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ਬਹੁਤ ਜਨਮ ਬਿਛੁਰੇ ਥੇ ਮਾਧਉ ਇਹੁ ਜਨਮੁ ਤੁਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਰੇ ਲੇਖੇ ॥
बहुत जनम बिछुरे थे माधउ इहु जनमु तुम्हारे लेखे ॥
Bahuṯ janam bicẖẖure the māḏẖa▫o ih janam ṯumĥāre lekẖe.
For many births, have I been separated from Thee, O Lord.
This life, I now dedicate unto Thee.

ਕਹਿ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਆਸ ਲਗਿ ਜੀਵਉ ਚਿਰ ਭਇਓ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਦੇਖੇ ॥੨॥੧॥
कहि रविदास आस लगि जीवउ चिर भइओ दरसनु देखे ॥२॥१॥
Kahi Raviḏās ās lag jīva▫o cẖir bẖa▫i▫o ḏarsan ḏekẖe. ||2||1||
Says Ravi Dass, pinning my hope in Thee, I live,
It is long since I has seen Thy vision. ~ Ang 694

Bhagat Ravidas Ji was a true and vehement devotee of Waheguru whose devotion and ardent divine love poured out in the form of spiritual poetry. His compositions expressed deep love and strong passion for Waheguru and Guru Arjan Dev Ji decided to include his compositions in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The divine ditties of Bhagat Ravi Das Ji in the form of 41 shabads in different raags are included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj as Bani Bhagat de.

Bhagat Ravi Das Ji was an inhabitant of Benaras. He belonged to a lower Chamaar class and his profession of making and repairing shoes was considered inferior in the society and his work was considered menial in those times.

BhagatRavidas (117K)Bhagat Ravi Das Ji was connected with Almighty Waheguru from his childhood only. He was an ardent devotee of Waheguru. He used to spend his lot of time in the company of holy people and he also used to spend his money to fulfill the needs of holy saints and poor people.

Bhagat Ravi Das Ji expressed his passion and love for Waheguru through his divine poetry and music. Poetry and music both are a form of art and art is very close and dear to Waheguru as Waheguru is himself an adroit artist and we can witness his skillful and breathtaking art in nature and in his creation.

He told the society of that time that a human being is recognized by his good deeds and not by his caste. He raised his voice against the wave of untouchability and caste system which was prevalent at that time. He advised his fellows that every human has the right to love and serve Waheguru. Devotion and service to Waheguru is done by pure heart and not by rituals.

By true love and devotion for Waheguru Bhagat Ravi Das Ji got elevated. By praising the virtues of Waheguru and keeping the company of holy saints his status was uplifted in the society. By keeping Waheguru in his heart he was revered by the people from other castes too and he became pious and was emancipated.

ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ॥
सिरीरागु ॥
Sirīrāg.
Sri Rag,

ਤੋਹੀ ਮੋਹੀ ਮੋਹੀ ਤੋਹੀ ਅੰਤਰੁ ਕੈਸਾ ॥
तोही मोही मोही तोही अंतरु कैसा ॥
Ŧohī mohī mohī ṯohī anṯar kaisā.
Thou art me, I am Thou, What is the difference.

ਕਨਕ ਕਟਿਕ ਜਲ ਤਰੰਗ ਜੈਸਾ ॥੧॥

कनक कटिक जल तरंग जैसा ॥१॥
Kanak katik jal ṯarang jaisā. ||1||
The same as between gold and its bracelet and
between water and its ripples. ~ Ang 93

In this verse he is expressing his indelible relationship he has with his creator. He is saying I am in you and you are in me. We are a part of each other and absorbed into each other. He compares his nexus with Waheguru to gold and bangle and then to water and tide.

By being immersed in devotion to Waheguru he becomes a denizen of Begampura. By devoting his life and soul to Almighty Waheguru he attains a blissful state of mind and in that state of mind he always feel happy and in euphoric state. This state of his mind is evident in his bani as:

ਬੇਗਮ ਪੁਰਾ ਸਹਰ ਕੋ ਨਾਉ ॥
बेगम पुरा सहर को नाउ ॥
Begam purā sahar ko nā▫o.
Begampura is the name of the town.

ਦੂਖੁ ਅੰਦੋਹੁ ਨਹੀ ਤਿਹਿ ਠਾਉ ॥
दूखु अंदोहु नही तिहि ठाउ ॥
Ḏūkẖ anḏohu nahī ṯihi ṯẖā▫o.
At that place there is no pain or worry.

ਨਾਂ ਤਸਵੀਸ ਖਿਰਾਜੁ ਨ ਮਾਲੁ ॥
नां तसवीस खिराजु न मालु ॥
Nāʼn ṯasvīs kẖirāj na māl.
There is no fear of tax of goods there.

ਖਉਫੁ ਨ ਖਤਾ ਨ ਤਰਸੁ ਜਵਾਲੁ ॥੧॥
खउफु न खता न तरसु जवालु ॥१॥
Kẖa▫uf na kẖaṯā na ṯaras javāl. ||1||
Neither awe, nor error, nor dread nor decline is there.

ਅਬ ਮੋਹਿ ਖੂਬ ਵਤਨ ਗਹ ਪਾਈ ॥
अब मोहि खूब वतन गह पाई ॥
Ab mohi kẖūb vaṯan gah pā▫ī.
I have now found an excellent abode.

ਊਹਾਂ ਖੈਰਿ ਸਦਾ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ऊहां खैरि सदा मेरे भाई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Ūhāʼn kẖair saḏā mere bẖā▫ī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
My brethren there is ever-lasting safety there. Pause. ~ Ang 345

In Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Ram Das Ji Maharaj, the fourth Nanak, praises Bhagat Ravi Das Ji and writes:

ਰਵਿਦਾਸੁ ਚਮਾਰੁ ਉਸਤਤਿ ਕਰੇ ਹਰਿ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਨਿਮਖ ਇਕ ਗਾਇ ॥
रविदासु चमारु उसतति करे हरि कीरति निमख इक गाइ ॥
Raviḏās cẖamār usṯaṯ kare har kīraṯ nimakẖ ik gā▫e.
Ravidas, the tanner, glorified God and every moment sang His praise.

ਪਤਿਤ ਜਾਤਿ ਉਤਮੁ ਭਇਆ ਚਾਰਿ ਵਰਨ ਪਏ ਪਗਿ ਆਇ ॥੨॥
पतित जाति उतमु भइआ चारि वरन पए पगि आइ ॥२॥
Paṯiṯ jāṯ uṯam bẖa▫i▫ā cẖār varan pa▫e pag ā▫e. ||2||
Though of fallen caste, he become sublime and the four
castes came and fell at his feet. ~ Ang 733

Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji has also expressed about the great spiritual achievement of Bhagat Ravi Das Ji as

ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਧਿਆਏ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਅਨੂਪ ॥
रविदास धिआए प्रभ अनूप ॥
Raviḏās ḏẖi▫ā▫e parabẖ anūp.
Ravidass meditated on the beauteous Lord.

ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵ ਗੋਵਿੰਦ ਰੂਪ ॥੮॥੧॥
गुर नानक देव गोविंद रूप ॥८॥१॥
Gur Nānak ḏev govinḏ rūp. ||8||1||
Guru Nanak Dev is the very embodiment of
the Master of the universe. ~ Ang 1192

The pivotal message we get from Bhagat Ravidas Ji’s life is that a human being is recognized by his deeds and not by his caste from birth. Bhagat Ravi das ji was a cobbler by profession but he was connected to Almighty Waheguru. He was not entangled and engrossed in the vagaries of human life but was ahead and beyond the petty things of human life. His intellect was way more than a normal human being and he could realize the divine presence and his bond with his creator in his life.

ਸਾਚੀ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਹਮ ਤੁਮ ਸਿਉ ਜੋਰੀ ॥
साची प्रीति हम तुम सिउ जोरी ॥
Sācẖī parīṯ ham ṯum si▫o jorī.
True love I have joined with Thee, O Lord.

ਤੁਮ ਸਿਉ ਜੋਰਿ ਅਵਰ ਸੰਗਿ ਤੋਰੀ ॥੩॥
तुम सिउ जोरि अवर संगि तोरी ॥३॥
Ŧum si▫o jor avar sang ṯorī. ||3||
Attaching myself to Thee, I have broken with all others. ~ Ang 659

We should also try to connect with our creator and love our creator like Bhagat Ravidas Ji. We should practice and make usage of music and poetry to connect with Waheguru as Bhagat Ravidas Ji did. We should have utmost and unwavering faith in our creator. During dark times this faith should give solace to our heart and strength to come out of darkness. We should accept his Hukam gracefully, keep full faith in his graciousness and live life in high spirits. This should be the way of life of a Gursikh and Bhagat Ravi Das Ji’s life is an impeccable example of that.

Guru Har Gobind Ji had five sons and one daughter. The eldest son was Baba Gurditta Ji who had two sons, Dhir Mal and Har Rai. Dhir Mal turned out disloyal and disobedient. He had some influence in the court of Emperor Aurangzeb and was in communication with the Guru’s enemies. When Guru Har Gobind Ji moved to Kiratpur, Dhir Mal with his mother, remained at Kartarpur and took possession of the Guru’s property and also of the priceless original copy of the Adi Granth. He thought that as long as he had its possession, the Sikhs would look upon him as their religious leader and thus as mentioned in the last chapter, Dhir Mal refused Guru’s invitation to come to Kiratpur on his father’s death. Guru Har Gobind Ji nominated Har Rai, younger brother of Dhir Mal, as his successor before he departed for the heavenly abode on March 3, 1644.

One day as a child, while passing through a garden, his loose flowing robes damaged some flowers and scattered their petals on the ground. This sight effected his tender heart and brought tears in his eyes. After that he always walked with his skirts tucked up, and resolved never to harm anything in the world. When he grew up, he carried the same spirit with him. He used Baba Farid’s quotation frequently:

“All men’s hearts are jewels; to distress them is not at all good;

If thou desire the Beloved, distress no one’s heart.”

Guru Har Rai Ji was most magnanimous. His food was very simple, he did not desire dainty dishes. Whatever valuable offerings were made to him, he used to spend on his guests. On the advice of his grandfather, Guru Har Gobind Ji, he kept twenty-two hundred mounted soldiers. In the afternoon he used to go to chase. The Guru took some of the animals he had obtained from the chase, freed them and protected them in a zoological garden, which he had made for the recreation of his followers. In the evening the Guru used to hold his court, listen to hymns sung by his choir, and then give divine instructions.

