(349th Martyrdom Day on December 6, 2024)

SRI GURU TEGH BAHADUR SAHIB JI

Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib , the ninth prophet-teacher of the Sikhs was born on April 1,

1621 in Amritsar, Punjab was cruelly martyred by beheading him on November 11, 1675 in

Chandni Chowk, Delhi under the orders of Emperor Aurangzeb. At this place now stands

Gurdwara Sri Sis Ganj Sahib, Delhi. Besides martyring Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib,

Aurangzeb also passed orders that the whole family of the person who goes near the deceased's

body will be annihilated. The martyrdom of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib sent a wave of shock

and mental torture among the Sikh community. The mental torture caused by the martyrdom was

further enhanced by the royal orders that the whole family of the person who touches the deceased

Guru Sahib's body will be annihilated.

The Sikhs who had witnessed this distressful martyrdom included Bhai Uda Ji. After

undergoing the unbearable mental torture of witnessing this gruesome incident Bhai Uda Ji with a

heavy heart went to the house of Bhai Nanu Ji in Kucha Dilvali mohalla. This mohalla which is

sometimes referred to as 'Dilvali Singh' and 'Dilvali Singhan' is inside Ajmeri Gate near Hauzkazi

at a distance of about half a mile from the place of execution in Chandni Chowk, Delhi. Writhing

under the pain caused by the execution of their revered Guru Sahib, the Sikhs gathered in the

house of Bhai Nanu Ji to share their sorrow and to plan ways and means to cremate the mutilated

sacred body of Guru Sahib. In this gathering, in addition to Bhai Nanu Ji and Bhai Uda Ji, others

who were present included Bhai Jaita Ji, Bhai Tulsi Ji, Bhai Agya Ji and Bhai Gurbaksh Ji. In this

meeting Bhai Nanu Ji suggested that a devout Sikh of Raisina village, New Delhi Bhai Lakkhi Shah

Lubana Ji who is a trader is returning from Narnaul (now in Haryana) with his caravan of carts

loaded with cotton and is camping on the other side of Yamuna River, should be consulted.

Thus some of the Sikhs went to Bhai Lakkhi Shah Ji and informed him about the sorrowful

incident. Bhai Lakkhi Shah Ji was instantly over powered by gloom and decided to take the

responsibility of cremation of Guru Sahib's body. By that time night had befallen and a severe

storm was blowing. Not caring for the reprisal of the Mughal rulers Bhai Lakkhi Shah Ji along with

three out of his eight sons - Nagahia, Hema and Harhi and Bhai Kanha Ji's son Bhai Dhooma Ji  

marched towards the place of execution in Chandni Chowk, Delhi. By this time, Bhai Jaita Ji and

Bhai Nanu Ji had already carried off the severed sacred head of their worthy Guru. Thus Bhai

Lakkhi Shah Ji put the sacred headless trunk in a cart and carried it off to his home in Raisina

village, New Delhi. The guards on duty in Chandni Chowk could not imagine the purpose of the

caravan of carts passing through that place. In the early hours of November 12, Bhai Lakkhi Shah

Ji fetched water from his well and gave a bath to the sacred headless body of Guru Sahib and

honourably cremated it by setting his whole house on fire to evade Mughal reprisal. After cremation

he buried half of the mortal remains at the same spot and with the remaining half set off towards

Anandpur Sahib, District Ropar, Punjab along with his three sons and the Sangat of Delhi. Later

in 1707, after the death of Aurengzeb, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1666-1708) the only son of Sri

Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib located the place of cremation of his Guru-father and built a small

memorial there. Later, the Muslims constructed a mosque at this very spot, but Sardar Baghel

Singh Ji got the mosque demolished and constructed the building of Gurdwara Sri Rakab Ganj

Sahib, New Delhi. He buried there a metal pot enclosing a gold mohur which had inscription of all

the facts on it.

