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New Painting of Guru Gobind Singh ji – Vaisakhi 1699 – Creation of Khalsa

Guru Gobind Singh ji, Vaisakhi, Khalsa, Sikh Gurus, Anandpur Sahib Punjab Painting by Artist Bhagat Singh Bedi Sikhi Art

On the day of Vaisakhi, 1699, Guru Gobind Singh ji did the initiation ceremony a little differently. He called for his devoted sikhs to give up their heads while holding his glistening sword ready to behead them.

Bhagat’s newest painting captures this critical moment in not just Sikh History but the History of Punjab, that changed the very face of the region and the people who lived there.

Guru Gobind Singh ji, Vaisakhi, 1699, Khalsa, Anandpur Sahib Punjab Painting by Artist Bhagat Singh Sikhi Art
Guru Gobind Singh ji – Vaisakhi

After the persecution and execution of Guru Arjun Dev ji and Guru Tegh Bahadur ji, Guru Sahib’s great grandfather and father, Guru Sahib wanted to inspire the warrior spirit in his sikhs so that they would be able to stand up to the oppressors and be able to defend themselves.

So during the Vaisakhi of 1699, Guru Gobind Singh ji addressed the sangat that had gathered to listen to him. He said that great actions require great sacrifice, and with that he pulled out his sword and asked for one head.

Guru Gobind Singh ji, Face Close-up, Dumalla, Vaisakhi, 1699, Khalsa, Anandpur Sahib Punjab Painting by Artist Bhagat Singh Sikhi Art
Guru Gobind Singh ji

The congregation of sikhs were shocked. Some wondered whether the Guru was kidding. Some wondered whether the Guru had gone mad. Guru Sahib’s request sent waves of fear and doubt throughout the sangat.

Shocked Sangat, Guru Gobind Singh ji, Vaisakhi, 1699, Khalsa, Anandpur Sahib Punjab Painting by Artist Bhagat Singh Sikhi Art
Sangat

However one brave man got up and offered his head to Guru Sahib. He bowed down and performed the namahskar to Guru Sahib with folded hands.

Bhai Daya Singh, Guru Gobind Singh ji, Vaisakhi, 1699, Khalsa, Sikh, Anandpur Sahib Punjab Painting by Artist Bhagat Singh Sikhi Art
Bhai Daya Ram ji

Guru Sahib took him inside the tent behind him. After a while, he came back out with his sword dripping with blood, and asked for another head.

Again, another man got up and offered himself as sacrifice.

This happened a total of five times.

These five men who offered themselves up for sacrifice were known as the Panj Pyarey. Bhai Daya Singh ji, Bhai Dharm Singh ji, Bhai Himmat Singh ji, Bhai Mohkam Singh ji and Bhai Sahib Singh ji.

Guru Sahib prepared them for the initiation ceremony. He asked for a cauldron full of water and a khanda sword and thereafter began to stir the water while reciting divine hymns over it. He added sugar to sweeten the water and offered this to the Panj Pyarey. Guru Sahib also requested that he be given the same.

Thus the Khalsa, the pure, were born, ready to defend the sikh nation, ready to fight for the oppressed!

They chanted –
Waheguru ji ka khalsa,
Waheguru ji ki fateh!

That both the Khalsa and the Victory belong to the Wonderful Guru!

To purchase prints of this iconic event, click here.
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Divine Radiance of the Adi Guru – Guru Nanak Dev ji

Guru Nanak Dev ji, Sikh Gurus, Bhagat Singh Bedi, Sikhi Art, Sikh Art, Punjab Art, Spiritual Art, Meditation Art, Nankana Sahib, Punjab, Pakistan

“My salutations to the Adi Guru, to the Guru of all ages, to the True Guru, to the Guru Lord and Master.”

– Guru Arjun Dev ji (Guru Granth Sahib, 262)

My newest painting depicting Adi Guru – Guru Nanak Dev ji – is a reminder that through the Guru’s teachings we can illuminate the darkness in the mind. In this painting, Guru Nanak Dev ji carries and radiates Akal Purakh’s light, the way the sun radiates light and warmth on us all, and when we bathe in Guru Sahib’s warmth, we become warm ourselves.

