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  SRI
GURU GRANTH SAHIB JI |
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Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism , was born
in 1469 A.D. at Talwandi, since called Nankana Sahib (now in Pakistan).
He got married and had two childern. His father was Mehta Kalu
and mother was Tripta. He had an older sister, Nanaki. Nanak was
a very intelligent boy who thought a lot about God and people.
He was always ready to help the poor and he kept his mother very
busy cooking and serving meals to poor hungry people, whom, he
regularly invited to his house. Nanak's father was an officer in the local revenue department but he wanted Nanak to become a good business man. He gave Nanak twenty Indian Rupees to start his business with but Nanak spent the money on feeding a large number of hungry people. According to him, the most profitable business was to look after God's people. Guru Nanak worked as a storekeeper for many years. he used to spend a large part of his wages on feeding the poor and hungry.
When Guru Nanak was 30, God's message was revealed to him and he decided to travel all around to preach God's message of love and peace to people. Guru Nanak taught us that there is one God, who is the true and Ultimate Reality. God is the Creator of this Universe and is everywhere. God is not born and does not die, is without form or visible shape. All humans are equal. All humans must remember God and sing his glories. All humans must give a part of their earnings in charity. All humans must live a truthful and honest life. Guru Nanak travelled up to China in the North, Sri Lanka in the South, Mecca in the West and Decca in the East. People loved him wherever he went. Guru Nanak after 20 years of travels settled down at Kartarpur and worked as a farmer. At the age of 70 he passed away.
THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF GURU NANAK DEV, THE FOUNDER WERE CARRIED FORWARD BY THE NEXT NINE GURUS
Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji (1504-1552)
Guru Angad Dev was Sikh of Sri Guru Nanak Dev
Ji and was anointed by him as the second Guru at the age of 35.
He was born at Mata ki Serai, got married to Mata Khivi Ji and
had two sons. He improved the script for writing Punjabi and all
Gurbani(Guru's writing) was written in Panjabi. Scripture was
available to common people so they began to call it Gurumukhi.
Guru Amar das, the third
Guru, believed in an preached equality of humanity. Guru Amardas
was a Sikh of the house of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and was anointed
as the third Guru of the Sikhs by Guru Angad Dev Ji. He was born
at Baserke in 1479. He got married to Mata Sulakhani Ji and had
four children, two sons and two daughters. He served Sri Guru
Angad Dev Ji for 12 years, from 1540 to 1552 and was made Guru
at the age of 73. He spread the message of Sri Guru Nanak Dev
Ji and Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji. The Guru also constructed a well
(called BAOLI) at Goindwal and invited all the people to come
and fetch water from there irrespective of their religion and
caste. (in those days, the lower caste people had separate wells
and were not allowed from the wells of the upper caste) The well
was in the ground and the Guru made 84 steps to go down and reach
the baoli. It is believed that there are 8.4 million lives in
this world and an erred souls have to go through these lives to
merge again in God. The Guru said that those who would recite
JAPJI at each step while going down will be freed from the cycle
of transmigration.
Sri
G uru Ramdas Ji was the son-in-law of Sri Guru Amardas Ji. He
was a Sikh and a true devotee of the house of Sri Guru Nanak Dev
Ji. He was chosen to be the fourth Guru of the Sikhs. He was born
at Choona Mandi in Lahore. He got married when he was 19 and had
three sons. Sri G uru Ramdas Ji laid foundation of the city of
Amritsar and therein dug two sacred pools of immortality which
were later called as sarovar of Harimandir (Golden Temple) and
sarovar of Santokhsar around which he founded the present city
of Amritsar. 
Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji was the youngest son of
Sri Guru Ramdas Ji. He was born at Goindwal and became Guru at
the young age of 18 in 1581. He married and had one son. He wrote
more hymns than any other Guru. his most well known Banni is Sukhmani.
He collected the hymns of all the previous Guru's and those of
many hindu and muslim saints and compiled them into one large
volume called Adi Granth. He also built the Hari Mandir, now known
as the Golden Temple in the middle of the pool of immortality.
Like all the Guru's his contribution to the Sikhs faith is exemplary.1.He compiled
the first version of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, then called Pothi
Sahib.2.He
constructed Sri Harimandir Sahib which is known as the Golden
Temple.3.He
laid the foundation of the city of Taran Taran. 4.He founded
the city of Kartarpur (in Jallandhar) 5.He became the first Sikh Martyr.
Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji was born at Wadali,
the only son of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji and became the next Guru.
He combined Spiritual and temporal powers into one authority.
The Guru trained his followers in military arts and encouraged
them to use the sword only to protect the weak and the poor. He
opened missionary centres and spread the message of the previous
Gurus. In addition He gave to the Sikh faith:
Guru Har Rai Ji was a grand son of Sri Guru Hargobind
Sahib Ji . He was born ar Kiratpur. he was very gentle and kind
hearted. He opened a hospital where medicines and treatment was
given free. He spread the message of the previous Gurus. He is
particularly known for love towards animals .He made special hospitals
for animals. He also made Zoo and all species of animals and birds
and gave them his utmost love.He also propogated the use of Aryunvedic
medicine. 
Sri
Guru Harkrishen Dev Ji was the youngest son of Sri Guru Har rai
Ji. He was born at Kiratpur and became Guru at the age of 5. He
stayed on Gur Gadhi for 3 years.
Sri
Guru Teg bahadur Ji was the youngest son of Sri Guru Hargobind
Ji and grand uncle of Sri Guru Harkrishen Dev Ji. He was born
at Amritsar . Guru Tegh Bahadur spent many year meditation and
reached sublime heights therefore was appointed the ninth guru.
He became Guru at the age of 43. Like Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, he
travelled and spread the message of one God and also the teachings
of the Sikh Gurus. He challenged the atrocities and persecution
of Hindus by the Muslim emperors through passive resistence and
sacrificed his own life in doing so,therby saving the Hindus from
compulsory conversion into Muslims .
The
final living Guru 