NEERAJ SINHA
The 22nd of December passed unobserved two days ago. Most of us did not remember the importance of the day. That is cultural imperialism and “committed history” at work, making us forget the glory of our own history!
It was the Winter Solstice, and the Sun stood still (the etymology of solstice is Sol: Sun, + stice: standing still), when on 22 December 1666 the glorious son of Patna, Bihar, Guru Govind Singh Jee was born to Guru Tegh Bahadur Jee and Mata Gujari Jee. By the Indic calendars, however, the birthday of Guru Govind Singh Jee is observed in the first week of January.
Guru Tegh Bahadur Jee sacrificed life for Kashmiri Hindus
Guru Tegh Bahadur Jee, father of Guru Govind Singh Jee, is remembered for sacrificing his life to protect the freedom of the meek to practice their own religion. A delegation of Kashmiri Hindus had implored him to protect them from the Mughals, who tried to prevent them from practising their religion. When Guru Tegh Bahadur Jee tried to protect the Kashmiri Hindus, he was arrested by the Mughals, who tried to coerce him to convert to Islam. When Guru Tegh Bahadur Jee refused, three of his colleagues were tortured to death in front of him: Bhai Mati Das was sawn alive in two, Bhai Dayal Das was boiled alive, and Bhai Sati Das was cut alive into pieces! Thereafter on 11 November, Guru Tegh Bahadur Jee was beheaded in Chandni Chowk, Delhi, on orders of Aurangzeb.
Guru Gobind Singh Jee wrote in “Bachittar Natak: Apni Katha”,
“In this dark age, Tegh Bahadur performed a great act of chivalry for the sake of the frontal mark (tilak) and the sacred thread (janeu). He offered all he had for the holy. … He suffered martyrdom for the sake of religion. He laid down his head, but not his honour.“
No wonder Guru Tegh Bahadur Jee is called the “Hind Kee Chadar” (Protector of Hind).
Battle of Chamkaur Sahib
In the historic battle of Chamkaur Sahib in Punjab, fought between the Sikhs and the Mughals, Guru Govind Singh Jee had roared :-
“सवा लाख ते एक लड़ावा,
चिड़ियन ते मैं बाज तुड़ावा,
गिदरन ते मै शेर बनावा,
तबै गोबिंद सिंह नाम कहावा ||”
Sahibzada Ajit Singh Jee and Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Jee, the gallant sons of Guru Govind Singh Jee, fought valiantly against the Mughals, with unwavering courage and determination in the face of overwhelming odds, and made the supreme sacrifice to protect their followers.
Guru Govind Singh Jee’s prayer is eternal :-
“देहु शिवा बर मोहे ईहे,
शुभ कर्मन ते कभुं न टरूं l
न डरौं अरि सौं जब जाय लड़ौं,
निश्चय कर अपनी जीत करौं l”
This hymn (shabad) is a part of “Chandi Charittar” (a section of the Dasham Granth), which extols the glory of Shakti (power) and Shiva.
Guru Govind Singh Jee was born in Patna, Bihar, and Guru Tegh Bahadur Jee had sojourned in Bihar. Thus both the Gurus are glorious sons of Bihar!
Saluting the selfless saint, soldier and divine Guru Govind Singh Jee.
References :
(1). Bhatia, H.S.; Bakshi, S.R. (2000). The Sikh Gurus and Sikhism. Deep & Deep Publications. ISBN 8176291307.
(2). Jerryson, Michael (2020). Religious Violence Today: Faith and Conflict in the Modern World [2 Volumes]. Abc-Clio. p. 684. ISBN 9781440859915.
(3). Singh, Trilochan (1967). “Chapter XXII”. Guru Tegh Bahadur, Prophet and Martyr: A Biography. Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. pp. 293–300.
(4). J. S. Grewal (1998). The Sikhs of the Punjab. Cambridge University Press. pp. 71–73. ISBN 978-0-521-63764-0.
(The writer is former Director General of Police (DGP), Jharkhand)
