Guru Angad Dev Ji is the second Guru of the Sikhs. He lived 48 years (1504-1552). He was born in Sarai Matta, India. His father’s name was Pheru Mall Ji and his mother was Daya Kaur Ji. He married Mata Khivi. They were both symbols of service. They had two sons Dassu Ji and Dattu Ji and two daughters Bibi Amro Ji and Bibi Anokhi Ji. 

Angad  was  25  years  old  when  he  became  the  Second  Guru.  He  went  into  seclusion  to  meditate;  however,  after six months, he was convinced to return to active leadership. As a leader, he set an ideal example , living and serving as Guru Nanak had done.

Guru  Angad  was  very  fond  of  children,  organized  games  for  them  and  even  gave  out  prizes.  He  took  special  interest  in  their  education,  which  undoubtedly  led  him  to  work  on  the  Gurmukhi  script  which  made  Guru  Nanak’s teachings easily available so even children could read them. 

Before Guru Angad simplified Gurmukhi (“from the mouth of the Guru”), only the Brahmins, the priestly class, could  read.  They  were  paid  by  the  illiterate  to  read  and  perform  ceremonies  for  them.  Guru  Angad  gathered  Guru Nanak’s hymns, which were in various scripts or had been memorized by some of his disciples, and rewrote them  plus  his  own  compositions  in  Gurmukhi, a  simple  phonetic  script. Gurmukhi  was  so  easy  to  read  that  everyone could learn it. This codified script elevated the lower classes and was a means to directly experience the  divine.  Gurmukhi  is  and  endures  today  as  the  “language”  in  which  the  entire  Siri  Guru  Granth  Sahib  is  written.

He spread Guru Nanak’s message. He also introduced the Gurmukhi script. He taught by being an example of service, dedication and devotion.

~This information was originally shared in the books Living Reality (1994) by Bibiji Inderjit Kaur Khalsa and Heroes, Saints and Yogis (2012) by Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa and Guruka Singh Khalsa.