☬ The Ten Gurus of Sikhism

The Ten Gurus

"The light of the Guru is the light of God — one flame passed from one lamp to the next, never diminished, always eternal."

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Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa · Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

The Jheeta family are Sikhs — Tarkhans, master carpenters of Punjab. Baba Lalo, the devoted Sikh of Guru Nanak himself, was of the same Tarkhan caste. We carry that heritage with pride. These are the ten Gurus who gave us our faith, our values and our identity.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji 1469–1539

Founder of Sikhism

Born in Talwandi (now Pakistan), Guru Nanak Dev Ji founded Sikhism on the principle that there is one God and all humanity is equal — regardless of caste, religion or gender. He rejected the caste system and preached that the Divine light dwells within every person. He travelled across India, Arabia and Persia spreading his message. He settled in Kartarpur where he lived as a farmer — working the land with his own hands, as the Tarkhans worked theirs. His words are enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Guru Angad Dev Ji 1504–1552

Creator of the Gurmukhi Script

Guru Angad Dev Ji standardised the Gurmukhi script — the script in which the Guru Granth Sahib is written and in which Punjabi is read to this day. He emphasised education, physical fitness and the importance of seva (selfless service). He collected and preserved the hymns of Guru Nanak.

Guru Amar Das Ji 1479–1574

Champion of Equality

Guru Amar Das Ji was a fierce opponent of caste discrimination and the oppression of women. He established the langar (community kitchen) as a place where all people — regardless of caste or status — must sit and eat together as equals. He became Guru at the age of 73, proving that wisdom has no age.

Guru Ram Das Ji 1534–1581

Founder of Amritsar

Guru Ram Das Ji founded the city of Amritsar — the spiritual heart of Sikhism — and began the excavation of the sacred pool, the Amrit Sarovar. The Sikh wedding ceremony, the Anand Karaj, is based on his composition the Lavan. Every Sikh wedding, including those in the Jheeta family, is sanctified by his words.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji 1563–1606

Builder of the Golden Temple · First Sikh Martyr

Guru Arjan Dev Ji completed the Harmandir Sahib — the Golden Temple in Amritsar — and compiled the Adi Granth, the first edition of the Sikh holy scripture. He invited a Muslim saint, Hazrat Mian Mir, to lay the foundation stone — a symbol of universal brotherhood. He became the first Sikh martyr, tortured and killed by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir for refusing to alter the Sikh scriptures.

Guru Hargobind Ji 1595–1644

The Soldier Saint · Miri Piri

Guru Hargobind Ji introduced the doctrine of Miri Piri — the unity of spiritual and temporal authority. He wore two swords, one representing spiritual power and one representing worldly power. He built the Akal Takht opposite the Golden Temple and organised the first Sikh army to defend the faith against Mughal oppression.

Guru Har Rai Ji 1630–1661

The Compassionate Guru

Guru Har Rai Ji was known for his deep compassion for all living beings. He maintained a large cavalry and an extensive hospital that offered free medicine to all — regardless of faith. He was a man of peace who never abandoned the warrior spirit of his predecessors. He propagated the Sikh faith widely across India.

Guru Har Krishan Ji 1656–1664

The Child Guru

Guru Har Krishan Ji became Guru at just five years old — the youngest of all ten Gurus. Despite his age, he demonstrated remarkable spiritual wisdom. He gave his life serving the sick during a smallpox epidemic in Delhi, caring personally for the suffering regardless of their faith. He died aged seven, his last words pointing to his successor: "Baba Bakale."

Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji 1621–1675

Hind Di Chadar — Shield of India

Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji gave his life defending the religious freedom of Kashmiri Hindus against forced conversion by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. He was publicly executed in Delhi in 1675 — a martyr not just for Sikhs but for all people's right to practise their faith. The Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Delhi marks the place of his martyrdom. He is known as Hind Di Chadar — the Shield of India.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji 1666–1708

Creator of the Khalsa · Last Human Guru

Guru Gobind Singh Ji was the tenth and last human Guru. He created the Khalsa in 1699 — the community of initiated Sikhs bound by the Five Ks and a commitment to truth, justice and selfless service. He was a warrior, a poet, a philosopher and a saint. Before he passed in 1708, he declared that there would be no further human Guru — instead, the Guru Granth Sahib Ji would be the eternal, living Guru of the Sikhs for all time. It is he who gave us the salutation: Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa · Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

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Guru Granth Sahib Ji — The Eternal Guru

After Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the living word of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji became the eternal Guru of the Sikh people. It contains the hymns of six of the ten Gurus, along with the writings of Hindu and Muslim saints — a testament to the Sikh belief in the oneness of God and the equality of all humanity. It is treated with the same reverence as a living Guru — housed in the Gurdwara, read daily, and consulted for guidance at every major moment of life.

☬ The Jheeta Connection

The Jheeta family are Tarkhans — the master carpenter caste of Punjab. Baba Lalo, one of the very first and most devoted Sikhs of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, was himself a Tarkhan carpenter. When Guru Nanak visited Eminabad, he stayed with Baba Lalo and ate from his simple table rather than the rich man Malik Bhago's feast — declaring that Baba Lalo's honest labour was blessed by God. The Jheeta family carry that same Tarkhan heritage. Every nail driven, every beam set, every home built by a Jheeta hand is part of that same tradition of honest, blessed work that Guru Nanak himself honoured.