Understanding Sikh History-1

VikramS · Post by **VikramS** » 07 Jan 2009 00:13

Mandeep:
The issue is that non-Indic influence within India is increasing and the probability of the people affected to forget their Indic roots is growing, especially under the current environment. Sikhism does not have the caste baggage which is exploited by the foreigners while being 100% Indic. So why not offer an Indic alternative?

Let us not confuse the lack of violence and open insurgency as acceptance of the Indian state.
How much revenue does GOI collect from these states? What about the demands for Greater Nagaland?
IA soldiers continue to face attacks in the region.

Here are some views from the other side.
http://www.wfn.org/1998/02/msg00057.html
http://www.dailyherald.com/special/pass ... galand.asp
http://www.indpride.com/churchbacksterrorism.html

Indians should also not forget the experience of E.Timor either. Also acknowledge the difference in treatement between Bali and E.Timor when both are islands with a majority different from the rest of Indonesia. What was so special about E.Timor?

chandrabhan · Post by **chandrabhan** » 07 Jan 2009 00:18

The spirit of sacrifice, courage and conviction for the ideas that have stood the tests of time, This is what guruji's life teaches us. I also feel that Khalsa panth has to lead the way in not only managing the tribal conversions but also reconversion of Moslems.
Getting moslems back into indic fold thru hinduism is still difficult due to caste issues and all, May be it's time to remember what guru Arjun devji said to Shankracharya regarding defending Cows, brahmins and sanatan thought. I read it on the stone inscriptions of Kashi vishwanath temple in BHU.
I never understood why my grandfather used a surname ,'Singh' for me despite being a saraswat brahmin. Now it fills me with a sense of pride and gratitude towards Guru Govind singhji.

Keshav · Post by **Keshav** » 07 Jan 2009 02:10

Offtopic but what did Guru Arjun Dev say to the Shankaracharya?

Ontopic was a story I remember hearing of one of those rare, non-violent meetings between Indians of different ethnicities, in this case Ramdas and Guru Gobind Singh.

Ramdas apparently had knowledge of Guru Nanak and was astonished to see Guru Gobind Singh, a spiritual leader, wearing a sword.

And I think that's where Guruji's famous saying of "sometimes its right to unsheathe the sword" comes from.

Or is it a different story?

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 07 Jan 2009 02:28

Keshav,

I think you are talking about Sri Guru Hargobind the Sixth Guru.

Remember
first Five gurus From Guru Nanak Dev - Guru Arjan dev were totally peaceful.
The next five gurus believed in keeping Army and fighting for the rights.

The Fifth Guru Sri Guru Arjan dev ji created Golden Temple as well as he compiled the Guru Granth Sahib.
The Fifth Guru Sri Guru Arjan dev ji was martyred at Lahore on the orders of Jahangir. His Son Sri Guru Hargobind ji
created Akal Takht and told all of his disciples to gift him only horses, guns and swords.

He organized fairs, wrestling and shooting bouts, riding competitions right in front of Golden Temple at Akal Takht.

He wore two swords that he called "Miri" i.e. "like Kings or Soldiers" and "Piri" i.e. "Like Saints"

His father's closest disciple was named bhai Gurdas ji, who had helped Sri Guru Arjan dev in compiling Guru Granth Sahib. Bhai Gurdas was astonished that a son of a peaceful person like Guru Arjan Dev have picked up a sword., he wrote several poems condeming him., but later realized.

I think you are talking about Bhai Gurdas ji.

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 07 Jan 2009 02:32

Guru Hargobind had several son. His youngest son was a very brave and good fighter.

In one of the skirmishes with Mughals close to Amritsar., This son showed so much valour that Guru Hargobind named him "TEGH BAHADUR" i.e "Brave of the Sword" Tegh = Sword. Guru Tegh Bahadur was later 9th Guru and was martyred at Delhi., Guru Gobind Singh thus was grandson of Guru Hargobind ji.

