Guru Gobind Singh Ji's
Baba Ajit Singh and Baba Jujhar Singh
With the objective of killing or capturing Guru Gobind Singh, the joint forces of the emperor of Delhi and the rajas of Himachal Pardesh attacked Anandpur Sahib. They encircled the town, and did not allow any food to be taken inside, in the hope of starving the Guru and his followers out. They lost thousands of men while attacking the Guru who was occupying the forts. Having failed to defeat the Guru, they promised him. on solemn oath, a safe passage if he voluntarily left the place. They further assured him that later on, he could come back again to Anandpur as and when he desired. The army generals hoped to give the emperor an image of their victory if they could make the Guru leave Anandpur Sahib.
When the Guru left the fort, the generals broke their oath and the army attacked him with all their might. To make conditions worse for the Sikhs, the nearby river Sirsa was in flood. While fighting and crossing the river, many Sikh lives were lost and those who could cross the river were dispersed. Guru Gobind Singh with his two elder sons and only 40 Sikhs reached a nearby village called Chamkaur where they occupied a mud house called garhi, a mini fort.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji crossing the overflowing Sirsa River with his family and army of starving Sikhs. In the river lots of treasure of manuscripts, paintings and jewels etc. were lost and the family split up.
The pursuing forces in great numbers tented around it and challenged the Guru that he would not be allowed to leave alive. With the hope of arresting the Guru they attacked the Garhi. The Guru would send a small band of Sikhs to go out and fight the enemy to keep them away from the gate of the Garhi and not let them enter it. The Guru himself sat at the top shooting arrows to check the attacking columns of soldiers. One of the army generals lost his life while attempting to get near the Guru to kill him. The fast arrow shot by the Guru hit the general in the chest, and brought him down from his horse, killing him then and there. This struck fear in the army, which quickly retreated. Afterwards, they moved forward very cautiously and slowly towards the Garhi.
Shooting his deadly arrows at the enemy from the battlements of Chamkaur Ghari
When the fighting was at its height, Baba Ajit Singh, the eldest son of the Guru, then only 18 years of age requested that his father let him join the defending Jatha. The Guru gladly agreed to permit him to fight the army to keep them away from the Garhi. Having been blessed by his father, Baba Ajit Singh armed himself and went outside the Garhi along with other Sikhs. He fought bravely and fearlessly. He exhibited great fighting skills, which surprised the enemy soldiers. The Guru saw all that with his own eyes, and was very satisfied at the bravery of his son. Finally, Baba Ajit Singh fell in the battlefield and thus attained martyrdom.
Baba Ajit Singh being blessed and given a sword by the Guru to go and face the Mughal forces
Baba Ajit Singh with eight Sikh soldiers facing the might of the Mughal forces after gallantly giving his life for Sikhism
His younger brother, Jujhar Singh was also watching him fight on the battleground and decided to follow the lead of his brother. He went to his father and expressed his desire to go out with the next Jatha and continue the struggle to blunt the sword of state terrorism. Though only 14 years old, he was permitted by his father to sacrifice his life to protect the principles of the Sikh faith. Along with other Sikhs, Baba Jujhar Singh put up a good defense like an experienced soldier, as he had obtained a thorough training at Anandpur Sahib. The Guru was very much satisfied with his fighting skill. Having resisted the wave of the enemy soldiers, for a long time, he followed his elder brother and became a martyr.
Watching his brother Baba Ajit Singh, attaining martyrdom in the battlefield, Baba Jujhar Singh got ready for the assault. Father Guru Gobind Singh took him in his arms, kissed him and with great enthusiasm blessed him for going to the battlefield. Jujhar's courage and valour amazed even the Mughal soldiers who could not believe that a 14 year old lad could fight so well.
The Guru thanked the Almighty that his children attained martyrdom before his own eyes. They gave their lives so that other children could live in peace and freedom from oppression by the state. The resistance offered by the fearless and brave Sikhs was so great that the soldiers could not enter the Garhi during the daylong fighting.
At night the Guru along with three Sikhs left the Garhi and passed safely through the army camps to finally defeat the army at Mukatsar five months after that. This unique and great sacrifice by the sons of the Guru would be remembered forever by the people who respect human rights and freedom to worship.
