Bhai Mati Das - Sawn in Half

Dadi: "Beta Guddu, do you know what the words "band band katwaye" mean?"

Guddu: "No, Dadi. What does it mean?"

Dadi: "It means "cut joint by joint." These words appear in the Ardas, the Sikh prayer, and they remind us of a man who faced the most horrific death imaginable rather than give up his faith."

Guddu: "That sounds scary, Dadi."

Dadi: "It is a difficult story, beta. But it's also a story of extraordinary courage. His name was Bhai Mati Das."

Guddu: "Who was he?"

Dadi: "Bhai Mati Das came from a family of warriors. His grandfather had fought alongside Guru Hargobind. His brother Bhai Dayal Das and he both served Guru Tegh Bahadur with complete devotion. In fact, from his family, eleven brothers gave their lives for the Sikh faith."

Guddu: "That's a lot of sacrifice from one family!"

Dadi: "In November 1675, something terrible was happening in India. The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb had ordered all Hindus in Kashmir to convert to Islam or be killed. The Kashmiri Pandits, terrified for their lives, came to Guru Tegh Bahadur for help."

Guddu: "What did the Guru do?"

Dadi: "The Guru knew what he had to do. He told the Pandits: "Tell the Emperor that if he can convert the ninth Sikh Guru, we will all convert. But if not, leave us in peace." He was offering himself as the shield for all of them."

Guddu: "That was very brave!"

Dadi: "The Guru set out for Delhi, and Bhai Mati Das and two other devoted Sikhs volunteered to accompany him. They knew they were walking toward danger, possibly death."

Guddu: "Why did they go?"

Dadi: "Because true devotion means being with your Guru in the darkest moments, not just the good times. When the Guru was arrested, so were they."

Guddu: "What happened in Delhi?"

Dadi: "Emperor Aurangzeb's court tried everything to make them convert to Islam. First, they offered rewards - wealth, power, marriage to nobles. "Just say you accept Islam," they promised, "and all this is yours.""

Guddu: "Did Bhai Mati Das consider it?"

Dadi: "Never! He said something remarkable. They told him, "Accept Islam and we will give you riches." He replied: "I have experienced all worldly comforts. I would rather taste the teeth of your beloved saw than abandon my faith.""

Guddu: "The teeth of a saw?"

Dadi: "Yes. Because when they realized he wouldn't convert, they sentenced him to be sawn in half - while still alive."

Guddu: "*gasps* That's... that's..."

Dadi: "On November 24, 1675, Bhai Mati Das was brought to Chandni Chowk in Delhi. They tied him between two wooden posts, standing upright. Two executioners placed a large double-handed saw on his head."

Guddu: "Did he cry out?"

Dadi: "No, beta. He made one request: "Turn my face toward my Guru, so I can see him as I die." Then he began reciting Japji Sahib, the morning prayer."

Guddu: "While being sawed?"

Dadi: "Yes. As the saw moved down through his body, his lips never stopped moving in prayer. The witnesses say that even when his body was split in two, the prayer continued to echo from each half until it was finished."

Guddu: "How is that possible?"

Dadi: "Faith, beta. Deep, unshakeable faith can carry us through anything. When the executioners urged him one last time to convert and stop the pain, he replied: "If I have to die, so be it. But may my Sikh faith never go.""

Guddu: "What happened next?"

Dadi: "They killed Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dayal Das too, each in horrible ways, hoping to frighten Guru Tegh Bahadur into converting. But the Guru watched calmly. The next morning, he too was executed."

Guddu: "They all died?"

Dadi: "Yes. But their deaths had meaning, beta. Because of their sacrifice, the forced conversions in Kashmir stopped. The Guru's son, young Gobind Rai, was just nine years old. He grew up to become Guru Gobind Singh and created the Khalsa - an army of saint-soldiers who would never again let the innocent be persecuted without resistance."

Guddu: "Bhai Mati Das's death changed history?"

Dadi: "Every Sikh today remembers him in the daily Ardas. The fingers that were cut first were the same fingers that had lovingly copied the sacred scriptures. His sacrifice is woven into the very fabric of Sikh prayer."

Guddu: "What does this story teach us, Dadi?"

Dadi: "Beta, we will almost certainly never face such a test. But we face smaller tests every day - tests of integrity, honesty, standing up for what's right. Bhai Mati Das teaches us that our principles are not negotiable. He could have said a few words and lived, but he understood that some things are worth more than physical life. He also teaches us about courage - true courage is not the absence of fear, but action despite fear. And finally, he shows us the power of prayer - even in the worst moments, connecting with the divine gives strength beyond human understanding."

Guddu: "I want to remember him when I'm scared to do the right thing."

Dadi: "That's the best way to honor him, beta. When you face a hard choice - to tell the truth, to defend someone being bullied, to admit a mistake - think of Bhai Mati Das. If he could face a saw with prayer on his lips, surely we can face our smaller fears with courage. Now, shall we say a prayer of gratitude for such brave souls?"