A Brief History of the Sikhs II
Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji.

The death of Guru Arjun Dev Ji was a profound shock to the people. The Emperor thought that this would keep the Sikhs subdued for a long time, the result was just the opposite. The Sikhs gathered around the eleven year old Hargobind, ready to take on the enemy head on.

The young Guru took his fathers seat wearing two swords : one to symbolise spiritual power and the other temporal. “ My rosary shall be the sword belt and my turban I shall wear as the emblem of royalty.” Guru Ji made it known to the Sikhs that from now on he would welcome offerings of arms and horses. Guru Ji trained his men and spend much time in martial exercise and hunting. Guru Ji built a fortress, Lohgarh in Amritsar. Across from the Harmindar Sahib he built the Akal Takhat, the throne of the Timeless One, where instead of chanting hymns of peace, the congregation heard ballads of feats of heroism and conquests in battle. Guru Ji sat on a throne and was known as Sucha Patshah , the true Emperor, he held court and went out with a royal umbrella over his head and was accompanied by armed guards.

Muhsin Fani, a Muslin scribe writes about Guru Ji “ The Guru has eight hundred horses in his stables, three hundred troops on horse back and sixty men with firearms are always in his service.”

Guru Ji travelled far and wide consolidating the community. Guru Ji travelled through the Punjab to Uttar Pardesh and northwest to Kashmir and even as far as Kabul and Kandhar in Afghanistan. On his way back Guru Ji accepted from Raja of Bilaspur a plot of land near the foothills of the Himalayas and named it Kiratpur.

With the death of Jehangir and the accession of Shah Jahan the troubles began. In 1628 when the Emperor happened to be hunting in the neighbourhood his men clashed with the Sikhs. A a result a contingent of royal soldiers were sent to arrest Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. They found the Gurus household busy preparing for the wedding of his daughter. They could not find the Guru but plundered his property and all the confectionery prepared for the wedding was either eaten or taken by the soldiers. Guru Sahib Ji’s men soon fell upon the royal guards before they had gone very far. A battle took place in which the royal soldiers were harassed all they way back to the royal courts, in the fighting the Chief Constable, Mukhlis Khan was killed.

As time went a second clash with the imperial guards took place near Lahira, the Mughals were badly mauled by the Sikhs. Guru Ji suspecting that a large force would be sent against them moved to a place outside Bhatinda. Sometime later the Mughals again tried to capture Guru Sahib Ji, this time with the renegade Painday Khan on their side, the leader of the Pathans in the employment of Guru Ji. The Guru had raised Painday Khan from a child and loved him as a son, but he had turned against Guru Ji, and now in a fit of pride had boasted that he alone would capture Guru Ji. The two sides met outside Kartarpur and a bloody battle took place in which Guru Ji’s two sons Gurditta Ji and Tegh Mal Ji took part.

In the battle Guru Ji himself confronted Painday Khan. As a father speaks to a son, Guru Ji offered Painday three assaults. After the third Guru Ji took the offensive and killed him, even then the magnanimous Guru got off his horse and took Painday in his arms and placed his head on his thigh and wiped his brow, Painday Khan realising his folly asked for forgivness and Guru Ji blessed him.

The number of Sikhs had steadily increased and the emphasis of the faith to forthrightly declare the right to defend the faith proved extremely popular. Many more community centers needed to be set up which meant more masands to administer them.

Guru ji was a loving master who responded to the prayers and loving calls of his devoted people - he went to kashmir in response to the prayers of Mai Bhag Bhari. He rode his charger to his devotees Sadha and Rupa asking them for the cool water that they had saved for him, he blessed Mata Sulakhani with seven sons in response to her loving prayers.

Within a few years Guru Sahib Ji lost five members of his family, including three of his sons, this included Baba Gurditta Ji in 1638, add to this Gurdittas eldest son Dhirmal had turned against his grandfather. Guru Ji had two remaining sons : Suraj Mal, who showed little interest in Sikh affairs and Tegh Mal, who spent most of his time in deep contemplation, Guru Ji had named him Tegh Bahadur after his exploits on the battle field, Bahadur meaning, brave. When the time came Guru Sahib Ji chose Baba Gurditta Ji’s second son, Har Hai Ji to succeed him as the seventh Guru.

 
 
Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji leading out the 52 imprisoned Raja's to freedom.




Guru Har Rai Ji dispensing medicine to the poor
Guru Har Rai Ji.

Within a year of assuming the Guruship, Guru Har Rai Ji had to leave Kiratpur to the relative safety of a small village in Sirmoor state. The absence of the Guru from the main centres of Sikh activity, the hostility of the disappointed claimants to the guruship and a general disintegration of the masands meant that Guru Sahib Ji had to undertake a tour of all the centres and reorganise the missions and brought many into the Sikh fold.

