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Dec 23, 2024
Dr. Gursharan Singh Kainth

Safar e Shahadat: Story of Saka Sirhind Part 2

During the flight from Anandpur, when the Sikhs, having been promised safe passage to Punjab, Sahibzada Fateh Singh along with his elder brother Zorawar Singh was put under the care of his grandmother, Mata Gujari (Gujar Kaur). Unfortunately in the confusion of the rain-swollen Sirsa (normally little more than a creek) and an attack by Muslim pursuers, the Guru’s two youngest sons and their Grandmother were separated from the main body of Sikhs. However, managing to get across they were befriended by one of the Guru’s former cooks. Later betrayed and handed off by the authorities of the small village where they had been given sanctuary, they were handed over to agents of Wazir Khan and carted off to Sirhind and placed under arrest in the Khan’s Thanda Burj (cold tower). While the Thanda Burj was built to capture the cool night breezes of air drawn over water channels in the area's hot summers, during the dead of winter the unheated Burj offered no comfort for the Guru’s mother and sons. Sahibzadas in the Hut of Karma Jheevar It is heartbreaking that the younger Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh got separated from their father. It is hard to imagine how they got separated. They got separated in such a way that there was no other Singh with them. Mata Gujri and her grandchildren were separated from the rest of the Singhs alone. Mata Gujri had a donkey on which she had some clothes loaded. She had the Sahibzadas seated on the donkey, while she was walking along with them. Imagine the cold weather and two small Sahibzadas aged 6 years and 8 years were walking in this cold, separated from their father and Singhs. The imperial army was trying to find them and it seemed like every leaf at that time had become their enemy. patta patta singha da very ॥ A man called Kuma Maski, (also known as Keema Mallah) known by the name Karma Jheevar was a boatman who lived on the bank of Sirsa. Though he was Hindu, but had been converted to Islam by force. However, Kuma never accepted Islam from the heart. When he saw The Sahibzadas coming he requested them to spend the night at his hut. Mata Jee and the Sahibzadas accepted their offer. After crossing Sirsa, Mata Gujri ji and youngest Sahibzaade spent the night in the hut of Kuma Maski (boatman). Mata ji had one mule carrying some important articles and ornaments. The Sikh accompanying them became separated due to the floods and bad weather during the darkness at night. Mata Gujri stayed in his hut for two days. A Brahmin lady by the name of Lakshmi looked after them, serving food and providing shelter. They stayed at his hut that night. A small lamp was on in the hut. Mata Gujri and Brahm-gyani Sahibzadas were sitting cross-legged on the floor. When Karma Jheevar entered the door and saw this scene from Sachkhand, he fell at their feet. He had tears in his eyes and so much water came out of his eyes that it seemed that he would wash their feet with his tears. Some historians have written that in the hut of Karma Jheevar, Mata Jee did not eat from the hands of Karma Jheevar as he was a low-caste person and a Muslim. They write that at this Karma Jheevar went to a nearby village and got Lakshmi Brahmini to cook food for the Sahibzadas and Mata jee. This is so absurd. This must have been added by a Brahmin-minded person. Why would Mata Jee refuse Karma’s food and accept Lakshmi Brahmini’s food? Can we believe this? What is so special about Brahmins that Mata Jee would have accepted their food? Did Guru Nanak Dev not refuse the food of the high caste Malik Bhago and accept the food of his poor Sikh Laalo? The reality is that Mata Jee and the Sahibzadas would have eaten food cooked by themselves and would have accepted raw materials like grains and flour from Karma Jheevar. Before leaving Mata Jee tried to give Karma Jheevar some money but Karma with tears in his eyes refused any money. He begged Mata Jee to help him in the next world. Mata Jee did kirpa on him and moved on. Sahibzadas in Gangu’s House After a day’s stay at Karma Jheevar’s house, Mata Jee and the Sahibzadas moved on to village Saheri near Morinda - the ancestral village of traitorous Gangu Brahmin for safety. Gangu Brahmin used to live at Sri Anandpur Sahib and possibly had become a Sikh of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur. As they were walking, they bumped into Gangu Brahmin. He recognised Mata Gujri and Mata Jee recognised him. He understood immediately that they had been separated from their family. They reached village Saheri and by now Gangu Brahmin found out that Mata Jee had a bag full of gold coins. He got greedy and stole the gold coins. He did not stop here. He decided to report to the police about the whereabouts of Mata Jee and the Sahibzadas to get awards (more money) from the government. His greed knew no bounds. Gangu reported the matter to Jaani Khan and Maani Khan who immediately came to Saheri with their army and arrested the innocent Sahibzadas. The Sahibzadas and Mata jee were taken to Sirhind in the court of Wazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind to obtain rewards for catching the "rebels". 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 many types of 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 adopted 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. The children exhibited no fear at all when they were presented the next day in the court of Wazir Khan, the governor. They acted gracefully like princes and with great self-confidence uttered: Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh. This angered Wazir Khan very much. He was annoyed that the children had not bowed before him, to show him respect. He 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 mould them to his wishes, Wazir 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 die. Retaining his faith as a Sikh is superior to retaining his life. Whatever we may do, inevitably we are going to die. Why not die with courage? Gangu Brahmin Gets Punished At first, Wazir Khan praised Gangu Brahmin for ratting out the Sahibzadas of Sri Guru Gobind Singh. He thought of giving Gangu a hefty amount in appreciation for his good work. As he was thinking of doing this, an officer told Wazir Khan that Gangu Brahmin had looted very precious jewels and diamonds from Mata Jee. Wazir Khan immediately asked Gangu Brahmin for the looted jewels. Gangu refused to admit that he had anything to do with any jewels. Wazir Khan got mad at him and ordered him to be arrested. He instructed his officers to use whatever means to get Gangu to disclose the location of the jewels. Gangu was severely beaten and tortured in jail. After many days of torture and beatings, he died in the custody of Wazir Khan. Sahibzadas First Appearance in the Court Wazir Khan was very happy to arrest the Sahibzadas. He was expecting to convert them to Islam and please the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and other officers in Delhi. All the time they were kept in the custody of Wazir Khan, they were not fed anything. They were kept hungry. For three days they stayed in the custody of Wazir Khan, they were not given anything to eat. They stayed hungry for three days. Wazir Khan and his officials like Sucha Nand who was from the family of Chandu tried their best to influence the Sahibzadas to convert to Islam. For this reason, he behaved very nicely with the Sahibzadas, when they first arrived in the court of Wazir Khan. The contemporaries of Sri Guru Gobind Singh write that the Sahibzadas