Paying Obeisance to Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib on His 369th Birth Anniversary on July 19, 2025      

Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib (1656-1664) the eighth Guru or prophet teacher of the

Sikhs was the younger son of Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib (1630-1661) the seventh

Guru of the Sikhs and Mata Krishan Kaur Ji. According to the Indian calendar (which

is lunisolar) he was born on Vadi 10 (8 Sawan), Bikrami – 1713, but according to the

Gregorian Calendar on July 7, 1656. But since in Sikh religion the historical dates

are celebrated (observed) according to the Indian Calendar and not the Gregorian

Calendar, therefore every year this date changes. This year i.e., in 2025 369th Birth

Anniversary of Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib is being celebrated on 19 July, 2025. He

was born on 7 July, 1656 at Kiratpur Sahib which falls in the present day Ropar

district of Punjab. Since his very childhood, he had a religious bent of mind and

interests.

At this time the four sons of Emperor Shah Jehan-Dara, Shujah, Aurangzeb and

Murad were fighting to ascend the throne of Delhi. Out of these Sri Guru Har Rai

Sahib helped Dara which annoyed Aurangzeb. Finally, when Aurangzeb came to

power he sent a message to Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib to come to Delhi to explain his

position. Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib sent his elder son Ram Rai in his place along with

his minister Dargah Mall. Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib instructed Ram Rai to remain

fearless, speak the truth and not show any miracles. On reaching Delhi to please

Aurangzeb Ram Rai distorted the bani of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. When Aurangzeb

asked Ram Rai as to why Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji had insulted the Muslims by

writing "Mitee Musalmaan Ki"(SGGS, page 466) Ram Rai deliberately distorted

the hymn of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and said the words are 'Mitee Beimaan Ki".  

Ram Rai also showed miracles. He made alive a ram, rode an amuck elephant, told

a person what he had eaten, showed stars during the day, unlocked locks without a

key etc. He showed as many as fifty-two miracles. Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib got

annoyed with Ram Rai because he had distorted the hymn of Sri Guru Nanak Dev

Ji.He anathematized him and sent a message to him that he should not show his

face to him. Because of this fact Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib chose his younger son Har

Krishan Ji as his successor ignoring his elder son Ram Rai. Thus the main reason

why Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib chose Har Krishan Ji as his successor was the fact that

Ram Rai had distorted the hymn of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. On 6 October 1661 he

conferred Guruship on his younger son Har Krishan Ji who was only five years

old at that time. Thus, Har Krishan Ji became the eighth Guru of the Sikhs.

In appreciation of the young Guru, Bhai Santokh Singh, in his monumental book Sri

Gur Pratap Suraj Granth says, "The early morning sun looks small in size, but its

light is everywhere. So was young Guru Har Krishan's fame without limit." This

shows that Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib was spiritually as sound as an adult. He

imparted true knowledge to his followers. He had the ability to explain

passages from Sri Guru Granth Sahib (the Holy Granth of the Sikhs) with

clarity.

Taking advantage of the young age of Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib, Ram Rai

declared himself as the Guru on his own and gave him many troubles . Ram Rai

asked Aurangzeb to help him in snatching Guruship from Sri Guru Har Krishan

Sahib. Aurangzeb summoned Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib to Delhi through Raja Jai

Singh of Amber (Jaipur). Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib left for Delhi along with his

mother Mata Sulakkhani Ji and his grand-mother Mata Bassi Ji. On his way to Delhi

after travelling through Ropar, Banur, Rajpura and Ambala, on the third day of the

journey he reached the village Panjokhra, which is 10 km north-east of Ambala city

along the Ambala-Naraingarh Road. At this place he was informed that Sikh Sangats

were coming from Peshawar (now in Pakistan), Kabul (now in Afghanistan) and

Kashmir to pay their obeisance. Thus, he decided to stay at Panjokhra for a day. In

this village a very learned but proud Pandit (scholar) named Lal Chand came to see

him and spoke insultingly saying that "It is said that you sit on the gaddi of Sri Guru

Nanak Dev Ji. But what do you know of the old religious texts." Incidentally, at this

time Chhajju Ram, an illiterate, dumb, dark skinned Jheevar (water carrier) by caste

who was carrying a bundle of hay on his head happened to pass by them. Sri Guru

Har Krishan Sahib asked Chhajju Ram to explain the gist of the Bhagwat Gita, the

sacred book of the Hindus. To the astonishment of all who were present there,

Chhajju Ram quickly and clearly explained the gist of this sacred book. Pandit Lal

Chand felt ashamed and overcame his pride. He and Chhajju Ram became Sri Guru

Har Krishan Sahib's disciples and accompanied him upto Kurukshetra, Haryana.

