Sikh Empire MCQs with Explanations

Guru Nanak was born on 29 November 1469 at Rai Bhoi Ki Talvaṇḍi (present day Nankana Sahib, Punjab, Pakistan) near Lahore. His parents were Kalyan Chand Das Bedi, popularly shortened to Mehta Kalu, and Mata Tripta. His father was the local patwari (accountant) for crop revenue in the village of Talwandi.

Gobind Singh was the only son of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh guru, and Mata Gujri. He was born in Patna, Bihar in the Sodhi Khatri family while his father was visiting Bengal and Assam.

Banda Bahadur, a Sikh leader who led a revolt against the Mughals after the assassination of Guru Gobind Singh, was captured and executed during the reign of Farrukh Siyar.

Guru Gobind Singh had sent Banda Bahadur to Punjab to crush the enemies of Khalsa.

According to Guru Nanak Salvation could be obtained In the service of God. He said, "Serve God. Serve humanity. Only service to humanity shall secure for us a place in heaven".

Guru Nanak appointed Bhai Lehna as the successor Guru, renaming him as Guru Angad, meaning "one's very own" or "part of you". Shortly after proclaiming Bhai Lehna as his successor, Guru Nanak died on 22 September 1539 in Kartarpur, at the age of 70.

Guru Ramdas, 4th Sikh Guru laid the foundation of city of Amritsar in 1577.

The land was a gift from the Mughal Emperor Akbar (1542-1605) to Guru Amar Das's daughter, Bibi Bhani, married to (Guru) Ram Das. The name "Amritsar" was originally given to this holy pool created by the fourth Sikh Guru. Amritsar is one of five holy sarovars (sacred pools) in this city.

Baba Banda Singh Bahadur was a Sikh leader who, by early 1700, had captured parts of the Punjab region. Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah I failed to suppress Bahadur's uprising. In 1714, the Sirhind faujdar (garrison commander) Zainuddin Ahmad Khan attacked the Sikhs near Ropar. In 1715, Farrukhisyar sent 20,000 troops under Qamaruddin Khan, Abdus Samad Khan and Zakariya Khan Bahadur to defeat Bahadur. After an eight-month siege at Gurdaspur, Bahadur surrendered after he ran out of ammunition. Bahadur and his 200 companions were arrested and brought to Delhi; he was paraded around the city of Sirhind. Bahadur was put into an iron cage and the remaining Sikhs were chained.

The Zafarnama (Epistle of Victory) was a spiritual victory letter sent by Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1705 to the Mughal Emperor of India, Aurangzeb after the Battle of Chamkaur. The letter is written in Persian verse.

The Sikh Guru who compiled the Guru Granth Sahib , the holy scripture of Sikhism, was Guru Arjan . Guru Arjan Dev Ji was the fifth Sikh Guru and he is known for compiling and finalizing the writings of the earlier Sikh Gurus, along with adding his own compositions, hymns, and those of other saints, into the sacred scripture. Nanak (Option A) is the first Sikh Guru and the founder of Sikhism. He laid the foundation of the faith and his teachings are an integral part of the Guru Granth Sahib. Har Rai (Option B) was the seventh Sikh Guru, known for his compassion and efforts in propagating Sikhism. Bahadur (Option D) refers to Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, who sacrificed his life for the protection of religious freedom. Angad (Option E) was the second Sikh Guru, succeeding Guru Nanak, and he contributed to the growth of the Sikh community. Therefore, the correct option is Option C: Arjan , who compiled the Guru Granth Sahib, the central scripture of Sikhism.

Wazir Khan sent two Afghan Pathan assassins Jamshed Khan and Wasil Beg to attack the Guru during his sleep at Nanded, the Guru's resting place. They stabbed Guru Gobind Singh in his sleep.

The period following the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur – the father of Guru Gobind Singh, was a period where the Mughal Empire under Aurangzeb was an increasingly hostile enemy of the Sikh people. The Sikh resisted, led by Gobind Singh, and the Muslim-Sikh conflicts peaked during this period.

Guru Arjan was arrested under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir and asked to convert to Islam. He refused, was tortured and executed in 1606 CE. Historical records and the Sikh tradition are unclear whether Guru Arjan was executed by drowning or died during torture. His martyrdom is considered a watershed event in the history of Sikhism.

'Adi Granth' (Guru Granth Saheb) is the holy book of sikhs. It was, first compiled by Guru Arjun Dev.

On the death of his father Guru Ramdas, Guru Arjan the youngest child of Guru Ramdas, ascended the Gaddi of Guruship in 1581, and on assuming the Guruship, moved from Goindwal to Chak Ramdas Pur and started the construction of a grand Sarovar and later Harmandir Saheb in the middle of the Sarovar. The Sarovar was termed a pool of nectar (Amrit Sarovar) and the city was named as Amritsar due to this.

The second sikh Guru, Guru Angad Dev wrote the first biography of Guru Nanak Dev.

Khalsa Panth was established by tenth Sikh Guru Govind Singh in 1699.

The First Anglo-Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the East India Company between 1845 and 1846. It resulted in partial subjugation of the Sikh kingdom.

Zafar-Nama (Declaration of Victory) was a victory letter sent by tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh to Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1705. It was written in Persian Language.

'Akal Takht' means the time less throne. It is a building in the premises of Golden Temple, complex Amritsar. It was established by Sikh Guru-Guru Hargobind Sahib.

Guru Nanak was born on 29 November 1469 at Rāi Bhoi Kī Talvaṇḍī (present day Nankana Sahib, Punjab, Pakistan) near Lahore.

Khalsa (Punjabi: "the pure") refers to both a special group of initiated Sikh warriors, as well as a community that considers Sikhism as its faith. The Khalsa tradition was initiated in 1699 by the last living Guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh. Its formation was a key event in the history of Sikhism.

The Sikh Empire (Sarkar-i-Khalsa) was founded by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Lahore was the political capital of Maharaja Ranjit singh.

In 1675 Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed in Delhi on 11 November under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.

The Apostolate of the Sikhs consisted of 10 leaders.

Bichitra Natak, an autobiography generally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh.

The Guru was summoned to Delhi by Aurangzeb on a pretext, but when he arrived, he was offered, "to abandon his faith, and convert to Islam". Guru Tegh Bahadur refused, and he and his associates were arrested. He was executed on 11 November 1675 in public in Chandni Chowk, Delhi.

The Battle of Chamkaur, also known as Battle of Chamkaur Sahib, was fought between the Khalsa led by Guru Gobind Singh and the Mughal forces led by Wazir Khan. Guru Gobind Singh makes a reference to this battle in his victory letter Zafarnama.

In 1675 Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed in Delhi on 11 November under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Three of his colleagues, who had been arrested with him, were then put to death in front of him. He continued his refusal to convert to Islam.