This year India is celebrating its maiden Veer Bal Diwas honouring the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s son.
Veer Bal Diwas: A day to pay tribute to the young martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the nation. Veer Bal Diwas is a day to commemorate and honour the martyrdom of sons of Guru Gobind Singh – Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh. On January 9 this year, the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, Modi had announced that December 26 will be observed as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ to mark the martyrdom of the Sikh guru’s sons.
Veer Bal Diwas: All You Need To Know
- Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh were the youngest of the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh and are considered to be the most hallowed martyrs in Sikhism.
- At a very young age, they lost their mother and were raised by their grandmother.
- The family of Guru Gobind Singh stayed at Anandpur where he founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699.
- Anandpur was under siege in around 1704 and attacked by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. After holding the fort for months, food and other essential supplies started to diminish and Guru Gobind Singh and his family accepted an offer by Aurangzeb of safe passage out of Anandpur.
- During this time, Guru Gobind Singh’s two sons- Zorawar Singh, Fateh Singh-were taken in captivity. Eventually they were buried alive into a wall at a young age of 8 and 5 respectively.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in a “historic” programme marking ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on December 26.
- Modi will attend a ‘Shabad Kirtan’ performed by about 300 ‘Baal Kirtanis’ and also flag off a march-past by about 3,000 children in Delhi.
The government is organising interactive and participative events all over the country to inform and educate the citizens, especially young children, about the story of exemplary courage of the ‘sahibzades’, the children of the last Sikh guru Gobind Singh, who laid down their lives while defending their faith.
