Guru Gobind Singh Ji (December 22, 1666 – 7 October 1708) was the tenth Guru of
Sikhs. He was born in Patna Sahib, Bihar in India and became a Guru on November 11,
1675, at the age of nine years, succeeding his father Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. He was the
leader of the Sikh faith, a warrior, a poet, and a philosopher.
The impression of Guru Gobind Singh has not only elevated and altered the constitution
of the minds of the Sikhs, but has operated materially and given amplitude to their
physical frames. His establishment of the Khalsa is considered as one of the most
important events in the history of Sikhism. He fought twenty defensive battles with the
Mughals and their alliances, such as Rajas of Shivalik Hills. Guru Gobind Singh was the
last human Sikh Guru; and declared the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of
Sikhism, as the next permanent Sikh Guru. Guru Gobind Singh Ji was born as Gobind
Rai in Patna Sahib to the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur and his wife Mata Gujri.
He was born while Guru Tegh Bahadur was touring Assam to spread his teachings.
According to a legend, the birth of Gobind Rai was prophesized by Pir Bhikan Shah, a
fakir from Thaksa village (now in Karnal District of Haryana).
A painting depicts visit of Pir Bhikhan Shah to see child Gobind RaiOne day, Bhikan
Shah bowed towards the east during his prayers, contrary to the standard Islamic
practice of bowing in the direction of Qiblat. When the villagers questioned his strange
act, he stated that a special child, the savior chosen by the
God, would be born in Patna, which lay to the East. He
then traveled to Patna with a group of his followers to see
the child. He placed two bowls of sweets before the
newborn; one bowl was purchased from a Hindu's shop,
and the second from a Muslim's shop, thus signifying the
two major contemporary religions in India. The baby
placed his hands on both the bowls, thus indicating that
both Hindus and Muslims will be treated equally by him. According to another legend,
the fakir Araf Din of Lakhnaur (now in Ambala District) also bowed to the boy, and
proclaimed him as divine.
Gobind Rai spent the first five years of his life in Patna. As a child, he used to play war
games with other children, leading mock battles. He had many admirers, including a
learned Brahmin called Pandit Shiv Dutt. Once, Raja Fateh Chand of Patna and his
Rani, a childless couple, visited Shiv Dutt, and asked him to bless them with a child. Shiv
Dutt suggested that if an innocent child like Gobind Rai prayed to God, their desire
would be fulfilled. The couple then asked young Gobind Rai to visit their palace, where
the Rani asked Gobind Rai to pray to God to bless her with a son like him. Gobind Rai
smiled and said that there can be nobody like him, so the Rani should call him her son.
From that day, the Rani started calling him Bala Pritam ("child god"), a name that is used
even today to refer to the Guru. The royal couple allowed Gobind Rai and his friends to
freely play in their palace, and also built a big dining hall for the children.
Other admirers of the boy included two Nawabs, Rahim Baksh and Karim Baksh.
Nawab Karim Baksh had gifted a village and gardens to the child.
Sikhs. He was born in Patna Sahib, Bihar in India and became a Guru on November 11,
1675, at the age of nine years, succeeding his father Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. He was the
leader of the Sikh faith, a warrior, a poet, and a philosopher.
The impression of Guru Gobind Singh has not only elevated and altered the constitution
of the minds of the Sikhs, but has operated materially and given amplitude to their
physical frames. His establishment of the Khalsa is considered as one of the most
important events in the history of Sikhism. He fought twenty defensive battles with the
Mughals and their alliances, such as Rajas of Shivalik Hills. Guru Gobind Singh was the
last human Sikh Guru; and declared the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of
Sikhism, as the next permanent Sikh Guru. Guru Gobind Singh Ji was born as Gobind
Rai in Patna Sahib to the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur and his wife Mata Gujri.
He was born while Guru Tegh Bahadur was touring Assam to spread his teachings.
According to a legend, the birth of Gobind Rai was prophesized by Pir Bhikan Shah, a
fakir from Thaksa village (now in Karnal District of Haryana).
A painting depicts visit of Pir Bhikhan Shah to see child Gobind RaiOne day, Bhikan
Shah bowed towards the east during his prayers, contrary to the standard Islamic
practice of bowing in the direction of Qiblat. When the villagers questioned his strange
act, he stated that a special child, the savior chosen by the
God, would be born in Patna, which lay to the East. He
then traveled to Patna with a group of his followers to see
the child. He placed two bowls of sweets before the
newborn; one bowl was purchased from a Hindu's shop,
and the second from a Muslim's shop, thus signifying the
two major contemporary religions in India. The baby
placed his hands on both the bowls, thus indicating that
both Hindus and Muslims will be treated equally by him. According to another legend,
the fakir Araf Din of Lakhnaur (now in Ambala District) also bowed to the boy, and
proclaimed him as divine.
Gobind Rai spent the first five years of his life in Patna. As a child, he used to play war
games with other children, leading mock battles. He had many admirers, including a
learned Brahmin called Pandit Shiv Dutt. Once, Raja Fateh Chand of Patna and his
Rani, a childless couple, visited Shiv Dutt, and asked him to bless them with a child. Shiv
Dutt suggested that if an innocent child like Gobind Rai prayed to God, their desire
would be fulfilled. The couple then asked young Gobind Rai to visit their palace, where
the Rani asked Gobind Rai to pray to God to bless her with a son like him. Gobind Rai
smiled and said that there can be nobody like him, so the Rani should call him her son.
From that day, the Rani started calling him Bala Pritam ("child god"), a name that is used
even today to refer to the Guru. The royal couple allowed Gobind Rai and his friends to
freely play in their palace, and also built a big dining hall for the children.
Other admirers of the boy included two Nawabs, Rahim Baksh and Karim Baksh.
Nawab Karim Baksh had gifted a village and gardens to the child.
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