From: Shriharsha Sharma < >
These three Tilak, Choti and Janeu are the most prominent and fundamental symbols for Hindus. A Hindu can be easily identified with these three symbols as they are visible from from great distance .
Tilak is a colored mark on forehead by Hindus of all ages usually red in color.
Choti or tuft of hair on the scalp with a knot .
Janeu or Yagyopavit or sacred threads worn by male Hindus.
These three symbols were the target of Islamic invaders / Muslims from Mongolia and Arabian countries and Christian invaders from European countries namely Denmark, Portugal and France. Muslims and Christians have continued for the last 1300 years to reticule Hindus even today and are very actively engaged in converting Hindus to Islam and Christianity respectively by various tricks .
Guru Teg Bahadur jee and his three disciples and many more countless men, women and children have sacrificed themselves to save these symbols and Hindu Dharma.
Hakikat Rai
Hakikat Rai was born into a Hindu Puri – Khatri family. His father was Shri Bagh Mal Rai a wealthy Hindu trader in Sialkot, Punjab. At the age of 14 years he joined a local group of boys to learn Persian language under a Muslim Maulvi.
One day his classmates mostly Muslims were making fun of Hindu deities and ridiculing Hindu Dharma/ Hinduism/Hindu religion. Hakikat Rai was very much hurt due to intolerable comments by other Muslim boys .So, he asked the them how would they feel if some one insulted Mohammed and Ayesha. For this his classmates reported this matter to the Maulvi and as result it was taken as an insult to Islam/Mohammad. The Maulvi further reported this matter to the higher Muslim authority because it was under Muslim rule. Hakikat Rai was summoned by the Muslim authority. He appeared before them and they were not ready to listen Hakikat Rai at all and gave him an option to convert to Islam to save his life .He refused to leave his Hindu Religion and as a result he was beheaded at a very young age of 14 years only.
According the then social customs Hakikat Rai was married at early age to Lakshami Devi who became sati after this most tragic event. There is a Samadhi in her memory at Boeli of Baba Bhadari in Hoshiarpur , where large number of Hindu gather during Basant Punchmi every year to their respect to brave young girl. There is a shrine dedicated to Hakikat Rai at Batala in Gurdaspur where Hindus pay respect to this brave son of Bharat mata who gave ultimate sacrifice to save Hindus and Hindu religion and to inspire Hindus now and for ever.
————————————
Guru Teg Bahadur Jee
He was the youngest son of Guru Hargovind Sahib Jee. He was born in Amritsar, Punjab on 1st. April 1621.Hewas the fearless warrior, a learned scholar and poet. He wrote many hymns which are included in Sri Guru Bani.
Brahmins from Kashmir came to him for help because they were extremely troubled by Muslims on the orders of Moghul emperor Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb was known for his religious persecution and terrorism against Hindus. His aim was to convert Hindus to Islam and destroy the Mandir, kidnap women and forcefully marry and convert them to Islam.
Guru Teg Bahadur was on his way to Delhi but he was arrested by Mughal army along with his devotees and brought to Delhi. Guru jee and his disciples were forcefully asked to accept Islam and convert to be Muslim but Gurujee and his disciples Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dayala Das all refused to convert to Islam.
Guru Teg Bahadur Singh jee was beheaded in 1675 on the orders of Aurangzeb.
There are two Guru Dwaras in Delhi in the memory of Gurujee.
[1 ] Guru Dwara Sisganj sahib where Guru Teg Bahadur was executed.
[ 2 ] Gurudwara Rakab ganj Sahib. This is built on the site of his decuple‘s residence who burnt his house to cremate Guru Teg Bahadur jee.
Guru jee sacrificed his life to defend Hinduism and to save the honor of Hindus and their symbols Tilak, Janeu and Choti.
Bhai Mati Das
———————-
Bhai Mati Das was a Brahmin, son of Bhai Hira Nand .He belonged to a village called Karyala, District Jhelum, Punjab now in Pakistan . He refused to be converted to Islam. He was sawed in two halves from head down to loins slowly in front of Guru Teg Bahadur jee. He kept reciting Japuji Sahib when Muslim Jallads were cutting his body in two halves. He became a martyr to defend Hindu Dharma to defend Tilak, Janeu and Choti .
Bhai Sati Das
———————
Bhai Sat Das was a Brahmin son of Bhai Hira Nand and younger brother of Bhai Mati Das .He refused Islam as his religion so Aurangzeb ordered him to be tied to a pole and rapped in cotton fibre. he was then set on fire by the executioner. He remained calm and peaceful and kept uttering Waheguru Gurumatar while fire consumed his body .He sacrified to defend Hinduism and its symboles Tilak, Janeu and Choti.
