Chhibber
Encyclopedia
Chhibber is a Brahmin clan from the Punjab
. They are one of the seven clans of the Mohyal
s who are Saraswat Brahmins of the Punjab. The other six clans are Bali, Bhimwal, Datt
/Dutt, Lau, Mohan
and Vaid
. Punjabi Brahmins other than Mohyals include Barahis (Twelvers), Bawanjais (Fifty-twoers) and Athwans (Eighters). Most Chhibbers are Hindus, but because they were closely associated with the Sikh Gurus
, especially the ninth and tenth Gurus, Guru Teg Bahadur
and Guru Gobind Singh
, many follow Sikhism
as well.
. In Sindh, Chach got a job in the court of Raja Sahasi. Raja Sahasi discerned his latent qualities and appointed him as his prime minister. When Sahasi died without leaving any heir to succeed him, his queen, Rani Suhanadi, who was secretly in love with Chach, kept the news of his death a closely guarded secret to pre-empt intrigues of the many aspirants to the throne. She later married Chach and proclaimed him as the new ruler.
Chach is considered to be the founder of the Chhibber clan. Chhibber is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word `Shivi Var’, meaning a righteous person
Raja Chach died in 674 AD after ruling for forty years. His son, Dahir
took over in 687 AD.Though he was a Brahmin, many of the citizens of his kingdom were Buddhists. His reign was shattered by the invasion of the army of the Umayyad
Caliph
Al-Walid I of Baghdad
. He sent his general, the seventeen-year old Muhammad bin Qasim
who besieged Debal
, Dahir's capital.The Raja was defeated and killed by Qasim's forces at Roar(near present-day Nawabshah
).
After Sindh, Qasim conquered Multan
.
The exodus of the Chhibbers from Sindh took place at about the same time as that of the Datts from Arabia .
After the fall of Sindh, the descendants of Raja Dahir moved to the Punjab. They were helped in their rehabilitation by the king of Delhi
and established themselves in different places.
Timur
invaded India in 1398. While on his way to Delhi, he pillaged and plundered Dipalpur and Bhatner, the stronghold of the Chhibbers, and indulged in carnage reminiscent of Mahmud Ghaznavi. The Chhibbers fled to Bikaner but finding no means of livelihood migrated to Ujjain
. Though the brahmin king of Ujjain treated them with great hospitality, for some unknown reason they shifted to Jaunpur
in Uttar Pradesh
.
in 1947. Praga became a disciple of Guru Nanak Dev
. After Guru Nanak Dev, Baba Praga played an important part during the lifetime of the next five Gurus: Guru Angad Dev
, Guru Amar Das
, Guru Ram Das
, Guru Arjan Dev
and Guru Har Gobind
. In the year 1638, he fought with Paindah Khan , the Governor of Lahore
. Baba Praga was wounded and died on his return to Karyala. His samadhi
stands on the outskirts of Karyala and another memorial was raised in Kabul
at ‘Char Bagh’. The cross section beyond Sarai Guru Ram Das on the periphery of the Golden Temple Complex at Amritsar
is named Chowk Praga Das after him.
. His son, Lakhi Das was anointed to the same post but he died soon afterwards and Durga Mal held that position until Guru Har Krishan
.
in the princely state of Bilaspur
(present-day Himachal Pradesh) in 1665. Mati Das
(son of Durga Mal), as Dewan of the Guru, carried on the administration from there. He also acted as the chief priest of the Vaishnava Matha
at Karyala whose scholars worked all over the Punjab, the North West Frontier Province, Afghanistan
and Iran
.
During this time, under the harsh rule of emperor Aurangzeb
, Non-Muslims(mostly Hindus and Sikhs) suffered a lot. Around 1665, Guru Teg Bahadur left Anandpur Sahib with his mother, Mata Nanaki and wife, Mata Gujri
and travelled eastwards through Uttar Pradesh
and Bihar
, preaching as he went. He travelled through Agra
, Allahabad
, Benares, Gaya
, and finally arrived at Patna
. Mata Gujri
, being in an advanced stage of pregnancy, could not go any further. Guru Teg Bahadur made suitable arrangements for his wife and mother in Patna and travelled eastwards to Bengal
and Assam
. He was in Dhaka
, when he heard the news of the birth of his son, Gobind Rai (Guru Gobind Singh), who was born at Patna on December 26, 1666. However, it was only after three years that Guru Teg Bahadur could join his family back in Patna again.
