GURU TEGH BAHADUR JI(1621 - 1675)THE NINTH GREAT GURU
GURU TEGH BAHADUR JI(1621 - 1675)THE NINTH GREAT GURU
Guru Harkrishan Sahib the 8th Guru nominated Guru Tegh
Bahadur Sahib, as his successor, before he passed away on
March 30, 1664. Guru Tegh Bahadur ji was the youngest son
of the 6th Guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib. He was born on
April 1, 1621 at Amritsar. After the passing away of his
father, Guru Hargobind Sahib in 1644, Guru Tegh Bahadur
Sahib moved to Bakala with his wife, Mata Gujri ji and
mother Mata Nanki ji.
He took charge of Guruship in March 1665 at the age of 44.
Hymns written by him are included in Sri Guru Granth
Sahib. Guru Sahib was a great horseback rider and
extremely well trained in the use of weapons of war. He was
only 13 when he participated in the 4th battle of Kartarpur
Sahib along with his father.
Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib’s life may be divided into 3
periods. The first period of 23 years spent at Amritsar along
with his father. The second period of 19 years, spent in quiet
meditation at Bakala. And the third period of 11 years, when
he extensively toured the Northern and Eastern India
including what is now called Bangladesh to spread his
mission. Guru Sahib founded the town of Anandpur Sahib -
the city of Bliss!
During Guru Sahib’s times, Aurangzeb, the fanatic Mughal
Emperor of India launched an aggressive campaign of
converting Hindus to Islam by force. He ordered demolition
of all Temples and started building Mosques in their places.
Guru Sahib cautioned all his followers to be prepared for the
worst and be ready to die. At the same time he started
imparting them training in the use of arms and told them not
to panic but to face the difficulties boldly.
In 1669, Aurangzeb, stepped up his anti-Hindu campaign and
issued special orders denying government employment to all
non-muslims unless they converted to Islam. He also issued
instructions that all Sikh missionaries called Masands be
banned from entering any township for spreading Guru’s
mission.
By May 1675, more than half of Kashmiri Hindu population
had been forcefully converted to Islam. Demoralized and
terrorised, a representative group of Kashmiri Pandits led by
Pandit Kirpa Ram came to Anandpur Sahib and approached
Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib for guidance and advice.
Guru Sahib told them not to worry but to send word to the
Emperor that if he could convert him (Guru Sahib) to Islam,
all Hindus would follow in his foot steps. Before long,
Aurangzeb issued orders for the arrest and imprisonment of
the 9th Guru and to bring him to Delhi.
Knowing that he was not going to come back, Guru Tegh
Bahadur Sahib passed on the responsibilities of Guruship to
his 9 year old son (Guru Gobind Singh) and left for Delhi.
Guru Sahib was arrested, chained and kept in an iron cage in
the police Kotwali under heavy security at Chandni Chowk in
Delhi.
Several seasoned top most royal Muslim missionries were
deputed to persuade Guru Sahib to give up his faith and
accept Islam or be prepared to die a terrible death. Guru
Sahib refused to convert. To shake his resolve, three of his
ardent followers who had opted to get arrested along with
him, were brutally murdered one after the other right before
his eyes. Having failed to persuade Guru Sahib to give up
his faith, orders were issued for his execution.
 |
| In this depiction of the shaheedi (martyrdom) of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji notice the resemblance of Guru Ji to the above picture. |
On the evening of November 11, 1675, the 9th beloved Guru
of the Sikhs, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib was seated under a
tree and beheaded in full public view. Following his
execution, a big storm broke out, the sky was covered with
dark clouds and there was lightening in the sky. Taking
advantage of the situation, two brave Sikhs appeared from
the surging crowd and soon Guru Sahib’s severed head and
body were gone. Bhai Lakhi Shah managed to take Guru
Sahib’s body to his house in the village of Rakab Ganj where
he and his family placed Guru sahib’s body inside the house
and put their house on fire to avoid suspicion. On the other
hand Bhai Jaitha ji picked up his beloved Guru’s bleeding
head and ran towards Anandpur Sahib - about 200 miles
away to hand over the Guru’s head to his son, Guru Gobind
Singh ji for being cremated properly.
The place where Guru Sahib was executed in Chandni
Chowk in Delhi, a magnificient marble Gurdwara Sis Ganj,
stands in his memory. A beautiful white marble Gurdwara
stands at the place where Guru Sahib’s body was cremated.
It is known as Gurdwara Rakab Ganj (in Delhi). The
location where the 9th Guru’s head was cremated by the 10th
Guru Sahib in Anandpur Sahib stands a Gurdwara called
