Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib is one of the nine historical gurdwaras in Dilli and was built to commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji. It is situated in Chandani Chowk, on the same site where Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb ordered the beheading of Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur in the year 1675. It is said that when Guru Tegh Bahadur died, no one had the courage to pick up his body. Suddenly, it started raining heavily. Then, two of the brave followers of Guruji took his head and body and fled. The head was taken to Chakk Nanaki in Anandpur Sahib, while the body was taken to the place where Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib now stands.
On denying converting his religion to Islam and upon refusing to show miracles in order to save his life because displaying occult powers was considered unworthy of true saints and prophets of God. First Guru Tegh Bahadur’s leading apostles and companions in prison were tortured to death. Bhai Dayal Das was thrown into a boiling cauldron, Bhai Mati Das was sawn alive, Bhai Sati Das was burnt on the stake. These faithful disciples of Guru Ji were tortured to death at about the same time just across the road and facing the Gurdwara Sis Ganj which now is the site of the Kotwali (police station).
And later Guru Teg Bahadur was beheaded in the presence of a large crowd under a tree, the trunk of which is still preserved in the Sis Ganj shrine on Thursday 11th November, 1675 A.D. Around the place of martyrdom of the Guru grew a temple now known as Sis Ganj Sahib. Before his body could be quartered, further disrespected and exposed to public view, it was recovered under the cover of darkness caused by a severe dust storm by one of the Guru’s disciples, Lakhi Shah Vanjara, who then set his home alight to cremate the Guru’s body.
Almost a century later, Baba Baghel Singh, a devotee of Guru Teg Bahadur, discovered the site where Guruji was beheaded and went on to build the Sis Ganj Gurdwara, in Saddi Dilli. Even today, the trunk of the banyan tree under which the Guru was martyred can be seen at the Gurudwara. The well where Guruji took his daily bath, while being imprisoned, also stands at the Delhi Sis Ganj Gurdwara. Then, there is the enclosed structure where Guruji was held captive as a prisoner before his beheading. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib also visited this holy place in the year 1702.
Another Gurudwara by the same name, Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, marks the site were in November of 1675, the head of the martyred Guru Teg Bahadur, brought by Bhai Jaita (Rechristened Bhai Jivan Singh according to Sikh rites) in defiance of the Mughal authorities was cremated here.
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