Guru Gobind Singh (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ)(Born in Patna, Bihar, India, on December 22, 1666 as Gobind Rai – October 7, 1708, Nanded, Maharashtra, India) was the tenth and last of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Guru on November 11, 1675 following in the footsteps of his father, the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur. He was born at Patna, and, was only nine years old when he was called to assume the sacred trust of being a Guru. Sikhs always had to struggle against the Muslim rulers and there is little doubt that Sikhs were turned into incomparable soldiers as a result of that struggle.
Guru Gobind Singh exemplified the teachings of Sikh principles during his lifetime. He not only taught the principles of the faith, but also felt the pain of sacrifice in upholding those beliefs. Guru Gobind Singh lost his father, mother and all four sons to a religious war being waged by emperor Aurangzeb, the last of the six grand Mughals. Aurangzeb demanded that all Sikhs either convert to Islam or be killed. It was in this fight for spiritual survival (or as Guru Sahib himself called it, Dharamyudh, the war for righteousness) that Guru Gobind Singh felt the pain of loss.
Guru Gobind's father, Guru Teg Bahadur, was beheaded in Delhi (where the Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib stands today) on the orders of Aurangzeb for refusing to convert to Islam. Guru Gobind Singh's two elder sons, Sahibzada Ajit Singh and Sahibzada Jujhar Singh died fighting Mughal troops at Chamkaur Sahib. His mother Mata Gujri was killed along with his younger sons Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh for refusing to convert to Islam.
Guru Gobind Singh's death and after
After Aurangzeb's death, his successor Bahadur Shah I tried to reduce the conflict as the Deccan wars had extended the Mughal armies. He tried to negotiate with the disaffected parties, including the Maratha's and the Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh went to Nanded in Maharashtra to discuss with Bahadur Shah. While camped there he was stabbed in the chest by two muslim's from the Mughal army who came to see him on the pretext of offering him a gift. He survived inititially but eventually the wound reopened and he died in Nanded. Banda Bahadur then took over the reigns of the Sikh army. He was a mahant Guru had met in the Deccan , who was said to have a striking resembelance to Guru Gobind Singh.
Chronology of the Main Events in Guru ji Life
# | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1 | December 22nd, 1666 | Birth at Patna Sahib (Bihar) |
2 | May, 1673 | Arrival at Anandpur Sahib |
3 | July, 1677 | Marriage with Mata Jeeto Ji |
4 | 1682 | Repulsing the attack of Raja Bhim Chand on Anandpur |
5 | May, 1685 | Maklaavaa of Mata Jeeto Ji (who adopted the name 'Sundari') |
6 | July, 1685 | Guru Ji leaves Anandpur for Paonta Sahib |
7 | November, 1686 | Birth of S. Ajit Singh Ji |
8 | October, 1687 | Battle of Bhangani |
9 | November 1688 | Return to Anandpur Sahib |
10 | 1689 | Battle of Naudan |
11 | March,1690 | Birth of S. Jujhar Singh Ji |
12 | 1694 | Khanzada attacks Anandpur |
13 | 1695 | Battle with Hussain Khan |
14 | 1697 | Birth of S. Zorawar Singh Ji |
15 | 1699 | Birth of S. Fateh Singh Ji |
16 | Vaisakhi, 1699 | Creation of the Khalsa |
17 | September 1699 | Skirmishes with Raja Bhim Chand |
18 | December 1700 | Attacked by the combined forces of the hill chieftains |
19 | January 1701 | Leave Anandpur for Nirmoh |
20 | January 1702 | Battle of Nirmoh |
21 | March 1702 | Goes to Basoli April |
22 | June 1702 | Occupation of Kalmot |
23 | August 1702 | Return to Anandpur |
24 | February 1703 | Repulsing the attacks of the hill-chieftains |
25 | June 1704 | Repulsing the combined attack of hill-chiefs and Mughals |
26 | December 1704 | Evacuation of Anandpur |
27 | December 1704 | Battle of Chamkaur and martyrdom of S. Ajit Singh Ji and S. Jujhar Singh Ji |
28 | December 1704 | Martyrdom of S. Zorawar Singh Ji and S. Fateh Singh Ji |
29 | May, 1705 | Battle of Khidrana |
30 | June 1705 | Battle of Mukatsar |
31 | July 1705 | Reach Sabo-ki-talwandi (Damdama Sahib) |
32 | November 1705 | Start from Damdama Sahib to meet emperor Aurangzeb |
33 | February 1706 | Death of Aurangzeb |
34 | March 1706 | Guru Ji receives news of death of Aurangzeb |
35 | July 23rd, 1707 | Guru Ji meets Bahadhur Shah at Agra |
36 | November 1707 | Moves towards Deccan |
37 | September 1708 | Reach Nanded |
38 | October 7th, 1708 | (Guru Ji died/ascension) |