Sis Ganj, Rakab Ganj Sahib recount Sikh valour, sacrifice

As the Punjab Government on Saturday begun a series of events to mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, two places in Delhi hold special significance Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib.

On November 11, 1675, Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, was beheaded at Chandni Chowk on the orders of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.

The place where the Guru was executed is now marked by Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib. It stands as a symbol of his supreme sacrifice to uphold the right to religious freedom, earning him the title Hind Di Chadar, the Shield of India.

After the beheading, the Guru’s severed head (“Sis”) was taken by Bhai Jaita, one of his devoted disciples, who carried it to Anandpur Sahib. Before it was cremated there, he kept it for a night in Ambala, where a gurdwara named Shri Sis Ganj Sahib now stands.

Meanwhile, the Guru’s body was taken by Bhai Lakhi Shah Vanjara under the cover of darkness.

To avoid detection by the Mughal authorities, he placed the body in his home and set it on fire — turning his house into the Guru’s funeral pyre.

The site of this act of devotion and courage is now Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, located opposite the Parliament House in Delhi.

Both Gurdwaras Sis Ganj Sahib and Rakab Ganj Sahib are central to the 350th martyrdom commemoration.

They serve as powerful reminders of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s courage, his defense of faith, and the sacrifices made by his followers to preserve his dignity and legacy.