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Guru Angad Dev Ji (March 31 1504 - March 29 1552) was the second of The Ten Gurus of Sikhism. Guru Jo became Guru on September 7 1539 following in the footsteps of Guru Nanak Dev Jo, who was the founder of the Sikh religion.
Guru Angad, (Bhai Lehna Jo) was born in the village named Harike in Ferozepur district in Punjab, on Vaisakh Vadi 1st , (5th Vaisakh) Samvat 1561, (March 31, 1504). He was the son of a sucessful trader named Bhai Pheru Mall usually referred to as Bhai Pheru. His mother 's name was Mata Ramo ji (also known as Mata Sabhirai, Mansa Devi, Daya kaur). Baba Narayan Das Trehan was his grand father, whose ancestral house was at Matte-di-Sarai near Mukatsar. Pheru ji moved back to this place.
Under the influence of his mother, Mata Ramo, Bhai Lehna ji began to worship Durga (A Hindu mythological Goddess). He used to lead a batch of worshippers to Jawalamukhi Temple every year. He was married to Mata Khivi ji in Jaunary 1520 and had two sons (Bhai Dasu and Bhai Datu) and two daughters (Bibi Amro and Bibi Anokhi). The whole family of Bhai Pheru had to leave their ancestral village because of the ransacking by the Mughal and Baloch militia who had come with Babur. After this the family settelled at village Khadur Sahib beside the Beas river, near Tarn Taran Sahib (A small town about 25 km. away from Amritsar City).
Once Bhai Lehna ji heard the recitation of a hymn of Guru Nanak Sahib from Bhai Jodha(a sikh of Guru Nanak Sahib) and was thrilled and decided to proceed through Kartarpur to have a glimpse of Guru Nanak Sahib at the time of yearly pilgrimage to Jwalamukhi Temple. His very first meeting with Guru Nanak Sahib completely transformed him. He renounced the worship of Hindu Goddess, dedicated himself to the service of the Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak became his Sikh and began to live at Kartarpur. His devotion to Guru Nanak and his holy mission was so great that he was installed as the Second Nanak in September 7, 1539 by Guru Nanak himself. Earlier Guru Nanak tested him in various ways and found an embodiment of obedience and service in him. Guru Nanak gave him a new name "Angad" (Guru Angad Sahib). He spent six or seven years in the service of Guru Nanak Sahib at Kartarpur.
After the death of Guru Nanak Sahib on September 22, 1539, Guru Angad Sahib left Kartarpur for Khadur Sahib Village (near Goindwal Sahib). He carried forward the thought of Guru Nanak Sahib both in letter and spirit. Yogis and Saints of different sects visited him and held detailed discussions about Sikhism and Dharam with him .
Guru Angad Sahib introduced a new alphabet known as Gurmukhi script, modifying the old Punjabi script 's characters. Very soon, it become the script of the masses. He took great interest in the education of the children by opening many schools for their education and thus increased the number of literates. For the youth he started the tradition of Mall Akhara, where physical as well as spiritual exercises were held. He collected the facts about Guru Nanak Sahib's life from Bhai Bala ji and wrote the first biography of Guru Nanak Sahib. (Bhai Bale Wali Janamsakhi available now a days in not the same that Guru Angad Sahib had compiled.) He also wrote 63 Saloks (stanzas), these were later included in Guru Granth Sahib by the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan. He popularized and expanded the institution of 'Guru ka Langar' started by Guru Nanak earlier .
Guru Angad visited all important places and centres established by Guru Nanak for preaching Sikhism. He also established hundreds of new "Dharamsalas" (Sikh religious Institutions) and thus strengthened the base of Sikhism. The period of his Guruship was the most crucial one. The Sikh community being in infancy, had to face many dangers. It was not difficult for Hinduism to swallow the newly born Sikhism in due course of time. Moreover Sri Chand's Udasis sect community and the activities of Jogies had not yet abated. At this hour of juncture he lived Guru Nanak Sahib's tenets in true spirit and there were manifest signs of establishing a distinct "way of life" away from Hinduism. Sikhism became to established its own separate religious identity.
Guru Angad, by following the example of Guru Nanak, nominated Amar Das as his successor (The Third Nanak) before his death. He presented all the holy scripts including those he received from Guru Nanak, to Guru Amar Das. He breathed his last on March 29, 1552 at the age of forty-eight. It is said that he started to build a new town, at Goindwal near Khadur Sahib and Guru Amar Das was appointed to supervise its construction. It is also said that Mughal emperor, Himayun, when defeated by Sher Shah Suri, came to obtain blessings of Guru Angad in regaining the throne of Delhi.
With compliments to www.sgpc.net for the above account.
Guru Angad Dev Ji's Contributions
This is the nature of ego, that people perform their actions in ego. This is the bondage of ego, that time and time again, makes people suffer?
Eliminate your conceit and then perform service to humanity,
Only then you will be get honor - Guru Angad Dev
On April 18, 2007, the Sikhs marked the 503rd Birth anniversary of Guru Angad Dev ji, the second Guru in Sikhism. The appointment of Guru Angad by Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, as his own successor was an event of far reaching significance in the evolution of Sikhism. The second Guru, who believed to have embodied the spirit of his great predecessor, consolidated the infant faith movement through his energy and his global vision.
On this auspicious occasion, let us remind ourselves of the simple and sublime teachings of Guru Angad, which are non-sectarian and universal in their application. Guru Angad is one of the world teachers whose message is of universal application and is valid for all time. It has particular relevance not only to us but to the whole of mankind at this critical period of human history, If only we pay heed to it, we can surely foster universal brotherhood based on mutual love, respect and understanding, and we can build and promote international peace.
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