Series No. 2:A Cry for Freedom of Faith: Pandit Kirpa Ram Ji’s Delegation Before Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji
Under Safar-e-Patshahi Nauvin (The Journey of the Ninth Sovereign), in the Shahidi Marg Yatra Series No. 2, today we revisit that sacred and decisive historical moment when Pandit Kripa Ram Ji and his sixteen-member delegation reached the lotus feet of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji and cried out for the protection of the Hindu faith.
Sangat ji, Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa,
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
O Guru-loving Sangat, blessed indeed is Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji—an imperishable emblem of humanity, dharma, and inner fortitude. Today we embark upon that historical pilgrimage of the Shahidi Marg and the Shish Marg, along which every footprint of the Guru sanctified the soil and knit the Sangat into one thread.
At this moment, we are beholding the sanctified site of Gurdwara Guru Ke Mahal Sahib. Our Khoj-Vichar team arrived here and, together with the Head Granthi of the gurdwara, performed the inner darshan. Within this complex lies a remarkable place—Bhora Sahib, a subterranean tapasthān (cellar-like meditation chamber). It offers coolness in summer and warmth in winter; in earlier times such bhoras were made for contemplation and solitary practice.
This is the very place where Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji established His residence. There is an ancient well here from which water was drawn, and several other wells around it—constructed in the time of the Guru.
Guru Residence and Historical Continuity
While viewing the gurdwara situated within this precinct, we were told that this was once the actual residence of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji. The ravages of time and tyrannical regimes had devastated this sacred site. After the departure of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji from Anandpur Sahib, the oppressors ravaged the city. Yet today, through the service and devotion of the Sangat, this very place lives again.
A local sevadar further shared:
“Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!”
Gurdwara Damdama Sahib forms part of the Bhora Sahib precinct of Guru Ke Mahal. It was here that Bhai Ram Kunwar Ji (a descendant of Baba Budha Ji) anointed Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji upon the Gurugaddi. At this very spot, the Guru would meet representatives of the Sangat; masands were examined, and those found corrupt were punished from here itself. This sacred site lies to the west within the Guru Ke Mahal complex.
The History of Chak Mata Nanaki
In his address, the Head Granthi Sahib Ji explained:
“Guru-beloved Sangat ji! The place we behold today is the holy land of Sri Anandpur Sahib. Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji purchased it in 1665 from Raja Deep Chand Ji’s queen, Rani Champa, and founded a town here. The Guru named it Chak Mata Nanaki Ji, which later became renowned as Sri Anandpur Sahib.”
This very Guru Ke Mahal Bhora Sahib is where Satguru Ji held open diwans and imparted teachings to the Sangat. This diwan site is known as Gurudwara Thara (Thadda) Sahib.
The Moment of Plea
It was here that a singular moment unfolded: Kashmiri Pandits, tormented by Mughal tyranny and bereft of any worldly support, came to the court of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji seeking the protection of their dharma. Standing at Gurdwara Thara Sahib, they supplicated:
“Sacche Patshah Ji, bāh hamārī paṛhīe, Har Govind ke Chand!”
Meaning: “O True Sovereign, hold our arm; protect our Hindu faith.”
Historical Context
According to the renowned historian Dr. Bhagwan Singh ‘Khoji’, this delegation reached Anandpur on 25 May 1675 CE. Historical records attest that it comprised sixteen leading pandits, chief priests from different temples across India. The delegation was led by Pandit Kripa Ram Ji.
We often say only, “Pandit Kripa Ram came,” yet the fuller account emerges from the Bhatt Vahis (the genealogical chronicles of the Bhatts).
In truth, the tradition is far older. When Sri Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Ji visited Kashmir, there lived at Mattan a scholar named Pandit Brahmadatt, exceedingly proud of his learning. He had challenged the scholars of all India: “If anyone is greater than I, let him debate me; the vanquished shall become the disciple of the victor.”
It is that very tradition to which Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji, centuries later, offered a spiritual response: when dharma stood in peril, He gave martyrdom as the final, immortal answer to that challenge of learning.
From Pandit Brahmadatt to Bibi Saraswati- The Union of Scripture and Sword
In those times, the fame of Pandit Brahmadatt Ji’s scholarship resonated throughout India. When Sri Guru Nanak Patshah Ji arrived in Mattan, a town in Kashmir, He encountered this learned pandit. For several days, they engaged in deep philosophical debate (shastrarth). Pandit Brahmadatt, filled with pride over his vast learning, eventually surrendered his ego when he immersed himself in the profound depth of Guru Nanak Patshah Ji’s divine wisdom.
At that moment, Guru Nanak Sahib Ji instructed Bhai Mardana Ji, “Bhai Mardana, play the rabab!”
