Lives of the Gurus ยท 8th Guru
Guru Har Krishan Ji (1656โ1664): The Bala Pir โ Child Guru, Journey to Delhi, Smallpox Service and "Baba Bakale"
Guru Har Krishan Ji was only five when he became Guru and not yet eight when he passed away, yet his short life is remembered with deep affection. Facing a rival claim from his elder brother and a summons from Emperor Aurangzeb, the child Guru travelled to Delhi, cared for people stricken by smallpox and, before dying of the disease himself, pointed the way to his successor. This guide covers his life and the places that honour him today.
Life at a glance
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Born | 1656, Kiratpur Sahib |
| Parents | Guru Har Rai Ji and Mata Kishan Kaur |
| Elder brother | Ram Rai |
| Guru | 1661โ1664 (from about the age of five) |
| Known as | Bala Pir โ the child saint |
| Journey | Kiratpur โ Panjokhara โ Delhi |
| Passed away | 1664, Delhi, of smallpox |
| Successor | Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji ("Baba Bakale") |
The youngest Guru
When Guru Har Rai Ji disowned his elder son Ram Rai for altering Gurbani, he chose his younger son Har Krishan as successor. In 1661, at about five years of age, Har Krishan became the eighth Guru โ the youngest in Sikh history.
Sikh accounts describe him as calm, wise beyond his years and deeply compassionate. The sangat called him Bala Pir ("child saint").
Ram Rai's challenge
Ram Rai, living at the Mughal court, claimed that he โ the elder son โ was the rightful Guru. He appealed to Emperor Aurangzeb, who saw an opportunity to influence Sikh affairs. Aurangzeb asked Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber (Jaipur), a senior Rajput noble with Sikh connections, to bring the young Guru to Delhi.
The Sikh community was anxious, but the Guru agreed to go, accompanied by his mother and a group of Sikhs. Tradition records that he declined to meet Aurangzeb personally, as his father had instructed that the emperor should not be seen.
The Panjokhara episode
On the way to Delhi, the Guru stopped at Panjokhara, near Ambala (Haryana). A proud pandit named Lal Chand challenged the child Guru to explain the Bhagavad Gita, mocking his age. According to tradition, the Guru asked for any person from the village to be brought; a simple, unlettered water-carrier named Chhajju was found. When the Guru touched him with his stick, Chhajju gave a profound explanation of the Gita. Lal Chand, humbled, became a Sikh. Gurdwara Panjokhara Sahib marks the place.
The story is told to show that wisdom is a gift of grace, not of age or learning.
In Delhi: Raja Jai Singh's bungalow
In Delhi, the Guru stayed at the bungalow (bangla) of Raja Jai Singh in the Raisina area. Sikhs came in large numbers for his blessings.
Tradition records a test by the queen of Jai Singh: she dressed as a maidservant and sat among her attendants, asking whether the child could recognise her. The Guru walked past the others and sat in her lap, saying she was the queen.
Service during the smallpox epidemic
While he was in Delhi, an epidemic of smallpox and cholera broke out. The young Guru went among the sick, comforting them and giving them water from a small tank (chubacha) at the bungalow, which people believed had healing power. People of every faith came to him.
He himself caught smallpox and, after a short illness, passed away in 1664, not yet eight years old.
"Baba Bakale"
As his end approached, Sikhs asked who would lead them next. Too weak to say more, the Guru uttered the words "Baba Bakale" โ "the Baba is at Bakala". He meant his grand-uncle Tegh Bahadur, who was then living a life of meditation at the village of Bakala, near the Beas.
This led to a strange situation: many relatives of the Guru family set themselves up as Guru at Bakala, until the trader Makhan Shah Lubana identified the true Guru โ Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.
Places that honour Guru Har Krishan Ji
| Gurdwara | Place | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Gurdwara Bangla Sahib | Connaught Place, New Delhi | Raja Jai Singh's bungalow, where he stayed and served the sick; its sarovar is believed to have healing water |
| Gurdwara Bala Sahib | Delhi (near the Yamuna) | Place of his cremation |
| Gurdwara Panjokhara Sahib | Near Ambala, Haryana | The Chhajju episode |
| Kiratpur Sahib | Rupnagar, Punjab | Birthplace |
The gurdwaras at Bangla Sahib, Bala Sahib and other Delhi sites associated with the Gurus were first established in 1783 by the Sikh general Baba Baghel Singh, who had entered Delhi with his forces and secured permission from the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II to build them.
