
work he completed another five small books. He took his life work of Suraj Parkash and
Nanak Parkash, to the Akaal Takht and had an Ardassia do an ardaas, thanking the Guru for
the divine assistance given to him for the completion of these Granths. That very year he died
after presenting his extraordinary accomplishments to the Darbar Sahib and the entire Sikh
panorama.
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