Adi Guru, Guru Nanak Dev ji, Portrait Painting, Meditation, Dhyan, Sikh Painting, Punjab Art, Nankana Sahib, Bhagat Singh Bedi
Adi Guru – Guru Nanak Dev ji

Bhagat’s sikh art always captures sikh history and spirituality as authentically and as accurately as possible. His painting is a reminder to those beings, who are immersed in daily grind, to remember God at all times. Buy prints for inspiration to let God inside your heart.

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The Sun is Consciousness
Adi Guru – Guru Nanak Dev ji is a mirror to my painting of Dashmesh Pita – Guru Gobind Singh ji. Guru Nanak Dev ji is portrayed with a Sun behind him whereas Guru Gobind Singh ji is portrayed with a Moon. Guru Nanak Dev ji tells us that both the Sun and Moon are made from the same Consciousness as we are, and that through the Guru’s teachings, this can be realized intimately.

ਰਵਿ ਸਸਿ ਦੇਖਉ ਦੀਪਕ ਉਜਿਆਲਾ ॥ ਸਰਬ ਨਿਰੰਤਰਿ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮੁ ਬਾਲਾ ॥੪॥
In the Ravi, Sun, and in the Sassi, Moon, I see my Beloved’s light, totally all-pervading, totally one with everything.

ਕਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਇਆ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਮੋ ਕਉ ਏਕੁ ਬੁਝਾਇਆ ॥੫॥
By his grace, my mind has become immersed in him. My true guru has given me this understanding of my Beloved. (Guru Granth Sahib, 223)

Spiritual Mission
The first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev ji was born in Punjab, in what is now known as Nankana Sahib, situated in modern day Pakistan. From a young age, he meditated a lot and in adulthood he set out to fulfill his purpose on Earth. Already trained as a trader, he travelled and traded, all the while spreading the message of Karta Purukh. He preached that to obtain the Creator one must learn to see the Creator inside oneself through devotional meditation.

Meditation Practice
Being a poet, a meditator and a teacher, Guru Nanak Dev ji described the process of meditation using rich metaphors and vibrant imagery.

In Pauri 38 of Jap ji Sahib, he writes –

ਜਤੁ ਪਾਹਾਰਾ ਧੀਰਜੁ ਸੁਨਿਆਰੁ ॥
Your ability to withdraw your Five Senses from the world is your Workshop. Your Patience makes you a Goldsmith.

ਅਹਰਣਿ ਮਤਿ ਵੇਦੁ ਹਥੀਆਰੁ ॥
Your Intelligence is your Anvil. Following the Vedas, Sacred Spiritual Texts, is your Hammer.

ਭਉ ਖਲਾ ਅਗਨਿ ਤਪ ਤਾਉ ॥
Blow through the Pipe the Fear of God, and increase the heat of the Body.

ਭਾਂਡਾ ਭਾਉ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਤਿਤੁ ਢਾਲਿ ॥ ਘੜੀਐ ਸਬਦੁ ਸਚੀ ਟਕਸਾਲ ॥
In your container of Love, pour in the molten gold that is Amrit, Timeless Quality of Consciousness, and mint the Gold coins of your Guru’s teachings.

ਜਿਨ ਕਉ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰਮੁ ਤਿਨ ਕਾਰ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਦਰੀ ਨਦਰਿ ਨਿਹਾਲ ॥੩੮॥
Those who are looked upon kindly by their Guru, they find out how to do this method. And when they apply the method, they are liberated. (38)

Meditation is a process of withdrawing the senses from worldly distractions, and going inwardly with utmost patience and equanimity. In this timeless state of consciousness, you impress upon the intelligence of the mind, the teachings of the Guru and the Vedas, Spiritual Texts, to create something valuable, that is the minting of Gold Coins. The ‘Fear of God’ means to pay attention intensely and be awake and aware. This naturally increases bodily heat as many people who meditate sometimes notice.

Guru Sahib is describing a more advanced meditation practice however the whole process becomes easier when it is performed with love and devotion.

