Inder Jeet S. Bhatia ‘Prince’
Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the 9th of ten Sikh Gurus, who found and preached Sikh religion, was the youngest son of 6th Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. Guru Hargobind Ji had one daughter, Bibi Viro Ji and 5 sons named as Baba Gurditta, Suraj Mal, Ani Rai, Atal Rai and the youngest son Tyaga Mal- who later came to be known as Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. Born in Amritsar (where present day Gurudwara Guru Ka Mahal is situated) in the early hours of May 1, 1621. The name ‘Tegh Bahadur’ (Mighty of the Sword) was given to 9th Guru Ji by his father, Guru Hargobind Ji Maharaj, after Guru Ji had shown his valor in the battle against the Mughals. Amritsar, at that time was the centre of the Sikh Faith. As the seat of Sikh Gurus and with its connection to Sikhs in far flung areas of the country through the Masands or missionaries it had developed the characteristics of the Sikh capital. Tyaga Mal Ji (who later came to be known as Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji) was brought up in Sikh culture and trained in archery and horsemanship by Bhai ‘Buddhaji’. Guru Ji was also taught the old classics such as ‘Upanishads’ and the ‘Purans’ by Bhai Gurdas Ji Guru Ji, however, preferred prolonged spells of seclusion and contemplation. Guru Ji was married on 3rd Feb 1633 to Mata Gujri Ji. In the due course of time, Guru Ji was blessed by a son who came to be known as Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj- The creator of the ‘Khalsa Panth.’ In 1640, nearing his death, Guru Hargobind Ji and his wife Mata Nanki Ji moved to his ancestral house in the village ‘Bakala’ in Amritsar. Bakala at that time, was a prosperous town. After Guru Hargobind Ji’s death, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji continued to live in Bakala with his wife and mother. In 1644, Guru Harkrishan Ji Maharaj, the 8th Sikh Guru contracted small pox and breathed his last near Delhi where Gurdwara Shree Bangla Sahib stands today. Before Guru Ji’s end came, his followers asked who would lead them after him. At this Guru Har Krishan Ji replied ‘Baba Bakala’. Taking advantage of the ambiguity in the words of the dying Guru, many installed themselves in Bakala claiming themselves as the new Guru. Sikh Sangat was puzzled to see so many claimants for the Guruship of the Sikhism. Sikh tradition has a myth concerning the manner in which Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was selected as 9th Guru of Sikhism. It is believed that once, a healthy trader, Baba Makhan Shah Labana, had once prayed for his life, when the ship, he was travelling in, was caught in wild storm in deep seas. He had promises to gift 500 gold coins to the Sikh Guru if he survived. He too arrived in Bakala in search of ths real guru. He went from one claimant to the next making his obeisance and offering 2 gold coins to each Guru believing that the right Guru would know that, his silent promise was to gift 500 gold coins for his safety and not mere 2 coins. Every Guru he met accepted the 2 gold coins and bid him farewell. Then Makhan Shah discovered that Tegh Bahadur Ji also lived in Bakala. He gifted Tegh Bahadur Ji the usual offering of 2 gold coins. Guru Ji gave him blessings but remarked that his offering was considerably short of the promises 500. Makhan Shah Labana forthwith made good the difference and ran upstairs. He began shouting from the roof-top “Guru Ladho Re….Guru Ladho Re…..!!” meaning I have found the real Guru!! Then in August 1664, a Sikh Sangat assembled in Bakala and anointed Tegh Bahadur Ji as the 9th Guru of Sikhism. The Sangat was led by Diwan Durga Mal and a formal” Tikka ceremony” was performed by Baba Gurditta Ji, elder brother of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji conferring Guruship on him. Works of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s works include 116 Shabads, 15 ragas and his bhagats are credited with 782 compositions that are part of ‘Bani’ in Sikhism. Works of Guru Ji are included in Guru Grant Sahib Ji (P219-P 1427). They cover a wide range of topics such as nature of God, human attachments, body, mind, sorrow, dignity, service, deeds and deliverance. SUPREME SACRIFICE It is perhaps not imprudent to call GURU TEG BAHADUR JI as the greatest humanitarian this world has ever seen. In the late 17th century, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb imposed the “Sharia” laws across his empire and an additional” jizya”- a tax on nonMuslims. He also ordered forcible conversions of Hindus to Islam. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji fought against conversions and other religious impositions forced upon the Hindus of this country. It so happened that some Kashmiri Pandits fled this forces conversions and sought refuge with Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. Guru Ji, on the insistence of his son, (who would eventually be known as Guru Gobind Singh Ji), the 9th Guru Ji travelled to Delhi to dissuade Aurangzeb from his religious impositions. According to some historians, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji had become a socio-political challenge to the Muslim rule and Aurangzeb. Guru Ji, travelled to Delhi, where he was asked to abandon his faith and convert to Islam by the Mughal Emperor. Guru Ji refused. At this, Guru Ji and his 3 associates, who had travelled along with Guru Ji to Delhi, were arrested. According to historian Willian Irvine, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was tortured for many weeks. Guru Ji was asked to embrace Islam or face death. Guru Ji, however, stood by his convictions. Firstly the associates of Guru Ji were tortured for refusing to convert to Islam. Bhai Mati Das Ji was sworn in to 2 pieces. Bhai Dayal Ji was thrown to a cavldron of boiling water Bhai Sati Das Ji was burnt alive. Meanwhile, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was made to watch his associates being tortured to death one by one from inside a cage so as to discourage him and force him to convert. In fact Guru Ji had challenged Aurangzeb that if he succeeded in converting him, all the Hindus would convert to Islam. That is why Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji is referred to as : “Guru Tegh Bahadur, Hind Di Chhadar!!” (The protection of Hindustan) Thus, after having failed in his attempts to convert Guru Ji, The emperor finally ordered execution of Guru Ji Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, was finally beheaded on 24th of Nov 1675 in front of a massive crowd. Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib stands in Delhi at that place today. Historian Haron Khalid wrote that Aurangzeb forbade anyone from moving the decapitaled head of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. But two of his followers defied his orders. It is said that one Bhai Jaitha Ji took the Guru’s severed head to Anandpur Sahib, the city Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji had founded, while Bhai Lakhi Shah Vanjara Ji took the body of Guru Ji to his village at Rakabganz. He cremated the body by setting his own house on fire to avoid arousing the suspicion of Mughal soldiers. Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Sahib stands at that place in New Delhi today. feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
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