Summary: In this series we chronicle the growth of the Sikh religion from the birth of the founder Guru Nanak in 1469 to the death of Guru Gobind in 1708. This period coincided with the establishment of the Mughal empire in India – The Mughals followed a policy of persecution and oppression. The Sikh gurus opposed such policies and sacrificed their lives to uphold the fundamental rights to religion, justice and freedom. This episode of the Sikh History podcasts, concentrates on the life and times of Guru Nanak from 1469 to 1539. To understand the birth of the Sikh religion and philosophy, it is very important to first understand the social, cultural and political environment of 15th century in Northern India – and particularly in the Punjab and Delhi. In 1451, before the birth of Nanak, Bahlol Lodi occupied Delhi and founded the Lodi dynasty - Guru Nanak was a first hand witness to the rise and establishment of the Lodi dynasty and then the defeat of the Lodis at the hands of Babur – who founded the Mughal empire in India. The establishment of the Sikh faith was a direct response to the social and political events that played out in the lifetime of Nanak. To understand this part of the Sikh history fully, let’s start with the birth of Nanak.
