Departure from
Anandpur Sahib
The Gurus enthused high spirit in a totally down
trodden and dispirited people. This enabled them to resist the
repression and
Splitup of the Family
AAfter that the Guru with his family and a few hundred
Sikhs had gone hardly a few
miles towards Kiratpur Sahib, when they were attacked from behind
treacherously. Guru planned for defense and assigned Bhai Udhay
Singh with fifty Sikhs and Bhai Bachittar Singh with hundred Sikhs
to hold Moghul army attack. Bhai Uday Singh killed Rustam Khan, the
commander of the Moghul army thus halting the onslaught. On reaching
river Sirsa, Guru defied one Sikh to take his mother and two younger
sons Baba Zorawar Singh (eight years) and Baba Fateh Singh (six
years) to Delhi, where they were to join Guru’s wife Mata Sundari
jee. The Guru with forty Sikhs, five beloved ones and both elder
Sahibzaade Baba Ajit Singh and Baba Jujhar Singh crossed over the
Sirsa river and moved towards village Kotla Nihang Khan. The Khan
had great respect for the Guru.
After few days they moved towards village Chamkaur
and occupied a mud fortress (Garhi). The Moghul forces in lakhs
surrounded the fortress. Each time, five Sikhs would come out and
gave a very tough fight. The Moghul army lost thousands of lives.
The Guru lost both his sons, three beloved ones (Sahib Singh, Himmat
Singh and Mohkam Singh), Kirpal Singh Kashmeeree, three sons of Bhai
Mani Singh and other Sikhs also attained martyrdom. The Guru obeyed
the directive of the Sangat. It was decided that Bhai Daya Singh,
Bhai Dharam Singh, Ram Singh and Man Singh would also accompany him.
The Guru transferred his Kalghi to the forehead of Bhai Sangat Singh
who had strong resemblance to the Guru. At around 2 a.m. the Guru
moved out of the fortress. After walking about 200 yards from the
fortress (Garhi), the Guru repeatedly clapped declaring loudly that
he was going, so as to make the enemy aware and to challenge them.
After crossing Sirsa, Mata Gujri ji and youngest
 Sahibzaade
spent nigh in the hut of Kumma Maashki (boatman). Mata ji had one
mule carrying some important articles and ornaments. The Sikh
accompanying them got separated from them due to floods and bad
weather during darkness of night. The people around also called
Kumma Maashki as Keema Mallah. He used to be a Hindu and was known
by the name Karma jheevar. He was forcibly converted as muslim. But
still he used to worship as per Hindu rituals. Mata Gujri stayed in
his hut for two days. A Brahmin lady by the name of Laxhhmi looked
after them serving food and shelter. During that time Gangu Brahmin
met them. Gangu used to serve the Guru in the kitchen as a cook.
Journey from Sarsa to Sirhind
Guru’s mother entrusted herself and the two grandsons,
who accompanied her, to a Brahmin. He with sweet words took them to
his house and induced them to put faith in him. When the Guru’s
mother went to sleep, he stole her money,
which she carried in a saddlebag and buried it. He then went to her
and told her that there were several thieves prowling about the
neighbourhood, and she must be careful of her valuables. He said he
gave her this information so that she might not afterwards blame
him. He almost immediately afterwards informed her that her
saddlebag was missing. As no one had entered the house but the
lady’s party and the Brahmin, she interrogated them latter on the
subject.
He pretended to be furious at suspicion having been directed
against him and said that it was the result of doing good and of
entertaining homeless wayfarers and out laws. He e
Court Trial and Martydom
Wazir Khan
ordered the children to be brought before him. When the Guru’s
mother heard the order, it stung her like a sharp arrow. The
Governor of Morinda told Mata Gujri, in order to pacify her, that he
would send the children back after showing them to Wazir Khan. Not
believing him, she put one of them at each side of her and tried to
conceal them with her dress.
The Guru’s sons on hearing the Ranghar’s voice stood up and
said to grandmother, "The Turks have ever been our enemies. How can
we escape from them? Therefore let us go to the viceroy’s court",
the Ranghar, in order to add to their sufferings told them that
their father, their oldest brothers and their companions had been
killed in Chamkaur. He added, "Your only hope to escape now is to
bow before the viceroy and accept Islam and perhaps he will spare
your lives". Sahibzaade when confronted with viceroy then addressed
him "my father, the holy Guru Gobind Singh is not dead. Who can kill
him? The immortal God protects him. If any one says that he can tear
down heaven, how is that possible? Were a storm to attempt to drive
a mountain before it, could it ever do so? were any one to try to
grasp the Sun and the Moon, it would be a feat impossible to
accomplish.