were wearing Blue Cholaas and White pajaamees. They looked extremely beautiful and smart. When they were made to appear in the court of Wazir Khan they had handcuffs in their hands and legs. Sahibzadas were in pure chardi kala (high spirits). Their faces were shining with Naam. Their faces were so beautiful that even the cruellest officers were treating them nicely. When they entered the court of Wazir Khan, they stunned everyone by saying: “Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh” in a very loud voice. Wazir Khan got very angry but he controlled his anger as he was trying to bribe them with love. He ordered the soldiers to remove their handcuffs and in a very loving manner asked them to accept Islam. They said that if they accepted Islam, he would give them a lot of gifts and money. He also tried to bribe them by promising them a match of beautiful Muslim girls, if they accepted Islam. Wazir Khan did not know that he was dealing with Sahibzadas who had been doing paath and simran all the time. Their grandmother had filled them with the stories of their grandfather Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur and great-great-grandfather Sri Guru Arjun Dev. Sahibzadas refused to accept their offer and angrily Wazir Khan sent them to the cold tower (Thanda Buraj). Second Day in the Court The next day too Sahibzadas made an appearance in the court with a loud Fateh. This time Wazir Khan threatened them with dire consequences if they did not obey his order of changing their faith. Wazir Khan told them that they had killed their father and all the Singhs had been killed. Sahibzadas did not lose faith or get scared. They got full of Bir Rass at this and still refused to change their faith. The Kazi also spelt as Qazi (Muslim judge) after much deliberation declared that according to Koran and the Sharia, he was unable to punish or sentence the Sahibzadas. He said that the Muslim law did not allow it. The Kaazi declared that the Sahibzadas be released. Sucha Nand who was watching all this could not tolerate that the Sahibzadas were going to get released. Mohammad Latif records this conversation very beautifully as follows: The Nawab (Wazir Khan) said, “Boys! What would you do, if we were to give you your liberty? “We would collect our Sikhs, supply them with implements of war, fight with you and put you to death”. “If you were defeated in the fight, what would you do then? “We would collect our armies again and either kill you or be killed”. At this time Sucha Nand facing Wazir Khan said, “Listen to me O King. As per the famous poet Firdausi, it is not wise to kill the snake but feed the children of the snake. Realize that wolf’s sons are wolves”. Wazir Khan now started thinking about what to do with the kids. Malerkotla Nawab Refuses to Kill Sher Khan the Nawab of Malerkotla had his brother killed by Sri Guru Gobind Singh. Wazir Khan offered Sher Khan to take custody of the Sahibzadas to avenge the death of his brother. Sher Khan who was a real warrior refused to kill the Sahibzadas and advised Wazir Khan to release them. He said his enmity is with Guru Gobind Singh and that he would avenge his brother’s death only from him. Burning their Hands with Hot Rods It is written in some history books that Wazir Khan got very upset at the open defiance shown by the Sahibzadas. He thought of trying to break them by threatening them and using force. He ordered two red hot iron rods. He moved forward and forced their hands to hold the red hot rods. The Sahibzadas held the rods but did not cry or express pain. They stayed adamant and their faces did not show any reduction of Chardi Kala. Their faces kept shining. They started doing paath loudly. The hand of the Sahibzadas got burned but they stayed in Chardi Kala. The people present there could not control their tears. Some people started crying loudly. Even some officials had tears in their eyes but they were scared of Diwan Sucha Nand and Wazir Khan. Such was the bhaana of Waheguru. Who knows what the history of Sikhs and Punjab would have been if the Sahibzadas had been released? Zaibulnissa Confronts Wazir Khan Zaibulnissa was the daughter of a servant of the king of Bilaspur. She was married off to Sirhind. Somehow, Wazir Khan found out about her extreme beauty. He kidnapped her on the night of her marriage and married her instead. He converted her to Islam and named her Zaibulnissa. When she found out that Wazir Khan had arrested the Sahibzadas, she got very upset with her husband. When Wazir Khan returned home, he was feeling very unsatisfied. The Sahibzadas had defied him and even death was unable to shake their faith. His beloved wife Zaibulnissa had caught one glimpse of the Sahibzadas and had fallen in love with them. She had pleaded with her husband to release them and it is said that he had made up his mind to release the Sahibzadas but Sucha Nand convinced him not to do so. His wife Zaibulnissa confronted him and made him realise that what he had done was the greatest sin ever done in history. She came to her chambers and when she heard how their hands had been burned with red hot rods and how they were bricked alive, she fainted. She could not come to terms with the tragedy. She took out a knife and stabbed herself and died. Another Test for the Sahibzadas Sensing that Wazir Khan was getting more inclined towards releasing the Sahibzadas, Diwan Sucha Nand devised a plan to convince Wazir Khan to kill the Sahibzadas. He asked Wazir Khan to test the Sahibzadas if they would become warriors and rebels when they grew up. Just outside the court, they quickly constructed three stalls (shops). The first stall was full of toys, the second one was full of sweets and candies and the third stall had weapons of different kinds. Wazir Khan and his officials secretly watched as the Sahibzadas were released close to the three stalls. They wanted to see which stall they would head to. In their minds, they thought that if the Sahibzadas went to the first two stalls and started playing with toys or start eating candies, then they are potentially no danger to the government but if they go to the third stall and take out the weapons there, then they can be a danger to the government in the future to come. No one in the court of Wazir Khan expected little kids to go beyond candies and toys. Anyway, the Sahibzadas got released and as they walked out, they saw three stalls. They looked at the first one with toys but showed no interest in it. The officials were sure that the Sahibzadas who had not eaten anything for days would surely succumb to hunger and go to the second stall and start eating candies. But Dhan are the Sahibzadas! They did not care about food or toys. When they saw the third stall that had beautiful Sarbloh weapons, their faces lightened up. Baba Zorawar Singh quickly moved forward and grabbed a spear while Baba Fateh Singh grabbed another weapon from there. They started doing gatka and other painters (manoeuvres) with the weapons. The officials there were amazed to see the swiftness with which they handled the weapons. As soon as the officials saw this, they ordered them arrested again. Sahibzadas were arrested and presented in front of the court again. Sahibzadas Get Death Sentence The Kaazi under pressure from Wazir Khan sentenced them in some way or the other. The Kaazi manipulated the Sharia law and sentenced them to be bricked alive which essentially means to be buried alive. Hundreds and thousands of residents of Sirhind had gathered outside the court to watch the court proceedings. We should realise that Sirhind due to the Naqshbandi influence was the centre of fanatic Islam in those