Pandit Lal Chand later adopted Sikhism. In Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji's time he

was renamed as Lal Singh. He died as a Sikh warrior in the battle of Chamkaur

Sahib on 7 December 1705. Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib stayed at Panjokhra for   

three days. Upto Panjokhra a large number of Sikhs had accompanied him. But

on reaching here except for a selected few, he asked them to go back.

It may be mentioned that in Panjokhra at the spot consecrated by Sri Guru Har

Krishan Sahib, a memorial has been raised in his honour which is named as

Gurdwara Panjokhra Sahib which constitutes a vast complex including a double

storey sanctum, an enclosed sarovar, Guru Ka Langar (Community Kitchen),

buildings for the staff and pilgrims who visit the Gurdwara from far and near

throughout the year especially during Magh sudi 7 to 9, the days of stay of Guru

Sahib at this place which falls in January or February.

On reaching Delhi Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib stayed in the bungalow of Raja

Jai Singh of Amber (Jaipur). He was asked by Aurangzeb's courtiers to meet

Aurangzeb. On 25 March, 1664 he met Aurangzeb, who had pre-planned a trial

for him. Two large trays were brought before him, one of these had expensive

clothes, toys and ornaments and the other had a holy man's cloak and a cowl.

Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib accepted the second one which had a cloak and a

cowl. Aurangzeb called Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib a second time with the intention

to ask him to perform some miracles. Guru Sahib had an inkling as to why the

Emperor wanted to see him a second time. Since he believed that no one should

show miracles because it involved disturbing the law of nature he refused to see the

Emperor.

At this time, in Delhi smallpox was ravaging. Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib took

lot of pains to take care of the smallpox ridden people. As a result of his

strenuous involvement in this activity, he himself was inflicted with this disease. All

his disciples became very sad. As reported by Bhai Santokh Singh in his book Sri

Gur Pratap Suraj Granth his mother Mata Krishan Kaur Ji said to him "Son, you

occupy the gaddi of Guru Nanak. You are the dispeller of the world's sorrow and

suffering. Your very sight removes the ailments of others. Why do you lie sick now."

Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib promptly replied, "He who has taken this mortal frame

must go through sickness and disease. Both happiness and suffering are part of life.

What is ordained must happen. This is what Guru Nanak taught. Whatever one does

is in accordance with His order. One must live in the light of His command."

After falling ill, Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib moved out of Raja Jai Singh's bungalow

to a place on the bank of Yamuna river. The Sikhs by this time had become very

desperate. As reported by Bhai Santokh Singh, Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib

instructed them that 'Guru Nanak's throne is eternal. It is everlasting and will

continue to command ever increasing honor. The Granth is the Lord of all. He who

wants to see me let him with faith and love see the Granth. Thus he will shed

all his sins. He who wishes to communicate with the Guru, let him read the Granth

with devotion. He who practises its teachings will obtain all the four padaraths

(materials). He who has faith gains everything. He who is without faith acquires but  

little. None in this world lives forever. The body is mortal. In the Granth abides the

Guru's spirit. Daily bow your head before the Granth. In this way you will conquer

your passions and attain liberation."

At the site of the bungalow of Raja Jai Singh, where Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib

stayed when summoned to Delhi by Emperor Aurangzeb now stands a stately

Gurdwara Bangla Sahib. This Gurdwara was initially established in 1783 by Sardar

Baghel Singh. The birth anniversary of Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib is celebrated

every year all over the world by Sikh Sangats but especially in Gurdwara Bangla

Sahib with great pomp and show. This year i.e. in 2025 his 369

th Birth

Anniversary is being celebrated on July 19

th by the Sikh Sangat all over the

world.

Because Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib tendered to all smallpox stricken patients

irrespective of their religion, being impressed by his humanitarian outlook the

Muslims of Delhi nick named him Bala Pir (child prophet). That is why the Gurdwara

raised at the site of his cremation has come to be called Gurdwara Bala Sahib

which falls between Mathura Road and the bent of Ring Road in Delhi.

Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib left for his heavenly abode on March 30, 1664. Just

before leaving for his heavenly abode Sri Guru Har Krishan Sahib asked his

attendants to bring the ceremonial marks of succession and uttered the words "Baba

Bakale" i.e. the next Guru is in the town of Bakala which now falls in Amritsar district

of Punjab. Thus he declared Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib as the next Sikh

Guru. Mata Bassi Ji, the grandmother of Guru Sahib asked Bhai Gurdas Ji of the

family of Bhai Bahilo Ji to start the reading of the Holy Granth in his sacred memory.

DHAN DHAN SRI GURU HAR KRISHAN SAHIB!  

Dr Amrit Kaur, Retd. Professor, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India.