Were the Guru to desire it, he could destroy every trace of
you, but he deemed it his first duty to obey the laws of heaven.
When we have dedicated our heads to our father who is such a Guru,
why should we bow them before a false and deceitful sinner?" On
hearing this the people all cried out
 that
the children ought to be allowed to go unharmed. The misnamed
Suchanand now interposed and repeated that these were the offspring
of a cobra and from their heads to their feet filled with venom,
"see my friends", he said, "they have not the least fear and are so
proud that they even insult and defy the viceroy." Wazir Khan then
rejected that if the children became Mohammedans, it would be a gain
and glory for his faith. He told them that, if they would accept his
faith, he would grant them an estate, marry them to the daughters of
chiefs and they would become happy and be honored by the emperor.
Elder Sahibzaade then looking at his younger brother said, "My
brother, this is the time to sacrifice our lives, as our grandfather
parted with his head but not with his religion, and he ordered us to
follow his example. Now that we have received the baptism of the
spirit and the sword, what care we for death? Wherefore it is best
that we should give our lives, thus save the Sikh religion, and
bring down God’s vengeance on the Turks?" Elder Saahibzaada again
spoke on the same subject "My brother, our grandfather Guru Teg
Bahadur spurned the Muhammadan religion. Here is this noble family
of ours – a man like Guru Gobind Singh our father, a man like Guru
Har Gobind our great grandfather. We, who are their descendants,
cannot attach a stigma to their memories?" The young boy waxing
still angry continued, " Hear, O viceroy, I spur the thy religion
and will not part with mine own. It hath become the custom of our
family to forfeit life rather than faith. O fool, why seekesd thou
to tempt us with worldly ambition? We will never be led astray by
the false advantage thou offerest. The indignities inflicted by the
turks on our grandfather shall be the fire to consume them, and our
deaths, the wind to fan the flame. In this way we shall destroy the
Turks without forfeiting our Holy faith." The Muhammadan Viceroy
could not endure out spoken-ness of the chronicler, began to burn
like sand in a fiery furnace. He said we must put children to death.
They had no fear of any one, and their words were liable to cause
disaffection and religious apathy in others. Suchanand was ready to
support the viceroy and suggested additional reasons for putting the
children to death. He said they had spoken insolently before the
viceroy and when they grew up they would follow their father’s
examples and destroy armies. What good could be expected from them?
They would be always exciting revolts.
They were prisoners with no right of pardon, and if they were
released, no one knew what they would do. There were no means for
their repression but death. Then out
 spoke
the Nawab of Malerkotla, " O Viceroy, these children are still
drinking milk in the nursery, and are too young to commit an
offence. They know not well from evil. Wherefore be pleased to allow
them to depart." This representation the Viceroy headed not, but
cast about for some one to kill the children. His servants who were
present said they were willing to sacrifice their lives for him, but
they were not executioners. He turned to right and left, but all his
staff hung down their heads in token of refusal and pity for the
children.
At last looking behind him he espied a Ghilzai(type of race
among the muslims) who, with the cruelty of his race, offered to do
the sanguinary deed. It is a general
 belief
among the Sikhs that the children were bricked alive into a wall and
suffered to die of suffocation in standing position, but the authors
of the "Suraj Parkash" and of the "Gur Bilas" both state that the
children were put to death in the order of their ages by the sword
of Ghilzai execution. They vied with each other as to who should
first have the honour of martyrdom. The two children aged eight and
six years respectively perished on the 13th of Poh, Samvat 1702
(A.D. 1705). A rich Sikh called Todar Mal, as soon as he heard of
the imprisonment of the Guru’s children, hastened to the viceroy
with the intention of ransoming them, but arrived too late. The
children had been already put to death.
He then proceeded to the Guru’s mother Mata Gujari, who had
not yet heard of the execution of her grandchildren, but was at the
same time suffering extreme mental agony. She every now and then
would pray to the Gurus to protect her little ones " O Guru Nanak,
may no hair of my grandchildren’s head be touched! Oh my son, Guru
Gobind Singh, pardons my sins and protects me now! Woe is me! I know
not what may happen to my grandchildren today? " Todar Mal sought to
break the sad intelligence to her, but his voice was stifled to his
throat. On seeing this, Mata Gujari became extremely alarmed, and
standing up at once said, " Tell me the truth. Why art thou
sorrowful? When will they allow my grandchildren to return and what
questions have they put them?" Todar Mal then strengthening his
resolve, addressed her, "I have made my heart harder than a stone,
and come to tell thee of the death of thy grandchildren. O mother,
the light of thine eyes, the support of the world, the life of the
Sikhs, the darlings of the Guru have been today massacred by the
Turks. On receiving this news Mata Gujari was struck down as if a
mountain had fallen on her.