The Guru before leaving the Garhi of Chamkaur, put his attire and his plume on Bhai Sant Singh (Sangat Singh), who looked like the Guru. The Mughals thought they were fighting the Guru, while the Guru escaped after challenging them
iek Swier ies nUM ieMj ibAWn krdw hY: "bYTw cmkOr dI AtwrI BweI sMq isMG, bwx vrKwvy vYrI jwxy dsmyS hY["
Sahibzada Baba Ajit Singh
Note: The Guru along with the two pyaras, Bhai Daya Singh and Bhai Dharam Singh left the garhi at night, leaving Bhai Sangat Singh and a few others behind. They were told to keep the army engaged the next day when the fighting restarts. In the morning when the army attacked the Sikhs they were ready to defend themselves. Finally when all Sikhs fell fighting, the soldiers entered the Garhi. The commanders were overjoyed to see the dead body of Sangat Singh because they mistook him for the Guru. Later, when more people were shown the dead body, they identified it not to be that of Guru Gobind Singh. The commanders felt ashamed of their failure to kill or capture the Guru.
MARTYRDOM OF BABA ZORAWAR SINGH and BABA FATEH SINGH
Why lose your faith to save your life Faith lives with you, even after you die.
The joint forces of the emperor and the rajas of Himachal, not considering their solemn promises to the tenth Guru, attacked him when he left the Anandpur Sahib. It was a cold winter night of December, 1704. An attack by the enemy forces and difficulties of crossing the flooded Sirsa River resulted in the separation of the Sikhs. As mentioned above , Guru Gobind Singh with his two elder sons and forty Sikhs reached the village Chamaur, two younger sons of the Guru and his mother were lost and reached the village of Kheri. They went to the house of Gangu, who used to serve them at Anandpur. To obtain reward from the government for helping to arrest the children and the mother of the Guru, Gangu reported the matter to the police stationed at Morinda The policemen quickly came to Gangu's house, arrested them and took them to the Governor of Sirhind to obtain rewards for catching the "rebels".
In the cold tower (Thanda Burj), Moti Mehra (water-carrier) came to know about the young Princes and Mata Gujri and not fearing the authorities, he brought milk for them after climbing the tower on a ladder.
What greater catch could the governor dream of than capturing alive the family of the Guru, particularly because he had failed to kill the Guru? He decided to convert the young sons of the Guru to Islam by any means. He offered much bait to the children and made promises of royal life if they agreed to become Muslims. The boys, however, remained firm in their faith. Therefore, the governor adapted the force and a harsh attitude to pressure them into becoming Muslims.
To torture them, the children and their grandmother were locked up in a watchtower, which was very cold. They sat all night without even a blanket to put around them. The elder son. Baba Zorawar Singh was Just 8 years old, while the younger son, Baba Fateh Singh was only 6 years old.
Retaining his faith for a Sikh, is superior to retaining his life. Whatever we may do, inevitably we are going to die. Why not die with courage?
The children exhibited no fear at all when they were presented the next day, in the court of Wazid Khan, the governor. They acted gracefully like princes and with great self-confidence uttered, Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh. This angered Wazid Khan very much. He was annoyed that the children had not bowed before him, to show him respect. He personally threatened them with many forms of punishment and torture if they did not act according to his wishes and embrace Islam. The children again firmly refused to give up their faith.
Having failed to frighten the children and mold them to his wishes, Wazid felt humiliated. When Baba Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh bluntly told him they would not adopt Islam under the threats of death or torture, he ordered them to be bricked alive in a wall.
While being bricked, the children showed no sign of fear or sadness on their faces. When asked to save their lives by giving up their faith, they again firmly said, "No!" When the wall reached their shoulders, it is said it fell down. The children were taken out from the debris and were heartlessly murdered in cold blood.
This sacrifice of Guru Gobind Singh's sons, only six and eight years old, will forever be remembered by young and old alike to learn lessons from their lives. Firm belief in faith, freedom of worship, and refusal to submit to any kind of attack by rulers is the way to live or to die.
Todar Mal, a rich Sikh, heard of the imprisonment of the Guru's Sahibzadey and Mata Gujri, he hastened to the Sultan with the intention of paying a ransom for their release. But, by the time he arrived at Sirhind, the Sahibzadey's has already been martyred and Mata Gujri had also left the earthly abode. Todar Mal went to Wazir Khan's court to obtain permission for cremating the dead bodies of the martyrs and their grandmother. The Sultan told Todar Mal that he would agree to his request if he paid for the land with spreading as many gold mohurs (coins) as would cover the piece of land required for cremation. Todar Mal accepted Wazir Khan's terms and made the payment.
Nura Mahi narrates to Guru Gobind Singh, the martyrdom of his two younger children. Guru Ji pulls out a plant (kahi) with his arrow and predicts the uprooting of the Mughal Empire.
Gurdwara Chamkaur Sahib & Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib
Extracts courtesy Gurbaksh Singh (Sikh Sakhis)