Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev
The Mughal Emperor Jahangir ordered sentenced to death to the fifth Sikh Guru Arjan Dev on this day.
Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth guru of Sikhs. He was martyred on June 16, 1606. According to the Hindu calendar, the Shaheedi Diwas or the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev is observed on Jeth Sudi 4, which fell on June 14 this year.
Born in 1563 in Goindval of Tarn Taran district, Guru Arjan Dev was the first martyr of the Sikh religion and was executed on the orders of Mughal emperor Jahangir. The Mughals were afraid of his increasing influence in northern India and the spread of Sikhism.
He had compiled the first edition of the Sikh scripture Adi Granth, which is now known as 'Sri Guru Granth Sahib'.
On Guru Arjan Dev's martyrdom day, people often organise religious events where they read the holy book 'Sri Guru Granth Sahib'. Gurudwaras offer langars distribution on this day. Due to the second wave of Covid-19, no big event will be organised this year.
Every year, a batch of Sikh pilgrims, also known as jatha, travels to Pakistan to mark the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev at Gurudwara Dehra Sahib in Lahore. This year, the jatha was scheduled to depart for Pakistan on June 6.
