Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji

Born in Amritsar in 1621, he was known as Tyag Mal (Master of Renunciation) in his youth due to his deep meditation and detachment. He was appointed as the ninth Guru after being identified by the Sikh Baba Makhan Shah Lubana through the famous phrase “Guru Ladho Re” (“The Guru has been found”), fulfilling the prophecy of the previous Guru. After the death of his father, he moved to his mothers ancestral village of Bakala and engaged in deep spiritual practice. This intensive meditation prepared him spiritually and morally for the immense challenges he would face during the rise of Mughal religious intolerance. His poetic compositions are noted for their deep philosophical insight, exploring themes of detachment, courage, and the necessity of remembering Gods Name to overcome fear and sorrow. His Saloks are recited at the conclusion of the Guru Granth Sahib. Faced with growing animosity in Punjab, he purchased land and founded Anandpur Sahib in 1665. This strategically located city became a major spiritual and political center for the Sikhs and later served as the birthplace of the Khalsa under Guru Gobind Singh Ji. This ultimate sacrifice, executed publicly at Chandni Chowk, Delhi, on the orders of Emperor Aurangzeb, was made not for his own faith, but for the fundamental right of others to practice theirs. This selfless act of standing up for human rights against tyranny earned him the title “Shield of India”. The site of his martyrdom is marked by Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib.