Sahibzada Ajit Singh

Ajit Singh (, pronunciation: ; 11 February 1687 – 7 December 1704), also referred to with honorifics as Sahibzada Ajit Singh or Baba Ajit Singh, was the eldest son of Guru Gobind Singh and the son of Mata Sundari. His younger brothers were Jujhar Singh, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, but they had been born to Mata Jito. He was killed in the Second Battle of Chamkaur along with his brother Jujhar Singh. His other two brothers, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, nine and seven years old, respectively, were bricked alive at Fatehgarh Sahib on order of Wazir Khan, governor of Sirhind-Fategarh.

Early life Ajit Singh was born to Mata Sundari and Guru Gobind Singh at Paonta Sahib on 11 February 1687.

The Ranghars of Nuh He was given his first military assignment when barely 12 years old. A Muslim tribe, the Ranghars of prophet Noh, had attacked and looted a Sikh Sangat (congregation) coming from the Pothohar region of northwest Punjab. Guru Gobind Singh sent Ajit Singh in command of 100 men to the village, which was a short distance from Anandpur across the River Satluj. Ajit Singh reached the village on 23 May 1699, recovered the looted property, and punished the offenders.

Second Battle of Chamkaur

After leaving Anandpur Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh and his Sikhs faced a desperate situation. They were surrounded by enemies—Mughal forces behind them and the hill chiefs who had betrayed them on their left. The Guru and his followers kept moving towards Chamkaur, but the Mughal army was fast approaching. Realizing the danger, the Guru halted near Chamkaur and sent two Sikhs into the village to find a safe place to stay. They found a small, two-story mud house with a large open courtyard. The house had two owners, and one of them offered his portion for shelter. Without delay, Guru Gobind Singh and his men quickly entered the house on the evening of 21 December 1704, just before the enemy could reach them. By the next morning, 22 December, the Mughals had completely surrounded the house. Guru Gobind Singh divided his men into three groups—one was assigned to guard the main entrance, another took positions in the upper story to observe enemy movements, and the rest defended the surrounding walls to prevent the enemy from climbing over.

Before attacking, the Mughal commanders sent a messenger to persuade the Guru to surrender. They warned him that he was not fighting weak and disorganized hill chiefs anymore but the mighty Mughal Empire, ruled by Aurangzeb, who was known as "the king of kings" and "the protector of the world." They demanded that Guru Gobind Singh stop fighting, submit to Aurangzeb, and convert to Islam. When the messenger delivered this message, Ajit Singh, could not tolerate the insult. He immediately drew his sword and warned the messenger that if he spoke another word, he would cut him into pieces. Enraged, the messenger returned to the Mughal camp with this defiant reply.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid homage to the Chaar Sahibazde on various occasions, particularly during the celebration of their bravery and sacrifice on Veer Bal Diwas (Day of Brave Children). Veer Bal Diwas is observed in honour of the Chaar Sahibzaade, who are remembered greatly amongst Sikhs across the globe.

Battles

First siege of Anandpur Battle of Taragarh Battle of Basoli Siege of Bassi Kalan First Battle of Anandpur (1704) Second Battle of Anandpur (1704) Battle of Sarsa Battle of Chamkaur