Remembering Guru Tegh Bahadur-ji and the ultimate sacrifice

Many of you would remember the promise I made some days ago to share  the inspiring story about the life of Guru Tegh Bahadur-ji on this blog.

I was hoping to do last week but my visit to North-East delayed this post. That said, Guruji’s story is timeless…and will no doubt be retold many many times…What follows is my humble attempt at depicting the life of this saint.  Although we are all very familiar with Guru Tegh Bahadur’s name, his deeds – like hundreds of other proud chapters from Indian history – are rarely mentioned in detail in our history books.

I was inspired to read more about him after stumbling on this post on Manju’s blog.

The story of Guru Tegh Bahadur has an interesting beginning. It is said that when a delegation of Sikh elders arrived in Bakale to inaugurate the ninth Guru (after the untimely death of Guru HarKishan Rai), they were stumped to find 22 imposters – all claiming to be the *real* Tegh Bahadur. It was Makhan Shah, a devotee of  Guru HarKishan Rai – who finally found the rightful heir to the throne (read his story here).

The year is 1665 AD.  Guru Tegh Bahadur-ji has just become the ninth Guru of Sikhism. Aurangzeb – the fanatic zealot who ascended the throne 6 years ago – has unleashed a reign of terror amongst his subjects targeting Hindus for forcible conversions and ordering wanton destruction of sacred sites and ancient Hindu temples.  Accounts of his cruelty mention how “..(Aurangzeb’s) system of counting conversion was by weighing maunds and maunds (a measure equivalent to about 37 kgs.) of sacred threads of the Hindus and…beheading those who refused”.

Kartar Singh-ji, author of  “Sikh History Book 5“ recalls those times and the early years of Guruji’s work:

It was, thus, in the reign of this fanatic, bigoted, and callous hearted monarch that Guru Teg Bahadur had to carry on his work. ..Soon after taking up his duties as the ninth Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur founded Sri Anandpur. The land needed for the purpose was purchased from the raja of Kahlur. Then he decided to undertake an extensive missionary tour of the eastern provinces of India. This tour lasted from 1665 to 1670. His aim, of course, was to preach his faith and ideals. He visited important cities like Agra, Allahbad, Banaras, Gaya, and Patna. Then, leaving his family in Patna, he moved onwards through Monghyr to Dacca. From their he carried out his extensive tours of that province. He spent about two years working there. Then he went to the north and preached his mission among the Assamese.

In Assam the Guru met Raja Ram Singh Kachhawa of Amber (Jaipur), son of Mirza Raja Jai Singh in the beginning of the year 1668. He had been a great admirer of the Sikh Gurus. It was he who had invited Guru Harkrishan to Delhi and treated him as his honored guest. Like his father Raja Ram Singh was an admirer of the Sikh Gurus. He had gone to Assam to lead the military campaign against the Assamese on behalf of Emperor Aurangzeb. The Guru was eager to prevent bloodshed. He managed to bring two parties together for negotiations. He was able to bring about understanding and peace between them. This was effected at a place named Dhubri on the right bank of the river Brahmpura. At that spot a high ‘Mound of Peace’ was raised by soldiers of the two armies, working together and using their shields to carry the earth which they needed. Near that Mound stands a Gurdwara called Damdama Sahib.

Continued below…

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

Even as Guruji was engaged in his mission and travels in the north and the east, the situation in other parts of India was steadily worsening for Hindus. In 1669, Aurangzeb issued orders to governers of various provinces to destroy the schools, temples and monasteries of the Kaffirs. All forms of idol worship were to be stricly banned – and violators dealth with harshly. Although Hindus were the main targets of his zeal, Sikhs were not spared either. Gurdwaras were targetted too and a number of them were demolished.

Guru Teg Bahadur was at this time in Assam. It was there that he heard of the change for the worse in Aurangzeb’s policy of religious persecution of the non-Muslims, including the Sikhs. As the result of emperor’s changed religious policy, the Hindus and Sikhs were passing through terrible times. Guru Teg Bahadur had come to be generally looked upon as Hind Ki Chadar or Champion of the Hindus. He was also head of the Sikh Religion, the Guru of the Sikhs. How could he stay away from his people, when they were in great distress ! He felt that his place was among them and with them. So leaving his family at Patna, he rushed back to the Punjab. The year was 1670.

When he reached his people, he inspired them, encouraged and consoled them with discourses, exhortations, and Divine Songs. He taught them to strike fear in none to be afraid of no one and fear nothing. The Guru felt that he should not stay in his headquarters in Anadpur. ‘I must be among my people,’ he said to himself. ‘ I must visit them. I must go about from place to place, telling my people to prepare themselves for what is coming , and coming every soon; to shed fear and weakness; to face and oppose the tyrants with all their might.‘

Accordingly, he undertook an extensive whirlwind tour of the Malwa and the southern part of the country…

Everywhere, he said to the people, ‘You know what the Mughals are doing. The great Mughal, Aurangzeb, wants the Islam of his conception to be the only religion professed and practiced in his empire; so that all his subjects should be Sunni Muslim. He wants all non-Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, to choose between Islam and death. Soon you may have to make that choice. Get ready to suffer for your faith. Take a vow that you will give up your life, but will not give up your dharma. Prepare yourselves to face and fight the tyrants in defense of your dharma. God will help you.

The emperor will, I feel, turn his attention to me. He will deal with me as his grandfather, Jahangir, dealt with my grandfather, Guru Arjan Dev Ji. His treatment of me might even be more cruel and fierce. He will issue orders for my arrest. He will tell me to choose between Islam and death. You need not to be told what choice I shall make. He will then have me murdered. That is certain to happen. But don’t feel dejected or downcast. I feel that the path of peaceful activity and suffering will have to be given up. It will have to be abandoned. You know that after Guru Arjan Dev’s martydom, my father, Guru Har Gobind, had changed the Sikhs from saints to saint-soldiers, from peaceful devotees of God to God-fearing warriors. Similarly, after my death, my son, your next Guru, will take up arms. He will be great warrior. He will raise a powerful army of saint-warriors. He will change jackals into lions, sparrows into hawks. Get ready for that change. Get ready to muster strongly under his leadership and to shake the Mughal empire to its roots. I shall watch and bless you from above.‘

His words were prescient.

As Guru-ji returned to Punjab in 1670, news of his increasing influence reached Aurangzeb. Royal reporters mentioned how “For years by now…he (Guru Tegh Bahadur) has been conducting an extensive whirlwind tour of the country. He has been going about with many thousand men. He is also collecting funds”

Aurangzeb received these reports in the North-west where he was dealing with the rebellion of Pathans. As Kartar Singh-ji notes:

He (Aurangzeb) had no time to make intensive enquiries about allegations. Indeed, he did not have even the inclination to make any such enquiries. He was already suspicious of the Sikh movement to which his grandfather had tried to put an end. He himself also wanted to suppress it. But he was then busy at Hasan. Though his fears were aroused by the reporters, yet he took no immediate action. Then he received another report against the Guru. Thereupon he decided to strike, to end the Guru’s life and activities.

***

What was this other report? and what prompted Aurangzeb to act so swiftly?

Please read the second part of  “Remembering Guru Tegh Bahadur-ji and the ultimate sacrifice” – here.

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