Bhai Kanhaiya - The Sikh Who Served Enemies (Seva)

Dadi: "Beta Guddu, what would you do if something precious to your teacher was in a dangerous place, and only you could bring it back?"

Guddu: "I would try to get it, Dadi! But I might be scared."

Dadi: "Let me tell you about a man who was so devoted to his Guru that he traveled 320 kilometers through enemy territory, carrying the most sacred thing imaginable."

Guddu: "What was he carrying?"

Dadi: "On November 11, 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed in Delhi. A crowd had gathered to watch. Among them, hiding so no one would recognize him, was a devoted Sikh named Bhai Jaita."

Guddu: "Why was he hiding?"

Dadi: "Because if the Mughals knew a Sikh was there, they would arrest him too. Bhai Jaita had come with three other Sikhs - Bhai Nainoo, Bhai Ageya, and Bhai Udda - hoping for any chance to serve their Guru."

Guddu: "What happened after the execution?"

Dadi: "As evening came, something remarkable happened - a fierce storm swept through Delhi. Dusty winds howled, and heavy rain pounded the streets. Visibility dropped to almost nothing. Most people ran for shelter."

Guddu: "But not Bhai Jaita?"

Dadi: "No, beta. He saw this storm as divine providence - his opportunity. Through the darkness and driving rain, he crept toward Chandni Chowk where the execution had taken place. The guards couldn't see more than a few feet in front of them."

Guddu: "What did he do?"

Dadi: "Moving silently, Bhai Jaita reached the place where his Guru's head lay. With trembling hands but a steady heart, he lifted the sacred head, wrapped it in a white cloth, and pressed it against his chest."

Guddu: "He took the Guru's head?"

Dadi: "Yes. Meanwhile, another brave Sikh named Bhai Lakhi Shah took the Guru's body in his cart. To cremate it secretly, he actually set his own house on fire! Imagine that courage, beta - burning down your home so your Guru's body could have proper rites."

Guddu: "That's incredible devotion! What about Bhai Jaita?"

Dadi: "His journey was just beginning. He couldn't take the main roads - Mughal soldiers would be searching everywhere. He had to travel through forests and jungles, across rivers and fields, always moving, always hiding."

Guddu: "How far did he have to go?"

Dadi: "320 kilometers, from Delhi to Kiratpur in Punjab. It took him five days. He walked mostly at night, carrying the sacred head pressed to his heart, sleeping only when his body couldn't go further."

Guddu: "Didn't anyone help him?"

Dadi: "Yes! Along the way, devoted Sikhs sheltered him. At a village called Taravari, a Sikh named Bhai Deva Ram gave him shelter and wrapped the sacred head in special clothes he had sewn. At Kainth Majri, Bhai Ramdev provided refuge. Near Nabha, a Muslim fakir named Dargahi Shah - who loved the Sikh Gurus - gave him food and rest."

Guddu: "Even a Muslim helped!"

Dadi: "True devotion recognizes no boundaries, beta. Finally, on November 14, 1675, Bhai Jaita arrived at Kiratpur Sahib. The young Gobind Rai - just nine years old - came to receive him with the entire congregation."

Guddu: "What happened when they met?"

Dadi: "Bhai Jaita bowed and presented the head reverently to the young Guru. Do you know what's remarkable? Young Gobind Rai didn't collapse in tears, though he had just lost his father in the cruelest way. He remained calm, receiving the sacred head with dignity."

Guddu: "That's very brave for a nine-year-old."

Dadi: "He saw something in Bhai Jaita that moved him deeply - the complete selfless devotion of this man who had risked everything. The young Guru embraced Bhai Jaita and spoke words that would echo through history."

Guddu: "What did he say?"

Dadi: ""Ranghreta, Guru ka Beta" - meaning "The lowborn Ranghreta is the Guru's own son.""

Guddu: "Lowborn? What does that mean?"

Dadi: "Bhai Jaita came from the Ranghreta community, considered one of the lowest castes - the untouchables who cleaned streets. In that society, such people were looked down upon, treated as less than human."

Guddu: "But the Guru called him his son!"

Dadi: "Exactly! In that one statement, the young Guru destroyed the poison of caste discrimination. He said that a man's worth has nothing to do with his birth - it's determined by his actions, his devotion, his courage. Bhai Jaita, the "untouchable," had shown more nobility than any king."

Guddu: "That's beautiful!"

Dadi: "Bhai Jaita was later given the name Bhai Jeevan Singh when he took Amrit. His entire family continued to serve the Gurus. Many of them later died fighting alongside Guru Gobind Singh in the terrible battles that followed."

Guddu: "What does this story teach us, Dadi?"

Dadi: "So many things, beta! First, divine help comes to those who act with courage - the storm that night wasn't coincidence, it was opportunity for the brave. Second, caste means nothing - a "lowborn" man became a Guru's son through his actions. Third, the journey matters as much as the destination - those five days of hardship, traveling with love pressing against his heart, transformed Bhai Jaita forever. And finally, in our darkest moments, there's always something we can do. The Sikhs couldn't prevent the Guru's execution, but they could ensure his dignity in death."

Guddu: "Bhai Jaita was a real hero."

Dadi: "He was. And his story reminds us that heroes don't come from palaces - they come from places we least expect, rising when duty calls. Now, whenever you feel that your background or your circumstances limit what you can do, remember Bhai Jaita - the untouchable who became a Guru's son."