days. The second leader of the Naqshbandi sect of Islam was Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi and he was from Sirhind. He was instrumental in getting Sri Guru Arjun Dev martyr (Shaheed). One of his followers Murtaza Khan carried out the sentence against Sri Guru Arjan Dev. Many fanatic Muslims present there, cheered the sentence but Hindus and many Muslims were shocked to hear the sentence. A group of sympathisers approached Wazir Khan and offered to pay gold equal to the weight of the Sahibzadas to get them released. Both Sucha Nand and Wazir Khan did not agree to their request. Everyone in Sirhind was shocked. People did not feel like cooking food in their houses. Many families did not cook food and remained hungry that day. Even the ones, who did not know Sri Guru Gobind Singh, fell in love with the Sahibzadas when they saw them. Who would not fall in love with them just by looking at them? They were so beautiful and sweet. On top of their natural beauty, they were full of Naam and Gurbani Paath. The shine on their faces was unbearable to the beholders. After hearing the death sentence the Sahibzadas expressed no fear or sorrow. They stayed in pure chardi kala (high spirits). The Third Day – The Shahidi Day There was widespread resentment against Wazir Khan’s decision to martyr the Sahibzadas. The most faithful officials got upset with this decision. Many Muslims requested them to reconsider the decision to martyr them. The jallaads (ones who carry out the death sentence) refused to martyr the Sahibzadas. The government was having a hard time finding anyone who would physically do the dirty work. The next day i.e. the third day, the imperial butchers, named Mishaal Begh and Vishaal Begh from Delhi were incidentally present in Sirhind. These cruel jallaads (executioners) agreed to carry out the sentence of bricking the Sahibzadas alive. Before the sentence was carried out, the Sahibzadas were again presented in court and asked to reconsider their decision not to accept Islam. The Sahibzadas were full of self-respect and Sikhi. They refused to even answer Wazir Khan’s question. Wazir Khan got very upset at this. This event is covered in an old text “Katha Gur Sootan kee” as follows: Tabai Dusht Aise Funn Kahai|| Mastak Sanmukh Teko Ahai|| (The evil officials ordered the Sahibzadas to look straight with their heads bowed when answering Wazir Khan and other officials) Na Jab Mastak Sanmukh Tekeh|| Sees Ulat Murr Paachhai Pekheh|| (The Sahibzadas refused to bow their heads or look straight. They would start looking in the opposite direction when they were asked questions. They showed open defiance to the officials) Bahoro Kahee Dusht Veh Bani|| Dekho Balak Yeh Abhimaani|| Seeing this, the Dusht i.e. evil Wazir Khan said to his officials look how proud these little boys are? Sahibzadas Attain Shaheedi The Sahibzadas were handed over to the jallaads Mishaal Begh and Vishaal Begh. Outside the court, he made them stand and started constructing a wall around them. With every brick being cemented Wazir Khan tried to falter them from their Dharam. Wazir Khan promised them that he would arrange for a meeting between them and Aurangzeb and get them the kingdom of some area in India. He again spoke of marrying them off to the beautiful Muslim girls. The Sahibzadas got upset at the repeated cajoling from Wazir Khan and gave him a stern reply. They told him frankly that he was ignorant of the tradition of Guru Nanak’s house. They said that they wouldn’t even like to spit on kingdoms and other pleasures being offered to them. After this, they refused to answer any question of Wazir Khan and indulged themselves in Naam and Baani. Baba Zorawar Singh said to Baba Fateh Singh: Dass Paatshaahi Hovai Haan|| Ten Paatshaahees i.e. all the ten Guru Sahibaan are standing beside them and watching them. Occasionally they talked about their grandfather Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur and their great-great-grandfather Sri Guru Arjun Dev. Giani Gyaan Singh has written that when the walls reached their neck level, all of a sudden the wall fell down. Many spectators considered this a sign from Waheguru to stop this barbarous act but stonehearted Wazir Khan did not understand. The walls around them were reconstructed and they were bricked alive. Throughout this process, the Sahibzadas stayed in pure chardi kala and stayed merged in Naam. Some historians have written that when the wall fell down, Wazir Khan took out his sword and severed their heads from their bodies. Whatever way they were martyred is irrelevant. The relevant thing is that the Sahibzadas gave their lives and endured torture but did not give up their faith. At the time of their Shaheedi (martyrdom), Baba Zorawar Singh was 7 years, 11 months and 8 days old whereas Baba Fateh Singh was 5 years, 10 months and 10 days old. Just look around and look at the kids of this age. Kids don’t even know Gurmukhi at this age. All they know is TV programs, video games and other kid stuff. Look at the beloved Sahibzadas of Sri Guru Gobind Singh! They were not ordinary human beings but real Brahm-gyani. Sanskaar of Chote Sahibzaade Diwan Todar Mal Jain a wealthy businessman of Sirhind was an ardent follower of the Sikh Gurus. His richness could be gauged from his lavish 17th-century haveli known as “Jahaz Mahal” or Jahaz Haveli constructed just outside the Mughal Governor Nawab Wazir Khan’s palace. Constructed with Sirhindi bricks, haveli boasts of a grand reception area to receive and entertain guests and a well-laid-out ground complete with a pool and fountains. He became the Diwan in the court of Nawab Wazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind, under Mughal Empire. Today, it is remembered for the cremation of the young martyred sons of Guru Gobind Singh and his mother. The Haveli is situated in Harnam Nagar, on the Eastern side of the Sirhind-Roopnagar Railway line just 1 km away from Fatehgarh Sahib. In the dark days when Guru Sahib made his way through the jungles of Machhiwara, and his younger sons were put on trial by Zikharia Khan many Sikhs betrayed the Guru. Little did he (Diwan Todar Mal) know that fate would bring him to a point where he would have to choose between his faith and fortune. And he sacrificed fortune at the altar of faith. When nobody dared to cremate the Sahibzadas, Diwan Todar Mal risked his life and took possession of the bodies. This wealthy merchant had to cover the required ground for cremation with gold coins to get the release of the three bodies. The desirable Mughal authorities refused their funeral rites on government land. It was decreed that their funeral rites could only be performed on land bought by Diwan Todar Mal. Immediately a royal order was issued for this. The Diwan had to buy land for cremating the Sahibzadas. He ensured that the last rites of the two were performed with full respect. But for this, he had lost the peace and prosperity of his own family. Bankrupt and a victim of Nawab Wazir Khan’s wrath the family fled their beautiful home and eventually faded into oblivion. It is said that landowners around the Sirhind Fort would not permit him to hold the cremation in their fields until one Chaudhari Atta agreed to sell him a plot. Not only could this but the land only be bought by laying gold coins (ashrifs) on the required area, possibly vertically. Gurudwara Bhora Sahib is the underground location within Fatehgarh Sahib Gurdwara where the two sons were buried alive. This monument was built by Karam Singh of Patiala in the early 19th century. This wealthy merchant had to cover the required ground for cremation with gold coins to get