Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji: Hind Di Chaadar
Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji: Hind Di Chaadar
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However, injustice and prejudice will soon rear their ugly heads once more. Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor, issued an order for the destruction of Hindu temples and the cessation of idol worship. He killed a cow inside a mosque that he had built after converting a temple. He also ordered the hiring of Muslims in place of Hindus in government employment. In addition, Aurangzeb ordered the destruction of Gurdwaras and the expulsion of several missionaries from the major cities. People were being forced to adopt Islam despite some resistance after years of persecution.

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Iftikhar Khan was forcing the Pandits in Kashmir to convert to Islam. The Pandits then got together and agreed to travel to Amarnath to ask Lord Siva for mercy (in their sacred cave) to be freed from the bigot's tyranny. One of the pandits at the Amarnath cave had a dream in which he encountered Lord Siva, who instructed him to approach Tegh Bahadur, the Ninth Sikh Guru, in the Punjab, and request his assistance in preserving the Hindu faith. He discussed the revelation with his friends. 500 people made their way to Anandpur, where Guru Tegh Bahadur was residing.

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Being cunning, Aurangzeb reasoned that if he could convert the revered Brahmin Pandits of Kashmir to Islam, then millions of their adherents would do the same. According to a contemporaneous note in the Bhat Vahi (diary) of the purohit of Talauda in Jind Pargana, the Pandits were threatened with conversion or death and, overtaken with panic, they came in a delegation to Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji to plead for assistance at Chakk Nanaki, Pargana Kahlur

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Gobind Rai Ji, Guru Ji's 9-year-old son, inquired about the issue after noticing how serious the discourse was. The Guru described the Pandits' predicament to his son and remarked that it would require a holy man to genuinely lay down his life to intercede, but who would be such a guy?  "Who would be better than you to defend the poor Brahmins," Gobind Rai retorted. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji grinned and made the decision to defend the right to freedom of religion. He instructed the delegation to inform Aurangzeb that if he could convert Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji to Islam, they would be more than happy to do the same. And, then the cruel Aurangzeb tried his all to convert Guruji to Islam, but to no vain. He tortured Guruji to death. The Guruji thus sent a strong message of religious freedom and is rightly called 'Hind di chadar.

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