And from the Guru’s sacred lips resounded this eternal hymn:
From Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜੀ ਤੋਂ
ਸਲੋਕੁਮਃ੧॥
ਸਲੋਕ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਪਾਤਸ਼ਾਹੀ।
ਪੜਿ ਪੜਿ ਗਡੀ ਲਦੀਅਹਿ ਪੜਿ ਪੜਿ ਭਰੀਅਹਿ ਸਾਥ॥
ਪੜਿ ਪੜਿ ਬੇੜੀ ਪਾਈਐ ਪੜਿ ਪੜਿ ਗਡੀਅਹਿ ਖਾਤ॥
ਪੜੀਐ ਜੇਤੀ ਆਰਜਾ ਪੜੀਅਹਿ ਜੇਤੇ ਸਾਸ
ਪੜੀਅਹਿ ਜੇਤੇ ਬਰਸ ਬਰਸ ਪੜੀਅਹਿ ਜੇਤੇ ਮਾਸ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਲੇਖੈ ਇਕ ਗਲ ਹੋਰੁ ਹਉਮੈ ਝਖਣਾ ਝਾਖ ॥੧॥ (ਅੰਗ: ੪੮੭)
Meaning:
Even if one loads carts upon carts with books and spends an entire lifetime reading them, O Nanak! Only one thing counts in the Court of the Divine — the remembrance of the Lord’s Name. All else is the futile noise of ego.
Transformation Through the Guru’s Grace
Hearing this sacred revelation, Pandit Brahmadatt’s heart was transformed. Bowing before Guru Nanak Dev Ji, he humbly sought forgiveness and said,
“O True Guru, now I have found the light of true wisdom.”
Guru Sahib blessed him, appointing him as a preacher of dharma in the Kashmir region, and accepted him as a Gurusikh. Thus began a lineage that would later leave an indelible mark on Sikh history.
Expansion of the Lineage
The lineage of Pandit Brahmadatt flourished. His son Narayan Das continued the propagation of Sikh teachings. In the time of his grandson Bhai Aduram Ji, the family’s sanctity deepened further. When Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji visited Kashmir, He arranged the divine marriage of Bhai Aduram Ji with Bibi Saraswati Ji.
This was no ordinary marriage — it symbolized the sacred union of Shastra (spiritual knowledge) and Shastra (martial skill). Bibi Saraswati Ji possessed mastery over the art of arms, while Bhai Aduram Ji was a distinguished scholar of scriptures. Through this sacred bond, Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji gave tangible expression to the principle of Miri-Piri — the perfect harmony of temporal power and spiritual wisdom.
The Historical Identity of Bibi Saraswati
A deeper exploration of history reveals that Bibi Saraswati Ji was no ordinary woman. Her name embodies the virtues of courage, learning, and feminine dignity.
To trace her story, we journey to Bilaspur in Uttarakhand, where a devout Sikh family — descendants of her lineage — continues to preserve this glorious heritage.
To learn more about this legacy, Dr. Bhagwan Singh ‘Khoji’ personally met Bhai Charanjit Singh Chhibbar Ji, a descendant of the family. With folded hands, he greeted him with “Fateh” and asked, “Bhai Sahib, please share with the Sangat — who was this great Bibi Saraswati? What was her relationship with Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji? And how is your family connected to Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji?”
Bhai Charanjit Singh Chhibbar Ji replied with emotion: “Bibi Saraswati was a radiant woman of her time — a rare blend of bravery and intellect. Her union, sanctified by Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji’s blessings, became the very spiritual tradition that, in the era of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji, gave rise to the sublime ideal of sacrifice for righteousness.”
Thus, the journey from Pandit Brahmadatt to Bibi Saraswati stands as a timeless saga — a confluence of scripture, sword, and devotion.
It was this divine lineage that later carried the plea of the Kashmiri Pandits to Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji, laying the very foundation of that immortal chapter of martyrdom which we revere today as the Shahidi Marg — the Path of Sacrifice.
The Chhibbar Family’s Guru-Centred Lineage — From Bibi Saraswati to Pandit Kripa Singh Datt
Bhai Charanjit Singh Chhibbar Ji shared: “I belong to the same family as Bhai Mati Das Ji and Bhai Sati Das Ji, descendants of Bhai Parag Ji. The Bibi Saraswati whose history Dr. Bhagwan Singh ‘Khoji’ is searching was the daughter of our ancestor Bhai Gautam Sen Ji.”
This family has been connected with Guru Ghar (the House of the Gurus) since the time of Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. During His travels to Kashmir, the Guru arranged at Mattan the marriage of Bhai Gautam Das Ji’s daughter and Bhai Parag Ji’s sister, Bibi Saraswati Ji, with Bhai Aduram Ji.
From this divine union was born a son — Pandit Kripa Ram Datt, who would later become known as Kripa Singh Datt, a devoted Sikh warrior and scholar.