the release of the three bodies. The administrator stipulated that the buyer (Todar Mal) would take only as much of the space as he could cover with gold mohars (gold coins), that he would lay out for the purchase. The Diwan produced the coins and bought the piece of land he needed for the cremation. It is estimated that at least 7,800 gold coins were required to buy the required land. Let us look at this in a little detail, say that a gold coin has a diameter of around 3 cm and would take up an area of 3 x 3=9 cm2 (9cm squared). The land required for the martyred children would be approximately 2.0 m by 2.0 m a total area of 40,000 cm squared if laid next to each other. Add to this the area required for Mata Ji (2.0m by 1.5m). If the coins were laid horizontally then to cover this area would require around 7800 gold coins. Now, if the coins had to be stacked vertically then possibly 10 coins would be needed to cover the 9cm squared area, so vertically 7800 x 10 coins would be required, or 78,000. That is an awful lot of gold coins today; one can only imagine how much they were worth three hundred years ago. It is safe to say it was probably his life’s savings. Maybe he had to beg and borrow to raise the total amount, who knows, but the fact remains this was truly a noble deed. Todar Mal forsakes everything for his love of Guru Gobind Singh, which is the reason why Sikhs hold Diwan Todar Mal in such high esteem. History tells us that Seth raised the required number of coins and that he cremated the three bodies and put the ashes in an urn which he buried in the most costly land he had bought for Sanskaar (last rites) of Chote Sahibzaade where now Gurudwara Jyoti Saroop Sahib is in Fatehgarh sahib near Sirhind. The land was purchased by placing Gold Coins in a possibly vertical position over the required space. Modern historians have tried to identify Seth Todar Mall as a son or later descendant of Raja Todar Mall, of Sirhind, who won renown as an administrator under the Mughal emperors, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, and who, according to Shah Nawaz Khan, Ma'asir ul Umara, lived up to 1076 AH/AD 1666. To perpetuate the memory of the noble-minded Seth, a road in Sirhind town and a hall in Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib has now been named after him. A splendid Gurdwara, Gurdwara Jyoti Saroop, now stands at the place where these three martyrs were cremated. This Gurdwara is at a distance of about a mile to the east of the main Gurdwara at Fatehgarh Sahib and the road connecting the two Gurudwaras is known as Diwan Todar Mal Marg and a commemorative gate called the Diwan Todar Mal commemorative gate has also been built on this connecting road. A spacious congregation hall has been constructed by the Sikhs at Fatehgarh Sahib to commemorate his noble service which is a symbol of the great respect the Sikhs have for the Diwan. Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib is a complex consisting of several important Gurudwaras linked to the younger Sahibzadas (younger sons) of Guru Gobind Singh. It is located about 5 km north of Sirhind, 40 Km from Chandigarh and marks the sad site of the execution in 1705 of the two younger sons of the tenth Sikh master at the behest of Wazir Khan of Kunjpura, the faujdar of Sirhind. The main entrance to the Gurudwara complex was built by Maharaja Yadvindra Singh of Patiala in 1952. The historical wall where the younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh were bricked has been preserved in this Gurudwara. Gurudwara Bhora Sahib is the sanctuary with the historic wall. Gurudwara Burj Mata Gujri and Gurudwara Shahid Ganj are also located in the main complex of Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib. It was at the site of Gurudwara Burj Mata Gujri that the two younger sons Fateh Singh and Zorawar Singh of the tenth Guru and the Guru's mother Mata Gujri were kept in confinement by Wazir Khan Since all historic sites have now been destroyed and covered by such beautiful slabs of marble it is hard to envisage the type of havali that Guru Gobind Singh and his 40 Sikhs took over at Chamkaur Sahib. As the tenth Guru Gobind Singh made his way from Machhiwara to Talwandi Sabo many so-called devotees asked Guru to leave their premises as they were in fear that if the authorities were to hear of it then they would be persecuted. But not Todar Mal, he did not shirk his responsibilities, he put the Guru's needs before everything. The only palpable testimony to their existence is the haveli, which stands forlorn. Diwan Todar Mal gained immortality with this act and became a legend. The structure of Diwan Todar Mals' haveli sweeps away the notion that a haveli was some sort of ramshackle building or wooden stables; rather they were solid buildings that could be defended against a potential siege situation, which is exactly what happened at Chamkaur Sahib. It is now easier to see how Guru Singh and 40 Singhs held out in such a building while around them the enemy hordes laid siege. The Haveli has withstood the ransacking and destruction of Sirhind by Banda Singh Bahadur. The Sikh Confederacy left the haveli untouched out of great respect for Diwan Todar Mal. Unfortunately, the respect did not endure down the ages and unscrupulous people occupied its gardens and started taking away wood and bricks, causing the fall of certain portions. Nature too left its mark on the beautiful haveli in the absence of any caretaker. Successive governments too could not find time, effort or money to spare on the historical building. It is now being taken over and restored by SGPC with the help of the Punjab government and INTACH. The Aftermath The whole of Sirhind was shocked. This tragedy sent shock waves in the streets of Sirhind. People came out of their houses and many were openly crying. People openly talked about rebelling against the cruel rule of the Mughals. The Sikhs across the world were shocked. Baba Banda Singh Bahadur was particularly shocked by this and when he became a Sikh of Guru Sahib, he took up this mission to punish Wazir Khan and his officials. Sri Guru Gobind Singh plucked a plant of kaahee when he heard this news in the jungles of Maachheevaara and declared that the root of the Mughal Empire had been uprooted. From that day, the Mughal Empire went down and down. How a Parrot Spread this News On a nearby tree, a parrot was sitting on one of its branches. Under the tree Sher Mohammad the Nawab of Malerkotla was standing and people were watching the Shaheedi of the Sahibzadas with dismay. When the Sahibzadas attained shaheedi, Sher Mohammad cried out loud and said, “Oye Mughlo Tuhaadi Jarr Puttee Gayee” The parrot sitting on the tree was so much affected by the pain in the scream of Sher Mohammad, that he started repeating “Oye Mughlo Tuhaadi Jarr Puttee Gayee” means “O Mughals, your root of the kingdom has been uprooted”. The soldiers tried to catch the parrot but could not. The parrot went from village to village and town to town and cried out that the root of the Mughals had been uprooted. Many villages found out about the Shaheedi from the parrot. We have to learn from these shaheedis. Every year on 26 December, Shaheedi Jor Mela is organized at Fatehgarh Sahib, to commemorate the supreme sacrifice at the place of their martyrdom. These kinds of tyrannical acts of the rulers revealed the imbalance of their minds and their unsuitability to run the government. The people were enraged and revolted against them. When Banda Singh Bahadur came to Punjab, the people attacked Sirhind in 1710, destroying all roots of the oppressive rule. Image provided by the author.

