GURU TEGH BAHADUR JI

 Guru Tegh Bahadur ji was the nineth sikh Guru.

Important Events from the biography of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji         

• Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was born on 1st April 1621 in Amritsar and was named Tyaga Mal at birth.
• His Parents were Guru Hargobind ji and Mata Nanaki. Guru Hargobind ji was the sixth sikh Guru.
• As a child Guru Tegh Bahadur ji was trained in Martial Arts, Swordmanship and Horse Riding But despite being an able fighter alongside his father in different battles, He seemed to choose a path of renunciation and meditation.
• He was married to Mata Gujri in 1633. In 1656 They moved to the Village of Bakala where Tegh Bahadur ji spent a lot of time in contemplation and prayers.
• Tegh Bahadur's father had not choosen him as his successor as he felt that sikhs at that time needed a worldly leaded and his son had choosen the path of renunciation. So Guru Hargobind ji elected his grandson Guru Har Rai ji as his successor. After Har Rai Ji's death at the age of 31, His son Har Kishan became the seventh Sikh Guru at the age of 7 in 1664.
• After that there was a confusion as who would become the nineth Guru. Before his death Guru Har Kishan ji had pronounced that the next Guru would be found in Bakala. 
• Accordingly in August 1664, Guru Tegh Bahadur ji was appointed the nineth Guru of Sikhs.
• Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji travelled far and wide visiting many places in northern India and also Assam and Dhaka, Preaching the word of Guru Nanak.
• He started community water wells and Langars (Holy food for the poor and hungry).
• In 1672, he visited Kashmir where he saw the persecution of non-muslims.
• Guru Tegh Bahadur ji composed many hymns that were added to the Guru Granth Sahib. He wrote the Saloks, 116 Shabads and 15 Ragas.
• He founded the city of Anandpir Sahib in Punjab in 1665.
• The Guru attracted huge numbers of devotees and followers. This is said to have distressed the Mughal Emperor. It is also said that the Guru's Promise of protection to the persecuted Kashmiri Pandits also led to his being summoned to delhi by the emperor. While the Sikh faith was gathering strength, Aurangzeb was following a policy of religious discrimination and persecution in many places. Tegh Bahadur was brought before the emperor when he reached Delhi.
• On 24 November 1675 the Guru was publicly beheaded on the orders of Aurangzeb for refusing to accept the authority of Mughal Emperor at Chandani Chowk in Delhi. Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib was built in 1783 at this place where he was beheaded.
• His young son Gobind who was only 9 when his father was killed, became the tenth and last Sikh Guru. The effect of his Father's cruel death must have been profound on him. Guru Gobind Singh ji went on to become the founder of the Khalsa and challenged the authority of Mughals.
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