SAHIBZADA AJIT SINGH JI
SAHIBZADA JUJHAR SINGH JI
SAHIBZADA ZORAVAR SINGH JI &
SAHIBZADA FATEH SINGH JI
While commemorating the Martyrdom Day of four Sahibzadas during December 2005 CE, let us first recall the Supreme Sacrifice made by Sahibzada Ajit Singh jee and Sahibzada Jujhar Singh jee. Have a long breath and think as to whether we, and our children have been following their footsteps! If not, let us again take pledge that we too would never abandon the Gurus' teachings but live like them by keeping up our Sikh Identity, Glory and high character. O' Sikh Youth! Take care of your Sikh Heritage, and continue to recite and follow "Gurbaani", and remember of tying "Turban" from the 7th year class, if not earlier.
Right from the childhood, Sahibzada Ajit Singh jee (1687-1704 CE) and Sahibzada Jujhar Singh jee (1689-1704 CE), both the elder sons of Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, had undertaken training in physical fitness, horse-riding and make use of weaponry for self–defence and to protect the weak apart from getting formal and religious education at Anandpur Sahib under the guidance of Guru Sahib and other brave Sikhs.
For the last 200 years, new faith of Sikhism was flourishing peacefully but the Mughal rulers and their slave Hindu vassals did not cherish the growth of the new Sikh religion. Although from the days of Guru Nanak Sahib, they were dead against Sikhs, after the Ceremony of Amrit Initiation conducted by Guru Gobind Singh Sahib on 30th March 1699, slave Hindu leaders were so frightened that they instigated the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb to besiege the Anandpur Sahib Fort. Thus after several months fighting, Commanders of the Mughal army and their subordinate Hindus pleaded with Guru Sahib that they Would uplift the siege and not to attack again if Anandpur Sahib Fort was vacated.
However, as soon as Guru Gobind Singh left the Fort together with his Sikh devotees and hardly reached the bank of rivulet Sirsa, the Muslim & Hindu combined forces followed them and attacked from behind without honouring their earlier promises. During the skirmish, Guru's family members and several other Gursikhs could not cross the Sirsa rivulet. But Guru Sahib accompanied by his two elder sons and about forty Sikhs arrived at Chamkaur Sahib where they managed to occupy a small fortress for taking rest.
During the night, pursuing enemy forces encircled the fortress and started attacking in the early morning. Guru Sahib and his brave disciples kept the enemy at bay with the help of deadly arrows inflicting heavy casualties. However, when the stock of arrows started dwindling and the enemy forces started coming close, Guru Sahib decided to send the Sikhs in batches to engage the enemy soldiers in hand to hand fight. Sahibzada Ajit Singh jee and Sahibzada Jujhar Singh jee also fought bravely like a lion and attained martyrdom without surrendering. Despite the small number, lack of fighting equipment and other logistics, valiant Sikhs faced the enemy with unparalleled courage and laid down their lives while defending the Sikh Faith and Right of freedom without any exploitation.
This was the height of Khalsa Spirit when Guru Sahib made no distinction between his sons and brave Sikhs as they fought for the right cause of self-defence. The Sikhs were as dear to him as his own sons. Martyrdom of Guru's sons provided inspiration to the Sikhs for generations to come. Hence, the Sikh Nation since spread all over the world will continue to remember and honour the Martyrdom of Guru's sons for all times to come.
Since all over the world, Martyrdom Day of Guru's eldest Sahibzadas is celebrated in the last week of December every year, we all Sikhs (females and males including children, youth and old) should also acquire their Sikhi Spirit in its true perspective. During the passage of time if under the influence of others or due to our own weakness, if any person or family has deviated from the Sikh Way of Life, now is the time when we should bow before the Guru Granth Sahib and seek forgiveness. Akaal Purkh is ever kind to provide refuge to His devotees provided we too obey Hukam of Almighty God as conveyed to us through the Revealed Divine Word enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib.
On the other hand, if we continue to disobey the Gurus' teachings and live like apostates then, celebration of Gurpurbs and Martyrdom Days would never yield any fruitful results for the Sikh Nation. Hence, it is our responsibility to read, understand and follow the Guru Granth Sahib, and live like the true Sikhs as guided by virtue of the Sikh Reht Maryada published by the SGPC, a copy of which can be obtained without any cost from any Gurduara Sahib or contact the Sikh Khalsa Mission Inc. As a Sikh, if someone encounters any difficulty either to maintain his/her Sikh Identity together with five Kakkaars, namely :-
(Sikhs should never dishonour the body-breath-mind-hair-identity)
With the establishment of a 'casteless & classless society' on 30th March 1699, by Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, Muslim rulers and their slave Hindu vassals were so alarmed that if Sikhism were allowed to grow so fast then they would not be able to control the oppressed masses for a very long time. Thus the slave Hindu kings of the hilly states around Anandpur Sahib joined hands with the Muslim Rulers with a view to destroy the growing influence of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. Accordingly, in 1704 CE their combined forces encircled Anandpur Sahib and cut off essential supplies to the besieged Sikhs.