Today these gurdwaras are managed by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), set up under the Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1971. Bangla Sahib's langar serves thousands of people daily, and the DSGMC runs a hospital and schools in the Guru's name, including the Guru Harkrishan Public Schools.
The Ardas remembers him
The daily Sikh prayer, Ardas, which begins with lines composed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, remembers him as the Guru whose sight removes all suffering: "Sri Har Krishan dhiaaiye, jis ditthe sabh dukh jaaye".
Bani
Guru Har Krishan Ji did not compose hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib. His life is remembered for its example of compassion and service.
Exam traps
- Guru Har Krishan Ji was the youngest Guru; Guru Amar Das Ji was the oldest at accession (73).
- Bangla Sahib is the place of his stay; Bala Sahib is the place of his cremation; Sis Ganj Sahib relates to Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.
- "Baba Bakale" pointed to Tegh Bahadur, his grand-uncle โ not his brother or father.
- The Rajput noble who hosted him was Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber.
Key points to remember
- Born 1656, Kiratpur Sahib; son of Guru Har Rai Ji.
- Guru at about 5 in 1661; called Bala Pir.
- Summoned to Delhi via Mirza Raja Jai Singh; did not meet Aurangzeb.
- Panjokhara โ Lal Chand and Chhajju.
- Served smallpox patients; died 1664, Delhi.
- Bangla Sahib (stay), Bala Sahib (cremation); "Baba Bakale".
Practice questions
Q1. Guru Har Krishan Ji is popularly known as:
- (a) Sacha Padshah
- (b) Bala Pir
- (c) Hind di Chadar
- (d) Bandi Chhor
Show answer
Answer: (b) Bala Pir โ He is remembered as Bala Pir, the child saint.
Q2. In Delhi, Guru Har Krishan Ji stayed at the bungalow of:
- (a) Raja Ram Singh
- (b) Mirza Raja Jai Singh
- (c) Dara Shikoh
- (d) Raja Bhim Chand
Show answer
Answer: (b) Mirza Raja Jai Singh โ Gurdwara Bangla Sahib stands at Raja Jai Singh's bungalow.
Q3. The Chhajju episode took place at:
- (a) Kiratpur Sahib
- (b) Panjokhara, near Ambala
- (c) Bakala
- (d) Delhi
Show answer
Answer: (b) Panjokhara, near Ambala โ Gurdwara Panjokhara Sahib marks the place.
Q4. Gurdwara Bala Sahib, Delhi, marks the place where Guru Har Krishan Ji was:
- (a) Born
- (b) Installed as Guru
- (c) Cremated
- (d) Imprisoned
Show answer
Answer: (c) Cremated โ Bala Sahib is the site of his cremation.
Q5. "Baba Bakale" referred to:
- (a) Ram Rai
- (b) Dhir Mal
- (c) Tegh Bahadur
- (d) Baba Gurditta
Show answer
Answer: (c) Tegh Bahadur โ It indicated that Tegh Bahadur, at Bakala, would be the next Guru.
Q6. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee was set up under an Act of:
- (a) 1925
- (b) 1956
- (c) 1971
- (d) 1984
Show answer
Answer: (c) 1971 โ The Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act was passed in 1971.
Frequently asked questions
How old was Guru Har Krishan Ji when he became Guru?
About five years old, in 1661.
Why is the water of Bangla Sahib's sarovar special to devotees?
Tradition holds that the Guru gave water from the well at this place to smallpox patients, who were healed.
Who first built gurdwaras at Bangla Sahib and Bala Sahib?
The Sikh general Baba Baghel Singh, in 1783.
Official sources
- Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)
- Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee
- Punjab Digital Library
Rules, dates and figures can change. Always check the latest official notification or government release before relying on a detail.