52 court poets of Guru Gobind Singh: Difference between revisions

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'''BAVANJA KAVI''', lit. fifty two poets, is how the galaxy of poets and scholars who attended on [[Guru Gobind Singh]](1666 - 1708) is popularly designated.  Guru Gobind Singh, Nanak  X, prophet and soldier, was an accomplished poet and also a great patron of letters. According to Sarup Das  Bhalla, Mahima Prakash,  he sent out  Sikhs to different parts of the country to invite and bring to him scholars of repute. His instruction was: "Let them bring with them works pertaining to the fields they specialize in." When they came, "the True  Guru bestowed great respect and honour upon them and provided for them without disscrimination." Although traditionally mentioned to be 52, the number of scholars who came and stayed with the  Guru  at one time or the other was even larger. [[Bhai Santokh Singh]],Suraj Granth, mentions 52 poets and  Bhai Sukkha Singh, Gurbi/as, 36 lekhaks (writers or scribes). Besides, there were bha.tts who often recited their own poetical compositions. Several poets like Pandit  Sukhdev,  Brind, 'Alim,  Kunvaresh, Kanshi Ram and [[Nand Lal Goya]], who had earlier been at the Mughal court, came to spend the rest of their lives at the feet of the Guru. These men were assigned by  Guru Gobind Singh to the task of rendering of [[Hindi]], [[Sanskrit]] and Persian classics into Bhakha written in Gurmukhl script. The work appears to have been taken in hand quite early in his career, probably in 1678 and spread over the next two decades and more, including four very productive years at [[Paonta Sahib]] (168588), until the  Guru,  foreseeing the impending conflicts that were to engulf [[Anandpur]], relieved the poets, scholars and scribes. Classics such as ChanakyanJti, Ranch tan tra, Hitopadesa, Upanisads and parts of Mahabharata were translated into Braj and [[Punjabi]] and works and manuals on martial arts such as rearing, training and employment of hawks, horses, elephants, camels and dogs were prepared. A few Hindi classics were transliterated into Gurmukhi. According to Bhai Santokh Singh, Sn Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, the entire work was collected into a single anthology called Vidya Sar or Vidya Sagar, lit. ocean of knowledge. The poet even mentions the weight of the whole mass of manuscripts nine maunds or approximately 350 kilograms. Whatever the quantity of the material, the entire treasure was lost consequent upon the evacuation of Anandpur in December 1705, most of it in the flooded Sarsa stream. Only small fragments and copies of some of the manuscripts already prepared and carried out of Anandpur by the authors themselves or by others survived. The names of poets and scholars which have come down to us through these fragments or through other works such as Sau Sakhi, Mahima Prakash, Gurbilas Dasvin Patshahi.Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, Gurpad Prem Prakash and Twarikh Guru Khalsa are listed below:
'''BAVANJA KAVI''', lit. fifty two poets, is how the galaxy of poets and scholars who attended on [[Guru Gobind Singh]](1666 - 1708) is popularly designated.  Guru Gobind Singh, Nanak  X, prophet and soldier, was an accomplished poet and also a great patron of letters. According to Sarup Das  Bhalla, Mahima Prakash,  he sent out  Sikhs to different parts of the country to invite and bring to him scholars of repute. His instruction was: "Let them bring with them works pertaining to the fields they specialize in." When they came, "the True  Guru bestowed great respect and honour upon them and provided for them without disscrimination." Although traditionally mentioned to be 52, the number of scholars who came and stayed with the  Guru  at one time or the other was even larger. [[Bhai Santokh Singh]],Suraj Granth, mentions 52 poets and  Bhai Sukkha Singh, Gurbi/as, 36 lekhaks (writers or scribes). Besides, there were bha.tts who often recited their own poetical compositions. Several poets like Pandit  Sukhdev,  Brind, 'Alim,  Kunvaresh, Kanshi Ram and [[Nand Lal Goya]], who had earlier been at the Mughal court, came to spend the rest of their lives at the feet of the Guru. These men were assigned by  Guru Gobind Singh to the task of rendering of [[Hindi]], [[Sanskrit]] and Persian classics into Bhakha written in Gurmukhl script. The work appears to have been taken in hand quite early in his career, probably in 1678 and spread over the next two decades and more, including four very productive years at [[Paonta Sahib]] (168588), until the  Guru,  foreseeing the impending conflicts that were to engulf [[Anandpur]], relieved the poets, scholars and scribes. Classics such as ChanakyanJti, Ranch tan tra, Hitopadesa, Upanisads and parts of Mahabharata were translated into Braj and [[Punjabi]] and works and manuals on martial arts such as rearing, training and employment of hawks, horses, elephants, camels and dogs were prepared. A few Hindi classics were transliterated into Gurmukhi. According to Bhai Santokh Singh, Sn Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, the entire work was collected into a single anthology called Vidya Sar or Vidya Sagar, lit. ocean of knowledge. The poet even mentions the weight of the whole mass of manuscripts nine maunds or approximately 350 kilograms. Whatever the quantity of the material, the entire treasure was lost consequent upon the evacuation of Anandpur in December 1705, most of it in the flooded Sarsa stream. Only small fragments and copies of some of the manuscripts already prepared and carried out of Anandpur by the authors themselves or by others survived.  
 
