Guru Gobind Singh Ji – The Creator of Khalsa

Guru Gobind Singh Ji, son of Guru Tegh Bahadar Sahib was born on 5th January 1666 at Patna city in Bihar. Guru Tegh Bahadar had gone on a Dharam Parchar tour towards east India and his wife, Mata Gujari Ji, who was accompanying him, stayed back at Patna at the residence of her brother and it was here that she gave birth to the tenth guru.There is ,perhaps, no other person in the world history,who has so many achievements in a life span of 42 years only as that of Guru sahib He fought and won battles, he wrote great literature and patronized at his court,52 .poets like Bhai Gurdas 2nd, Senapati and Bhai Nand Lal Ji , whose compositions are included in the hymns to be sung as kirtan in Congregations.He provided leadership to this great religion in such a way that it has emerged during the last 300 years as one of the five greatest religions of the world. His two greatest works were the creation of Khalsa and installation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib as his successor Guru for all times to come. These two events have no parallel in the entire religious history of the world. He created Khalsa on March 30, 1699 in the Will of God. While addressing the huge gathering on that Vaisakhi day, Guru Ji called those volunteers who could sacrifice their heads.Five persons from different places, all belonging to considered low casts presented themselves. before the guru. They were Bhai Daya Ram of Lahore, Bhai Dharam Dass of Meerut, Bhai Himmat Rai of Jagannath Puri,Bhai Mohkam channd of Dwarka and Bhai Sahib channd of Bidar. These first five initiated by ‘Khande-di-Pahul’ are known as ‘Panj-Piare’ the five dedicated beloveds of the Guru. All of them were surnamed ‘Singh’ and they were required to wear the ‘Five Ks’ – five symbols of the Khalsa. All symbols are beginning with the letter ‘K’, namely, Kesh, Kanga, Kara, Kirpan and Kachhehra. A distinguished feature of the personality of the Guru is that he himself got initiated by those five beloved ones. That is why we proudly say ‘Master as well as disciple’ (Aape-Gur-Chela, as stated by Bhai Gurdas 2 )Before he departed for his heavenly abode, he declared that thereafter all the Sikhs will accept ‘Adi Granth’ as their eternal Guru.