Early years at Anandpur

The Ranghreta is Guru Ji's son

Bhai Jaita arrived with the head, and Guru Ji is remembered as honouring him despite his low caste.

Agreed in traditionNovember 1675Anandpur1 min read

Painting of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji at court — A later artist's imagining of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, from the Pahari workshop of the family of Nainsukh of Guler, about 1815. No portrait from Guru Ji's lifetime is established.family workshop of Seu-Nainsukh of Guler, c. 1815, Samrai Collection, London (as credited on Commons). Public domain. Source

The Encyclopaedia, drawing on Sikh tradition, says Bhai Jaita walked from Delhi to Anandpur carrying the head of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, after every other Sikh in the city had kept away for fear of reprisals. He belonged to a caste others looked down upon. Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, still a boy of nine, received him and declared that the Ranghreta was Guru Ji's own son. Bhai Jaita stayed on, became the drummer of the Ranjit Nagara, and took the name Jiwan Singh when the Khalsa was created.

How do we know?

Several traditional accounts tell this story, without close independent support.

The words are remembered in tradition. They have not been traced to an early text.

Later traditionGives the epithet and says Bhai Jaita, later Jiwan Singh, was of the scavenger caste.[EoS]
Later traditionSays Guru Ji received and cremated the head brought at great personal risk.[EoS]
Later traditionDates the rites to 16 November 1675.[EoS]

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