Undeterred by the developments Guru Teg Bahadur set out on his preaching mission from Anandpur Sahib. He was determined to counter the intentions of the fanatical emperor of Delhi.
His message to the people was, “Do not intimidate anyone and don’t get intimidated. Be fearless.” He travelled to Saifabad and Garhi were Pathans greeted him and served him with devotion.
Meanwhile, the informers of Moguls carried the news of Guru Teg Bahadur’s resolve to challenge the conversion drive and his advice to Kashmiri Pundits to the ears of the emperor. It infuriated Aurangzeb. He ordered the immediate arrest of Guru Teg Bahadur and his production in the Mogul Court.
So, Guru Teg Bahadur was arrested on 12 July, 1675 at Mullikpur Ramgharan near Sirhind along with his confidants Bhai Matidas, Bhai Satidas and Bhai Dayaldas. They were taken to Agra where Moguls used to hold court during those days.
Some other historians believe that he was arrested on the outskirts of Agra when he had gone there to plead the case of Kashmiri Pundits with the emperor. The weakness of this version is that Aurangzeb was too arrogant a person to agree to meet any native leader he suspected of inciting the people against the policies of the Moguls.
Aurangzeb ordered Guru Teg Bahadur to be put in chains and tortured till he agreed to convert to Islam. The tortures could not break the spirit of Guru. Then Moguls tried to bribe him with offers of wealth, treasures, high posting and large estates. It made no impression on Guru Teg Bahadur.
At last, some clerics challenged Guru to work some miracle to prove that the mission he was carrying on had the divine blessing. It was promised that if he showed some miracle he would be released.
Guru Sahib refused to oblige saying, “Working miracle is interference in the wish of God according to which things happen. Those who talk of miracles are imposters and tricksters.”
The failure to break Guru Teg Bahadur angered and frustrated Aurangzeb. The fanatic ordered the execution of Guru. Infact, he wanted Guru Teg Bahadur to be made an example for others.
Guru Sahib stood firm. Even the execution order could not soften him.
First of all his confidants who were arrested along with Guru Sahib were brutally put to death.
Bhai Matidas was made to stand between two poles with his hands and legs tied to each pole. Then, he was sawed in two parts.
Bhai Dayaldas was dropped in a cauldron of boiling water and was cooked to death.
Bhai Satidas was wrapped in cotton and then the cotton was set alight. He burnt to death. His charred body was chopped to pieces and the pieces were hung or nailed to walls in Chandni Chowk to spread terror among the Hindus.
Guru Teg Bahadur was made to watch all those gruesome murders. Guru Sahib’s face remained calm. It displayed no anguish, anger or hatred. He did not seek mercy of the Moguls. He was not afraid of the death. The death was inevitable and nothing could prevent it. So, there was no need to be afraid of it. Normal death could be a matter of sadness. But the death embraced for one’s values and principles was ultimate sacrifice wrapped in glory.
The barbarian Aurangzeb ordered the execution of Guru Teg Bahadur to be carried out on 11 November, 1675 at noon. At the appointed time Guru Sahib was brought at Chandni Chowk at the appointed hour in a cage. On a piece of paper Guru Teg Bahadur had written, ‘Sar dadamgar, Sar ri khuda na dadam’ which meant ‘I gave my head but not the secret of God’. He wore it in his neck by a thread like a charm.
He was taken out of cage. He stood calm waiting for the glorious death. The executioner’s sword cut off his head with one blow of his sword. Guru Teg Bahadur’s head rolled down. The piece of paper remained where it was held on by the remaining stump of his neck.
The spot where Guru Sahib was beheaded, there later the famed ‘Gurudwara Sisganj’ came up which is one of the most holy temples of Sikhs and Hindus.
It is said that his head and body remained at the execution spot for a long time. No one dared to claim it or take it away for proper post-death rites for fear of Mogul retribution.
Till evening Guru’s dead body was there to the horror of the people. Moguls wanted the people to be terrified by that macabre sight to know what happened to the people who defied mighty Aurangzeb.
Perhaps mother nature could not bear to prolong the agony of its slain child. A dust storm blew sending everyone to the covers. Visibility became so poor that nothing was visible beyond a few feet. The invisibility hid the scene of the execution site. Taking advantage of the storm a faithful one of Guru named Lakhishah arrived on the scene with a bullock cart. He quickly loaded the dead body on the cart and dissolved into the storm created invisibility. Guru’s head was not there. Infact, another disciple of Guru had already ran away with his head. His name was Rangretta. Without wasting time Rangretta took the head of Guru Teg Bahadur consealed in a bag to Anandpur Sahib on a horse back where Guru Gobind Singh gave it proper cremation with due rites and honour.
On the other side, Lakhishah carried the body of Guru Sahib into his house which was only a few miles away. For fear of attracting the attention of vindictive Moguls he set fire to his house, the cart and Guru’s body there in. Gurudwara Rakabganj came up at that spot which is another pilgrim centre of Sikhs.
These two Gurudwaras in Delhi are the sacred monuments to remind everyone the supreme sacrifice made by Guru Teg Bahadur for our faith.
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