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

Gurdwara Sis Ganj.

GURU ARJAN DEV JI

(1563-1606)

THE FIFTH GURU

Guru Arjan Dev, the Fifth Guru of Sikhs, was youngest son of Guru Ram Das ji, the Fourth Guru. Mata Bahani ji was his mother. He was born on April 15 1563 and designated as Fifth Guru in the year 1581 when he was only 18 years old. He led Sikhs for 25 years until he was martyred in 1606, when he was only 43 years old. Guru Arjan Dev ji finished work on the Tank(Sarovar) at city of Amritsar and built a beautiful Gurudwara, Harimandir Sahib (Temple of God) in the midst of the Sarovar. The foundation of the Harimandir Sahib was laid by Muslim Saint Mian Mir. Harimandir Sahib is also known as The Golden Temple because of its gold plated domes and outer walls. Harimandir Sahib has four doors signifying that it is open to all without any consideration of caste and creed.

Golden Temple soon became a very place of worship for people of all faiths. Guru ji helped in the establishment of various types of trades and professions in the city of Amritsar.  Some of these trades were banking, embroidery, carpentry, and horse trading. Sikhs were sent to Afghanistan and Central Asia to buy good horses. The trade in horses helped in developing interest of horseback riding among Sikhs.

Another place of worship was opened by Guru Sahib which is known by the name Taran Taaran, here also a big Temple and a Tank was built for the comfort of the devotees. The foundation stone for the Temple at Taran Taaran was laid by Guru ji himself. A house for lepers was also built near the Temple.

Guru Sahib compiled the Adi-Granth (the Sacred Sikh Scripture) by putting together the hymns of the first four Gurus, some of the Hindu and Muslim Bhagats and his own hymns too. The first version was completed in 1604 with assistance of Bhai Gurdas ji. Guru ji was a great poet. Sukhmani is one of the greatest compostion of his’.

Popularity and influence of Guru ji grew and spread all over. People of all faiths adored him. People came to take his blessings in large numbers from all over the country. This created tensions in among Mughal rulers. The then emperor Jahangir wanted to put end to this traffic.

Jahangir soon came to know that his own son Khusro, who had revolt against him, had also gone to Guru Arjan Dev to have blessings. This gave Jahangir an excuse to accuse Guru Sahib of helping enemy with money and moral support.

Deewan Chandu, a Hindu official in Jahangir’s court bore a grudge against Guru Sahib for rejecting his daughter’s hand in marriage for Guru Sahib’s son. He took the responsibility to torture Guru Sahib to death.

Guru ji was arrested by Mughals and taken to Lahore and tortured to death. He was made to sit on a red hot iron sheet and hot sand was poured over his body. Saint Mian Mir offered intervene and convince Emperor that nothing wrong was committed by Guru ji, but Guru ji politely refused the offer saying “Tera Bhana Meetha Laagey” meaning “Sweet is thy will, O beloved Lord”. After four days of brutal torturing, Guru ji’s half-baked and blistered body was thrown into the river Ravi to be washed away.

Today a beautiful Gurudwara called Dera Sahib stands at this place and thousands of devotees visit there every year to pay their homage to their beloved Guru Sahib~ an apostle of peace!

Guru Sahib’s martyrdom resulted in initiating the militarization of the Sikhs and turning them into one of the world’s greatest marshal races known as Sant Sipahi(Saint Soldiers)

Shahidi of Bhai Taru Singh

 Born in Amritsar Punjab during the reign of the Mughal Empire, Bhai Taru Singh was raised as a Sikh by his widowed mother. During this time, Sikh revolutionaries were plotting the overthrow of the Mughal governor of Punjab, Zakaria Khan. Bhai Taru Singh and his sister gave food and other aid to the Gursikhs. An informant reported them to Zakaria Khan, the governor of Punjab, and the two were arrested for treason. Though his sister's freedom was bribed for by the villagers, Bhai Taru Singh refused to seek a pardon.Bhai Taru Singh Jee had partaken amrit from Bhai Mani Singh Jee and was much influenced by him. When he was caught along with his sister. many Sikhs offered to rescue him as they were famous to attack in the midnight in those days. Bhai Taru Singh However said that he wanted to show Mughals that Sikhs are not afraid of death. However at much convincing he allowed his sister to be rescued.

After a period of imprisonment and torture, Bhai Taru Singh was brought before the Khan and asked him where he got his powers from to undergo all of the agony. His reply was through his Keshas given by Guru Gobind Singh. Zakaria Khan then gave him the choice of converting to Islam or having his hair cut off. In reply, Bhai sahab asked him if by converting to Islam could he guarantee that he would never ever die?. If the answer was no, then its better to die serving his Guru. In response to having his hair cut off, Bhai Taru Singh said that Zakaria Khan would be killed by Bhai Taru Singh's shoe. Angered, Khan called barbers to cut Bhai Taru Singh's hair but they were scared to go near him, so Zakaria Khan called an executioner to cut off his scalp. Amidst the torture bhai sahab could only be heard reciting Japji Sahib.

Holy water(Jal) from Amritsar was brought after 22 days and put on his head to begin his last rites. Zakaria Khan was stricken with unbearable pain and the inability to urinate. As a last resort, Zakaria Khan sent an apology to the Khalsa Panth for his persecution of the Sikhs and begged for their forgiveness. It was suggested that if Zakaria Khan hit himself with Bhai Taru Singh's shoes, his condition might be lifted. Although the shoe cured the Khan's condition, he died 22 days later from hitting himself with the shoes. Upon hearing that he had miraculously outlived the Khan, Bhai Taru Singh left his body.

Bhai Taru Singh preferred to die rather than getting his hair cut but today's generation have no values and respect for our legends who gave up all everything to save Sikhism.It is our duty to save Sikhi.