Guru Gobind Singh Ji & Bhai Jaita Ji Converse

The Wonderous 1
Jul 8
6 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

The pure belongs to the ‘Wonderous Enlightener'. The victory belongs to the ‘Wonderous Enlightener’.

Continued...

Sahib Chand 'Ji' (the Sikh that was sent back from Delhi with the ‘Guruship’ to ‘Anandpur Sahib’) was responsible for breaking the news of Guru Tegh Bahadar Ji’s sacrifice to Guru Ji’s mother, wife and son. Guru Gobind Singh Ji stood up to welcome and show respect to Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s ‘Guruship’. Sahib Chand relayed everything that he experienced in Delhi to Guru Gobind Singh Ji, to which Guru Ji concluded that the Mughal empire had uprooted itself by committing such a sin. Sahib Chand struggled to express what had happened in Delhi to Mata Nanaki Ji and Mata Gujri Ji. He was lost for words because his heart was heavy and he could not stop a constant flow of tears. However, being as wise as they were, both *Mata Nanaki Ji and Mata Gujri Ji were never expecting to see Guru Ji again and understood everything from Sahib Chand's body language.

Once the news spread of the martyrdom in Anandpur Sahib, the masses were very emotional. However, Guru Gobind Singh Ji explained to everyone that his father’s purpose was for the betterment of the world. He reiterated that everybody should control their tears out of reverence to the sacrifice because his father had fulfilled his objective. Furthermore, Guru Gobind Singh Ji sent two ‘Sikhs’ (on horseback) to search over the route that led to Delhi in expectation of meeting ‘Bhai Jaita Ji’ who was bringing Guru Tegh Bahadar Ji’s head to Anandpur Sahib. These two Sikhs travelled during day and night in anticipation to find a certain Sikh who would seem to be carrying something respectfully with him in particular. After continuously searching, they eventually met ‘Bhai Jaita Ji’ who had wrapped Guru Ji’s head in sheets and was walking in a very alert state with Guru Ji’s head held above his own head. According to other sources, Guru Ji’s head was placed in a ‘Khari’ (full of Neem leaves) which is a certain type of basket that would have been placed on Bhai Jaita Ji’s head during travel. After meeting these two Sikhs, Bhai Jaita Ji explained how he was carrying Guru Ji’s head to ‘Anandpur Sahib. He sent these two Sikhs back to tell Guru Ji that he will wait at the spot where Guru Hargobind Ji and Guru Har Rai Ji were cremated (in case Guru Gobind Singh Ji and the elders decided to cremate Guru Ji’s head at the same spot). However, if they chose not to cremate there, then the head could be welcomed at the same spot at least. Either way, that spot was chosen by Jaita Ji to await the congregation from Anandpur Sahib.

The Sikhs went back and told Guru Ji what was agreed. Guru Ji then instructed the ‘Masnads’** to invest heavy finances into having a ‘Biban’*** made for his father’s head to be welcomed back into the city. Mata Gujri Ji suggested that the head should be cremated in Anandpur Sahib as this city was purchased by her husband for 157,000 Rupees. The area purchased covered a distance of about 5 ‘Khoh’ by 5 ‘Khoh’ (2.75 miles by 2.75 miles) and this was where Guru Ji lived. Hence, a great procession of Sikhs started travelling towards Kiratpur Sahib to receive Guru Ji’s head (out of respect). The congregation read Gurbani along the way whilst their eyes poured tears of love, knowing that they will receive the severed head of their Guru. On the other hand, Bhai Jaita Ji had chosen a location that was below normal ground level to give himself less exposure to the public. This spot is marked in the present day by ‘Gurdwara Bibangarh’ (formerly known as ‘Bibansar’) and is situated opposite ‘Gurdwara Patalpuri’ where Guru Hargobind Ji left this world. Once the procession reached this spot, they surrounded ‘Jaita Ji’ who was seen sitting on the floor. Guru Ji’s head was placed on the specially prepared ‘Biban’ for all to see. Everybody present bowed their heads to the sacrifice before the ‘Biban’ was carried back to Anandpur Sahib.

