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Vadde Sahibzaade Shaheedi: Saka Chamkaur

Sahibzada Jujhar Singh asking Guru Gobind Singh Ji for permission to fight in battle from the Fort of Chamkaur

THE SIEGE OF SIRI ANANDPUR SAHIB
The Mughal army’s siege of Siri Anandpur Sahib had reached it’s eighth month. For eight months, Singhs fought the Mughal Imperial army with full might and did not let them take over Siri Anandpur Sahib. After months of fighting, some singhs got tired and exhausted. Around the same time, Guru Sahib received a letter from the Mughals, swearing on the Koran. They requested Guru Sahib to leave Siri Anandpur Sahib and that if they did so peacefully, the imperial army would not attack them.

Siri Guru jee knew what was inside the black hearts of the Mughals. He refused to believe in their sworn statement. At that time some singhs kept asking Guru Sahib to agree with the request of the Mughals. Guru Sahib told the Singhs to wait a little longer and that if they did, Singhs would have decisive victory over the Mughals. After many months of fighting, some singhs lost shardha (faith) in Guru Sahib. They requested Mata Gujree jee to request Guru Sahib to leave the forts of Siri Anandpur Sahib.

LEAVING SIRI ANANDPUR SAHIB
When so many singhs asked Guru Sahib to agree to the conditions of the Mughals, Guru Sahib agreed to their demand. Guru Sahib considered Sangat’s wish higher than his. On 20th of December, 1704, Siri Guru jee left Siri Anandpur Sahib. Guru Sahib, Guru Sahib’s punj pyaaray (5 beloved ones), chaar Saahibzaaday (four sons) and other singhs, left Siri Anandpur Sahib.

As we will find out that not accepting the hukam of Siri Guru jee to wait a little longer, so much damage occurred to our Panth. The history of Sikhi would have been different if the Singhs at Siri Anandpur Sahib had listened to Siri Guru jee and waited a little longer. The imperial army was losing patience and it was getting extremely cold at Siri Anandpur Sahib. The imperial army would have lifted the siege on their own, had the singhs stayed longer at Siri Anandpur Sahib. All Saahibzaadas would have stayed alive. But what can we say. It was the will of Vaheguru.

FIERCE BATTLE ON THE BANK OF RIVER SIRSA
The Mughal army found out that Guru Sahib had left and they broke all their promises and started following Guru Sahib. Guru Sahib reached the bank of Sirsa Nadee (river Sirsa). On the bank of River Sirsa, battle between the Singhs and the Mughals started.

Singhs under the leadership of Guru Sahib fought very bravely. While the singhs under the command of Bhai Uday Singh and Bhai Bachitter Singh jee were holding the imperial army, Guru Sahib’s family and other singhs crossed River Sirsa. River Sirsa at that time was flooded with water and many singhs drowned in that river. The singhs lost a lot because they did not obey the hukam of Guru Sahib to not leave Siri Anandpur Sahib.

Many tonnes of precious literature was lost in Sirsa river. So many Singhs perished in this river. This heartless river digested everything.

SEPARATION OF YOUNGER SAHIBZAADAY
While crossing the river, Mata Gujree jee and the younger Sahibzaadas (sons of Siri Guru jee) – Baba Zoravaar Singh jee and Baba Fateh Singh jee – got separted from their beloved father and older brothers.

After crossing the river, they met an old acquaintance – Gangu Brahmin. This greedy Brahmin eventually ratted them out to the Mughals.

SHAHIDI OF BHAI BACHITTER SINGH AND BHAI UDAY SINGH
Bhai Uday Singh jee got shaheed in the battle of Sirsa. Bhai Bachitter Singh jee who was holding off the Mughal army got seriously injured. Baba Ajit Singh jee the oldest Saahibzaada, attacked the army with full vigour and brought back injured Bhai Bachitter Singh jee.

He dropped him off in a village for treatment but Bhai Sahib left his body for Sachkhand in a few days. Bhai Jujhaar Singh Paalit too was injured but he recovered from his injuries and subsequently got shaheed 3 years later in South India.

SIRI GURU JEE IN CHAMKAUR SAHIB
Guru Sahib, Punj pyaaray and the older Saahibzaadas reached Chamkaur where Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib jee’s Sikh Budhee Chand handed over his haveli (a building smaller than a fort but larger than a mansion house) to Siri Guru jee. Siri Guru jee reached Chamkaur on the night of December 21, 1704. The Singhs spent the whole night fortifiying the building. They knew that next day the Mughals would come to the haveli to get them.

SIRI GURU JEE’S FIGHTING SKILLS
Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee was an expert in the use of bow and arrow. No one could match Siri Guru jee in this weapon. Bow and arrow was Siri Guru jee’s favourite weapon. It is written in history that Guru Sahib shot maximum arrows in Chamkaur. As compared to all other battles, this is where Guru Sahib used maximum amount of teers (arrows). Guru Sahib jee’s arrows were very powerful. One arrow killed many mughals.

