Mata Gujri - Grandmother of the Sahibzade

Dadi**: "Guddu, grandmothers have a special role in families. They teach wisdom, give love, and sometimes... they become pillars of strength in the darkest times."

Guddu**: "Like you, Dadi!"

Dadi**: *smiling* "Tonight I'll tell you about a grandmother far stronger than me - Mata Gujri, the mother of Guru Tegh Bahadur and grandmother of the four Sahibzade."

Guddu**: "The four sons of Guru Gobind Singh?"

Dadi**: "Yes. When Anandpur was under siege in 1704, the Guru's family had to escape separately. Mata Gujri, at seventy years old, took the two youngest grandsons - Zorawar Singh, just nine, and Fateh Singh, only seven - and fled into the dark night."

Guddu**: "Where did they go?"

Dadi**: "They crossed the icy Sirsa stream in December cold. Can you imagine? A seventy-year-old grandmother wading through freezing water, holding the hands of two small boys?"

Guddu**: "She must have been so strong!"

Dadi**: "They reached the home of a servant named Gangu, who they trusted. But Gangu betrayed them for a reward. He told the Mughals where they were hiding."

Guddu**: "That's terrible!"

Dadi**: "Mata Gujri and the boys were arrested and thrown into the Thanda Burj - the Cold Tower - in Sirhind. In the freezing December, without proper clothes or food, they were left to suffer."

Guddu**: "What did Mata Gujri do?"

Dadi**: "She didn't cry. She didn't beg. Instead, she became her grandsons' teacher in that prison. Night after night, she told them stories of their ancestors - of Guru Arjan's sacrifice, of Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom."

Guddu**: "She was teaching them to be brave?"

Dadi**: "She was preparing them. 'Beta,' she would say, 'you are the sons of the house that has lit lamps at both ends. Your great-grandfather gave his head but not his faith. Can you do less?'"

Guddu**: "Such little boys..."

Dadi**: "When the Nawab of Sirhind tried to bribe the children with toys and sweets if they converted, Zorawar and Fateh refused. When he threatened them with death, they stood firm."

Guddu**: "Because of what Mata Gujri taught them?"

Dadi**: "Because of who she helped them become. She transformed that cold prison into a classroom of courage. She used their last nights together to fill them with faith."

Guddu**: "What happened to them?"

Dadi**: "The boys were sentenced to be bricked alive. They walked to their execution reciting prayers. When Mata Gujri heard the news, she collapsed. Her heart, which had been strong as iron, finally broke. She passed away that same day."

Guddu**: "She died of grief?"

Dadi**: "She had used every last bit of strength to prepare her grandsons for their fate. Once they were gone, she could let go. Her work was done."

Guddu**: "I'm crying, Dadi."

Dadi**: "It's okay to cry, beta. These are sacred tears. But remember what Mata Gujri showed us - a grandmother's love isn't just about comfort. Sometimes it's about courage. Sometimes it's about teaching children to stand when everything wants to make them fall."

Guddu**: "She was a hero."

Dadi**: "The unsung hero of that tragedy. Without her, those boys might have wavered. With her, they became immortal. The Gurudwara at Sirhind today honors all three - grandmother and grandsons together."

Guddu**: "I'm glad you told me this story, Dadi."

Dadi**: "Remember Mata Gujri when you think grandmothers are just for cooking and stories. We can be warriors too - warriors who prepare the next generation to face whatever comes. Now sleep, my brave boy. This grandmother is watching over you."