Guru Tegh Bahadur In Bihar & Jharkhand

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When Guru Tegh Bahadur reached the village of Sasram where there lived a very devout disciple of the Guru called Chacha Phagoo who had built a mansion and within it placed a superb couch for the Guru. Every morning he used to perfume it and then would close the doors declaring that he would not live in it the place until the Guru had come, entered and hallowed it with his footsteps. Chacha Phagoo's desire was fulfilled when the Guru, traveling through his area stopped at his mansion filling Chacha Phagoo's heart with happiness and the chance to entertain the Guru in his home. Today the Gurdwara Chacha Phaggu Mal, tended by Udasi priests, is located here in memory of this event.

From there the Guru proceeded to Gaya. There a group of the local Brahmans met him and explained the virtues of pilgrimage of Gaya. They said if barley rolls were offered to Brahmans at Gaya for the souls of ones ancestors, they would go to heaven even if they were already in hell. So they pressed the Guru to give them the money to perform such a ceremony for him. He refused to accept their argument, he instead instructed them in divine knowledge urging them to meditate on God.

The Guru then reached Patna where he first encamped in a garden outside the city. That place is now called Guru ka Bag (the Garden of the Guru). Bhai Jaita, a devout disciple, took the Guru to his residence. There the Guru gave religious instruction to the people. One day he told his mother, Mata Nanaki and his wife Mata Gujri that many Sikhs were waiting for him in a distant land, so he must go to them. He then expressed his desire that they remain at Patna. On their remonstrance the Guru told his wife, "The prophecy of my father is now about to be accomplished. A son shall be born to thee who shall be great and powerful, extend our faith, establish Sikh supremacy, root out the wicked and destroy the enemies of truth and true religion. Traveling to where I must go you would suffer great hardship, so stay and be happy here."

The Guru after offering these words of consolation to his mother and wife entrusted them to the care of his brother-in-law Kirpal Chand. He then bade them farewell and proceeded to Munger, Bhagalpur and Rajmahal.

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