Thus, Sikhs besieged in the fort of Anandpur Sahib had to undergo extreme hardships due to non – availability of adequate rations, water and medicines. After several months struggle, Guru Sahib decided to evacuate Anandpur Sahib despite the severe cold winter of December 1704 CE. In spite of fierce fighting, Guru Sahib, his two elder sons and several brave Sikhs were able to safely cross the Sirsa rivulet. But other two younger sons of the Guru, Sahibzada Zoravar Singh jee and Sahibzada Fateh Singh jee, accompanied by their grandmother Mata Guzri Kaur jee, strayed away walking along the bank of Sirsa as they could not cross it because rivulet was in spate due to heavy rain. On the way, they met their old Hindu servant named Gangu Brahmin, who had earlier worked as kitchen helper at Anandpur Sahib. On his request, Mata jee accompanied by his two grandsons, agreed to go with Gangu to his village Kheri.
Since Mata jee was carrying some valuable items to meet the emergency expenses, while she was sleeping, Gangu quietly stole her purse/bag. When in the morning, Mata jee inquired about the missing valuables, the thief Gangu got annoyed. Instead of helping them, Gangu had his eyes on the prize that he would get from the Mughal rulers if he handed over them to the Muslim Police. Accompanied by the village Chief, he went to the Police Station at Morinda town and informed that Guru's mother and his two sons were in his house. Due to Gangu's ungratefulness, Police arrested them and handed over to Nawab Wazir Khan of Sirhand. Mata jee along with her two grandsons aged nine and seven were thus imprisoned in the cold tower. Early in the next morning, both the sons were summoned before the Sirhand Governor Wazir Khan. On entering the Mughal Court, both the Guru's sons loudly said, "Waheguru jee ka Khalsa Waheguru jee kee Fateh" to the utter astonishment and amazement of Wazir Khan and his courtiers. One of the prominent courtiers, a Hindu Sucha Nand advised the Guru's sons to bow before the ruler and salute like the Muslims and Hindu slaves do. But they ignored his advice as merely act of appeasement. They were told to embrace Islam and then enjoy all the comforts like Muslim princes and if they did not heed the advice, they would be killed mercilessly. In reply, brave kids said, "Sikh Faith is more dearer to them than their own lives. Nothing in this illusory world can induce them to abandon their Faith." Despite threatening, they remained steadfast.
However, they were given another opportunity to consult their grandmother. Mata jee was glad to see them back. She encouraged them to keep up high spirit of sacrifice and neither be allured by any inducement nor be afraid of threats of torture. When the Guru's sons were again brought before the Nawab, they continued to stick to the Sikh Faith. At last, Nawab Wazir Khan in consultation with his Qazi Cleric ordered that both should be bricked alive for non-obedience of ruler's order. Shaken by this inhuman punishment, Nawab Sher Muhammad Khan of Malerkotla protested and said, "Islam does not specify punishment to the small children when they have not committed any offence. They are innocent and should be freed". On the other hand, the Nawab's toady courtier, a Hindu Khatri Suchanand remarked that the young ones of a snake were equally poisonous. Thus both the Guru's sons were bricked alive on 27th December 1704 CE. On hearing this sad news, Mata jee about 80 years old also breathed her last.
[Unfortunately, despite UN Charter, such cruel killings are still going on all over the world; especially Hindu Governments in India have been playing havoc with the Sikhs since 1984. Sikhs have been living like slaves in Punjab State and other parts of India]
We, all the Sikhs are required to learn lesson from Mata jee and Guru's sons that we should not be led by worldly attractions but stick to our Sikh Faith, and fight against the unjust and cruel rulers. It also provides shining example to all mothers and grandmothers how they should imbibe good qualities of religion and sacrifice, in the young minds of their children. Please make sure that no family member cuts his/her hair including beard and Moustaches. All Sikh families are requested not to imitate apostates, but keep up their unique Sikh Identity & Glory of the Guru Panth.
Our Sikh Religion is par excellence and contains all the Spiritual and Temporal ingredients as taught by our Guru Sahibaan from Guru Nanak Sahib to Guru Gobind Singh Sahib (1469-1708CE). But it appears that most of the Sikh families have deviated from the True Way of Sikh Life. For instance, let us take the example of "JEWS" whose world population is "14.551" millions whereas "Sikhs" are "24.295" millions:
After struggling for about 2000 years, Jews have their own (i) self-contained religion "Judaism"; (ii) an Independent country "Israel" and (iii) language "Hebrew". They motivate their children to excel in their respective fields in comparison to others. Hence from the very beginning, Jews follow three golden principles – (1) to read and understand their religious Books of Judaism; (2) to study Jews history and (3) to learn Hebrew language. Like them, let us unite and start practicing our Sikh religion with devotion and humility but without egotism and factionalism. Let us live in harmony and peace by maintaining our unique Sikh Identity as explained in the Sikh Rehat Maryada published by SGPC for the sake of uniformity.
Waheguru jee ka Khalsa Waheguru jee kee Fateh
After the martyrdom of Sahibzadas when ask where the four Sons of yours, Guru Ji said
"EN PUTRAN KEY SEES PAR VAAR DHEY SUT CHAAR
CHAAR MUHEY TO KYA HUA JIVAT KAEE HAZAR"
EVERYONE OF US LOOK WITHIN OURSELVES ARE WE "ONE" IN THE THOUSANDS FOR WHOM GURU JI HAD LAID HIS BELOVED SONS, MOTHER, FATHER, GREAT BELOVED PYAREY AND SINGHS LIFES (SARBANS DAAN)