The Guru was at Patna when he received a distress call from Bhai Mati Das in Anandpur about the deteriorating condition in the North, particularly in Kashmir
, where Hindus were groaning under the atrocities perpetuated by its Mughal
Governor, Iftikhar Khan. The Guru rushed to Anandpur and from there began a tour of the Punjab to console the people and inspire courage in them.
On his return journey in June 1675, accompanied by Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das, Bhai Dyal Das, and a retinue of about 500 followers, he camped at Ropar before going to Agra. At Agra, Guru Teg Bahadur parted with his precious ring and shawl to get some sweets for his hungry followers. It is believed that the confectioner from whose shop these sweets were purchased reported to the police who were in search of the Guru. This led to his arrest,but however, according to other version of the incidence is that guru went to Delhi at the request of Kashmiri Brnhmins, who had begged before him that Aurangzeb has vowed that either all Kashmiri Brahmins convert to Islam or face imminent death and they requested the Guru to save their religion. Learning their plight, Guru decided to help them, and thus he went to Delhi.
After arrest, the Guru along with his disciples, was escorted to Delhi under the surveillance of 1,200 mounted soldiers to face trial for sedition against the emperor. At Delhi, the Qazi offered them two options: to embrace Islam
or to die. In response, they unanimously refused to convert.
Bhai Mati Das was bolted between two planks of wood and bifurcated into two from top to trunk with a saw by a commander called Altaf Khan on November 9, 1675. It is stated that when the execution began, Bhai Mati Das started reciting the Japji Sahib
and the voice continued to come from the two parts of his body till the prayer was completed.
Bhai Dyal Das was scalded to death in a cauldron of boiling water on November 10, 1675.
Guru Teg Bahadur was beheaded under a banyan tree (the trunk of the tree and well near-by where he took a bath are still preserved), opposite the Sunheri Masjid near the Kotwali in Chandni Chowk
where he was lodged as a prisoner, on November 11, 1675.
His head was carried by Bhai Jaita, a disciple of the Guru, to Anandpur where the nine-year old Guru Gobind Singh cremated it(The gurdwara
at this spot is also called Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib).The body, before it could be quartered, was stolen under the cover of darkness by Lakhi Shah Vanjara, another disciple who carried it in a cart of hay and cremated it by burning his hut. At this spot, the Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib
stands today. Later on, the Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib
, was built at Chandni Chowk at the site of Guru’s martyrdom.
In recognition of the devotion and supreme sacrifice made by Mati Das, Guru Teg Bahadur bestowed the title of Bhai on him. In course of time, all Chhibbers belonging to the village of Karyala adopted this title.
and was cremated on the banks of the river. Guru Gobind appointed his son, Gurbaksh Singh as the next Dewan. When Guru Gobind Singh left for the Deccan, Gurbaksh Singh retired to Amritsar. At the time of the invasion of Ahmed Shah Abdali, on the Harmandir Sahib
, the aged Bhai Gurbaksh Singh was killed.
The Chaupa Singh Rahit-nama was written by Chaupa Singh Chhibber in 1700 CE. He served the last three gurus. He was the care-taker and tutor of Guru Gobind Singh.
Bhai Kesar Singh Chhibber, son of Gurbaksh Singh, wrote 'Bansavalinama Dasan Patshahian Ka' his work in 1779 AD. He served Mata Sundari (wife of Guru Gobind Singh).
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. They are one of the seven clans of the Mohyal
Mohyal
Mohyal is the name of an endogamous ethnic group that originates from the Gandhara region and consists of seven Brahmin lineages of that area that left the usual priestly occupation of Brahmins long ago to serve as soldiers and in government services.The...
s who are Saraswat Brahmins of the Punjab. The other six clans are Bali, Bhimwal, Datt
Datt
Datt or Dutt is a Brahmin clan from the Punjab. They are one of the seven clans of the Mohyals who are Saraswat Brahmins of the Punjab. The six other clans are Bali, Bhimwal, Chhibber, Lau, Mohan and Vaid. Most Datts are Hindus, but like most Mohyals, many follow Sikhism and other religions as...
