Sikhs to Observe 400th Martyrdom Anniversary

June 15, 2006

Source: Garden State Sikh Association, Inc.

On June 15, 2006 Garden State Sikh Association, Inc. reported, "Sikhs all over the world will observe 400th anniversary of their 5th Guru or prophet in June, 2006. Guru Arjan Dev Ji was executed by the Mughal ruler, Jahangir in 1606 in Lahore, Pakistan. Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth successor of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, is credited for giving the infant Sikh religion a strong footing. During his Guru period, he constructed the Harmandar Sahib which is popularly known as the Golden Temple, in Amritsar and compiled the Sikh scriptures Guru Granth Sahib. Jahangir (1569-1609), according to his own autobiography, ordered the execution of the Guru and gave orders to torture and kill the Sikh Guru. Guru never uttered a word of protest against his own torture and asked his followers to learn the lesson of showing perseverance in the face of great adversity. Sikhs revere the Guru deeply and believe that he gave his life for the cause of bringing humanity close to God and to each other. He is the first Sikh martyr and perhaps the first and the most famous martyr of India who willingly gave his life for the preservation of human values... He had gained popularity among the poor and underprivileged sections of both Hindu and Muslim populations."