The reception was extravagant as ‘Sikhs’ placed garlands of flowers around the ‘Biban’. They offered all sorts of fragrances, placed valuable ‘Dushale’ and conducted ‘Chaur’ service over the head during travel. The procession energetically sang ‘Shabads’ and covered the entire land of Anandpur Sahib (that Guru Ji purchased) by the inch. In particular, they sang the ‘Vaars’ (hyms) of ‘Raag Vadhans’ and ‘Raag Maroo’ (chapters in Gurbani) upon which they would stop and stand still when singing the ‘Pourri’ verses and would continue to walk and sing otherwise. The beautiful sounds of the ‘Rabab’ were heard alongside the powerful ‘Sankh’ (Conch Shell) and ‘Mirdang’ (Kettledrums). Some ‘Sikhs’ were showering the ‘Biban’ with money, just like somebody would celebrate an extremely emotional victory. At the same time, voices could be heard that were despising the disgraceful acts of the Mughal emperor and his empire.

Also staring at Guru Ji’s head in an emotional state and bowing in reverence was Mata Gujri Ji who could only but remember the countless qualities of her husband. The procession eventually stopped at the land beneath the mountain of ‘Kesgarh Sahib’ where a pile of sandalwood lay organised into a pyre. It was here that Mata Nanaki Ji saw her son’s head and called out his name to express her great love as a mother. She touched Guru Ji’s head and saw how the splendour of his face was bright just like when he would sit on his ‘Guruship’. Guru Ji’s beard was a mixture of both black and white hairs, seen as he was aged 54 at the time of sacrifice. Once everybody had seen Guru Ji’s head, it was placed on the funeral pyre. Guru Gobind Singh Ji did a ‘Ardas’ and read ‘Jap Ji Sahib’ before lighting the fire for cremation. He then did a ‘Parkarma’ (a walking vow of sacrifice all around his father’s head) and prostrated before his Guru’s lit funeral pyre.

The place of cremation was soon memorialised by Guru Gobind Singh Ji and still stands strong as ‘Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib’ in Anandpur Sahib (Punjab) today. For 29 years after, Guru Gobind Singh Ji resided in Anandpur Sahib and history records how he would visit this place daily and pay his respects to his father's great martyrdom. Even when leaving the city for the last time in 1704, Guru Ji allocated a person called Gurbakhs Ji (Udasi) to remain here and overlook it. Once the cremation was complete, all the congregation sat on the bank of the ‘Satluj’ river and continued to sing ‘Shabads’ in praise of ‘God’. ‘Sohila Sahib’ was then recited before the ‘Krah Parsad’ was distributed to all attendees for the completion of the ceremony.

*Mata' Nanaki Ji had seen her father-in-law, Guru Arjan Dev Ji visit Lahore to sacrifice himself (for the preservation of the Aadh Granth Sahib’s authenticity. She then saw her husband Guru Hargobind Ji fight four battles with the ‘Mughals’ and be victorious in all defences. Now, she had learned of the sacrifice that her son Guru Tegh Bahadar Ji gave, to display resistance against the unjust Mughal rule. After the martyrdom of her husband, Mata Gujri Ji saw her son lead the ‘Guruship’ (from age nine), and fight many battles against the Mughals too. Which mother would be happy knowing that her son is in constant battles against the ruling empire? This would be the type of woman that also saw her grandsons being martyred in Sirhind after having to leave the city and fortresses that she lived in all her life. Mind blowing is the resilient hearts of these women in ‘Sikh’ history and how they remained strong in the greatest of challenges.

**A ‘Masand’ or ‘Masnad’ was a seating (position) that was authorised by Guru Ji to collect donations or tithes from the congregation and deposit them into Guru Ji’s treasury. Hence, they were responsible to spend the finances on the last funeral rites too.

***A ‘Biban’ can be defined as a chariot which would eventually be used to place Guru Tegh Bahadar Ji’s head on and taken towards the funeral grounds.

To be continued...

The pure belongs to the ‘Wonderous Enlightener'. The victory belongs to the ‘Wonderous Enlightener’.

References:

1. Guru Granth Sahib Ji

2. Sant Gurbachan Singh - (Katha) 'Shaheedi Saka of Guru Tegh Bahadar Ji' (Parts 1 & 2) 3.Thakur Das - Shaheed Bilas

4. Kavi Santokh Singh - Gurpartap Sooraj Parkash

5. Kahan Singh (Nabha) - Mahan Kosh

6. Giani Pinderpal Singh - (Katha) 'Jeevan Katha Ate Shahadat Guru Tegh Bahadar Ji'

7. Bhatt Vahi

8. Alphabet.Inc - Google

9. Dr Sukhpreet S - (Lectures) 'Guru Tegh Bahadar Ji'

10. Sant Kartar Singh - (Katha) 'Shaheedi Guru Tegh Bahadar Ji'