/Dutt, Lau, Mohan
Mohan (Mohyal)
Mohan is a famous Brahmin clan from the Punjab. They are one of the seven clans of the Mohyals who are Saraswat Brahmins of the Punjab. The six other clans are Bali, Bhimwal, Chhibber, Datt, Lau, and Vaid...
and Vaid
Vaid
Vaid is a Brahmin clan from the Punjab, one of the seven clans of the Mohyals. The words Vaid and Rajvaid are particularly used to denote medical professionals in Indian history.- Gotra :The gotra or founding lineage of the Vaids is Dhanvantari...
. Punjabi Brahmins other than Mohyals include Barahis (Twelvers), Bawanjais (Fifty-twoers) and Athwans (Eighters). Most Chhibbers are Hindus, but because they were closely associated with the Sikh Gurus
Sikh Gurus
The Sikh Gurus established Sikhism from over the centuries beginning in the year 1469. Sikhism was founded by the first guru, Guru Nanak, and subsequently, all in order were referred to as "Nanak", and as "Lights", making their teachings in the holy scriptures, equivalent...
, especially the ninth and tenth Gurus, Guru Teg Bahadur
Guru Teg Bahadur
Guru Tegh Bahadur became the 9th Guru of Sikhi on 20 March 1665, following in the footsteps of his grand-nephew, Guru Har Krishan. Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed on the orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi....
and Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
, many follow Sikhism
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
as well.
Chach and Dahir
There are indications in old textbooks that the Chhibbers lived in Mathura around 250 BC. In the 7th century AD Rai Narsingh Dev, a Chhibber patriarch was the Dewan(Prime Minister) in the ruling principality of Mathura. He had two sons named Chach and Nahar Singh. After the death of Narsingh Dev, his sons became disenchanted with Mathura and migrated to SindhSindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
. In Sindh, Chach got a job in the court of Raja Sahasi. Raja Sahasi discerned his latent qualities and appointed him as his prime minister. When Sahasi died without leaving any heir to succeed him, his queen, Rani Suhanadi, who was secretly in love with Chach, kept the news of his death a closely guarded secret to pre-empt intrigues of the many aspirants to the throne. She later married Chach and proclaimed him as the new ruler.
Chach is considered to be the founder of the Chhibber clan. Chhibber is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word `Shivi Var’, meaning a righteous person
Raja Chach died in 674 AD after ruling for forty years. His son, Dahir
Dahir
A Dahir is a Moroccan King's decree.-List of Dahirs:* August 12, 1913 - Criminal proceedings* March 11, 1915 - Education * November 17, 1915 - Creation of the 5-branch Seal of Solomon Flag of Morocco....
took over in 687 AD.Though he was a Brahmin, many of the citizens of his kingdom were Buddhists. His reign was shattered by the invasion of the army of the Umayyad
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four major Arab caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. It was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty, whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Although the Umayyad family originally came from the...
Caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
Al-Walid I of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. He sent his general, the seventeen-year old Muhammad bin Qasim
Muhammad bin Qasim
Muhammad bin Qasim Al-Thaqafi was a Umayyad general who, at the age of 17, began the conquest of the Sindh and Punjab regions along the Indus River for the Umayyad Caliphate. He was born in the city of Taif...
who besieged Debal
Debal
-Introduction:Debal was an ancient port located near modern Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. In Arabic, it was usually called Daybul it is adjacent to the nearby Manora Island and was administered by Mansura, and later Thatta....
, Dahir's capital.The Raja was defeated and killed by Qasim's forces at Roar(near present-day Nawabshah
Nawabshah
Nawabshah , or Shaheed Benazirabad, is a district in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is headquarter of Shaheed Benazir Abad District...
).
After Sindh, Qasim conquered Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
.
The exodus of the Chhibbers from Sindh took place at about the same time as that of the Datts from Arabia .
After the fall of Sindh, the descendants of Raja Dahir moved to the Punjab. They were helped in their rehabilitation by the king of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and established themselves in different places.
Timur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
invaded India in 1398. While on his way to Delhi, he pillaged and plundered Dipalpur and Bhatner, the stronghold of the Chhibbers, and indulged in carnage reminiscent of Mahmud Ghaznavi. The Chhibbers fled to Bikaner but finding no means of livelihood migrated to Ujjain
Ujjain
Ujjain , is an ancient city of Malwa region in central India, on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River , today part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative centre of Ujjain District and Ujjain Division.In ancient times the city was called Ujjayini...
