Memorial Gates

Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Gate -The General Who Conquered Sirhind

Baba Banda Singh Bahadur the great warrior who raised his mighty sword against Moughal tyranny in the Eighteenth Century was born at village Rajouri in district Poonch of Kashmir on October 16, 1670. His childhood name was Lachhman Das. Just as he stepped into youth, he renounced his home and became an ascetic of the Bairagi sect. His spiritual mentor (Guru) rechristened him Madho Das. Madho Das established his seat (dera) at a quiet and beautiful place on the banks of the Godavari. It was here that he came into contact with Guru Gobind Singh on September 3, 1708. In him , the Guru found the man who matched his concept of the man who could accomplish his mission.

The Guru administered Amrit to (baptised) this peerless general selected to take on the Moughal forces in a direct clash and honoured him with the title Bahadur (the brave). The Guru then appointed him the leader (Jathedar) of the Khalsa (Sikh) forces some time in October, 1708 and sent him to the Punjab. Five Singhs (baptised Sikhs) as the Five Beloved ones and another contingent of twenty Singhs were sent with him. The Guru also issued an edict to the Sikhs of the Punjab directing them to acknowledge him as their leader.

With the mission entrusted to him by Guru Gobind Singh, thirty eight year old Baba Banda Singh Bahadur began to advance from Nanded in the Deccan towards the Punjab like a whirlwind. The chain of his victories began as soon as he crossed Delhi. After subduing Sonepat, Kaithal, Samana, Ghuram, Thaska, Shahbad, Mustafabad, Kapoori, Sandhaura and Chhat-Banur, the sikhs at last set up their camp at Chapparchiri with a view to teaching a lesson to Subedar Wazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind, who was guilty of getting the Guru's two younger sons bricked alive in the wall.

On May 12, 1710, a decisive battle was fought at Chappar Chiri, a distance of twelve miles from Sirhind. Wazir Khan was killed in the bloodybattle and the sikhs carried the day. Thus Baba Banda Singh restored the honour of the sikhs.

On May 14, 1710, the triumphant sikh forces entered Sirhind. Baba Banda Singh Bahadur appointed Baba Baaj Singh, a leading Sikh General, the Governor of Sirhind. By and by, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur established a small kingdom and began to rule over it. He issued coins inscribed with name of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh and thus declared the establishment of a sovereign Sikh State. Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, therefore, enjoys the honour of being the first Sikh ruler.

To commemorate the tri-centenary of his sacrifice, the district Fatehgarh Sahib stands up collectively to pay obeisance, to this divine soul and attribute a 'Baba Banda Bahadur Darwaza' here in his memory. A Tribute to the stalwart........

;ofjzd dk i/s{ ioB?b L pkpk pzdk f;zx pjkdo

nmkoQthA ;dh ftZu w[rabK d/ nZfsnkuko fto[ZX sbtko T[mkT[D tkb/ ;{opho :'X/ pkpk pzdk f;zx pjkdo dk iBw 16 nes{po, 1670 JhH B{z e;awho d/ g[DS fiabQ/ d/ fJZe fgzv oki"oh fty/ j'fJnk. T[; dk pugB dk BK bSwD dk; ;h. itkBh dh dfjbhia *s/ g?o oZyfdnK jh bSwD dk; xo^pko fsnkr e/ p?okrh pD frnk.T[; d/ r[o{ B/ T[; dk BK pdb e/ wkX' dk; oZy fdZsk. wkX' dk; B/ BKd/V d/ B/V/, r'dktoh dfonk d/ ezY/, fJZe ;aKs s/ ;[zdo ;EkB *s/ nkgDk fNekDk (v/ok) pDk fbnk. fJZE/ jh 3 ;szpo, 1708 JhH B{z r[o{ r'fpzd f;zx ih dk T[; Bkb w/b j'fJnk. pZ;, fJ; d/ Bkb jh r[o{ ;kfjp B{z nkgD/ fw;aB dh g{osh bJh T[BQK dh ebgBk dk pzdk* fwb frnk.

