Birth Bhai Mati Das belonged to a (
Saraswat)
Mohyal Brahmin family of the
Chhibber clan. He lived in the ancient village of
Karyala, about ten kilometres from
Chakwal on the road to the
Katas Raj Temples in the
Jhelum District in the
Punjab region of
Pakistan.
Bhai Sati Das was his younger brother. Bhai Mati Das was the son of Hira Nand, a disciple of
Guru Har Gobind, under whom he had fought in many battles and was a great warrior. Hira Nand was the grandson of Lakhi Das, the son of the Bhai Praga, who was also a martyr and had been a
Jathedar (leader) in Guru Hargobind's first battle.
Service of Guru Tegh Bahadur During the time after
Guru Har Krishan Sahib Ji’s physical disappearance at Delhi, and the uncertainty over who would be the next Guru, Bhai Mati Das, and Bhai Sati Das are sometimes mentioned as being present looking for the Guru or directly after when
Baba Makhan Shah Labana found Guru Tegh Bahadur in the village of Bakala where the new Guru was then residing. The new Guru entrusted all his financial activities to Bhai Mati Das, and thus he is sometimes given the name Diwan Mati Das, whereas Bhai Sati Das served Guru Tegh Bahadur as a cook. The two brothers accompanied Guru Teg Bahadur during his two-year stay at
Assam. Guru Tegh Bahadur then bought a hillock near the village of Makhowal five miles north of Kiratpur and established a new town, Chakk Nanaki now named
Anandpur Sahib (the abode of bliss) where Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das also resided.
The Guru's eastern tours Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das were present on the Guru's eastern tours beginning in August 1665 including the tours of
Saifabad and Dhamtan (Bangar) where they were arrested perhaps because of the influence of Dhir Mal, or the
Ulemas and orthodox
Brahmins. The Guru was sent to Delhi and detained for one month. After being freed in December 1665, he continued his tour and Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das were again in his company particularly at
Dhaka and
Malda.
Guru's Arrest at
Chandni Chowk, Delhi In 1675 the Guru was summoned by Emperor
Aurangzeb to Delhi to convert to Islam. Aurangzeb was very happy that all he had to do was convert one man and the rest of the Hindus from
Kashmir,
Kurukshetra,
Hardwar, and
Beneras would follow suit. The Guru left for Delhi on his own accord but was arrested at Malikpur Rangharan near
Ropar. While the Guru was traveling towards Delhi his company at this time consisted of his most devoted Sikhs including
Bhai Dayala, Bhai Udai, and Bhai Jaita (Rangretta) as well as Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das. After visiting a few places where large crowds of devotees had gathered the Guru sent Bhai Jaita and Bhai Udai to Delhi to scout ahead and report back to him and to Anandpur as well. After being arrested Guru Tegh Bahadur was taken to
Sirhind and from there he was sent to Delhi in an iron cage. At Delhi, the Guru and his five companions were taken into the council chamber of the
Red Fort. The Guru was asked numerous questions on religion,
Hinduism,
Sikhism and
Islam, such as why he was sacrificing his life for people who wear the
Janeu and the
Tilak when he himself was a Sikh. The Guru answered that these are powerless and weak against tyranny. They had come to the abode of Guru Nanak as refuge, and with the same logic he would have sacrificed his life for Muslims as well. 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. Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji and his companions were ordered to be imprisoned and tortured until they agreed to embrace Islam.
Guru's Martyrdom After a few days, Guru Tegh Bahadur and three of his companions were again brought before the
Qazi of the city and again the Sikhs repeated their sentiments. Bhai Mati Das was offered marriage of the Nawab's daughter as well as governorship of the province if he converted to Islam. On November 11, 1675, large crowds gathered to see the Guru and the executioners were called to the
kotwali (police-station) near the Sunehri Masjid in the
Chandni Chowk. The Guru, who was kept in an iron cage, and his three companions were moved to the place of execution. Mughal Empire records from the 17th century explain Bhai Mati Das' death as punishment for challenging the authorities. Bhai Mati Das,
Bhai Dayala and Bhai Sati Das were then tortured and executed.
Martyrdom of Bhai Mati Das rendering of the execution of Bhai Mati Das by the Mughals. This display is at a
Sikh Ajaibghar near the towns of Mohali and Sirhind in Punjab, India Bhai Mati Das, the first to be martyred, was asked if he had any final wishes. He replied that he desired to be facing towards the guru on his execution. Bhai Mati Das was made to stand erect between two posts and a double headed saw was placed on his head and he was
sawed from his head to his loins. While this was happening, Bhai Mati Das recited the
Japuji Sahib. There is a mystical belief that the recitation of the
Gurbani continued and was completed even though the body was in two distinct halves. Seeing this, Dyal Das abused the Emperor and his courtiers for this infernal act.
Martyrdom of Bhai Dayala and Bhai Sati Das Bhai Dayala was tied up like a round bundle and put into a huge bronze cauldron of boiling oil. He was roasted alive into a block of charcoal. No sign of grief was shown by the disciples of the Guru and the Guru also witnessed this savagery with divine calm. Bhai Sati Das was tied to a pole and wrapped in cotton fibre. He was then set on fire by the executioner. He remained calm and peaceful and kept uttering
Waheguru Gurmantar, while fire consumed his body.
Martyrdom of the Guru ,
Chandni Chowk, Delhi Early the next morning Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded by an executioner named Jalal-ud-din Jallad, who resided in the town of
Samana in present-day
Punjab. The spot of the execution was under a banyan tree (the trunk of the tree and well near-by where he took a bath are still preserved), opposite the Sunheri Masjid near the Kotwali in Chandni Chowk, where he was lodged as a prisoner, on November 11, 1675. His head was carried by Bhai Jaita, a disciple of the Guru, to Anandpur, where the nine-year-old
Guru Gobind Singh cremated it (The
gurdwara at this spot is also called
Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib). The body, before it could be quartered, was stolen under the cover of darkness by Lakhi Shah Vanjara, another disciple, who carried it in a cart of hay and cremated it by burning his hut. The
Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib stands today at this location. Later on, the
Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib, was built at Chandni Chowk at the site of Guru's martyrdom. ==Legacy==