Dec 21, 2024
Dr Gursharan Singh Kainth

Safar e Shahadat: Story of Saka Sirhind Part 1

Anandpur, the Guru's town of bliss, was hard-pressed by the Mughal armies but the Guru and the Sikhs were determined to hold on. The Mughal forces, Hilly Rajas’ forces had laid seize on Qila Anandgarh (Fort), Anandpur Sahib for about 8 months in l704. The Mughals and Hilly Rajas wanted Guru Gobind Singh to leave the Fort. The Mughals and Ajmer Chand's league of Rajput Hill Chieftains had offered Guru Sahib a safe passage to leave Anandpur Sahib on an oath sworn on the Quran, an oath that had been signed by emperor Aurangzeb, as well as, an oath sworn on the Gita and the cow (which Hindus consider sacred) by the Rajput Chieftains. The Guru knew fully well that the enemy could not be trusted. Many of the Sikhs thought that the peace plan and safe conduct offered to them should be given a trial. It was a testing time for them all. The Guru decided to test the enemy's sincerity. He ordered live cartloads to move out of the town in the early morning. The enemy attacked them despite their promises of safe conduct. To their great surprise, the Mughal Commanders found only old rags, broken pots and old shoes in the carts. After this, the Mughal Commanders felt ashamed and sent apologies for what had happened. The Guru had proved his point to the Sikhs that the enemy was not trustworthy. He inspired them to continue their fight to ensure peaceful life in Anandpur. Then came a time, when forty Sikhs came to the Guru and said, "O Guru, we are fighting a losing battle. We are nearly starving. There is no food left and we have even eaten the leaves of the trees. The enemy is making it impossible to survive. How long can we go on like this? Why don't we leave the fort and make peace with our powerful enemy?" "My dear Sikhs," said Guru Gobind Singh, "You are mistaken. It's a fight for principles. We can't leave it half-won or half-lost. Wait patiently and the Khalsa is sure to win. I know that it is a long and tough struggle. But you must see it as I see it. It is a struggle against tyranny, oppression and injustice. It is essential if we are to establish religion securely. As your Guru, I must show you the right way to end all evil. We all want goodness to triumph over evil. But such a victory does not come of its own accord. It has to be fought for and won with blood and sacrifices. Come what may, the Khalsa shall always be optimistic and win the war." The forty Sikhs refused to agree. They told the Guru that they were going to leave Anandpur at once. The Guru said, "Well, my friends, if you can't stay any longer, write down your disclaimer (Bedawa) saying that from now on you are no longer my Sikhs." The Sikhs misled by their instinct, wrote the denial, signed it and handed it over to the Guru. The next night the forty Sikhs left Anandpur in the darkness and hurried to their homes. The Guru and the rest of the Sikhs held on, till the enemy was weary of this long and fruitless fight. At last, the Mughal Commanders tried once more to reassure the Guru. They sent two Ambassadors, one a Hindu and the other a Muslim. The Muslim came with a copy of the Holy Quran, and the Hindu brought with him the image of a cow. They both promised perfectly safe conduct to the Guru if he decided to leave Anandpur. They also apologized for what had happened some months before, when the Mughal soldiers had attacked the five cartloads of rubbish. Then an emissary brought a letter giving a promise of peace and conciliation from Emperor Aurangzeb. The letter read - "I have sworn on the Holy Quran not to harm you. If I do, may I not find a place in God's court? Stop fighting and come to me. If you are afraid of coming, leave Anandpur and let me know where I can come and see you in person. I am told that you are a holy man and I have every regard for holy men. Bear no malice towards the hill chiefs. They have assured me by swearing on their cows that they will never trick another fight with you and your Sikhs. I shall personally ask you to pardon their excesses against you and your Sikhs." This time the Emperor seemed quite sincere. Hard pressed by the Sikhs and his family, Guru Gobind Singh decided to leave Anandpur. Evacuation of Anandpur Sahib After due preparations, under the pressure of a prolonged siege with food and ammunition exhausted, Guru Gobind Singh with his entourage of 400 Sikhs left Sri Anandpur Sahib on the bitter cold (Chilly) and rainy night of 20 December 1704. Guru Gobind Singh, four Sahibzadas, Mata Gujri, Guru’s Mahil (wives), five Panj Piaras and a few hundred Sikhs left Anandpur Sahib and marched towards Ropar - the plains of Punjab. After vacating Qila Sri Anandgarh Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh rested for the night at the rivulet Sarsa/Sirsa, at a distance of about 25 Kms from Anandpur Sahib and for morning prayers with his family and the Sikhs of Anandpur Sahib. Everything seemed all right. Everyone thought that the Mughal commanders would keep their word of honour. As it grew dark, the Sikh guards sensed something wrong in the distance. Soon they began to hear the sounds of the movements of cavalry and the occasional war cries of the Mughal armies. The message went round the camp and everybody was on the alert. In the early hours of the morning at the river Sarsa (Sirsa), the Guru and his Sikhs were attacked by the Mughal army under the command of Wazir Khan, breaking their oath of assuring safe conduct. The Mughal army attacked. The Sikhs drove them back with great losses. But then another wave of Mughal soldiers moved forward. After invoking the blessings of the Almighty, Guru Gobind Singh divided his forces into two columns. While part of the force was to engage their attackers, the other force was ordered to get across the river. It was at this spot that the Mughal army suddenly arrived in hot pursuit. The agreement which had been reached between the Sikhs and their attackers (the Rajput hill chiefs and their Mughal overlords) promising to allow the Sikhs to leave the fort unmolested, was promptly broken. Though their oaths were taken on the 'holy Quran' and the sacred books of the Hindus, their promises meant nothing as they had no sooner occupied Anandpur, than they sat out in hot pursuit of the Sikhs. They lost little time betraying their promises to Guru Gobind Singh, almost as soon as the Sikhs had left the safety of their impregnable fortress. A fierce battle followed in which Bhai Sahib Singh, one of the five Beloved Ones, fought daringly and died. A Muslim follower of the Guru, Mian Khan held the enemy until the Guru and his family with a few of his followers, safely crossed the river. In the darkness and confusion, people ran in all directions to save their lives. Thousands were killed and