Guru Hargobind was imprisoned at the Gwalior fort for 10+ years by Jehangir, who only released Guru ji, when Jahangir became very sick and somebody told him that the reason for his sickness is the imprisonment of Guru Hargobind ji at Gwalior.

Abhi_G · Post by **Abhi_G** » 07 Jan 2009 02:41

Keshav wrote:
Ramdas apparently had knowledge of Guru Nanak and was astonished to see Guru Gobind Singh, a spiritual leader, wearing a sword.

Are you talking about Samarth Ramdas, guru of Chatrapati Shivaji who guided him to build up Hindavi Swaraj?

Keshav · Post by **Keshav** » 07 Jan 2009 02:43

Abhi_G wrote:
Keshav wrote:
Ramdas apparently had knowledge of Guru Nanak and was astonished to see Guru Gobind Singh, a spiritual leader, wearing a sword.

Are you talking about Samarth Ramdas, guru of Chatrapati Shivaji who guided him to build up Hindavi Swaraj?

Yes. Samarth Ramdas, the Hindu, not Guru Ram Das the Sikh.

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 07 Jan 2009 02:49

Shiva ji live from 1630 - 1680 A.D
Guru Gobind Singh lived from 1666 - 1708 A.D.

Guru Gobind Singh travelled to Maharashtra in 1707 A.D. and was martyred at Nanded in 1708.

Abhi_G · Post by **Abhi_G** » 07 Jan 2009 02:52

From a Bhavan's source:
http://www.bhavans.info/store/show_fort ... id=1&aid=1

The political situation in the country continued to deteriorate and by the time Guru Shri Hargobind Ji took over the reins of the Panth he was compelled to raise the Sikh army to protect the people and his followers. He was a superb warrior and fortified his areas. He impressed upon Swami Samarth Ramdas the mentor of King Shivaji the need for a strong army to protect the Marathas.

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 07 Jan 2009 02:54

Let me make it clear again

Guru Arjan Dev was fifth Guru who was martyred at Lahore, created golden temple and compiled Guru Granth Sahib - lived from 1563 - 1606. He was martyred at Lahore.

Guru Hargobind was not a khalsa but Sixth Guru who started the militant tradition. and lived from 1595 - 1644. He fought several battles with Mughals and was arrested and imprisoned at Gwalior for ten years. Was released after Jahangir decided to let him go. He created Akaal Takht (Set of the God) Akaal means "Time less god" i.e. "God that is beyond Time" and Takth means "Throne" so Akaal Takth literally means "Nirankar - Akaaal - God's Throne". He ordered all sikhs to be physicall fit and learn riding and use of armament. He created the first Army.

Guru Gobind Singh was a Khalsa, creator of the Khalsa and last Human Guru - Tenth. and lived from 1666 - 1708. He fought several battles with nominal mughal kings. He was martyred at Nanded., Maharashtra.

surinder · Post by **surinder** » 07 Jan 2009 03:07

Shree Samarth Ramdas, who was to be Shivaji's Guru, travelled to the Punjab and met Sri Hargobind Ji, the 6th Guru of the Sikhs. Shree Samarth was astonished to see the 6th guru on the seat of the Guru Nanak dressed in royal regalia and holding a court like a king. Not to mention his adorning of weapons, and horses and all things martial. A dialogue happened betweent the two: Shree Samarth Ji asking how could a dervish be so enmeshed in the worldly things. The Guru explained that by being detached from the world, we still remain dervishes, royal clothes and arms, nothwithstanding. He explained that sword is necessary for protection of dharma. Sri Samarth, as is understood in Sikh circles, impressed with the viewpoint. He then went back to Maharashtra and perhaps gave a similar message to his disciple Shivaji. Shivaji then created a very successful resistance to the Mughal excesses. His behavior pattern and handling of muszlims, interestingly, mirrors that of the later Sikhs.

(A lot of Indian saints and traditions are linked up in ways that ought to surprise and shock us. Do you know the connection between the Iyengars and the Sikhs? Do you know of the connection between Swami Vivekananda & the Sikhs faith?)

