- The Prime Minister recently addressed the first ‘Veer Baal Diwas’ commemoration to honour the courage of the Sahibzades, four sons of Guru Gobind Singh, the last Sikh guru.
- The Prime Minister declared this Veer Baal Diwas on the occasion of Sri Guru Gobind Singh’s Prakash Parv on January 9, 2022.
- Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa community and was the tenth Guru of the Sikhs.
- It commemorates the day when Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh were martyred for the country at the ages of 6 and 9, respectively.
The legend of Sahibzades
- The term “Sahibzada” means “son” in Punjabi and refers to the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru.
- The Sacrificial Week is observed from December 21 to 27, in memory of the four Sahibzadas who made sacrifices for the protection of Sikhism and Hinduism.
- Sahibzada Ajit Singh, Jujhar Singh, Zorawar Singh, and Fateh Singh were martyred while defending their religious beliefs from forced conversion.
Their martyrdom: A backgrounder story
- Guru Gobind Singh and his family left the fort of Sri Anandpur Sahib on the 20th and 21st of December 1704 to fight the Aurangzeb invasion.
- The elder sons, Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh, remained with Guru ji, while the younger sons, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, stayed with Mata Gujri ji.
- Subedar Wazir Khan of Sirhind later arrested the two Sahibzades and lured them into religious conversion.
- Finally, it was announced that they would be elected in the living walls.
- The remaining two sahibzades were killed in the battle of Chamkaur (1705).
Implications of their martyrdom
- When Guruji learned of this, he sent Aurangzeb a zafarnama (victory letter) in which he warned him that the Khalsa Panth was ready to destroy his empire.
- Baba Banda Singh Bahadur exacted vengeance on Guruji’s Sahibzadas.
- He punished Wazir Khan for his actions in Sirhind and established Sikh hegemony throughout the region.
- As a result of this sacrifice, a large Sikh empire rose to prominence under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
A watershed moment in Indian History
- This event is significant in Indian history, and the anniversary of their martyrdom is remembered and commemorated with both vigor and sadness.
- The names of the Sahibzades are reverently preserved and remembered each time an Ardas (prayer of supplication) is recited in a congregation or privately by an individual.
Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/against-aurangzeb-s-terror-guru-gobind-ji-pm-modi-at-veer-bal-diwas-event-101672044444048.html