Brave Children’s Day: The Sikh Version in the General Indian Context

The article examines the reaction and discussion in the Sikh environment to the decision of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introduce a new all-Indian Holiday Veer Baal Diwas (“Brave Children’s Day”), which will be celebrated every December 26 starting from 2022 in memory of the martyrdom of the Sons of the Tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. The article analyzes the historical context of the plot related to the refusal of the younger Sons of Guru – Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh to save their lives by adopting Islam and renouncing Sikhism, loyalty to Guru and Dharma. The initiative of the Prime Minister, with its general positive perception, divided the Sikhs into supporters of the unconditional acceptance of the concept of a new Holiday and those who supported the critical approach of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the Sikh political party Akali Dal, who considered the name of the Holiday unacceptable and at odds with the Sikh religious tradition. If there is no correction of the name of the Veer Baal Diwas Holiday, then it is appropriate to predict an explosion of discontent and criticism from the relevant political and religious forces and the part of the Sikh community that has joined them.