Sahibzada Fateh Singh
Encyclopedia
Sahibzada Fateh Singh was the youngest of Guru Gobind Singh
's four sons. He and his older brother, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh are among the most hallowed martyrs in Sikhism
. He is also known as Baba Fateh Singh. The term Baba is used in India for an elder who is respected for his wisdom.
A combination of Mughals and hillmen besieged Anandpur Sahib
on the orders of emperor Aurangzeb
. The stock of food in the town ran out. The Mughals promised to leave the Sikhs alone if they would hand over the fortress of Anandpur. To this Guru Gobind agreed and left the town with his family and a small band of retainers.
They had not gone very far when the Mughals, breaking their promise, came after them. Guru Gobind entrusted his two younger sons, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh as well as his mother, Mata Gujri
, to the care of a cook in his household named Gangu.
Gangu brought Mata Gujri and the two Sahibzadas to his native village of Sahedi. Bribed by the Mughals, he turned over the three members of Guru Gobind's family to the faujdar of Morinda. They were then brought to Sirhind in the presence of Wazir Khan
, the Nawab of Sirhind.
The two sons of Guru Gobind, Zorawar
(9 years old) and Fateh (7 years old) were offered safe passage if they became Muslims. With a courage that belied their years, both boys refused to do so.
Wazir Khan sentenced them to death. They were bricked up alive
within a wall.
Although he did not know it then, but Wazir Khan was to pay for the crime that he had committed. After Guru Gobind Singh Ji's death, Madhodas Bairagi, a hermit from Nanded
, whom the Guru baptised as Gurbaksh Singh, also known as Banda Bahadur
, besieged the Punjab. After laying waste, the cities of Samana and Sandhaura, he moved towards Sirhind and after defeating the Mughal forces, killed Wazir Khan.
The place where the two sons of Guru Gobind were bricked alive is today known as Fatehgarh Sahib
.
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
's four sons. He and his older brother, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh are among the most hallowed martyrs in Sikhism
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
. He is also known as Baba Fateh Singh. The term Baba is used in India for an elder who is respected for his wisdom.
Biography
Anandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib is a city in Rupnagar district in the state of Punjab, India. Known as "the holy City of Bliss," it is a holy city of the Sikhs and is one of their most important sacred places, closely linked with their religious traditions and history...
on the orders of emperor Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
. The stock of food in the town ran out. The Mughals promised to leave the Sikhs alone if they would hand over the fortress of Anandpur. To this Guru Gobind agreed and left the town with his family and a small band of retainers.
They had not gone very far when the Mughals, breaking their promise, came after them. Guru Gobind entrusted his two younger sons, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh as well as his mother, Mata Gujri
Mata Gujri
Mata Gujri was the wife of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhism, and the mother of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhism...
, to the care of a cook in his household named Gangu.
Gangu brought Mata Gujri and the two Sahibzadas to his native village of Sahedi. Bribed by the Mughals, he turned over the three members of Guru Gobind's family to the faujdar of Morinda. They were then brought to Sirhind in the presence of Wazir Khan
Wazir Khan
Wazir Khan,Shaikh Ilam-ud-din Ansari , a native of Chiniot, who rose to be a minor court physician to Shah Jahan in Lahore, was a Mughal noble, who was the Subedar of Sirhind, he personally commanded an army of over 30,000 men consisting mainly of Muslim Rajputs.Wazir Khan is noted for his...
, the Nawab of Sirhind.
The two sons of Guru Gobind, Zorawar
Sahibzada Zorawar Singh
Sahibzada Zorawar Singh was the third of Guru Gobind Singh's four sons. He and his younger brother, Sahibzada Fateh Singh are among the most hallowed martyrs in Sikhism....
(9 years old) and Fateh (7 years old) were offered safe passage if they became Muslims. With a courage that belied their years, both boys refused to do so.
Wazir Khan sentenced them to death. They were bricked up alive
Immurement
Immurement is a form of execution where a person is walled up within a building and left to die from starvation or dehydration. This is distinct from being buried alive, in which the victim typically dies of asphyxiation.-In legend and folklore:...
within a wall.
Although he did not know it then, but Wazir Khan was to pay for the crime that he had committed. After Guru Gobind Singh Ji's death, Madhodas Bairagi, a hermit from Nanded
Nanded
Nanded is the second largest city in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India. It is also headquarters of Nanded district in the Marathwada Division of the state. It is an important holy place for the Sikh faith and is famous for the Hazur Sahib Gurudwara. It is the district headquarters once...
, whom the Guru baptised as Gurbaksh Singh, also known as Banda Bahadur
Banda Bahadur
Banda Singh Bahadur was a Sikh warrior and martyr. He became part of struggle against the Mughal Empire in the early 18th century, after meeting Guru Gobind Singh. Guru Gobind Singh gave him the new name of Banda Singh Bahadur...
, besieged the Punjab. After laying waste, the cities of Samana and Sandhaura, he moved towards Sirhind and after defeating the Mughal forces, killed Wazir Khan.
The place where the two sons of Guru Gobind were bricked alive is today known as Fatehgarh Sahib
Fatehgarh Sahib
Fatehgarh Sahib is headquarters of Fatehgarh Sahib district, one of the twenty districts in the state of Punjab in North-West India.-History:The city is an historically important town north of Patiala, especially for the Sikh faith...
.