ZORAWAR SINGH PAUT

ZORAWAR SINGH PAUT (d. 1708), generally known as Guru Gobind Singh\’s adopted son, was born to Bhai Natthu, a carpenter of Bassi Pathanan, near Sirhind. His mother, Mai Bhikkhi, served in the Guru`s household at Anandpur, where the boy spent his early childhood, too. He was about the same age as the Guru\’s third son, Zorawar Singh, and both of them were playmates. Once he defeated his Sahibzada in a friendly wrestling bout in the presence of Guru Gobind Singh. The Guru lovingly remarked, ” He, too, is my Zorawar (literally, strong or mighty) son, ” and he treated him as such.

The appellation persisted so that his real name is totally lost to history. At the time of the evacuation of Anandpur on the night of 5-6 December 1705, he was among those who were able to cross the flooded Sarsa. He was however stranded on the left bank of the rivulet and severely wounded in a skirmish near Malikpur Ranghran. He took shelter in Kotia Nihang Khan from where he was conveyed by a relation to the village of Dadheri, near Gobindgarh. Here an old lady, Mai Pupan, cleaned and dressed his wounds.

On recovery he rejoined Guru Gobind Singh at Damdama Sahib, Talvandi Sabo, but returned to the north before the Guru left on his travels to the Deccan. Having stayed briefly at places such as Dhattian, Dadheri, Ugani and Bassi, he settled down at Khizrabad, now in Ropar district. But he travelled southwards again and joined Guru Gobind Singh\’s camp at Itmadpur, near Agra. He died along with 19 other Sikhs in an unexpected skirmish with local soldiers near Chittorgarh Fort on 3 April 1708. Shrines commemorating him exist at Kotia Nihang Khan, Dadhen, Ugani and Khizarabad.

References :

1. Padam, Piara Singh, and Giani Garja Singh, eds., Guru kian Sakhia.n. Patiala, 1986
2. Sainapati, Sri Gur Sobha, ed., Ganda Singh. Patiala, 1967
3. Santokh Singh, Bhai, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth. Amritsar, 1927-35
4. Chhibbar, Kesar Singh, Bansavalinama Dasan Patshahian Ka, ed., Rattan Singh Jaggi. Cliandigarh, 1972