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| Historic Wall of Sirhind - Thanda Burj |
The year of 1704 was a traumatic period for the Sikhs when the four beloved sons of 10th Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji were losr forever. The two older sons attained martyrdom in the battle of Chamkaur on 22 and 23 December 1704, along with 3 Panj Piaras and 40 Mukte Sikhs laid down their lives fighting a massive Mughal army.
The Chhotte Sahibzade [younger two sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji] attained martyrdom on 26 December 1704 at a very young age of 9 & 7 years. This is known as Saka Sirhind.
Imprisonment of Guru's Family
Guru's mother Mata Gujari Ji with two younger grandsons, had taken refuge at the home of their family cook, Gangoo Pundit at his village, Saheri near Morinda. Gangoo betrayed the Guru's family by informing the Mughals about Guru's family. The three were arrested by the Morinda Kotwal and handed over to Wazir Khan, the Nawab of Sirhind. They were imprisoned, in the Thanda Burj (Open high Tower) in the icy cold winter of December.
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| Thanda Burj (Open Tower) of Sirhind |
Service of Baba Moti Ram Mehra
Mata Gujri refused the food offered by the Mughals and Diwan Suchanand. Baba Moti Ram Mehra was a local of Sirhind and nephew of Bhai Himmat Singh, one of the five beloveds of Guru Gobind Singh ji. He would sneak into the Burj at night and serve warm milk and water to the Sahibzadas and Mata Gujri Ji for three nights.
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| Bhai Motiram Mehra serving Milk |
The two steel glasses the Baba Moti Ram ji used to feed the two young sons of Guru Gobind Singh ji are preserved at the Gurdwara.
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| Steel Glasses of Baba Moti Ram Mehra |
For his service to the Guru's beloved sons, Baba Motiram Mehra was arrested along with his family. He did not conceal his act and admitted that it was his dharma to serve the young children and the aged mother of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Baba Moti Ram Mehra along with his father and son, was sentenced to death by being squeezed in a Kohlu (oil press).
Today,Baba Moti Ram Mehra is deeply respected by Sikhs. A Gurdwara known as the Memorial Baba Moti Ram Mehra stands today at the place where he was martyred. The land was donated by Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. Punjab government constructed the Baba Moti Ram Mehra Gate in remembrance of his sacrifice.
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| Baba Moti Ram Mehra Gate - Fatehgarh Sahib |
Execution of Chhote Sahibzade
On 26 December 1704, Guru Gobind Singh's two younger sons, Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh aged 9 and 7 years were bricked alive in a wall in the presence of the Qazi and Nawab Wazir Khan.
When the wall collapsed, the Mughals panicked and executed the young sahibzade by slitting their throat. Their sacred bodies were left in public display to terrorize the population. The despicable Mughal authorities refused their funeral rites on government land, it was decreed that there funeral rites could only be performed on land bought from Chaudhari Atta. Not only this, but the land could only be bought by laying gold coins (ashrifs) on the required area.
Honor for the Sahibzade
Diwan Todar Mal Jain was a wealth businessman of Sirhind belonging to the Oswal Jain community. Todar Mal's affluence can be figured out from his rich, lavish haveli (residence) called “Jahaz Mahal” built just outside the Moghul Governor Nawab Wazir Khan’s palace. It shows that Todar Mal had good relationship with the higher-ups in the Moghul rule and enjoyed their patronage. He was a Dewan in the court of Wazir Khan, Governor of Srihind. He was a practising Jain but also a follower of Guru Gobind Singh.
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| Jahaz Haveli of Diwan Todar Mal |
In Sikh history, Diwan Todar Mal is remembered for buying a small piece of land for the cremation of the sacred bodies of Mata Gujri, the mother and Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, the two younger sons of 10th Sikh Guru.
Diwan ji produced the coins and bought the piece of land he needed for the cremation. It is estimated (see below) that at least 7,800 gold coins were required to buy the required land.
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| Diwan Todar Mal laying gold coins for Chaudhary Atta |
How many Gold Coins?
Let us look at this in a little detail, say that a gold coin has a diameter of around 3cm and would take up an area of (3 x 3) 9cm squared. The land required for the martyred children would be approximately 2.0m by 2.0m 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 borrow to raise the total amount, who knows, but the fact remains this was truly a noble deed. Diwan Todar Mal forsake everything for his love of Guru Gobind Singh ji, which is the reason why Sikhs hold Dewan Todar Mal in such high esteem.
The Mughal Retaliation
Diwan Todar Mal, however had to bear the brunt of Wazir Khan's wrath, and he and his family had to abandon the haveli soon after, and themselves faded into oblivion, with dilapidated building being their only reminder. In the coming years, the haveli fell into rapid disrepair, and collapsed at many places. Though it survived ransacking of Sirhind by Banda Bahadur and during the reign of The Sikh Confederacy, the haveli was left untouched out of respect for Diwan Todar Mal. SGPC, the Sikh Gurdwara Prabbadhk Committee has undertaken the preservation of Diwan's Haweli.
To promote the legacy of Diwan Todar Mal, the Punjab government has decided to name the road connecting Jahaz Haweli to the main road as Diwan Todar Mal Road. A grand gate is constructed on the road in honor of this legend.
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| Diwan Todar Mal Gate - Muktsar Sahib |
Town of Victory
The site of the battle where Sikhs forced the Mughal army to retreat at the semi-desert terrain of Khidrana or Khidrane de dhab was renamed as Muktsar after the 40 martyred Sikhs. Every year on 24 to 26 December, Shaheedi Jor Mela is organised at Fatehgarh Sahib Punjab, India, to commemorate the supreme sacrifice at the place of their martyrdom. |
| Shaheedi Jor Mela - Fatehgarh Sahib |
The word "Fatehgarh", means "Town of Victory", and is so called because in 1710, Sikhs under the leadership of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur conquered the area and destroyed the mughal fort of Wazir Khan, the Nawab of Sirhind.
The town is todau accessed by four memorial gates, each in memory of four important figures from Sikh history associated with Sirhind. These are: Diwan Todar Mal, Nawab Sher Muhammed Khan from Malerkotla, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and Baba Moti Ram Mehra. Each of these individuals belonged to a different caste or religion, showing the harmony and brotherhood among people of those times.
References taken from following sites:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saka_Sirhind
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moti_Ram_Mehra
http://asbabamotirammehratrust.com/history-of-baba-moti-ram-mehra-ji/
Baba_Moti_Ram_Mehra
https://www.myguru.in/The-Diwan-Todar-Mall-Ji.htm
https://dewantodarmal.wordpress.com/
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Jahaz_Haveli#/Diwan_Todar_Mal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jahaz_Haveli
https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Diwan_Todar_Mal
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/fatehgarh-sahib-road-named-after-diwan-todar-mal-who-cremated-sahibzadas-of-guru-gobind-singh-273098
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