Saga of Sirhind
By Joginder Singh Bedi

OF the large number of places of religio-political interest in Punjab, that of Sirhind has been gaining much popularity day by day. The mute monuments which stand majestically on the sacred soil of this town tell a lot about the wrath it suffered at the cruel hands of the imperialistic forces of the medieval age as well as of the atrocities committed by foreign invaders on its inhabitants to quench their thirst of imposing their religious fanaticism, so that they could easily rule over them and exploit the rich resources of the fertile land for their materialistic pursuits.

These monuments tell us that the secular and nationalist sons and daughters of this town did not bow before such mighty tyrants. To upkeep their spirit of dignity, faith and national solidarity they did not hesitate to sacrifice their lives boldly and proudly. Take for instance the minor sons of Guru Gobind Singh, who were bricked alive here for refusing conversion to Islam. They declined the offer of high positions, titles and wealth made by the Governor of Sirhind. The well-known historian, Syed Muhammad Latif, in his religio-political treatise, ‘History of the Panjab’, narrates the proceedings of the tragic moment in these words:

"One day, as the two sons of the Guru were sitting in the governor’s darbar, he was much pleased with their graceful appearance and seemingly good looks, and said to them with kindness, ‘Boys! what would you do if we were to give you your liberty?’ The boys answered: ‘We would collect our Sikhs, supply them with implements of war, fight with you and put you to death.’ The governor said: ‘If you were defeated in the fight, what would you do then?’ The boys replied: ‘We, would collect our armies again and either kill you or be killed.’ The governor was enraged at this intrepid and haughty reply, and ordered Kuljas to put them to death."

Standing on the site of the ancient fort built by Ferozeshah Tughlaq, the newly-built magnificent shrine at Sri Fatehgarh Sahib is where the Guru’s sons Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh were bricked alive and suffocated to death. It is visited by lakhs of people from all walks of life. A Jor Mela is held here every year in the last week of December where devotees pay obeisance to the children with tears rolling down their cheeks.

That religion is interlinked withpolitics in Punjab is evident from the fact that on the occasion of the Jor Mela at Fatehgarh Sahib and elsewhere in the state, political platforms are clearly visible, wherefrom leaders of various political parties address the huge gathering to win their confidence and overwhelming support in the elections to come.

In the vicinity of the shrine stands the Burj where Guru Gobind Singh’s mother Mata Gujri died of shock immediately on hearing the news of the execution of her grandchildren. Thousands of people, including men, women and children, visit the Burj to pay homage to Mata Gujri who was forced to spend the night in the biting cold. On the occasion of the Jor Mela, the Dhadis and Kavishars sing the heroism of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, as well as expose the cruelty of all those who committed such an unpardonable crime.

There is another Sikh shrine known as Jyoti Swarup. It is also visited by lakhs of people in December where they hold prayers, participate in the community kitchen and serve food to the poor. This magnificent shrine is located on the spot where Mata Gujri and her two grandchildren were cremated.

Another historical monument of Sirhind which is held in high esteem is the Roza Sharif mosque built in memory of Hazrat Mujahdid-Alar-Sani Sheikh Ahmad Farooqi. If the Golden Temple at Amritsar is reverently termed as Mecca of the Sikhs, the Roza Sharif is regarded as the second Mecca by the Sunni Muslims all the world over. They believe that this mausoleum is theabode of Sheikh Ahmad Farooqi, who is second to Prophet Hazrat Mohammed. On the occasion of the celebration of Urs, the Hindus and Sikhs in large numbers join their Muslim brethren to pay homage to Hazrat Farooqi. This monument, thus, is a living symbol of our country’s secular traditions.

Among the historical gardens of Punjab, those of Shalimar Bagh of Lahore and Company Bagh of Amritsar are frequently mentioned. Besides these, there is another garden at Sirhind, popularly known as Aam Khas Bagh which is of great historical importance. Built by Emperor Akbar the bagh was developed and beautified by Jehangir and Shahjehan. As its name implies, this garden was open to the general public and the members of the royal families, thus symbolising equality of man. This beautiful garden can boast of a grand palace, winsome fountains and a huge water tank. Lush-treen trees, flowers and neat and clean pavements are its hallmark.

In view of the tremendous importance of the town of Sirhind, it would not be out of place to mention here that although its origin dates back to the 10th century, it came into limelight in 1360 AD when Ferozeshah of the Tughlaq dynasty made it the regional headquarters of his empire and constructed a large number of monuments notably the Fort of Ferozeshah. The town came into prominence on 18th of June, 1555 AD, the most memorable day in the annals of India, when Prince Akbar fought a decisive battle here in which the Afghans were defeated and they took to flight. Sikandar Shah Sur, the Afghan King, took refuge in the Shivalik hills. It brought an end to the supremacy of the Afghans in the northern region of the country.