Guru Hargobind Singh Birth Anniversary 2022: Interesting Facts About The Sixth Guru Of The Sikhs

Guru Hargobind Sahib, the sixth Sikh Guru was born on 19 June 1595 as an answer to the dedicated prayers of scores of Sikhs who yearned for freedom from persecution. He was a deserving son to Guru Arjan Dev ji and Mata Ganga Ji who strove for releasing Sikhs from the clutches of the Mughal tyranny. His illustrious saintly lineage, coupled with his ferocious warlike spirit helped him in directing the collective strength and will of Sikhs in an entirely new direction.

At that time, Sikhs were in drastic need of armed and martial training to escape persecution from the Mughals. Strongly aware of this factor, Guru Hargobind Singh resolved to strengthen his mighty Sikh forces by training them as well as building an army that could withstand any level of aggression and fight back successfully. Today is Hargobind Singh Ji's 427th birth anniversary, which needs to be celebrated with a heartfelt remembrance of the greatness of the Guru who pioneered a new warrior cult amongst Indians. We have curated interesting facts related to Guru's life that will enlighten you about his life, philosophy and works.

1. Guru Hargobind Singh was the son of Guru Arjan Dev and Mata Ganga. Born on June 19, 1595, at Amritsar's Wadali, he rose to the position of a guru at barely 11 years of age, after his father Arjan Dev was persecuted under the hands of Mughal emperor Jahangir.

2. His swordsmanship, horse riding skills, and wrestling capabilities, were exemplary as he had been well trained in military warfare and martial arts.

3. It is said that Guru Hargobind adorned himself with two swords at his succession ceremony. One of the swords represented his sovereign authority, and the other as the spiritual leader of his community.

4. He was responsible for building a large and strong army due to which he faced the Mughal army directly and valiantly.

5. He mobilised an army which he himself named Sant Sipahi (spiritual warriors) to combat the menace of persecution and to end the era of tyranny by the Mughals.

6. Unable to contain his resentment about the phenomenal rise of the Sikh army, Mughal emperor Jahangir incarcerated the Guru in his Gwalior fortress for about 12 years.

7. He is the one who initiated the military tradition in Sikhs to help them fight against the Mughals.

8. Of all the ten Sikh Gurus, Guru Hargobind Singh's tenure was the longest and it lasted about 37 years, 9 months, and 3 days.

9. Akal Takht, one of the five takhts, which is known as the seats of power, was built for the Sikhs. This was originally Guru Hargobind Ji's idea.

10. He built a fortress named Lohgarh in Amritsar which was made of steel and had even initiated the construction of a thundering drum (nagara) which was used to communicate with fellow Sikhs.

11. The Guru's virtues of forgiveness were evident when he forgave Jehangir for all his tyrannical acts. His grace and purity brought a change of heart to the Mughal emperor and his wife.

12. Jahangir, on one occasion, was attacked by a lion, and it was Guru Hargobind Ji who saved him from the peril.

13. Apart from the military initiatives, he also took to promoting the Sikhism tenets and sent his followers to various parts of the country to disseminate the teachings of Guru Nanak.

14. Jahangir's son Shah Jahan, as he came to the throne, started persecuting the Sikhs once again. Guru defeated Shah Jahan's armies four times and stopped the Sikh persecution in the nick of time.

15. The Guru personally fought along with the army against the Mughal forces, during the reign of Shah Jahan, who had conducted repeated expeditions on Sikhs in Kartarpur and elsewhere. His strength and skill were inspiring enough for Sikhs to follow his precepts and as a result, a new warrior cult of Sikhs took shape.

16. As per the orthodox Sikh traditional writings, Guru Hargobind Ji survived several attempts on his life. His uncle tried poisoning him, and even had a cobra thrown at him, but he was unsuccessful.

17. Shortly before his death, Guru Hargobind's grandson, upon the wishes of his grandfather, took over his position as Guru, and continued his legacy as the seventh Sikh guru.

18. He passed away on March 3, 1544, in Kirtarpur of the then undivided Punjab.

Disclaimer: The information is based on assumptions and information available on the internet and the accuracy or reliability is not guaranteed. Boldsky does not confirm any inputs or information related to the article and our only purpose is to deliver information.

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