Bhai Mati Das (
Punjabi
Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan
* Punjabi language
* Punjabi people
* Punjabi dialects and languages
Punjabi may also refer to:
* Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...
: ਭਾਈ ਮਤੀ ਦਾਸ; died 1675) along with his younger brother
Bhai Sati Das
Bhai Sati Das ( Punjabi: ਭਾਈ ਸਤੀ ਦਾਸ; died 1675) along with his elder brother Bhai Mati Das were martyrs of early Sikh history. Bhai Sati Das, Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Dyal Das were all executed at ''kotwali'' (police-station) ...
were
martyrs
A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external ...
of early
Sikh
Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
history. Bhai Mati Das,
Bhai Dayala
Bhai Dayala Ji ( pa, ਭਾਈ ਦਿਆਲਾ ਜੀ, hi, भाई दयाला जी) died 9 November 1675, also known as ''Bhai Dayal Das'' He was boiled alongside his Sikh companions Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das and the Ninth Guru, ...
, and Bhai Sati Das were executed at a ''kotwali'' (police-station) in the
Chandni Chowk
The Chandni Chowk, also known as Moonlight Square is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, India. It is located close to the Old Delhi Railway Station. The Red Fort monument is located at the eastern end of Chandni Chowk. It was bu ...
area of
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
, under the express orders of Emperor
Aurangzeb
Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
just before the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur. Bhai Mati Das was executed by being bound between two pillars and cut in two.
Biography
Birth
Bhai Mati Das belonged to a (
Saraswat)
Mohyal Brahmin
Mohyal Brahmins (or Potohari Brahmins) are an Indian sub-caste of Saraswat Brahmins from the Punjab region, who are sometimes referred to as 'Warrior Brahmins'.
Mohyal Brahmins were the ancient and one of the first Hindu rulers of Punjab and Afg ...
family of the
Chhibber
Chhibber ( Punjabi: ਛਿੱਬਰ, Hindi: छिब्बर) alternatively Chibber, is a Mohyal Brahmin clan from the Punjab region. They are one of the seven clans of the Mohyal Brahmin of the Punjab. Most Chhibbers are Hindus, but because the ...
clan. He lived in the ancient village of
Karyala
Karyala is a village and union council, an administrative subdivision, of Chakwal District in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. It is part of Chakwal Tehsil. The village stands on the top of the Surla hills. This part of the country is known as '' ...
, about ten kilometres from
Chakwal
Chakwal ( Punjabi and ur, ) is a city in Rawalpindi Division, Punjab province, Pakistan.
It is the 66th largest city of Pakistan by population. Chakwal is located 90 kilometres south-west of the federal capital, Islamabad and 270 kilomet ...
on the road to the
Katas Raj Temples
The Shri Katas Raj Temples ( Punjabi, ur, ) (Sanskrit: कटासराज) also known as Qila Katas (), is a complex of several Hindu temples connected to one another by walkways. The temple complex surrounds a pond named ''Katas'' which is ...
in the
Jhelum District
Jhelum District (Urdu and pnb, ), is partially in Pothohar Plateau, and partially in Punjab Plain of the Punjab province of Pakistan. Jhelum is one of the oldest districts of Punjab. It was established on 23 March 1849. According to the 1998 ...
in the
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
region of
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
.
Bhai Sati Das
Bhai Sati Das ( Punjabi: ਭਾਈ ਸਤੀ ਦਾਸ; died 1675) along with his elder brother Bhai Mati Das were martyrs of early Sikh history. Bhai Sati Das, Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Dyal Das were all executed at ''kotwali'' (police-station) ...
was his younger brother. Bhai Mati Das was the son of Hira Nand, a disciple of
Guru Har Gobind
Gurū Hargobind (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦ, pronunciation: l 19 June 1595 – 28 February 1644), revered as the ''sixth Nānak'', was the sixth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion. He had become Guru at the young age of e ...
, under whom he had fought in many battles and was a great warrior. Hira Nand was the grandson of Lakhi Das, the son of the Bhai Praga, who was also a martyr and had been a ''
Jathedar
A jathedar ( pa, ਜੱਥੇਦਾਰ) is a leader of high regard chosen to head and ensure discipline within a jatha, a body of Sikhs.
The Jathedar of the Akal Takht is the central head of the Sikhs worldwide, who makes all important decisions ...
'' (leader) in Guru Hargobind's first battle.
