Guru Har Rai is the seventh Sikh Guru. He was the grandson of Guru Hargobind. He is known as the “tender-hearted” Guru. He was born in Kiratpur, India. His father was Guruditta Ji (son of Guru Hargobind Ji) and his mother was Mata Nihal Kaur Ji. His wife was Mata Kishan Kaur Ji, also known as Mata Sulakhni Ji.
After the battles and wars of Guru Hargobind’s time, the 7th Sikh Guru ushered in a time of healing and peace. As a child, when walking with his grandfather, Har Rai’s robes brushed a rose bush and all of the petals fell off one of the roses. Har Rai wept at what he had done. Guru Hargobind instructed the boy that he should never fight in battle. When Guru Hargobind passed the mantle of the Guruship to Guru Har Rai, he told him to never fight, but to take a security guard of 2500 people with him wherever he travelled so that he would always be protected.
Guru Har Rai was an amazing herbalist and healer. He was famous for his use of natural medicine, and kept a beautiful herbal garden from which he made his remedies. He was also quite good at hunting, but never killed any animals. Instead, he would capture the animals, then bring them back to the town and place them in a zoo for the community to enjoy.