w[rabK Bkb f;ZXh NZeo b?D bJh u[D/ rJ/ fJ; bk;kBh :'X/ B{z r[o{ r'fpzd f;zx ih B/ nzfwqs Sek e/ pzdk f;zx* dk BK ns/ pjkd[o* dk fyaskp pyaf;ank. r[o{ ;kfjp B/ pkpk pzdk f;zx pjkdo B{z yakb;/ dk iE/dko Ekg e/, nes{po, 1708 d/ nk;^gk;, gzikp bJh otkBk ehsk. gzi fgnkfonK d/ o{g ftZu gzi f;zx ns/ 20 f;zxK dk fJZe iEk th T[; Bkb G/fink frnk. r[o{ ;kfjp B/ gzikp d/ f;ZyK d/ BK fJZe j[ewBkwk ikoh ehsk, fi; ftZu T[BQK B{z pkpk pzdk f;zx pjkdo B{z nkgDk B/sk ;wMD dk nkd/;a fdZsk.

r[o{ r'fpzd f;zx ih tZb'A T[bhfenk gq'rokw b? e/ 38^;kbk pkpk pzdk f;zx pjkdo BKd/V (dZyD) s'A jBQ/oh tKr gzikp tZb tXD bZrk. fdZbh gko eofdnK jh fiZsK dk f;bf;bk ;a[o{ j' frnk. ;'Bhgs, e?Eb, ;wkDk, x[Vkw, m;ek, ;akjpkd, w[;scakpkd, eg{oh, ;Y"ok s/ SZs^pB{V B{z casfj eoB T[gozs f;ZyK B/ ;{p/dko tiaho yaK (;{pk ;ofjzd) B{z ;pe f;ykT[D bJh uZgVfuVh dk w?dkB nk wZfbnk.

12 wJh, 1710 JhH B{z ;ofjzd s'A brGr 12 whb dh ftZE s/ uZgVfuVh d/ w?dkB ftZu fJZe ca?;bke[B :[ZX j'fJnk. fJ; ya{B^v'bQthA bVkJh ftZu ;{p/dko tiaho yaK wkfonk frnk. w?dkB f;ZyK d/ jZE nkfJnk. fJ; soQK pkpk pzdk f;zx pjkdo B/ f;ZyK dh bki oZy bJh.

14 wJh, 1710 JhH B{z f;Zy, i/s{nK dh ;aeb ftZu ;ofjzd ftZu dkyab j'J/. pkpk pzdk f;zx pjkdo B/ nkgD/ fJZe gqw[Zy ioB?b pkpk pki f;zx B{z ;ofjzd dk ;{p/dko fB:[es ehsk. j"bah^j"bah pkpk pzdk f;zx pjkdo fJZe S'Nk fijk pkd;akj pD frnk. T[; B/ r[o{ BkBe^r[o{ r'fpzd f;zx d/ BK *s/ f;Zek ikoh eoe/ ;[szso f;Zy oki dh x';aDk eo fdZsh. fJ; soQK pkpk pzdk f;zx pjkdo B{z f;ZyK d/ gfjb/ j[ewokB j'D dk wkD gqkgs j?.

Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan Gate

The man who had the courage to put in a word of sympathy for the younger Sahibzadas in the heavily attended court of Wazir Khan was none other than Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan though a Muslim, he stood up against the tyranny and Vociferously denounced saying that the Quran never advocated such brutal & inhumane treatment.

On December 25, 1704, Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh, were produced in the court of Wazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind for the second time, once again, they were urged to convert to Islam but they turned a deaf ear to all threats and inducements and remained unshaken in their faith. At that time, Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan of Maler Kotla was present in the court. Wazir Khan offered to hand over the young Sahibzadas to him to enable him to avenge the death of his younger brother who had been killed by Guru Gobind Singh in the battle of Chamkaur Sahib. But Sher Mohammad Khan turned down this mean offer of Wazir Khan.

At last, the Governor admitted his failure to convert the Sahibzadas and announced the unfortunate verdict to have the Sahibzadas killed by getting them bricked alive in a wall. Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan of Malerkotla publicly made known his disagreement with the verdict and appealed to Wazir Khan to repeal the verdict. But his noble and humane appeal was disregarded and he had to walk out in protest. The Sikhs respectfully remembers his protest as an expression of sympathy for the innocent Sahibzadas. As a Sikh child learns by heart the tragic episode of, Sirhind, the tale of the 'word of sympathy' is also deeply engraved on his tender heart. The story of the nobility of Sher Mohammad Khan will continue to move the hearts of the sikhs for all times to come. That is why the sikhs never tried to harm the principality of Maler Kotla even during the period of their ascendancy. The sikhs will always continue to feel obliged and indebted to the Sher Mohammad Khan, the noble and fearless Nawab of Maler Kotla who had the guts to call a spade

