Guru Tegh Bahadur: Death anniversary observed

          Amritsar: Devotees paid homage to the ninth Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur on the occasion of his 330th death anniversary all across the country on Thursday. The Sikh community offered prayers for the guru who sacrificed his life in 1675 while upholding Sikh rights. People in large numbers thronged the Golden Temple to pay homage and to take a dip in the tank of the Harmindar Sahib, which is considered an auspicious moment among Sikhs. On the occasion, Avtar Singh Makad, SGPC president, said: "Today is a very important day when we are observing the death anniversary of the Sikh Guru who sacrificed his life facing the atrocities of the Britishers while fighting for the freedom of religion." He further said that the people all over India were celebrating this day with great fervor by paying homage to the Guru.

         Guru Tegh Bahadur was the youngest son of Guru Hargobind and Bibi Nanki. He was born in Amritsar on April 1, 1621. From a young age Tegh Bahadur was trained in the martial arts of swordsmanship and horse riding as well as religious training by the wise Baba Buddha and Bhai Gurdas. Married in February 1633 to Gujari, Tegh Bahadur spent his early youth fighting battles alongside his father. After a bloody battle at Kartarpur in 1634, Tegh Bahadur turned to the path of renunciation and meditation. When Guru Hargobind settled down at Kiratpur to live the rest of his life in peace, Tegh Bahadur spent nine years with his father before settling down at the isolated village of Bakala in 1656 and retired to a life of contemplation. He became known as Tyag Mal meaning the Master of Renunciation . Here Tegh Bahadur would spend many long years in meditation and prayer. Guru Hargobind did not choose Tegh Bahadur as his successor because the Sikhs needed a leader of men, something still lacking in his young son, who had now chosen a path of renunciation. Instead Guru Hargobind chose Guru Har Rai his grandson as his natural successor. Guru Har Rai in turn chose his youngest son Guru Harkrishan as his successor. When Guru Harkrishan had suddenly fallen ill at Delhi in 1664, before his death, being too weak to move or speak the Guru had said his successor was 'Baba Bakala'. Accompanied by his wife and mother Guru Tegh Bahadur traveled across the country. The Guru traveled throughout Punjab, wherever he would stop the Guru would get wells dug for the people and community kitchens set up. Guru Tegh Bahadur continued his tour through Haryana and arrived at Delhi. Here the Guru met the congregations of Delhi who came out in large numbers to see the Guru. Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb was away from Delhi at this time. Guru Tegh Bahadur then continued his mission of preaching to the masses, visiting Kurekshetra, Agra, Ittawa and Allahabad. The Sikh Gurus always believed in the freedom of religion and the right of the Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs to live in peace and practice their own religions and when this was threatened by Aurangzeb through his various edicts against what he called the infidels, Guru Tegh Bahadur challenged him.

         Aurangzeb had him arrested and brought to Delhi. When brought before Aurangzeb, he was asked why he was hailed as the Guru or prophet and called Sacha Padsah (the True King) and if he really believed in his being one he should perform a miracle to justify his claim. Guru Tegh Bahadur reprimanded the emperor for his blind orthodoxy and his persecution of other faiths, "Hinduism may not be my faith, and I may believe not in the supremacy of Veda or the Brahmins, nor in idol worship or caste or pilgrimages and other rituals, but I would fight for the right of all Hindus to live with honour and practice their faith according to their own rites. Every ruler of the world must pass away, but not the Word of God or His Saint. This is how people not only call me a True King but have done so through the two centuries before me in respect of my House and also in respect of others who preceded them and identified themselves not with the temporal and the contingent, but with the eternal and the ever dying," Tegh Bahadur said. The Guru refused to perform any miracles saying, "this is the work of charlatans and mountebanks to hoodwink the people. Men of God submit ever to the Will of God." He also refused to embrace Islam, saying "For me, there is only one religion - of God - and whosoever belongs to it, be he a Hindu or a Muslim, him I own and he owns me. I neither convert others by force, nor submit to force, to change my faith." Aurangzeb was enraged and ordered Guru Tegh Bahadur to be forced to convert to Islam through torture or be killed. Guru Tegh Bahadur was subjected to many cruelties, he was kept in an iron cage and starved for many days. The Guru bore these cruelties without flinching or showing any anger or distress. Finally on November 11, 1675 Guru Tegh Bahadur was publicly beheaded with the sword of the executioner as he prayed.
Nov 24, 2005

