Bidhi Chand
Baba Bidhi Chand Cheema (Gurmukhi: ਬਿਧੀ ਚੰਦ; 26 April 1579 - 30 August 1638) was a Sikh religious preacher, from Chhina Bidhi Chand village, 37 kilometers south of Amritsar. Chhina Bidhi Chand was a small town apart of the Amritsar District. He was a disciple of Guru Arjan and served Guru Hargobind for most of his life.[1]
Baba Bidhi Chand Cheema Ji | |
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ਬਿਧੀ ਚੰਦ | |
 Contemporary depiction of Bidhi Chand Chhina | |
| Personal | |
| Born | Bidhi Chand Cheema 26 April 1579 |
| Died | 30 August 1638 (aged 59) |
| Religion | Sikhism |
| Parent |
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| Known for |
Fighting the following battles:
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Early life
As a young man Bidhi Chand had fallen into bad company and taken to banditry, he was a cattle robber and a highway thief who had killed multiple men, women and children and looted many civilians. His group of twenty gangsters was one of the most feared banditry gang in Punjab, it has been noted that Hindus in Majha feared him more than Aurangzeb.
One day, a pious Sikh, Bhai Adali of the village of Chohia, led him into Guru Arjan Dev's presence where he underwent a remarkable transformation and all his gangsters as well. His life of banditry and misdeeds ended for he knew now wanted nothing more than life of dedication to the service of the Guru, Guru Arjan trained the first Akal Sena with his and his gang's help as they also knew Shastar Vidiya.
Later life
He was one of the five Sikhs chosen to accompany Guru Arjun on his journey to martyrdom at Lahore in 1606. On the death of his father, Guru Hargobind turned his thoughts to training and raising a larger army to resist the dangers that threatened the Sikhs. He chose Baba Bidhi Chand to be one of the commanders of the Risaldari (cavalry) he was raising. Baba Bidhi Chand was the first ever commander in chief of cavalry who fought with Mughals in the absence of Guru Hargobind Sahib . Baba Bidhi Chand displayed great feats of valour in several battles with the Mughal troops.[1] Guru Hargobind Sahib Blessed Baba Bidhi Chand, saying, "Bidhi Chand is the Heart of Guru". He earned the gratitude of Guru Hargobind for his recovery of two horses, Dilbagh and Gulbagh, from the stables of the governor at Lahore's Fort. The horses had been seized as the owner, a Sikh who had raised and trained them, was bringing them from Kabul as an offering for the Guru.[1]
Many of Chand's swords and paintings are displayed in the museum of Gurdwara Sri Harmandir Sahib, located in Amritsar.
Commemoration
Baba Sahib Singh Kaladhari had made Baba Sohan Singh the first Jathedar of the Bidhi Chand Dal on the Hola Mohalla of 1965 and till today they are known as the Guru's Heart, the Guru Khalsa Panth in this case. The Dal is currently based in Pind Sursingh, Tarn Taran District, Punjab, India.
His Birth place Gurdwara is situated in his own village Chhina Bidhi Chand and building was built by the residents with the help of Baba Daya Singh of the Bidhi Chand Dal, named after him. Baba Daya Singh laid foundation with his own hands. Every year on Baba Bidhi Chand's birth anniversary the Jathedar of the Bidhi Chand Dal, as of 2023 Baba Avtar Singh, goes to the village of Chhina Bidhi Chand and celebrates it there.
References
- Siṅgh, Bhagat (2002). "BIDHĪ CHAND, BHĀĪ (d. 1640)". In Singh, Harbans (ed.). The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism. Vol. I (4th ed.). Punjabi University. pp. 367–368. ISBN 978-81-7380-100-6. OCLC 808441524.
Further reading
- Gupta, Hari Ram (1994) [1984]. History of the Sikhs. Vol. I: The Sikh Gurus, 1469–1708 (2nd rev. ed.). Munshiram Manoharlal. pp. 371–374. ISBN 978-81-215-0276-4. OCLC 773483227.