Trilok Singh Artist - Bhai Dalla

After the battle of Mukatsar, the Guru passing through the town of Bathinda, reached Talwandi Sabo. Bhai Dalla, a landlord, welcomed the Guru warmly and extended hospitality to the Guru and his followers. He made the Guru stay at his home. So the Guru decided to stay there for some time. Later on, Talwandi Sabo came to be known as Damdama Sahib. A large number of followers started bringing him gifts of horses and weapons. One day a devotee, Bhai Udhey Singh from Lahore brought some new guns and swords for the Guru. The Guru wanted to test the weapon.

This is the scene depicted in this painting. The artist has shown a devotee keeping the gun and sword on the small table. The Guru wanted to test the weapon. The word spread around. Bhai Dalla had always boasted that his soldiers are ready to lay their lives for the Guru. When Dalla asked his soldiers to come and be the target, everybody refused.

Then the Guru asked his Sikhs to come for the test. Many people started running towards the Guru. Everybody wanted to come first and be the target. Baba Bir Singh and Baba Dhir Singh, who was tying his turban, also heard about it and started running. Both of them wanted to be the first person on whom the Guru should take the aim. Bhai Dalla is looking surprised to see such devotion.

Then the Guru explained that Dalla’s soldiers are his paid servants. But Guru’s devotees are his beloved Sikhs. They are ever ready to lay down their lives for their Guru. This show the true love and devotion of his Sikhs.

The scene inside the camp is also painted in detail. The Guru’s chair, his famous Baaz are also shown in the picture. A Nagara, type of big drum, is also kept on a small table. On one side, people with musical instruments, tabla, Rabab are shown performing Gurbani recitation. On the other side, fully armored Dalla's soldiers are shown.