When and where was Guru Gobind Singh born?
Guru Gobind Singh was born on the 22nd of December 1666 in Patna, Bihar. His birth name was Gobind Das, and a shrine named Takht Sri Patna Harimandar Sahib marks the site of the house where he was born.
Questions about Guru Gobind Singh
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is the Khalsa and when did Guru Gobind Singh found it?
The Khalsa is the Sikh warrior community founded by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 at Anandpur during Vaisakhi. He initiated the first five members, called the Panj Pyare, through a ceremony using Amrit, a mixture of water and sugar stirred with a double-edged sword, accompanied by recitations from the Adi Granth.
What are the Five Ks introduced by Guru Gobind Singh?
Guru Gobind Singh introduced five articles of faith for Khalsa Sikhs: Kesh (uncut hair), Kangha (a wooden comb), Kara (an iron or steel bracelet), Kirpan (a sword), and Kacchera (short breeches). These are worn at all times by initiated Khalsa Sikhs.
How did Guru Gobind Singh's sons die?
All four of Guru Gobind Singh's sons died during his lifetime. His elder sons, Ajit Singh aged 17 and Jujhar Singh aged 13, were killed in the Battle of Chamkaur in December 1704. His younger sons, Zorawar Singh aged nine and Fateh Singh aged six, were captured by the Mughal governor Wazir Khan and bricked alive into a wall around the 26th and the 27th of December 1704 after refusing to convert to Islam.
What is the Zafarnama written by Guru Gobind Singh?
The Zafarnama, meaning epistle of victory, is a letter Guru Gobind Singh wrote in Persian to Emperor Aurangzeb after all four of his sons had been killed. The letter accused the emperor and his commanders of lacking morality, breaking promises of safe passage, and conducting war unjustly. It predicted that the Mughal Empire would collapse because of its persecution and falsehood.
How did Guru Gobind Singh die?
Guru Gobind Singh was assassinated at Nanded by Jamshed Khan, an Afghan commissioned by Wazir Khan, the Nawab of Sirhind. Jamshed Khan stabbed him twice near the heart. Gobind Singh fought back and killed the assassin, but died of his wounds on the 7th of October 1708.