Service of Guru Tegh Bahadur
During the time after
Guru Har Krishan
Guru Har Krishan (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨ, pronunciation: ; 7 July 1656 – 30 March 1664) was the eighth of the ten Sikh Gurus. At the age of five, he became the youngest Guru in Sikhism on 7 October 1661, ...
Sahib Ji’s physical disappearance at Delhi, and the uncertainty over who would be the next Guru, Bhai Mati Das, and Bhai Sati Das are sometimes mentioned as being present looking for the Guru or directly after when
Baba Makhan Shah Labana
Makhan Shah Lubana (; also written as Lobana); (7 July 1619 - 1674) was a devout Sikh and a rich trader of Pelia gautra of Lobana tribe, who discovered the ninth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Tegh Bahadar in Bakala, India on 16 April 1664 A.D. (8 Vi ...
found Guru Tegh Bahadur in the village of Bakala where the new Guru was then residing.
The new Guru entrusted all his financial activities to Bhai Mati Das, and thus he is sometimes given the name Diwan Mati Das, whereas Bhai Sati Das served Guru Tegh Bahadur as a cook. The two brothers accompanied Guru Teg Bahadur during his two-year stay at
Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
. Guru Tegh Bahadur then bought a hillock near the village of Makhowal five miles north of Kiratpur and established a new town, Chakk Nanaki now named
Anandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib, sometimes referred to simply as Anandpur (lit. "city of bliss"), is a city in Rupnagar district (Ropar), on the edge of Shivalik Hills, in the Indian state of Punjab. Located near the Sutlej River, the city is one of the most s ...
(the abode of bliss) where Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das also resided.
The Guru's eastern tours
Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das were present on the Guru's eastern tours beginning in August 1665 including the tours of
Saifabad
Saifabad is one of the major suburbs in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
The Ravindra Bharathi auditorium is located here.
Transport
TSRTC
Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (abbreviated as TSRTC) is a state-owned corporation that ...
and Dhamtan (Bangar) where they were arrested perhaps because of the influence of Dhir Mal, or the
Ulemas
In Islam, the ''ulama'' (; ar, علماء ', singular ', "scholar", literally "the learned ones", also spelled ''ulema''; feminine: ''alimah'' ingularand ''aalimath'' lural are the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious ...
and orthodox
Brahmins
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru o ...
. The Guru was sent to Delhi and detained for one month. After being freed in December 1665, he continued his tour and Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das were again in his company particularly at
Dacca
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city i ...
, and
Malda.
Guru's Arrest
![Inside view of red fort](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Inside_view_of_red_fort.jpg)
In 1675 the Guru was summoned by Emperor
Aurangzeb
Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
to Delhi to convert to Islam. Aurangzeb was very happy that all he had to do was convert one man and the rest of the Hindus from
Kashmir
Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...
,
Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra (, ) is a city and administrative headquarter of Kurukshetra district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is also known as Dharmakshetra ("Realm of duty ") and as the "Land of the Bhagavad Gita".
Legends
According to the Pura ...
,
Hardwar, and
Beneras would follow suit. The Guru left for Delhi on his own accord but was arrested at Malikpur Rangharan near
Ropar
Rupnagar (; formerly known as Ropar is a city and a municipal council in Rupnagar district in the Indian state of Punjab. Rupnagar is a newly created fifth Divisional Headquarters of Punjab comprising Rupnagar, Mohali, and its adjoining distr ...
. While the Guru was traveling towards Delhi his company at this time consisted of his most devoted Sikhs including
Bhai Dayala
Bhai Dayala Ji ( pa, ਭਾਈ ਦਿਆਲਾ ਜੀ, hi, भाई दयाला जी) died 9 November 1675, also known as ''Bhai Dayal Das'' He was boiled alongside his Sikh companions Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das and the Ninth Guru, ...
, Bhai Udai, and Bhai Jaita (Rangretta) as well as Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das. After visiting a few places where large crowds of devotees had gathered the Guru sent Bhai Jaita and Bhai Udai to Delhi to scout ahead and report back to him and to Anandpur as well.
After being arrested Guru Tegh Bahadur was taken to
Sirhind
Sirhind-Fategarh is a town and a municipal council in the Fatehgarh Sahib district in the Indian state of Punjab.
Demographics
In the 2011 census Sirhind-Fatehgarh had a population of 60852. Males constituted 54% of the population and female ...
and from there he was sent to Delhi in an iron cage.