On the other hand, as mentioned earlier Bhai Jaita Ji and Bhai Nanu Ji had lifted the sacred

head of their beloved Guru Sahib before Bhai Lakkhi Shah Ji's arrival in Chandni Chowk. For the

night they kept the sacred head in Kucha Dilvali Singhan. Unfortunately, because of lack of concern

on the part of the Sikhs, no Gurdwara has been constructed at this place of great importance in

Sikh history. When Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji had evacuated the garhi of Chamkaur Sahib, as per

his orders after crossing Sirsa canal in District Ropar of Punjab Mata Sundri Ji and Mata Sahib

Kaur Ji had come to Delhi they had also stayed in this mohalla. Currently Arora Hindus reside in

this mohalla and there is a Shivji Temple.

In the early hours of the morning of November 12 Bhai Jaita Ji with Guru Sahib's sacred

head wrapped in rumalas put in a basket started the journey towards Kiratpur Sahib, District Ropar,

Punjab via Karnal, Taraori, Ambala, Banur and Nabha. Bhai Jaita Ji decided to take the severed

sacred head of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib to Kiratpur Sahib by passing through the villages on

the outskits of G.T. Road. It was decided that to provide cover over his movements Bhai Uda Ji

and Bhai Nanu Ji would walk along but to evade suspicions they would be staying near but not

with him. To cover this distance they made five stoppages and took five days.

The first stoppage was at Taraori in District Karnal of Haryana. On the southern side of the

Fort of Taraori there was a tank and, in its neighbourhood, there resided some washermen. Among

them lived a washerman named Bhai Deva Ram Ji who was a devout Sikh. Bhai Jaita Ji contacted

him. Bhai Deva Ram Ji was over-powered by emotion. He reverently kept Guru Sahib's sacred

head for one night in his house. In 1710, this place was demarcated by Baba Banda Singh Bahadur

Ji and now there stands the lofty building of Gurdwara Sri Sisganj Sahib Patshahi Naumi,

Taraori, Distt. Karnal, Haryana.

The next stoppage of Bhai Jaita Ji and his companions was in Ambala city in the

neighbourhood of which flowed Tangri canal at that time. The three Sikhs crossed the canal and rested

awhile by putting the basket carrying the sacred head under a Jand tree. Because of the fear of the

enemies they decided to spend the night in this secluded place. There, they learnt from Mehar Dhumia

Ji, who belonged to the cattle breeding tribe that there lived some Hindus who were devotees of the

Sikh Gurus. The next morning Bhai Jaita Ji lifted the basket carrying the sacred head from under the

Jand tree and along with Bhai Dhumia Ji went to the house of Bhai Ram Deva Ji. Bhai Jaita Ji narrated

the whole painful incident to Bhai Ram Deva Ji who bowed his head with respect and stayed awake

the whole night so that Bhai Jaita Ji and his companions could take some rest. Bhai Ram Deva Ji

continued to light an earthern candle at this place for the whole of his life. In the 18th century a

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companion of Sardar Mehar Singh Ferozepuria Ji demarcated this place, where now stands Gurdwara

Sri Sisganj Sahib, Mohalla Kainth Majri, Ambala City, Haryana.

In 1702, when Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji visited this area, he by chance met Mehar Dhumia

Ji who had taken Bhai Jaita Ji to the house of Bhai Ram Deva Ji. Bhai Dhumia Ji was by this time

very old. He told Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji that several years ago a Sikh had come there. He had

placed a basket under the Jand tree and had asked about the houses of Sikhs in that area. He

also told Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji that after conducting that Sikh to Bhai Ram Deva Ji's house he

had seen some blood stains at the spot where he had put the basket. He had become very afraid

but had not dared to follow that Sikh. Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji at once realized that this was his

father's Sis Asthan i.e. the place where his father's sacred head had been placed. So he

demarcated the place and stayed there for 14 days. He constructed a dais there on which the

Sikhs started doing Satsang i.e. community singing of hymns. At this place now stands Gurdwara

Sri Satsangat Sahib Patshahi Naumi ate Dasmi, Ambala City, Haryana.

