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Guru
Gobind Singh the tenth Guru, was a unique personality
whose Synonym, is yet to be found. He was the Apostle
of Divine love and on the other hand his sword moved the
enemies lines in the battlefield with the same deftness
as his pen, which created the voluminous high quality
literature. He was a true Saint - Soldier.
Guru
Gobind Singh was born in Patna ( capital of Bihar state
now ) in 1666. This place become historical with his childhood
stories and doings. |
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A
story is associated with his birth that Pir Bhikan Shah,a
muslim mystic saw the dawn of light in the direction
of Patna Sahib which mark the birth of a new Prophet.
He went to Patna Sahib and offered two bowls of milk
which were symbol of Hinduism and Islam and child Gobind
Rai placed his hands on both the bowls, which showed
his balancing act from the very beginning.
When he ascended the seat of Guru Nanak in 1675, he
was only 9 year old but he had the vision of an intellectual
and the constructive energy which changed the entire
character of Sikhism. The legacy which Guru Gobind Singh
inherited after the death of Guru Tegh Bahadur become
the foundation stone for the construction of Khalsa
Panth.
Fanaticism
of Aurangzeb atrocities upon Hindus for driving them
towards Islam the constitution and condition of the
Moghul Government a Capitation tax known as "Jazya"
forbiddance for riding on palanquins horses all this
worked for the Concept 'Khalsa Panth'.
The mission of Guru Gobind Singh ji was abundantly clear
at that very minor and tender age.He begin his life
with a mission he felt that God has sent him on a holy
mission of Universal interest and for well being of
the whole mankind. He had to take gigantic and arderous
task of transformation i.e. from Sikhs to Singhs and
to fight idolatory casteism, rituals, taboos and cruelty.
His goal was to help the oppressed class and emancipate
the down trodden race with a new enthusiasm and Confidence
to brave the Cruelities meted out to them. He described
his objective in "Bachitra Natak"
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Hum Eh Kaaj Jagat mo Aye
Dharam het Gurdev Patthaye!
Dharm Chalavn Sant Ubaran
Dusht Saban Ko mool 'uparan!
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To
achieve his Objective Guru Gobind Singh adopted the doctrine
of Guru Hargobind Sahib ji and asked people to practice
the use of arms. He knew that the strength of a Nation
lies in soul that can be elevated through literature and
body through physical strength. He laid equal stress on
physical and mental upliftment, So he had Poetic congression
as well as training in martial arts.
This doctrine did not go well with
king of kohloor. It became a cause of false apprehension
and terror amongst the hill Chieftains. They Joined hands
to attack Guruji, The Guru was then at Paonta Sahib, a
town he had founded on the right bank of the Jamuna. |
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He
fought with the armies of hilly Rajas at Bhangani near
Paonta Sahib and defeated them, In this battle, a muslim
Saint Budhu Shah fought on Guru side with his son and
disciple. To uplift the downtrodden, to instill is a
sense of confidence, determination and enthusiasm in
them, was not an easy task, But Guru achieved this impossible
task by abolishing the Caste prejudices, by giving them
the strength of sword and high aspiration and by changing
their name from Sikhs to Singhs, Literature was the
next mean employed to infuse a warlike spirit unto the
hearts of his followers. Guru Gobind Singh gave his
followers a new Vocabulary and vigorous principle of
faith. He coined a new figure of Speech Bhaganti or
sword. God and Sword became inter changeable term. He
himself wrote poetry and adopted many Couplets from
classical Sanskrit. "Bachitra Natak" diction
was very powerful and reproduce the clangorous rhythms
of Clashing Swords:
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Khaga
Khanda bihandam Khala dala Khandam
att ran mandam bara bandam.
Bhuj danda akhandam tej prachandam
Joti amandam bhan prabham
Sukh Santa Karnam durmati darnam
Kilbikh harnam assa sarnam
jai jai jagkaran shristi Ubaran
mama pratiparan jai tegham
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Guru
Gobind Singh also abolished the Masand System. He heard
many complaints against Masands which were known as the
missionaries of Sikhism earlier. He summoned all the masands
to Anandpur Sahib, The guilty among them were Punished. |
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The most important work of Guru Gobind Singh was the
inception of Khalsa Panth, On the eve of Baisakhi in
1699 Guru Gobind Singh ji created Khalsa panth and arrayed
the Sikhs in the form of a great and cognizable force.
The Guru urged the Sikhs to Partake Amrit (sweetened
water stirred with Khanda), hence baptized and become
a Saint Soldiers, He introduced a psychological revolution
with the creation of Amrit.
