400th Birth Anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur

In Context

  • The government will celebrate the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur with a two-day event at Red Fort.
    • The PM will also release a commemorative coin and postage stamp on the occasion. Four hundred ‘ragis’ (Sikh musicians) will perform in a ‘Shabad Kirtan’ to mark the auspicious occasion.

About Guru Tegh Bahadur

  • Born: He was born at Guru Ke Mahal (now a Gurudwara with the same name), Amritsar in 1621.


Image Courtesy: News 18

  • He had regular schooling from the age of six. Where he also learnt classical, vocal and instrumental music.
    • He was also given military training like horsemanship, swordsmanship, javelin throwing and shooting
    • He had witnessed and even participated in the battles of Amritsar and Kartarpur
      • But in spite of all this, he developed an extraordinary mystic nature in due course of time.
  • He was the fifth and the youngest son of Guru Hargobind Sahib
    • His childhood name was Tyag Mal.
  • He became the ninth Sikh Guru after the eighth guru, Guru Har Krishan (1656-1664) and was followed by the tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708).
  • The Sikhs began to call him Teg Bahadur after the battle of Kartarpur against Painda Khan in which he proved to be a great sword player or gladiator.
  • Contributions
    • He resisted forced conversions of non-Muslims to Islam during Aurangzeb’s rule.
    • He contributed many hymns to the Guru Granth Sahib including the Saloks, or couplets.
    • He is known to have travelled extensively to preach the teachings of Nanak and Sikhism
    • He had set up community kitchens and wells for the local people wherever he went.
    • He founded the town of Chak-Nanki in Punjab, which later became a part of Anandpur Sahib, a famous holy city and a global tourist attraction in the foothills of the Himalayas.
  • Martyrdom: He was publicly killed in 1675 on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi as he had opposed the policy of religious persecution being enforced at that time.
    • Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi are the sites of his execution and cremation, respectively.
  • Consequences of martyrdom: The martyrdom of Guru Sahib had 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 feel that they could protect their religion (Dharma) only but the defence of arms.
    •  It proposed the way for the final stage in the creation of the Khalsa, which played the most important and significant role in the history of India.
  • Steps in his honour: One of the All India hockey tournaments has been named the “All India Guru Tegh Bahadur Gold Cup”.

Ten Sikh Gurus

1

Guru Nanak (1469-1539)

  • Founder of Sikhism.
  • Travelled all over India speaking out against religious rituals, pilgrimages and the caste system.

2

Guru Angad (1504-1552)

  • A firm believer in education and founded many schools for children.
  • Began the tradition of Mall Akhara for young people, a form of physical, as well as spiritual, exercise.
  • Invented Gurumukhi (the language of the Guru).

3

Guru Amar Das (1479-1574)

  • Fought against caste prejudice and sought to establish social equality amongst people.
  • Built on Guru Nanak’s idea of Langar (free kitchen) where all followers, regardless of caste or wealth should eat together in the same place.

4

Guru Ram Das (1534-1581)

  • Founded the city of Amritsar in northwest India, the holy city for the Sikhs.
  • Also started the construction of the Harmandir Sahib (now known as the Golden Temple) at Amritsar.

5

Guru Arjan (1563-1606)

  • Compiled Adi Granth.
  • Finished the construction of Harmandir Sahib.
  • First Sikh Martyr.

6

Guru Hargobind (1595-1644)

  • Known as the ‘soldier saint’.
  • Erected Akal Takhat (throne of eternal God) and established two swords, Miri-Piri (representing soldiers and saints).
  • First Guru to teach that sometimes it was necessary to take up arms to defend the faith and to protect the weak and needy.

7

Guru Har Rai (1630-1661)

  • A peaceful leader who spreaded Guru Nanak’s teachings taking on missionary work.

8

Guru Harkrishan (1656-1664)

  • Installed as Guru at the young age of five.
  • Humanitarian and helped people suffering from a smallpox epidemic.
    • He contracted it and died before his eighth birthday.

9

Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675)

  • A firm believer in people’s freedom to worship.
  • He himself refused to convert to Islam and was executed and martyred as a result.

10

Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708)

  • Last Guru.
  • Introduced Khalsa.
  • Put together Guru Granth Sahib and proclaimed it as the future Guru.

Source:TH