History in 17 November

1696 Janam Divas(Birthday), Sahibjada Baba Zorawar Singh Ji. BABA ZORÂWAR SIṄGH (1696-1705), the third son of Gurû Gobind Siṅgh, was born to Mâtâ Jîtojî at Anandpur on 17 November 1696, and was barely nine years old at the time of the evacuation of Anandpur on the night of 5-6 December 1705. (all dates are pre-Nanakshahi) Since the passing away, on 5 December 1700, of Mâtâ Jîtojî, Mâtâ Gujarî, his grandmother had been especially attached to young Zorâwar Siṅgh and his infant brother, Fateh Siṅgh. She took charge of both as the column moved out of Anandpur. While crossing on horseback the rivulet Sarsâ, then in spate, the three were separated from Gurû Gobind Siṅgh. Gaṅgû, who had also succeeded in crossing the stream, escorted them to his own house in the village of Kheṛî, now known as Saheṛî, near Moriṇḍâ in present-day Ropaṛ district. While unsaddling the horse he saw that there was some cash in the saddlebag. This tempted him to treachery. He not only stole the saddlebag during the night, but also planned to betray the fugitives to the government in hope of a reward. On the morning of 7 December 1705, the day of the fateful battle of Chamkaur, Zorâwar Siṅgh, along with Fateh Siṅgh and their grandmother, was taken into custody by Jânî Khân and Mânî Khân Raṅghaṛ, the officials at Moriṇḍâ. They were despatched on the following day to Sirhind where they were consigned to the Cold Tower (Ṭhaṇḍa Burj) of the Fort. On 9 December 1705, Zorâwar Siṅgh and Fateh Siṅgh were produced before the faujdâr, Nawâb Wazîr Khân, who had just returned from Chamkaur with his feudal ally, Nawâb Sher Muhammad Khân of Mâlerkoṭlâ. Wazîr Khân tried to lure the Sâhibzâdâs to embrace Islam with promises of riches and honours, but they spurned the suggestion. He then threatened them with death, but they remained undaunted. Death sentence was finally pronounced. 1922 The agitation for the restitution of Guru Ka Bagh was won.