|
| Guru
Tegh Bahadur |
| Author
: Anant Pai |
| ISBN
: 81-7508-241-0 |
Format :
32 Pages, 9.3" x 6.8"
, Paperback |
| Publisher
: India
Book House Pvt. Ltd. |
| Year
of publication:2001 |
| Book
Id : co03 |
| Language
: English |
| U.S
$ 6.95 |
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|
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About the Publisher
Tegh Bahadur became the Guru of the Sikhs at a
time when the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb's policy
of religious intolerance and persecution had
antagonised a vast section of his subjects. The
Satnamis rebelled in the Punjab. These rebellions
were mercilessly crushed. But in the Deccan,
Shivaji's power continued to be in the ascendent
and in 1674, he proclaimed himself king. This made
Aurangzeb all the more ruthless in his religious
persecution. Denied the freedom to follow their
faith, the Hindus of Kashmir approached Guru Tegh
Bahadur for help and guidance. The Guru carried
the conviction - more than four hundred years ago,
when religious intolerance and persecution were
common all over the world- that every individual
must have the freedom to worship the faith of his
or her choice. He wrote to the Emperor, reminding
him that the Holy Koran does not sanction forcible
conversion. He expressed his willingness to hold
discussions on the subject with the Emperor and
his advisers on matters of religion and added,
" If they succeed in converting me to their
opinion, I will embrace your Islam and all the
Hindus too might do the same. If, on the contrary,
they do not succeed in converting me to their
opinion, then I request that henceforth all
religious persecution should be stopped."
Great ingenuity was used in devising new kinds of
torture for the Guru and his closest disciples,
but Aurangzeb failed to crush their spirit. Thus
for a great principle which today is cherished by
people in most parts of the world, the Guru laid
down his life. Even to this day, he is remembered
as Hind-di-chadar , (literally, the coverlet of
India), protector of India's honour.
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