On December 25th, while Christmas is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Sikh community has a profound and often overlooked reason to observe this day differently. It marks the Shaheedi (Martyrdom) Day of the younger sons of Shri Guru Gobind Singh, who valiantly sacrificed their lives to defend the country and religion against the atrocities of the Mughal Empire. The events unfolded during the week starting from December 21st, when Guru Gobind Singh left Shri Anand Pur Sahib fort, leading to the martyrdom of his two elder sons, Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh, on December 22nd in the battle of Chamkaur.
Due to the betrayal of one of Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s confident on December 23rd led to the arrest of Guru ji’s mother and younger sons, who were later shifted to Sirhind on December 24th. Subsequently, on December 25th and 26th, the younger sons were presented in the court of Nawab Wazir Khan, resisting all attempts to change their religion. The gruesome act of their torture and barbaric killing occurred on December 27th, leaving a lasting legacy of supreme sacrifice.
In light of this unparalleled sacrifice by the Sikh community, a compelling argument can be made to emphasize the importance of December 25th as Shaheedi Day rather than Christmas Day, acknowledging and remembering this historic act of valor and martyrdom.
You might not know but December 25 has a special significance other than Christmas
