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Dilbagh and Gulbagh

Dilbagh and Gulbagh, later renamed Jan Bhai and Suhela, were two horses that were associated with the sixth Sikh guru, Guru Hargobind.[1] Dilbagh and Gulbagh were both white in-colour.[2]

Dilbagh and Gulbagh
Fresco depicting Bhai Bidhi Chand presenting the horses Dilbagh and Gulbagh to Guru Hargobind, from the pre-1984 Akal Takht, circa mid-19th century
Other name(s)Jan Bhai and Suhela
SpeciesHorse
BreedIraqi horse
OwnerGuru Hargobind
AppearanceWhite

Names

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The name Dilbagh means "heart's happiness" whilst Gulbagh means "flower of happiness".[3] They were later renamed Jan Bhai, meaning "as dear as life", and Suhela, meaning "a dear friend".[3]

History

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Dilbagh and Gulbagh were both Iraqi horses.[4]

 
A horse being presented to a Sikh guru, perhaps depicting the story of Bidhi Chand recovering Guru Tegh Bahadur's horses, Dilbagh and Gulbagh, circa 19th century

A Sikh sakhi narrates a story involving the recapture of two horses, which had been forcibly taken from the Sikhs by the Mughals, by Bidhi Chand.[5][6][7]: 537–540  The horses had been seized by Mughal officials of Lahore, as the owner, a Sikh who had raised and trained them, was bringing them from Kabul as an offering for the Guru in the company of two masands, Tara Chand and Bakht Mal, who had been dispatched to the local Sikh congregation of Kabul.[8][1][3] The horses were specifically seized upon the orders of the Mughal chief of Lahore city, Qasim Beg, for the purpose of taking them for the royal Mughal stable.[9][10] Another account says the name of the Mughal official who seized the horses was Khalil Beg.[4]

Bidhi Chand was chosen as the best choice for the mission to recapture the prized horses, named Dilbagh and Gulbagh, from the hands of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.[11] Bidhi Chand accomplished this task by becoming employed at the stable of the Lahore Fort where the horses were kept as the worker who brought the horses fresh grass to feed to the horses and their personal groomer, he used a false name of "Kasera" while he worked there.[6] He stayed at the residence of a local Sikh named Jiwan during the time of his employment and he refused to accept the pay he was afforded by the officials.[6] He eventually won the trust of the officials who were in-charge of guarding the fort after being employed there for some time. Every night, he would desensitize the guards to sounds coming from the Ravi River by throwing large rocks into it and tell them it was just a large animal, to mask his coming plan. Later on, he managed to escape with one of the horses, Dilbagh, by jumping into the Ravi River (whose course at that time flowed near the fort) at night when the guards were sound asleep after being fed a large feast under the patronage of Bidhi Chand on his payday. He brought the horse back to the encampment of the Guru.[5][7]: 537–540 [6]

However, this was only one of the horses, Dilbagh, and he still had to capture the other, Gulbagh. He returned to Lahore and was assisted by a local Sikh named Bhai Bohru. He managed to escape with the other horse by fooling the official caretaker of the horses, Sondha Khan, by disguising himself and pretending to be an astrologer investigating the disappearance of the first horse (which he had actually been the one who had stolen it).[5] The horses were renamed by the Sikhs, with Dilbagh being renamed as Jan Bhai (meaning "as dear to life") and Gulbagh being renamed as Suhela (meaning "dear companion").[7]: 537–540 [6]

After the rescue of the horses, the Guru famously proclaimed: "Bidhichand Chhinā Guru ka Sīnā. Prem bhagat linā. Kade kami nān." (meaning: "Bidhi Chand Chhina is very near to Guru's heart. He is a lovable devotee. He will never suffer from want.")[12]

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The historical structure of the Akal Takht used to have a fresco depicting the horses, however this fresco was destroyed following the reconstruction of the site in the 1980's.[9]

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    Equestrian painting of Guru Hargobind on horseback, held by the lineage of Bidhi Chand located at Sursingh, circa mid-17th century
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    Contemporary equestrian painting of Guru Hargobind with an orange-coloured backdrop, held in the collection of the Sodhi family of Kartarpur, circa mid-17th century
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    Equestrian portrait of Guru Hargobind, held in the collection of the mahant of the Ram Rai Darbar complex in Dehradun, ca.1685

References

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  1. ^ a b McLeod, W. H. (24 July 2009). The A to Z of Sikhism. p. 38. ISBN 9780810863446.
  2. ^ McLeod, W. H. (1991). Popular Sikh Art. Oxford University Press. p. 68. ISBN 9780195627916.
  3. ^ a b c "Bhai Bidhi Chand". Sikh Missionary Society U.K. 2004. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b The Panjab Past and Present. Vol. 1. Department of Punjab Historical Studies, Punjabi University. 1967. p. 69.
  5. ^ a b c Singh, Gurbakhsh (2020). Sikh Sakhis. Virsa Publications. pp. 87–89. ISBN 9788186612101.
  6. ^ a b c d e Macauliffe, Max (1909). The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors. Vol. 3–4. Clarendon Press. pp. 155–178.
  7. ^ a b c Gandhi, Surjit Singh (2007). History of Sikh gurus retold. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. pp. 537–540, 1090. ISBN 81-269-0859-9. OCLC 190873070.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ a b Kang, Kanwarjit Singh (18 May 2008). "The lost heritage". The Tribune. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  10. ^ Dilgeer, Harjinder Singh (1997). The Sikh Reference Book. Denmark: Sikh Educational Trust for Sikh University Centre. p. 314. ISBN 9780969596424.
  11. ^ Prithi Pal Singh (2006). The history of Sikh gurus. New Delhi: Lotus Press. p. 93. ISBN 81-8382-075-1. OCLC 297207913.
  12. ^ Gupta, Hari Ram (1973). History of Sikh Gurus. U. C. Kapur. p. 272.
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