Btkp ;a/o w[jzwd yaK fi; B/ Goh eufjoh *jkn dk Bknok* wkfonk

25 d;zpo, 1704 JhH B{z d't/A ;kfjpiakfdnK^ pkpk i'aokto f;zx s/ pkpk casfj f;zx B{z d{ih tko ;{p/dko tiaho yaK dh eufjoh ftZu g/;a ehsk frnk. fJ;bkw ep{b eoB dh fco T[jh oN d[jokJh rJh, go ;kfjpiakd/ p/gotkj s/ nv'b oj/. T[; ;w/A wb/oe'Nbk dk Btkp ;a/o w[jzwd yaK eufjoh ftZu jkiao ;h. ;{p/dko B/ ;kfjpiakfdnK B{z Btkp d/ jtkb/ eoB dh g/;ae;a ehsh, sKfe T[j T[BQK B{z esb eoe/ nkgD/ Gok Bkjo yaK ( i' uwe"o dh izr ftZu r[o{ r'fpzd f;zx ih jZE'A wkfonk frnk ;h) dh w"s dk pdbk b? ;e/. go Btkp ;a/o w[jzwd yaK B/ ;{p/dko dh fJ; fxBkT[Dh g/;ae;a B{z w[ZY'A jh m[eok fdZsk.

nzs, ;{p/dko B/ nkgDh *jko ep{b eofdnK* ;kfjpiakfdnK B{z fiazdk dhtko ftZu fuD d/D dk wzdGkrh ca?;bk nkfyao d/ jh fdZsk. Btkp wkb/oe'Nbk B/ fJ; c?a;b/ *s/ n;fjwsh gqrN eofdnK fJ; B{z oZd eoB dk ;[Mkn fdZsk. go fJ; gftZso nktkia B{z nD;[fDnk eo fdZsk frnk. Btkp ;a/o w[jzwd yaK T[;/ ;w/A o'; ti'A eufjoh ftZu'A T[Zm e/ ub/ rJ/. T[BQK d/ fJ; o'; d/ gqrNkt/ B{z f;Zy irs pVh ;aoXk Bkb *jkn dk Bknok* BK Bkb :kd eodk j? ns/ fJj xNBk f;Zy fJfsjk; ftZu ;[Bfjoh nZyoK ftZu doi j?. f;Zy pZuk fiZE/ j';a ;zGkbd/ jh ;ofjzd dk ;kek ezm eo b?Adk j?, T[ZE/ jkn d/ Bkno/ dh dk;skB th T[; d/ e'wb wB s/ v{zxh T[Zeoh iKdh j?. fJ; soQK Btkp d/ i; dh fJj ejkDh f;Zy fjofdnK B{z ;dk N[zpdh oj/rh. fJj' ekoB j? fe f;ZyK B/ nkgDh uVQs d"okB fonk;s wkb/oe'Nbk B{z ed/ e'Jh B[e;kB BjhA gj[zukfJnk. rZb eh, f;Zy ;dk Btkp wkb/oe'Nbk d/ foDh ofjDr/.

Dewan Todar Mal- A true devotee of the Guru

Dewan Todar Mal is remembered for buying a small piece of land for the cremation of the dead bodies of Mata Gujri, the mother and Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh by paying an exorbitant price to Chaudhari Atta, the owner of the land. He had to cover the whole piece of land with gold coins (ashrafis) in a vertical position. He also made arrangements for their cremation. That is why Dewan Todar Mall is deeply respected by the sikhs.

A splended Gurdwara, Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup, 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 Gurdwaras is known as Dewan Todar Mal Marg. 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 Dewan.

Wherever and whenever anybody speaks of the unique martyrdom of the younger Sahibzadas, it is natural for him to speak of the humanistic role of the truly noble Dewan Todar Mal. The story of the nobility of Dewan Todar Mal is, therefore, written in sikh history in golden letters the timely divine hand that he rendered.

r[o{ xo dk ;aoXkb{ s/ ;Zuk ;/te L dhtkB N'vo wZb

wksk r[ioh ih ns/ d't/A S'N/ ;kfjpiakfdnK^pkpk ia'okto f;zx s/ pkpk casfj f;zx dhnK d/jK dk nzsw ;;eko eoB bJh dhtkB N'vo wZb B/ iawhB dk fJZe N[eVk u"Xoh nZsk BK d/ fJZe fIzwhdko gk;'A Gkoh ehws ndk eoe/ yohfdnk ;h. dhtkB ;kfjp B/ ;pzXs iawhB d/ N[eV/ *s/ ;'B/ d/ f;Ze/ (n;aocahnK) yVQ/ eoe/ w[Zb T[skfonk ;h. ;/m N'vo wZb B/ jh fJBQK fszBK ;ajhdK dhnK d/jK dk nzsw ;;eko eoB dk gqpzX ehsk ;h. fJj' ekoB j? fe f;Zy irs ftZu dhtkB ;kfjp B{z pVh ;aoXk dh fBrkj Bkb t/fynk iKdk j?.