The Genealogy of the Bhai Chhibbar Family
Bhai Gautam Das Ji had three children:
- Bhai Paida Ji
- Bhai Parag Ji
- Bibi Saraswati Ji
Bhai Parag Ji’s son was Bhai Dwarka Das Ji, whose two sons were Bhai Hiranand Ji and Bhai Dargah Mal Ji.
Bhai Hiranand Ji had four sons:
- Bhai Mati Das Ji
- Bhai Sati Das Ji
- Bhai Jati Das Ji
- Bhai Sakhi Das Ji
These four brothers were deeply attached to their uncle Bhai Dargah Mal Ji. In Bhai Dargah Mal Ji’s next generation, there were two sons- Bhai Dharm Chand Ji and Bhai Sahib Chand Ji. In Bhai Dharm Chand Ji’s lineage appeared Bhai Gurbakhsh Singh Ji and Bhai Kesar Singh Chhibbar Ji. After Bhai Kesar Singh Ji, the family continued through Bhai Seva Singh Ji, Bhai Mehtab Singh Ji, Bhai Lal Singh Ji, Bhai Sant Singh Ji, then Bhai Amar Singh Ji, Bhai Ajit Singh Ji, and finally the present-day descendant- Bhai Charanjit Singh Chhibbar Ji.
This is the same venerable lineage that has served the Guru Ghar (the House of the Guru) with devotion for centuries, and whose legacy still lives on with pride and humility.
The Honour of Serving the Guru Ghar
Sardar Ajit Singh Ji, father of Bhai Charanjit Singh Chhibbar Ji, expressed his heartfelt gratitude: “We are deeply thankful to Dr. Bhagwan Singh ‘Khoji’ Ji. Through his tireless research, he rediscovered our family’s history and showed the world that this lineage remains devoted to Guru-seva even today. His dedication, service to the Panth, and spiritual labour are truly admirable. He is, in every sense, a true ‘Khoji’ — a seeker — and a torchbearer of the Panth’s Chardikala (ever-rising spirit).”
The Historical Link Between Bibi Saraswati and Raja Dahir Sen
Dr. Bhagwan Singh ‘Khoji’ further asked Bhai Charanjit Singh Ji:“Bhai Sahib, what was the connection between Bibi Saraswati Ji and Raja Dahir Sen, the last ruler of Sindh?”
Bhai Charanjit Singh Ji replied:“If one studies the History of Punjab, one learns that Raja Dahir Sen was a mighty Chakravarti Samrat (sovereign emperor). His kingdom stretched from Sindh to Kashmir. It was this very realm that fell under the assault of Muhammad Bin Qasim, marking the beginning of foreign invasions in India. From his lineage later arose three smaller states — Wazirabad (Delhi region), Sialkot, and Kadhiala. From the royal line of Kadhiala descended Bhai Gautam Das Ji, who eventually came under the divine refuge of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Ji.”
Kripa Singh Datt- A True Sikh of the Guru, Not Merely a Pandit
Sardar Charanjit Singh Ji made a moving observation: “Khoji Sahib, I often reflect that our historians respectfully referred to Kripa Ram Ji as ‘Pandit Kripa Ram Datt’, since our ancestors came from a Brahmin lineage known for scholarship. Yet, regrettably, many Panthic preachers repeatedly emphasized the word Pandit, inadvertently diminishing the true identity of a Guru-Sikh. This was, in fact, a family blessed directly by Sri Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Ji. Our forefathers never wore the janeu (sacred thread), for theirs was a family of missionaries of the Guru Ghar– a house of devoted Sikhs.”
The Service and Martyrdom of Kripa Singh Datt
When Pandit Kripa Ram Ji (Kripa Singh Datt) came to Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji at Anandpur Sahib with the delegation of Kashmiri Pandits, the Guru gave His sacred promise to uphold and protect the faith.
After that divine encounter, Kripa Singh Datt never returned to Kashmir. He dedicated the rest of his life to the service of the Guru’s household. Skilled alike in Shastra Vidya (martial arts) and Gurbani, he exemplified both discipline and devotion. On the Baisakhi of 1699 CE, he partook of Amrit and was baptized as a Singh– embracing the Khalsa identity.
History records that in the Battle of Chamkaur, Kripa Singh Datt and his brother Mansukh Singh Datt– two valiant warriors of the Guru- attained martyrdom while defending righteousness.
The Culmination of History
Dr. Bhagwan Singh ‘Khoji’ concluded: “This is the same illustrious family that illuminated the world with the supreme sacrifices of Bhai Mati Das Ji and Bhai Sati Das Ji at Chandni Chowk, Delhi — a flame of faith that still burns eternal. The glorious Chhibbar lineage has given immeasurable service to the Guru Ghar, and its contributions will forever remain inscribed in the golden pages of Sikh history.”
We close these sacred pages of history here. Join us in the next chapter, Series No. 3- ‘From the Pandits’ Plea to the Guru’s Martyrdom’.
Yours in reverence,
Historian Dr. Bhagwan Singh ‘Khoji’