Guru Har Krishan was born at Kiratpur on July 7, 1656. He was the youngest son of Guru Har Rai Ji and Kishan Kaur, He had an older brother, Ram Rai who was disowned by Guru Har Rai, Ram’ Rai established his own sect and established himself at Dehradoon.

Har Krishan assumed Guruship at the age of five, after Guru Har RaiJi’s death. He was surrounded by enemies all around, His uncle Dhirmal was still trying to take over the Guruship by foul means. His older brother declared himself Guruand also requested for Aurang7eb’s help for this and claimed that as the oldest son, he should be the successor of Guru Nanak’s throne. But he did not know that the Guruship was not a property which could be inherited. It was given to a Sikh who was most ‘worthy of it by virtue of his personal qualities. Moreover Aurangzeb himself became king by killing his older brother so he could not accept his claim that the oldest son had more rights.

Ram Rai pressed to Aurangzeb to call Har Krishan to Delhi and settle the claim himself. Aurangeb saw in it a good opportunity to spread his own religion. He had full control over Ram Rai. If he could persuade Har Krishan also, then, his job would have been very simple. He called upon on Raja Jai Singh of Amber (Jaipur) and asked him to bring Har Krishan to Delhi. Ram Rai was very happy to hear these orders. He thought, “if my brother did not obey the order, the king will send an army and destroy him. If he did obey the king’s order and came to Delhi, it will be against the wishes of his late father and he will be considered a greater sinner than I. If he ran away because of fear then I will go to Kiratpur and take possession of his personal property and Guruship, too”

Sikhs of Delhi were also pleased to hear this as they thought that they will have the chance to see the real Guru because they were quite upset with Ram Rai.

Raja Jai Singh sent high official with the order that he was to invite Guru rather than summon and bring him to Delhi with full honors. When Guru learnt about this after counseling with the prominent Sikhs, he finally he decided to go to Delhi. On his way he kept on preaching Sikhism. While Gura ‘was at Panjokhera (near Ambala) he came in contact with a very proud Brahmin who asked Guru to translate verses from Bhagwat Geeta. On this Guru Ji asked one of the illiterate water carriers, sitting in the public to answer that. With God’s blessing that illiterate man translated the verses, The Pandit was convinced that Guru Ji had infused his supernatural powers into that water carrier. He begged Guru’s pardon and became a very humble person after that.

Guru Har Krishan was received by Raja Jai Singh with great honor and he stayed in Raja Jai Singh’s palace. There he preached the God’s word, Aurangzeb tried to meet him a few times but Har Krishan did not see him on one excuse or another. He was put to various tests but with God’s grace he established his credentials. He refused to show any magical tricks because they were against Almighty God’s will.

Then there was an out-break of small pox in Delhi, Guru Ji helped the sick people day and night while doing that he contracted small pox himself from which he did not recover. When he knew his time was coming near, he ordered his followers not to weep for him but sing Guru’s hymns. In the chanting of God’s name he breathed his last on March 30, 1664, His last words were “Baba Bakala”” and this was a pointer to his followers that the next Guru would be found at Bakala.

He died at a young age of 8 years, He was the youngest of all the Gurus, He stayed in Delhi in Raja Jai Singh’s palace, on that place is Gurdwara Bangala Sahib now a days, His body was cremated on the bank of Jamuna at a place called Tilokhari south’ of Delhi. Where Gurdwara Bala Sahib has been built. He was respected by Hindus and Muslims alike, He was also known to Muslims of Delhi as “Bala Pi”.

Article extracted from this publication >> July 18, 1986