Punjab govt to observe 'Shaheedi Pandarwara' to commemorate Guru Gobind Singh's martyrdom

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday announced that the state will observe 'Shaheedi Pandarwara' (martyrdom fortnight) from December 16 to 30 to commemorate the sacrifice of the family of Guru Gobind Singh. The CM has appealed to the people to observe the 'Shaheedi Pandarwara' as a homage to Guru Gobind Singh's family, and also to spread the message of their sacrifice across the world.

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"It has been more than 300 years since the martyrdom of Guru Gobind's mother, Mata Gujri, and his four sons, Sahibzadas Ajit Singh, Jujhar Singh, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, but their sacrifice remains a beacon to inspire people across the globe," CM Amarinder Singh said. It has been decided to observe the sacred occasion during the month of Pauh, which is dedicated to mourning the great souls of those who had passed away, an official spokesperson said.

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According to the spokesperson, Punjab will organise various programs such as seminars, discussions and exhibitions to disseminate the message of the unparalleled sacrifice of the Guru Govind Singh's family, especially among the youth. "The Chief Minister has described this as a humble effort, as part of his government's endeavor, to create awareness among the younger generation about the lives of the Gurus, and imbue them with the principles for which the Gurus lived and died," an official release said.

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Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom

Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth and last of the human form Gurus of Sikhism. He became Guru on November 24, 1675, at the age of nine, following the martyrdom of his father, the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. Guru Tegh Bahadur resisted the forced conversions of the Hindu Kashmiri Pandits and non-Muslims to Islam and was publicly beheaded in 1675 on the orders of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi for himself refusing to convert to Islam and saving Hindu Kashmiri Pandits and other non-Muslims. The martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur is remembered as the Shaheedi Divas every year on 24 November.

(With ANI inputs)

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