‘Veer Baal Diwas’: A tribute to younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 09, 2022, declared that December 26 shall henceforth be marked as “Veer Baal Diwas” to pay homage to the courage of the “Sahibzades”, four sons of Guru Gobind Singh, the last Sikh guru. While all four were martyred, the date has been chosen as it was the day observed as the martyrdom day of the Sahibzadas Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, who were killed at the tender age of six and nine in Sirhind by Mughal forces.
Announcing his decision in a series of tweets, Prime Minister Modi said: “Today, on the auspicious occasion of the Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Gobind Singhji, I am honoured to share that starting this year, December 26 shall be marked as ‘Veer Baal Diwas.’ This is a fitting tribute to the courage of the Sahibzades and their quest for justice.”
On December 26, 2022, Prime Ministeri Narendra Modi participated in a historic programme marking ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi. During the programme, the Prime Minister attended a ‘Shabad Kirtan’ performed by about three hundred Baal Kirtanis. The Prime Minister also flagged off a march-past by about three thousand children in Delhi on this momentous occasion.
On 9th January 2022, the day of the Prakash Purab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Prime Minister had announced that 26th December would be observed as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’, to mark the martyrdom of sons of Sri Guru Gobind Singh – Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister remarked that India is celebrating the first Veer Bal Diwas, today. It is a day of a new beginning for the nation when we all come together to bow our heads for the sacrifices laid down in the past. “Shaheedi Saptah and Veer Bal Diwas is not just a cauldron of emotions but a source of infinite inspiration”, the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister said that Veer Bal Diwas will remind us Age does not matter when it comes to extreme valour and sacrifice. Veer Bal Diwas will remind us of the immense contribution of ten Sikh gurus and the sacrifice of the Sikh tradition for protecting the honour of the nation. “Veer Bal Diwas will tell us what is India and what is its identity and every year, Veer Bal Diwas will inspire us to recognize our past and make our future. This will also remind everyone about the strength of our young generation”, the Prime Minister Added. The Prime Minister paid grateful tributes to the Veer Sahibzades, Gurus and Mata Gurjari. “I consider it to be the good fortune of our government that we got the opportunity to declare 26th December as Veer Bal Diwas”, he said.
The Prime Minister pointed out that the thousand-year-old history of the world is filled with chapters of gruesome cruelty. He mentioned that wherever we come across the violent faces of cruelty, it is the character of our heroes that overshines them throughout the pages of history. The Prime Minister recalled that whatever happened in the wars of Chamkaur and Sirhind can never be forgotten. He further added that these incidents occurred only three centuries ago on the soil of this land. “On one hand there was the mighty Mughal Sultanate blinded by religious fanaticism, while on the other hand there were our Gurus gleaming in the knowledge and living by the ancient principles of India”, the Prime Minister continued, “On one hand there were heights of terror and religious fanaticism, while on the other hand, there was the pinnacle of spirituality and kindness to see God in every human being. The Prime Minister further informed that in the midst of all this, the Mughals possessed an army of millions, while the Veer Sahebzades of Guru had their courage. They did not bow down to the Mughals even though they were alone. This is when the Mughals walled them in alive. It is their bravery that has been a source of inspiration for centuries.
The Prime Minister said that any country with such a glorious history must be full of self-confidence and self-respect however, he lamented, concocted narratives were taught. and created a sense of inferiority in the country. Despite this local traditions and society kept these tales of glory alive. The Prime Minister emphasised the need to get free from the narrow interpretation of the past in order to move forward. That is why, said the Prime Minister, the country has taken the pledge of removing all traces of slave mentality in the Azadi ka Amrit Kaal. “Veer Bal Diwas is like a life force for the Panch Prans”, the Prime Minister added.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of determination and bravery of Veer Sahibzade as they showed the tyranny of Aurangzeb and his people that the young generation was not ready to buckle under the cruelty and stood firm to protect the morale of the country. This establishes the role of the young generation in the destiny of a nation. The Prime Minister said today’s young generation is also taking India forward with the same determination. This makes the role of Veer Bal Diwas on every 26th December all the more important, he said.
Paying tribute to Sikh Guru Parampara the Prime Minister said that it is not just a tradition of spirituality and sacrifice but also a source of inspiration for the concept of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’. The biggest example is the cosmopolitan and inclusive character of Sri Guru Granth Sahib where preachings and commentary of saints from all over India are included. The life journey of Guru Gobind Singh Ji also exemplifies this trait, the Prime Minister said. Referring to the fact that ‘Panch Pyare’ came from all parts of the country, the Prime Minister exuded pride that one of the original Panch Pyara was from Dwarka, land from where the Prime Minister also hails.
The Prime Minister said, “Resolution of ‘Rastra Pratham’- country first, was the unshakable resolve of Guru Gobind Singh Ji”. Shri Modi corroborated the point by recounting the immense personal sacrifice of his family. “This tradition of ‘Nation First’ is a huge inspiration for us”, the Prime Minister stressed.
Modi commented that the future of India’s coming generations will depend upon their source of inspiration. Recounting innumerable examples of inspiring children like Bharat, Bhakt Pruhlaad, Nachiketa and Dhruv, Bal Ram, Luv-Kush and Bal Krishna, the Prime Minister said that from ancient times to the modern period brave boys and girls have been a reflection of India’s valor.
The Prime Minister said with assurance that the new India is correcting the mistakes of the bygone decades by restoring its long-lost legacy. Adding that any country is identified by its principles, the Prime Minister highlighted that when the core values of a nation go through a transformation, the future of the nation changes with time. He emphasised that the values of a nation can be preserved only when the present generations have clarity about the history of the land. “The youth always seek a role model to learn and find inspiration. That’s the reason we believe in the ideals of Lord Ram, find inspiration from Gautam Buddha and Lord Mahavir, and make an attempt to live through the sayings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, while also studying the ways of Maharana Pratap and Chhatrapati Veer Shivaji”, the Prime Minister remarked. Highlighting the culture and traditions of India that believes in religion and spirituality, the Prime Minister said that the ancestors of our land gave shape to an Indian culture that associates with festivals and beliefs. The Prime Minister said that we need to make that consciousness eternal, and that is why the country is trying to revive the glory of the history of the freedom struggle during the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. Work is going on to take the contribution of brave men and women and the tribal community to every person. He expressed happiness about the huge participation from every part of the country in the competitions and events organised for Veer Bal Diwas. He reiterated the need to take the message of the life of Veer Sahibzadas to the world with full determination.