He made a Divine
call of Sacrifice, Five humble divine hearts grasped
the divine essence of the divine message, Daya Ram of
Lahore, Dharam Dass of Delhi, Mohkam Chand of Dwarka,
Himmat Rai from Jagannath puri and Sahib Chand of Bidar
offered themselves to the Guru. Guru gave them the honour
of being Panj Pyaras and baptized them with Amrit. Guru
Gobind Singh gave them the surname of Singhs.
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He
himself also received Amrit from Panj Pyaras, and said
that there was to be no difference between him and Khalsa,
Singhs were to keep five kakars i.e. five things whose
names began with K.viz. Kesh, or Long hair, Kanga or Comb,
Kirpan or Swords, Kara or a steel Bracelet and Kachh or
a sort of nicker, bocker, They were further impressed
by the idea that they were born to Conquer, The new salutation
among the Sikhs was to be "Wahe Guruji Ka Khalsa,
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh" means the Lord Khalsa, Lords
be the Victory, Guruji described Khalsa as his own replica
who him self live in Khalsa and residence of Khalsa is
at Anandpur: |
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Khalsa Mero
roop hai Khas
Khalsa me Hoi Karon Niwas.
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The
Creation of Khalsa in fact was culmination of the process
initiated by the Guru Nanak. Guru Gobind Singh undertook
the movement initiated by Guru Nanak Dev ji brought
it to the acomplished end. Guru Nanak started out with
the mission of unity. He overruled divisions among men
for reasons of birth, caste or country. Guru Gobind
Singh accomplished this task with Amrit and embraced
everyone in the fold of Khalsa. Sikhs brotherhood strengthen
with their same surnames, with a new uniform and a new
code of conduct.
Guru Nanak established Sikh Sangat at different places
and Guru Gobind Singh reorganised them in form of Khalsa
and made them unique with his new path.
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Guru
Nanak tried to empower the down trodden. Guru Gobind Singh
also united them in form of Khalsa and then the honour
of being replica of ownself. He even took Amrit from Panj
Pyaras who were baptized first and who were from different
castes.
Guru Nanak recited Hymns that was the base of writing
of 'Adi Guru Granth Sahib'.Guru Arjun Dev ji collected
Bani of all four Guru's and holy persons and prepare 'Adi
Granth Sahib'. Guru Gobind Singh completed the task of
'Adi Granth Sahib' and included the Hymns of Guru Tegh
Bahadur. Thus completed and apostolated Guru Granth Sahib
as the last Guru.
Guru Gobind Singh made Anandpur Sahib, a centre of all
his aesthatic and martial activities. His transformation
of Sikhs into Singhs (Lions) his obsession to fight out
idolatry, casteism, rituals, taboos and cruelty, worried
hill chieftains whose states surrounded Anandpur Sahib.
The might with which Baisakhi of 1699 was celebrated at
Anandpur Sahib also caused apprehension and terror among
those hilly chief. They did not approved the way Guru
Gobind Singh encouraged the different caste to mix together.They
dissapproved especially of the Sikh 'Langar', Where all
shared a common meal without any distinction of creed
or position. The hill Rajas were jealous also of the magnificence
of the Guru's court. So they joined hands and asked Guruji
to leave Anandpur. Raja Ajmer Singh the king of Kohloor
along with hill rajas wrote a letter to Guru ji that he
must leave or face consequences. Guru ji sent back a fitting
reply. At this, these Rajas attacked the Guruji with an
army of ten thousand men on 1st September 1700, but Khalsa
defeated and made them retreat. Rajas now changed their
strategy and requested Guruji that for their honour he
should leave Anandpur momentarily and he can come back
afterwards. They also took oath of cow that they won't
harm him and his disciples. Guruji understood their position
and left Anandpur and came to Nirmohgarh. But rajas could
not help, violating their promise and they made attack
on Guruji at Nirmohgarh also and got defeated again. They
could not face the valour and bravery of the Sikhs. Even
the help from Sirhind, could not perform miracle for these
Rajas. So they resigned to their fate and Guruji came
back to Anandpur.
Next two year 1701 and 1702 were peaceful. But this place
was bothering these hilly chiefs. The might of Khalsa
again started to pinch them. Relationship of Sikhs and
hilly chiefs become strained again. They again started
preparing for the fight. People started coming to Anandpur
Sahib on Guruji's call. |
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Hilly chiefs attacked Anandpur Sahib and got defeated
again. Hilly rajas were now certain of the fact that
they alone could not even touch Guru ji. They prepared
a memorial and sent it to the Emperor. It said that
Guru ji had adopted a royal insignia and called himself
a true King.The Emperor was alarmed on receiving this
petition and sent army to check the ever increasing
power of Guru Gobind Singh.They in connivance with
hilly rulers started out to invade Anandpur Sahib.