many valuable manuscripts were lost. In the confusion, which followed the attack in the cold and darkness, many Sikhs became Shaheed (martyrs). A group of Singhs fought the armies, keeping them back while the rest of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh and his family crossed the rivulet in the heat of the battle. During the confusion, the Guru's mother and his two youngest sons, Guru's Mahil got separated from the Khalsa forces. Mata Sundri, the Guru's wife, lost her way and a faithful Sikh escorted her to Delhi. Many Sikhs perished attempting to cross the frigid waters of the turgid, rain-swollen rivulet. Their bodies were swept away by the swift current. Of the 400 hundred that had left Anandpur, only the Guru, his two eldest sons, the Panj Piaras (Five Beloved ones) and 40 Sikhs were able to cross the river and regroup on the other side and hurried on while the Mughal army chased them hotly. After a few skirmishes on the way, they spent the second night in an old brick kiln in Ropar. The next morning they continued their journey closely pursued by the Mughal army. At last, they reached the village of Chamkaur, where they were able to lodge themselves in a two-storey building. They quickly converted it into a small fortress. Chamkaur is a village in the district of Ropar about 50 miles from Ludhiana. It was there that a shining example of gallantry was demonstrated by the young sons of Guru Gobind Singh. Separation of the Family (Parivar Vichora) On the intervening night of 20-21 December, the enemy breached the vows and attacked Guru’s entourage at a site on Sirsa rivulet some 25 Km from Anandpur Sahib. At the bank of river Sirsa, a fierce battle between the Singhs and the Mughals started. Bhai Uday Singh and Bhai Bachitter Singh were leading their regiments against the Mughals, while the rest of the Singhs were trying to cross the river. River Sirsa was flooded at that time. Many drowned in the river. Guru’s family separated. This spot is now known as Parivar Vichora. As it was here that the Guru's family was separated from each other, the Gurdwara' has been named Gurdwara Sri Parivar Vichora Sahib, meaning the "Gurdwara of the family's separation". Situated on the bank of the river Sirsa in the district of Ropar, the Gurdwara has been built to honour the tragic happenings that followed the evacuation of Anandpur by Guru Gobind Singh. Gurdwara Sri Parivar Vichora Gurdwara Sri Parivar Vichora Sahib is situated near the bank of river Sirsa in the village Majri in the Ropar district of Punjab (now spelled as Roopnagar/Rupnagar) district of Punjab, India. It is built on the spot where the battle occurred and the Guru’s family was separated. Located on a hilltop, one has to climb 100-odd steps to reach this holy spot, which commands a panoramic view of the surrounding valley. This magnificent Gurdwara Sri Parivar Vichora Sahib has been built by the grateful Sikhs of Sri Guru Gobind Singh. Guru Gobind Singh was followed by a small party of devoted Sikhs who fought off their attackers with their swords flashing in their hands. Many Sikhs drowned or were martyred while crossing the river. There had been no time to look for the missing. Guru’s Mahil left with Bhai Mani Singh, towards Delhi. Guru Gobind Singh with two elder Sahibzadas, Panj Piaras and 40 Sikhs proceeded towards Chamkaur Sahib in Ropar district too and reached there, in the afternoon of 21 December. The famous battle of Chamkaur, took place on 22 and 23 December, l704, where two elder Sahibzadas, three of the Panj Piaras and 40 Sikhs laid down their lives. Chamkaur Sahib In the ensuing confusion, many Sikhs were killed and all of the Guru's baggage including most of the precious manuscripts was lost. Guru Gobind Singh was able to make his way to Chamkaur, 40 km southwest of Anandpur, making several stops along the way, with barely 40 Sikhs and his two elder sons. The imperial troops besieged the mud fortress at Chamkaur. There the imperial army, following closely on Guru Sahib's heels, surrounded the area. Guru Gobind Singh's two sons, Sahibzada Baba Ajit Singh and Sahibzada Baba Jujhar Singh and all but five of the Sikhs fell in the action that took place on 22nd December 1705. The five surviving Sikhs commanded the Guru to save himself to reconsolidate the Khalsa. Battle of Chamkaur Battles that have changed the course of history are well chronicled in Western history and became a part of the folklore of the country such as the Battle of Saratoga in 1777 and the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. If a similar chronicle of great battles which changed the course of Indian history were to be compiled, the battle of Chamkaur would be given a position of great significance. The battle was fought over three days from December 21 to 23, 1704 [6, 7 and 8 Poh Samat/Samvat 1761 Bikrmi] between the Khalsa of Guru Gobind Singh and the coalition forces of the Mughals and Ajmer Chand's league of Rajput hill chieftains. In the battle of Chamkaur, Guru Gobind Singh along with his two sons (Sahibzadas) and forty followers withstood the might of a Muslim and Rajput coalition from a small Haveli (House) which providentially had high mud walls surrounding known as kachi Garhi owned by two brothers Chaudhari Roop Chand and Jagat Singh. They offered their services to Guru Gobind Singh who had visited Chamkaur in 1702 while returning from Kurkshetra/Kurukeshtra. The enemy force comprised of Infantry, horse cavalry and artillery guns and was about 2.5 lacs armies of the Mughal and 2.2 lacs armies of the hilly ruler. Nearly, one lac ranghars followed them, 2 lacs Pathan or Afghans also joined these forces. Local Gujjars joined the Mughals in big numbers in the region around Chamkaur Sahib, which made a total of (Dah/das lakh) 10 lacs. Guru Gobind Singh refers to this battle in the Zafarnamah. He tells how a huge (Dah lakh) army attacked his Sikhs who were only forty in number and without food. The Guru also talks of the cowardice of one of the Mughal generals how he hid himself behind a wall, not having the courage to face the Guru. The preamble to the battle After the Guru left Anandpur, they crossed the Sarsa River and stopped in Chamkaur. They asked permission from the city chief for shelter to rest for the night in their Garhi or haveli. The older brother thought sheltering him would be dangerous so he refused. But the younger brother permitted them to stay there for the night. Despite giving assurance of safe conduct, the Mughal soldiers were looking for Guru Gobind Singh, to take his head as a trophy. After learning that the party of Sikhs had taken shelter in the haveli, they laid siege upon it. The Mughals had a force of over 1000000 (one million) consisting of Pathan and Turk regiments. The Guru only commanded 40 men on