At Delhi, the Guru and his five companions were taken into the council chamber of the
Red Fort
The Red Fort or Lal Qila () is a historic fort in Old Delhi, Delhi in India that served as the main residence of the Mughal Emperors. Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned construction of the Red Fort on 12 May 1638, when he decided to shift hi ...
. The Guru was asked numerous questions on religion,
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
,
Sikhism
Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
and
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
, such as why he was sacrificing his life for people who wear the
Janeu
''Upanayana'' ( sa, उपनयनम्, lit=initiation, translit=Upanāyanam) is a Hindu educational sacrament, one of the traditional saṃskāras or rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a preceptor, such as a ''guru'' ...
and the
Tilak
In Dharmic culture, the ''tilaka'' ( sa, तिलक) () is a mark worn usually on the forehead, at the point of the Ajna chakra, or sometimes another part of the body such as the neck, hand, chest or arm. ''Tilaka'' may be worn daily or for ...
when he himself was a Sikh. The Guru answered that the these are powerless and weak against tyranny. They had come to the abode of Guru Nanak as refuge, and with the same logic he would have sacrificed his life for Muslims as well. On the Guru's emphatic refusal to abjure his faith, he was asked why he was called ''Teg Bahadur'' (gladiator or Knight of the Sword; before this, his name had been ''Tyag Mal''). Bhai Mati Das immediately replied that the Guru had won the title by inflicting a heavy blow on the imperial forces at the young age of fourteen. Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji and his companions were ordered to be imprisoned and tortured until they agreed to embrace Islam.
Guru's Martyrdom
After a few days, Guru Tegh Bahadur and three of his companions were again brought before the
Qazi of the city and again the Sikhs repeated their sentiments. Bhai Mati Das was offered marriage of the Nawab's daughter as well as governorship of the province if he converted to Islam.
On November 11, 1675, large crowds gathered to see the Guru and the executioners were called to the ''kotwali'' (police-station) near the Sunehri Masjid in the
Chandni Chowk
The Chandni Chowk, also known as Moonlight Square is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, India. It is located close to the Old Delhi Railway Station. The Red Fort monument is located at the eastern end of Chandni Chowk. It was bu ...
. The Guru, who was kept in an iron cage, and his three companions were moved to the place of execution. Mughal Empire records from the 17th century explain Bhai Mati Das' death as punishment for challenging the authorities.
Bhai Mati Das,
Bhai Dayala
Bhai Dayala Ji ( pa, ਭਾਈ ਦਿਆਲਾ ਜੀ, hi, भाई दयाला जी) died 9 November 1675, also known as ''Bhai Dayal Das'' He was boiled alongside his Sikh companions Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das and the Ninth Guru, ...
and Bhai Sati Das were then tortured and executed.
Martyrdom of Bhai Mati Das
Bhai Mati Das, the first to be martyred, was asked if he had any final wishes. He replied that he desired to be facing towards the guru on his execution. Bhai Mati Das was made to stand erect between two posts and a double headed saw was placed on his head and he was sawed from his head to his loins. While this was happening, Bhai Mati Das recited the ''
Japuji Sahib''. There is a mystical belief that the recitation of the
Gurbani
Gurbani ( pa, ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ) is a Sikh term, very commonly used by Sikhs to refer to various compositions by the Sikh Gurus and other writers of Guru Granth Sahib. In general, hymns in the central text of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib, ...
continued and was completed even though the body was in two distinct halves. Seeing this, Dyal Das abused the Emperor and his courtiers for this infernal act.
Martyrdom of Bhai Dayala and Bhai Sati Das
Bhai Dayala
Bhai Dayala Ji ( pa, ਭਾਈ ਦਿਆਲਾ ਜੀ, hi, भाई दयाला जी) died 9 November 1675, also known as ''Bhai Dayal Das'' He was boiled alongside his Sikh companions Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das and the Ninth Guru, ...
was tied up like a round bundle and put into a huge bronze cauldron of boiling oil. He was roasted alive into a block of charcoal. No sign of grief was shown by the disciples of the Guru and the Guru also witnessed this savagery with divine calm.
Bhai Sati Das was tied to a pole and wrapped in cotton fibre. He was then set on fire by the executioner. He remained calm and peaceful and kept uttering ''
Waheguru Gurmantar'', while fire consumed his body.
