Bhai Gurdas

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{{Short description|Sikh figure}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Bhai Gurdas
| office = [[Jathedar|Honorable Jathedar]]
| honorific-prefix = Bhai Sahib
| native_name = <small>ਭਾਈ ਸਾਹਿਬ</small> <br /> {{Lang|pa|ਭਾਈ ਗੁਰਦਾਸ}}
| image =
| imagesize = 230px
| alongside =
| predecessor = ''Position Established''
| successor = [[Bhai Mani Singh|Mani Singh]]
| birth_name = Gurdas Bhalla
| birth_date = 1559
| birth_place = [[Basarke Gillan]], [[Amritsar Sahib district|Amritsar]], [[Punjab (region)|the Punjab]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1637|09|23|1559}}
| death_place = Goindwal, Tarn Taran, the Punjab
| nationality =
| spouse =
| relations =
| children =
| residence =
| alma_mater =
| image_size =
| term_start = 1618
| term_end = 1636
| mother = Jivani
| father = Ishar Das
| known_for = Transcribing the [[Guru Granth Sahib|Adi Granth]]<br />[[Varan Bhai Gurdas|Vaaran Bhai Gurdas]]
| title = [[Jathedar of Akal Takht|1st Jathedar of Akal Takht]]
}}
{{Sikhism sidebar}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2013}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2016}}
'''Bhai Gurdas''' ({{lang-pa|ਭਾਈ ਗੁਰਦਾਸ}}; 1559 – August 25, 1637) was an influential [[Sikh]] figure, writer, historian and preacher. He was one of the original scribes of the [[Guru Granth Sahib|Adi Granth]] and later served as the first [[Jathedar]] of the [[Akal Takht]].<ref name="s">[http://www.sikhs.org/saints.htm Saints] - Sikhs.org</ref>

==Early life==
Bhai Gurdas was born in 1551 at Basarke Gillan, a small village in the [[Punjab (region)|Punjab]]. He was the only child of Bhai Ishar Das ji, first cousin of [[Guru Amar Das]], and Jivani. Bhai Gurdas ji was near 3 years of age when his mother died.<ref name=eos>{{cite web |url=http://www.learnpunjabi.org/eos/index.aspx
|title=GURDĀS, BHĀĪ (1551-1636) |last1=Jaggi |first=Rattan Singh
|website=Encyclopaedia of Sikhism
|publisher=Punjabi University Punjabi
|access-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="sh">[http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/gurus/gurdas.html Bhai GURDAS (1551-1636)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070113032711/http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/gurus/gurdas.html |date=13 January 2007 }} - SikhHistory.com</ref>

After being orphaned at the age of 12, he was adopted by Guru Amar Das. Bhai Gurdas Ji learned [[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit]], [[Braj Bhasha]], [[Persian language|Persian]] and [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] and eventually began preaching. He spent his early years at Goindval and [[Sultanpur Lodhi]]. At Goindval, Gurdas listened and obtained knowledge from scholars and [[swami]]s that continuously visited the town while traversing the [[Delhi]]-[[Lahore]] road. He later moved to [[Varanasi]], where he studied [[Sanskrit]] and [[Hindu]] scriptures. After the death of Guru Amar Das, his successor [[Guru Ram Das]], assigned Bhai Gurdas Ji as a Sikh missionary to [[Agra]].

==Later life==
In 1577, Bhai Gurdas contributed his labour to excavating the Sarovar at [[Golden Temple|Darbar Sahib]]. Twenty years later, he went on an expedition to [[Kartarpur, India|Kartarpur]] and recited many of the early hymns to [[Akbar|Emperor Akbar]]. Akbar was impressed by their spiritual content and was satisfied they had no [[Islamophobia|anti-Muslim]] tone.<ref name=eos/>

After Dhan Dhan Shri Guru Ram Das Ji left the world, Bhai Gurdas Ji formed a close relationship with the fifth Guru, [[Guru Arjan]]. The Guru had great respect for him, and regarded him as his maternal uncle ("''mama''"). Gurdas led a group of Sikhs to [[Gwalior]], where the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] emperor [[Jahangir]], jealous of the popularity of [[Sikhism]], had imprisoned [[Guru Hargobind]].<ref name=eos/> After that, Gurdas was sent to [[Kabul]], [[Kashmir]], [[Rajasthan]], and [[Varanasi]] again to preach Sikhism. He even went to [[Sri Lanka]], preaching the name of the Guru among the masses and showing them the true way of life.

==Literary works==
Bhai Gurdas completed the [[Adi Granth]] in 1604. It took him nearly 19 years to scribe. He not only wrote the [[Adi Granth]], as dictated by [[Guru Arjan]], but also supervised four other scribes (Bhai Haria, Bhai Sant Das, Bhai Sukha and Bhai Manasa Ram) in the writing of various Sikh scriptures. His other works in Punjabi are collectively called [[Varan Bhai Gurdas|Vaaran Bhai Gurdas]].<ref name=eos/> Waheguru

===Writings===
*6 [[Chhand]]s of 8 Verses each in [[Sanskrit]]
*672 Kabits and 3 [[Savaiya|Swayyas]] in [[Brij Bhasha]]
*40 [[Var (poetry)|Vaars]] containing 912 [[pauri (poetry)|Pauris]] in [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]

==Elevation as the first Jathedar of Akal Takhat==
The [[Akal Takht]] was revealed by [[Guru Hargobind]] on 15 June 1606. The foundation stone of the building of the Akal Takht was laid down by Guru Hargobind himself. The rest of the structure was completed by Baba Buddha and Bhai Gurdas. No mason or any other person was permitted to participate in the construction of the structure. Guru Hargobind himself was the custodian of the Takht. On 31 December 1612, when Guru Hargobind was imprisoned at [[Gwalior Fort]], he assigned [[Baba Buddha]] to perform the services at [[Harmandir Sahib]] and Bhai Gurdas as the first [[Jathedar of Akal Takht]].

==Death==
He left his body for eternal abode on 25 August 1636 at Goindwal.<ref name="sh" /> Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji personally performed the ceremonial service at his funeral.<ref name="s" />

==See also==
* [[Sikh Gurus]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.sikhmarg.com/english/gurdas.html Sikh Marg]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gurdas, Bhai}}
[[Category:1551 births]]
[[Category:1636 deaths]]
[[Category:Jathedars of Akal Takht]]
[[Category:Punjabi-language poets]]
[[Category:Indian Sikhs]]
[[Category:Sikh missionaries]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:Indian writers]]
[[Category:Family members of the Sikh gurus]]

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Bhai Gurdas