Stories of valor of Sahibzada’s will motivate children to build high moral values in life-teaching community – Times of India

Chamba (Himachal Pradesh): The stories of the supreme sacrifice made by Chotte Sahibzada’s (younger sons of Sikh’s tenth master Guru Gobind Singh) will help children build their character, respect their religion and nation and motivate them to learn high moral values, courage, empathy, and kindness and to eventually be a good human being , these views were expressed by teachers of Himachal Pradesh who, for the first time, observed December 26th as Veer Bal Diwas despite Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) raising objection to its name.
Yudhveer Tandon, a teacher at Government Primary School, Moura, 50 km from Chamba said the inspirational stories of courage and valor of Chotte Sahibzada’s would motivate the children to not only channelize their energies in the right direction but would also help them learn good values in life and build their character.
He informed that on December 26th the school children were told as to how the Chotte Sahibzada’s refused to bow before the dictates of Wazir Khan and embraced death for their religion.
Manoj Gupta, another teacher at Government Central Primary School, Bharian, 8 km from Chamba ,said Veer Bal Diwas would give an opportunity to remind everyone of the supreme sacrifice made by Chotte Sahibada’s and motivate to stand up for the righteous and never give up no matter whatever pressure was mounted on the person.
Both of them said that since it was the first time so their activities were limited but from the next year onwards they would hold elaborate events in memory of Chotte Sahibzada’s.
Baba Zorawar Singh, 9, and Baba Fateh Singh 7, the two youngest sons of Guru Gobind Singh were bricked alive on December 26, 1705, on the orders of the Nawab of Sirhind Wazir Khan since they refused to give up their religion. After the brick wall fell, Khan ordered the executioners to slit the throats of both the young princes.
The decision to observe December 26 as Veer Bal Diwas in the honour of supreme sacrifices made by Sahibzada’s was taken early this year.
A notification issued under the signature of the Additional Secretary , Ministry of Home Affairs, Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan on January 9, 2022, reads that “the government of India declare December 26th as Veer Bal Diwas, as a supreme sacrifice of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh in their quest for justice”.
The SGPC has already rejected observing December 26th as Veer Bal Diwas and has demanded that the day should be called Shahizada Shahadat Diwas even as Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has no objection to the name.
Former Member Parliament Tarlochan Singh who also served as Chairman National Commission for Minorities in a letter written to the Akal Takht secretariat, quoting the official gazette of the home ministry, said “it clearly mentioned that every year Government of India will celebrate December 26 as Veer Bal Diwas to pay tribute to the martyrdom of two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh”. He further wrote that programme which had been issued by the Culture Ministry to various government departments was very impressive. “The photos of Sahibzadas being bricked alive are being displayed on all airports, metro stations, petrol pumps, and in all states of India publicity of the function will be done in their regional languages,” said Tarlochan Singh.