The Mughals were so scared of Siri Guru jee’s arrows that they stayed far away from the haveli. Another great thing that Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee has written is that, whoever got hit with Siri Guru jee’s arrow used to feel bliss and not pain. Whoever got shaheed in the battlefield, in the hands of Siri Guru jee lost all his sins and went straight to heaven. What can we mortal beings say about Siri Guru jee. Siri Guru jee is a treasure of Naam and bliss.

SIRI GURU JEE’S CELESTIAL WEAPONS
Some singhs believe that Siri Guru jee had celestial weapons as Arjun and Karan of Mahabharata did. Many old Nihung Singhs and old singhs believe this. The five arrows that Siri Guru jee gave to Banda Bahadur were actually celestial weapons. One celestial arrow was capable of killing hundreds of enemy soldiers and this is exactly what happened at Chamkaur. I personally believe that Siri Guru jee made use of his celestial weapons when required. Baba Banda Singh jee used the celestial arrow of Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee in the battle of Sirhind, when the Singhs were losing against Vazir Khan’s army. After the use of this arrow, the tide turned in singhs favour and soon after this this Singhs cut off Vazeer khan’s head.

Siri Guru jee himself along with Bhai Daiya Singh jee and Bhai Dharam Singh jee occupied the top tower of this Haveli. This was a very suitable place from where Siri Guru jee was able to view the whole of battlefield. All Singhs took up different corners of the haveli to protect it. The remaining Singhs came near the front door of the Haveli to protect the door against the Mughals.

SIRI GURU JEE’S REQUEST FOR SHAHIDI
At amritvela, everyone did Naam Abhyaas, nitnem and kirtan of Siri Aasa kee vaar. After bhog, Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee expressed his desire to get shaheed in the battlefield. This happened on December 22. Singhs got extreme bairaag when they heard this from Guru Sahib. The Singhs requested Siri Guru jee to leave the Haveli along with the Saahibzaadas before dawn.

When Siri Guru jee heard the Singhs requesting him to leave with his Saahibzaadas, he replied back, “What Saahibzaadas are you talking about? You all are my saahibzaadas”.

BABA AJIT SINGH JEE’S REQUEST FOR SHAHIDI
At this time Sahibzaada Ajit Singh jee who was about 18-19 years old, requested Siri Guru jee to bless him with martyrdom. Siri Guru jee got very pleased when he heard this from his son. He came in full grace and granted Baba Ajit Singh jee his wish.

By dawn, hundreds of thousands of army of the Mughals surrounded Chamkaur Sahib. Siri Guru jee and his singhs were 40 in number. The fight was to continue till sunset. The question was to hold off the enemy for a period of 9-11 hours. How was it possible to do so? How could 40 men hold hundreds of thousands for one day? But this is exactly what happened. The battle of Chamkaur is matchless in history. It is hard to find such fine example of valour.

BABA AJIT SINGH JEE’S REQUEST GETS ACCEPTED BY SIRI GURU JEE
When Siri Guru jee heard his son’s request for shahidi, Siri Guru jee did not act like worldly parents. Siri Guru jee was filled with joy hearing his son’s willingness to get shaheed. Siri Guru jee knew how spiritually elevating shaheedi is and being the true father of Baba Ajit Singh jee, he wanted only good for his son and what more good could have happened to his son than to get his son shaheed?
 
Siri Guru jee disclosed an important fact to Baba Ajit Singh jee. Siri Guru jee told Baba jee that Siri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib jee, Siri Guru Hargobind Sahib jee and Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee were present there in Chamkaur to watch Baba jee get shaheed. When Baba jee heard this, he could not wait to go out in the battlefield and get shaheed.
 
Siri Guru jee prepared a jatha of 5 singhs to join Baba jee and one of the five singhs was Punj Pyaara – Bhai Mohkam Singh jee. Other singhs who joined Baba jee were as follows:
 
Bhai Ishar Singh jee
Bhai Nand Singh jee
Bhai Laal Singh jee
Bhai Kesar Singh jee
 
After the ardaas, the five Singhs along with Baba Ajit Singh jee moved out riding on their horses.

BABA AJIT SINGH JEE IN THE BATTLEFIELD
With full force and sky-piercing jaikaaras, Baba jee along with the Singhs galloped out in the battlefield. Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee along with Bhai Daiya Singh jee and Bhai Dharam Singh jee provided air cover to the jatha moving out.
 
Baba jee first exhausted his arrows and shot out his killer arrows towards the enemy. Many were slain by Baba jee. When Baba jee’s arrows were exhausted, he along with the singhs galloped deep in the army of Mughals, using their spears.
 