The Guru’s Teaching is Nourishment for the Soul
In this way, Guru Nanak Dev ji looks inwardly and sees the light of God inside, and he radiates this light into our lives through his teachings. He nourishes our soul the way the sun nourishes the trees, plants and all the greenery in the painting. He brings peace to our hearts and gives us wholesome rest in this tiresome world.

Gallery of Sikh History Paintings »

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New Edition of Hari Singh ji Nalwa

Hari Singh Nalwa, Lion of Punjab, Sikh Art, Sikh Artist, Sikh Painting, Punjab Painting, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Sikh Raj, Sikhi Art, Punjab Art, Punjabi Culture Paintings

“In this age, he alone is called a warrior, who is coloured in Hari’s Love. Through the guru’s teachings, he conquers his mind, and then everything comes under his control.”

– Guru Arjun Dev ji (Guru Granth Sahib, 679)

Hari Singh Nalwa, General of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Sikh Art, Punjabi Art, Jamrud, Afghans, Peshawar, Ingres, Napoleon, Anglo Sikh Wars
Hari Singh ji Nalwa – New Edition

Bhagat’s sikh paintings are packed with tons small details. Buy largest size prints for this piece to really appreciate the work that went into it. This painting makes a good first impression in office space, and looks beautiful on the walls of your home.

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Hari Singh Nalwa was a great general of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s kingdom of Punjab. At a young age, while on a hunting trip, he was attacked by a tiger. With his bare hands, he pushed back the tiger, drew his sword and decapitated the beast. He was known for his excellent swordsmanship and chivalry, and his father had been serving Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s army. All of this became the deciding factors for the Maharaja to accept him in his royal service. He was given a small army of horsemen and so began Nalwa’s career as a General.

Hari Singh ji participated in the conquests of Sialkot, Kasur (1807), Multan (1818), Kashmir (1819), Pakhli and Damtaur (1821-2), Peshawar (1834) and finally Jamrud in the Khyber Hills (1837). He defeated the Afghans, something the British failed to do, and annexed a segment of what was the Kingdom of Kabul to the Sikh Kingdom in Punjab. In Peshawar, he rebuilt the Bala Hisar Fort in Maharaja’s name. He also built a chain of fortresses on his conquests to strengthen his hold. He also built one in God’s name, Haripur. This expanded the Kingdom of Punjab towards the North-west into the lands of Afghanistan, blocked off the Khyber Pass (which was pass through the mountains often used by Persian and Afghan invaders to loot and plunder Hindustan), and instilled fear of his name among the Afghan tribes.

Gallery of Sikh History Paintings for Sale»

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The Story of Two Nihangs Protecting their Shrine from Demons

Blind Chakram on Howdah, Charging Chakram, Two Nihangs Defend Temple, Demons, Elephant, Howdah, Lightning, Akali, Chakra, Sikhi Art, Bhagat Singh Bedi

Bhagat Singh’s newest Fantasy Painting called – ‘Blind Chakram on Howdah’ – is a story of two Nihangs defending their Temple from blood-thirsty demons, storming through the demon hordes atop their enraged four-tusked elephant.

Blind Chakram on Howdah, Charging Chakram, Two Nihangs Defend Temple, Demons, Elephant, Howdah, Lightning, Akali, Chakra, Sikhi Art, Bhagat Singh Bedi
Blind Chakram on Howdah

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The main character, the wise Chakram is the one riding on the elephant’s back, in the wooden structure known as the Howdah. Behind him you can see the Temple and surrounding city under siege. The buildings are being destroyed and civilians murdered. Amongst this chaos, our Nihang hero Chakram, his Nihang partner, and his four-tusked elephant storm through the demon front lines. His elephant stomps through the horned beasts filled with rage, in a dynamic scene, while his Nihang partner impales a demon with his spear.

Chakram is blind himself and relies solely on his faith, his inner sight to guide his attacks. His tall turban serves as a high-reaching lightning rod that helps him to channel the immense power of the roaring heavens. Suddenly, in a quick flash of insight, the lightning strikes his turban and empowers him. He creates a sharp ring, known as a chakram, out of the lightning and then fires it on to the oncoming army.

