Sunday, December 21, 2014

Fwd: Sakhi Series :- 257 ( ​Diwan Todar Mal)

​Diwan Todar Mal

Diwan Todar Mall was a wealthy Hindu merchant of Sirhind, who on the 13 December 1705 performed the cremation of the three martyred bodies of the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh, Zorawar Singh aged about 6, Fateh Singh aged about 9 and their grandmother, Mata Gujari.

Background :
On hearing the news of capture and imprisonment of Guru ji's mother, Mata Gujri and young sahibzada's - Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh ji,  a rich Sikh called Diwan Todar Mal, hastened to the Faujdar(viceroy) Wazir Khan's of Sirhind with the intention of ransoming them, but arrived too late. The Sahibzada's had alreay been matryed and Mata Gujri ji, who was sitting in meditation in the tower(burj), breathed her last.

The same evening Dewan Todar Mal  risked his life and reached Nawab Wazir Khan's court for permission to cremate the dead bodies of the two Sahibzadas and Mata Gurji. The Nawab agreed on condition that the Dewan pay for the required piece of land by spreading as many Gold coins as would cover the entire spot. Even after this Diwan Todar Mal did not shun his responsibility but instead accepted the terms, marked the site and spread coins on entire piece of land he selected for cremation. He sacrificed all his fortune at the alter of faith.

The two martyred young sons of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji were cremated with full honors along with their grandmother.

This incident occurred after the Sahibzade had been executed by the Mughal authorities in December 1705 for not renouncing their faith.

A splended Gurdwara, Gurdwara Jyoti Saroop, 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 Diwan Todar Mal Marg and a commemorative gate called the Diwan Todar Mal commemorative gate has also been built on this connecting road.