Aurangzeb's bigoted religious policy was totally against Hindus, who were made to pay more taxes than the Muslims. Mohd. Latif writes "He discouraged the teaching of the Hindus, burnt to the ground the great Pagoda near Delhi, and destroyed the temple of Baijnath at Banares, and the great temple of Dera Kesu Rai at Mathura, said to have been built by Raja Narsingh Deo, at the cost of 33 lakh rupees. The gilded domes of this temple were so high that they could be seen from Agra 54 kms distant. On the site of temple he built a mosque at a great cost. About year 1690, the emperor issued an edict prohibiting Hindus from being carried in palanquins or riding on Arabian horses. All servants of state were ordered to embrace Islam, under pain of dismissal, those who refused were deprived of their post.

Revolts against Imperial authority suppressed The Jats' Revolt : Gokal, a Jat of Tilpat revolted against the governer of Mathura, Abdu Nabi, and shot him dead in an encounter. Aurangzeb defeated Gokal, and his womenfolk were given to Muslims. Five thousand jats were killed and seven thousand taken prisoners. (Jadunath Sarkar, page 152)

The Satnamis' Revolt : One day in 1672, a Satnami picked up a quarrel with a Mughal soldier and soldier broke his head with a baton. Other Satnamis beat up the soldier. This riot became a revolt against Aurangzeb and he sent a 10,000 strong force. All Satnamis were killed and no trace of their sect was left. They lived around the area of Narnaul in present day Haryana and Uttar Pardesh states.

The Sikhs' challenge : Aurangzeb dealt with the Sikhs in same manner. In November 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur was called upon to embrace Islam or death. His companions were most cruelly murdered.

The Rajput unhappiness : In December 1678, Maharaja Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur passed away. Aurangzeb annexed his kingdom and killed his two infant sons. A revolt spread out against Aurangzeb and annexation of Marwar was followed by Mewar. Maharana Raj Singh of Udaipur was defeated. Chhittor was seized, 63 temples here and 173 temples in Jodhpur were demolished.

The Maratha ambitions : Aurangzeb reached Aurangabad on March 22, 1682. Shivaji's son Shambuji was arrested and tortured to death by him, so were many Marathas all over the current day Mahrashtra state.

Unorthodox Muslims : Aurangzeb was equally uncompromising against Shias, Sufi saints and liberal-minded religious leaders. A few examples. In 1659, Mullan Shah Lahori, a disciple of Mian Mir was persecuted. In 1661, Mansur-e-Sani Sufi Muhammad Said Sarmad and later another Sufi saint, Qalandar were beheaded for preaching Sufi principles. The famous sufi saint, Yahiya Chishti, was badly maltreated for holding a musical gathering. (Ali Mohd. Khan, Mirat-e-Ahmadi). In 1669, Muharram, a Shia festival, was banned and many Shia Imams were executed. The religious head of Bohras and his 700 followers were shot dead. In 1670, wearing of Zarbaft clothes, embroidered in gold threads, was forbidden, even a son of Aurangzeb, Sultan Mohd., was killed for not following this order. The length of beard of all Muslims was fixed at four fingers or eight centimeters, extra lenghth was to be cut off. In 1772, Diwan Mohammad Tahir was executed for liberal interpretation of Islam. In 1683, Mir Hussain was exiled from Kashmir. (Pages 256-257, of History of Sikhs, vol-1 by Hari Ram Gupta).

Without freedom of action, there is doom. When doom stares in the face, gloom engulfs even the bravest. But between doom and gloom, bloom some of the noblest of human beings. Guru Gobind Rai was cerainly one of such nobles. God's choice has always fallen upon men who wield arms and armour with a single-minded devotion to their noble cause and who successfully resist all temptations concerning Zan (woman), Zar (money), and Zamin (land).

Creation of the Khalsa on 30 March, 1699

On the invitation of the Guru, Sikhs from every existing Sikh sangat came to Anandpur on the Vaisakhi of 1699. On the morning of the Vaisakhi day, Guru explained that in order to safeguard their spiritual and temporal rights the people should not depend on fate. They ought to entrust this duty to themselves. They should individually feel the wrong done, and collectively organise means to resist it.

The Guru then unsheathed his sword and said that every great deed was preceded by equally great sacrifice, is there anyone who would sacrifice his / her life for Waheguru. This sent a thrill of horror in the audience. He repeated it in a sterner and more sonorous voice. All were terror-stricken and there was no response at the first and second call. At the third call, Daya Ram, a Sikh of village Dalla in District Lahore, rose in his seat and expressed willingness to lay down his life. He was led into an adjoining tent and asked to sit there quietly. He dipped his sword blade into vessel full of goats blood. He came back with dripping sword, and asked for another head, one by one Guru chose five Sikhs. He then ordered the curtain separating the tent from the canopy to be removed. All were wonder struck to see the five Sikhs standing hale and hearty. The whole area rang with thunderous shouting of the Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal.