==Name of the poets==
 
The names of poets and scholars which have come down to us through these fragments or through other works such as Sau Sakhi, Mahima Prakash, Gurbilas Dasvin Patshahi.Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, Gurpad Prem Prakash and Twarikh Guru Khalsa are listed below:
 


1. [[Adha]]
1. [[Adha]]

Revision as of 17:34, 3 January 2009

BAVANJA KAVI, lit. fifty two poets, is how the galaxy of poets and scholars who attended on Guru Gobind Singh(1666 - 1708) is popularly designated. Guru Gobind Singh, Nanak X, prophet and soldier, was an accomplished poet and also a great patron of letters. According to Sarup Das Bhalla, Mahima Prakash, he sent out Sikhs to different parts of the country to invite and bring to him scholars of repute. His instruction was: "Let them bring with them works pertaining to the fields they specialize in." When they came, "the True Guru bestowed great respect and honour upon them and provided for them without disscrimination." Although traditionally mentioned to be 52, the number of scholars who came and stayed with the Guru at one time or the other was even larger. Bhai Santokh Singh,Suraj Granth, mentions 52 poets and Bhai Sukkha Singh, Gurbi/as, 36 lekhaks (writers or scribes). Besides, there were bha.tts who often recited their own poetical compositions. Several poets like Pandit Sukhdev, Brind, 'Alim, Kunvaresh, Kanshi Ram and Nand Lal Goya, who had earlier been at the Mughal court, came to spend the rest of their lives at the feet of the Guru. These men were assigned by Guru Gobind Singh to the task of rendering of Hindi, Sanskrit and Persian classics into Bhakha written in Gurmukhl script. The work appears to have been taken in hand quite early in his career, probably in 1678 and spread over the next two decades and more, including four very productive years at Paonta Sahib (168588), until the Guru, foreseeing the impending conflicts that were to engulf Anandpur, relieved the poets, scholars and scribes. Classics such as ChanakyanJti, Ranch tan tra, Hitopadesa, Upanisads and parts of Mahabharata were translated into Braj and Punjabi and works and manuals on martial arts such as rearing, training and employment of hawks, horses, elephants, camels and dogs were prepared. A few Hindi classics were transliterated into Gurmukhi. According to Bhai Santokh Singh, Sn Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, the entire work was collected into a single anthology called Vidya Sar or Vidya Sagar, lit. ocean of knowledge. The poet even mentions the weight of the whole mass of manuscripts nine maunds or approximately 350 kilograms. Whatever the quantity of the material, the entire treasure was lost consequent upon the evacuation of Anandpur in December 1705, most of it in the flooded Sarsa stream. Only small fragments and copies of some of the manuscripts already prepared and carried out of Anandpur by the authors themselves or by others survived.

