Vidyadhar

The 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh kept 52 Bards permantly in his employ and others occasionaly visited him. They wrote on all the nine subjects which in the opinion of Orientals are suitable for poetry (Love, Mirth, Pity, Anger, Heroism, Terror, Hate, Wonder and Contentment); but the composition of eulogies on the Guru occupied most of their attention. The Guru once had the curiosity to weigh their compositions. They amounted to about two and a half hundred weight. The Guru included them in a compilation which he called Vidyadhar. He so valued the book that he ever kept it with him - even when he went into battle - but it was lost in one of his engagements. Some of the bards' compositions are preserved in the Suraj Parkash.

References

• Macauliffe, M.A (1909). The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus Sacred Writings and Authors. Low Price Publications. ISBN 8175361328.

Names of 52 poets of Guru Gobind Singh jee’s Darbaar.

1. Uday Rai 2. Ratee Rai 3. Amrat Rai 4. Attu (or Allu) 5. Asa Singh 6. Balam (or Ballu Bhatt) 7. Iswar Das 8. Sukh Dev 9. Sukha Singh 10. Sukhia 11. Sudama 12. Senapati 13. Shyam 14. Haer (or Hir Bhatt) 15. Hussain Ali 16. Hans Rao (or Hans Ram) 17. Kallu 18. Kunvresh 19. Khan Chand 20. Gania (or Gunia) 21. Gurdas 22. Gopal 23. Chandan 24. Chanda 25. Jamaal 26. Dahkan( or Tahikan) 27. Dharam Singh 28. Dhanna Singh 29. Dhyan Singh 30. Nanu (or Nan Vairagi) 31. Nihchal Das (or Nihchal Faqir) 32. Nihal Chand 33. Nand Singh 34. Nand Lal "Goya" 35. Bullo (or Ballabh) 36. Bhudhi Chand 37. Buland 38. Brikh (or Brikha) 39. Braj Lal 40. Mathura 41. Madan Singh 42. Madan Gir 43. Mullo (or Mal Bhatt) 44. Maan Das 45. Mulla Singh 46. Mangal 47. Ram 48. Raval 49. Roshan Singh 50. Makhan 51. Ani Rai 52. Bihari

Out of these poets some writings of Bhai Nand Lal “Goya”, Ani Rai and Senapati have survived and are available.

Names of some other poets are :-

Adha, Alim,Bhagatu, Bhoj Raj, Brahm Bhatt, Desu Bhatt, Devi Das, Girdhari Lal, Gurdas Guni, Hari Das, Jado Rai, Kashi Ram, Kesho Bhatt, Lakkhan Rai, Lal Khiali, Madhu, Mir Chhabila, Mir Mushki, Nand Lal, Pandit, Nand Ram, Narbud Bhatt, Phat Mall, Pindi Lal, Prahilad Rai, Raghunath, Pandit, Sharda, Sundar, Tansukh and Thakar.

References

• {Book Title= Yugpurush | Author=Ranvir}