GOBIND SINGH

MADHU KALIMIPALLI

Coin depicting from 1747 CE BIRTH OF GURU GOBIND SINGH

• Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1661 - 1708), born "Gobind Rai" at Sahib, Bihar, , was the tenth and last of the ’Human form of ’ of .

• He was born to and Jin in 1661.

• He became Guru on November 24, 1675 at the age of nine, following the martyrdom of his father, the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. GURU GOBIND SINGH LAST OF 10

The ten Sikh gurus in order are: • Guru Tegh Bahadur (1665 - 1675). • (1469 - 1539). ... • Guru Gobind Singh (1675 - 1708). • (1539 - 1552). ... • (1552 - 1574). ... • (1574 - 1581). ... • Guru Gobind Singh was the last of the • (1581 - 1606). ... human gurus. He introduced the , • (1606 - 1644). ... or ‘pure ones’ and the ‘five Ks'. Just before he died in 1708, he proclaimed • (1644 - 1661). ... - the Sikh scripture - • (1661 - 1664). as the future guru.

Guru Gobind Singh with his horse LIFE OF GURU GOBIND SINGH

• Guru Gobind Singh was a divine messenger, a warrior, a poet, and a philosopher. • He was born to advance righteousness and Dharma , emancipate the good, and destroy all evil-doers. • He molded the Sikh religion into its present shape, with the institution of the Khalsa fraternity, and the completion of the sacred scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, in the Before leaving his mortal body in 1708, Guru Gobind Singh final form that we see today. decreed the Guru Granth Sahib Ji as the next and perpetual Guru of the . KHALSA & 5 K’S

• Khalsa’ refers to army of committed soldiers to • The ‘five Ks’ stand for: protect India against Muslim invaders. • - uncut hair to show devotion and to • The Khalsa is a community of committed Sikhs symbolize submission to the will of God. originally formed by Guru Gobind Singh in • - the wearing of a steel sword for 1699, when Sikhs had gathered to celebrate the festival of . protection. • - the wearing of a steel bracelet to show • Khalsa means ‘Community of the pure’ and Sikhs are initiated into the Khalsa through the a connection to God. Ceremony. • Kanga - a wooden comb worn in the hair to • To demonstrate their devotion to Sikhism, symbolize cleanliness. Khalsa Sikhs wear five symbols - known as the • Kachera - the wearing of practical short ‘five Ks’ - which represent Sikh ideals. cotton underwear. KASHMIRI BRAHMINS COME TO ANANDPUR • Early in 1675, Mughal General and Muslim fanatic Iftikar Khan threatened the Kashmiri Brahmins with to Islam. • had ordered the forced conversion of all Hindus and thought that if the respected Kashmiri Brahmins accepted Islam, others in the country would be easily converted. They had been given six months to decide or suffer the consequences. Time was running out! • Frightened, a group of Kashmiri Brahmins led by Pandit Kirpa Ram, visited Anandpur ( near Chandigarh) to seek Guru Tegh Bahadur's advice. GURU TEGH BAHADUR’S MARTYRDOM

• Guru Tegh Bahadur advised the Brahmins to return to their village and tell the authorities that they would accept Islam if Guru Tegh Bahadur could first be persuaded to do so.

• Soon afterwards the Guru with a few followers proceeded to the imperial capital, . After watching the tortured deaths of three of his followers Guru Tegh Bahadur, as well, refused to convert and was beheaded on November 11, 1675. GOBIND RAI INSTALLED AS GURU GOBIND SINGH IN 1675

• The thirteen-year-old Gobind Rai, ordained as the next Guru before his father departed Anandpur, was formally installed as Guru Gobind Singh on the Baisakhi day of March 1675.

• For the first 20 years or so of his life, Guru Gobind Singh lived peacefully at Anandpur practicing arms and exercises to complete his training as a soldier.

• He devoted himself in building his physical fitness and strength. He also excelled in literary accomplishment. GURU GOBIND SINGH COMPOSED MANY WORKS DRAWING FROM THE HINDU LITERATURE • The Var Sri Bhagauti Ji Ki, popularly called . written in 1684, was his first composition and his only major work in the is based on the Markandeya Purana. • The choice of a warlike theme for this and a number of his later compositions such as the two Chandi Charitras, mostly in Braj, was made to infuse martial spirit among his followers to prepare them to stand up against injustice and tyranny. • He also studied Persian and and engaged 52 poets to translate the Hindu epics. Stories of ancient heroes were translated into Punjabi in order to create the martial spirit among the Sikhs. The Guru also wrote several compositions including , Ustat and Sawayas during this period. • He also established a at on the banks of the river Jamuna. BATTLES WITH MUSLIM KINGS

• The Guru and his Sikhs were involved in a battle with a Mughal commander, Alif Khan, at Nadaur on the left bank of the Beas, about 30 km south-east of Kangra, in March 1691.

• Describing the battle in stirring verse in Bachitra Natak, he said that Alif Khan fled in utter disarray "without being able to give any attention to his camp." Among several other battles that occurred was the Husain battle (20 February 1696) fought against Husain Khan, an imperial general, which resulted in a decisive victory for the Sikhs.

• Following the appointment in 1694 of the liberal Prince Muazzam (later Emperor Bahadur Shah) as viceroy of north-western region including , there was however a brief respite from pressure from the Muslim rulers. SIEGE OF ANANDPUR- PERSONAL LOSSES • During the battle against Muslim rulers in 1704 in Anandpur, many Sikhs were killed and all of the Guru's baggage, including most of the precious manuscripts, was lost. The Guru himself was able to make his way to , 40 km southwest of Anandpur, with barely 40 Sikhs and his two elder sons.

• His two sons, (born. 1687) and (born. 1691) and all but five of the Sikhs fell in the action that took place on 7 December 1705. The five surviving Sikhs commanded the Guru to save himself in order to reconsolidate the Khalsa or his millitary

• Guru Gobind Singh with three of his Sikhs escaped into the wilderness with his two devotees. His two younger sons, (born. 1696), (born.1699), and his mother, Mata Gujari Ji, also This structure ( called Takht Sri Hazur evacuated Anandpur but were betrayed by their old servant and escort, Sahib) located in Nanded, a city in Gangu, to the Muslim king of of Sirhind, who had the young children Maharashtra state built over the place executed on 13 December 1705. His mother also died the same day. where Guru Gobind Singh was cremated in 1708, the inner chamber is still called Angitha Sahib. THE END IN 1708

• Guru Gobind fought many wars with Aurangazeb and other Mughals kings and finally succumbedto the war wounds in 1708.

• He composed the following song just before he died : • "Under orders of the Immortal Being ( God) , the Panth was created. All the Sikhs are enjoined to accept the Granth as their Guru. Consider the Guru Granth as embodiment of the Gurus. Those who want to meet God, can find Him in its hymns. The Khalsa shall rule, and its opponents will be no more, Those separated will unite and all the devotees shall be saved.

• He was an intensely spiritual person and was able to train and create a huge army of dedicated soldiers ( called ) to protect the Motherland Bharatadesa from the onslaught of the vicious Muslim rulers. REFERENCES

• Must see film for kids on Sikh • https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.p History hp/Guru_Gobind_Sing • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =PlErXe024eA • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gur u_Gobind_Singh