Let us learn about about Guru Gobind Sing Jayanti

Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti was celebrated on 2nd of January this year. On this day, devotees visit the gurudwara to offer their prayers. Large processions are organised. They sing devotional songs and share food with each other. 

Talk to your kids about the following facts related to the festival to help them build their general knowledge:

1. Guru Gobind Sing Ji Maharaj is the 10th guru of the Sikhs. He was born in Patna and as per the Nanakshahi calendar, his birth anniversary falls on January 2 this year. He was a poet and writer. He declared the Holy Scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib as the permanent Guru of the Sikhs.

2. Guru Gobind Singh Ji introduced the five ‘K’s namely: 

   • Kesh (uncut hair): which means to leave the hair uncut to show acceptance to the form God intended humans to be. 

   • Kangha (wooden comb): as a symbol of cleanliness. 

   • Kara (an iron or steel bracelet worn on the wrist): as a mark to remind a Khalsa of self-restraint. 

   • Kirpan (sword): to defend oneself and the weak and oppressed from all religions, castes and creeds.

   • Kacchera (short breeches): to be worn by a Khalsa for always being ready to go into battle on horseback. 

3. He became a Sikh guru at the tender age of 9 years. He ascended after his father Guru Teg Bahadur accepted martyrdom in the hands of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb to protect the Kashmiri Hindus.

4. As a child, he learnt many languages like Sanskrit, Urdu, Hindi, Braj, Gurmukhi and Persian. He also learned martial arts to become adept in combat.

5. Guru Gobindji's hometown was the city of Anandpur Sahib in Punjab. 

6. He founded the Paonta Sahib Gurudwara and preached about the Sikh principles. Paonta Sahib remains an important pilgrim site for Sikhs. 

7. In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh gathered his followers to his home in Anandpur. He asked for five volunteers to sacrifice their head for their brothers. The five volunteers were Daya Ram, Dharam Das, Himmat Rai, Mohkam Chand, and Sahib Chand. They were the first Sikhs.

8. At the gathering of 1699, Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa Vani - "Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji ki Fateh". He named all his followers with the title Singh, meaning lion. 

9. After repeated conflicts with Garwali and Mughal leaders, Guru Gobind Singh wrote a letter (Zafarnama) to Aurangzeb reminding him of the misdeed the Mughals had done to the Sikhs. He fought against the Mughals later in the battle of Muktsar in 1705.

10. After Aurangzeb's death, the next Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah was friendly with Guru Gobind at first. He named the Guru as Hind Ka Pir or the Saint of India. But later on, Bahadur Shah was influenced by Wazir Khan, Nawab of Sirhind, to attack the Sikh community. Wazir Khan sent two Pathan assassins to attack the Guru during his sleep. They tried to stab Guru Gobind Singh in his sleep. The Guru killed Jamshed, the attacker, with his sword, while other Sikh brothers killed Beg.

Guru Gobind Singh named Guru Granth Sahib, the religious text of the Khalsa and the Sikhs, as the next Guru of the two communities. He left his bodily form on October 7 in 1708.

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