Jagtarjit Singh 
This picture of Chhote Sahibzades by painter Avtar Singh is a new one. It is not easy to think hard and turn thoughts into actions. Still, some person who does this comes to the fore. Such a work keeps the viewer’s mind attached to it for a long time.
This miniature ‘Sahebzade’ is talking about the martyrdom of the younger Shahebzades, but not in the way that Sikh society has been seeing for ages. The changes in the picture are not two or four but the method has completely changed. The first unit of variation/change can be taken as the environment. Secondly, there is no crowd of ruling party workers around Sahibzada. There is no one who commands after seeing the Qur’an, nor is there a servant who obeys what he says. We can say that Chitere has completely left the opposition out of the picture. He also did not give space to Sikh pilgrims here. Thirdly, according to the scene, the little Sahibzade is not standing in the wall. They are free from it, but there is a strong wall behind them. Their bodies, despite the existence of the wall, appear to be whole.
We can say that the painter is not presenting the events that happened as other painters have been doing. Through this picture, I have dared to express the ‘sense of time’ on a broad scale. The presented environment has its own speed, impact.
Not only is the scene different, the perspective on the image is also different. The place where the event takes place is Sarhind, but the painter reacts and captures the entire earth. One may think that this presentation is one-sided, half-hearted. It is true that the oppressor is not present, but that does not diminish the effect of oppression.
Compared to this, the strong faith of the Sahibzades towards their religion has been presented in a well-structured manner. This method expands the scope of the viewer’s thinking. This view does not mark a time-space. Chitera expands it through his imagination. By juxtaposing multiple entities at the same time, the presentation has been made meaningful.
Everyone knows the historical details of the events that took place after Guru Sahib left Anandpur fort. Knowing all this, if we look at the picture created by Avtar Singh, then some units are missing from it and some new units are added.
The picture deviates from the tradition where the wall being built around the two Sahibzades is reaching up to their chests. There is a wall but they are not in that wall, they are free from it. The viewer feels this way because their entire body is visible. They are dressed in saffron robes and are in a chanting posture. The collective tradition of the Sikh Gurus has given the message to the Sikh Sangat to live in the ‘climbing art’. These are symbols of balance in the practical work of the world and for those who meditate in the spiritual realm.
No one around the younger Sahibzades in the picture. The way they stand with their weapons shows that they are not afraid. A steadfast mind and spirit are not afraid.
Chitera is showing his respect towards them by making their whole bodies. The red brick construction wall is not opaque. The wall had ended two lives. Here the meaning of the wall being transparent is that a Sikh standing at this point can see his history across. This aspect of the image is important.
The effect of red bricks is created with thin black lines. It starts from the middle and goes up the axis. The right hand of Sahibzade on the left hand side and a corner of the safa on his neck is outside the wall.
The Sahibzadas were eliminated by the Mughal government on a physical level, but due to their behavior of standing against oppression, their name remained forever in the minds of the people. His martyrdom wrote a new verse which Chitera narrates in his own language. To the right of the picture stands a man with folded hands. In fact, according to Chitere, he is a symbol of the Khalsa emerging from the earth.
To the left of the picture, seated under a large tree, the Sadh holds a harp in his hand. This is a sign of carrying forward the Bani Gayan tradition started by Guru Nanak Dev Ji. A person singing on a tuned harp has his eyes closed.
Four burning lamps are visible on the level wall. This is not an equal. The order of these four is from big to small. This allusion is to the four Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Big Sahibzade Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh were martyred in the battle of Chamkaur. Small Sahibzades were martyred in the wall. Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s children did not stay with him for a short period of time.
Painter Avtar Singh is trying to expand his work. So he devises a new trick. Commonly found images have been basing a piece of land. The ruins of Sirhind Fort and the tower where Mata Gujriji and the younger Sahibzades were imprisoned are also seen in the works of some painters. They try to give a historical touch to their work with little difference. This picture is different from that kind of environment.
Titled ‘Sahibzade’, the picture involves the entire land, water, day and night. Avtar Singh is using a detail from Indian mythology to enhance his work. It is the recognition that our earth rests on the horns of the bull. When one side is tired, it rests the earth on the other horn. When this change occurs, earthquakes become stronger.
The painter has created a mighty bull below, the earth not resting on his horns but standing slightly back, distracted. Avtar Singh’s opinion is reflected in the image that the government of the time earned great blasphemy by martyring the Sahibzades; Even an underground bull could not escape from the effect of the sin committed. Added to this is the fact that the earth is unstable due to misdeeds like non-violence, oppression and sin. It is also true that this work is always done by the ruling party.
The impact of martyrdom is amplified through another motif. A cloth is given over the body of a cow-bell to decorate it, but instead of cloth, a wall is spread over the back of this bull. The atrocity of which the mere molecule of the vast earth became a part shook even the subterranean bull. The painter has expanded the impact of the martyrdom through his imagination. The difference in the subject’s performance did not moderate the public’s approach to the martyrdom of the Sahibzades.
Earth’s existence is tied to the cycle of day and night. Both units are included in the picture. The sun is shining on the left while the moon is low on the right.
We can also take the extended meaning of these units. We can assume that there are witnesses to the martyrdom/torture of Sahibzades day and night.
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