Reflections on 21 December 1704 CE (7 Poh, 1761 Bikrami)
There are dates in history that pass quietly, and then there are dates that echo across centuries.
21 December 1704 CE, corresponding to 7 Poh, 1761 Bikrami, is one such day — a day when the world witnessed courage so vast that even empires trembled before it.
On this evening, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Tenth Master, walked toward Chamkaur with only 40 Sikhs and His two elder Sahibzade, to face an army that numbered in the millions. The Mughal and Hill Ruler forces — fresh reinforcements from Delhi and the remnants of the siege at Anandpur — surrounded the small mud-fort of Chamkaur Sahib.
What unfolded there was not a battle.
It was a declaration.
A spiritual uprising.
A moment when the Khalsa showed the world what it means to stand for Truth, even when the world stands against you.
⚔️ The Mud-Fort of Chamkaur: Where Fear Died and Freedom Was Born
The fort was small, fragile, and unprepared for war. Yet it became the stage for one of the greatest acts of defiance in human history.
Inside those walls:
- Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji, barely 18, stepped onto the battlefield with the grace of a seasoned general.
- Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji, only 14, followed him — not as a child, but as a warrior of the Khalsa.
- The 40 Sikhs fought with a fire that no empire could extinguish.
- Guru Gobind Singh Ji Himself entered the battlefield, showing the world that a true leader stands with his people, not behind them.
Against impossible odds, the Khalsa held their ground.
Against overwhelming numbers, they fought with unshakeable faith.
Against the darkness of tyranny, they shone like suns.
This was not a battle for land or power.
This was a battle for dharam, dignity, and the eternal sovereignty of the spirit.
🌙 Mata Gujar Kaur Ji: A Different Battlefield, A Different Kind of Courage
While steel clashed at Chamkaur, another chapter of bravery unfolded quietly.
Mata Gujar Kaur Ji, the grandmother of the Sahibzade, travelled with the two younger princes — Baba Zorawar Singh Ji (9) and Baba Fateh Singh Ji (7) — seeking shelter after the treacherous evacuation of Anandpur Sahib.
They arrived at the home of Ganggu, a man whose betrayal would soon become one of the darkest stains in history.
Her battlefield was not fought with arrows or swords.
It was fought with endurance, trust, and the unimaginable pain of separation.
Her courage was silent, but it was no less thunderous.
🌺 Why This Day Still Matters
Chamkaur is not just a historical event.
It is a mirror — showing us what we are capable of when we stand rooted in Truth.
It teaches us that:
- Numbers do not define strength.
- Faith can turn mud walls into fortresses.
- Leadership means sacrifice, not authority.
- The Khalsa was built to rise, not to bow.
Every year, this day invites us to pause and ask ourselves:
What does it mean to live fearlessly?
What does it mean to stand for justice?
What does it mean to be Khalsa?
🙏🏽 Satnam Sri Waheguru Ji
As we remember this evening, we honour not just the martyrs — but the spirit they awakened within us.
A spirit that refuses to be broken.
A spirit that walks through fire with a smile.
A spirit that still lives in every Sikh heart today.