Abhi_G · Post by **Abhi_G** » 07 Jan 2009 03:09

Surinder, please enlighten!

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 07 Jan 2009 07:48

I know of another connection.

Do you know that there is a village in Punjab called "Rae Bhoe di Talwandi" ?

After the attack on punjab by Ghauri, one of the Prithviraj Chauhan's Bhatti's (Kshtriya) General agreed to the terms of Ghauri and converted to Islam. He was so ashamed of his behaviour that he decided to live in Punjab (Instead of going back to Rajasthan) and asked for some land., which he got in a place then called "VirkGarh" i.e. "Citadel of the Virks"., he named this place Rai Bhoe di Talwandi.
(not just Rai Bhae but many Rajput generals didn't returned to Rajasthan and settled in all over Punjab).

Rai means Raja and Bhoe is a short form of Bhatti.

In this same village later Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji were born.

Thus from this same village... Sikhism started... and later the city of Virkgarh (Virk Jutts) was renamed by Aurungzeb to "Sheikhupura" Sheikh meaning "local" and Pura means "place" i.e. place of the local converts to islam is more appropriate term.

The district of Sheikhupura was first occupied by the Bhangi (Dhillon of Punjwar village) Sardars and later Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

After the first five Guru preached peace., the next five gurus preached defense.
Guru Hargobind ji wanted people to remember their warrior heritage., which was organized into a warrior/army (Khalsa) by Guru Gobind Singh.

Isn't It is amazing that how it all comes back to the Islam.

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 07 Jan 2009 07:50

Here is what sikhquotes.com says about Swami Vivekanand

Swami Vivekanand

Swami Vivekanand has also expressed his views about Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He writes, “Guru Nanak was born in the sacred land of India. He gave a message of love and peace of the whole world and preached the same through his teachings. He was full of affection for everyone and his arms were always outstretched as if to embrace the whole world. There was no difference between a Hindu and a Muslim for him. He was common Guru to all. He was the Guru of all human race. (Reference: The complete works of Swami Vivekanand Vol. III page 366)
Swami Vivekanand was greatly influenced by the wonderful custom of propagation of consecrated water administered in Khalsa that whenever he used to write a letter to anyone; he used to give highly place to the ovation written by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, “ WaheGuru Ji Ka Khalsa WaheGuru Ji Ki Fateh” (Reference : Vivekanand’s Letter No. 207)
The unequalled sacrifices made by Guru Gobind Singh Ji for the sake of Nation and humanity always used to prevail on Vivekanand’s mind.

surinder · Post by **surinder** » 07 Jan 2009 09:02

The Sikh-Vivekananda connections is as follows:

Swami Vivekananda (for whom I have the highest possible regard) had a Guru whose name is also well-known in India: Sri Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna had a Guru called Tota Raam. Tota Ram was a wandering naked (nanga) Sadhu. He was from the Punjab and was a Sadhu in the Udasi sect. What is the Udasi sect? Guru Nanak had two sons. One of them was very religious minded, but was of a reclusive tendency. He did not want to marry etc. That was not in line with Guru Nanak's teaching of being a grahast. He developed a following and his sect is called the Udasi sect (Udas = sad). They really are a sister sect to Sikhism, in times when Sikhs were hunted, they took care of many Gurudwaras. They maintained a friendly relations with mainstream Sikhism. So basically the sect started by Guru Nanak's son, produced a Guru for the Guru of Swami Vivekananda.

SBajwa, that was nice to know about the Rai Bhoe story. I always wondered how come so many Rajputs inhabit Punjab. They are into all the three faiths.

surinder · Post by **surinder** » 07 Jan 2009 09:13

The connection of Sikhs with Iyengars:

Iyengars, as many here know better than me, were started by Shri Ramanuja charya. It was a Vishnu-based sect. Sri Ramanand ji was disciple of Ramanuja ji. Even though he was a Brahmin, he did not like that after Ramanuja's death the caste system had started becoming rigid. (Ramanuja had opened the gates of Vaishnava bhakti to all and had admitted many to the "Brahmin" Iyengar caste.) He migrated North to Banaras. There he had many illustrous disciples, many of his disciples writings forms a substantial portion of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Most notable of his disciples is Kabir, Ravidas, Sain, Peepa, Dhanna. All of their writings form a good part of the Guru Granth Ji. Ramanand ji has one, and only one, Shabad in the Guru Granth too.