The Emperor Shah Jahan had four sons, Dara Shikoh, Shuja Mohammad, Aurangzeb, and Murad Bakhsh. Dara Shikoh who was the heir-apparent, was very dear to his father. Aurangzeb was very clever, cunning and ambitious, and aimed at succeeding to the throne. It is said that Aurangzeb administered tiger’s whiskers in a dainty dish to Dara Shikoh who became dangerously ill as a consequence. The best physicians were consulted but in vain. The Emperor, filled with anxiety, sent for astrologers and diviners from every country but of no avail. The wise men arrived at a conclusion that until tiger’s whiskers were removed from Dara’s bowls, there was no hope of recovery. They were of the opinion that if a chebulic myrobalan weighing fourteen chitanks (14/16th of a pound) and a clove weighing one masha could be administered to the patient, he would be restored to health. The Emperor searched for these articles everywhere in his empire but in vain. At last some one told him that the required items were available in the Guru’s storehouse. On the advice of his courtiers the Emperor found it necessary to humble himself before the Guru, and accordingly addressed him the following letter:

“Your predecessor, the holy Baba Nanak granted sovereignty to Emperor Babar, the founder of my

dynasty; Guru Angad Dev Ji was exceedingly well disposed to his son, Emperor Humayun; and Guru Amar

Das Ji removed many difficulties from my grandfather Akbar’s path. I regret that the same friendly

relations did not subsist between Guru Har Gobind Ji and myself, and that misunderstandings were

caused by the interference of strangers. For this I was not to blame. My son Dara Shikoh is now very

ill. His remedy is in your hands. If you give the myrobalan and the clove which are available in your

store, and add to them your prayers, you will confer an abiding favor on me.”

Dara Shikoh Cured
Dara, the elder son of Emperor Shah Jehan (r. 1627-1658 AD) fell ill. Inspite of the best efforts of Hakims, he could not be cured. The rare medicine needed for his ailment was nowhere available. Information reached the Royal Hakim that required medicine was available with Guru Har Rai Ji. He came personally to the Guru Sahib and requested for the medicine. Guru Ji gave him the rare medicinne required for the treatment and also sent a pearl, which was to be ground into fine powder and taken with the medicine.

A noble carried the letter to the Guru at Kiratpur, who commented,”Behold, with one hand man breaks flowers, and with the other he offers them, but flowers perfume both hands alike. Although the axe cuts the sandal-tree, yet the sandal perfumes the axe. The Guru is, therefore, to return good for evil.” He sent the necessary medicine which was administered to Dara Shikoh. The medicine effected a speedy and complete cure. The Emperor was naturally very pleased, forgot all enmity against the Guru, and vowed that he would never again cause any annoyance to him.

One day during a ride, the Guru halted and knocked at the door of a poor woman and said,”Good lady, I am very hungry, bring me the bread you have prepared.” The woman, throbbing with joy, brought out some coarse bread which he partook on horseback, without washing his hands, and relished it very much. He then blessed the woman and cut off the shackles of her transmigration. Next day the Sikhs prepared dainty dishes with great attention to cleanliness and offered them to the Guru at the same hour. He laughed and said,”O Sikhs, I ate food from that woman’s hands because she was holy. This food which you have prepared with attention to ancient ceremonial is not pleasing to me.” The Sikhs asked,”O true king, yesterday you ate bread on horseback from the hands of an old woman whom you did not know. There was no consecrated space and the food was in every way impure. Today we have prepared the food for you; no impurity is attached to it, yet you reject it. Be kind enough to explain the reason.” The Guru replied,” The woman with great devotion and faith prepared food for me out of what she had earned from the sweat of her brow. On this account the food was very pure, and I partook of it. The Guru is hungry for love and not for dainty dishes. In the matter of love for God, no rule is recognized. It is not what man eats that pleases God, it is man’s devotion that is acceptable to Him.”

GURU’S PREACHING TOURS
Guru Arjan Dev Ji had practically completed the organization of his followers on peaceful lines and under Guru Har Gobind Ji, Sikhism had added into itself an army. Apart from laying emphasis on the free kitchen and religious congregation and faith in the Adi Granth, Guru Har Rai Ji undertook extensive tours in Malwa and Doaba regions of the Punjab. These regions provided good opportunities for the Sikh faith to sprout. Guru Har Rai Ji made some notable conversions among the landed families of the Punjab who were, at that time, considered the natural leaders of the people.

On one of the Guru’s tours, he stayed at Mukandpur in the present district of Jalandhar. There he drove a bamboo shoot into the ground in memory of his visit; and it still survives as a stately tree. From there he went to Malwa and visited the tank near Nathana where Guru Har Gobind Ji had fought. Kala and Karm Chand, two brothers of Mahraj tribe, came to him to complain that the people of Kaura tribe did not allow them to live among them. The Guru tried to settle the matter amicably but when Kaura tribe refused to listen, he helped the Mahraj brothers to take forcible possession of a piece of land and settle there. He remained for some time at Nathana preaching to the people, and Kala and his friends frequently waited on him. He made many disciples. His hearers abandoned the worship of cemeteries and cremation grounds, and embraced the simple worship of God. One day Kala with his two nephews, Sandali and Phul, whose father was killed in the battle during Guru Har Gobind Ji’s time, went to visit the Guru. When the children arrived in his presence, Phul who was five years old, struck with his hands his own naked belly like a drum. When asked for the reason, Kala explained that he was hungry and wanted something to eat. The Guru took compassion on him and said,” He shall become great, famous and wealthy. The steeds of his escendants shall drink water as far as the Jamna river; they shall have sovereignty for many generations and be honored in proportion as they serve the Guru.” When Kala reached home and his wife heard Guru’s benediction, she put pressure on him to take his own sons to him, and teach them to strike their bellies in token of hunger.

Bestower of Boons
Once a man called Bhai Kala brought two of his nephews to the court of Guru Ji. The boys were called Sandlu and Roopa. Both of them played on their stomachs like on drums. Guru Ji was delighted and granted them estates. Later their descendents formed the princely states of Patiala and Nabha. On another occasion the same Kala, this time on his wife’s insistence, brought his sons to Guru Ji and asked for a boon for them. However Guru Ji replied, That was merely a push of that moment, will of God at that time.

When Kala and his own sons appeared before the Guru, he told him that he acted in obedience to his wife. The Guru said,” The parents of these children are alive, but at the same time they shall have their own cultivation, eat the fruit of their toil, pay no tribute, and dependent on no one.” This prophecy has been fulfilled and their descendants owned twenty-two villages called the Bahia. Phul had six sons. From the eldest, Tilok Singh, the Rajas of Nabha and Jind were the descendants. From Phul’s second son, Ram Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala was the descendant. These three were known as the Phul ke Raje, or Phulkian chiefs. After India became independent in 1947, these states along with other hundreds of states in the county, were annexed by the Government of India.

The Guru, having been convinced of the deterioration of Masand system, evolved Bakhshishs or missionary centers. Six centers were manned by Suthrashah, Sahiba, Sangata, Mihan Sahib, Bhagat Bhagwan, Bhagat Mal and Jeet Mal. Bhagat Bhagwan was appointed as the incharge of the preaching work in the east, where he along ith his followers, established as many as 360 gaddies (centers) to carry on these efforts. Bhai families of Kaithal and Bagrian were made responsible for missionary work in the land between the Jamna and Satluj rivers. Bhai Pheru was responsible for the area between the Beas and Ravi rivers. Another center was established in the central districts of Punjab. Bhai Aru, Sewa Das, Naik Das, Durga Chand and Suthra Shah were the important priests of the Guru’s times who did missionary work in Kashmir.

THE GURU, HIS SON RAM RAI AND MUGHAL EMPEROR
The Emperor, Shah Jahan, kept his eldest son Dara Shikoh near him. He made his second son, Shujah Mohammad, the governor of Bengal. The third son, Aurangzeb was appointed governor of Dakhan and Murad Bakhsh received the province of Gujrat. Their ambition was not satisfied and each one of them was eagerly seeking to become Emperor, and for that purpose they amassed wealth and armies in their respective regions. When Shah Jahan became ill and showed no signs of recovery, a war of succession broke out. Dara Shikoh dispatched Raja Jai Singh against Shujah Mohammad and sent Raja Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur to Dakhan. Jai Singh defeated Shujah Mohammad but combined armies of Aurangzeb and Murad forced Jaswant Singh to retreat. Upon this Aurangzeb prepared to retaliate and tried to seize the reigns of empire. Dara proceeded with great pomp and show to oppose Aurangzeb, and pitched his camp at Samugarh near the margin of the river Chambal. Aurangzeb soon appeared at the head of his own and Murad’s armies and ensued a determined battle. Aurangzeb succeeded in capturing Dara’s several nobles. Dara himself fled from the battle field. Aurangzeb came to Agra and imprisoned his father and his brother Murad, and then proceeded to Delhi. Dara fled towards Lahore.

Famous Muslim saint Mian Mir was Dara’s priest from whom he had heard Guru Ji’s praises. Dara’s life was saved with the medicine from the Guru Ji. In view of these circumstances Dara had great regard for him. Since Dara ecame governor of Punjab, there were healthy relations between the Emperor and the Guru Ji.

Shah Jahan had an order against the Hindu temples while Sikh temples were exempt from such an order. While Dara Shikoh was on his way to Lahore, the Guru happened to be in Goindwal. They both met. Many writers give their own fanciful accounts of the assistance that the Guru gave to Dara. What type of assistance Dara asked or the Guru gave to Dara, is a big question? He had all the royal wealth, he had his generals and he had his army of thousand` and thousand of men. He enlisted twenty thousand men in his army within days at Lahore. He had everything but he lacked a brave heart to fight in the battle-field. He fled from the field and ultimately was captured through a Pathan who betrayed him. He was brought to Delhi and was executed.

Having made his position secure on the throne of Delhi, Aurangzeb embarked on his religious crusade against the Hindus. After Dara the enemies of the Guru got a chance to poison the mind of Aurangzeb that he had rendered assistance to Dara against him. Upon this Aurangzeb summoned the Guru to his presence in Delhi. The Guru had vowed not to see the Emperor. Instead he sent his eldest son Ram Rai to Delhi instructing him to rely on the divine ower of the Gurus, not in any way recede from the principles of his religion, and in all his words and actions to fix his thought on God, everything would prove successful.