They broke the first defense line of the enemy and together with the Singhs displayed such valour that the enemy cried out “ALLAH ALLAH”. To make matters worse for the enemy, Siri Guru jee’s arrows from the fort were causing a havoc in the enemy. In a short period of time, countless number of enemy soldiers lay dead in the battlefield.
 
BABA JEE’S CHALLENGE
At one time, while Baba jee was fighting, he made an open challenge to any warrior to fight him one on one. Baba jee’s roop was at it’s peak. It was hard to look in his red eyes. Sainapat who was a comtemporary of Siri Guru jee writes the following lines to describe this incredible scene:
 
KAREE AAWAAZ, AB AAYO ARMAAN JIH,
SAKAL DAL DEKH DAURAY APAARO||
GHAER CHAHOON DIS LIYO AAN TURKAAN NEY,
KARAT SANGRAAM RANJEET SINGH BHAARO||30||498
(Baba Ajit Singh loudly challenged the Mughal warriors to fulfil their wishes and fight him. Hearing Baba jee say this, many Mughal warriors moved forward and surrounded Baba jee from all sides. At this Baba jee did “bhaaree Sangraam” i.e. displayed great fighting skills.)
 
When Baba jee got surrounded by the enemy, he attacked back so strongly that everyone had to back off. Sainapat writes about this as follows:
 
LAIT PAROYE PATHAAN KO, SABHAN SAANG DIKHLAAYE||
DEKHAT HEE SABH KARAT HAIN, “ARAY KHUDAAYE KHUDAAYE” ||
(Baba jee attacked them so strongly and with such fighting skill that the pathaans who attacked him and the ones who were watching cried out ‘Khudaa Khudaa” i.e. God God)
 
Baba jee became the angel of death for them.
 
SIRI BABA JEE’S SHAHEEDI
All this time, while Siri Baba jee was fighting the Mughals, Siri Guru jee was watching his beloved son and showering him with his divine and nectarous gaze. All the five singhs who had gone out with Baba jee got shaheed. Siri Guru jee watched them all get shaheed and continued to attack the enemy with his killer arrows. When all the Singhs got shaheed, he stopped shooting arrows at the enemy. 
 
Baba jee attacked a Mughal with his spear but the spear got stuck in the heavy armour of the soldier. While pulling it out, it broke. For a moment Siri Baba jee was left without any weapon and taking this opportunity a Mughal warrior attacked Baba jee with his weapon. Baba jee saved himself but his horse got killed by the attack.
 
Baba jee fell on the ground with his horse. The Mughal soldiers immediately surrounded Baba jee to kill him. Siri Baba jee very quickly got back on his heels and took out his last sword. Now Baba jee was without a horse and thus was very vulnerable to the enemy. Baba jee defended himself against vaars (attacks) of the enemy so beautifully that even the enemy was amazed at Baba jee’s surviving spirit.
 
Siri Guru jee along with Bhai Daiya Singh jee and Bhai Dharam Singh jee was proudly watching his beloved son fighting so bravely.
 
There is no doubt that Abhimaniyoo the son of Arjuna fought very bravely and skilfully in the battle of Mahabharata but today watching Siri Baba jee, he too would have praised Baba Ajit Singh jee’s bravery and valour shown in the great battle of Chamkaur Sahib. Baba jee did not kill one or two Mughals. He killed hundreds of Mughals in this battlefield. It seemed as if he was not fighting alone but was fighting with the aid of hundreds of soldiers.
 
Baba jee’s sword broke while fighting and he grabbed every weapon he could find in sight to fight back the enemy. By now his body was dripping in blood but Baba jee was refusing to fall. When Baba jee was left without weapon, the coward Mughals attacked Baba jee and Siri Baba jee attained martyrdom at Chamkaur Sahib.
 
Siri Guru jee who was watching all this from the top of the Havelli (small fort) raised a loud jaikaara at the shaheedi of his beloved son. He then performed ardaas to Vaheguru and thanked Vaheguru for taking his Amaanat (Vaheguru’s gift) back. Such was the heart of Siri Guru jee. Normally a parents feel their heart getting pierced even if their child gets a scratch but just look at the big heart of Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee. What can we mortal beings say about Siri Guru jee.
 
Even if we praise him, it will amount to insulting him because no matter what we say to praise Siri Guru jee, he is still much greater than what we praise him with. This is why, we should always use only Gurbani to praise Siri Guru jee. Only Gurbani is capable of praising Siri Guru jee. What we say is futile.
 
BABA JUJHAAR SINGH JEE
Baba Jujhaar Singh jee had watched his elder brother get shaheed in the battle of Chamkaur Sahib. He was only 14 years, 8 months and 17 days old at that time. No one in the jatha expected Baba Jujhaar Singh jee to fight in the battlefield. Baba jee along with Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee Maharaaj, Bhai Daiya Singh jee and Bhai Dharam Singh jee had seen Baba Ajit Singh get shaheed.
 
