What is Veer Bal Diwas?

Veer Bal Diwas is observed annually on 26 December to commemorate the supreme sacrifice of Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji, the younger sons of Sikh Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The two Sahibzada (or sons) were martyred in 1705 at Sirhind, Punjab, by the Mughals for refusing to renounce their faith.

When was Veer Bal Diwas started?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on 9 January 2022 that every year 26th December would be observed as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’, to mark the martyrdom of sons of Sri Guru Gobind Singh – Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji.

The first Veer Bal Diwas was observed on 26 December 2022. Since then every year, Veer Bal Diwas is observed on 26 December.

What is the Purpose of Veer Bal Diwas?

The Purpose of Veer Bal Diwas is:

  1. To honour the courage and moral fortitude of the Sahibzadas; and
  2. To instill values of bravery, righteousness, and constitutional ethics among children and youth.

For more details read about Veer Bal Diwas in PIB, Government of India.

Also read: Hemkund Sahib – The Sacred Sikh Pilgrimage in Uttarakhand’s Himalayas

Historical Account of Sahibzada Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Sahibzada Baba Fateh Singh Ji

Sahibzada Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Sahibzada Baba Fateh Singh Ji were the younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Guru of Sikhism. They occupy a unique and revered place in Indian history for their martyrdom at an exceptionally young age and for symbolizing the Sikh ideals of faith, resistance to religious coercion, and moral courage during a period of intense Mughal repression in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.

Their martyrdom in 1705 CE at Sirhind represents not merely a religious episode but a significant event in the broader political and socio-religious conflict between the Mughal state and the Sikh community.

Family Background and Early Life

  • Father: Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1666–1708), founder of the Khalsa (1699)
  • Mother: Mata Gujri Ji
  • Elder Brothers: Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji and Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji (martyred at Chamkaur)

Sahibzada Baba Zorawar Singh Ji

  • Born: 28 November 1696 CE
  • Age at martyrdom: Approximately 9 years

Sahibzada Baba Fateh Singh Ji

  • Born: 25 February 1699 CE
  • Age at martyrdom: Approximately 6 years

Despite their tender age, Sikh tradition emphasizes that they received early moral and religious instruction, consistent with the martial-spiritual ethos cultivated by Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Historical Context: Mughal–Sikh Conflict

The martyrdom of the younger Sahibzadas must be situated within the larger context of:

  • Aurangzeb’s religious orthodoxy, marked by intolerance towards non-Islamic faiths
  • The militarization of Sikhism after the formation of the Khalsa (1699)
  • The Mughal state’s perception of Sikhs as a political and military threat

Following the siege of Anandpur Sahib (1704–05), Guru Gobind Singh Ji and his followers were forced to evacuate under assurances of safe passage—assurances that were soon violated.

Arrest and Imprisonment

After being separated from Guru Gobind Singh Ji during the crossing of the flooded Sirsa River, Mata Gujri Ji and the two younger Sahibzadas were betrayed by Gangu, a former servant, and handed over to Mughal authorities.

They were imprisoned in the Thanda Burj (Cold Tower) at Sirhind during peak winter—conditions designed to break their physical and mental resolve.

Trial at Sirhind

The Mughal governor of Sirhind, Wazir Khan, presented the children with a stark choice:

  • Conversion to Islam with royal patronage
  • Death for refusing conversion

Despite repeated inducements and threats, both Sahibzadas categorically refused to renounce their faith, demonstrating remarkable clarity and courage for their age.

Martyrdom (1705 CE)

According to Sikh tradition and contemporary Persian chronicles:

  • The children were ordered to be bricked alive within a wall
  • When the wall collapsed due to its fragility, they were beheaded

Their grandmother, Mata Gujri Ji, attained martyrdom shortly thereafter due to shock and grief.