Kabir was a very well-known saint and Guru Nanak used to quote from him liberally. Guru Nanak was extremely impressed of him. Kabir is very vey deeply enmeshed into Sikhism. Some people speculate that Kabir was Guru Nanak's Guru, though that is highly unlikely. Hundreds of his shabads are there in the Guru Granth Sahib and are sung daily in Gurudwaras. Many Kabir panthis, if they cannot find a Kabir panthi temple, go to Gurudwaras. (Kabir, used Raam as the name of God, but was probably of Muslim connection. Kabir is an arabic name. He had the courage to take on Muslims at the hight of their power.)

So here you have a connection of Sri Ramanuja of Iyengars with the Sikhs.

Many people denegrate India by saying that India was cobbled together by British or Mughals. But note how effortlessly various parts of India were connected. How effortlessly Guru Gobind Singh was born in Bihar, but fought in Punjab & Himachal, and finally left the mortal world in Maharashtra. How effortlessly Ramanand ji went north to Banaras. I am proud to be born in a nation like this.

Karan Dixit · Post by **Karan Dixit** » 07 Jan 2009 10:42

Sat Sri Akaal!

Vikramaditya · Post by **Vikramaditya** » 07 Jan 2009 11:46

My sincere gratitudes to all the great Sikh Gurus and their followers without whom this nation might not have existed in the form and shape that it is today.

A very gratefull Indian.
Sat Sree Akal

Santosh · Post by **Santosh** » 07 Jan 2009 12:08

Belated warm wishes to all our sikh brothers and sisters on this auspicious occasion. May our netas and babooze learn from the great deeds of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji..

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 07 Jan 2009 12:24

On this happy day,our warmest greetings to all members of the proud and courageous Sikh community,who have been in the forefront of defending the country for centuries.May their tribe increase and prosperity,health and happiness bestowed by the Almighty upon their peoples and land!

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 07 Jan 2009 13:14

To all my dear country men --> Congratulations once more on the blessing of the Mother India bestowing us with the finest of Human beings in her tradition of gracing our countrymen with plenty.

milindc · Post by **milindc** » 07 Jan 2009 19:03

surinder and SBajwa,
Thanks for all the enlightenment...
Jo Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akaal.

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 07 Jan 2009 20:09

One more quote by Sri Guru Gobind Singh. When asked about Separation of Religion and State. He replied this, which is more than appropriate at this juncture

"Bina Dharam, nahi Raj Chale Hai"
i.e. without Dharama you cannot rule

"Bina Raj sab Dalle Malle hai"
"Without Rule everything is in flux"

I don't know what "Dalle Malle" in this context., flux is just my understanding.

Abhi_G · Post by **Abhi_G** » 08 Jan 2009 00:25

Our saints and spiritual gurus have been preceptors to our emperors since ancient times. The concept of Rajguru imparting spiritual, secular, military and strategic training to kings is very old. Examples are many, Viswamitra, Dronacharya, Parasuram, Lord Krishna etc. Later we see Chanakya training Chandragupta, Vidyaranya for Harihara and Bukka (Vijaynagar), Gorakshanath for Bappa Rawal for the Rajputs (as far as I know), the Sikh Gurus and Samarth Ramdas for Chatrapati Shivaji. They all understood the unity of our country and the common feature between them is that they actually fought or guided their shishyas with vision during the invasions. The colonial education and white-washing of history (post 1947) has not been able able to erase the links between us but has certainly hazed our national perspective. I hope remembering our gurus will impart us with future vision for national consolidation.

