An ode to Sarjit Singh and Raja Singh

My jaw dropped when i saw the statues for Sarjit Singh and Raja Singh. They are rare not only because of their names are etched on the pedestal but also of the hats they are wearing, which are typical of the British Army Tropical Pilth Helmets. Instead of holding rifles, they are holding broad swords. I have not seen any guards with Pilth Helmets in my years of exploring Bukit Brown and Greater Bukit Brown !

I was told by their current owners, that Sarjit Singh and Raja Singh were saved from Kwong Hong Sua Cemetery in Woodlands when the cemetery land was claimed by the government for redevelopment. I was touched by the fact that they saw value in this statues and are at this moment saved from destruction. It was so touched that i decided to pen this fictional story of Sarjit Singh and Raja Singh. I hope you will like it. 

Sarjit Singh and Raja Singh

An ode to Raja and Sarjit

Raja and I are childhood friends who grew up together in a small village in Punjab. We heard stories from our village elders of a big and bloody war with the British Bengal Army in the Anglo-Sikh war which our forefathers fought bravely but eventually had to settled with defeat.  
Being poor, we thought of signing up with the British Indian Army so that we can provide for our family and village. The British impressed with the courage of the Punjabs, were looking for recruits to man their expanding Empire. We heard the pay was good and if we are lucky we get to see foreign lands that are under the British Empire. The training was hard but eventually we made it to be full fledged soldiers and got to wear this uniform of our occupiers.
As luck would have it, we were deployed to Singapore, the crown jewel of the East, Singapore ! The port was crowded when we arrived  and was abuzz with activities. We could hear many different languages and dialects being spoken as it was already a melting pot of different races. 
In our British Indian Army uniform, we were respected by the local population and we tried to keep peace and order as much as possible. There were other Indian soldiers and police man already stationed here too. We recognise some of our seniors who have left our village many years ago. One shared with us that he will likely stay on in Singapore after he retire and finish his tour of duty. He shared that a rich chinese towkay by the name of Ong Sam Leong is looking to hire ex-soldiers of the British Indian Army to guard his warehouse and godowns and is willing to pay good money. 
We are now old and having served years in Singapore, it is now our time to decide. To stay or return. Singapore has become home of sorts to us. We made many friends over the years. A rich Teochew rice merchant approached us with the same proposal to stay on and guard his warehouse. An artist also came to sketch our picture. He said he was a tomb mason. We didn't really understand what that meant, but we stayed still until he finished sketching us.
Many more years have passed. This is now our home. We remain silent guards. First, it was of a tomb of the rich teochew chinese merchant. The tomb is no longer there. Development took its place. 
Fortunately, a kind soul saw us for what we truly are, early Singapore Pioneers. So here we are, Raja and I together with another of our younger peers in this wonderful peaceful place. We hope future Singaporeans will continue to appreciate us and remember us. 

A recent visitor by the name of Peter Pak with the moniker of Rojak Librarian, a volunteer for all things Bukit Brown (short for "Brownies"), shared with me that there are just over 30 pair of guards remain in a cemetery close to 100,000 still working as guardians at Bukit Brown Cemetery. He and i share the same hope, that Singaporeans will appreciate us and see the value of keeping Bukit Brown intact and themselves become protectors of our mutual heritage, Singapore's heritage.