Bhai Dayala Das
———————
Bhai Dayala Das refused to accept Islam, so he was tied like a round bundle and was put in to a huge bronze cauldron of boiling oil. He was roasted alive into a block of charcoal. He recited Japuji Sahib when they put him in the boiling oil.
No sign of grief was shown by the disciples of Gurujee. He sacrificed his life for Hindus , Hinduism and its symbols Tilak, Janeu and Choti .
GURU GOVIND SINGH JEE’ S SONS
—————————————————-
Guru Govind Singh was the son of Guru Tegh Bahadur jee. Govind Singh Jee became the 10th and last Guru after beheading of his father by Moghul in Delhi in 1675.
Guru Govind Singh Jee had four sons.
The four sons were [1] Ajit Singh [2] Jujhar Singh [ 3] Baba Zorawar Singh [4] Baba Fateh Singh.
Two eldest sons martyred in the battle against the Mughal Army at very young age.
The two younger sons Baba Zorawar Singh 9yrs. and Baba Fateh Singh 6yrs.were captured along with their grand mother, Mata Gujri by Wazir khan ,the Muslim Governor of Sirhind under Mughals.
These young boys were asked to accept Islam and convert to be Muslim in order to save themselves from death but both boys refused the order of Wazir Khan. On Dec. 12th. 1705 this was the final opportunity to save themselves but these brave boys refused the offer again . Then they were bricked alive inside the wall and beheaded when the brick wall reached to their chest height.
Having heard the tragic death of two grand children Mata Gujri collapsed and died
[1624 – 1705] at the age of 81 years .
On 13 th Dec. 1705 trader Seth Todarmal of Sirhind obtained permission to perform the last rites. He was asked to pay the price for the ground for cremation. He had to cover the required area of ground for bodies for cremation with the gold coins. This was the strict condition put by Wazir Khan .The cold coins were collected by Wazir Khan for Mughals.
Seth Todarmal respectfully cremated the bodies of Guru Govind Singh’s mother and two young sons on the ground purchased by Todar Mal.
———————————————–
Baba Banda Singh Bahadur
—————————————-
He was born in a family of Hind farmer on 27 oct. 1670. His childhood name was Lachman dev. His father was Hakim Rai and mother was Ram Devi .He belonged to a village Rajori. He belonged to Vaishnav Sampradaya. He left home at the age of 15 years to become an ascetic. And was given the name of ‘ Madho Das’.He established a monastery at Nanded on the holy banks of river Godavari and lived like an ascetic . He was married to Susheela.
He met Guru Govind Singh jee and became his disciple. Gurujee gave him a new name Banda Singh Bahadur after the Khalsa ceremony . Banda Singh came to Khanda in Sonepat and formed a fighting force against Mughals. He defeated the provincial Mughal capital at Samana in Nov. 1709. He establish Khalsa rule in Punjab and abolished Zamindari system. Hewas brave, courageous and very successful warrior. He won many battles against Mughals and ruled major parts of Punjab.
In March 1715 the army under Mughal governor of Lahore Abdul Samad Khan drove Banda Bahadur and Sikh forces to Gurdaspur and lead to the siege. They were in a small forte for 8 months in a very bad conditions. On 7 Dec. 1715 the Noghals broke into the castle and captured Banda Singh Bahadur and his companions. He was put in an iron cage and rest of his remaining Sikhs were chained. They were all brought to Delhi in a procession wit over h 700 prisoners and the Mughal soldiers came with two thousand Sikh heads hanging in the spears to create fear and terror in the people of Delhi. Remaining over 700 prisoners were tortured and pressurized to accept Islam but they refused to become Muslim. Then the Mughal Army executed one hundred Sikhs daily in public and killed all the prisoners.
Banda Singh Bahadur was ordered to kill his four year old son Ajay Singh which he refused to do , so Ajay Singh was killed and his heart was cut out from his chest and was thrusted into the mouth of Banda Singh Bairagi by Muslim soldiers. However his resolution did not break under severe tortures. On 9th June 1716 his eyes were groused out, his limbs were severed, his skin removed and killed by Muslim soldiers.
Baba Banda Singh Bahadur is also popularly called Banda Bairagi or Vairagi.
He sacrificed his life along with his fellow warriors and his four year son to save and defend the honor of Hindus, Hinduism, Tilak, Janeu and Choti.
==