Long back Ramana wanted a thread like this to list our preceptors. Thanks to Surinder and SBajwa for the enlightenment.

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 08 Jan 2009 02:58

Thanks everybody...

The first sikhs to become Khalsa under the call of Sri Guru Gobind singh in 1699 (to protect the country from tyrants) were

1. Daya Ram became Bhai Daya Singh who was a Sobti Khatri of Lahore(Punjab) son of Bhai Suddha and Mai Diali. died in 1708 at Nanded (Maharashtra)

2. Dharam Dass became Bhai Dharam Singh. He was the son of Bhai Sant Ram and Mai Sabho, of Hastinapur (Delhi), an ancient town on the right bank of the Ganges, 35 km northeast of Meerut (29 N, 77 - 45'E). died in 1708 at Nanded (Maharashtra)

3. Himmat Jhweer became Bhai Himmat Singh. He was 17 years old from Jagannath Puri (Orissa) visiting Anandpur when he joined Khalsa. He attained martyrdom fighting Mughals in the battle of Chamkaur on 7 December 1705., along with the elder sons of Guru Gobind Singh.

4. Mohkham Chand became Bhai Mohkham Singh. He was the son of Tirath Chand, a cloth-printer of Dwarka in Gujarat.
Bhai Muhkam Singh attained martyrdom in the battle of Chamkaur on 7 December 1705.

5. Sahib Chand became Bhai Sahib Singh. He was born the son of Bhai Guru Narayana, a barber of Bidar in Karnataka, and his wife Ankamma. He was 16 years old when he became Khalsa at Anandpur. He also attained martyrdom at at the battle of Chamkaur on 7 December 1705.

So the first people to become khalsa were from Karnataka, Orissa, Gujrat, Delhi and Punjab in 1699.

munna · Post by **munna** » 08 Jan 2009 03:05

SBajwa wrote:So the first people to become khalsa were from Karnataka, Orissa, Gujrat, Delhi and Punjab in 1699.

And some have the gumption to say that British unified India.....

The truth is that we are one.

Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh. And may the Akal Purakh bless India with fateh against the menace of terrorism

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 08 Jan 2009 11:06

SBajwa wrote:One more quote by Sri Guru Gobind Singh. When asked about Separation of Religion and State. He replied this, which is more than appropriate at this juncture

"Bina Dharam, nahi Raj Chale Hai"
i.e. without Dharama you cannot rule

"Bina Raj sab Dalle Malle hai"
"Without Rule everything is in flux"

I don't know what "Dalle Malle" in this context., flux is just my understanding.

First of all thanks for the education and reminding us the unity of India and the sacrifices of the gurus for our dharam.

I was reading my Shakespeare today and in his play Julius Caesar, he makes the very same point that without Caeser (that is the leader or Rule) there is nothing of value.

So true.

I would like to know more of the five peaceful gurus. Also need to spread teh info about the five first Sikhs and where they came from.

Thanks, ramana

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 08 Jan 2009 20:17

"Bina Dharam, nahi Raj Chale Hai"
i.e. without Dharama you cannot rule

"Bina Raj sab Dalle Malle hai"
"Without Rule everything is in flux"

and Dharama in Indian context does not mean "Sikhism, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, buddhism"

but it means "What is the righteous thing"
This Dharma is the same Dharma what lord Krishna told to Arjuna.
This Dharma is the same Dharma for which lord Rama fought Ravana.

So without "Righteous Rule" you will have everything going down the drain.

Ramana..

I will try to post the brief biography of first five Gurus sometime later.

surinder · Post by **surinder** » 08 Jan 2009 21:01

It is important to note that the Western view of Indian religions is basically antithetical and disdainful of India, that it does not want these type of stories to be known. None of the Nussbaums and other western "experts" will state what we state here (they take their sick joys in psychonalysis of Ganesha's trunk as a symbolic limp phallus (I kid you not)) .