. Though the brahmin king of Ujjain treated them with great hospitality, for some unknown reason they shifted to Jaunpur
Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh
Jaunpur is a city and a municipal board in Jaunpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.Jaunpur district is located to the northwest of the district of Varanasi in the eastern part of the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. According to the 2001 census, Jaunpur district had a population...
in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
.
Baba Praga
Praga Sain(probable transliteration: Prayag Sen)(1507—1638) laid the foundation of Karyala, which remained the home of the Chhibbers for 450 years till the Partition of IndiaPartition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947. Praga became a disciple of Guru Nanak Dev
Guru Nanak Dev
Guru Nanak was the founder of the religion of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. The Sikhs believe that all subsequent Gurus possessed Guru Nanak’s divinity and religious authority, and were named "Nanak" in the line of succession.-Early life:Guru Nanak was born on 15 April 1469, now...
. After Guru Nanak Dev, Baba Praga played an important part during the lifetime of the next five Gurus: Guru Angad Dev
Guru Angad Dev
Guru Angad Dev Ji was the second of the ten Sikh Gurus. He was born in the village of Sarae Naga in Muktsar district in Punjab, on 31 March 1504 and given the name Lehna shortly after his birth as was the custom of his Hindu parents. He was the son of a small successful trader named Pheru Mal...
, Guru Amar Das
Guru Amar Das
Guru Amar Das was the third of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and was given the title of Sikh Guru on 26 March 1552.-His life:...
, Guru Ram Das
Guru Ram Das
Guru Ram Das was the fourth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and was given the title of Sikh Guru on 30 August 1574.-Early life:Ram Das was born in Lahore, Punjab on 24 September 1534[1] to a Sodhi family of the Khatri clan. His father was Hari Das and his mother Anup Devi. His wife was Bibi Bhani,...
, Guru Arjan Dev
Guru Arjan Dev
Guru Arjan Dev Ji was the fifth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism. He was born in Goindval, Punjab, India, the youngest son of Guru Ram Das and Bibi Bhani, the daughter of Guru Amar Das. He became the Guru of the Sikhs on 1 September 1581 after the death of his father Guru Ram Das. Guru Arjan died in...
and Guru Har Gobind
Guru Har Gobind
Guru Hargobind Sahib, also Saccha Badshah was the sixth of the Sikh gurus and became Guru on 25 May 1606 following in the footsteps of his father Guru Arjan Dev. He was not, perhaps, more than eleven at his father's execution...
. In the year 1638, he fought with Paindah Khan , the Governor of Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
. Baba Praga was wounded and died on his return to Karyala. His samadhi
Samadhi
Samadhi in Hinduism, Buddhism,Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools is a higher level of concentrated meditation, or dhyāna. In the yoga tradition, it is the eighth and final limb identified in the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali....
stands on the outskirts of Karyala and another memorial was raised in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
at ‘Char Bagh’. The cross section beyond Sarai Guru Ram Das on the periphery of the Golden Temple Complex at Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
is named Chowk Praga Das after him.
Durga Das, Lakhi Das and Durga Mal
Praga Das' son, Durga Das was the Diwan of Guru Har Gobind and the seventh Guru, Guru Har RaiGuru Har Rai
Guru Har Rai was the seventh of ten living Gurus of the Sikhs who became Guru on 8 March 1644 following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Guru Har Gobind, who was the sixth guru. Before he died, he nominated five year old Har Krishan, his youngest son as the next Guru of the Sikhs...
. His son, Lakhi Das was anointed to the same post but he died soon afterwards and Durga Mal held that position until Guru Har Krishan
Guru Har Krishan
Guru Har Krishan was the eighth of the Eleven Gurus of Sikhism. He became Guru on 7 October 1661, succeeding his father, Guru Har Rai...
.
Mati Das
Guru Teg Bahadur founded Anandpur SahibAnandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib is a city in Rupnagar district in the state of Punjab, India. Known as "the holy City of Bliss," it is a holy city of the Sikhs and is one of their most important sacred places, closely linked with their religious traditions and history...
in the princely state of Bilaspur
Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh
Bilaspur is a city and a municipal council in Bilaspur district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India.-Geography:Bilaspur is located at . It has an average elevation of 673 metres . It is hot in summer and cold in winters. It rains mostly in July to august .It lies near the reservoir of...