When the Emperor was informed that the Guru had not come himself but sent his son, he thought that if his object in trying the Guru was not fulfilled by his son, he would send for the Guru himself. It is said that Ram Rai performed seventy miracles. The Emperor sent him poisoned robes which he wore but was not hurt. In one interview a sheet of cloth was spread over a deep well so that Ram Rai when asked to sit, would fall into the well. The sheet did not give way and Ram Rai was miraculously preserved. The Emperor was shown the sight of Mecca while sitting in Delhi. After seventy such miracles were shown, Aurangzeb was almost convinced of Ram Rai’s powers and became friendly to him. Then came the last question. The Qazis’ asked Ram Rai,” Ram Rai, your Guru Nanak has written against the Muslim religion. In one place he has said,

ਮਃ ੧ ॥
Ma 1 ||
First Mehl:

ਆਸਾ ਕੀ ਵਾਰ: (ਮਃ ੧) ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਅੰਗ ੪੬੬

ਮਿਟੀ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ਕੀ ਪੇੜੈ ਪਈ ਕੁਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਿਆਰ ॥
Mittee Musalamaan Kee Paerrai Pee Kumihaaar ||
The clay of the Muslim’s grave becomes clay for the potter’s wheel.

ਘੜਿ ਭਾਂਡੇ ਇਟਾ ਕੀਆ ਜਲਦੀ ਕਰੇ ਪੁਕਾਰ ॥
Gharr Bhaanddae Eittaa Keeaa Jaladhee Karae Pukaar ||
Pots and bricks are fashioned from it, and it cries out as it burns.

ਜਲਿ ਜਲਿ ਰੋਵੈ ਬਪੁੜੀ ਝੜਿ ਝੜਿ ਪਵਹਿ ਅੰਗਿਆਰ ॥
Jal Jal Rovai Bapurree Jharr Jharr Pavehi Angiaar ||
The poor clay burns, burns and weeps, as the fiery coals fall upon it.

ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਨਿ ਕਰਤੈ ਕਾਰਣੁ ਕੀਆ ਸੋ ਜਾਣੈ ਕਰਤਾਰੁ ॥੨॥
Naanak Jin Karathai Kaaran Keeaa So Jaanai Karathaar ||2||
O Nanak, the Creator created the creation; the Creator Lord alone knows. ||2||

What is the meaning of this?”
Ram Rai had won Aurangzeb’s respect so much that he perhaps did not want to displease him and forgot his father’s parting injunctions not to recede from the principles of his religion. So in order to please the Emperor, Ram Rai replied,” Your Majesty, Guru Nanak wrote, ‘Mitti beiman ki’, that is the ashes of the faithless, not of the Musalmans, fall into the potter’s clod. The text has been corrupted by ignorant persons and Your Majesty’s religion and mine defamed. The faces of the faithless and not of the Musalmans, shall be blackened in both worlds.” All the Mohammadan priests were pleased with this reply. The Emperor then conferred a mark of favor on Ram Rai and dissolved the assembly.

The Sikhs of Delhi immediately sent an envoy to Kiratpur and informed the Guru of the pomp and honor with which Ram Rai had been received in Delhi, and detailed miracles he had exhibited. The envoy then explained how he had made an alteration in a line of Guru Nanak Dev Ji in order to please the Emperor. The Guru Ji was much distressed at the insult and remarked that no mortal could change the words of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and that ‘the mouth which had dared to do so should never be seen by me.’ The Guru Ji decided that Ram Rai was not fit for Guruship. He confirmed,” The Guruship is like a tigress’s milk which can only be contained in a golden cup. Only he who is ready to devote his life thereto is worthy of it.”

After Ram Rai had resided in Delhi for some time, he decided to go to Kiratpur and try to convince his father to reverse his decision regarding him. He pitched his camp near Kiratpur and wrote to his father for permission to visit him. He confessed that he had suffered for his sins and desired forgiveness. The Guru replied,”Ram Rai, you have disobeyed my order and sinned. How can you aspire to become a holy man? Go whither your fancy leads you. I will never see you again on account of your infidelity?”

The Guru feeling his end approaching thought of his successor and called for a meeting of his Sikhs. He seated his younger son, Har Kishen who was only five years old, on Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s throne. He then placed a coco-nut and five paise before him, circumambulated him three times and had a tilak or patch put on his forehead. The whole assembly then rose and did obeisance to the young Guru. Guru Har Rai Ji enjoined all his Sikhs to consider Har Kishen Ji as his image, to put faith in him, and they would obtain salvation.

Guru Har Rai Ji closed his eyes and went to his heavenly abode on October 6, 1661.

FN-1: It is also said that Ram Rai told Aurangzeb that Guru Nanak Dev Ji did not mean the ashes of Musalman but he actually meant that of the ‘beiman’, the faithless. Ram Rai thus did not alter the original verse but only changed the meaning of it.

Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji (1687–1705) was the eldest of Guru Gobind Singh’s four sons. His younger brothers were Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh Ji and Sahibzada Fateh Singh Ji. With his three brothers, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji carried on a family tradition: that of attaining the status of one of the most hallowed martyrs in Sikh history. Before him and his brothers, their grandfather, the Ninth Sikh Guru Ji, Guru Tegh Bahadur and his great-great grandfather, the Fifth Sikh Guru Ji, Guru Arjan Dev Sahib Ji had also been executed by the muslim Mughals in the name of islam.

Early Life

Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji was born to Mata Sundari and Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Paonta Sahib on 26 January 1687. The following year, Guru Gobind Singh Ji returned with the family to Anandpur where Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji was brought up in the approved Sikh style. He was taught religious texts, philosophy and history, and had training in the manly arts such as riding, swordsmanship and archery. He grew up into a handsome young man; strong, intelligent and a natural leader of men.

Battles

The Ranghars of Nuh

Soon after the creation of the Khalsa on 13 April 1699, he had his first test of skill. A Sikh Congregation (‘Sangat’) coming from the Pothohar region of northwest Punjab, was attacked and looted on the way by the Ranghars (a Muslim tribe) of Nuh, a short distance from Anandpur across the River Satluj. Guru Gobind Singh Ji sent Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji, then barely 12 years old, to that village. Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji along with a 100 men reached the spot on 23 May 1699, punished the Ranghars and recovered the looted property.

Taragarh and Nirmohgarh

A harder task was entrusted to Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji the following year when the hill chiefs supported by imperial Mughal troops from Lahore and Sirhind attacked Anandpur. Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji was made responsible for the defence of the Taragarh Fort, which became the first target of attack on 29 August 1700. Ajit Singh Ji, assisted by Bhai Udai Singh Ji, a seasoned soldier, repulsed the attack. He also fought valiantly in the battle of Nirmohgarh in October 1700. On 15 March 1701, a Sikh Sangat coming from the Darap area (near Sialkot) was waylaid by Gujjars and Ranghars. Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji led a successful expedition against them.

Restoring a Brahmin’s wife

In March 1703, Dewki Das, a Brahmin came to Anandpur and requested the Guru to help him in getting back his wife whom Chowdhry Jabar Khan, the chief of Dera Bassi, had taken away forcibly; the Guru asked Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji and Bhai Udey Singh Ji to help the Brahmin. On the 7th of March 1703, both of them, joined by about one hundred Sikhs, went to Bassi Kalan; they put siege to the village and sent a message to Jabar Khan to return the Brahmin’s wife; but Jabar Khan, instead of returning the Brahmin’s wife, asked his soldiers to attack the Sikhs; it was followed by a full-fledged battle, in which Jabar Khan was killed; the Brahmin’s wife was restored to him. When this news reached the people, they praised the Sikhs for their role.

The birth of Sahibzada Jujhar Singh

In 1691, Mata Sundari Ji gave birth to another boy who was named Jujhar Singh. Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji was four years younger than Ajit Singh Ji. Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji became a model for him. Jujhar Singh Ji also was entrusted with several engagements around Anandpur and on hills. Both Ajit Singh Ji and Jujhar Singh Ji led hundreds of successful expeditions, helping the needy who would come to Guru Gobind Singh asking to get them justice.

Like his elder brother Ajit Singh, at the age of 4 to 5 years, he started training in the fighting skills (Gatka) and started learning the religious texts. In 1699, when he was eight years old, he received holy Amrit at the rites of Khalsa initiation, called Amrit Sanskar. By the time it became necessary to leave Anandpur under the pressure of a besieging host in December 1705, Jujhar Singh Ji, nearing the completion of his fifteenth year, was an experienced young warrior, strong and fearless.

Sikh Fight Against Tyranny and Oppression

Sikhism raised hopes of equality for all and freedom from tyranical rulers of the time. Ever increasing numbers of Hindus and even Muslims adopting Sikhism, alarmed both Hindu kings of the Hill States adjoining Anandpur Sahib and of the Muslim rulers who thought that if Sikhism were allowed to grow at this rate neither rulers would not be able to control the oppressed for very long. The Hindu Hill State Kings, through persistent complaints, alarmed Emperor Aurangzeb about the growing strength and influence of Guru Gobind Singh Ji which according to them could one day endanger the rulers of both Hindu and Muslim communities.

Thus the Muslim rulers in Delhi, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir joined hands with the Hindu rulers of Hill States around Anandpur Sahib, to destroy the growing influence of Guru Gobind Singh Ji forever. Their combined fighting forces marched towards Anandpur Sahib and encircled it completely. They cut off supplies to the besieged Sikh community in the Anandpur Sahib Fort.

The Sikhs besieged in Anandpur Fort had to undergo extreme hardship due to unavailability of rations, water and medicines. On the other hand, seven months of unsuccessful military venture had also demoralized the leaders and soldiers of the tyrant rulers. As a result they searched for a face-saving device to please Emperor Aurangzeb.

Each respectively swore on the Geeta and Koran assuring Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji that in case he vacated Anandpur Fort along with his Sikhs, they would not attack him and his soldiers. After this evacuation, they would also leave and be in a position to show their faces to the Emperor Aurangzeb. Guru Gobind Singh Ji decided to evacuate Anandpur Sahib on the advice of Sikhs although he had no confidence on the promises made by the adversaries and told them about his views.

