Sri Guru Angad
Dev Ji (The Gurus)
Sri Guru Angad Dev ji
Guru Angad (1504 - 1552) previously known
as Lehna was a worshipper of the goddess Jawala Mukhi. Once, while
going ot the shrine of his goddess, he came in contact with Guru Nanak.
There was spontaneous conversion. He chose to serve the Guru.
He became the Guru's best and obedient follower. After testing him
along with others, Guru Nanak nominated him to the Gaddi in 1539.
Guru Angad popularised the Gurmukhi script introduced
by Guru Nanak. He broke the Brahmin's monopoly of learning by encouraging
all sorts of people to learn Gurmukhi (the Guru's script) and read religious
literature. He gathered the facts about Guru Nanak's life from Bhai
Bala and wrote the first biography of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He also
set up religious centers where the principles of Sikhism could be propagated.
Guru Angad extended Langar- the free kitchen -
and personally looked after the serving arrangements. Langar was
intended to break caste barriers and social taboos.
Guru Angad laid Stress on the equality of man:
"It is like clay from which pots are made in diveerse
shapes and forms - yet the clay is the same. Similarly the bodies
of men are made from the same five elements, so how can one amongst them,
be high and the other low?"
Langar made people of different castes sit in
line on the same platform and so provided a healthy forum for charity and
service.
Guru Angad was very fond of children. He
started a school for young boys and taught them the Gurmukhi script.
He also insisted on physical fitness. He opened a gymnasium which
had a wrestling arena, rural sports and games followed religious congregations.
This tradition sebsequently helped in enlisting able-bodied men for the
Sikh army.
Guru Angd led a life of peity and service at Khadur.
Here Amardas- a relative of his - served him day and night. The Guru
bypassed his sons, who were disobedient and nominated Amardas as his successor
in 1552. |