Martyrdom of the Guru
![Sis Ganj Sahib Gurudwara, Chandni Chowk, Delhi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Sis_Ganj_Sahib_Gurudwara%2C_Chandni_Chowk%2C_Delhi.JPG)
Early the next morning Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded by an executioner named Jalal-ud-din Jallad, who resided in the town of
Samana in present-day
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
. The spot of the execution was under a banyan tree (the trunk of the tree and well near-by where he took a bath are still preserved), opposite the Sunheri Masjid near the Kotwali in Chandni Chowk, where he was lodged as a prisoner, on November 11, 1675.
His head was carried by Bhai Jaita, a disciple of the Guru, to Anandpur, where the nine-year-old
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh (; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708), born Gobind Das or Gobind Rai the tenth Sikh Guru, a spiritual master, warrior, poet and philosopher. When his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was executed by Aurangzeb, Guru Gobind Sing ...
cremated it (The
gurdwara
A gurdwara (sometimes written as gurudwara) (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ''guradu'ārā'', meaning "Door to the Guru") is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths ...
at this spot is also called ''Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib''). The body, before it could be quartered, was stolen under the cover of darkness by Lakhi Shah Vanjara, another disciple, who carried it in a cart of hay and cremated it by burning his hut. The
Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib
The Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib is a historic gurdwara near Parliament House in New Delhi. It was built in 1783, after Sikh military leader Baghel Singh (1730–1802) captured Delhi, on 11 March 1783, and his brief stay in Delhi, led to the const ...
stands today at this location. Later on, the
Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib
Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib is one of the nine historical Gurdwaras in Delhi. It was first constructed in 1783 as a small shrine by Baghel Singh to commemorate the martyrdom site of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur and was probably expanded a ...
, was built at Chandni Chowk at the site of Guru's martyrdom.
Legacy
Bhai Mati Das is regarded as a great martyr by the
Sikh
Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
. The date of his martyrdom, is celebrated in certain parts of
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
as a public holiday.
">7 ">8 ">9/sup> Bhai Mati Das' martyrdom finds explicit mention in the daily supplication prayers of Ardas.
The Bhai Mati Das Sati Das Museum was built in honor of Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das in Delhi opposite Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib
Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib is one of the nine historical Gurdwaras in Delhi. It was first constructed in 1783 as a small shrine by Baghel Singh to commemorate the martyrdom site of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur and was probably expanded ...
, Chandni Chowk the spot where they were martyred.
See also
*Guru Tegh Bahadur
Guru Tegh Bahadur ( Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਤੇਗ਼ ਬਹਾਦਰ (Gurmukhi); ; 1 April 1621 – 11 November 1675) was the ninth of ten Gurus who founded the Sikh religion and the leader of Sikhs from 1665 until his beheading in 1675 ...
*Bhai Dyal Das
Bhai Dayala Ji ( pa, ਭਾਈ ਦਿਆਲਾ ਜੀ, hi, भाई दयाला जी) died 9 November 1675, also known as ''Bhai Dayal Das'' He was boiled alongside his Sikh companions Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das and the Ninth Guru, ...
*Bhai Sati Das
Bhai Sati Das ( Punjabi: ਭਾਈ ਸਤੀ ਦਾਸ; died 1675) along with his elder brother Bhai Mati Das were martyrs of early Sikh history. Bhai Sati Das, Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Dyal Das were all executed at ''kotwali'' (police-station) ...
*Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh (; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708), born Gobind Das or Gobind Rai the tenth Sikh Guru, a spiritual master, warrior, poet and philosopher. When his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was executed by Aurangzeb, Guru Gobind Sing ...
*Chhibber
Chhibber ( Punjabi: ਛਿੱਬਰ, Hindi: छिब्बर) alternatively Chibber, is a Mohyal Brahmin clan from the Punjab region. They are one of the seven clans of the Mohyal Brahmin of the Punjab. Most Chhibbers are Hindus, but because the ...
References
Sources
*
*
*
**
*
*
*
Bhai Mati Das Ji
, searchsikhism.com; accessed 12 November 2016.
*Kartar Singh, ''Sikh History Book 5'', Hemkunt Press, New Delhi, India
{{DEFAULTSORT:Das, Bhai Mati
Sikh martyrs
Punjabi people
History of Punjab
People executed for refusing to convert to Islam
Executed Indian people
People executed by the Mughal Empire
People from Jhelum District
17th-century executions in India
1621 births
1675 deaths
Victims of human rights abuses
People executed by India by decapitation
Converts to Sikhism from Hinduism