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Baba Atal Rai was son
of Guru Hargobind ji born to Mata Nanaki
at Amritsar on 23 October 1619. He died
at the tender age of nine years. The
circumstances of his death, as narrated
in Gurbilas Chhevin Patshahi, were most
extraordinary. Atal Rai had a playmate,
Mohan, who was the son of a local businessman,
Suini Shah. One day as they played with
ball and sticks far into the evening,
the forfeit was upon Mohan. During the
night Mohan was bitten by a snake and
he died. When he did not turn up for
play the following morning, Atal Rai
went to his home to find the members
of his family wailing and lamenting.
Baba Atal Rai innocently walked up to
where Mohan was lying under a sheet
spread over him, and spoke: "Why
do you sleep so soundly, dear friend?
it is not time for sleep: and, remember,
you owe us the forfeit." Saying
these words, he touched the boy with
his stick. The boy stood up. The story
that Atal Rai raised a dead body swept
through the town. Guru Hargobind was
not pleased when he heard this. "Karamat
Qahar Hai -- Miracle making is violence.
None should attempt to intervene in
the Will of the Lord," he told
his son. Atal Rai too the admonition
to heart. Making a respectful bow, he
quietly retired from the Guru's presence.
After ablutions in the sacred pool of
Amritsar and having recited the Japu
on the bank of Kaulsar, he lay down
on the ground with the stick underneath
his head and went to his eternal repose.
This happened on 13 September 1628.
A 9-story (in the picture on the left)
octagonal ediface in Amritsar commmemorating
the 9-year-old Sahibzada (Guru's son)
is also popularly known as Baba Atal
after him.
The Gurdwara of Baba Atal is known
for its langar and an old saying "Baba
Atal Pakiyan Pakaiyan Ghal" "Baba
Atal send us the already cooked food"
is true with 24-hour ever continuous
Langar at this Gurdwara., possible only
through the volunteer service of Gursikhs
Copyright © Harbans Singh "The
encyclopedia of Sikhism. Page 208"
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