Legend of the Ten Sikh Gurus

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Guru ji mastered Punjabi, Sanskrit and Persian at an early age and in childhood revolted against ritualism, caste, prejudices, hypocrisy and idolatry.

He regarded Hindus and Muslims as equals and referred to himself as neither Hindu nor Muslim but as a brother to all those who believed in God and truth.

He was born in 1504 .Guru Angad invented and introduced the Gurmukhi (written form of Punjabi) script and made it known to all Sikhs.

The scripture of Guru Granth Sahib Ji is written in Gurmukhi. This scripture is also the basis of Punjabi language. Guru Angad was a model of self-less service to his Sikhs and showed them the way to devotional prayers.

Guru Amar Das ji

He was born in 1479.  Guru Amardas took up cudgels of spirituality to fight against caste restrictions, caste prejudices and the curse of untouchability.

He strengthened the tradition of the free kitchen, Guru Ka Langar (started by Guru Nanak), and made his disciples, whether rich or poor, whether high born or low born (according to the Hindu caste system), have their meals together sitting in one place.

He thus established social equality amongst the people. Guru Amardas introduced the Anand Karaj marriage ceremony for the Sikhs, replacing the Hindu form.

He also completely abolished amongst the Sikhs, the custom of Sati, in which a married woman was forced to burn herself and die with the funeral of her husband. The custom of Paradah, in which a woman covered her face with a veil, was also done away with.

Guru Ram Das ji

The temple remains open on all sides and at all times to every one.

This indicates that the Sikhs believe in One God who has no partiality for any particular place, direction or time.

He compiled the Adi Granth, the scriptures of the Sikhs, and wrote the Sukhmani Sahib. To make it a universal teaching, Guru ji included in it hymns of Muslim saints as well those of low-caste pariah saints who were never permitted to enter various temples.

Guru Arjan Dev built Sri Darbar Sahib also known as Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Sri Darbar Sahib welcomes all without discrimination, which is symbolised by the four doors that are open in four directions.  Guru ji became the first great martyr in Sikh history when Emperor Jahangir ordered execution.

Guru Har Gobind ji

Guru ji taught that it was necessary to take up the sword in order to protect the weak and the oppressed.  Guru ji was first among Gurus to take up arms to defend the faith.  At that time it was only emperors who were allowed to sit on a raised platform, called a takhat or throne. 

At the age of 13, Guru Hargobind erected Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, ten feet above the ground and adorned two swords, Miri and Piri, representing temporal and spiritual power.

Guru ji cautiously avoided conflict with Emperor Aurangzeb and devoted his efforts to missionary work. 

He also continued the grand task of nation building initiated by Guru Hargobind.

Guru Har Krishan ji

To the Sikhs he proved to be the symbols of service, purity and truth. The Guru gave his life while serving and healing the epidemic-stricken people in Delhi.

Anyone who invokes Him with a pure heart has no difficulties whatsoever in their life.

Guru Teg Bahadur ji

He established the town of Anandpur. The Guru laid down his life for the protection of Hindus, their Tilak (devotional mark painted on the forehead) and their sacred thread. He was a firm believer in the right of people to the freedom of worship.

It was for this cause that he faced martyrdom for the defence of the down-trodden Hindus. So pathetic was the torture of Guru Tegh Bahadur that his body had to be cremated clandestinely at Delhi while his head was taken four hundred kilometers away to Anandpur Sahib for cremation.

He was born in 1666 and became Guru after the martyrdom of his father Guru Tegh Bahadur.

He created the Khalsa (The Pure Ones) in 1699, changing the Sikhs into a saint-soldier order with special symbols and sacraments for protecting themselves. He fought many wars against Aurangzeb's forces.

Thus the tree whose seed was planted by Guru Nanak, came to fruition when Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa, and on 3 October 1708, appointed Guru Granth Sahib as the Guru. He commanded: "Let all bow before my successor, Guru Granth. The Word is the Guru now."

Guru Granth Sahib ji

The Granth was written in Gurmukhi script and it contains the actual words and verses as uttered by the Sikh Gurus.

It is considered the Supreme Spiritual Authority and Head of the Sikh religion, rather than any living person. It is also the only scripture of it's kind which not only contains the works of it's own religious founders but also writings of people from other faiths. 

The living Guru of the Sikhs, the book is held in great reverence by Sikhs and treated with the utmost respect.

Guru Granth Sahib is a book of Revelation. It conveys the Word of the Master through His messengers on earth. It is universal in its scope.

The greatness of Guru Granth Sahib lies not only in its being the Holy Scripture of the Sikhs but also in it being a general scripture available to mankind, intended for everybody, everywhere.