Artist: Rajpal Singh
Title: Chote Sahibzaade
Medium: Digital Painting
Commissioner: Sharon Shoker
In Sirhind during the bitter winter of 1705, Mata Gujri and the Chote Sahibzaade, Baba Zoravar Singh (9 years old) and Baba Fateh Singh (6 years old) found themselves confined in a cold tower, exposed to the harsh North winds from the Himalayas.
The following day, they faced a perilous trial orchestrated by Nawab Wazir Khan. Given their tender age, attempts were made by Wazir Khan to coerce them into renouncing their Sikh identity; as Sikhs they would face threat of torture and death, but if they accepted Islam he would ensure that they would be rewarded handsomely.
Wazir Khan forced the two Sahibzaade to enter the courtroom through a small door so that they would inadvertently bow to his authority. In a brilliant display of wisdom and defiance, they walked in feet-first, avoiding bowing their heads towards the oppressor, and instead showed the contempt that they had for this sham trial.
The Chardikala of the Chote Sahibzaade continues to inspire generations, a powerful legacy of profound strength and unwavering conviction.