‘Blind Chakram on Howdah’ is the newest paintings in a series of Sikh Fantasy Paintings by the artist Bhagat Singh. While its content is imaginary, the painting is based on spiritual ideas. It is a spiritual puzzle that is meant to be solved by the viewer.

Gallery of Sikh Fantasy Artwork »

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The Revelation of Pita Kalu ji Holding Baby Nanak

Pita Kalu ji Holding Baby Nanak, Mehta Kalu ji, Guru Nanak Dev ji, Sikhi Art, Sikh Art, Paintings, Punjab Art, Bhagat Singh Bedi

“With my eyes I look, and I see none other than Hari. My eyes are lovingly fixated, and I cannot speak of anything else.”

– Guru Angad Dev ji (Guru Granth Sahib, 655)

Pita Mehta Kalu ji looks at newly born Baby Nanak’s face, in a peaceful and serene trance state, holding him in his hands for the first time. In this painting, I wanted to paint a portrait of Mehta Kalu ji, keeping the main focus on Pita ji, while also showing the light of Guru Nanak Dev ji and his divine arrival on earth.

Pita Kalu ji Holding Baby Nanak, Mehta Kalu ji, Guru Nanak Dev ji,Bhagat Singh, Sikhi Art
Pita Kalu ji Holding Baby Nanak

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Artist’s Notes

Pita Kalu ji Holding Baby Nanak, Mehta Kalu ji looks at Baby Guru Nanak Dev ji, Bhagat Singh, Sikhi Art
Father’s Amazement
Father’s Amazement
One the of issues I was facing when painting this portrait was the identity of Pita Kalu ji. How would I paint a portrait of him and immediately have everyone know it is Mehta Kalu ji and not someone else? How would people identify him?

So I kept this question in my heart and I meditated as usual.

After several days I received my answer. As I was lying in bed, about to sleep, I had this scene of the painting come into my mind. It came to my mind, as a whole, a complete scene. In the scene, I saw Pita Kalu ji holding baby Nanak in his hands. There was no light anywhere. The only thing illuminating Pita ji was Guru Sahib himself. Guru Sahib was hidden but his light emanated from his face and lit up the room along with his father. In this manner, Guru Sahib guided me to work on this painting. Granting me the Amogh Darshan of what he wanted, all at once, such is his kindness.

Pita Kalu ji Holding Baby Nanak, Holding up Advait, Non-dual Oneness as the ideal, Mehta Kalu ji, Guru Nanak Dev ji, Bhagat Singh, Sikhi Art
Non-Dual Oneness
Non-Dual Oneness
Guru sahib believed in the philosophy of what is known today as Vishisht Advait, meaning Non-Dual Oneness, so holds up one finger. As Ravidas ji explains –
ਤੋਹੀ ਮੋਹੀ ਮੋਹੀ ਤੋਹੀ ਅੰਤਰੁ ਕੈਸਾ ॥ ਕਨਕ ਕਟਿਕ ਜਲ ਤਰੰਗ ਜੈਸਾ ॥੧॥
You, Me, Me, You, what is the difference? The difference is like Gold and Jewellery, like Water and Waves.

Ravidas ji says – Hey Ram! You and I, we are different but one.

Baby Nanak holds up one finger as a symbol of this state of consciousness, that is non-dual oneness, that he comes to experience and share with us later in his life.

Pita Kalu ji Holding Baby Nanak, Pita ji's embrace, hard working hand, Mehta Kalu ji, Guru Nanak Dev ji, Bhagat Singh, Sikhi Art
Father’s Embrace
Father’s Embrace
In addition to Non-Dual Oneness, Guru Sahib preached hard work, dasan nowan di krit, work that has been done by your hands, your ten fingers. There’s a lot to be said as to why he taught it. However, in this painting I wanted to show that Mehta Kalu ji, was a hard-worker. His hands are that of a working man, who wanted to instill these ideals in his son, through whatever methods he knew, stern or otherwise.

So Pita ji’s embrace was important to show. Kalu ji holds Guru Sahib with his hands. These are the hands that helped shape Guru Sahib into the trader, the traveller and the disciplined man, just like his father. You and me, me and you; we are one, not just two.

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