Janam Sahibzada Zorawar Singh Ji

ABA 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. 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.