Guru Ji, accompanied by Sikhs and his family members evacuated Anandpur Sahib in December 1704 A.D. They had hardly reached the bank of rivulet Sirsa, when the enemy forces attacked them from behind without caring a bit about the promises made by them earlier in the name of their Holy Books.

Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji and part of Sikh forces kept the attacking enemy at bay by engaging them in a fierce battle till Guru Gobind Singh accompanied by others crossed the rivulet, which had swelled due to heavy rains upstream. Later Ajit Singh Ji and the remaining Sikhs too crossed the rivulet Sirsa and joined Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The enemy forces were deeply impressed by the fighting and leadership qualities shown by the eldest son of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The flooded rivulet took a heavy toll of Sikh lives.

By evening of the following day, Guru Gobind Singh Ji accompanied by his only two elder sons and forty surviving Sikhs arrived at village Chamkaur, thoroughly exhausted. They quickly settled in the fortress-like house of Chaudhary Budhi Chand and decided to face the approaching enemy forces there.

During the night, enemy forces encircled this fortress in large numbers. Their numbers swelled to 100,000 by day break. When the enemy attacked the fortress in the morning, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and his disciples kept the enemy at bay with the hails of deadly arrows which inflicting heavy casualties. When the stock of arrows started dwindling and the enemy forces starting coming close to the fortress, it was decided by Guru Gobind Singh Ji to send Sikhs outside the fortress in batches of five to engage the enemy soldiers in hand to hand combat. Imagine 5 Sikhs, daring to take on thousands of enemy soldiers! This amply proved to the world how fearless the Sikhs of the Guru were. They had love not for their lives, but the orders of their master.

Sahibzada Ajit Singh’s Sacrifice

When groups of Sikhs started leaving the fortress and fought bravely while afflicting heavy causalities before laying down their precious lives, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji sought permission of his father to also allow him to go out to fight side by side the brave Sikhs.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji was immensely pleased at this and embraced his son. He himself armed his son and sent him out with the next group of five Sikhs whom he considered no less dear than his own sons. Their valor lent proof to Guruji’s saying that he would be worthy of being Gobind Singh when he would make a Sikh so brave and fearless that he would fight with one lakh and quarter enemies alone.

Emerging from the fortress, Ajit Singh Ji, the brave son of the Tenth Master, attacked the enemy soldiers like a lion leaping on them as if to hungrily tear and shred sheep. Many enemy soldiers were both astonished and terrified on seeing the fighting caliber and methods of attack of this young boy. The accompanying Sikhs prevented enemy soldiers from other sides from encircling the brave Ajit Singh Ji.

After the brave son of the Master exhausted his arrows, he attacked to enemy with his spear. However, the blade of spear which had penetrated into the chest of one of the adversaries piercing his steel dress, broke inside the body of the enemy solider, when Sahibzada Ajit Singh pulled his spear back. Taking advantage of this delay of Baba Ajit Singh, the enemy soldiers were successful in injuring his horse, which fell dead.

Sahibzada Ajit Singh’s Sacrifice. Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal!

The Sahibzada swiftly dismounted the horse and pulling out his sword from its sheath, engaged the enemy soldiers. While he was cutting the adversaries to pieces by lightening strikes with his sword, an enemy soldier successfully attacked the brave son of Guru Gobind Singh Ji with a sharp spear. This spear pierced deeply into the body of Baba Ajit Singh Ji. The brave son of Guru Gobind Singh Ji was fatally injured and the youth fell on ground.

He attained martyrdom under the watchful and appreciative eyes of his great father. Scores of enemy soldier’s bodies were lying in heaps around the fallen body of brave Ajit Singh Ji.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji was watching the brave acts of his son in the battlefield from the fortress. He had been keeping the enemy at bay by his arrows thus providing enough cover for his son to fight a prolonged battle with the enemy soldiers.

The Guru was immensely pleased at the courage shown by his son and the tactics employed by him while inflicting heavy casualties on the adversaries.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji thanked God for helping Ajit Singh Ji to live up to his father’s expectations. The Guru thus proved that for the cause he was fighting, he would not hesitate to offer his own sons for sacrifice, while demanding the same supreme sacrifice from his Sikhs. The Sikhs were as dear to him as his own sons.

Thus fell the brave son of the Great Guru providing inspiration to the Sikhs for generations to come. The Sikh community will remembering this young martyr son of the tenth master for all times to come.

Sahibzada Jujhar Singh’s Sacrifice

Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji, the second son of Guru Gobind Singh Ji had been keenly observing from the fortess Chamkaur the heroic fight put up by his elder brother, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji against overwhelming number and better equiped enemy soldiers. The brave fight put up by his elder brother filled Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji with happiness and courage.

No sooner did Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji fell as a martyr, Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji requested his dear father Guru Gobind Singh Ji to grant him permission to accompany the next batch of Sikhs to repeat the heroic acts of his elder brother. He assured his father that he will not let him down and that he would attack the enemy soldiers and drive them away as a shepherd drives his flock of sheep.

Sahibzada Jujhar Singh’s Sacrifice. Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal!

The Guru Father was filled with immense pleasure at the determination of his 16 year old second son. He armed his son with weapons and allowed him to go out with next batch of five Sikhs.

Once outside the fortress, the young Jujhar Singh Ji fearlessly attacked the enemy soldiers like a lion, while accompanying Sikhs formed a protective ring around him. Guru Gobind Singh Ji was watching his brave son’s deeds of valor and appreciated his courage and swordsmanship from atop the fortress.

The enemy soldiers could not help appreciating the ferocity and smartness of the young boy. They had never seen such bravery performed by anyone at such a young age against mighty enemy forces. Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji using arrows, his spear and finally his sword felled numerous enemy soldiers. Headless bodies of enemy soldiers were piling up around him. The accompanying Sikhs were likewise putting to death many more enemy soldiers while keeping a protective ring around Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji.

After a long drawn battle, the enemy soldiers attacked the young Jujhar Singh Ji from all sides in large numbers, breaking the protective ring around him.

Under the appreciative gaze of his father and the accompanying Sikhs, Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji put up a brave fight but was ultimately fatally injured and was martyred on amidst heaps of dead bodies of the enemy forces.

The way both these sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji achieved martyrdom, upholding the principles for which their father had been actively mobilizing within his disciples, showed that Guruji was able to show to all the Sikhs and the enemy that he did not value his own sons more than his Sikhs and that he would not hesitate even to sacrifice his own sons for the Sikh cause.

On seeing his second son falling martyr like his first son, Guruji thanked God for enabling his sons to live up to his expectations. There is no parallel in the world when a father had thanked God, instead of weeping, on the death of his sons witnessed in front of him.

The heroic deeds of these two elder sons Guru Gobind Singh Ji will keep inspiring the young Sikh generations to rise to the occasion whenever called upon to fight for justice and rights against injustice and cruelty for all times to come.

Thus, Guru Gobind Singh Ji sacrificed his dear and brave sons, only to prove that when it comes to making sacrifices for Sikh cause, he would not hesitate to offer his own sons to show to the world that the Sikh ideals alone, and not his own sons, were dearer to him.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

 

Sahibzada Fateh Singh (12 December 1699 – 26 December 1705), the youngest of Guru Gobind Singh‘s four sons, was born to Mata Jito Ji (also known as Mata Sundari Ji) at Anandpur on 12 December 1699. During the flight from Anandpur, when the Sikhs, having been promised safe passage to Panjab, Sahibzada Fateh Singh was, along with his elder brother Zorawar Singh, put under the care of his grandmother, Mata Gujari Kaur Ji, Unfortunately in the confusion of the rain swollen Sarsa (normally little more than a creek) and an attack by Muslim pursuers, the Guru’s two youngest Sons and their Grandmother were separated from the main body of Sikhs. However, managing to get across they were befriended by one of the Guru’s former cooks. Later betrayed and handed off by the authorities of the small village where they had been given sanctuary, they were handed over to agents of Wazir Khan and carted off to Sirhind and placed under arrest in the Khan’s Thanda Burj (cold tower). While the Thanda Burj was built to capture the cool night breezes of air drawn over water channels in the areas hot summers, during the dead of winter the unheated burj offered no comfort for the Guru’s Mother and Sons.

On 26 December 1705, Fateh Singh and his elder brother, Zorawar Singh were martyred at Sirhind. Fateh Singh is the youngest recorded martyr in history who knowingly laid down his life at the very tender age of 6 years. Sahibzada Fateh Singh and his older brother, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh are among the most hallowed martyrs in Sikhism.

The mind boggles to understand how children of such young age had the guts, courage, bravery and focus to refuse the promise of many lavish gifts and a future of cosy comforts of royalty that were being offered by the Mughals. All they had to do to get all these luxuries was to abandon their religion. This young child was asked to weigh an easy out against the stark option of a brutal, painful and tragic death entombed within a wall of bricks and cement.

The world salutes the supreme sacrifice of these kids of steel who never once – even for a moment considered the easy option and always remained focused on their mission to uphold the principles of God’s kingdom and allowed their bodies to be tortured, violated and endured the intense pain of a slow, pain-ridden and certain death.

On the one hand the world witnessed, the supreme sacrifice of the youngest members of the Guru’s household for the highest ideals of humanity and on the other hand you have the lowly, cruel, cold-blooded and barbaric acts of the heartless and immoral Wazir Khan who had broke an oath sworn on his own Holy book—the Qur’an. May the world reflect on this supreme sacrifice made by this 6 year old, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Guru Tegh Bahadar Ji to fight for justice and for the right of his people and people of other faiths to practise their own faiths without interference or imposition. May we all, the different peoples of our planet learn from this episode in our global history, the values of life and the way to uphold these values. Also, may we all realise the dangers posed by uncontrolled and immoral minds on the development of humanity on this fragile earth.