But the commander of Mogul army was a close relation
of Pir Buddhu Shah.Commander Syed Khan Saddhore got
impressed by Guru ji'`personality ,and become his
disciple instead.
When Aurangzeb come to know
that the commander of the Moghul army instead of fighting
with Guru become his disciple, he got worried. He
wrote letter to Nawabs of Delhi, Lahore, Sirhind,
Jammu and Multan that they should attack Anandpur
unitedly. Moghul army made a grand alliance with hilly
chiefs.Amir Chand of Bilaspur,Ghumand Chand of Kangra,
Bir Singh of Jaswal and ruler of Kulu,Kainbal,Mandi,
Jammu, Nurpur, Chamba, Guler, Srinagar [garhwal] Buohar,
Birajwal and Dadwal decided to be the companions of
the Moghuls Armies.
Rangars and Gujjars also associated themselves with
this common front. It was the last battle of Anandpur
Sahib which was fought in 1705. Guru ji summoned all
his resources and come out to meet the imperial army.
A great battle was fought at Kiratpur. The Guru's
troops fought like heroes but they were fighting against
fearful odds. There is no doubt that Sikhs inflicted
heavy casualities. So after fighting for about one
month. Moghul army decided to retreat and besiege
Anandpur.The Sikhs continued the struggles and for
several month,the fight went on . Provisions ran short.
The Sikh faced starvation, Tributary which supplied
water to Anandpur was diverted by the Moghuls. In
order to make these tactics of the enemies a failure,
The Singhs trained gureilla forces, The Singhs would
take a way rations and war weapons. These gureilla
attacks were made at the odd hours.
Due to these gureilla attacks of Singhs, enemy got
conscious. They stored the ration now far behind the
battleline. Hence provisions was short and Sikhs faced
starvation. Even the water became a precious commodity.
Sikhs had to survive on a handful of grains and even
on leaves of trees and grass but that too became scare
after some time. At this point of time Sikh suggested
evacuation which Guruji rejected. A few Sikhs wavered
in their faith and insisted on leaving. The Guruji
asked them to desclaimer themselves disclaimer. Forty
of them signed a letter disowning the Guruji and left.
The remaining chose to share the lot of their leader.
Seeing that Sikh were not surrendering, Mughal Generals
and hill princes hit upon a plan to entrap the Guruji,
They promised the Guruji under an oath that if Guruji
along with Sikhs leave their fort, They would be given
safe conduct. But Guruji knew that this was a trap.
To prove this point Guruji sent out a convey carts
and mules carrying rags and worn out shoes and trash.
The moment Mughal army saw the cavalcad, They fell
upon it. Sikhs had no option now but to remain inside
the Anandpur fort. At this point of juncture, Aurangzeb
sent a letter and regretted the misbehaviours of his
army, He also promised in the name of Quran that if
he came out of his fort, he would be given safe conduct.
Sikhs in the fort were in dire straits. Guru's mother
Mata Gujariji along with Sikhs requested Guruji to
accept Emperor's offer. Even if the imperial troops
were to betray their trust, it would be better, it
was argued in to die in battlefield than through hunger.
The Guruji accepted the later offer and set fire to
his possesions those that could not be disposed off,
were buried in the ground and remaining treasure and
weapons were to be taken by the Sikhs for use.
Women and children of the town were already sent away
before the onset of war but Guruji's whole family
was at Anandpur Sahib. So Guruji's mother with the
two youngest sons of the Guruji, aged 6 and 8 and
his to wives, Mata Sunderiji and Mata Sahib Kaur and
Guruji along with his followers and his eldest sons
took advantage of the dark night of 20th and 21th
December 1704 and left the fort. But before leaving
fort,Guruji entrested the task of looking after Gurdwara
in the fort to Udasi sikh Bhai Gurbakhash Singh.
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Thus
the first chapter of Khalsa Panth closed here.From here
onwards much ordeal up and downs marked the history of
Guru Gobind Singh prophet of Anandpur had to plung into
the land of enemy, had to bear the loss of his four sons,
Mother. A new and altogether different and unique history
of the world was created doings this period which started
with Guruji's departure from Anandpur to Talwandi Sabo.
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