Todar Mal began to fan her
 in
her swoon with the skirt of his dress. On receiving consciousness to
some extent she began to call upon her grandsons, " O my beloved
ones, after such love for me whither have you gone? Take me with
you. Who will call me grandmother or mother? Who will come and sit
on my lap? How shall I behold you? O youthful warriors, light of my
courtyard, sun of my family, I know not what your sufferings must
have been today. O my grandchildren, on whom I have never been,
turned my back even when asleep. Today, alas! Alas! The Muhammadan
tyrants have killed you, the darlings of mine eyes, my beautiful
ones. I concealed my grand sons from the gaze of others and behold
what hath happened today! What have I done to you, O children, that
you should have abandoned me to misery?" saying this, she fell
heavily to the ground and gave up her spirit.
Todar Mal cremated the bodies of the Guru’s mother and her
grandchildren and buried their ashes. A Sikh temple, now called
Fatehgarh was subsequently erected on the spot.
When the Turks heard that the Brahmin who had betrayed the
Guru’s mother and children possessed much wealth, they arrested him
and all his family, and forced him by torture, to tell where he had
concealed his treasure. He pointed out the spot where he had buried
Mata Gujari’s money, but it was not found there. The Turks believing
that he was only deceiving them continued to torture him until his
soul took flight to the infernal regions. On the way from mud
fortress (Garhi) the Guru preceded to Kanuech in the eastern part of
what is now Ludhiana district. Then Guru proceeded to Hehar, also in
the Ludhiana District and meet Kirpal who distinguished himself in
the battle of Bhangani. He advised Guru to move on towards village
Lamma Jatpura.
On the way, Guru met a Muhammadan called Kalha,
 a
rich and important person who was chaudhari of Jagraon and Raikot,
two considerable towns of Ludhiana district, Kalha entertained him
at Jatpura. The Guru requested him to send a messanger to Sirhind to
enquire in fate of his mother and two younger sons. The Guru
remained at Jatpura until the messanger's return. Jatpura is about
fifty miles distance from Sirhind. This distance the messanger is
said to have traversed in an incoredibly short space of time. While
the Guru was listening to the narrative, he was digging up a shrub
with his knife. He said, "As I dig up this shrub by the roots, so
shall the Turks be extirpated." He inquired if any one except the
Nawab of MalerKotla had spoken on behalf of the children. The
messanger replied in the negative. The Guru then said that after the
roots of the oppressive Turks were all dugup, the roots of the Nawab
should still remain. His Sikhs should one day come and lay Sirhind
waste. His torical facts demand that those who helped mate Gujri ji
and Sahibzade during those difficult times, they must be remembered
with great respect.
One of such persons was moti Ram Mehra
 who
was from gheewar (waterman) caste. He was serving in Hindu Kitchen
of Suba Sirhind Wazer Khan. Moti Ram Mehra used to cook and serve to
Hindu oficers and prisoners. He was very sincere and honest to his
assigned tasks. His ancestors used to pay respects to Baba Kauji ji
before they started paying regards to Guruji. Baba Kauji was Pir of
gheewars. Their village Dehra is in Panch Nangal, Hoshiarpur
(Punjab) where gheewars (Kashyap Rajputs) go and worship. Vaisakhi
Mela is also hold there. Moti Ram Mehra used to live in Mohalla
Mansuriv Tibba. This Mohalla was famous for Rajput clan’s
population. His family included his old mother, wife and a small
male child. Due his respect for Sikhs, the Sikhs used to visit his
place often. Many travellers on their way to Anandpur Sahib used to
take rest in his small room. He also used to long for going to
Anandpur to meet Guruji.
During extreme cold weather, Mata Gujri and younger Sahibzade
were imprisoned in Thanda Burj (Cold Tower). The Daroga (police
chief) asked Moti Ram to serve food to three new prisoners. Moti Ram
knows very well that Moghal army has returned and boasts about
demolishing the enemy. The prisoners of Thanda Burj can not be
ordinary prisnors. When he entered the Burj and saw Mata Gujri and
Sahibzade his hands were folded as of automatically and his head
bowed in obeisance. He requested and explained that he had brought
food for them. Mata Gujri refused to eat food from the Kitchen of
cruel Nawab. He fell on his feet and cried upon asking by Mata Ji as
to who he was he told that he was a cook. Mata Ji, then made him
understand with solemn speek, as to why she would not eat the food.