It is essentially falls on our own shoulders to keep this alive. Tell this to as many people as you can. Read as much as you can yourself, as often as you can.

surinder · Post by **surinder** » 08 Jan 2009 21:07

chandrabhan wrote:The spirit of sacrifice, courage and conviction for the ideas that have stood the tests of time, This is what guruji's life teaches us. I also feel that Khalsa panth has to lead the way in not only managing the tribal conversions but also reconversion of Moslems.
Getting moslems back into indic fold thru hinduism is still difficult due to caste issues and all, May be it's time to remember what guru Arjun devji said to Shankracharya regarding defending Cows, brahmins and sanatan thought. I read it on the stone inscriptions of Kashi vishwanath temple in BHU.
I never understood why my grandfather used a surname ,'Singh' for me despite being a saraswat brahmin. Now it fills me with a sense of pride and gratitude towards Guru Govind singhji.

Chandrabhan,

I am very honored to read your story. How your grandfater despite being a Saraswat Brahmin used Singh for you. Thanks a million for sharing this story. Could you tell me please what was written on that inscription in Kashi Vishwanath Temple? You may write to me at: t a r t h a l l i at y a h o o dawt com

surinder · Post by **surinder** » 08 Jan 2009 21:27

Swami Vivekanand on Guru Gobind Singh:

http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/ ... _frame.htm

Another interesting article on Guru Ji:

http://www.adishakti.org/_/guru_gobind_singh_ji.htm

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 10 Jan 2009 05:13

Jo bole so nihal, sat sri akal. Congratulations to each and every praji on the forum!

Keshav · Post by **Keshav** » 19 Jan 2009 03:37

Is it really true that Guruji believed he was in the lineage of Lava and Kush (through Guru Nanak)?

Kakkaji · Post by **Kakkaji** » 19 Jan 2009 07:06

IMHO Sri Guru Gobind Singhji was the greatest Indian who ever lived, bar none.

His Khalsa revived the spirit of resistance among those who had been dispirited by repeated defeats. He made fierce soldiers out of those who were caste-wise excluded from soldiering. He put the levees in place right next to the source of perennial floods, and not downstream. And that too when the river of Islamic Jihadism was in high spate.

But for him and his Khalsa, Delhi would have been the capital of Pakistan today.

It is his picture, and of Shivaji's, that should be on Indian currency, and not that of Gandhi.

On several threads we have discussed as to how Indiac civilization can best fight Islamic Jihadism. Guru Gobind Singhji has already shown us the way.

If only we can revive the tradition where one child from every Hindu family is raised as a Khalsa Sikh, just imagine what the impact would be.

JMT

Abhi_G · Post by **Abhi_G** » 19 Jan 2009 10:46

We should also remember Jaswant Singh and Durgadas Rathore.

Vikas · Post by **Vikas** » 19 Jan 2009 14:30

Surinder / Sbajwa,
I can not thank-you enough for all the stories that you have shared from the past. I wonder why this was not part of my school curriculum.
These are the stories that I should have known since childhood.
Anyways to recite the story of my community...
The martyrdom of Guru Tegh bahadur ji.
The brahmins of Kashmir traveled to all the way to Punjab to ask Guru Tegh Bahadur for guidence as Islamic forces led by Aurangzeb were homing on them killing them, torturing them and their women to convert to Islam.
It was conveyed to Aurangzeb somehow that if he could convert Kashmiri brahmins, rest of India would fold up without any resistance.
The Kashmiri Brahmins visited Guru Tegh Bahadur (Added personally: I still don't know why they reached out to the 9th Guru) and asked for help. The rest is world famous story as how Guruji gave up his life for the protection of Sanatan Dharama and who asked the 9th Guru to give up his life. None other than little Guru Govind Singh.
And then we are taught that we are different..How lame !!!

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 20 Jan 2009 04:27

Here is the whole story about Bhai Kirpa Singh (Dutt) and Guru Tegh Bahadur ji. This is from "Encyclopedia of Sikhism" compiled by S. Harbans Singh of Punjabi University.

