The Indian government has decided to commemorate 26th December as “Veer Baal Diwas” in honour of the supreme sacrifice made by Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh, the younger sons of the 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.
They made their supreme and unparalleled sacrifice on 26th December 1705.
The Chote Sahibzades were executed when they refused to convert to Islam by Wazir Khan, one of the governors of the Muslim Mughal king, Aurangzeb. Chote Sahibzadas were only 9 and 6 years old at the time.
Sikh Guru Gobind Singh stood up against the tyranny of Aurangzeb’s rule in northern India. Aurangzeb was known for his brutality including forceful conversions, killings, the beheading of his own elder brother Dara Shikoh and the imprisonment of his own father Shah Jahan.
As a result of the ongoing battles, Guru Gobind Singh’s all four sons were martyred. They were fondly called Sahibzades. His two older sons Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh (aged 18 and 14) were martyred at the battle of Chamkaur (1705) between the Sikhs and Mughals.
Guru Gobind Singh’s father Guru Teg Bahadur (9th Sikh Guru) was also executed by Aurangzeb.
Guru Gobind Singh’s two younger sons Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh and mother Gujri Devi were captured by Wazir Khan who was the Governor of Sirhind. The young boys were told that if they convert to Islam their lives will be spared but they refused.
Wazir Khan first ordered the two children to be bricked alive. However, the next day Wazir Khan ordered them to be beheaded. Mother Gujri Devi also passed away shortly after hearing about her grandchildren’s execution.
Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib in India stands today at the same place where the two Chote Sahibzades were martyred.
Wazir Khan was later killed in the battle of Chappar Chiri by Sikh warrior Fateh Singh. The Sikhs defeated the Moghul army in this battle led by Banda Bahadur that took place in 1710.
All Indians around the world will forever remember the courage, bravery and sacrifice of Chote Sahibzades.
