Guru Har Rai (16 January 1630 – 6 October 1661) is revered as the seventh Nanak and was the seventh of the ten Sikh Gurus. He assumed leadership of the Sikh community at the age of 14 on 3 March 1644, following the death of his grandfather, Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru. Guru Har Rai led the Sikhs for seventeen years until his death at the age of 31.
 | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 16 January 1630 Kiratpur Sahib, Lahore Subah, Mughal Empire |
| Died | 6 October 1661 (aged 31) Kiratpur Sahib, Lahore Subah, Mughal Empire |
| Spouse | Mata Krishen Devi (also known as Sulakhni, Kot Kalyani, or Kishan Kaur) |
| Children | Baba Ram Rai Guru Har Krishan |
| Parent(s) | Baba Gurditta (father) , Mata Nihal Kaur (mother) Baba Daya Ram (father in law) Mata Ananti (mother in law) |
| Other names | Seventh Master Seventh Nanak' |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Sikhism |
| Religious career | |
| Period in office | 1644–1661 |
| Predecessor | Guru Hargobind |
| Successor | Guru Har Krishan |
Guru Har Rai is notable for maintaining the large army of Sikh soldiers that Guru Hargobind had assembled, yet he opted to avoid military conflict during his time as Guru. He supported the more moderate, Sufi-influenced Dara Shikoh over his brother Aurangzeb, who was influenced by a more conservative Sunni ideology, during the Mughal succession conflict.
After Aurangzeb triumphed in the war of succession in 1658, he summoned Guru Har Rai in 1660 to explain his support for the executed Dara Shikoh. Guru Har Rai sent his eldest son, Ram Rai, to represent him. Aurangzeb detained Ram Rai, interrogated him about a verse in the Adi Granth (the holy scripture of the Sikhs), and claimed the verse insulted Muslims. To please the emperor, Ram Rai altered the verse instead of defending the Sikh text. This act led Guru Har Rai to excommunicate his son, Ram Rai, and he chose his younger son, Har Krishan, to succeed him. Har Krishan became the eighth Guru at the age of five after Guru Har Rai's death in 1661.
Names
Some Sikh literature spells his name as Hari Rai. Additionally, some modern Sikhs refer to him as the Green Guru due to the deep sensitivity and reverence he showed towards the natural world.
Biography
Guru Har Rai was born to Ananti (also known as Nihal) and Baba Gurditta, into a Sodhi Khatri family. His father passed away when he was just eight years old. At the age of 10, in 1640, Guru Har Rai married Mata Kishan Devi (sometimes referred to as Sulakhni), the daughter of Daya Ram. They had one daughter, Rup Kaur, and two sons, Ram Rai and Har Krishan, the latter of whom succeeded him as the eighth Guru.
Guru Har Rai had several brothers. His elder brother, Dhir Mal, gained support from Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, receiving free land grants and Mughal sponsorship. Dhir Mal tried to establish a parallel Sikh tradition and criticized his grandfather and sixth Guru, Hargobind. Disagreeing with Dhir Mal, Guru Hargobind named the younger Har Rai as his successor.
Authentic literature on Guru Har Rai's life and times is scarce, as he did not leave any texts of his own. Some later Sikh texts spell his name as "Hari Rai." Biographies written about Guru Har Rai in the 18th and 19th centuries, such as those by Kesar Singh Chhibber, show inconsistencies and contradictions.
Dara Shikoh
Guru Har Rai is believed to have provided medical care to Dara Shikoh, possibly after he had been poisoned by Mughal operatives. Mughal records indicate that Guru Har Rai also offered other forms of support to Dara Shikoh during the battle for succession between him and his brother, Aurangzeb. Ultimately, Aurangzeb emerged victorious, arrested Dara Shikoh, and executed him on charges of apostasy from Islam.
In 1660, after Aurangzeb's victory, he summoned Guru Har Rai to explain his relationship with Dara Shikoh. When asked why he had aided a Mughal prince whose ancestors had persecuted Sikhs and Sikh Gurus, Guru Har Rai is said to have responded with a metaphor: "If a man plucks flowers with one hand and gives them away with the other, both hands get the same fragrance."
In the aftermath of the conflict, Guru Har Rai sent his elder son, Ram Rai, to represent him before Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb detained the 13-year-old Ram Rai and interrogated him about a verse in the Adi Granth (the Sikh holy scripture), which Aurangzeb claimed disparaged Muslims. To appease Aurangzeb, Ram Rai altered the meaning of the verse, leading to his excommunication by Guru Har Rai. In response, Guru Har Rai nominated his younger son, Har Krishan, to succeed him as the next Guru of Sikhism.
Influence
Guru Har Rai significantly influenced Sikh traditions by introducing several practices that enriched Sikh spirituality and community life. He is credited with starting public singing and scripture recital traditions in Sikhism. One notable addition was the katha or discourse-style recitals, which complemented the sabad kirtan tradition of singing hymns. Guru Har Rai also introduced the akhand kirtan tradition, which involves continuous singing of scriptures, as well as jotian da kirtan, a collective folk choral singing of scriptures.