Name of the poets

The names of poets and scholars which have come down to us through these fragments or through other works such as Sau Sakhi, Mahima Prakash, Gurbilas Dasvin Patshahi.Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, Gurpad Prem Prakash and Twarikh Guru Khalsa are listed below:


1. Adha

2. Alim

3. Allu

4. Amrit Rai

5. Ani Rai

6. Asa Singh

7. Ballu Bhatt

8. Bhagatu

9. Bhoj Raj

10. Bidhi Chand

11. Bihari

12. Brahm Bhatt

13. Brij Lal

14. Brikkha

15. Buland

16. Chand (Chandan)

17. Chandra Sain Sainapati

18. Desu Bhatt

19. Devi Das

20. Dhanna Singh

21. Dharam Singh

22. Dhyan Singh

23. Girdhari Lal

24. Gunia

25. Gurdas Guni

26. Gurdas Singh

27. Hans Ram

28. Hari Das

29. Hir Bhatt

30. Husain 'Ali

31. Ishar Das

32. Jado Rai

33. Jamal

34. Kallu

35. Kashi Ram

36. Kesho Bhatt

37. Khan Chand

38. Kunvaresh

39. Lakkhan Rai

40. Lal Khiali

41. Madan Giri

42. Maddu Singh

43. Madhu

44. Mala Singh

45. Mall Bhatt

46. Man Das Vairagi

47. Mangal

48. Mathra Das

49. Mir Chhabila

50. Mir Mushki

51. Nand Lal Goya

52. Nand Lal, Pandit

53. Nand Ram

54. Nand Singh

55. NanVairagi

56. Narbud Bhatt

57. Nihal Chand

58. Faqir Nihchal

59. Phat Mall

60. Pindi Lal

61. Prahilad Rai

62. Ram Das

63. Pandit Raghunath

64. Raushan Singh

65. Raval

66. Sharda

67. Shyam

68. Sudama

69. Sukhia

70. Sukhia Singh

71. Sundar

72. Tahikan

73. Tansukh

74. Thakar

75. UdeRai

52 Poets at Paunta Sahib

In 1682 at the invitation of Raja Nahan, Guru Gobind Singh Ji moved to a place called Paonta Sahib and built a fort on the banks of the river Yaumna. So named because "The True Guru came from Anandpur and rested his foot (paonta)." It was subsequently named Paonta Sahib. Guru Ji stayed here for around four years. Whereas martial exercises continued and a few battles were fought including the famous battle of Bhangani, Guru Sahib Ji alos engaged himself in literary pursuits. Several Sanskrit and Persian classics were translated by various poets who had gathered at Paonta and enjoyed the patronage of the great Guru. Sometimes poetic symposiams were held and Guru Sahib Ji distributed awards to the best poets. Most of Guru Ji's compositions were written at Paonta Sahib.

Baba Ajit singh Ji the eldest son of Guru Ji was born to Mata Sundri Ji, at Paonta.

The number of court poets of Guru Gobind Singh Ji has been fixed at 52. Most of them were present at Paonta and helped in rendering the classical literature into Braj Bhasha, especially from Sanskrit.

Nand Lal
Ratee Rai
Amrat Rai
Attu
Asa Singh
Balam
Iswar Das
Sukh Dev
Sukha Singh Sukhia
Sudama
Senapati Shyam Haer
Hussain Ali
Hans Rao
Kallu Kubresh
Khan Chand
Gania
Gurdas
Gopal
Chandan
Chanda
Jamaal
Dahkan
Dharam Singh
Dhanna Singh
Dhyan Singh
Nanu
Nihchal Da
s Nihal Chand
Nand Singh
Uday Rai
Bullo
Bhudhi Chand
Buland
Brikh
Braj Lal
Mathura
Madan Singh
Madan Gir
Mullo
Maan Das
Mulla Singh
Mangal Ram
Raval Roshan Singh Makhan
Alam
Lakhan

OTHER SIKH SCRIPTURES

Ganjnama ♦♦ Bansavalinama Dasan Patshahian Ka ♦♦ Bavanja kavi ♦♦ Bhagat Ratanavali ♦♦ Bhera Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Ka ♦♦ Chalitar Joti Samavane ki ♦♦ Chaturbhuj Pothi ♦♦ Haqiqat Rah Muqam Raje Shivnabh Ki ♦♦ Hazarnamah ♦♦ Kabitt Savaiye ♦♦ Karni Namah ♦♦ Nasihat Namah ♦♦ Amarnama ♦♦ Ani Rai ♦♦ Araz Ul Alfaz ♦♦ Baba Mohan Valian Pothian ♦♦ Bala Janam Sakhi ♦♦ Panj Sau Sakhi ♦♦ Pothi ♦♦ Pothi Sachkhand ♦♦ Prem Abodh Pothi ♦♦ Prem Sumarag ♦♦ Sukhmam Sahansarnama