Sikh Missionary Society U.K. (Regd)
10, Featherstone Road.
Southall, Middx, U.K. UB2 5AA
Tel: +44 020 8574
1902
Fax: +44 020 8574
1912
Reg Charity No: 262404
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Sikh Missionary Society U.K. (Regd)
10, Featherstone Road.
Southall, Middx, U.K. UB2 5AA
Tel: +44 020 8574
1902
Fax: +44 020 8574
1912
Reg Charity No: 262404
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The Seat of Learning
"I am exalted, because ye, O my people, have exalted me."After disposing the dead bodies of the Sikh martyrs, Guru Gobind Singh left Muktsar. He visited many villages in the vicinity and wherever he went, he administered baptism to large numbers of people. When he reached the village of Chhatiana, a well-known Muslim saint, Abraham Wehmi, came to him and begged for baptism. After embracing Sikhism, he was renamed Ajmer Singh. Many followers of Ibrahim also accepted Sikhism.
(Guru Gobind Singh)
From Chhatiana the Guru proceeded further through many villages, showering blessings on the crowds of people who thronged from every corner to have a glimpse of him. When the Guru entered the estate owned by Chaudhri Dalla, he was met by four hundred strong men and welcomed by Chaudhri Dalla himself. Dalla took him to Talwandi Sabo Ki, where he lived. Guru Tegh Bahadur, on his way to Assam, had sanctified the Malwa tract and stayed at Sabo Ki Talwandi for a couple of days. Guru Gobind Singh encamped outside this town. It later came to be known as Damdama Sahib (A Resting Place).
To enlarge the organization of the Khalsa Panth, the Guru made a tour of the neighbouring villages. According to Dr. Trumpp 120,000 people received the baptism of the double-edged sword, and became members of the Khalsa brotherhood. Chaudhri Dalla and his men also took Amrit and joined the Khalsa Panth.
When Wazir Khan. The Viceroy of Sirhind learned that the Guru was at Sabo Ki Talwandi, he sent a letter to Chaudhri Dalla asking him to hand over Guru Gobind Singh to him on pain of death. Wazir Khan promised a big fortune to Dalla if he obeyed. He threatened severe punishment if he did not. Neither could the bribe tempt Dalla nor could threats frighten him. He wrote back that if Wazir Khan again committed the folly of making an armed attack on the Guru, he would meet no better fate than before. Wazir Khan found himself helpless and forwarded Dalla's reply to the Emperor who was in the Deccan. The Emperor received Dalla's letter written to Wazir Khan and also the Guru's "Letter of Victory" at about the same time. The Emperor thought it proper to change the official attitude towards the Guru, He, therefore, ordered Wazir Khan to remove all restrictions imposed on the Guru and cease molesting him.
It was here, at Sabo Ki Talwandi, that the Guru's Darbar became as splendid as it used to be at Anandpur. Poets and scholars again gathered round him. The Guru's wife, who had been separated from him after leaving Anandpur, found her way to Damdama Sahib. When she arrived the Guru was sitting with a large gathering and all were singing hymns of thanksgiving. When she looked around she did not see her four sons. At the end of the prayer, she stood up, with folded hands and said. "Lord, my eyes have failed to see my dear sons. May I know where they are?"
Pointing towards his followers the Guru smiled and replied, "For these thousands I sacrificed your four sons. So long as these sons of mine are alive. I will not consider the death of my four sons in vain."
The Guru now found himself completely secure. He was far away from the jealous Hindu hill rajas. Wazir Khan had also cooled down as he could do no further harm. The Guru, therefore, asked the scholars and poets to create more literature as most of the Guru's library was washed away by the river Sirsa at the time of flight from Anandpur.
The volume of the Granth Sahib prepared by the fifth Guru was not available, so the Guru dictated the Granth once again to Bhai Mani Singh. In the present volume he also included the hymns written by Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs.
The Guru blessed this part of the land saying, "Instead of coarse grain and shrubbery this land will yield wheat and fruit, and this will be a place of learning one day." This place has since been called Guru Ki Kanshi (The Seat of the Guru's Scholars). This land produces so much wheat and fruit now that it can really be called "The Granary of the Punjab."
Having stayed here for more than a year the Guru decided to leave the place to go Southwards. "My message of peace, hope and patriotism must spread from one part of the world to the other," he said, "I cannot sit back and relax, when my nation is on fire and needs my help."
"Take the broom of divine knowledge into thy hands and sweep away the filth of ignorance."
(Guru Gobind Singh)
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