Bhai Bidhi Chand
A reformed bandit who became one of Guru Hargobind's boldest commanders, remembered for recovering two horses seized from the Guru's followers.
Bidhi Chand was born in 1579 at Sur Singh near Amritsar, a Chhina Jat, and in his youth was a thief. Under the influence of Bhai Adali he became a Sikh and was brought to Guru Arjan, who told him he would steal for the Guru.
He became one of Guru Hargobind's boldest commanders and fought in all four of the Guru's battles. His most famous exploit was the recovery of two fine horses, Gulbagh and Dilbagh, which a devotee had sent the Guru from Kabul and which had been seized for the Mughal stables at Lahore. Disguised first as a grass-cutter and then as an astrologer, he got into the fort and rode out on the horses, jumping one of them over the walls into the Ravi.
The stories of his tricks made him a favourite of Sikh children. He spent his last years preaching in the east and died around 1640 near Banaras.
