Guru Gobind Singh was born as Gobind Rai[3] in Patna to Guru Tegh Bahadur and his wife Mata Gujri. He was born while Guru Tegh Bahadur was touring Assam to spread his teachings.
According to a legend, the birth of Gobind Rai was prophesized by Pir Bhikan Shah, a fakir from Thaksa village (now in Karnal District of Haryana). One day, Bhikan Shah bowed towards the east during his prayers, contrary to the strict standard Islamic practice of bowing in the direction of Qibla-Kaaba only. When the villagers questioned his strange act, he stated that a special child, the savior chosen by the God, would be born in Patna, which lay to the East. He then traveled to Patna with a group of his followers to see the child. He placed two bowls of sweets before the newborn; one bowl was purchased from a Hindu's shop, and the second from a Muslim's shop, thus signifying the two major contemporary religions in India. The baby placed his hands on both the bowls, thus indicating that both Hindus and Muslims will be treated equally by him. According to another legend, the fakir Araf Din of Lakhnaur (now in Ambala District) also bowed to the boy, and proclaimed him as divine.
Gobind Rai spent the first five years of his life in Patna. As a child, he used to play war games with other children, leading mock battles. He had many admirers, including a learned Brahmin called Pandit Shiv Dutt who used to call Guruji Bala Pritam ("child god"), a name that is used even today to refer to the Guru. Once, Raja Fateh Chand of Patna and his Rani, a childless couple, visited Shiv Dutt, and asked him to bless them with a child. Shiv Dutt suggested that they must seek blessing of Bala Pritam, and their desire would be fulfilled. The couple then requested young Gobind Rai to visit their palace, where the Rani asked Guruji to bless her with a son. Guruji smiled and said that why do they need a son, the Rani could call him her son. From that day, the Rani started calling him her son. The royal couple were blessed - Guruji would visit them almost everyday and started playing with his friends in their palace often. Rani cooked meal of poori (a type of Indian bread) and black grams daily for guruji and his wargaming friends. Till today a meal of poori and black gram is served in langar (free kitchen) in their palace which has been converted into gurdawara (sikh religious place).
