The Multifarious Faces of Sikhism
throughout Sikh History
Page 1 of 4
Sutra
Shaieh
Time of origin: circa 1730
In 1625, in the household of Nandeh
Khatriya within the village of Brahmpur
was born a son. This child possessed teeth
at birth and this led his parents to consult
an astrologer thinking this was an inauspicious
sign. The superstitious Brahmin astrologer predicted
the child would bring ruin to his family’s
fortunes, and he should be discarded as quick
as possible. The naive parents who were lead
astray by the priest’s mad advice left
the child in the nearby jungle. By coincidence,
Akali Guru Hargobind Sahib
was making his way back home from Kashmir. Traveling
through the jungle on horseback, his eyes fell
upon the discarded child.
Akali Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji
The sixth Sikh Guru, circa late 19th century
He ordered one of his warrior Sikhs to go and
pick up the child. Upon seeing the child close-up,
the Guru stated this child is very ‘Suthra’
(clean/handsome). Thus the child came to be
known as Suthra.
Akali Guru Hargobind brought the child with
him to his residence, and catered for its needs.
When Suthra was five, his parents came to learn
of the fate of their child, and with regret
and sadness in their heart, they came to the
Guru seeking forgiveness for abandoning their
child. They hoped to take their child back with
them. Suthra returned with his patents, and
on reaching adolescence, he began to spend all
his parents’ wealth on religious Ashrams
and returned to the sixth Sikh Guru. The Guru
on seeing him welcomed him back and as Suthra
was the son of a ‘Shah’
(rich man), the Guru began to call him ‘Suthra
Shah’. Suthra Shah went onto
become an Udhasi Sikh of Akali Guru Har Rai.
Akali Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji
Painting of the seventh Sikh Guru done in the
Pahari style, circa mid 19th century
He served the Guru in such a way that Sikh
tradition holds he attained great spiritual
powers. It is said anything he said came to
be true.