fi; ;EkB *s/ fJBQK ;ajhdK dk ;;eko ehsk frnk ;h, T[ZE/ j[D fJZe pVk nkbh;akB r[od[nkok (r[od[nkok ;qh i'sh ;o{g) ;fEs j?. fJj r[od[nkok, w[Zy r[od[nkok casfjrVQ ;kfjp d/ g{op tZb brgr fJZe whb dh d{oh *s/ ;fEs j? ns/ fijVh ;Ve fJBQK d'jK fJfsjk;e r[od[nkfonK B{z i'Vdh j?, T[; B{z *dhtkB N'vo wZb wkor* d/ BK Bkb ikfDnk iKdk j?. f;Zy ;zrs tZb'A casfjrVQ ;kfjp fty/ dhtkB N'vo wZb d/ BK *s/ T[;kfonk ;akBdko jkb, dhtkB ;kfjp dh :kd B{z ;wofgs j? ns/ f;Zy ;wki dh T[BQK gqsh ;aoXk dk gqshe th j?.

fiZE/ S'N/ ;kfjpiakfdnK dh bk;kBh ;ajkds dk fiaeo nkT[Adk j?, T[ZE/ B/e fdb fJB;kB dhtkB N'vo wZb tZb'A fBGkJh G{fwek dk fiaeo nkT[Dk ;[tkfte jh j?. fJ; soQK dhtkB ;kfjp d/ i; dh ejkDh f;Zy fJfsjk; ftZu ;[Bfjoh nZyoK ftZu doi j?.

Baba Moti Ram Mehra -A selfless servant of the Guru

Jaani Khan and Maani Khan, two police officials of Morinda, after having arrested Mata Gujri, the revered mother, and Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, two younger Sahibzadas (sons) of Guru Gobind Singh from Village Saheri near Morinda, handed them over to the Moughal Governor of Sirhind, Wazir Khan. Wazir Khan ordered them to be kept in police custody in one of the towers of the fort of Sirhind known as the Cold Tower.

Baba Moti Ram Mehra, a devoted disciple and selfless servant of the Guru, disregarding the risk to his own life, managed to enter the tower in a very dramatic manner and served milk to the mother and sons of the Guru. This noble deed of Baba Moti Ram Mehra forms a golden and glorious chapter of sikh history which records it in letters of gold:

Blessed is Moti who a noble deed did perform By serving milk to the sons of the Guru.

the virtuosity of offering milk to the Sahibzadas when they were in custody in 'Thanda burz.'

r[o{ xo dk fB;aekw ;/te L pkpk w'sh okw wfjok

w'fozvk d/ g[fb; nfXekohnK, ikBh yaK s/ wkBh yaK B/ fwsh 23 d;zpo, 1704 dh ;t/o B{z wksk r[ioh ih ns/ d't/A S'N/ ;kfjpiakfdnK^pkpk ia'okto f;zx s/ pkpk casfj f;zx B{z fgzv ;j/VhUA frqcasko eoe/ T[;/ fdB ;akw B{z fJBQK B{z ;ofjzd d/ ;{p/dko tiaho yaK d/ jtkb/ eo fdZsk. ;{p/dko B/ fJBQK fszBK ;akjh e?dhnK B{z nrbh ekotkJh sZe ;ofjzd d/ febQ/ d/ fJZe p[oi, fi; B{z *mzYk p[oi* fejk iKdk ;h, ftZu Biaopzd eo fdZsk.

r[o{ xo d/ fJZe T[gk;e s/ fB;aekw ;/te pkpk w'sh okw ih wfjok B/ nkgDh ikB dh gotkj Bk eofdnK, oks t/b/ pV/ BkNeh Yzr Bkb mzY/ p[oi ftZu dkyab j' e/ wksk ih ns/ ;kfjpiakfdnK B{z d[ZX SekfJnk. pkpk w'sh okw wfjok dk fJj ekoBkwk, f;Zy fJfsjk; ftZu ;[Bfjoh nZyoK ftZu doi j?.

@XzB w'sh fi; g[zB ewkfJnk,r[obkbK skJhA d[ZX fgbkfJnk.@