भाई मतिदास छिब्बर और भाई सतीदास छिब्बर : शहीदी -दिवस पर श्रद्धांजलि

दस नवम्बर शहीद-दिवस पर विशेष
10 नवम्बर 1675 को भाई मतिदास छिब्बर और भाई सती दास ने औरंगजेब के आदेश पर इस्लाम धर्म स्वीकार नहीं किया । उन्होंने अत्याचारी औरंगजेब के धर्म परिवर्तन के प्रस्ताव को ठुकराया और देश और धर्म के लिए बलिदान हो गए।
जिस निर्मम ढंग से उन्हें शहीद किया गया , ऐसा बर्बर उदाहरण इतिहास में मिलना कठिन है।
भाई मतिदास को चांदनी चौक में आरे से चिरवा दिया गया। उनके भाई सती दास के पूरे शरीर पर रुई लपेट दी गई और आग लगा दी गई. इस तरह उन्हें शहीद कर दिया गया ।
ऐसे वीर बलिदानी मोहयाल ब्राहमण आज भी हम सबके हृदयों में विराजे हुए हैं। हमें उन पर गर्व है। उनके शहीदी - दिवस पर श्रद्धापूर्वक स्मरण और श्रद्धांजलि !
--जय मोहयाल परिवार
Bhai Mati Das was a Mohyal Brahmin of the Chhibber clan.Mati Das was the son of Hira Nand Chibber, a disciple of Guru Har Gobind, under whom he had fought in many battles. He survived the Guru, and a little before his death he had entrusted his two sons, Mati Das Chhibber and Sati Das Chhibber to the care of Guru Har Rai, who had assured the dying man of his full attention and help. Both the lads remained attached to the Guru's family at Kiratpur. When Guru Har Krishan was summoned to Delhi by Aurangzeb, both the brothers, Mati Das and Sati Das, were present in his entourage along with Dyal Das . He belonged to the village of Karyala, a stronghold of the Chhibbers, in the Jhelum District in Punjab (Pakistan), about ten kilometres from Chakwal on the road to the Katas Raj Temple Complex. The village stands on the top of the Surla hills. This part of the country is known as Dhani meaning rich. A few kilometres away are the Salt Mines and coal mines of Dandot. The Katas lake is beautiful. Legend connects it to the Mahabharata. It is believed to be the very pool, where the Pandava, Yudhishtira was tested by his father, Lord Yama/Dharma in the form of a Yaksha. A great Hindu fair used to be held there up to 1947.
Great Sacrifice

At Delhi, the Guru and his four companions were summoned into the council chamber of the Red Fort. The Guru was asked numerous questions on religion, Hinduism, Sikhism and Islam. It was suggested to the Guru that he should embrace Islam. 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. He was reprimanded for his breach of etiquette and outspokenness. As Mati Das was a Brahmin, the Guru was asked why he had courted the company of such men when he did not believe in caste, and why he was defending the Brahmins of Kashmir. The Guru replied that when a person became a Sikh, he lost his caste. As for the Kashmiri Pandits, it was his duty to raise his voice against cruelty and injustice. The Guru and his companions were ordered to be imprisoned and tortured until they agreed to embrace Islam.

After a few days, Guru Teg Bahadur and three of his companions were produced before the Qazi of the city. Gurditta had managed to escape. He remained in hiding in the city, and in spite of all the efforts of the Government, he could not be traced. The Qazi turned to Mati Das first and asked him to embrace Islam. He refused to do so. He was condemned to an instantaneous death.

The executioners were called and the Guru and all the three of his companions were made to sit at the place of the execution. Bhai Mati Das approached the Guru with folded hands and asked for his blessings, saying that he was happy to be the first to achieve martyrdom.

The Guru blessed him telling that they must resign themselves cheerfully to the will of the Lord. He praised him for his lifelong single-minded devotion to him and his cause. With tears in his eyes, he bade him farewell saying his sacrifice would occupy an abiding place in history. Bhai Mati Das touched the Guru's feet, embraced his friend and brother, and came to his place.

On 10 November 1675 Bhai Mati Das Chhibber while standing erect was tied between two posts. He was asked if he had any parting words, to which Bhai Mati Das Chhibber answered, 'I request only that my head be turned toward my Guru as I am executed.' Two executioners placed a double-handed saw on his head. Bhai Mati Das Chhibber serenely uttered ' Ek Onkar ' and started reciting the Japji Sahib, the great morning prayer of the Sikhs. He was sawn across from head to loins. It is said that even as the body was being sawn into two, the Japji continued to reverberate from each part until it was all over.

His brother Bhai Sati Das Chhibber was wrapped in cotton wool and burnt alive.

Bhai Dyala was boiled alive in a cauldron of boiling water.