Bhai Vir Singh: The Sixth River of Punjab

Bhai Vir Singh (December 5,1872 – June 10, 1957) is known as a ‘MaIter of Punjabi Literatuze’ and hence `The Sixth River of Punjab’. He was a poet, novelist, editor, exegete, historian and a journalist. He was the leading figure in the Singh Sabha, the dynamic Sikh renaissance movement in early 20. century Punjab.
Bhai Vir Singh was born into a family of scholars, and he grew up in the holy city of Amritsar. He finished his Matriculation winning the district boards gold medal. When he was still at school, he was married to Bibi Chattar Kaur.
Considered to be the harbinger of modern Punjabi literature, Bhai Vir Singh wrote prose, novels, poems, plays and historical research. He also started publishing Khalsa Samachar, the first Punjabi daily. Through the pages of Khalsa Samachar, he tried to bring about social and religious reform such as importance of education, equal rights to women, abolition of the caste system, and so on. He established the Khalsa College in Amritsar, and with the help of Wazir Singh, he set up a lithographic press in Amritsar in 1892. The following year he started the Khalsa Tract Society with a view to serving the count, and the Khalsa Panth. He was a great scholar not only of Sikhism but also of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam.
Bhai Vir Singh also edited and published Prachin Panth Prakash and Janamsakhi, the life-sto, of Guru Nanak Dev. He organised the Chief Khalsa Diwan, a representative body of the Sikhs for bringing about religious and social reforms. Since very few cared to get themselves educated during his day, he formed the Sikh Educational Committee for spreading of education.
Bhai Vir Singh inspired novelists like Nanak Singh, Bhai Mohan Singh Void, Charan Singh Shahid, Master Tara Singh, and Gurbakhsh Singh. Panjab University conferred on him a doctorate in Oriental Learning, and the Sahitya Akademi awarded him its first annual award for outstanding contribution to Punjabi literature. He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan. He was nominated member of the Punjab Legislative Council in 1952.
Bhai Vir Singh was the most important writer and theologian in Punjabi who expounded Sikh history and philosophy for more than fifty years. He is regarded as the Bhai Gurdas of the twentienth century. His most important works are Guru Nanak Chamatkar, Kalgidhar Chamatkar, Baba Nodh Singh and Meray Saeeyan jeeo.
His poet, possesses the sublimity of Milton, the spontaneity of Wordsworth, the music of Tagore and the mysticism of Yeats. He was the `finest flower’ in the renaissance of modern Punjab. Dr. Vir Singh sang of the struggles of the village folk. He wrote poems on freedom and patriotism.
Bhai Vir Singh was very versatlie. He was poet, novelist and critic. He found spiritual lessons in the objects of Nature. The Kikar Tree is a symbol of the spiritual seeker who must face the slings and arrows of worldly people. His poetry throbs with the longing of the individual 5111 11 rejoin the Universal Soul. The hurdle between man and God is the Ego. Once that is subdued, man may meet God, face to face. He would find beauty and God’s presence in the ordinary things of life. He believed toot could find peace and bliss through self control and spiritual effort.
Dr. Vir Singh was also a historical novelist. His important works in this genre are Sundri, Bijay Singh and Satwant Kaur. Their popularity, is such that they have been reprinted many times.
Bhai Vir Singh was not only a philosopher but also a stylist. Even his prose captures the dignity and harmony of poet,. Kalgidhar Chamatkar is full of purple passages. A registered society, Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, is now busy publishing his works and popularising them among the masses. His centenary was celebrated in India and abroad in 1972.

Bhai Vir Singh’s creative talent was recognized by the government and the Punjab university. He was given the title of Padam Shri by the Gov. of India and a Honorary Doctorate by the Punjab University. H. Chattopadhaya called him the “sixth river in the land of the five rivers.”

Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was born on Vaisakh Vadi 5, (5 Vaisakh), Bikrami Samvat 1678, (1st April, 1621) in the holy city of Amritsar in a house known as Guru ke Mahal. He had four brothers Baba Gurditta Ji, Baba Suraj Mal Ji, Baba Ani Rai Ji, Baba Atal Rai Ji and one sister Bibi Veero Ji. He was the fifth and the youngest son of Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji and Mata Nanki Ji. His childhood name was Tyag Mal. The Sikhs began to call him Teg Bahadur after the battle of Kartarpur against Painda Khan in which he proved to be great sword-player or gladiator. But he preffered to call himself ‘Degh Bahadur’

From the very childhood  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji used to sit inside the house and spend most of his time in meditation. He seldom played with other boys of his age. Due to the rich religious atmosphere at home he developed a distinct philosophical bent of mind. Naturally he developed inspirations towards a life of selfless service and sacrifice.

Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji had a regular schooling from the age of six. Where he also learnt classical, vocal and instrumental music. Bhai Gurdas Ji also taught him Gurbani and Hindu Mythology. Apart from the schooling he was also given the military training like horsemanship, swordsmanship, javelin throwing and shooting. He had witnessed and even participated in the battles of Amritsar and Kartarpur. But inspite of all this, he developed an extra ordinary mystic nature in due course of time.

Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was married to Gujri Ji (Mata), daughter of Sh.Lal Chand & Bishan Kaur of Kartarpur at an early age on 15 Assu, Samvat 1689 (September 14, 1632). A son (Guru) Gobind Singh (Sahib) was born on Poh Sudi Saptmi Samvat 1723 (December 22,1666). Gujri (Mata) was also a religious lady. She was disciplined in behaviour and modest in temprament. Her father was a noble and rich man.

Soon after the death of Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, Mata Nanki Ji, the mother of  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji took him and his wife (Gujri) to her natal village (Baba) Bakala near the river Beas. Some Chronicles state that Bhai Mehra, who was a devout Sikh of Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, got constructed a house for  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji where he lived in complete peace and led a normal life for the next twenty years (from 1644 to 1666).

It is a totally wrong conception (as some historian point out) that Guru Sahib got constructed a solitary cell in his house where he often used to meditate God. Actually, it is seen that the meditation for self-purification and self-attainment of  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji is wrongly mis-understood. Guru Nanak’s spiritual traditions hold that after attaining the divine light, one has to lift others from darkness to liberate the world. In JapJi sahib, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji says: ” There can be no love of God without active service.”  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s long spell of silent meditation perfected his will. Through meditation  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji archived the torch of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji creative vision. He developed aspirations towards a life of selfless service and sacrifice, with a moral and spiritual courage to abide by the will of God. When Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji invested Sri Guru Har Rai Ji with Guruship, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was the first to bow to Sri Guru Har Rai Ji. He never contested the will of his father (Guru).

During the stay at Baba Bakala,  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji paid visits to many holy and historical places like Goindwal, Kiratpur Sahib, Haridwar, Prayag, Mathura, Agra, Kashi (Banaras) and Gaya. A devoted Sikh of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, Bhai Jetha Ji took Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji to Patna. Here he heard the news of the passing away of Sri Guru Har Rai Ji (6th Oct, 1661) and decided to return to Kiratpur Sahib. On the way back he reached Delhi on March, 21,1664, where he learnt the arrival of Sri Guru Harkrishan Ji at the residence of Raja Jai Singh. He alongwith his mother and other Sikhs paid visit to Sri Guru Harkrishan Ji and after expressing profound sense of sorrow and sympathy towards Guru Sahib and his mother Mata Krishan Kaur Ji, he left for Baba Bakala (Punjab).

After some days, Sri Guru Harkrishan Ji (on the eve of his death), prophetically uttered only two words “Baba Bakala” meaning that his successor would be found at (Baba) Bakala. Now with this announcement near about twenty-two posers and self-appointed successors sprung up in the small village Bakala. The most prominent among them was Dhir Mal who was the only direct descendant of the eldest son Baba Gurditta Ji and it was he who possessed the first copy of Guru Granth Sahib prepared by Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji.

This situation puzzled the innocent Sikh devotees for a few months. Then in the month of August 1664, Sikh Sangat headed by some prominent Sikhs from Delhi, arrived at village Bakala and acknowledged Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji as the Ninth Nanak, but the atmosphere remained same at Village Baba Bakala.  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji accepted the spiritual succession but never liked to be dragged into the mire of competition with the imposters. He kept aloof from them. An incident, which changed the whole scene deciding the dispute forever, occurred one day.

Makhan Shah Lubana, a rich trader and a devout Sikh from Tanda district Jehlam (now in Pakistan), came to pay his obeisance and 500 gold coins as offerings to the Guru Sahib, at village Bakala. It is said that earlier his ship full of merchandise was caught in a storm. But due to his prayer to the Guru Sahib, his ship was saved. He made up his mind to offer 500 gold coins in lieu of the safety. Reaching village Bakala he had to encounter so many ‘Gurus’. Everyone contested to be the real ‘Guru’. He offered everyone only two coins and non-of them challenged. The imposters were glad to accept only two coins. But he was disappointed as he sensed something wrong.

One day he learned from some villagers that there was also another Guru named Tegh Bahadur Ji. He went to see the Guru who was meditating in a lone house. When he offered two coins to  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the later questioned that why Makhan Shah was breaking his own promise offering only two coins instead of five hundred. At this Makhan Shah could not contain himself with joy. He immediately climbed to the roof of the same house and cried loudly that he had discoverd the true Guru (Guru Ladho Re…Guru Ladho Re…). On hearing this a large number of Sikh devotees assembled there and paid their homage to the true Guru.

This incident ravaged Dhir Mal and he with the hired ruffians, attacked  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. A bullet hit Guru Sahib and when the Sikhs learnt about this attack, they retaliated and took possession of (Guru) Granth Sahib lying with Dhir Mal. But Guru Sahib returned it to Dhir Mal while forgiving him.

Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji with his entire family reached Amritsar (about November, 1664) to pay obeisance at Harmandir Sahib, but the ministers of the holy place shut its doors against him and he was not allowed to enter.  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji did not pressed or forced his entry but returned calmly and reached Kiratpur Sahib via Vallah, Khandur Sahib, Goindwal Sahib, Tarn Taran Sahib, Khem karan. Before reaching Kiratpur, he also visited Talwandi Saboke, Banger and Dhandaur. It is to be noted that wherever Guru Sahib went, there he established new Manjis (preaching centres of Sikhism). Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib reached Kiratpur Sahib in May 1665.

In June 1665  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji bought some land from Raja of Bilaspur near Makhowal village on the bank of River Satlej and founded a new town Chak-Nanki after revered name of his mother Nanki. Later this town was renamed as Sri Anandpur Sahib.

