This Memorial Day weekend, I spent my time in Wisconsin at the youth camp that I organize biannually (which I previously reflected upon here). Each camp, we engage in a discussion with the counselor team to determine our theme. It is always a fraught conversation as each person has their own strong opinions about what the children should learn that camp. This time, a good portion of the counselor team chose to highlight the story of the Chaar Sahibzaade and Mata Gujri, significant stories of martyrdom that they felt would inspire the children to connect with their faith. As they convinced us, the weekend was one of reflection and awe as we engaged with our history of sacrifice.
While shaheedi (martyrdom) is a theme that peppers most of Sikh history, highlighted by the remembrance of these sacrifices that allow us to practice our faith and discipline to this day, some of the most inspiring stories come from the chaar sahibzaade (four young, beloved ones), the four sons of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. As a young Sikh, the stories of the chaar sahibzaade were told to me countless times to inspire bravery and resilience, courage and humility. For, if the other stories of sacrifice seemed great or impossible, what could one say to the stories of children ages five, eight, fourteen, and eighteen giving their lives for the protection of the Sikh panth?1
The two older sahibzaade were with their father at Chamkaur, where a terrible battle was waging between Sikhs and Mughals. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had put a price on the head of Guru Gobind Singh, hoping to end the existence of Sikhs once and for all if he could kill their Guru.2 While resting in a fort in Chamkaur, the Sikhs were suddenly attacked by the Mughals. As they were severely outnumbered, Guru Gobind Singh’s two older sons, Ajeet Singh and Jujhar Singh, watched as Sikhs gave their lives to protect those inside. Seeking permission from their father to go into battle, they knew that there was only one possible result. Yet, all the Sikhs with Guru Gobind Singh knew it was in the best interest of the panth to sacrifice themselves for a chance for the Guru to escape and join the rest of the Sikhs. These two gave their lives in battle, fighting against the Mughal army that had tried so hard to end the legacy of the Sikhs, only adding more fuel to the fire with the martyrdom of these young souls.
Having been separated from the rest of the Sikhs earlier, Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s mother, Mata Gujar Kaur, and two younger sons, Joraver Singh and Fateh Singh, had put their trust in an old friend, only to be turned over to the Mughals for reward money. While they were held captive in a tower in Sarhand, the local Nawab (Mughal leader) Wazir Khan tasked himself with the duty of converting the younger sahibzaade to Islam or otherwise killing them. Only five and eight years old, they looked to their grandmother Mata Gujar Kaur Ji for strength.
She reminded them of the legacies of courage from which they were born. Their own grandfather, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji—the ninth Sikh Guru—had given his life to save an entire community of Hindus. She strengthened them with the recitation of gurbaani (Sikh hymns) and the remembrance of the Creator. By reminding them that their sole purpose—what Sikhs believe is the purpose of all Creation—was to reunite with the Creator, they became steadfast in their discipline and unwavering in their commitment to their faith.
When Wazir Khan called them into his court, he offered them riches and happiness if they only converted and left their Sikhi behind. Refusing to be scared off by the threats of these tyrants, the Sahibzaade remained strong for several days until the Nawab finally decided that martyrdom was the only option. Calling upon his most blood-thirsty executioners (who else would murder such young and innocent children?), he had the younger Sahibzaade bricked alive and then their heads chopped off when the bricks did not suffocate them fast enough. Throughout the entire process, the Sahibzaade remembered the Creator and sang hymns, bringing tears to the eyes of all who witnessed it. Still locked away in the cold tower alone, Mata Gujar Kaur Ji—now having survived the martyrdom of her husband and four grandchildren—waited for news. Upon receiving the news of the martyrdom of her youngest grandchildren, she soon joined them, as she was pushed to her death from the tower. A courageous woman who inspired courage in all those who were touched by her faith, she created the sacrifices that inspire Sikh youth and adults to this day.
For Sikhs, our history is a long legacy of martyrdom, sacrifice, and hardship; most of all, it is a history of devotion and faith despite the difficulty of it. Even when there was gold offered for our heads and the legacies of children became their death before they even reached adolescence, our faith and discipline came first. The lessons of truthfulness and honesty above all else had been passed down through our Gurus. These lessons remind us that the same Creator is in all of us, and it is through recognition of that Divine Light that we can find peace among our differences. At that time, many members of the Mughal Empire had perverted this message for their own good, and today we see other empires, governments, and so-called leaders doing the same with our faith and remembrances. As we continue to see the perversion of religious traditions, of nationalism and patriotism, of war and greed, I look to the strength and sacrifice of these Sikhs to remind me to look for justice and truth in all fights.
By searching for truth and justice for each of us, remembering that we are all children of that same Divine Light, we can move towards a more courageous and humble practice of love and light in this time of darkness and impossible politics. As I remember the sahibzaade and Mata Gujar Kaur Ji’s sacrifices, I hope to be imbued with the same level of sacrifice, courage, and love.
1 A term which refers to the worldwide Sikh community.
2 Guru means teacher but literally translates to a person who enlightens others by taking them from dark to light. This was the purpose of the 10 Sikh Gurus—to enlighten others through their higher consciousness.
For those who want to read more about the sacrifices of the sahibzaade and Mata Gujar Kaur, read the Kaur Life article on their martyrdom.