At the end of 1658, Guru Sahib Ji returned to Kiratpur. Guru Ji became friendly with Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of the Emperor Shah Jahan. Dara Shikoh was a sufi and preferred the company of holy men. When the war of succession began Guru Ji’s sympathies lay with Dara rather then the bigoted Aurangzeb. But Dara was defeated and fled northwards to the Punjab. He called on Guru Har Rai Ji for assistance. This was sufficient to arouse the wrath of the Emperor and he summoned Guru Sahib Ji to Delhi. Guru Ji sent his son Ram Rai to represent him. Ram Rai succeeded in winning the confidence of the Emperor. Aurangzeb decided to keep Ram Rai in Delhi in the belief that, with the future incumbent of the guruship in his power, he would become the arbiter of the destinies of the Sikh community. The all knowing Guru, Guru Har Rai Ji proclaimed his intention of passing the guruship to his younger son, Har Krishan Ji.
Aurangzeb encouraged Ram Rai in his pretensions for the guruship but it was not to be, Har Krishan Ji at the age of five years became the eighth Guru of the Sikhs.

Guru Har Krishan Sahib Ji.

The passing of the Guruship to Har Krishan Sahib Ji did not suit Aurangzeb who wanted to play a decisive role in the Sikhs. He summoned Guru Sahib Ji to Delhi with his intentions of arbitrating between Guru Ji and Ram Rai. After sometime Guru Ji arrived at Delhi and rested at the house of Mirza Raja Jai Singh in the suburb of Raisina. Aurangzeb was in no hurry to announce his arbitration (nor would the Sikhs have paid any heed to it) but he has happy to have Guru Har Krishan Ji under surveillance. Guru Ji was however stricken with smallpox. Before Guru Ji ascended the heavens he indicated that the next guru would be found in a village of Bakala.

 
Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji.

It was quite clear that by the words “Baba Bakale” Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji had meant his grand-uncle, Tegh Bahadur, nevertheless a whole contingent of claimants set themselves up at Bakala as the next Guru.


A sea merchant, Makhan Shah of Lubana had prayed to the Guru for his safe return from the seas and had promised an offering of 500 gold coins. Upon reaching Bakala he was confused at seeing all the would-be Gurus. He placed two coins in-front of each and bowed. Each blessed him. Knowing this was not the right Guru, Makan Shah moved to the next one, when he had gone through all the pretenders he felt very sad and despondent. Upon hearing of a holy person living in a ramshackle hut he decided to pay a visit. Inside Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was in deep meditation. Placing two coins Makhan bowed. Guru Ji spoke “You promised 500 gold coins but you offer only two.” With this Makhan Shah had found the Guru and in a fit of happiness he climbed a building and shouted out “Guru ladho ray, Guru ladho ray ” – I have found the Guru , I have found the Guru.


Tegh Bahadur was a man of retiring habits who did not wish for comfrontation. But this very reluctance turned the Sikh masses in his favour. Guru Ji left Bakala for Amritsar where the doors of Harmindar Sahib were slammed shut by the corrupt masands. Guru Sahib Ji moved on and bought some land about five miles outside of Kiratpur and built a small village there and called it Anandpur (the haven of bliss). Here people flocked by there thousand to pledge allegiance to the Guru, and Guru Sahib Ji took extensive tours managing the centres.

Guru Sahib Ji left Anandpur Sahib and toured eastwards in Uttar Pardesh. Guru Ji travelled to Agra and arrived at Patna in the state of Bihar wherever he went he blessed the crowds that thronged to him. Here in 1666 Mata Gujri Ji gave birth to a son, Gobind Rai. Guru Sahib Ji could not spend much time with the infant as he had to return to the Punjab due to the religious persecution that Emperor Aurangzeb had embarked upon. As time went by the Hindus were being oppressed and persecuted even more, taxes were being levied upon them due to being non-muslim and they suffered much hardship.


In 1675 a delegation of Hindus from Kashmir had come to meet with the Guru carrying grave news. The Hindus of Kashmir were being put to death by the thousand if they did not accept Islam, they needed protection and they have come to the House of Guru Nanak. Gobind Rai, now aged nine years walked in on his father who was in deep thought. Asking what the matter was Guru Sahib Ji replied that the Hindus were in great threat and it needed a noble act of sacrifice from a very holy person. Gobind Rai responded by saying “What greater place is there then the House of Guru Nanak, go and protect their religion.” So, Guru Tegh Bahadur not being a Hindu himself made the ultimate sacrifice. Guru Ji travelled to Agra where together with a band of Sikhs they were captured by the imperial forces and brought infront of the Emperor.
Guru Sahib Ji said that if he converted then the whole of Kashmir would submit before the Emperor, but if he stood fast then the Kashmiri Hindus must be set free.

"Hinduism may not be my faith, and I may not believe in their sacred thread, caste system and idol worship, but i will fight for the right for all Hindus to live with honour and freedom to practice their faith according to their beliefs."

