“We Hindus lack the strength to withstand the might of the Turks. We fear that our religion and common culture will be destroyed and that we will be forced to convert to Islam. I left the Mughal emperor’s Darbar because of this terrible fear and came to You hoping to save my religion.”

The forced conversions to Islam under emperor Aurangzeb

Why did more than 100 poets across religious boundaries flock to Anandpur Sahib during the rule of Guru Gobind Singh ji ? This is a topic that has aroused the interest of many scholars over the centuries. While most poets came due to the Guru’s extensive patronage and appreciation of the arts, in some cases, persecution and fleeing forced conversions to Islam was the reason. This was the case with many poets, amongst these the most famous Bhai Nand Lal Goyā and Kavi Kuvresh.

The topic of Mughal persecution is noted in many of the Anandpuri writings. The Hindu court poet Kuvresh who had worked for the Mughal Darbar stated “it was Emperor Aurangzeb’s intention to convert us all to Islam” while the poet Ani Rai wrote that “Hindus were converted into Muslims and temples were daily razed to the ground” (translated by Professor Louis Fenech).

The fanatical emperor Aurangzeb was keen on converting the Hindu populace to Islam in order to turn the Mughal empire into a Muslim majority state. In the fortified city of Anandpur Sahib, many Hindu poets from the Mughal Darbar found safety and an opportunity to continue practising their artistic skills.

For this reason, Kavi Kuvresh pays eternal, poetic homage to the Guru who saved so many of his fellow Hindu poets fleeing persecution:

ਗੁਰ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਨਰਿੰਦ ਹੈ ਤੇਗ ਬਹਾਦੁਰ ਨੰਦ ਜਿਨ ਤੇ ਜੀਵਤ ਹੈਂ ਸਕਲ ਭੂਤਲ ਕਵਿ ਬੁਧਿ ਬ੍ਰਿੰਦ

Guru Gobind is the (true) King of All and the son of Tegh Bahadur (who likewise protected Hindus who were threatened to convert). It is only because of Him, that the entire community of poets and intellectuals still survive and thrive in this world!