All the five Sikhs were robed in similar dresses and stood in front of the assembly. They were as follows.

1. Daya Ram, a Sikh of village Dalla in Lahore.
2. Dharam Das, a Sikh of Hastinapur.
3. Sahib Chand, a Sikh of Bidar in present day Karnatka state.
4. Himmat Chand a Sikh of Puri in present day Orissa state
. 5. Mohkam Chand, a Sikh of Dwarka.

The Guru declared that through the devotion of one true disciple Sikhism had flourished so well. By the consecration of five Sikhs the Sikh mission would spread all over the world. He further said that from then on his warrior Sikhs would be initiated with water stirred with a double-edged dagger in an iron vessel, with continuous recitation of hymns from Aad Granth. [this is what is called "Khande Baatte da pahul"] In the double edged dagger (Khanda) Guru Gobind Singh combined the two swords of Miri and Piri of his grandfather (Guru Har Gobind, the sixth Nanak) into one and would change the name Sikh to Singh or lion for men and Kaur or prince for women. His Sikh would look upon him / her self as inferior to no other. Every man, woman was a sworn soldier from the time of initiation. The Sikhs would fight for freedom of man like lions. They would be heroes in this life and would attain salvation and bliss thereafter.

Guru's wife did not like it that the five Sikhs who had offered their heads to Guru should be given plain water. She immediately brought a plate full of sugar puffs (patasas) and with the approval of Guru put them in water. The Guru observed: "We filled the Panth with heroism (Bir Ras) by stirring it with double edged dagger, you have mixed it with love (Prem-ras)." While stirring water the Guru recited the sacred hymns of the holy Aad Granth. The five Sikhs were asked to kneel down on their left knees and look into the eyes of the Guru. The Guru then gave every one of them five palm-fulls of Amrit or nectar to drink, and five times was the Amrit sprinkled over their heads and faces. The Guru said that the five beloved ones were his sons. Their mother was Mata Sahib Kaur. Individually each was called a Singh or Kaur and collectively they were given the name of Khalsa.

After administering the initiation, the Guru stood before these five beloved ones and requested them to initiate him in the same manner. They pleaded their unfitness for such a performance. The Guru replied that he was not superior to his devoted disciples. The Guru said "The Khalsa is the Guru and the Guru is in the Khalsa. There is no difference between me and you." They initiated him, everyone of the five giving one palmful of nectar and sprinkling it on his head and face turn by turn. He added Singh to his own name in place of Rai and henceforth came to be called Gobind Singh.

The Guru then addressed the five beloved ones:

"You are now of one creed, followers of one path. You are above all religions, all creeds, all castes, and all classes. You are the immortal soldiers of true dharam. You are messengers of God. The honour of the honourless is entrusted to you by Waheguru. Mix freely with the world, but remain of one soul, one ideal and one mind, so you act as one soul and one mind in the service of Waheguru. You are members of the Khalsa brotherhood. You are all brothers, all equal. No one is superior to the other. Work for the supremacy of His Will with one mind. Success is sure. From today your salutation will be : Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fatah.

Why number five in Sikhsim:

Guru Nanak laid emphasis on number five when he wrote in Japji :

Panch Parwan, Panch Pardhan,
Pancheh Paweh dargah man,
Pancheh sohai dar rajaan,
Pancha ka Gur ek dhayan.

Guru Gobind Singh made the best use of this spiritual sentiment. According Giani Kartar singh Kalaswalia in Sri Guru Dashmesh Prakash, Guru ji sent from Paonta five Sikhs to Kashi to study Sanskrit. He built five forts at Anandpur. He selected five beloved ones at Anandpur. He read five banis while preparing amrit. He administered to each of them five palm-fuls of amrit. Even the word Khalsa in Persian script consists of five letters:

(i) Khe or Kh stands for Khud or oneself.
(ii) Alif or A represents Akal purukh, Allah or God.
(iii) LAM or L signifies Labbaik, which means
"What do you want with me? Here am I. What would you have?"
(iV) Swad or S alludes to Sahib or Lord or Master.
(v) It ends with Alif or A. Alif or A points to Azadi or freedom.

The word Khalsa, therefore has the sacredness of number five as well as the presence of God, with his Singhs engaged in a communication with God. God himself asks the Singhs:

"What do you want from me ? Here am I. What would you have?"
The Singhs reply: "Lord! Give us liberty."

Then Sikhs also got the five symbols from Guru Gobind Singh. Bhai Nand Lal writes :

Nishan-e-Sikhi ast in Panj har kaf
Hargiz na bashad azin panj muaf
Kara, Karad, Kacha, Kanga bi dan,
Bina kesh kes hech ast jumla nishan.

[These five letters of K are emblems of Sikhi.
These five are most incumbent, Iron bangle,
sword, shorts and a comb; without
unshorn hair the other four are of no
significance]