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Tikai Bhairon Singhji
Tikai Bhairon Singh Kalyanpur (fl. early 20th century) was the son of Tikai Shivnath Singh (Head-Rajpurohit) a Sona-navesh Jagirdar in the princely state of Bikaner, Rajasthan, during the British Raj. He is noted for his opposition to Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner in 1932, which some historians and oral traditions regard as an act of political defiance influenced by the Indian independence movement. His resistance resulted in his exile, property confiscation, and the persecution of his associates.
Rajpurohits traditionally served as Raj-Guru and advisors in Rajasthan’s princely states. Their influence extended into both religious and administrative domains. Although typically respected and semi-autonomous within the courtly system, open defiance of the ruling monarch could provoke severe consequences.
During the British colonial period, Bikaner was a princely state under the suzerainty of the British Crown. Its ruler, Maharaja Ganga Singh, was known for his loyalty to the British Empire, serving as a delegate to imperial conferences. Political dissent, particularly with any anti-colonial undertones, was viewed with suspicion and often met with repression.
Bhairon Singh was born into the Kanot- Sevar Rajpurohit lineage, a hereditary priestly family serving the Bikaner royal household. His father, Tikai Shivnath Singh, held a significant position in the royal court. Bhairon Singh received formal education at Shri Dungar College, where he studied under Dr. Sampurnanand, a noted nationalist and future Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Governer of Rajasthan. Sampurnanand's influence is believed to have fostered Bhairon Singh’s anti-colonial and reformist views. Later he went to Banaras Hindu University for graduation and higher studies.
Nationalist Associations: Bhairon Singh reportedly maintained secret links with independence leaders and was believed to have met Jamnalal Bajaj, a prominent Gandhian, in 1931.
Prince Vijai Singh’s Death: The suicide of Prince Vijai Singh on Feb. 11, 1932 created political tension. Bhairon Singh's public criticism of the Maharaja's role in the tragedy and his refusal to perform the prescribed royal funeral rites escalated the conflict.
Bhairon Singh chose to perform a personal mourning ceremony (ausar) for his father Tikai Shivnath Singh ji who passed away on Feb. 4, 1932 during the state-declared mourning period for the prince, directly violating the Maharaja’s ban on public observances. This act was interpreted as a political statement challenging the ruler's moral authority.
The Maharaja tried to convince Tikai Bhairon Singh to not perform ausar/mausar of his father in the intervel of state mourning and instead do the traditional ceremonies as Tikayat for the prince.
The Bikaner State Council responded by:
Confiscating Bhairon Singh’s properties in Kalyanpur, Laudsar, Sawai and Heeyadesar.
Exiling him and his family from Bikaner territory instantly on the day of his father's ausar and that too without any written order.
Dismissing or penalizing at least eight of his known supporters, some of whom lost civil privileges and employment.
Along with him 8 other purohits who favoured him were punished by removing from services and ban on using water from any well of the state. those are -
Bhairon Singh resettled in Merta, in the princely state of Marwar (Jodhpur State). There, he emerged as a local reformer and critic of practices such as the forced tribute system (nazrana), which burdened peasants and merchants alike.
Meanwhile in Bikaner, his sister Baisa Nathraj Kanwar was poisoned, he complained to the authorities but no inquiry was set up.
In 1937, he organized a successful civil protest against arbitrary tax levies in Merta by the Hakim Hansraj. This included a merchant strike, which drew the attention of local officials and temporarily halted the collection of the tribute. He gave a famous speech and the public refused to give taxes saying first get taxes from Tikai ji.
According to oral history, an assassination attempt was made on Bhairon Singh. The Hakim sent Thakar Gopal Singh Netadiya and Foju khan of Basni with police force, they opend fire on the haveli, cut the water connection but still could not succeed to arrest him for 3 days. Later they got him to come out by lying that they wont arrest him and wants to talk only.
While he was living in an abandoned haveli reputed to be haunted. Local lore claims that the assailants suffered misfortunes attributed to supernatural forces, enhancing his legendary status in the region.
Later, Bhairon Singh was implicated in two criminal cases believed by sympathizers to be politically motivated. He was imprisoned in Jodhpur Central Jail, but continued to be regarded as a symbol of resistance by those opposed misjustice.
Bhairon Singh ji did not stop here, he started hunger strikes in jail. He had some demands for the Political Prisoners-
It is notable that because his demand of kheer for the prisioners was not accepted, he never had kheer later in his life.
He sarted to influence prisoners in th jail. It is evident from his letters to the Agent to the Governer General Rajputana (A.G.G.) and to his mother that the Jail Suprintendent wants to kill him. He has put a strange behaving person with him in his cell who is constantly waiting to get chance to poison him.
On the occasion of death anniversery of Maharaja Sumer Singh, Maharaja Umaid Singh released prisoners as a tradition. Amoung those was Bhairon Singhji. When he was brought before the maharaja, he stood tall and dignified, making no gesture of obeisance. Upon being asked to bow and salute the Maharaja, he refused saying "I am the Tikai Rajguru of Rathore lineage. It is neither customary nor appropriate for me to bow like this." He also declined the royal pardon saying "If you have sentenced me to two years, let me serve every day of it. I do not seek favour."
After completing his sentance, he went to Pushkar and lived at Narsingh Ghat, where he married Raygurani Ratan Kanwar ji as his third wife in 1939.
He gave many public speeches regarding colonial freedom and authoritarian injustices on many stages in Nagaur, Merta, Ajmer and other nearby regions.
After the demise of Maharaja Ganga Singh, Maharaja Sadul Singh granted him pardon and reinstated his position as Tikayat Prohit of the state and gave back all his jagirs. But Bhairon Singh ji refused to resume his duties at the fort.
He wrote many books including "How to Rule People" and some Poetry books. On 17th January 1962, he passed away and departed to Golok dham.
Though not widely documented in mainstream history, Tikai Bhairon Singh is remembered in regional oral traditions as a principled figure who stood against wrong practices of authoritarianism. He was a man of Honour and Dignity. His story reflects the complex dynamics between traditional authority, colonial power, and emergent nationalism in early 20th-century Rajasthan.