After a brief stay at new founded town,  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji set out for a long journey towards the east in order to strengthen the Sikh nation by setting up new preaching centers and renewing the old ones. It was his second missionary tour. He left Anandpur Sahib in August, 1665 alongwith many staunch sikhs such as Bhai Mati Das Ji, Bhai Sati Das Ji, Bhai Sangtia Ji, Bhai Dayal Das Ji and Bhai Jetha Ji apart from his close family members. It was like a long-march for the sake of suffering humanity. This mission raved the othodox regime of the Mughals, because large crowds began to attend the gatherings and sought the Guru’s blessings. When  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was coming at Dhamdhan in the Banger area in December 1665 a Mughal enforcement officer Alam Khan Rohella arrested him alongwith Bhai Sati Das Ji, Bhai Moti Das Ji, Bhai Dayal Das Ji and some other Sikh followers under the imperial orders from Delhi. All these were produced before the court of the empror Aurangzeb, who orderd to hand-over them to Kanwar Ram Singh Kachhwaha, son of Raja Jai Singh Mirza. The entire family of Raja Jai Singh was a staunch follower of Guru Sahib and hence they treated him not like prisoner but endorsed great respect and also secured the releasing orders from the imperial court. Guru Sahib was released after about two months. Resuming his mission further, Guru Sahib reached Mathura and then Agra and from here he reached Allahabad via Etawah, Kanpur and Fatehpur. He also visited Benaras and Sasaram and then reached Patna in the month of May 1666.

Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji proceeded further towards Dacca via Mongair, Calicut (now Kolkata), Sahibganj and Kant Nagar in October 1666. But before leaving for these places he made necessary arrangements under the supervision of a devout Sikh lady known as Mata Paidi for the safe stay of his family members at Patna during the rainy season. Then Mata Gujri Ji was expecting a child. At all the places Guru Sahib halted, Satsangat and Kirtan (recitations of Verses from Guru Granth Sahib) were held daily and religious sermons were delivered. Many prominent Sikhs like Bhai Mati Dass Ji, Bhai Sati Dass Ji, Bhai Dayal Das Ji and Baba Gurditta Ji, supported Guru Sahib in religious sittings during these tours.

At Dacca Guru Sahib established a big Sangat (Hazuri Sangat) with the help of ardent followers like Almast Ji and Natha Sahib. A Gurdwara Sangat Tola now marks the place where Guru Sahib used to deliver holy sermons to the audience. It was here that Guru Sahib heard the news of the birth of his son, (Guru Gobind Singh Sahib) who was born on Poh Sudi Saptami (23 Poh) Bikrami Samvat 1723, (December, 22,1666) at Patna.From Dacca, Guru Sahib proceeded towards Jatia Hills and Sylhet where he established a preaching Centre for Sikh Sangat and reached Chittagong via Agartala.

Guru Sahib returned Dacca in 1668. At this time Raja Ram Singh son of Late Raja Jai Singh who was already present at Dacca in order to make arrangements for his expedition to Assam, met Guru Sahib and sought blessings. (Some Chronicles state that Raja Ram Singh met Guru Sahib at Gaya). As Guru Sahib was already touring the Far East places, Raja Ram Singh requested Guru Sahib to accompany him during the expedition. Guru Sahib did so. During this tour Guru Sahib meditated on the banks of river Brahmaputra at Dhubri in Assam where stands a Gurdwara known as Sri Damdama Sahib. Earlier Guru Nanak Sahib also sanctified this place. It is said that by the grace of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib, there was a peaceful settlement instead of bloody conformation between the ruler of Kamrup and Raja Ram Singh. Guru Sahib left Assam in April-May, 1670 and returned Patna.

A reign of terror was let loose on the Hindus in India by the Muslim theistic state. The prosecution of Hindus was the most outrageous feature of his reign. Augranzeb made up his mind to rout out Hinduism from India by hook or crook, and introduced many Islamic fundamentalist programs like special taxes for the Hindu traders, religious tax (Zazia) for non-Muslims. Celebration of Diwali and Holi was forbidden. He demolished many important and sacred Hindu Temples, and erected mosques in place of them. Chronicles state that some Sikh Gurudwaras were also demolished.

Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji heard of these black deeds of Aurangzeb and moved towards Punjab. In the way, Guru Sahib was arrested at Agra along with many of his prominent Sikhs in June 1670. They were produced before an imperial court at Delhi but released shortly. Guru Sahib returned Anandpur Sahib in February 1671. He spent about two years there peacefully preaching Sikhism. Here he identified himself with the sorrows and sufferings of the common masses.

In 1672, Guru Sahib set out for another religious journey towards Malwa region in Punjab. Socially and economically this area was backward and almost neglected, but the people were hard working and poor. They were also deprived of basic amenities like fresh drinking water, milk and even simple food. Guru Sahib toured this area about one and half year.

He helped villagers in many ways. Guru Sahib and Sikh Sangat assisted them in planting trees on barren stretches of land. They were also advised to start dairy farming and in this respect many cattle heads were also distributed free of cost among the poor and landless farmers. To cope with the scarcity of water many community wells were dug on the behest of Guru Sahib by performing Kar-Sewa (free service). Thus Guru Sahib identified himself with the common masses. At this stage many followers of Sakhi Sarver (a muslim outfit) entered into the fold of Sikhism. On the other hand Guru Sahib established many new preaching centres of Sikhism at these places. The main and important halts of Guru Sahib were Patiala (Dukhniwaran Sahib), Samaon, Bhiki, Tahla Sahib, and Talwandi in Bhatinda, Gobindpura, Makrora, Bangar and Dhamdhan. Guru Sahib toured these areas about one and a half years and returned Anandpur Sahib in 1675.

These preaching tours and social works irked the Muslim fundamentalists and created a fear-psyche among the upper privileged classes. On the other hand the secret news-writers of the Mughal Empire dispatched exaggerated and subjective reports regarding the religious activities of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib.

As it is mentioned earlier that the Muslim theistic state executed forceful conversions in order to make India, Dar-ul-Islam and to achieve this goal as soon as possible, the Hindu Pandits and Brahmins (the preaching class) of Kashi, Prayag, Kurukshetra, Haridwar and Kashmir were identified for this purpose. All types of atrocities were let loose on them. They were given an ultimatum either to embrace Islam or to be prepared for death. It is regretted that all this was done under the very nose of many so-called brave Hindu and Rajput kings and chiefs who were also subordinate to the imperial state of Delhi. They were only silent spectators aiming at their own ends. They even did not raise a minor voice of protest against the nefarious acts of Aurangzeb. There was a wave of mass conversion in India and Sher Afgan Khan an imperial viceroy first tried this practice in Kashmir. Thousands of Kahmiri Pandits were massacred and their property was looted.

At this juncture, the Brahmins especially the Kashmiri Pandits led by Pandit Kirpa Ram Dutt approached  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji at Anandpur Sahib in May 1675. They told their tales of woe to Guru Sahib and requested to protect their honor and faith. Guru Sahib heard their views and agreed to resist the nefarious act of forcible conversions by peaceful means. After long discussions with the prominent Sikhs and Kashmiri Pandits, Guru Sahib made up his mind to sacrifice himself for the cause of “Righteousness” and for the freedom of “Dharma”(Religion)

On the advice of Guru Sahib, the Kashmiri Pandits presented a petition to the Emperor and in lieu of this an imperial court of Delhi, issued summons asking  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji to appear in the said court. But on the other hand, before the imperial summons reach Anandpur Sahib, Guru Sahib started his journey towards Delhi after installing his son (Guru) Gobind Sahib as the Tenth Nanak in July 1675. Bhai Dayal Das Ji, Bhai Mati Das Ji, Bhai Sati Das Ji and many more devoted Sikhs followed Guru Sahib. When  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji reached near village Malikpur Ragharan near Ropar, an imperial armed contingent led by Mirza Nur Mohammad Khan, arrested Guru Sahib and some of his prominent followers. He kept them in a prison at Bassi Pathanan and tortured daily. Now it was the turn of Guru Sahib who remained calm & quite. The authorities offered three alternatives viz : (1) To show miracles, or (2) to embrace Islam, or (3) to prepare himself for death. Guru Sahib accepted the last. On seeing Guru Sahib adamant and immoveable, the authorities ordered the executioner (Jallad) to sever the head from the body. The order was implemented. The historians quote this date as November 11, 1675 AD. (Gurdwara Sis Ganj at Chandni Chowk marks the place where the execution was done.) There was a furious storm after this brutal deed. It caused confusion and havoc in and around the city. Under these circumstances Bhai Jaita Ji, took away the holy head of Guru Sahib, placed it in a basket, covered it carefully and set out of Anandpur Sahib. He reached Kiratpur Sahib, near Anandpur Sahib on 15th November. He was received with great honour by young Guru Gobind Rai and honoured as “Rangretta Guru Ka Beta.” The cremation of head was performed with full honour and proper ceremonies on the next day. (Gurdwara Sis Ganj also marks the place where the head was cremated.) Taking advantage of the same situation the other part of the body of  Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was whisked away by a brave Sikh Lakhi Shah Lubana a famous merchant and contractor and he immediately built up a pyre inside his house and set fire to it in the evening. Thus whole house including other valuables were burned and destroyed. It is said that a royal police guard arrived at the scene in search of the body, but returned, finding the house burning and the inmates weeping bitterly. (Now Gurdwara Rakab Ganj in New Delhi, marks the place.)

The martyrdom of Guru Sahib had for reaching consequences and deeply influenced the history of India. It exposed the fundamental theistic nature of the contemporary state, highlighted tyranny and injustice. It made the people of India hate Aurangzeb and his government as never before and turned the Sikh Nation into militant people. It made them feels that they could protect their religion (Dharma) only but the defense of arms. It proposed the way for the final stage in creation of the Khalsa, which played the most important and significant role in the history of India.

Guru Sahib was also a great poet and thinker. For an example we may quote him, as one of his Slokas, he says: Bhai Kahu kau det naih  naih bhai manat ann, kahu nanak sunu re mana gaini tahi bakhan. (SGGS 1427) (Sayth Nanak, he who holds none in fear, mor in afraid on anyone, acknowledge his alone as a man of true wisdom) Guru Sahib written Gurbani in fifteen Raagas apart from 57 salokas, got included in Guru Granth Sahib Ji by the 10th master, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji.

Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji ‘Hind di chadar’ sacrified his life for the cause of Dharma, truth and the betterment of humanity.

The occasion of Bandi Chhor Divas first took place in autumn of 1619 and is currently celebrated in October or November; the date changes according to the lunar calendar. Guru Hargobind’s father, Guru Arjan Dev, had been martyred almost 13 years before, and the Mughal authorities were carefully watching the young Guru. When he constructed the Akal Takht, the Throne of the Almighty, in Amritsar and concurrently strengthened his army, the Nawab of Lahore, Murtaja Khan, grew alarmed and informed the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. The Nawab conveyed his fear that the Guru might be planning to avenge the death of his father. Jahangir at once sent Wazir Khan and Guncha Beg to Amritsar to arrest Guru Hargobind.

