Shaheedi Week of the Sahibzade ਸ਼ਹੀਦੀ ਹਫ਼ਤਾ
In the last week of December, Sikhs remember the martyrdom of the four Sahibzade, the sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and of Mata Gujri Ji. It runs from 6 Poh, when the Guru left Anandpur Sahib, to 13 Poh at Sirhind.
| Year | Occasion | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Shaheedi Week begins: leaving Sri Anandpur Sahib (6 Poh) | |
| 2026 | Shaheedi of the Vadde Sahibzade, Chamkaur Sahib (8 Poh) | |
| 2026 | Veer Baal Diwas | |
| 2026 | Shaheedi of the Chhote Sahibzade and Mata Gujri Ji (13 Poh) | |
| 2027 | Shaheedi Week begins: leaving Sri Anandpur Sahib (6 Poh) | |
| 2027 | Shaheedi of the Vadde Sahibzade, Chamkaur Sahib (8 Poh) | |
| 2027 | Veer Baal Diwas | |
| 2027 | Shaheedi of the Chhote Sahibzade and Mata Gujri Ji (13 Poh) |
Calculated for Amritsar. SGPC and government announcements take precedence.
How the dates are fixed
These remembrance days follow the desi solar months, so they fall on the same Poh dates every year, which is almost always the same English dates in the last week of December. The Government of India also marks 26 December as Veer Baal Diwas in honour of the Sahibzade.
The week, day by day
- 6 Poh: leaving Anandpur Sahib. After a long siege, Guru Gobind Singh Ji left Anandpur Sahib on the promise of safe passage, which was broken. In the confusion at the flooded Sarsa river, the family was separated.
- 8 Poh: Chamkaur Sahib. The elder Sahibzade, Baba Ajit Singh Ji and Baba Jujhar Singh Ji, aged about 18 and 14, fell fighting with a handful of Sikhs against a vast army at Chamkaur.
- Mata Gujri Ji and the younger Sahibzade. Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji, aged about 9 and 6, were betrayed with their grandmother and taken to Sirhind, where they were held in the Thanda Burj, the cold tower, in the middle of winter.
- 13 Poh: Sirhind. Refusing to give up their faith, the younger Sahibzade were bricked alive and then executed on the orders of the Nawab of Sirhind. Mata Gujri Ji passed away in the Thanda Burj on hearing the news.
Seth Todar Mal and Baba Moti Ram Mehra
Baba Moti Ram Mehra risked his life to give milk to Mata Gujri Ji and the children in the tower. Diwan Todar Mal bought the land for their cremation by covering it with gold coins, said to be the costliest land in the world. Both are remembered with deep gratitude during the week.
How the week is kept
Many Sikh families keep the week in mourning: no celebrations, weddings or festivities, and many sleep on the floor. Gurdwaras hold kirtan and katha of the Sahibzade's history, and langar of simple food is served along the roads. The Shaheedi Jor Mela at Sri Fatehgarh Sahib draws lakhs of people from 11 to 13 Poh.
Questions
When is Shaheedi Week in December?
It runs from 6 Poh to 13 Poh, which falls on about 21 to 28 December. See the table for this year's dates.
What is Veer Baal Diwas?
Veer Baal Diwas, 26 December, was declared by the Government of India in 2022 to honour the courage of the Sahibzade.
Where were the younger Sahibzade martyred?
At Sirhind, where Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib now stands. The Shaheedi Jor Mela is held there every year.