Reforms
Guru Har Rai continued the work of previous Sikh leaders like Guru Amar Das, who had introduced various organizational and religious innovations such as the Manji system (zones of religious administration), the dasvandh system (a tenth of income for communal religious use), and the langar tradition (free meals for all, regardless of background). However, these systems led to challenges for Guru Har Rai. The internal divisions caused by certain Masands (local congregational leaders) like his brother Dhir Mal, who were supported by Mughal authorities, tried to form competing factions within Sikhism. These leaders sought to weaken the community and start a parallel guruship. To address these threats, Guru Har Rai worked hard to keep the Sikh community united.
He also appointed new Masands to lead various regions, including Bhai Jodh, Bhai Gonda, Bhai Nattha, Bhagat Bhagwan (for eastern India), Bhai Pheru (for Rajasthan), and Bhai Bhagat (also known as Bairagi), to help solidify Sikh unity and growth.
Death and Succession
Guru Har Rai passed away in 1661. Before his death, he appointed his 5-year-old son, Har Krishan, as the eighth Guru of the Sikhs, ensuring the continuity of the Sikh leadership and the guidance of the community.
Environmental Stewardship
Guru Har Rai is closely associated with a deep respect for nature in Sikh tradition. He taught that the environment should be treated with care and respect. This commitment to environmental stewardship is evident in various stories about his life.
One well-known account describes a young Guru Har Rai strolling through a garden when the cloak of his garment accidentally broke a flower from its stem. Feeling deep remorse for causing harm to the plant, he vowed to ensure that he would never again harm any plant. For the rest of his life, he made it a point to gather his clothing carefully while walking, demonstrating his sensitivity to the environment.
Guru Har Rai is also noted for his approach to hunting. Unlike his predecessors, who engaged in hunting, he refrained from killing animals. Instead, he kept the animals in a zoo at Kiratpur, showing his compassion for all living creatures.
Medicinal Knowledge
Guru Har Rai was known for his knowledge of medicinal plants, which he applied not only to help the Sikh community but also others in need. One of the most notable stories involves a traditional Sikh garden in Kiratpur known as Naulakha Bagh (the "garden of 900,000 plants"), which Guru Har Rai is believed to have founded. The garden contained many medicinal plants, reflecting his understanding of their healing properties.
A significant event tied to his medicinal knowledge occurred when Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh was poisoned by tiger whiskers, a poisoning method traditionally attributed to Mughal operatives. Despite the hostile relations between the Mughal Empire and the Sikhs, Guru Har Rai offered his help when contacted by Emperor Shah Jahan. Guru Har Rai sent medicinal plants to treat Dara Shikoh, demonstrating his compassion and willingness to help even those from opposing sides.
Salok Mahalla Satvaan (7)
While it's commonly believed that Guru Hargobind, Guru Har Rai, and Guru Harkrishan did not contribute to the Sikh Bani, there is evidence suggesting that Guru Har Rai may have composed the Salok Mahalla Satvaan. This Salok is part of the Kiratpuri Bir of the Guru Granth Sahib and is attributed to Guru Har Rai, though it has been debated due to some potential confusion in attribution.
The Salok's style is distinctive, with Guru Har Rai's signature line being, "Through the voice of Har Rai, the Guru." However, it is important to note that the seventh Guru's composition is sometimes confused with works attributed to the Mina Guru, Miharban, who also used similar markers. No Sikh text definitively credits Guru Har Rai with writing Bani, which leaves the attribution somewhat uncertain.
Legacy
Guru Har Rai's legacy has remained influential, particularly in environmental stewardship. In 2011, March 14 was chosen as Sikh Environment Day, marking the anniversary of Guru Har Rai's ascension to the Guruship. His deep connection to nature, which earned him the title "Green Guru," was highlighted in a statement from EcoSikh's president in 2013.
Popular Culture
Guru Har Rai's environmental legacy has also been depicted in art. In 2013, a painting by Rahi Mohinder Singh was gifted to EcoSikh, showing Guru Har Rai giving a tree to a petitioner to plant. However, the painting has been criticized for depicting an eucalyptus tree, a species that was not present during Guru Har Rai's lifetime, making it anachronistic. Despite this, the artwork emphasizes the Guru's role in promoting care for the natural world.
References
- Guru Har Rai (2025) Encyclopædia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Guru-Har-Rai (Accessed: 15 January 2025).
- Guru Har Rai (no date) Guru Har Rai - SikhiWiki, free Sikh encyclopedia. Available at: https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Guru_Har_Rai (Accessed: 15 January 2025).
- Guru Har Rai Ji – 7th Sikh guru - blog post (no date) Guru Har Rai Ji – 7th Sikh Guru - Blog Post. Available at: https://www.basicsofsikhi.com/post/guru-har-rai-ji (Accessed: 15 January 2025).
- Stories by tag: Guru Har Rai (no date) SikhNet. Available at: https://www.sikhnet.com/stories/topics/gurus/guru-har-rai (Accessed: 15 January 2025).
- Eternal glory of Guru Har Rai Ji (no date) Guru Har Rai Ji. Available at: https://www.srigurugranthsahib.org/guru-har-rai/ (Accessed: 15 January 2025).