Wazir Khan, however, was an admirer of the Guru; instead of arresting him, he persuaded the Guru to accompany them to Delhi to meet the Emperor. Even though Jahangir had ordered the execution of his father, the Guru accepted the invitation and journeyed to the Emperor’s court. When Emperor Jahangir met the young Guru, he was captivated by his charm and purity of spirit. He queried him as to which religion was better, Hindu or Muslim, to which the Guru quoted lines from Kabir proclaiming that the One Lord is within both Hindus and Muslims. The Emperor was entranced by the Guru’s wisdom and prepared a royal reception for him, after which he invited the young Hargobind to accompany him on his shikars or hunting expeditions.

During one of these hunts, the Emperor and his party were tracking a lion which had been terrorizing a village. Without warning, the lion burst from the bushes and charged at Jahangir. Desperately, the other hunters fired their weapons but failed to stop its attack. At the last moment, Guru Hargobind jumped in front of the beast, yelling that it must deal with him first. Raising his shield to deflect its jaws, as it leapt in the air he thrust his sword into it, killing it with one powerful stroke. The animal fell dead at his feet. Guru Hargobind had saved the Emperor’s life.

The Guru and the Emperor became good friends, but this only provoked the jealousy of others who wanted the Emperor’s favor for themselves. One of these was Chandu Shah, a rich banker, with influence in the court. After first rejecting Hargobind as a match for his daughter, he later changed his mind and sought the arrangement. Having learned of his previous remarks, Guru Arjan Dev refused the proposal. Chandu Shah had been influential in arranging Guru Arjan’s death and now focused his wrath on his son, Guru Hargobind.

While in Agra, the Emperor became very ill. It seemed that nothing could cure him. Chandu Shah cornered the court astrologers and convinced them to tell the Emperor that his illness was due to an inauspicious alignment of the stars which could only be cured if a holy man were to go to Gwalior Fort south of Agra and offer prayers for his recovery. Chandu Shah innocently suggested that there was no one more fit for this precious task than Guru Hargobind. Thus, at the Emperor’s request, the Guru agreed and left for the Fort with several companions.

Rather than being a sanctuary of tranquility, Gwalior Fort was really a prison where enemies of the state, including a number of Rajput princes, were detained. True to his nature, the Guru inspired them to join him in daily prayers and did his best to improve their conditions. In time they came to revere him. The governor of the fort, Hari Dass, was a Sikh of the Guru and turned over to him a letter from Chandu Shah ordering him to poison the Guru.

After the Guru had been in Gwalior Fort for several months, his Sikhs, including the ancient Baba Buddha, made the long journey from Amritsar to tell him how greatly they missed his presence. Although the Emperor had recovered, still the Guru was held captive. At this time, Mian Mir, a noted Sufi saint, traveled to the Emperor’s court and asked him to release the Guru. Upon his persuasion, the Emperor ordered Wazir Khan to free the Guru. Hari Dass informed the Guru of this fortunate turn of events; however, the Guru could not embrace his own fortune at the expense of the other prisoners and refused to leave the fort until all 52 of the Rajput princes were freed as well. When the Wazir Khan put the Guru’s condition in front of the Emperor, he initially refused it. It was only when the Wazir Khan reminded the Emperor that the Guru had saved his life that he relented. He added a condition of his own: in order to be released from the fort, each prisoner must be holding on to the Guru’s cloak as he walked out of the prison gates. The Emperor was pleased with himself because he was sure that a mere handful would be able to fulfill this condition.

Unbeknown to him however, the Guru delighted in this challenge by having his tailor make a special cloak with a very, very long train to which were tightly attached 52 tassels. At the appointed time, the Guru donned the heavy cloak and his friends laid out the train, which stretched for yards behind him. The 52 princes picked the cloak up and grasped their tassels; 26 on the right and 26 on the left. Walking behind the Guru, careful not to let go, they stepped out into the sunlight and freedom, to the cheers of the Guru’s Sikhs. From this time on, Guru Hargobind was known as Bandi (prison) Chhor (liberator), and the day of liberation is celebrated as Bandi Chhor Divas (day).

Several days later, when Guru Hargobind reached Amritsar, the Hindu festival of light, Divali, was being celebrated. In their joy at seeing their Guru again, the people lit up the whole city with candles, lights, and lamps. After almost four hundred years this tradition continues in Amritsar, and on this day the Harmandir Sahib is aglow with thousands of candles and floating lamps, strings of lights decorate the domes, and fireworks burst in the sky.

Bandi Chorr refers to the concept:

“Free from all attachments that are material in nature and tie one to a false sense of security and status such that ethics and principals are put aside in the living of a life.”

ਸਾਲ 1984 ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਲਈ ਬਹੁਤ ਹੀ ਦੁਖਦਾਈ ਸੀ, ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਜੂਨ ਅਤੇ ਨਵੰਬਰ ਦੋਵਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਭਿਆਨਕ ਹਮਲਿਆਂ ਦਾ ਸਾਮਹਣਾ ਕਰਨਾ ਪਿਆ ਸੀ। ਦੁਨੀਆਂ ਭਰ ਦੇ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ 1984 ਦੀਆਂ ਯਾਦਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਕਾਇਮ ਰੱਖਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ, ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੁਰਘਟਨਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਦੁਹਰਾਇਆ ਨਹੀਂ ਜਾ ਸਕੇਗਾ।

ਨਵੰਬਰ 1984 ਵਿਚ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਕੀ ਹੋਇਆ?

ਨਵੰਬਰ 1984 ਦੇ ਪਹਿਲੇ ਹਫ਼ਤੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਾਰਤ ਦੀ ਰਾਜਧਾਨੀ, ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ ਅਤੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਦੇ ਹੋਰਨਾਂ ਹਿੱਸਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਹਜ਼ਾਰਾਂ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਤਲੇਆਮ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ। ਸਿੱਖ ਔਰਤਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਸਮੂਹਿਕ ਬਲਾਤਕਾਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ, ਹਜ਼ਾਰਾਂ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਅਨਾਥ ਅਤੇ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਰਿਹਾਇਸ਼ਾਂ, ਕਾਰੋਬਾਰਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਸੰਸਥਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸੰਗਠਿਤ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ ਢਾਹਿਆ ਅਤੇ ਤਬਾਹ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ।

ਸਿੱਖ ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਕੀਤੀ ਗਈ?

ਸਿੱਖ ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਦੀ ਯੋਜਨਾ ਬਣਾਈ ਗਈ ਸੀ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਹਜ਼ਾਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਭੀੜ ਇਕੋ ਜਿਹਿਆਂ ਲੋਹੇ ਦੀਆਂ ਰਾਡਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਪੂਰੀ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਲੈਸ ਸਨ, ਜਿਸ ਵਿਚ ਅੱਗ ਲਾਉਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਪਾਊਡਰ, ਮਿੱਟੀ ਦਾ ਤੇਲ ਅਤੇ ਪੈਟਰੋਲ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਸਨ। ਕਾਤਲਾਂ ਨੇ ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਰਿਕਾਰਡਾਂ ਦੀ ਮਦਦ ਨਾਲ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨਾ ਬਣਾਇਆ।

ਸਿੱਖ ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਰਾਜ (ਸਟੇਟ) ਦੀ ਕੀ ਭੂਮਿਕਾ ਸੀ?

ਸੂਬੇ ਦੀ ਖਰੀਦੀ ਅਤੇ ਨਿਯੰਤਰਿਤ ਮੀਡੀਆ ਨੇ ਭੀੜ ਨੂੰ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਦੁਸ਼ਮਣੀ ਭਰਪੂਰ ਕਾਰਵਾਈ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਉਤਸ਼ਾਹਿਤ ਕੀਤਾ। ਜਗਦੀਸ਼ ਟਾਇਟਲਰ ਵਰਗੇ ਸਿਆਸਤਦਾਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦਾ ਸ਼ਿਕਾਰ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਭੀੜ ਇੱਕਠੀ ਕਰ ਲਈ ਸੀ। ਪੁਲਿਸ ਨੇ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦਾ ਬਚਾਅ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਕੋਈ ਕਾਰਵਾਈ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੀਤੀ, ਅਤੇ ਇਸ ਦੀ ਬਜਾਏ ਕਈ ਥਾਵਾਂ ਤੇ ਕਾਤਲਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਮਿਲਕੇ ਕੰਮ ਕੀਤਾ। ਐਗਜ਼ੈਕਟਿਵ ਸ਼ਾਖਾ ਨੇ ਫੌਜ ਤੋਂ ਮਦਦ ਦੀ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੀਤੀ ਹਾਲਾਂਕਿ ਉਹ ਲਾਗੇ ਹੀ ਉਪਲਬਧ ਸੀ। ਰਾਜ (ਸਟੇਟ) ਨੇ ਜਾਣਬੁੱਝ ਕੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਨਾਗਰਿਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਅਸਫਲ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ।

ਕੀ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਹੱਤਿਆਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਦੰਗੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ?

ਨਹੀਂ – ਇਹ ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਸੀ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਸਿਰਫ ਇਕ ਸੋਚੀ ਸਮਝੀ ਸਾਜ਼ਿਸ਼ ਅਤੇ ਯੋਜਨਾਬੱਧ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ। ਸਿੱਖਾਂ, ਔਰਤਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਧਰਮ ਅਤੇ ਵਿਲੱਖਣ ਪਹਿਲੂਆਂ ਲਈ ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨਾ ਬਣਾਇਆ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ ਇਸ ਲਈ ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਸਿੱਖ ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਵੇ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਦੇ ਅਪਰਾਧ ਨੂੰ ਰੋਕਣ ਅਤੇ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਬਾਰੇ ਸੰਯੁਕਤ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰ ਕਨਵੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਦੀ ਧਾਰਾ 2 ਵਿਚ ਦਰਸਾਇਆ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ।

ਕੀ ਦੁਨੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਡੇ ਜਮਹੂਰੀਅਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਨਿਆਂ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ?