BABA JUJHAAR SINGH JEE’S REQUEST FOR SHAHIDI
Baba Ajit Singh jee’s shaheedi filled everyone in the Haveli (small fort) with immense vigour and courage to attain martyrdom in this battlefield. Baba Jujhaar Singh jee himself kneeled down in front of his father Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee Maharaaj and begged for shaheedi. Baba jee said that he wanted to join his elder brother Baba Ajit Singh jee, grandfather Siri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib jee and great great Grandfather Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee.
 
Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee had already told Baba Ajit Singh jee that Siri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib jee, Siri Guru Hargobind Sahib jee and Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee were watching the battle of Chamkaur Sahib. All Singhs were eager to get shaheed. When they heard the plea of Baba Jujhaar Singh jee to get shaheed, many Singhs could not control their bairaag and urged Guru Sahib to not send Baba Jujhaar Singh jee to the battlefield as he was only a kid. Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee Maharaaj had something else in mind. He agreed to the request of Baba Jujhaar Singh jee and got very pleased with him.
 
Siri Guru jee tightly embraced his son and gave him a lot of pyaar. He himself dressed him up for the battle and gave him all the required weapons. Where do we find such example in history? Siri Guru jee was just amazing Satguru jee.
 
BABA JUJHAAR SINGH JEE MOVES OUT IN THE BATTLEFIELD
Siri Guru jee performed ardaas for Baba Jujhaar Singh jee and had 5 Singhs join him. Two Singhs out of five singhs were the original Punj Pyaaray – Bhai Himmat Singh jee and Bhai Sahib Singh jee. Other Singhs included Bhai Laal Singh jee and Bhai Mehar Singh jee.
 
Some historians have written that when Baba Jujhaar Singh jee moved out, he came back asking for water and Guru Sahib refused to give him water saying that Siri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib jee would give him water in the next world. This story does not seem to be right. First of all why would Siri Guru jee refuse him water? Is it such a bad thing to ask for water before going out in the battlefield? Second question is that Baba Jujhaar Singh jee would have left for the battlefield fully prepared including drinking water. It looks like someone added this incident later as it is not found in the old accounts of this battle.
 
MUGHALS TRY TO MARTYR BABA JEE ON THE DOOR STEP
The Singhs along with Baba Jujhaar Singh jee moved out of the haveli with loud jaikaaras. Some in the Mughal army recognized Baba jee and informed the higher authorities of Baba jee arrival in the battlefield. The Mughals wanted to kill Baba jee right on the doorstep of Chamkaur to avenge for the destruction brought about by his elder brother Baba Ajit Singh jee. Acting on this strategy, a strong group of Mughal soldiers moved forward to martyr Baba jee without letting him show his fighting skills.
 
Siri Guru jee sensed this and he immediately rained his killer arrows down on the Mughals, forcing them to back off. Baba jee moved forward under the protection of Siri Guru jee’s arrows and was fighting with his spear. Within minutes Baba jee and the five singhs with him moved deep in the Mughal army. Baba jee was young but he was fighting like an army. Vaheguru must have provided him with his divine power. Baba jee and his jatha killed hundreds of Mughal soldiers and fought till the sunset.
 
It was getting dark and Baba jee was still going on chopping the Mughal army like a farmer cutting his crop. The Mughals had planned to capture Baba jee alive to humiliate Siri Guru jee but Baba jee proved too tough for them. He far exceeded their expectations. He fought like his elder brother and in the end, Siri Guru jee witnessed his son getting cut in small pieces by the enemy. When Siri Guru jee saw his son being cut to pieces, he said, “Tera kiya meetha laagai” (Your will, O Vaheguru, is sweet to me).
 
Is it possible to find any example like Guru Gobind Singh jee anywhere in the history? Siri Guru jee is totally matchless. No one can do what Siri Guru jee did. Siri Guru jee was one with Vaheguru and thus was Vaheguru himself – Gur Parmeshar eko jaan.
 
With sunset Baba Jujhaar Singh jee attained martyrdom and the battle stopped after that. It is nothing less than a miracle that 40 Singhs along with Siri Guru jee stopped the countless imperial army for 2 nights and 1 day. How did they manage to hold off the imperial army for so long? The battle of Chamkaur Sahib is without equal in the history of humankind.
 
The whole idea of remembering the shahidi of the beloved Sahibzaadas of Siri Guru jee is that we follow their footsteps. Sahibzaadas kept Sikhi alive against all odds. In these countries, we have no problem in keeping Sikhi but we still don’t give out full effort to Sikhi. It is a shame for us to lead a relaxed life, oblivious of the Sikhi rehit. May Siri Guru jee grant us his Bibek Budh (divine intelligence).
 
Written By: Bhai Kulbir Singh Ji

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