The year was 1734, in Lahore. A 10-year-old Hindu boy named Haqiqat Rai was studying as usual with other students at a madrasa. He had recently joined the Persian class. The festival of Vasant Panchami was just around the corner, and he clashed with some Muslim children over the same topic. The Muslim children hurled some profanities against Goddess Saraswati, which the entire class supported. Unable to tolerate, Haqiqat Rai single-handedly opposed them.
Seeing the situation escalate, Haqiqat Rai and the other children were taken to the madrasa's cleric. There, all the Muslim children lied, claiming that Haqiqat had hurled profanities at Bibi Fatima. There was no evidence to support Haqiqat, and considering it a heinous crime, the cleric decided to punish Haqiqat Rai without even knowing the truth.
The cleric reported the incident to the Qazi, and considering it an insult to Islam, the young boy was publicly sentenced to death. His family pleaded for mercy with the then king, Zakaria Khan, but he, without knowing the truth, justified the punishment. The day of execution was deliberately set for Vasant Panchami.
Before his beheading, he was offered the option of converting to Islam, but Haqiqat refused. In 1734, when the entire country was celebrating Saraswati Puja, the beheading of this young child, only 10 years old, was beheaded in Lahore.
It is said that in her final moments, his mother urged him to convert to Islam, as at least he would remain alive. But Haqiqat Rai, smiling, bowed his head to the executioner.
Until the partition of India, both Hindus and Muslims gathered at Haqiqat Rai's tomb in Lahore every Vasant Panchami. It is no wonder that it was because of self-respecting Hindus like Haqiqat Rai that Sanatan Dharma stood tall against the invaders even in such difficult times.