The Legend of Baba Harbhajan Singh: The Ghost Soldier of the Indian Army
Believe it or not, there is a ghost within the ranks of the Indian Army and although he has been dead for almost 50 years, he is still looking out for his fellow soldiers to this very day.
The Early Life of Harbhajan Singh
Born in 1946, Harbhajan Singh was just one of the thousands of Indian soldiers who were deployed to the 1962 China-India War. He was attached to the Dogra Regiment and they were tasked with patrolling the border near the Nathula Pass. But it was during one of these patrols where Singh would meet his end. Not in a battle with Chinese forces, but to Mother Nature, as Singh fell into a river and drowned while attempting to resupply a rural outpost.
His body was eventually found a few days afterward and he was given a cremation with full military honors. But it is said that Harbhajan had actually led his comrades to his body and even instructed one of them to build a shrine in his honor. To which a shrine was indeed built, and it’s a tradition for soldiers stationed in the region to visit and pay their respects. But that’s not all.
Encounters with the Ghost of Singh
To this day, soldiers on both sides of the border claim to have encountered the ghost of Singh. Not only that, many claim that Singh usually appears to warn them of impending attacks and more than a few of them have credited the spirit for saving their lives. Needless to say, Harbhajan Singh has earned the respect of both his fellow countrymen and even the Chinese soldiers. As stories of Singh visiting camps and waking soldiers who have fallen asleep while on watch are numerous and popular among those stationed in the region.
Singh still holds the rank of Sepoy (Captain) within the Indian Army and his pay is still sent to his surviving family in his hometown. It is even said that during flag meets on the border, the Chinese set a chair aside for him. Singh’s uniform and boots are also kept in his shrine and are cleaned every day.
