Baba Bidhi Chand (

Gurmukhi Gurmukhī ( pa, ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ, , Shahmukhi: ) is an abugida developed from the Laṇḍā scripts, standardized and used by the second Sikh guru, Guru Angad (1504–1552). It is used by Punjabi Sikhs to write the language, commonly ...

: ਬਿਧੀ ਚੰਦ; 26 April 1579 - 30 August 1638) was a Sikh religious preacher, from Chhina Bidhi Chand village, 37 kilometers south of Amritsar and Chhina Bidhi Chand was part of Amritsar District not Lahore. His Birth Place temple is situated in his own village Chhina Bidhi Chand and building was built by the residents with the help of Baba Daya Singh ji. Baba Daya Singh laid foundation with his own hands. Every year on his (Baba Bidhi Chand) birthday Baba Daya Singh ji now Baba Avtar Singh ji go to village Chhina Bidhi Chand and celebrate it there to date. He was a disciple of

Guru Arjan Guru Arjan (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਅਰਜਨ, pronunciation: ; 15 April 1563 – 30 May 1606) was the first of the two Gurus martyred in the Sikh faith and the fifth of the ten total Sikh Gurus. He compiled the first official edition of ...

and served

Guru Hargobind Gurū Hargobind (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦ, pronunciation: l 19 June 1595 – 28 February 1644), revered as the ''sixth Nānak'', was the sixth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion. He had become Guru at the young age of e ...

for most of his life. He was one of the five Sikhs chosen to accompany Guru Arjun on his journey to martyrdom at Lahore in 1606. On the death of his father, Guru Hargobind turned his thoughts to training and raising an army to resist the dangers that threatened the peace-loving Sikhs. He chose Baba Bidhi Chand to be one of the commanders of the Risaldari (cavalry) he was raising. Baba Bidhi Chand was the first ever commander in chief of cavalry who fought with Mughals in the absence of Guru Hargobind Sahib ji. Baba Bidhi Chand displayed great feats of valour in several battles with the Mughal troops. Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji Blessed Baba Bidhi Chand ji as saying (Bidhi Chand Chhina Guru Ka Seena) means Bidhi Chand is the Chest of Guru ji. He earned the gratitude of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji for his recovery of two horses, Dilbagh and Gulbagh, from the stables of the governor at Lahore's Fort. The horses had been seized as the owner, a Sikh who had raised and trained them, was bringing them from Kabul as an offering for the Guru. Many of Chand's swords and paintings are displayed in the museum of Gurdwara Sri Harmandir Sahib, located in Amritsar.

Early life

Fresco of Guru Hargobind and Bidhi Chand Chhina from the pre-1984 Akal Takht

As a young man Bidhi Chand had fallen into bad company and taken to banditry. One day, a pious Sikh, Bhai Adali of the village of Chohia, led him into Guru Arjan Dev ji's presence where he underwent a remarkable transformation. His life of banditry and misdeeds ended for he knew now wanted nothing more than life of dedication to the service of the Guru.

Early life

References

Further reading