Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2024: Fascinating facts about the 10th and last human guru of the Sikhs

Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti is celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm by the Sikh community. It will be observed on Thursday, January 17 and this year will mark his 357th birth anniversary, as per the Julian Calender. He was the tenth and last human guru of the Sikhs. (File Photo) Born as Gobind Rai on December 22, 1666, in Patna, Bihar, Guru Gobind Singh was the son of the ninth Guru of Sikhism, Guru Teg Bahadur, and Mata Gujri at Patna Sahib.

His birthplace is now a revered shrine known as Takht Sri Patna Harimandar Sahib. (File Photo) Guru Gobind Singh became a guru at the age of nine, following the martyrdom of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, at the hands of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1675. He declared himself as the new guru of the Sikhs on Baisakhi in 1676.

(File Photo) Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa Panth, one of the most significant events in the history of Sikhism, on Baisakhi in 1699. In Punjabi, Khalsa means "the pure" and the Khalsa Panth is a community of pure and devoted souls, who were committed to the service of God and humanity.

(HT Photo/Sameer Sehgal) Guru Gobind Singh learned many languages including Sanskrit, Urdu, Hindi, Braj, Gurmukhi and Persian as a child. (File Photo) Guru Gobind Singh was a warrior, a poet, a philosopher and a spiritual leader. He authored numerous literary works in various languages. Among his famous works are Jaap Sahib, the Tav Prasad Savaiye, and the Benti Chaupai.

(Pinterest) Guru Gobind Singh was a fearless leader who never fought for personal gain or revenge, but rather for the pursuit of truth and justice. Throughout his life, he engaged in numerous battles against the Mughal Empire and their allies, totaling 21 battles. Some of the notable battles include the Battle of Bhangani, the Battle of Nadaun, the Battle of Anandpur, the Battle of Chamkaur, the Battle of Muktsar, and the Battle of Khidrana.

(HT Photo/Ravi Kumar) In the course of his battles and sieges, Guru Gobind Singh endured the loss of his four sons, his mother, and many of his followers. (Pinterest) Guru Gobind Singh passed away on October 7, 1708, in Nanded, Maharashtra. He is revered as the eternal guru of the Sikhs, whose teachings and example continue to guide them.

He is also honored as the father of the Khalsa. (Pinterest) Guru Gobind Singh's birth anniversary is called Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti and his death anniversary is called Guru Gaddi Diwas. (Pinterest) On Guru Gobind Singh's death anniversary, the Sikh community commemorates the occasion by offering prayers at gurudwaras and reflecting on Guruji's profound words of wisdom.

(PTI).