When is Guru Gobind Singh's Birthday?
Guru Gobind Singh, the last of the ten living Sikh Gurus, was born on December 22nd 1666 in Patna, Bihar, India.
Unlike many of the other gurus, there is no argument over the date of the birthday of Gobind Singh, but nonetheless, as the original western calendar date was set using the Julian calendar in 1666, there can be some confusion on the date it is celebrated.
The date translates to 1st January in the Gregorian calendar, but the holiday is observed on the date in the Hindu calendar - Saptami, Paush, Shukla Paksha, 1723 Vikram Samvat.
To further complicate matters, the Nanakshahi calendar fixed the birthday on January 5th, subsequently updating it to 6th January.
History of Guru Gobind Singh's Birthday
Gobind Singh was the tenth of the Sikh Gurus. Following the death of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, Gobind Singh became the leader of the Sikhs when he was only nine years old.
Famed as a warrior, poet, and philosopher. His contributions to Sikhism were many including the tradition of covering one's hair with a turban.
He initiated the Khalsa order, the highest order that can be reached by Sikhs. Khalsa must abide by four restrictions; Not to disturb the natural growth of the hairs, not to eating meat slaughtered in a halal manner, not cohabiting with a person other than one's spouse and not using tobacco or a hookah.
Guru Gobind Singh was taken to heaven on October 7th 1708 from wounds inflicted by an assassin on his mortal body.
Guru Gobind Singh was the last of the living Sikh Gurus, and before he left his earthly life, he passed the Guruship of the Sikhs to the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred Book of the Sikhs. The Granth Sahib then became the Eleventh and Eternal Sikh Guru.
