There were 2 Todar Mals: Historian

Chandigarh: The Punjab Virasat Chairtable Trust has donated Dewan Todar Mal’s Jahaz Haveli to the SGPC.

The Dewan performed funeral rites of two younger Sahibzadas of 10th Sikh Master Guru Gobind Singh - Baba Zorawar Singh (9) and Baba Fateh Singh (7) - who were entombed alive by Mughal rulers of the time for not embracing Islam.

Prof Kirpal Singh, former professor and Head of Punjab Historical Studies Department, Punjabi University, Patiala, who has been assigned by the SGPC to edit an important religious work on Sikhism, says in history there were references to two Todar Mals.

The first one became popular during the rule of Akbar. He was given the title of Raja and it is believed Rajpura town was named after him. He was also known as Todar Mal Khatri Lahori. He died in 1589 in Lahore.

He used to read religious books at secluded religious places, but Akbar told him by spending time in the service of people he would become spiritually stronger and closer to God.

Prof Kirpal Singh, who has given an authentic account of events of pre and post- Partition and also known for other works of history, says the other Todar Mal became popular during rule of Shahjehan and Aurangzeb. He was known as Todar Mal Shahjahani. He was given the title of Rai in 1640 and became Faujdar of Sirhind in 1641. During the same time, he was also given charge of the Lakhi jungle area.

As per account in the Phulkian state gazetteer, he belonged to Kakra village, a few miles from Patiala. In 1648, he was given the title of Raja.

After losing battle when Dara Shikoh came towards Sirhind, Todar Mal was in the Lakhi jungle area. It is said Dara took away valuables, including substantial cash of Todar Mal from Sirhind.

Prof Kirpal Singh says references to both Todar Mals are there in ‘The Maathir-ul-Umara’ (volume II).

The book by Nawan Samsam-ud-Waula and others has biographies of Mohammadan and Hindu officers of the Mughal period.

A reference to the death of Dewan Todar Mal (second) in that book has surprised Prof Kirpal Singh. On page 958 of the book, translated into English by H. Beveridge long back, it has been written that Dewan Todar Mal died sometime in 1665-66.

Prof Kirpal Singh says he has serious doubts on the authenticity of the year of the death of Todar Mal mentioned in the book because the younger Sahibzadas attained martyrdom in 1705.

If book is to be believed, then Todar Mal died about 40 years before the martyrdom of the Sahibzadas.

Prof Kirpal Singh favours more research on the accounts, though there are not many available on Todar Mal (second) and his family.

He says he is almost convinced that the family of Todar Mal was very much involved in performing funeral rites of the Sahibzadas and it bought land by giving gold as price to cremate them.