Lakkhi Shah And Bhai Jaita Ji

32. Lakkhi Shah And Bhai Jaita Ji

On that unhappy day heavy clouds moved over Delhi and soon heavy dust storms and rain followed. It looked as though even the nature had gone into mourning. Under such weather conditions, most of the guards had now dispersed, and those who were there became ineffective. In the afternoon Lakhi Shah - a Sikh of the "Vanjarah" tribe moved towards Chandni Chowk at a great speed along with his caravan of bullock carts. Lakhi Shah was an intimate devotee of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji. He at once lifted the holy body and wrapped it under the bales of cotton that he was carrying. He then dashed towards his residence at Rakabganj. At Rakabganj, a whole locality of "Vanjarahs" lived. Lakhi Shah reached there at about midnight. He knew that he did not have much time at his disposal since the Imperial forces would soon be after him. So, he asked his family and neighbours to move out of their huts quickly. He then set fire to the whole village so that it appeared as if the whole place was on fire and not as though one body was being cremated. Next morning Lakhi Shah had the ashes of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji put into two urns and buried at the same place where His body had been cremated. At this place now stands the historic shrine of Rakabganj Sahib only a few hundred yards away from the Houses of Parliament of the Republic of India. The first building was built by Sardar Baghel Singh when he invaded Delhi in the 18th century. The present magnificent marble building has only recently been completed. On the other hand, the holy head of the Guru was carried to Anandpur Sahib via Ambala and Rupar. Just before Bhai Jaita reached Anandpur Sahib, a whole procession of Sikhs led by Guru Gobind Rai came towards him. Bhai Jaita then kowtowed before the young Guru and presented before Him the holy head of His Father-Guru. The Guru then embraced him and said: "Rangrete Guru ke Bete." (Bhai Jaita, you and your clan are beloved sons of the Guru). Guru Gobind Rai then had a pyre of Sandal- wood prepared and after reciting the preamble to Japji Sahib and Sohilla* set fire to it. At the place where the head of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji was cremated there now stands the historic shrine of Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib.

"The Name remained, the Saints remained, and God remained.

Sayeth Nanak, in this world some rare one recited the mantra of the Guru."

(Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib)

Aurangzeb, the Emperor, became very unsettled ever since the day of Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji; his soul having been shaken by this heinous sin. It is said that he saw before him the spirit of Bhai Matidas every night and that he became extremely frightened of it. Outwardly, his Qazis, Mullahs and other Ministers tried to flatter him and justified his actions under Islamic law. But only he knew his inner plight. Soon the trouble in the Deccan (South India) started which later proved fatal for him. Soon the time came for the Emperor to die a miserab1e death at Aurangabad. He who had once forgotten his end had now been "grinded under the molars of death." It would be of interest to note that just as the two parts of the body of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur ji were cremated separately at two different places, so too were two graves constructed to commemorate the death of Aurangzeb - one at Ahmed Nagar and the other at Aurangabad. The difference, however, is that while thousands pay homage at the shrines of Guru Tegh Bahadur every day, only dogs and owls acquaint the tombs of Aurangzeb.





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				32. Lakkhi Shah And Bhai Jaita Ji On that unhappy day heavy clouds moved over Delhi and soon heavy dust storms and rain followed. It looked as though even the nature had gone into mourning. Under such weather conditions, most of the guards had now dispersed, and those who were there became ineffective. In the afternoon Lakhi Shah - a Sikh of the "Vanjarah" tribe moved towards Chandni Chowk at a great speed along with his caravan of bullock carts. Lakhi Shah was an intimate devotee of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji. He at once lifted the holy body and wrapped it under the bales of cotton that he was carrying. He then dashed towards his residence at Rakabganj. At Rakabganj, a whole locality of "Vanjarahs" lived. Lakhi Shah reached there at about midnight. He knew that he did not have much time at his disposal since the Imperial forces would soon be after him. So, he asked his family and neighbours to move out of their huts quickly. He then set fire to the whole village so that it appeared as if the whole place was on fire and not as though one body was being cremated. Next morning Lakhi Shah had the ashes of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji put into two urns and buried at the same place where His body had been cremated. At this place now stands the historic shrine of Rakabganj Sahib only a few hundred yards away from the Houses of Parliament of the Republic of India. The first building was built by Sardar Baghel Singh when he invaded Delhi in the 18th century. The present magnificent marble building has only recently been completed. On the other hand, the holy head of the Guru was carried to Anandpur Sahib via Ambala and Rupar. Just before Bhai Jaita reached Anandpur Sahib, a whole procession of Sikhs led by Guru Gobind Rai came towards him. Bhai Jaita then kowtowed before the young Guru and presented before Him the holy head of His Father-Guru. The Guru then embraced him and said: "Rangrete Guru ke Bete." (Bhai Jaita, you and your clan are beloved sons of the Guru). Guru Gobind Rai then had a pyre of Sandal- wood prepared and after reciting the preamble to Japji Sahib and Sohilla* set fire to it. At the place where the head of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji was cremated there now stands the historic shrine of Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib. "The Name remained, the Saints remained, and God remained. Sayeth Nanak, in this world some rare one recited the mantra of the Guru." (Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib) Aurangzeb, the Emperor, became very unsettled ever since the day of Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji; his soul having been shaken by this heinous sin. It is said that he saw before him the spirit of Bhai Matidas every night and that he became extremely frightened of it. Outwardly, his Qazis, Mullahs and other Ministers tried to flatter him and justified his actions under Islamic law. But only he knew his inner plight. Soon the trouble in the Deccan (South India) started which later proved fatal for him. Soon the time came for the Emperor to die a miserab1e death at Aurangabad. He who had once forgotten his end had now been "grinded under the molars of death." It would be of interest to note that just as the two parts of the body of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur ji were cremated separately at two different places, so too were two graves constructed to commemorate the death of Aurangzeb - one at Ahmed Nagar and the other at Aurangabad. The difference, however, is that while thousands pay homage at the shrines of Guru Tegh Bahadur every day, only dogs and owls acquaint the tombs of Aurangzeb.

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