Guru Angad Dev Ji
Guru Angad Dev Ji is another important figure in the records of the Sikh history and religion. His life and teachings are still so popular today that he remains a great example of a wise, humble, and devoted man. This blog post aims at enriching the readers with an insight into the life of Guru Angad Dev Ji and how he contributed to Sikhism.
Suggested Tour: Hemkund Sahib
A Humble Beginning
Guru Angad Dev Ji was born on 31st March 1504 in a lowly village of Punjab, India and his birth name was Lehna. In his early age he was very humble and pious. He was a hard working young man in his family business as well as involved in religious activities. To cut the long story short, one day he was noticed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism.
Becoming the Second Guru
Lehna’s desire to become a good Sikh made him realize the spiritual prowess of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Lehna was chosen as the second Sikh Guru in the year 1539 after Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s demise and his name was changed to Angad which means body part or limb Hence, he was an integral part of the Sikh Guru line.
Suggested Tour: Panj Takht Sahib
Key Contributions
Standardization of Gurmukhi Script: Guru Angad Dev Ji among all the Gurus made the most impacting contribution by establishing and formalizing the Gurmukhi Script. This script was then used as the tool to write the teachings of the Sikh Gurus and also helped the Punjabi language to grow. Guru Angad Dev Ji was careful in making the scriptures available to common man and thus was instrumental in the dissemination of Sikhism.
Promotion of Sikhism: Guru Angad Dev Ji carried on with the teachings of Sikhism, advocation of dedication to God, the dedication to selfless service, and the non acceptance of social status. His preachings continued on the same path of equality and social justice for which Guru Nanak Dev Ji stood for.
Community Building: During his rule, Guru Angad Dev Ji made the Sikh community developed and powerful. He also founded institutions for the upliftment of the community such as the practice of langar which served food to all, be it a poor man or a rich man. He wanted a society that was egalitarian and which was devoid of any type of discrimination with reference to the community one belonged to.
Education and Literacy: Guru Angad Dev Ji was very much concerned with education and reading. He also started schools and also promoted the literacy of the Gurmukhi script to make mass education and spread of the Sikh religion.
Suggested Tour: Damdama Sahib with Golden Temple
Legacy and Impact
Some of the contributions of Guru Angad Dev Ji were spiritual and he paved the way for the foundation of the Sikh nation. His emphasis on modesty, dedication, and equality went on defining the further evolution of Sikh principles and traditions. He also laid down as a model for the future Gurus how the leadership of the Sikh community would pass from one leader to another in an orderly manner.
Guru Angad history is honored in various ways for example through Gurdwara Sahibs and his teachings are still used in Sikhism. His life is a testament of faith, dedication and service in being able to bring about change in the society.
Conclusion
Guru Angad Ji was the second Sikh Guru, but before becoming the Guru he was an ordinary person who underwent a great transformation. His contributions to Sikhism that includes the standard setting process of the Gurmukhi script, promotion of equality and the education reform can never be ignored in the history of Sikhism. Looking at the life of Christ and the messages he was passing to people, we are prompted to recall the values such as humility, service, and devotion.
Guru Angad teachings, messages still remain relevant and applicable to the followers of Sikhism as well as people in general in their quest to attain spirituality and foster world peace. He is an inspiration of how change can come and how one man is capable of changing the lives of many people just by standing for what he believes in.