After Ambala city, the three Sikhs started their onward journey towards Kiratpur Sahib, District

Ropar, Punjab via Banur. In the evening they stopped at the village Nabha which is about 15 kms from

Chandigarh and now falls in District Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar of Punjab. Here Bhai Jaita Ji stayed

in the hut of a Muslim Pir (Saint) who with deep reverence guarded the sacred head for a few hours at

night to enable Bhai Jaita Ji to take rest awhile. Now at this place stands Gurdwara Sri Nabha Sahib

Patshahi Naumi ate Dasvin, Nabha, District Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab. When Baba Banda

Singh Bahadur Ji had decided to rectify the tyrannical Mughals he had started his journey after paying

obeisance at this place.

Bhai Jaita Ji during his whole journey had continued to sing religious hymns. When on

November 16, he was marching towards Kiratpur Sahib with the basket carrying the sacred head

of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji along with his grand-mother Mata

Nanaki Ji and his wife Mata Gujri Ji had arrived at Kiratpur Sahib. On reaching Kiratpur Sahib, Bhai

Jaita Ji reverently handed over the sacred head of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib to his son (Sri

Guru) Gobind Singh Ji. There in utter grief and gloom the whole sangat had a darshan (holy

glimpse) of the sacred head. After placing his Guru-father's sacred head in a palanquin Sri Guru

Gobind Singh Ji embraced Bhai Jaita Ji and uttered the words 'Ranghreta Guru Ka Beta' i.e.

'Ranghreta is Guru's Son'. Ranghreta was the caste of Bhai Jaita Ji. At the place where Bhai Jaita

Ji handed over the basket carrying the sacred head to Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji who placed it in a

palanquin now stands Gurdwara Sri Bibangarh Sahib, Distt. Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab.

From Bibangarh Sahib the Guru-family and the devotees marched to Anandpur Sahib,

District Ropar in the form of a procession singing hymns. On reaching Anandpur Sahib Sri Guru

Gobind Singh Ji got constructed a dais near Gurdwara Sri Guru Ke Mahal Sahib also called

Gurudwara Damdama Sahib, the place of residence of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib and placed

the sacred head of his Guru-father on it and cremated it reverently while the whole sangat sang

hymns. At this place now stands Gurdwara Sri Sisganj Sahib, Anandpur Sahib, Distt. Ropar,

Punjab. In front of this Gurdwara Sahib is Akal Bunga Sahib, where Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji

addressed the devotees and directed them to remain calm and firm in faith. At Gurdwara Guru

Ke Mahal Sahib also known as Gurdwara Damdama Sahib recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib

was done.

In the meantime, Bhai Lakkhi Shah Ji alongwith his three sons and devotees from Delhi

had reached Anandpur Sahib, District Ropar with half of the mortal remains of their revered

martyred Guru Sahib and handed these over to Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who honoured Bhai

Lakkhi Shah Ji and the Sikh Sangat of Delhi. The mortal remains were honourably immersed in

the waters of river Satluj while the sangat sang hymns. From all sides it was resounding:

Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib!

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This year the 349th year of martyrdom of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji, the great martyr

who laid down his life to allow the people to protect their right to follow the religion of their own

choice is being observed by the Sikh community all over the world on December 6, 2024.

Hail Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib!

Hail Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib!

Gurdwara Ke Mahal Janam Asthan of Gurdwara Sri Guru Ka Taal Sahib,

Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji Sikandra, Distt. Agra, Uttar Pradesh

Gurdwara Sri Sisganj Sahib, Delhi Gurdwara Sri Rakab Ganj Sahib, New Delhi

Gurdwara Sri Nabha Sahib Patshahi Nauvi ate Dasvin,

Nabha, Distt. Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab

Dr. Amrit Kaur

Retd. Professor

Punjabi University

Patiala, Punjab