Newsnomics AJAY ANGELINA reporter | December 26 holds much significance in Sikh history as it commemorates the martyrdom of the four “Sahibzaade” (Sons) of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth leader of Sikh religion in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal empire (1526–1857).

“Guru Gobind Singh had four sons, the “Chaar Sahibzaade”, all of whom four sacrificed their lives to uphold he identity and dignity of Khalsa Panth (considers Sikhism) against the Mughals. The two elder sons, Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh, died in the battle of Chamkaur Sahib. But the bravery and sacrifice of Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh is considered unparalleled not just of their young age choosing death but of cruel and barbaric conditions of the Mughals.” said Prof Paramvir Singh of the Department of Encyclopedia of Sikhism at Punjabi University, Patiala.

Today, the martyrdom of the four “Sahibzaade” (Sons) got an important significance and the occasion of their martyrdom is remembered, commemorated both with great vigor and very acute sadness, by the Sikh community every year in the month of December, also known to be the month of “Poh”.

The incidents that took place on the 21st and 27th of December 1704 AD are the days that hold very dear memories for the Sikhs around the world.

“Before the execution, the two young children and their grandmother were held captive at the open-air Thanda Burj (Cold Tower) of the fort for days in chilly weather, in which they shivered endlessly but refused to convert. For days, they were pressured and threatened with death if they did not accept Islam, but they did not fear the Mughals and refused to renounce their faith,” Prof Singh said.

The history describes that Zorawar Singh (9yrs) and Fateh Singh (7yrs), the two youngest sons of Guru Gobind Singh, were bricked alive by receiving orders from Wazir Kahan, the Mughal faujdar of Sirhind, for refusing to renounce their faith and become Muslim. Soon after they were walled up alive, their grandmother Mata Gujri (Guru Gobind Singh’s mother) died of shock. 
 

Every year, the religious fair Jor Mela is organized from December 25 to December 28 in memory of the

children and their grandmother at Sri Fatehgarh Sahib (sacred pilgrimage site of Sikhism), which is attended

by lakhs of devotees, not just from Punjab but also from other states.

For Sikhs, “Chaar Sahibzaade” is a history of long legacy of martyrdom, sacrifice, and hardship; most of all, it is a history of devotion and faith despite the difficulty of it. This motivational sacrifice gives the morality towards

India and across the world as a true example of standing up for what is just and righteous.