ਨਹੀਂ – 1984 ਤੋਂ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਇਨਸਾਫ ਵਿਚ ਜਾਣ ਬੁੱਝ ਕੇ ਦੇਰੀ ਅਤੇ ਇਨਕਾਰ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ। ਨਵੰਬਰ 1984 ਸਿੱਖ ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਦੀ ਜਾਂਚ ਲਈ 10 ਰਾਜ ਕਮਿਸ਼ਨ ਕਾਇਮ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਬਾਵਜੂਦ, ਦੋਸ਼ੀ ਮੁਕਤ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਸ਼ਕਤੀਸ਼ਾਲੀ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਅਤੇ ਰਾਜ ਦੇ ਅਹੁਦਿਆਂ ਦਾ ਆਨੰਦ ਮਾਣ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ। ਦੂਜੇ ਪਾਸੇ, ਇਸ ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਦੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਪੀੜਤ ਨਿਆਂ ਦੀ ਉਡੀਕ ਵਿਚ ਮਰ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ। 1984 ਸਿੱਖ ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਦੇ ਦੋਸ਼ੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਜ਼ਾ ਨਾ ਮਿਲਣ ਕਾਰਨ, ਅਯੁੱਧਿਆ ਵਿਚ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ, ਯੂ.ਪੀ. (1992), ਅਹਿਮਦਾਬਾਦ – ਗੁਜਰਾਤ (2002) ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਨਾਲ ਕੰਧਮਾਲ, ਓਰਿਸਾ (2008) ਵਿੱਚ ਈਸਾਈ, ਹੋਰਨਾਂ ਕਤਲੇਆਮਾਂ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਿਕਾਰ ਬਣ ਗਏ। ਭਾਰਤ ਵਿਚ ਘੱਟਗਿਣਤੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਮੌਜੂਦਗੀ ਸਪਸ਼ਟ ਤੌਰ ਤੇ ਇਕ ਧਮਕੀ ਹੈ।

ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੇ ਇਸ ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਦਾ ਕੀ ਜਵਾਬ ਦਿੱਤਾ?

ਦੁਨੀਆਂ ਭਰ ਦੇ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਤਰੀਕੇ ਨਾਲ ਜਵਾਬ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ। ਉਹ ਅਜੇ ਵੀ ਨਿਆਂ ਲਈ ਲੜ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ। ਸਿੱਖ ਸੰਸਥਾਵਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਮੀਡੀਆ ਨੇ ਇਸ ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਨੂੰ ਉਜਾਗਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ; ਲੇਖ, ਪੁਸਤਕਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਫਿਲਮਾਂ ਤਿਆਰ ਕੀਤੀਆਂ ਗਈਆਂ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਮੋਮਬਤੀਆਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਵਿਜੀਲੈਂਸ ਆਯੋਜਿਤ ਕੀਤੀਆਂ ਜਾ ਰਹੀਆਂ ਹਨ। 1 ਨਵੰਬਰ ਨੂੰ ਸ਼ਾਮ 6 ਵਜੇ ਇਕ “ਇਕ ਮਿੰਟ ਦਾ ਮੌਨ” ਹਰ ਸਾਲ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਦੇ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਦੇ ਪੀੜਤਾਂ ਦੀ ਯਾਦ ਨੂੰ ਯਾਦ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਬਲੱਡ ਡੋਨਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਮੁਹਿੰਮ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਕੀਤੀ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਵਿਚ 55 ਹਜ਼ਾਰ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਕੀਮਤੀ ਜਾਨਾਂ ਬਚਾਈਆਂ ਹਨ। ਉੱਤਰੀ ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਅਤੇ ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ, ਨਸਲਕੁਸ਼ੀ ਮਾਨਸਿਕਤਾ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਇਹ ਜੀਵਨ ਬਚਾਉਣ ਦੀ ਮੁਹਿੰਮ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਭਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਫੈਲ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ। ਸਿਖ ਨੈਸ਼ਨਲ ਇਸ ਮਨੁੱਖਤਾਵਾਦੀ ਮੁਹਿੰਮ ਦਾ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਬਣਨ ਲਈ ਦੁਨੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਨਿਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਸ਼ਾਂਤੀ ਪ੍ਰੇਮੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਮਨੁੱਖੀ ਅਧਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਉਲੰਘਣਾ ਨੂੰ ਕਦੇ ਵੀ ਅਣਦੇਖੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ।

The year 1984 was very tragic and traumatic for Sikhs, as they had to endure gruesome attacks in both June and November. Sikhs around the world should work to keep the memories of 1984 alive, so tragedies like these will not be repeated. This handout will share a dialogue about the November 1984 Sikh Genocide.

What happened to Sikhs in November of 1984?

In the first week of November 1984, thousands of Sikhs were massacred in India’s capital city, New Delhi, as well as in other parts of India. Sikh women were gang raped, thousands of children orphaned, and Sikh residences, businesses and religious institutions were ransacked and destroyed in an organized manner with the open complicity of political and civil authorities.

How was the Sikh Genocide executed?

The Sikh Genocide was planned as the mobs of thousands were well equipped with uniform size iron rods, restricted inflammable powder, kerosene and petrol. Killer mobs targeted Sikhs with the help of official records.

What was the role of the State during the Sikh Genocide?

The state owned and controlled media was instigating mobs to take hostile action against Sikhs. Politicians such as Jagdish Tytler were leading mobs to hunt Sikhs. The police did not take any action to defend the Sikhs, and instead worked in unison with the killers in many places. The executive branch did not request for help from the army even though it was available nearby. The state deliberately failed its citizens.

Can the killings of the Sikhs be termed as riots?

NO — this was genocide because only Sikhs were killed in a systematic and planned manner. Sikh men, women, and children were targeted for their religion and distinctive appearance so it should be called a Sikh Genocide as defined in Article 2 of The United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Has justice been served to Sikhs in the biggest democracy of the world?

NO — since 1984, justice has been deliberately delayed and denied to Sikhs. Even after the establishment of ten State Commissions to investigate the November 1984 Sikh Genocide, the culprits are free and enjoying powerful political and state positions. On the other hand, Sikh victims of this genocide are dying awaiting justice. Due to the state’s failure to punish the culprits of the 1984 Sikh Genocide, Muslims in Ayodhya, U.P. (1992), and Ahmedabad, Gujarat (2002) as well as Christians in Kandhmal, Orrisa (2008) have become victims of other massacres. The existence of minorities in India is clearly threatened.

How have the Sikhs responded to this genocide?

Sikhs all over the world have responded in their own ways. They are still fighting for justice. Sikh institutions and media have highlighted this genocide; articles, books and movies have been produced and candle vigils are being held. A “One Minute of Silence” at 6:00 pm on November 1st is being observed every year. Sikhs from Canada have started the Blood Donation Campaign to commemorate the memory of the victims of Sikh Genocide and have saved more than 55 thousand precious lives in Canada. After North America and Australia, this life saving campaign against genocidal mindset is spreading around the world. Sikh Nation requests all the justice and peace loving people of the world to become a part of this humanitarian campaign. Human rights violations should never be condoned.

On the 8th August, 1922 A.D., the police arrested five Singhs for cutting Acacia wood for langar (community kitchen) from uncultivated land attached to Gurdwara Guru Ka Bagh. Everyone was sentenced to a fine of rupees fifty and mprlsonment for six months on charge of stealing wood from the land of the Mahant. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee started an agitation against this excess of the Government. Mr. B.T., the additional police superintendent started beating with clubs the Singhs taking part in the agitation. On the 13th September, the beating was stopped on motivation from Reverend C.F. Andrews and Singhs were arrested and sent to prisons.

One day a squad of army pensioners led by Subedar Amar Singh Dhaliwal from Kapurthala state courted arrest. Magistrate Aslam Khan sentenced those Singhs to imprisonment of two and a half years and a fine of one hundred rupees each. Those Singhs were boarded on a train from Amritsar to Attak on the night of the 29th October, 1922 A.D. The train stopped at Rawalpindi on the 30th October and moved on after change of staff and taking water for the locomotive. The Sikh community of Gurdwara Panja Sahib on that route got ready food and drink to serve the Singhs of the squad, took it to the railway station early in the morning of the 31st October and started waiting for the train to arrive.

The station master told them, “The train shall not stop at this station. You have made these arrangements for nothing.” Bhai Karam Singh replied, “Baba Nanak had stopped a mountain with one hand. Cannot his Sikhs stop a train ?” At ten o’clock, seeing the train approaching, Bhai Karam Singh lay on the railway line. Next to him Bhai Partap Singh, Sardar Ganga Singh, Sardar Charan Singh, Sardar Nihal Singh, S. Tara Singh, S. Fakir Singh, S. Kalyan Singh and many other Singhs and Kaurs (female of Singh) squatted on the track. Seeing the Singhs lying on the track, the driver of the train blew the whistle time and again but the Singhs did not budge as if they had not heard the whistle at all. The engine ground the bones of Bhai Karam Singh and Bhai Partap Singh to pulp and the others suffered injuries. The train stopped. Bhai Partap Singh said to Sangat (Sikh devotees), “Serve the hungry Singhs in the train first. You can take care of us afterwards.” The train halted for one and a half hours. The Sikhs served the Singhs in the train whole-heartedly and then turned to the injured. Bhai Karam Singh, thirty year old son of Bhai Bhagwan Dass Mahant of Kesgarh Sahib died after a few hours. On the next day Bhai Partap Singh, twenty-four years of age, son of S. Sarup Singh goldsmith of Akal Garh, Gujranwala attained martyrdom. Before attaining martyrdom he recited ” Kabira sant Muye kiya Roviye jo apne greh jaye rovo saakat bapre jo hato haat bikaye” and instructed his 18 years old wife that never cry over his death otherwise his sacrifice will be wasted. It is said that she never cried her whole live and bravely recited Gaddi the Chhand written in honour of these Train Martyrs and was also engrossed in “Naam Simran”.

when the train-driver was asked the reason for stopping the train, he replied, ‘When the train hit the Singhs lying on the track, vacuum lever dropped out of my hand and the train stopped. I did not apply the brakes.”


Sources provided by:

  • Sardar HP Luthera (Great Grandson of Shaheed Partap Singh hpluthera@xtra.co.nz
  • Santok singh Jagdev of Sikh missionary society "Bed-Time stories -7"