The Guru who made freedom a sacred duty

In the spiritual and cultural heritage of India, if there is one personality whose presence has remained steadfast, radiant and immortal for centuries, it is Guru Tegh Bahadur. For generations, he has been revered as the true protector of humanity, a symbol of indomitable courage against tyranny, and a great guardian of religious freedom.His sacrifice was not for a single community or region, rather, it was for all of humanity. A sacrifice that safeguarded the spiritual soul of India and gave life to the principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, the world is one family.Guru Tegh Bahadur, also known as Tyag Mal in his childhood, was the son of the sixth guru, Hargobind Sahib and Nanaki. He was born on April 1, 1621 in Amritsar, where today stands the sacred gurdwara ‘Guru ka Mahal.’It is believed that whenever humanity faces unbearable tyranny, a great soul emerges to protect dharma and restore righteousness. At the time of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s birth, India was ruled by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who sought to impose Islam across the entire country.During that period, the majority of India followed Sanatan Dharma. Troubled by Aurangzeb’s brutal forced conversions, Pandit Kripa Ram, a revered Hindu leader from Kashmir, along with his companions, pleaded Guru Tegh Bahadur to save their faith and help stop the atrocities.After listening to their plea, Guru said that a great soul must offer sacrifice to end such tyranny. Young Gobind Rai, who heard the entire conversation, told his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, “There is no greater soul than you. Therefore, this sacrifice must be made by you.” Hearing this, the Guru, deeply moved, told the petitioners, “Go tell Aurangzeb that if Tegh Bahadur accepts conversion, the entire land of India will accept Islam.”When Aurangzeb received this message, he summoned the Guru to Delhi and ordered him to accept Islam. He firmly refused. The emperor then declared death as the consequence of this refusal. On 11 November, 1675 at Chandni Chowk, Delhi, even after witnessing his three devoted followers — Bhai Dayala (boiled alive), Bhai Sati Das (wrapped in cotton and burnt), and Bhai Mati Das (sawed alive) — being martyred, Guru Tegh Bahadur remained unshaken. Finally, he too was beheaded.Even after this cruelty, when Bhai Jaita tried to bring the Guru’s sacred head from Delhi, he was intercepted by Mughal forces near Garhi Kushala (Budh Khalsa) village, Sonepat. There, an ardent devotee, Bhai Kushal Singh Dahiya, offered his own head to distract the army, enabling Bhai Jaita to safely carry the Guru’s head through Tarawri and Ambala to Anandpur Sahib.The Guru was cremated by Lakhi Shah Vanjara, one of the wealthiest men of that time, by setting fire to his own house at Raisina (Delhi) to avoid detection. After this heart-wrenching event, the downfall of the Mughal empire became inevitable.It was here, on the soil of Kurukshetra in Haryana, that the Mahabharata was fought to uphold dharma. Here, King Kuru ploughed the golden fields, and Lord Krishna imparted the divine wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. For this reason, the Haryana government decided to commemorate the 350th martyrdom year of Guru Tegh Bahadur at Jyotisar, Kurukshetra.In 2015, the state government launched the Sant-Mahapurush Samman and Vichar Prasar Yojana, under which programmes are organised to spread the teachings and lives of great saints including Sri Guru Nanak Dev, Guru Tegh Bahadur, Guru Gobind Singh, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, Dhanna Bhagat, Sant Kabir, Sant Namdev and Sant Ravidas.In Haryana, at Lohgarh (Yamunanagar), the capital of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, a martial arts institute and the Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Medical College are being established. The 72-kanal land of Gurdwara Chilla Sahib (Sirsa), associated with Guru Nanak Dev, was allotted free of cost. Across the state, memorial gates, colleges, and institutions have been named after the revered gurus.The people of Haryana shared a deep bond with Guru Tegh Bahadur. There are nearly 28 gurdwaras in the state dedicated to his memory, and his in-laws’ home is at Lakhnaur Sahib (Ambala).On the occasion of his 350th martyrdom year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kurukshetra today. Four grand processions have brought lakhs of devotees from across the state to Kurukshetra, where people of all religions and communities are paying their heartfelt tributes.Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, tributes to the Guru are being offered globally in almost 142 foreign embassies with the help of local communities. The holy land of Kurukshetra has been sanctified by the footsteps of eight gurus — Guru Nanak Dev, Guru Amar Das, Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Hargobind Sahib, Guru Har Rai, Guru Har Krishan, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh.In the month of November, the Government of Haryana organised numerous events in Guru Tegh Bahadur’s memory, which became symbols of public participation and spiritual unity. Several key initiatives have been undertaken in the Guru’s honour:— Establishment of the Guru Tegh Bahadur Chair at Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa— Renaming of Ambala Polytechnic College after Guru Tegh Bahadur— A grand marathon in Karnal and the designation of the Tohana–Jind–Narwana route as Guru Tegh Bahadur Marg— Development of Guru Tegh Bahadur Van in Kalesar region— Proposal for establishing GTB Agriculture College at Kishanpur,YamunanagarThe Guru’s message remains as alive and powerful today, as it was 350 years ago. The contemporary poet of the Guru tradition, ‘Senapati’, beautifully expressed Guru Tegh Bahadur’s glory: “Pragat Bhayo Guru Tegh Bahadur, Sakal Srisht Pe Dhhapi Chadar” (Guru Tegh Bahadur appeared as a protective canopy over the entire universe).

The Guru who made freedom a sacred duty

Under the leadership of PM Modi, tributes to the Guru are being offered globally in 142 foreign embassies.

Nayab Singh Saini

The Guru who made freedom a sacred duty

Under the leadership of PM Modi, tributes to the Guru are being offered globally in 142 foreign embassies.

Nayab Singh Saini

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