Moti Ram informed Daroga in return Daroga went to Nawab where
Suchanand was also sitting. Sucha nand told Moti Ram to get food
from his house. But Mata Ji still refused that food as well. Nawab
got angry and gave orders that no one should co-operate with these
prisoners. Any one who would be found helping them would be declared
as offender. In case any one was caught doing any such thing would
be liable for very strong punishment. Bhai Moti Ram was disturbed
and worried as three prisoners were hungry. He was so much worried
that he shared his sorrows with his mother and wife asking them how
would they rest throughout the night without partaking food? He was
not aware since how many days they had not eaten? They even refused
the food from Dewan Sucha nand. Moti Ram was very upset. He decided
to do something. His mother and wife reminded him of cruelties of
the Nawab. Nawab could perish their small world in a jiffy. But the
respect in Moti Ram’s mind for Guru and his family, who were
striving for religion, got stronger manifolds. He explained to his
mother and wife that "the whole family of Guru is struggling so hard
to save the sacred religion and if I don't do my duty just because I
might get frightened from death then our future generations will
never excuse us". He finally decided that come what may, he wouldn’t
care what happens to his life, he will not let the young children
remain hungry. His family was poor. They used to cook Kodhra (a
cheap cereal). He milked his cow and filled a bowl. He was also
aware of security at Thanda Burj that after the Nawab has issued the
strict orders he won’t fend his way in so easily. Whatever silver
coins were available in his house, he put all money in his pocket.
He bribed the security guard with silver coins and presented himself
before Mataji and children. He prayed with folded hand, that he had
faith in Guru and has brought milk from his own home and from his
own income. He offered milk to Mata Ji and Sahibzade to drink. He
continued the process for number of days. Mata ji was so delighted,
that she blessed him. 'O great Moti, seeing your faith & love May
you be the Blessed one!' Dewan Sucha Nand had his own doubt about
Moti Ram Mehra. The confiders confided in. During those days one
relative of Gangu Brahman named Mauga used to go about in viceroys’
offices to help Gangu. He came to know that Moti Ram had helped Mata
Gujari and youngest Saahibzaade and used to offer them milk. He
confided to high officials. Moti Ram’s service to the family of Guru
was declared as punishable offence. Dewan Sucha Nand also informed
nawab as to how Moti Ram used to enter the Thanda Burj and offer
milk to Mataji and her grandchildren. Moti Ram Mehra accepted the
truth in the court explaining that since his job was serving the
Hindu prisoners by cooking and serving food, he did not commit any
offence by doing his assigned duties. Moti Ram Mehra’s case was
presented to Nawab Wazir Khan, after he returned from battlefield of
Khidrana after losing many of his soldiers in the battle. He was
bent upon taking revenge against Guru. He got enraged and ordered
that Moti Ram Mehra and all his family members be crushed in Kohlu
(a wooden mill used to extract oil from seeds).
The Nawab faced problems with his family too. Nawab had a begum
(wife) named Zai-bul-nisa. He used to fondly call her Zaina Begum.
She was extremely beautiful and young. She was the daughter of a
servant to Raja of Bilaspur and was married to a young man of
Sirhind. But her bridal carriage was abducted and brought to the
palace of Nawab. Although Nawab from his heart of heart did not want
to kill youngest Saahibzaadas but when they were killed, the Begums
got up set that she picked a fight with Nawab and stabbed herself
with poniard and died. After Aurangzeb died, his sons started
fighting amongst themselves to capture the throne. The eldest son
Bahadur Shah approached Guru for the help. Bahadur Shah came out
victorious and became the Emperor. He honored the Guru at Agra. From
there both of them traveled to South.
After reaching Nanded, Guruji camped there but Bahadur Shah
traveled further down south. Guru met one Kashmiri hermit named
Madho Das Lachhaman Das Bairagi. Madho Das impressed from Guru and
became his diciple after partaking Amrit, he became famous by the
name of Banda Singh Bahadar. Guruji gave some weapons and some
letters for the Sangat to fulfill his mission. Guru also sent five
Sikhs with him who would help him as and when required. The mission
of Banda Singh Bahadar was to uproot the cruel rules of Sirhind.
After conquering Panipat, Samana and Sadhaura wit h
great success he moved towards Sirhind. A great battle raged near
village called Chappar–Chiri near Sirhind. Khalsa came out
victorious and viceroy of Sirhind was killed.
Banda Singh Bahadar minted coins with names of Guru Nanak and Guru
Gobind Singh and established Khalsa Raj over Sirhind. The victories
and popularity of Banda Singh Bahadar made emperor Bahadar Shah
upset. On one side where Banda Singh Bahadar took revenge from
Moghuls of their cruelties conflicted, he searched loyal persons who
tried to help the Guru. He honored Kamma Jheevar and Brahmin lady
Laxhhmi. |