(present-day Himachal Pradesh) in 1665. Mati Das
Bhai Mati Das
Bhai Mati Das Bhai Mati Das Bhai Mati Das (Punjabi: ਭਾਈ ਮਤੀ ਦਾਸ, is one of the greatest martyrs in Sikh history. He along with his younger brother Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dyal Das, all disciples of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, were executed along with him at the Kotwali(police-station)...
(son of Durga Mal), as Dewan of the Guru, carried on the administration from there. He also acted as the chief priest of the Vaishnava Matha
Matha
A matha ) is a term for monastic and similar religious establishments of Hinduism and Jainism. A matha is usually more formal, hierarchical, and rule-based than an ashram.-Advaita Mathas:...
at Karyala whose scholars worked all over the Punjab, the North West Frontier Province, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
During this time, under the harsh rule of emperor Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
, Non-Muslims(mostly Hindus and Sikhs) suffered a lot. Around 1665, Guru Teg Bahadur left Anandpur Sahib with his mother, Mata Nanaki and wife, Mata Gujri
Mata Gujri
Mata Gujri was the wife of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhism, and the mother of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhism...
and travelled eastwards through Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
and Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, preaching as he went. He travelled through Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
, Benares, Gaya
Gaya, India
Gaya is the second largest city of Bihar, India, and it is also the headquarters of Gaya District.Gaya is 100 kilometers south of Patna, the capital city of Bihar. Situated on the banks of Falgu River , it is a place sanctified by both the Hindu and the Buddhist religions...
, and finally arrived at Patna
Patna
Paṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
. Mata Gujri
Mata Gujri
Mata Gujri was the wife of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhism, and the mother of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhism...
, being in an advanced stage of pregnancy, could not go any further. Guru Teg Bahadur made suitable arrangements for his wife and mother in Patna and travelled eastwards to Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
and Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
. He was in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, when he heard the news of the birth of his son, Gobind Rai (Guru Gobind Singh), who was born at Patna on December 26, 1666. However, it was only after three years that Guru Teg Bahadur could join his family back in Patna again.
The Guru was at Patna when he received a distress call from Bhai Mati Das in Anandpur about the deteriorating condition in the North, particularly in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
, where Hindus were groaning under the atrocities perpetuated by its Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Governor, Iftikhar Khan. The Guru rushed to Anandpur and from there began a tour of the Punjab to console the people and inspire courage in them.
On his return journey in June 1675, accompanied by Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das, Bhai Dyal Das, and a retinue of about 500 followers, he camped at Ropar before going to Agra. At Agra, Guru Teg Bahadur parted with his precious ring and shawl to get some sweets for his hungry followers. It is believed that the confectioner from whose shop these sweets were purchased reported to the police who were in search of the Guru. This led to his arrest,but however, according to other version of the incidence is that guru went to Delhi at the request of Kashmiri Brnhmins, who had begged before him that Aurangzeb has vowed that either all Kashmiri Brahmins convert to Islam or face imminent death and they requested the Guru to save their religion. Learning their plight, Guru decided to help them, and thus he went to Delhi.
After arrest, the Guru along with his disciples, was escorted to Delhi under the surveillance of 1,200 mounted soldiers to face trial for sedition against the emperor. At Delhi, the Qazi offered them two options: to embrace Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
or to die. In response, they unanimously refused to convert.
Bhai Mati Das was bolted between two planks of wood and bifurcated into two from top to trunk with a saw by a commander called Altaf Khan on November 9, 1675. It is stated that when the execution began, Bhai Mati Das started reciting the Japji Sahib
Japji Sahib
Japji is a universal song of God composed by Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of the Sikh faith.Japji Sahib consists of the Mool Mantra as the beginning followed by 38 hymns and a final Salok at the end of this composition. The Japji appears at the very beginning of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Holy Book...
and the voice continued to come from the two parts of his body till the prayer was completed.
Bhai Dyal Das was scalded to death in a cauldron of boiling water on November 10, 1675.
