Guru Angad Dev Ji

Guru Angad Dev Ji was born Bhai Lehna in 1504 and was a devout Hindu worshipper of the goddess Durga before meeting Guru Nanak Dev Ji at Kartarpur. His unmatched obedience and service, demonstrated through various tests, led Guru Nanak to rename him “Angad” (meaning “a limb” or “part of the body”) and appoint him as the successor over his own sons, ensuring the Guruship was based on merit and devotion. His most revolutionary contribution was the standardization and popularization of the Gurmukhi script, which literally means “from the Gurus mouth.” This move broke the monopoly of Sanskrit and Persian held by religious and political elites, promoting widespread literacy and giving the Sikh community its own distinct, accessible literary medium. Guru Angad Dev Ji diligently collected Guru Nanak hymns and added 63 of his own compositions (Saloks) to the growing body of Gurbani. He significantly expanded the Langar system, ensuring Mata Khivi Ji, his wife, personally supervised the serving of meals to promote gender and caste equality. He further strengthened the Sangat (congregation) by establishing hundreds of new Sikh religious centers. He strongly believed in the principle of a sound mind in a sound body. He opened schools to teach the Gurmukhi script and started the tradition of Mall Akharas (wrestling arenas) where physical and spiritual training were imparted. This emphasis on physical discipline laid the foundation for the communitys future resilience. By documenting the life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji from accounts gathered from Bhai Bala Ji, he protected the founders life story and teachings from corruption and misinterpretation. This ensured the ideological purity of the nascent faith during a crucial, formative period.