Dear Hive Friend and Hive Learner Members,
Made with Canva
Christmas is just around the corner and people are in vacation mood and planning to go around and have fun and celebration. This is the time in the year many people get together with family and friend to enjoy the winter holidays and the Christmas celebration also. In Christian religion the Christmas is one of the biggest festival. In India we have mixed religion culture, so I know some of my friends who celebrate the Christmas but not our family. I do not have any intention to hurting feeling of any person or religion and I want to clear that I respect all other religion also. I am working profession and in India we do not have any long vacation on Christmas, we have one day leave only an that is on 25th December. When we were kids the schools were closed for almost week time and we called it winter holidays. I belongs to the Sikh religion and those days of week has some other significant in our lives. In Sikh religion this week time is of deep sorrow as the week marks the beginning of the Shaheedi (Martyrdom) week in Sikh history.
In this post I will try to highlight the significant of this week in Sikh history. Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji the10th guru of Sikhism along with 400 Sikhs were in the fort of Anandpur Sahib and it was siege by Mughal army from months. The Sikh armybwas facing cold and raining nights and the food & ammunition were also exhausted. The Mughals had offered Guru Sahib a safe passage to leave Anandpur Sahib on an oath sworn on the Quran. But they betrayed their promise and attacked the Sikhs as soon as they left the fort.
Many sikhs were martyred and when they were crossing the river, the family of Guru ji get separated. Guru Ji, along with his two elder sons and 40 Sikhs, managed to cross the river. Meanwhile, Guru Ji's mother was with Guru Ji's two youngest sons, traveling separately.
Guru ji along with 40 other Sikhs camped in Chamkaur Haveli which was made form the mud brick wall. The mughal forces chased them and at that time Haveli was surrounded by 1 million mughal forces. Every day Sikh come out of Haveli in batches and fight with mughal forces with unparalleled courage. The count of sikhs in the haveli was decreasing every day and seeing this Guru Ji's eldest son Ajit Singh (17 yrs old) seeks his father's permission to enter the battlefield. With great proud the Guru ji granted his request and handed the weapons to him, even Guru ji already knowing the ending very well. Sikhs requested Guruji to left the Haveli along with his sons and they will hold the fort, but Guru ji denied and told them that there is no difference between the Singhs (Sikhs) and the Sahibzade (Guru Ji's four Son).
"You are all my sons! We will be victorious and we will all be free."
Guru's son Ajit Singh entered the battlefield while Guru ji was watching the all scene form the top of Haveli. Baba Ajit singh killed thousands before he fell.
When the younger Son Jujhar Singh (13 yrs old) heard the news he himself requested Guru ji to allow him to go in next batch. Baba Jujhar Singh was also fought with same bravery as his elder brother and martyred in the battleground.
Guru ji get seperated while crossing the river, two elder sons were with Guru ji and the two youngest sons were with Guru Ji's mother (Mata Gujri). The youngest sons Zoravar Song was 9 year old and the Fate Singh was 7 year old. They met one of their servent Gangu and he invited them home. But later her betrayed them and for some reward handed them over to mughal army. It was the peak winter time and they were imprisoned in cold tower by Nawaz Wazir Khan. Nawaz were has his own plan to gain favour form the Emperor Aurangzeb by converting the Sahibzade (Guru Ji's sons). In the morning they were summoned to the court and were instructed to enter through a small door. They want the Sahibzadeh to enter the court with their lower down heads. But instead of lowering their heads they put their feets first through the door. Wazir Khan tried to convert them and promised for massive rewards if get converted. Sahibzadeh denied any reward, on their denial they were tortured for next two days but the Sahibzade were stick to their decision. They were unyielding even after repeated life threats. The Wazir Khan order to bricked them alive. Even the order of bricked them alive was not able to force them to change their decision. With courage, these young martyrs embrace their deaths.
Guru Ji sacrificed his entire family.
Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji later said,
"In Putran Ke Sees Par, Vaar Diye Sut Chaar.
Chaar Muye To Kya Hua Jeevat Kayi Hazaar".
"For the family of my Khalsa, I have sacrificed my four sons, So what if four are dead, when thousands more are alive".
Sikhs remember these days as Shaheedi week, which reminds us the sacrifice of Guru ji and inspire us to stand up for our believe and give us the strength to fight for the justice.
Let's Connect
Hive / #LEO : @guurry123
Twitter: https://twitter.com/guurry123
Discord: guurry123