December, A Month Of Divine Birth & Sublime Martyrdom: A Thought As A sikh

It may seem like the law of contrariety is in force when observing the two divergent events marked in the same month of December by two different religious bases: the birth of Jesus and the martyrdom of the family of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh ji.
But it rather symbolises the eternal glow ignited by spiritual nativity on the one hand and sublime radiance of noble ‘Shahadat’ (Martydom) on the otherhand.
However, if one takes off the blindfold of religious difference here, we understand that the Almighty Nirankar (The intangible and abstract form of the Omnipotent) is conveying the same message to the collective humanity: Giving hope to life through birth of good and giving moral dignity to life through sacrifice.
We all know why Christmas is celebrated around the world, but many might not know why ‘Shahadat’ too is celebrated by all the Sikhs worldwide.
In 1704, Guru Gobind Singh was fighting the battle against the Mughal army and Hindu hill chiefs for the right to self-dignity and equality for all human beings, as well as standing up against the cruel regime for atrocities on the minorities and the so-called lower castes, in the South asian region ( Later called India by the British).
The Hindu hill Chiefs, also called the Rajas (kings) of small provinces, urged Guru ji to leave the fort of Anandpur Sahib ( holy town in Panjab and home to the Golden Temple), and the joint army would let Guru ji and his followers get safe passage. Guru Ji was suspicious, obviously, but his Sikh soldiers, who were tired of fighting with limited sources, also advised Guru ji to leave the fort. On the 20th December 1704, Guru ji left the fort and came under heavy military attack on himself and his army immediately.
December 21st/22nd: The Battle of Chamkaur took place, where Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s two elder sons, Baba Ajit Singh Ji (18) and Baba Jujhar Singh Ji (14), attained martyrdom fighting bravely against overwhelming Mughal forces.
December 23-26 (9-12 Poh): The younger sons, Sahibzada Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Sahibzada Baba Fateh Singh Ji, were imprisoned in the Thanda Burj (Cold Tower) in Sirhind and presented in the court of Wazir Khan. They were betrayed by the Hindu cook for the family who was accompanying them and Guru ji’s mother, Mata Gujar and informed the authorities of their whereabouts.
December 27 (13 Poh): The younger Sahibzadas, aged just 9 and 7, were bricked alive for refusing to convert to Islam. Their grandmother, Mata Gujar Ji, also passed away in captivity upon hearing the news. 
This solemn period is a time of deep reflection for the Sikhs to learn from the unparalleled examples of courage and unwavering faith in Sikh history. 
In this sense, the Sikhs celebrate the martyrdoms and not mourn the events, which restore hope in humanity and infuse the right to dignity, which gives courage to fight for others too.
Isn’t it the same message through the birth of Jesus? – symbolising a new hope for all humanity, and celebrating the advent of good, giving mankind a chance at moral life.
Life prepares us for death, and everyone born must die, too. However, not everyone who breathes attains spiritual greatness, and not everyone who dies becomes immortal.
Wishing everyone a great purpose in life.
Angus Scott has captured the concept of Shahadat comprehensively and described its value perfectly for a Sikh in the attached podcast.