---
Pandit Kirpa Singh Dutt (d. 1705) was the son of Bhai Aru Ram, a Sarasvat Brahman of Matan, 65 KM east of Srinagar, in Kashmir. Aru Ram had met Guru Har Rai(The seventh Guru) and sought his blessing at the time of the latter's visit to Kashmir in 1660.

Kashmiri Brahmins, came to Guru Tegh Bahadur at Anandpur in May 1675 for protection against atrocities of Aurungzeb. Kirpa Ram led this group of Kashmiri Pandits driven to dire straits by State Persecution. They had faced stiff taxes, atrocities, cruelty under muslim Mughal governor of Kashmir. Honour of their daughters was being lost and they were losing their religion to the fanatic zeal and proletyzation activities of Islamic crusaders.

Iftikhar Khan, governor of Kashmir (1671-75) was a harsh man and was making forcible conversion to Islam. Kashmiri Brahmins asked Guru for a solution. Guru replied "Such activities can only be stopped by a sacrifice of a great person". Just then 8 years old son of Guru Tegh Bahadur Gobind Rai (Later Gobind Singh) came along and saw his father in deep thoughts. He enquired about the reason. He offered a possible solution by saying "who else is greater then you, O father".

Guru Tegh Bahadur knew immediately about his Dharma. He told Kashmiri Brahmins "Go tell Aurungzeb that if they can convert your Guru then you will all become Muslims." Kirpa Ram obliged and Aurungzeb issued summons for Guru. Guru performed the ceremony and declared that next Guru will be his son, Gobind Rai.

Guru Tegh Bahadur whose help the visitors sought asked them to go and have it communicated to the Emperor that, if he (Guru Tegh Bahadur) was converted, they would all voluntarily accept conversion. Kirpa Ram and his companions sent to Emperor Aurungzeb a petition to that effect through Zalim Khan, a governor of lahore. Then followed by imperial summons, and Guru Tegh Bahadur's arrest and Martyrdom in Delhi. Kirpa Ram returned to Anandpur.

Guru Gobind Singh ji from 1675 until 1690 took an extensive courses in Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, and Punjabi in educating himself. According to chronicles, Pandit Kirpa Dutt helped Guru Gobind singh in his Sanskrit Studies. Guru Gobind Singh contemplated the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (his great grand father), Guru Tegh Bahadur (his father) and decided to create a khalsa. Khalsa was created at Anandpur on March 31st 1699. Pandit Kirpa Ram Dutt became Kirpa Singh after taking Khanda Baate da Pahul. In 1699 he received the holy Amrit and entered the fold of the Khalsa.

In December of 1699 A.D. Mughal forces sieged the fort of Anandpur and after many months, siege was lifted once Guru agreed to give up the fort of Anandpur. Mughals broke the promise and attacked the retreating Guru Gobind singh's forces, in this confusion, Guru's soldier and family departed in different directions. Guru Gobind Singh along with his 40 Sikhs (including Kirpa Singh and his two sons Ajit Singh, and Jujhar Singh) came to the fort of Chamkaur. Mughals soon sorrounded the small mud fort of Chamkaur. Guru and his sikhs decided to face the battle in the batches of five soldiers each. Pandit Kirpa Singh Khalsa fell a martyr in the battle of Chamkaur on 7 December 1705.

Mahendra · Post by **Mahendra** » 20 Jan 2009 05:35

Kakkaji · Post by **Kakkaji** » 20 Jan 2009 06:26

Abhi_G wrote:We should also remember Jaswant Singh and Durgadas Rathore.

By all means, yes.

Let their stories be known to our children and grandchildren.

Perhaps not appropriate for this thread but if the Govt. schools do not teach this, why can't these stories be taught outside in an organized framework?

In the US, what the Govt (Public) schools do not teach, is taught by churches in their Sunday Schools. Something similar should be done.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 20 Jan 2009 07:50

I would like to have this thread be a repository of info about Sikh history and their contribution to India. let it bloom to 100 pages.

Sbajwa and surinder I request you both ot monitor and let us know if it gets off track.

Thanks,

ramana