A Chronology of the Sikh Gurus

  • 1469 – Nanak was born in midApril at Talwandi (now Nankana Sahib) 35 miles southwest of Lahore in what is now Pakistan (his birthday is now celebrated in November.)
  • 1479 – Amar Das was born in a village near what will become Amritsar.
  • 1496 – Nanak dove into the Bein River and emerged 3 days later enlightened. Becoming Guru Nanak, the First Sikh Guru, he then undertook a series of journeys.
  • 1504 – Bhai Lehna (later Guru Angad) was born on March 31.
  • 1534 – Jetha (later Ram Das) was born in October near Lahore.
  • 1539 – Guru Nanak’s light merged in the Light (he passed away) after passing the Guruship to Bhai Lehna, who became Guru Angad, the Second Guru.
  • 1552- Guru Angad passed the Guruship to Amar Das, who became Guru Amar Das, the Third Guru, on March 29. Guru Angad’s light then merged in the Light.
  • 1563 – Arjan, the son of Ram Das and Bibi Bhani (the daughter of Guru Amar Das), was born in Goindwal in mid‑April.
  • 1574 – Guru Amar Das turned the Guruship over to Ram Das, who became Guru Ram Das, the Fourth Guru. The light of Guru Amar Das then merged in the Light.
  • 1577 – Around this time, Guru Ram Das began building the city of Amritsar. 
  • 1581 – Guru Ram Das passed the Guruship to his son Arjan, who became Guru Arjan Dev, the Fifth Guru. The light of Guru Ram Das merged in the Light.
  • 1588 – Guru Arjan Dev began construction on Hari Mandir Sahib (now known as the Golden Temple).
  • 1595 – Hargobind, son of Guru Arjan Dev and his wife Ganga, was born in Wadali, a village outside Amritsar.
  • 1601 – Guru Arjan Dev completed construction of Hari Mandir Sahib.
  • 1604 – Guru Arjan Dev completed the compilation of the Adi Granth on August 15. It was installed in a gala ceremony at Hari Mandir Sahib on August 30.
  • 1606 – Guru  Arjan Dev was martyred in June in Lahore. Hargobind was ordained as Guru Hargobind, the Sixth Guru, and began the Sikh Warrior‑Saint practice.
  • 1621 – Teg Bahadur, son of Guru Hargobind and his wife Nanaki, was born on April 1 in Amritsar.
  • 1630 – Har Rai, son of Guru Hargobind’s son Baba Gurditta, was born on February 26 at Kiratpur.  
  • 1645 – Guru Hargobind ordained his grandson Har Rai as Guru Har Rai, the Seventh Guru. Guru Hargobind’s  light merged in the Light.
  • 1656 – Harkrishan was born on July 7 to Guru Har Rai and his wife Krishan Kaur.
  • 1661 – Guru Har Rai ordained his 5‑year‑old son Harkrishan as Guru Harkrishan, the Eighth Guru. Guru Har Rai’s light merged in the Light.
  • 1664 – Guru Harkrishan died at age eight of smallpox. On the basis of the Guru’s dying words, his uncle Teg Bahadur was ordained as Guru Teg Bahadur, the Ninth Guru.
  • 1666 – Gobind Rai was born in Patna on December 26 to Guru Teg Bahadur and his wife Mata Gujri.
  • 1675 – Guru Teg Bahadur was martyred in Delhi. His son Gobind Rai became Guru Gobind Rai.
  • 1699 – On April 14, Guru Gobind Rai instituted the Amrit Ceremony. This is the birthdate of the Khalsa. Guru Gobind Rai became Guru Gobind Singh.
  • 1705 – Guru Gobind Singh dictated the current version of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib.
  • 1708 – In October, Guru Gobind Singh ordained the Siri Guru Granth Sahib as His successor and the Guru of all living Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh’s light merged in the Light as he died of the wounds inflicted by an assassin.

 

~ Originally shared in the book Sikh Spiritual Practice: The Sound Way to God (2010) by Siri Kirpal Kaur Khalsa.