the eve of the battle. The actual battle is said to have taken place outside a mud fort where the Guru was resting. Negotiations broke down and the Sikh soldiers chose to engage the overwhelming Mughal forces, thus allowing their Guru to escape. A "Gurmatta" or consensus amongst the Sikhs compelled Gobind Singh to obey the will of the majority and escape by the cover of night. It is alleged that the Sikh warriors were able to engage the Mughal troops in majority due to training in the Sikh martial art of "Shastar Vidya". All the Sikhs guarding the Guru were killed in the battle. Guru at Chamkaur Sahib On 20 December 1704 Guru Gobind Singh and the 40 Singhs camped in an open space in Ropar. Bhai Budhi Chand who owned a Haveli (open house) in the town of Chamkaur visited Guru Sahib and offered his home and family at the feet of the Guru. Guru Sahib had once visited the mud-house of Bhai Budhi Chand while returning from Kurukshetra. Guru Sahib and the 40 Singhs moved into the house of Bhai Budhi Chand situated on a hill, which now became the mud-fort of Guru Gobind Singh. At the commencement of Amrit vela (early hours of the day before sunrise) Guru Gobind Singh woke up Bhai Sangat. “Wake up Sangat Singh; it’s time for Aasa Di Var. Let’s do Kirtan,” Guru said. What an amazing warrior Guru was! An army of 100,000 is pursuing Guru Sahib and planning to attack the place where they are staying, and Guru is still blissfully continuing his routine Rehat of Nitnem and Aasa Di Var Keertan with all Singhs joining in. Nawab Wazir Khan announced outside the fort of Chamkaur, “Gobind Singh! If you and your Sikhs come out now, you will be spared!” Guru replied to this with a rain of arrows. There was silence now in the cold morning. Clouds filled the sky followed by thunder and lightning. Guru and the Singhs became ready for the battle. Preparing for Battle In the chilly hours before sunrise officers of the Mughal horde, Khwaja Muhammad and Nahar Khan sent a Mughal messenger to negotiate with the Sikhs with a term of treaty demanding submission to Islamic law, which the Guru, his sons and valiant warriors unanimously declined. However, Guru Sahib told the messenger to go away or face death. Inside the four walls of the mud-house Guru Sahib declared war. The Mughal officers ordered their troupes to mercilessly attack the Guru's vastly outnumbered warriors. The Guru and his Singhs responded fiercely, defending their fortress from the horde's advance with deadly accuracy. Their small store of arrows and ammunition quickly expended, and by late afternoon hand to hand combat remained their only option to surrender and forced conversion to Islam. Two Mughal officers, Nahar Khan and Ghairat Khan, and many of their soldiers died attempting to breach the compound. The warrior's heroic martyrdom held back the enemy hordes and prevented an all-out invasion of the fortress. First, a Singh came out and when he was about to become Shaheed (martyr), he roared the Jaikara (slogan) of "Sat Sri Akal"! As soon as the sound of "Sat Sri Akal" echoed throughout the battlefield, the next Singh came out to fight in the battleground. The Nawab was astonished at what these Singhs were made of. He remembered the sayings of the Sikhs that "One Sikh equalled Sava Lakh (125,000)" – the bravery of one Sikh is equal to that of 125,000 ordinary men. chidiyon se main baaj ladaoo , geedadon ko main sher banaoo ! sava laakh se ek ladaoo tabhee gobind sinh naam kahun !! I hate birds Fight; I will turn jackals into lions; one fight with 1.25 lakh and only then the name of Gobind Singh says Baba Ajit Singh Goes To Fight Sahibzada Ajit Singh now went before Guru Sahib. "Respected father, permit me to go and fight on the battleground and grace me with the opportunity to make my life fruitful and worthy in your service.” Sahibzada Ajit Singh said: "Naam Ka Ajit Hoon, Jeeta Nahin Jaaunga, Agar Jeeta Bhi Gya, Toh Jeeta Nahi Aunga!! You have named me Ajit (Unconquerable), I shall not be conquered; If overpowered, I shall die fighting like my brother Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh hugged his beloved son and gave him a Shastr (weapon). A beard or moustache had yet not grown on Baba Ajit Singh's face, showing how young he was. Every father wants to see their child get married, but this was the time of fighting the enemy. Death was waiting and today Baba Ajit Singh would be marrying death. The sun was about to come out. Guru saw that Nawab Wazir Khan wanted to take hold of the fort of Chamkaur in one attempt. The Nawab surrounded the fort with his armies. At this time the Singhs did a benti (request) to Guru that since there were no means of escaping the siege, for he to please escape with Sahibzade. However, Guru Sahib told them that there is no difference between the Singhs and the Sahibzade. “You are all mine! We will be victorious and we will all be free.” Baba Ajit Singh boldly and valiantly came out of the fort, accompanied by 8 other Singhs, which included one of the original Panj Piarey, Bhai Mohkam Singh. Guru watched the battle scene from the top of the fort. There was silence on all four sides. As they came into the battle ground they roared Jaikarey, which sounded everywhere like the roar of a lion. Today the 8 Singhs felt proud that under the leadership of Baba Ajit Singh, they had been blessed with an opportunity to fight at his side. Baba Ajit Singh advanced on the battlefield and displayed weaponry skills with great courage and bravery. The army surrounded the Sahibzada on four sides. Baba Ajit Singh called out, “Come nearer if you have courage.” The soldiers ran away frightened. Now they come back in a larger group as not a single one of them dared to individually fight Baba Ajit Singh. The Singhs' weaponry skill on the battlefield reminded the Mughal soldiers of Allah, and they feared for their lives. While fighting, Baba Ajit Singh’s Kirpan (sword) broke. He then began to fight with a Neja (spear). However, while killing one Mughal chief, it became stuck in his chest. Even then, Baba Ajit Singh remained in bliss and peace. While fighting, all 8 Singhs became Shaheed (martyrs). One Mughal chief injured Baba’s horse. As a result, he fought on the ground with his talwar (sword). With each blow of the sword, he split the enemy into two. When he struck the enemy twice with his sword, they got cut up into four pieces. Now as the army surrounded Baba Ajit Singh, Guru watched. When he attained Shaheedi, Guru Sahib roared a Jaikara of “Sat Sri Akal.” Baba Jujhar Singh ready for Shaheedi The news of Baba Ajit Singh attaining Shaheedi (martyrdom) spread. Hearing the news of his brother, Baba Jujhar Singh now desired to fight on the battlefield. He asked Guru Sahib, “Permit me, respected father, to go where my brother has gone. Don’t say that I am too young. I am your son. I am a Singh, a Lion of yours. I shall prove worthy of you. I shall die fighting, with my face towards the enemy, with the Naam on my lips and the Guru in my heart.” Guru Gobind Singh embraced him and said, "Go my son and wed the life-giving bride - Death.” Guru gave blessings to Baba Jujhar Singh just as a father gives blessings to the bride on the day of her marriage. Guru added, “I asked my father to give his life for "Dharam" (righteousness and justice). Today, what I told my father, I now tell you.” Bhai Himmat Singh and Bhai Sahib Singh (two of the original Panj Piarey) along with 3 other Singhs accompanied Sahibzada Baba Jujhar Singh. The Mughals were shocked at what they saw. It looked as if Ajit Singh had come back. ਐਸੀ ਮਰਨੀ ਜੋ ਮਰੈ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਨ ਮਰਨਾ ਹੋਇ ॥