On the fateful night of evacuation from Anandpur, December 5/6, 1705, the three of them were together, and were successful in crossing the inundated Sarsa naddi (rivulet) on a horseback. But, were separated from rest of the family. They happened to meet their former cook Gangu, a Brahmin of village Kheri (now called Saheri). He took them to his house for shelter.
During the night, on discovering that there was some jewelry in Mata Gujaris bundle, that had become wet, while crossing the rivulet, he managed to hide it. In the morning on being questioned, he pretended annoyance that instead of showing gratitude, Mataji doubted and accused him of theft. He offered to get the house searched by her or by the thanedar (police officer). With that excuse, he informed the officials at Morinda, of their presence in his house, in hope of being rewarded by the government. Jaani Khan and Maani Khan took the three in custody, and on December 9 sent them to the district headquarters at Sirhind.
The faujdar, Nawab Wazir Khan, had just returned from Chamkaur, and was delighted at the prospect of converting Guru Gobind Singhs own children to Islam.
When the children were produced before the faujdar, he welcomed them with sweet little talk, and then offered them riches and good positions when they grew up. All they were required to do was to become Musalman. The kids knew the difference between Islam and Sikhism, and like other Sikh children knew the history of their ancestors, who had sacrificed their lives, sticking to their own faith. They stubbornly refused, not bowing even under threats of death.
Failing to persuade or frighten them, irritated and infuriated Wazir Khan ordered that they be executed.
Nawab Sher Muhammad Khan of Malerkotla, who had come with Wazir Khan from Chamkaur, interceded that the children were innocent; their lives be spared. Wazir Khan decided to give them one more day to think over, and talk to their grandmother. But, grandmother whose husband Guru Tegh Bahadur had voluntarily given his head, for sake of freedom to follow ones own faith, could give no other advice except that they stay steadfast and not give up the true faith of their forefathers.
After spending another night with their grandmother in the Thanda Burj (cold tower built for summer days) in the fort, they were again produced before the Nawab. The kids, who were only 6 and 9 years old, remained adamant. The Nawab again decided that they be put to death. On fresh pleas from Sher Muhammad Khan, to consider innocence of the children, Wazir Khans Hindu Diwan, Suchcha Nand remarked, "Offsprings of snakes are also snakes. Their heads have to be crushed."
Wazir Khan accepted Suchcha Nands advice and ordered that the children be bricked alive - giving them chances to change their minds, as the wall steadily rises up to their necks.
Two executioners, Bashal Khan and Shashal Khan were brought in for masonry. The children remained unmoved by the threat of approaching death. However, the wall crumbled before it could intern them fully. The Wazir ordered that they be beheaded on the following day.
On December 12, 1705 the order was carried out.
Six and nine year old children were executed because they did not agree to give up their own religion for another.
Death of Mata Gujari
On 12th December, four days after confinement in the Thanda Burj, on hearing the news that her darling grandsons had been slaughtered in cold blood, she collapsed, and thereby fell from the tower to her death below.
A kindly rich banker of Sirhind, Seth Todar Mal, pleaded and brided to get hold of the dead bodies, and purchasing a small piece of land at an exorbitant price, cremated the three dead bodies.
Beautiful gurdwaras now stand, in memory of these martyrs, on the spots of execution and cremation near Sirhind.
[Sikhs neither forgot this horendous act, nor forgave the perpetrators of this despicable crime. Not only Wazir Khan and Suchcha Nand paid for it with their lives, when Banda Bahadur visited Sirhind in 1810, but it also kicked the Mughal rule from its pinnacle, down the slide, never to recover again.
[In gratitude to Sher Mohammad Khan for his advice to Wazir Khan to not to harm the innocent children, Sikhs during their ascendance to power never caste an evil eye on his familys estate of Malerkotla. Even, during the bloody and maddening disturbances of 1947, Muslim refugees, running from nearby areas, found Malerkotla a safe heaven, being sure of Sikh protection.
[Sirhind became such a hated place, that in December 1763, when Dal Khalsa attacked Sirhind, its Governor Zain Khan was slain on January 1764, and his territory possessed, but while dividing the occupied area, none of the Sardars wanted to take the cursed city, although it was the centre of rich bankers - the Sud Hindus.]
 Main: Martyrdom of Sahibzadas Zorawar Singh and Fateh Si | Rupinder Singh Bedi | 12/13/2001 |
 Re: Martyrdom of Sahibzadas Zorawar Singh and Fateh Si | Chaudhry Rajinder Nijjhar | 3/26/2004 |
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