In Delhi, Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed in front of the public in 1675 by the reigning Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Due to his opposition to the period’s policy of religious persecution, He gained notoriety for defending Sikhs and Hindus from Islamic conversion legislation passed in the 17th century.
In addition, he produced 782 compositions, 116 shabads, and 15 ragas. He spread Guru Nanak’s teachings throughout the nation, particularly in Assam and Kashmir.
The then-Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb ordered the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur. As part of Shaheedi Diwas, Guru Tegh Bahadur’s martyrdom is also remembered. On this day, leaders have honored him.
Who was Guru Tegh Bahdur?
Although some historians contend he was killed on November 11, 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, was slaughtered on November 24, 1675.
He strived to ensure that people might freely practice and propagate their religion. His 115 songs are incorporated into the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. He was a poet and spiritual scholar.
He was an honorable and courageous fighter. He received Tegh Bahadur from Guru Hargobind after displaying courage in a conflict with the Mughals.
Who was Guru?
Any of the original ten founders of the Sikh religion in northern India is referred to as a guru. All Sikhs are followers of the Guru, and the name “sikh” in Punjabi means “learner” and “disciple” in Sanskrit (spiritual guide or teacher).
Before his death (1539), the first Sikh Guru, Nanak, instituted the custom of appointing his successor and starting with Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru. The same family produced all succeeding Gurus.
Many of Guru Nanak’s successors used the pseudonym Nanak to highlight the mystical transmission of the Guru’s personality from one person to another, “like one lamp illuminates another.
“Along with the conventional characteristics of a spiritual leader, the function of the Guru changed when the Sikhs transitioned from pacifist to militant organizations.
Two Sikh leaders, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Arjan, were assassinated by the Mughal emperor in charge due to their political resistance. Before passing away in 1708, the tenth and final Guru, Gobind Singh, announced the end of the line of personal Gurus.
Since then, the Adi Granth, also known as the Guru Granth Sahib and considered to be the sacred text into which the spirit of the Eternal Guru is said to have passed.
He served as the primary source of the Guru’s religious authority. In contrast, the Panth, the elected representatives of the Sikh community, served as the source of the Guru’s secular authority.
Guru Tegh Journey towards Martyrdom
By providing assistance and refuge to certain Hindu holy men from Kashmir who had come to him after being told by the emperor Aurangzeb to convert to Islam, Guru Tegh Bahadur infuriated the Mughal authorities.
He then set out for Delhi to represent the Hindus before Aurangzeb without any plans to convert to Islam and was detained along the road at the emperor’s command. He was taken to Delhi in the company of five Sikhs and imprisoned within the fortification.
He was offered the choice to convert to Islam while he was imprisoned; he chose not to do so. When Aurangzeb’s patience ran out, he gave the Guru the option of converting to Islam or working a miracle.
The monarch threatened death if the Guru refused, but enormous rewards if Tegh Bahadur did either. The Guru declined both, insisting that he had no desire for earthly honors and no dread of death.
He read the Japj, the most significant Sikh scripture, after accepting the death penalty, and the executioner then killed him with one strike. The Guru’s head was brought back to Anandpur by a devoted Sikh.
A Sikh shrine, Gurdwr Rakbgunj, marks the location of the cremation. Tradition has it that another devoted Sikh transported the body back to his house and cremated it there.
How Tegh Bahadur Becomes the 9th Guru?
The Sikhs faced a difficult decision over the future guru of the Sikh faith after Guru Harkrishan’s unexpected demise. There is a mythology about the discovery of the 9th Tegh Bahadur.
A wealthy businessman named Baba Makhan Shah Labana is said to have prayed for his survival and pledged to give 500 gold pieces to the following guru in exchange if his life.
In the hopes that the true guru would have already heard his quiet pledge, he went around meeting gurus and giving them two gold coins. Each of them took his two cents and said goodbye to him.
He was reminded of his pledge by Guru Tegh Bahadur when he offered him simply two pennies. According to this, the Tegh Bahadur was like this.
Facts about Guru Tegh Bahadur
- While Aurangzeb was in charge, Guru Tegh Bahadur spoke out against forced conversions to Islam. In 1675, he was executed in broad daylight in Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, at the order of the Mughal emperor.
- He was the Sikhs’ eighth Guru. He assumed the role of Guru in 1665 and held it till his death in 1675.
- His son Guru Gobind Singh turned the Sikh community into a military race to compete with the strength of the Mughals.
- Tyaga Mal was Guru Tegh Bahadur’s birth name. Guru Hargobind gave him the name Guru Tegh Bahadur.
FAQS
Q: Why was Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji martyred?
To defend religion and the values, goals, and principles of humanity, Guru Tegh Bahadur gave his life. His traits of bravery and sacrifice made him stand out from a young age. According to PIB, he was put to death on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for defending the religious liberty of Kashmiri Pandits.
Q: Who attacked Guru Teg Bahadur?
On November 24, 1675, Aurangzeb executed Guru Tegh Bahadur in front of a sizable audience. Chandni Chowk’s Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib commemorates the spot of his execution.
According to historian Haroon Khalid, Aurangzeb barred anybody from transporting Guru Tegh Bahadur’s severed head, but two of his followers disobeyed his instructions.
Conclusion
Aurangzeb, the Mughal Emperor, compelled people to convert to other religions. Many were enraged by this and went to Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji for guidance. To get him to change his religion, Guru Tegh Bahadur issued a challenge.
Enraged, he then ordered the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur. As part of the celebration of “Shaheedi Diwas,” Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s martyrdom is remembered.