Guru
Angad Sahib
Guru Angad Sahib, (Bhai Lahna ji) was born in the village named
Sarai Naga (Matte Di Sarai) district Muktsar (Punjab), on Vaisakh Vadi 1st , (5th
Vaisakh) Samvat 1561, (March 31, 1504). He was the son of a petty
trader named Pheru ji. His mother 's name was Mata Ramo ji (also Kwown
as Mata Sabhirai, Mansa Devi, Daya kaur). Baba Narayan Das Trehan was
his grand father, whose ancestral house was at Matte-di-Sarai near
Mukatsar. Pheru ji shifted back to this place.
Under the influence of his mother Bhai Lehna ji began to worship
Durga (A Hindu mythological Goddess). He used to lead a batch of
worshippers to Jawalamukhi Temple every year. He was married to Mata
Khivi ji in Jaunary 1520 and had two sons (Dasu ji and Datu ji) and
two daughters (Amro ji and Anokhi ji). The whole family of Pheru ji
had to leave their ancestral village because of the ransacking by the
Mughal and Baloch militia who had come with Babur. After this the
family settelled at village Khadur Sahib beside the Beas river, near
Tarn Taran Sahib (A small town about 25 kmt.away from Amritsar City).
Once Bhai Lehna ji heard the recitation of a hymn of Guru Nanak Sahib
from Bhai Jodha ji (a sikh of Guru Nanak Sahib) and was thrilled and
decided to proceed through Kartarpur to have a glimpse of Guru Nanak
Sahib at the time of yearly pilgrimage to Jwalamukhi Temple. His very
first meeting with Guru Nanak Sahib completely transformed him. He
renounced the worship of Hindu Goddess, dedicated himself to the
service of Guru Nanak Sahib, became his Sikh and began to live at
Kartarpur, His devotion to Guru Nanak Sahib and his holy mission was
so great that he was installed as the Second Nanak in September 7,
1539 by Guru Nanak Sahib himself. Earlier Guru Nanak Sahib tested him
in various ways and found an embodiment of obedience and service in
him. Guru Nanak Sahib gave him a new name Angad (Guru Angad Sahib). He
spent six or seven years in the service of Guru Nanak Sahib at
Kartarpur.
After the death of Guru Nanak Sahib on September 22, 1539, Guru Angad
Sahib left Kartarpur for Khadur Sahib Village (near Goindwal Sahib).
He carried forward the thought of Guru Nanak Sahib both in letter and
spirit. Yogis and Saints of different sects visited him and held
detailed discussions about Sikhism with him .
Guru Angad Sahib introduced a new alphabet known as Gurmukhi
Script, modifying the old Punjabi Script 's characters. It
become the script of the masses very soon. He took great interest in
the education of the children by opening many schools for their
instruction and thus increased the number of literates. For the youth
he started the tradition of Mall Akhara, where physical as
well as spiritual exercises were held. He collected the facts about
Guru Nanak Sahib 's life from Bhai Bala ji and wrote the first
biography of Guru Nanak Sahib. (Bhai Bale Wali Janamsakhi
available now a days in not the same that Guru Angad Sahib had
compiled.) He also wrote 63 Saloks (stanzas), these were included in
Guru Granth Sahib. He popularized and expanded the institution of 'Guru
ka Langar' started by Guru Nanak Sahib earlier .
Guru Angad Sahib visited all important places and centres established
by Guru Nanak Sahib for preaching Sikhism. He also established
hundreds of new Sangats (Sikh religious Institutions) and thus
strengthened the base of Sikhism. The period of his Guruship was the
most crucial one. The Sikh community being infant, had to face a
number of dangers. It was not difficult for Hinduism to swallow the
newly born Sikhism in due course of time. Moreover Sri Chand's Udasis
sect community and the activities of Jogies had not yet abated. At
this hour of juncture he lived Guru Nanak Sahib's tenents in true
spirit and there were manifest signs of drifting it (Sikhism) away
from the Hinduism. Sikhism established its own separate religious
identity.
Guru Angad Sahib, by following the example of Guru Nanak Sahib,
nominated Amar Das Sahib as his successor (The Third Nanak) before his
death. He presented all the holy scripts including those he received
from Guru Nanak Sahib, to Guru Amar Das Sahib. He breathed his last on
March 29, 1552 at the age of forty-eight. It is said that he started
to build a new town, at Goindwal near Khadur Sahib and Guru Amar Das
Sahib was appointed to supervise its construction. It is also said
that Himayun, when defeated by Sher Shah Suri, came to obtain
blessings of Guru Angad Sahib in regaining the throne of Delhi.