Guru Teg Bahadur was beheaded under a banyan tree (the trunk of the tree and well near-by where he took a bath are still preserved), opposite the Sunheri Masjid near the Kotwali in Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk , originally meaning moonlit square or market, is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, now in central north Delhi, India...
where he was lodged as a prisoner, on November 11, 1675.
His head was carried by Bhai Jaita, a disciple of the Guru, to Anandpur where the nine-year old Guru Gobind Singh cremated it(The gurdwara
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara , meaning the Gateway to the Guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. A Gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib ....
at this spot is also called Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib).The body, before it could be quartered, was stolen under the cover of darkness by Lakhi Shah Vanjara, another disciple who carried it in a cart of hay and cremated it by burning his hut. At this spot, the Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib
Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib
The Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib is historic gurdwara near Parliament House in New Delhi. It was built in 1783, after Sikh military leader Baghel Singh captured Delhi, on 11 March 1783, and his brief stay in Delhi, lead to the construction of several Sikh religious shrines within the city...
stands today. Later on, the Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib
Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib
Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib, is one of the nine historical gurdwaras in Delhi. First established in 1783 by Baghel Singh to commemorate the martyrdom site the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur...
, was built at Chandni Chowk at the site of Guru’s martyrdom.
In recognition of the devotion and supreme sacrifice made by Mati Das, Guru Teg Bahadur bestowed the title of Bhai on him. In course of time, all Chhibbers belonging to the village of Karyala adopted this title.
Sahib Singh, Gurbaksh Singh, Kesar Singh and Chaupa Singh
Guru Gobind Singh appointed Bhai Sahib Singh (nephew of Bhai Mati Das),as his Dewan. He died in a war with Hatai Khan near the BeasBeas River
The Beas River is a river in the northern part of India. The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows for some 470 km to the Sutlej River in the Indian state of Punjab....
and was cremated on the banks of the river. Guru Gobind appointed his son, Gurbaksh Singh as the next Dewan. When Guru Gobind Singh left for the Deccan, Gurbaksh Singh retired to Amritsar. At the time of the invasion of Ahmed Shah Abdali, on the Harmandir Sahib
Harmandir Sahib
The Harmandir Sahib also Darbar Sahib , also referred to as the Golden Temple, is a prominent Sikh gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab . Construction of the gurdwara was begun by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, and completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Dev...
, the aged Bhai Gurbaksh Singh was killed.
The Chaupa Singh Rahit-nama was written by Chaupa Singh Chhibber in 1700 CE. He served the last three gurus. He was the care-taker and tutor of Guru Gobind Singh.
Bhai Kesar Singh Chhibber, son of Gurbaksh Singh, wrote 'Bansavalinama Dasan Patshahian Ka' his work in 1779 AD. He served Mata Sundari (wife of Guru Gobind Singh).
See also
- Forward Castes
- Brahmins
- DattDattDatt or Dutt is a Brahmin clan from the Punjab. They are one of the seven clans of the Mohyals who are Saraswat Brahmins of the Punjab. The six other clans are Bali, Bhimwal, Chhibber, Lau, Mohan and Vaid. Most Datts are Hindus, but like most Mohyals, many follow Sikhism and other religions as...
- MohanMohan (Mohyal)Mohan is a famous Brahmin clan from the Punjab. They are one of the seven clans of the Mohyals who are Saraswat Brahmins of the Punjab. The six other clans are Bali, Bhimwal, Chhibber, Datt, Lau, and Vaid...
- VaidVaidVaid is a Brahmin clan from the Punjab, one of the seven clans of the Mohyals. The words Vaid and Rajvaid are particularly used to denote medical professionals in Indian history.- Gotra :The gotra or founding lineage of the Vaids is Dhanvantari...
- Bhai Dyal Das
- Bhai Mati DasBhai Mati DasBhai Mati Das Bhai Mati Das Bhai Mati Das (Punjabi: ਭਾਈ ਮਤੀ ਦਾਸ, is one of the greatest martyrs in Sikh history. He along with his younger brother Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dyal Das, all disciples of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, were executed along with him at the Kotwali(police-station)...
- Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadar
- MohyalMohyalMohyal is the name of an endogamous ethnic group that originates from the Gandhara region and consists of seven Brahmin lineages of that area that left the usual priestly occupation of Brahmins long ago to serve as soldiers and in government services.The...
- Bhai Paramanand