Kartik Purnima: Devotees take holy dip in Varanasi

          Varanasi/Bhubaneswar: Hindus converged at Varanasi on Tuesday to take a holy dip in the Ganga on the occasion of Kartik Purnima. Women kept fast and prayed to Lord Shiva as part of the festival rituals. Women believe that a fast on this auspicious day will give a long-life to their husbands and protect the family from evil. Devotees also believe that their sins are washed away if they bath in the river on this auspicious day. "Today is "Kartik purnima" and it is said that on this auspicious day, our sins will be washed away if we bath in the Ganges. Also there is a special significance on bathing here in Kashi Vishwanath (temple)," said Sudha Rani, a devotee. "There is a lot of importance attached to this place, in fact bathing here is more special. Though people all over India celebrate "Purnima" or full moon day as part of completion of a month's ritual, Varanasi has a special significance," said Dharamdeo, a priest. The unique relationship between the sacred river and the city is the essence of Varanasi or the "land of sacred light". Legend has it that Ganges descended to earth from heaven to wash away the worldly sins of mankind. Situated between the two tributaries of the Ganges - Varuna to the north and Asi to the south - the city has attained immortality.

          Meanwhile, a colourful boat festival was also held in Orissa to mark Kartik Purnima. Hundreds of Hindu devotees in Orissa converged on the Paradip port to celebrate the "Boita Bandana ceremony" (boat worshipping ceremony), which is celebrated on the occasion of Full Moon Day. During the ceremony, which brings back the memories of the state's glorious maritime past, people float miniature boats with lamps burning inside them. "Legend says that whenever people from this state went for business trips in ships, they were given a send off by lighting boats. Though people no more go for trading in ships but the tradition is maintained and people light boats," said Pankaj Amar, a visitor. "As part of the rituals, we put betel leaves on the banana stems and add other items like flowers, money and lamp. Then we release them in the water," said Rashmi Patnaik, another devotee. The Full Moon Day was the day the ancient traders used to embark on sea voyages to the countries like Bali, Java and Sumatra. The sea traders of Orissa had established colonies in these islands for business and commercial purpose. The locals have another tale to say in relation with the boat worshipping ceremony. Legend has it that seven trader brothers entrusted their wives to take care of their only sister Tapoi, before they left for a voyage. Tapoi was tortured by her sister-in-laws and was about to be thrown into the sea, but the timely arrival of her brothers saved her.
Nov 15, 2005

Guru Nanak's 536th birth anniversary celebrated
by Maya Singh/Ravinder Singh Robin

         New Delhi/ Amritsar: The Sikh community organised special early morning processions and sang devotional hymns to mark the 536th birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, on Tuesday. Gurdwaras across the country were decorated with flowers, flags and posters depicting various aspects of the Sikh faith. Devotees held congregations in several areas where special prayers, musical recitation of hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib and religious lectures were on as part of the day-long celebrations. People also took dips in holy rivers and lakes. Tuesday is also being celebrated as Kartik Purnima, the full moon day in the auspicious `Kartik` month of the Hindu calendar. In Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, about 500,000 devotees took a holy dip in the River Saryu and offered prayers at various temples, including at a makeshift temple in the acquired land, Kanak Bhawan, Hanuman Garhi and Nageshwarnath Shiva temples amidst tight security. Dressed in their colourful best, Sikhs, including women and children recalled Guru Nanak`s message of peace, love and brotherhood. They also participated in kar seva` at Langars or community kitchens at gurudwaras, besides distributing sweets on the occasion. In Punjab, devotees took dip in sacred sarovars at Golden Temple in Amritsar, Gurudwara Darbar Sahib at Muktsar, Damdama Sahib (Talwandi Sabo) and Guru Ka Dhab in Bathinda. In Delhi the main congregations were at the Rakab Ganj and Bangla Sahib Gurudwaras. Forty-eight-hour continuous readings from beginning to end of the Sikh holy scriptures ended at almost every gurdwara early morning in traditional ceremonies marking the event. The President, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh have extended their greetings to their countrymen on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti.

         Amritsar: Thousands of devout Sikhs took part in a procession on Monday in Amritsar on the eve of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. Devotees in Amritsar, the birthplace of Guru Hargobind, paid obeisance at the Golden temple, the Sikh holiest shrine. The devotees led by the Panch Pyaras (five devout disciples) marched through the city streets, carrying the symbolic swords and flags that the faith had evolved while trying to sustain the faith in the face of opposition from the Islam following Mughal invaders. "Sikhs are celebrating the Gurpurab with great zeal. Today, the followers who have come from far places will take bath in the holy water here in Amritsar, the hometown of Guru Ramdas ji. With the grace of God, people from far places have come here to celebrate the occasion," Amarjit Singh, a devotee who walked along others singing devotional hymns, said. Guru Nanak Dev was born in 1469 in the then Punjab region of undivided Indian subcontinent. Troubled by frequent conflicts between Hindu and Muslim communities, he tried to work out a synthesis of the two religions. His mission gained popularity among the masses and eventually evolved into the Sikh religion. After his death in 1539, his disciples, who became Gurus or teachers in their turn, succeeded him.
Nov 15, 2005

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