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”.

Source:TH