੧॥ aisee marnee jo marai, bahur na marnaa hoe. ॥1॥ Whoever dies let him die such a death, that he does not have to die again. ॥1॥. (Ang 555, SGGS) Fighting Till the Last Breath Dead bodies lay everywhere. The army assembled to kill Baba Jujhar Singh. He was now surrounded and had a Neja (spear) in his hand. Wherever the Neja hit, the enemy was destroyed. He also used a Khanda (double-edged sword), with which he killed the enemy as a farmer mows down his crop. Guru saw that Baba Jujhar Singh was being surrounded and the opportunity to kill the Mughal soldiers was decreasing. Guru Sahib fired volleys of arrows in the air. In the army, they call this ‘Protection Fire.’ The person providing Protection Fire must be very skilful and precise because if the target is missed, people on the same side can be killed. Guru Sahib gave Protection Fire with arrows, but none of the 5 Singhs or Baba Jujhar Singh was hit or injured by the arrows. They demonstrated the Sikh concept of one equalling “Sava Lakh” (125,000). Baba Jujhar Singh eventually was able to break the ring of the Mughal army soldiers surrounding him. Baba then attained Shaheedi. ਸੂਰਾ ਸੋ ਪਹਿਚਾਨੀਐ ਜੁ ਲਰੈ ਦੀਨ ਕੇ ਹੇਤ ॥ sooraa so pahichaanee-ai, jo larai deen ke het. ॥ That person alone is known as a spiritual warrior, who fights in defence of religion. ਪੁਰਜਾ ਪੁਰਜਾ ਕਟਿ ਮਰੈ ਕਬਹੂ ਨ ਛਾਡੈ ਖੇਤੁ ॥੨॥੨॥ purjaa purjaa katt marai, kabhoo na chhaadai khet. ॥2॥2॥ They may be cut apart, piece by piece, but they never leave the field of battle. ॥2॥2॥; (Ang 1105, SGGS) This was the sign of a true warrior! By the time Baba Jujhar Singh had attained Shaheedi nightfall had arrived and the moon could be seen in the sky. Guru Sahib wrote in his composition, the Zafarnama: ਚਿ ਕਸਮੇ ਕੁਰਾਂ ਮਨ ਕੁਨਮ ਏਤਬਾਰ ਵਗਰਨਾ ਤੁ ਗੋਈ ਮਨ ਈਂ ਰਾਹਚਿਕਾਰ che kasm-e kuraa(n), man kunam eitbaar vagarnaa tu goee, man ee(n) raah chi-kaar What trust can I have in your oath on Koran? Otherwise, why should I have taken this path (of taking up the sword)? (Line 23, Zafarnama) During the night, Bhai Daya Singh and Bhai Dharam Singh (two of the original Panj Piarey) along with Bhai Maan Singh and other Singhs remained in the fort of Chamkaur Sahib. There were a total of 10 Singhs left. Now the Guru-roop Panj Piarey (Five Singhs) gave Hukam to Guru Sahib to leave the fort. Another Sikh who resembled the Guru, Sangat Singh, donned the Guru's clothes and remained with the soldiers. The next morning the remaining Sikhs were killed by Mughal forces. Guru Sahib did not leave quietly. On leaving, Guru Sahib blew his horn and stood on high ground and clapped his hands three times saying: Peeré Hind Rahaavat” “The "Peer" of India is leaving”. ਧੰਨ ਉਹ ਧਰਤੀ ਧੰਨ ਉਹ ਬਾਪੂ, ਧੰਨ ਵਡਭਾਗੀ ਮਾਈ । ਢੰਗ ਜਿਉਣ ਦਾ ਜਿਸਦਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ, ਦੱਸ ਗਿਆ ਸਦੀਆ ਸਾਈਂ । “Blessed is that land, blessed is that father, blessed is the great mother. Whose son has shown the way to live, for centuries to come?” Aftermath After finding out that the Guru had escaped, the Mughals started searching the woods and the area surrounding Chamkaur. The Mughals hastily chased after the Guru once they realised he had escaped. Guru Gobind Singh made a last stand against the Mughals at Muktsar, however, by then Aurangzeb had started to sue for peace. The Battle of Muktsar was the last battle fought by Guru Gobind Singh. There he wrote Zafarnama, ("the epistle of victory"), a letter to Aurangzeb in which he wrote chirag-e jahaan chun shod-e burka posh shah-e shab bar-aamad hameh jalwa josh ... But still when the lamp of daylight (sun) set and the queen of night (moon) came up, then my protector (God) gave me passage and I escaped safely, not even a hair on my body was harmed. The Guru emphasised how he was proud that his sons had died fighting in battle, and that he had 'thousands of sons – the Singhs'. He also said that he would never trust Aurangzeb again due to his broken promises and lies. Zafarnama Guru Gobind Singh had lost all his four sons in his fight for justice against the Moghuls, who had them killed by treachery, and who were hell-bent on converting every Hindu, forcibly, to Islam. In the name of religion, heinous murders and horrific carnage took place. The Guru, however, a brave and pious soul that he was, refused to be cowed down. Though Aurangzeb pushed him to the limits, chasing him all over the country and forcing him to flee from place to place, his spirit would not be falsified in any way and refused to give in to Aurangzeb's cruelty. When Aurangzeb realised that the human he was fighting was not a mere mortal, as he thought he was, he finally wrote an invitation to him to come and negotiate terms of peace. After he escapes from Chamkaur, the exhausted Guru is said to have been carried by two Pathans (Ghani Khan and Nabi Khan) to Jatpur where he was received by the local Muslim chieftain. He later went to Dina and stayed at Mayi Desan's house, where he composed his reply to the Moghul Emperor. This is the famous Zafarnama, the Epistle of Victory. Zafarnama vividly describes what happened at Chamkaur, and also holds Aurangzeb responsible for what occurred and promises he broke. 13: Aurangzeb! I have no trust in your oaths anymore. (You have written that) God is one and He is a witness (between us). 14: I don't have trust equivalent to even a drop (of water) in your generals (who came to me with oaths on the Quran that I will be given safe passage out of Anandgarh Fort). They were all telling lies. 15: If anyone trusts (you) on your oath in Quran, that person is bound to be doomed in the end. When Aurangzeb received this epistle, he was filled with remorse and realised that all that he had done in the name of religion, was heresy. His conscience finally won its battle against the Emperor's greed for power, and he ordered that Guru Gobind Singh and his Sikhs should not be harassed any more. His repentance was so great, that he died soon thereafter. The pen proved mightier than the sword!