The Sikhs that accompanied Guru Sahib Ji were first tortured and put to death. Bhai Mati Das Ji was sawed in two, Bhai Sati Das Ji was wrapped in wool and set on fire, Bhai Dayala Ji was boiled in a cauldron, such were the sacrifices that the Sikhs made. Then the tormentors turned their attention to Guru Sahib Ji. First they tortured him and then executed the Guru. This took place on November 11th, 1675 at Chandni Chawk, Delhi.

Gobind Rai at the age of nine now became the tenth Guru. Later in life Guru Gobind Singh Ji in his autobiography The Bachittar Natak, writes of this most noble of acts :

 
To protect their right to wear their caste-marks and sacred threads,
He did, in the age of darkness, perform the supreme sacrifice.
To help the saintly he went to the utmost limit,
He gave his head, but never cried in pain.
He suffered martyrdom for the sake of his faith.
He lost his head but revealed not his secret.
He disdained to perform miracles or tricks.
For such fill men of God with shame.
He burst the bonds of mortal clay.
And went to the abode of God.
No one hath ever performed an act as noble as his.
Tegh Bahadur passed, the world was stricken with sorrow.
A wail of horror rent the earth,
A victor’s welcome given by the hosts of heaven. (Bachittar Natak)


Guru HarKrishan Ji




Guru Tegh Bahadur listening to the plight of the Kashmir Brahmins.


Gobind Rai succeeded the guruship at the tender age of nine. He spent his boyhood learning Persian, Sanskrit, Braj and Urdu and learning martial skills. Guru Ji describes his mission in the following words :



'To uphold righteousness in every place and destroy sin and evil; that righteousness may triumph, that good may live and tyranny by uprooted from the land'.



He taught his Sikhs the morality of of the use of force when it was for the cause of truth.


'When all modes of righting a wrong having failed, it is righteous to draw the sword'.

 
Guru Gobind Singh Ji made Sikhism into an active movement to fight the tyranny and injustice of emperor Aurangzeb. His goal was to create a nation that would be pure and strong enough to free itself from the oppression of priests and rulers alike. He had 52 poest in his court who would translate the hindu texts. Guru ji himself wrote extensively, the main theme being the gloryfication of the Almighty. When the battle of Bhangani was forced upon him by the surrounding hill chiefs , he fought them boldly and inflicted a crushing defeat upon them. But all the will Guru Ji thought how he should shape his Sikhs in to such a force that none could withstand it.

On the day of Baisakhi 13th April 1699 a momentus event took place, the young Guru assembled his Sikhs, numbering 200,000 - 250,000, at Anandpur Sahib. Guru Ji demanded a head of a Sikh, a Sikh stepped forward. Guru Ji took him into a small tent and severed his head. The blood seeped out from under the tent, the crowd looked on in stunned silence , four more times Guru Ji with fiery eyes demanded the head of a Sikh, each time a Sikh submitted his life to the will of his Guru. After a small interval Guru Ji brought out all five Sikhs, alive and well, dressed in saffron clothing.

e Panj Piyarai or five beloved ones were :

  Bhai Dhaya Raam who became Bhai Dhaya Singh Khatri from Lahore, Punjab.
  Bhai Dharm Das who became Bhai Dharam Singh Farmer from Hastinapur (Delhi)
  Bhai Himmat Rai who became Bhai Himmat Singh Water carrier from Puri (Orissa)
 
Bhai Mohkum Chand who became Bhai Mokhum Singh

Calico printer from Dwarka (Kathiawar)
  Bhai Sahib Chand who became Bhai Sahib Singh Barber from Bidhar, Karnataka.


Guru Ji baptised the five with Amrit. Amrit was prepared by stirring water from the nearby river and sugar in an iron or Sarbloh vessel with a Khanda (double edged sword), while reciting the five proscribed bani's or prayers. The five prayers being :

  Japuji Sahib, morning prayer composed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji
  Jaap Sahib, morning prayer composed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji
  Amrit Sawayia, 10 verses, composed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji
  Bainti Chaupai, 10 verses, composed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji
  Anand Sahib, evening prayer composed by Guru Amar Das Ji.


The Five Beloved became the first members of the brotherhood of the Khalsa, or the pure. The word Khalsa coming from the sanskrit word khaals meaning pure.

All five from different castes drank the Amrit out of the same bowl and their last names were replaced by the suffix 'Singh' meaning lion, and Kaur for the ladies meaning princess, thus removing all caste barriers. The significance of this cannot be underestimated. For members of different castes to drink from the same bowl would have been unheard of, yet Guru Ji in his great wisdom and forethought brought together castes and communites into the one Khalsa.

They were enjoined to observe the five K's.These five emblems of Sikhism being Kesh, uncut hair, a natural gift from God that gave them a distinct identity, Kungha , a comb to keep the hair tidy, Kasha, undergarment shorts,worn by soldiers of the time but also to dipict chastity and personel hygene, Kara, steel bracelet, symbolic connection with God, and they were always to carry a Kirpan or a sabre ready to uphold righteousness and defend the weak.