Guru Har Krishan was the Eight Guru of the Sikh religion and he was famously called as ‘Bal Guru’. Guru Har Krishan was born in the year 1656 on 23 July and as per the Punjabi calendar on Vadi 10, (8 Sawan), Bikrami Samvat 1713. His Father ‘Har Rai’ choose him over his elder brother to become Guru of the Sikh religion. The name of the mother of Guru Har Krishan was ‘Mata Krishan Kaur Ji’. At the age of Just five, Guru Har Krishan was made guru. There is a famous story regarding choosing of Guru Har Krishan as Guru. His father one day told people that he will name, the next Guru among his two sons. When he was lying on his bed, he told one of his helper to come with a needle. When he came with a needle, Guru Har Rai told him to insert the needle on the bed in which two were meditating (His two sons). To his astonishment, the needle went through the leg of the bed when Har Krishan was praying and chanting ‘Baani’, but when Ram Rai (Elder brother of Guru Har Krishan) was meditating and chanting Baani, needle was not able to penetrate. It was kind of spiritual thing for that person. He asked Guru Har Rai for the reason behind it. Then ‘Guru Har Rai’ told him that, Har Krishan is a soft hearted child and even the needle has a place in his heart, on the other hand Ram Rai was rough hearted person and the needle was not able to go through the leg of the bed.
At the age of 6, Guru Har Krishan came to Delhi and was guest in the Bungalow of Raja Jai Singh. Many Sikh people flocked to bungalow to see Guru. At the time a very dangerous famine called as Smallpox was prevalent in the Delhi. Guru Har Krishan was helping and curing the sufferers of this disease. Since he was meeting with the suffered peoples, he too came in contact with the smallpox and falls ill because of that. When he knew that, he is going to heaven, he told his helpers to come with five coins and coconut. The he swing those coins in air and chanted ‘Baba Bakala’. Meaning of this saying was that, his successor that means the next Guru of Sikh religion will be found in Bakala. The place where he was curing people is famously called as Bangla Sahib in New Delhi and it is considered as auspicious place to visit in. He could not able to revive from the disease and in the year Saturday, 16 April 1664 he died.
How People Celebrate Guru Har Krishan
On this day, people visit Gurudwaras nearby them. The scenario and ambience in the Bangla sahib in Delhi, is really something that everyone should go for. Not only people that belong to religion of Sikh come here, also people from other religion come to this place. On this occasion people meditate and chant ‘Baani’ in their home and in Gurudwaras. And taking this Prasad is considered very auspicious. People clean the vicinity of the Gurudwaras with the water and help other in carrying these works out. Anybody can contribute towards the food that is being prepared in Gurudwaras and it is considered very auspicious.
No matter how much you give, but it is just your faith that is more important in it. People usually give flour, sugar, pulses or even money. On this day, mass feat in Gurudwaras called as the ‘Langar’ is organized in Gurudwaras and all people are welcomed there to help out. On this very day, people take bath in the pond near the Golden temple and they consider it as nectar water.