Bhai Gurdas was an influential Sikh figure, writer, historian and preacher. He was the original scribe of the Guru Granth Sahib and later served as the first Jathedar of Akal Takht.
Early life
Bhai Gurdas Ji was born in 1551 at Goindwal, a small village in the Punjab. He was the only child of Bhai Ishar Das ji, first cousin of Guru Amar Das, and Jivani. Bhai Gurdas ji was barely 3 years of age when his mother died. After being orphaned at the age of 12, he was adopted by Guru Amar Das. Bhai Gurdas Ji learned Sanskrit, Braj Bhasha, Persian and 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 swamis that continuously visited the town while traversing the Delhi-Lahore road. He later moved to Varanasi, where he studied Sanskrit and Hindu scriptures. After Guru Amar Das left the world, his successor Guru Ram Das assigned Bhai Gurdas Ji as a Sikh missionary to Agra.
Later life
In 1577, Bhai Gurdas Ji contributed his labour to excavating the Sarovar at Darbar Sahib. Twenty years later, he went on an expedition to Kartarpur and recited many of the early hymns to Emperor Akbar. Akbar was impressed by their spiritual content and was satisfied they had no anti-Muslim tone. After Guru Ram Das left the world, Gurdas formed a close relationship with the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan. The Guru had great respect for him, and regarded him as his maternal uncle. Gurdas led a group of Sikhs to Gwalior, where the Mughal emperorJahangir, jealous of the popularity of Sikhism, had imprisoned Guru Hargobind. 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 in the writing of various Sikh scriptures. His other works in Punjabi are collectively called Vaaran Bhai Gurdas.
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 died on 25 August 1636 at Goindwal. Guru Hargobind personally performed the ceremonial service at his funeral.
