Omkar Dattatray
On 5th of July 2023, the Sikhs in particular and other countrymen in general are celebrating the birth anniversary of Guru Hargobind Singh ji with enthusiasm and great fervour. He was the sixth guru of the Sikhs community and he was born at Janam Badli in Amritsar. Guru Hargobind Singh ji was son of 5th Sikh Guru Arjan Singh. His mother’s name was Ganga. This year his Prakesh Parv will be celebrated on 5th July Wednesday with traditional gaiety.
On this auspicious occasion, Sabad Kirtan, Akhand Path and Langar are held in Gurudwars. This sixth Guru had spent major part of his time in war training and war art and skill. Later he became adept in sword using and he also became adept in horse riding and good wrestling. It was Guru Hargobind Singh who inspired Sikhs to learn the art and skill of arms training and bestowed Sikhism the character of war. Guru Hargobind Sing ji was revolutionary war hero and was also a man who helped others. His life philosophy and his life was associated with welfare of the common man and his wellbeing .It was this great Guru who had constructed and established the seat of Akak Takth. Again it was he who founded Mera Pera and Kartarpur Sahib. This Guru of Sikh Panth was educated under the guidance of big educationist Bhai Gurudas. Guru Hargobind Singh got the blessings of baba Budwaji. The sixth Guru had seen many changes in the Sikh religion, culture and its code of conduct with his eyes and because of it the great son of Sikhism was strengthening the roots of his religion. Guru ji had with his God’s vision secured the tree of inheritance and also gave it the opportunity to grow and flourish. This Guru has not only made the sacrifice of his father Guru Arjan Dev Singh as ideal of his life but the great works which had been started by him, the Guru showed commitment to complete those works. Guru Hargobind Singh ji was born on July 19, 1595. He was one with the almighty on February 28, 1644. He is credited with laying the foundation of Akal Thakt and he is famous for accomplishing this great feat. He is the first Sikh Guru who had taken part in a war. It was he who had inspired the Sikhs to learn the skills of war and also to learn war trainings .He took active part in Rohila war, Kartarpur war, and Amritsar War of 1638, Hargobindpur war, Gursar war, Keeratpur war.
He also founded Keeratpur Sahib. Guru Arjan Dav was his predecessor and Guru Hari Roy was his successor. Mata Nanki, Mata Mahadavi and Mata Damodari were his life partners. He was blessed with four off springs. Due to changed circumstances, Guru Hargobind Singh ji had taken education about religious scriptures, and education relating to weapons. He was a great Warrior. He had great experience and training in different kinds of weapons .His thinking was revolutionary. He wanted that Sikh community to remain in peace, religious devotion and at the same time with also fight atrocities and exploitation and will become powerful. He wanted to connect spirituality with deepness of philosophy. With his taking over the seat of Guru ,he took the two swords of Mera and Peera. These two swords were wore to him by his Guru Baba Buddaji. From this Sikh history took a new turn. Guru Hargobind Singh ji with the resolve of Meera, Peera, Sikh philosophy and thinking was related with new spirituality. In this process ,politics and religion became the contemporaries of each other .With the blessings of the Guru, Shri Akal Thakt Sahib’s grand entity was established. Guru Hargobind Singh was given as donation ,weapons and horses from the Sangat from various parts of India as gift. The poets started to sing songs on greatness of Gurus and brave stories of warriors. The rebellion against Mogul rule took birth. Guru Hargobind Singh was moving to success in establishing Nanak Raj. Mogal ruler Jahangir confined Hargobind Singh in a fort in Gwalior .In this fort many Kings who opposed Moguls stand confined in it. Guru Hargobind ji remained confined in Gwalior fort for about three years .A big sufi Faquir Miya Meer was a devotee of great Guru. .The wife of Jahangir named Noorjahanmeeiameer was the servant of Jahangir. These people also informed Jahangir about the greatness and personality of Guruji and introduced Jahangir with this guru. Baba Booda and Bahi Gurudas ji also opposed the imprisonment of Guru Hargobind Singh. Jahangir not only let the Guru free from Gwalior Jail but also allowed him freedom to take 52 kings along with him. For this in the Sikh history Guru Hargobind Singh ji was called Bandi Shord Data. In Gwalior to this testimony there is a Gurdwara called as Datta Bandi Shoord. Guru ji remained stick to his life values and was at conflict with Jahangir four times. During war ,he used to remain peaceful, fearless and Adol. He had with him a large army so the Mogul soldiers often trembled. Guru ji had several times defeated the Moguls. With his personality and duties Guru Hargobind Singh has created such a wave which resulted in Sikh Sangat new thinking about love and power. With his wisdom Guru ji united the devotees of his Guru and gave new direction to Sikh Society. The Akaal Takt Sahib was for Sikh community such a supreme institute which in future centralized the Sikh power and gave it the separate social and historical identity and the credit for all this goes to guru Hargobind Singh ji. Guru Hargobind Singh was great helper and warrior. His life and philosophy was for the wellbeing of the common people. This was the reason that during his time Gurmitdarshan was spread to all corners of the nation. The big messages of Guru Grant sahib has illuminated those works of Guru Parampara because of which in future the welfare of humanity will be possible. Guru Hargobind revered as the sixth Nanak, was the sixth of the ten guru’s of Sikh religion. He had become Guru at the young age of eleven, after the execution of his father, Guru Arjan Dav by the Mughal emperor Jahangir. Guru Hargobind introduced the process of militarization to Sikhism ,likely as a response to his father’s execution and to protect the Sikh community. He symbolized it by wearing two swords ,representing the dual concept of Miri and Piri (temporal power and spiritual authority).In front of the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, Guru Hargobind constructed the Alkal Takht which represents the highest seat of earthly authority of the Khalsa -the collective body of the Sikhs today. He developed a strong Sikh army and gave Sikh religion its military character ,in accord with the instructions of his father, Guru Arjan Dav -the first Sikh martyr ,who had been executed on the orders of the Mughal emperor Jahangir.
Up to the time of Guru Hargobind, the Sikh religion was passive. At his succession ceremony Hargobind is believed to have defiantly borne two swords, symbolizing his twin authority as temporal -Miri and spiritual- Piri head of the community. He also devoted much time to military training and the martial arts, becoming an expert swordsman, wrestler and rider. Despite opposition, Guru Hargobiond built up his army and fortified his cities. In 1909, he built at Amritsar the Akal Thakt -throne of God ,a temple and assembly hall combined, where both spiritual and temporal matters pertaining to the Sikh nation could be resolved. He was imprisoned on the orders of Jahangir and spent 12 long years in Jail. In short Guru Hargobind Singh gave a military- spirituality touch to the Sikh community and taught them to take arms in their defense and for protecting their dharma and he gave much stress on both, Scriptures and weapons and thus was an eyesore to Mughals. Let us imbibe his qualities and work on the path shown by this great Guru of Sikh community and this will be the proper tribute to this great soul on his birth anniversary.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist).
