On the 16th of June every year since 1606, the Sikhs have observed the anniversary of the Martyrdom of Guru Arjan. The observance commemorates the death – following five days of torture – of the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, who was also the first Sikh martyr. Prior to this event, Sikh history had been peaceful and non-violent. The way in which Guru Arjan Dev died changed the entire character of Sikhism radically and led to a shift from a passive people to “courageous saint soldiers”.
Note: When referring to the death of the Sikh gurus, the Punjabi phrase joti jot (which literally means “light joining another light”) is commonly used to refer to the merging of the manifest light of the human person (the soul) into the Divine or Supreme Light (God).
Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev is usually marked at Gurdwaras with Akand Path (a continuous cover to cover reading of Sri Guru Granth Sahib) which is timed to conclude on June 16th. Additionally, the observance typically includes kirtan (the musical recitation of hymns from Sri Guru Granth Sahib) and katha (lectures on Sikhism). Some places also have Nagar Kirtan – a procession with Sri Guru Granth Sahib led by five Sikhs carrying Nishan Sahibs (the Sikh flag). Free sweets and langar are offered to the general public outside some Gurdwaras. Gurdwara: A Gurdwara (gur-dwahr-uh), meaning "the doorway to the guru", is a place of worship for Sikhs and the followers of Sikhism. A Gurudwara is also referred to as a "Sikh temple". The most significant Gurudwara of the Sikhs is the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, Punjab, India.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib: The Guru Granth Sahib, or Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is the Holy Scripture and the final Guru of the Sikhs. It contains 1430 pages and is a collection of hymns or bhajans, which describe what God is like and the right way to live.
At www.sikhs.org we learn that the Sikh religion today has a following of over 20 million people worldwide and is ranked as the world’s 5th largest religion.
About 80% of the world's Sikhs live in the province of Punjab, in India; however, Sikhs are also found in many international cities and have become an especially strong religious presence in the United Kingdom and Canada.
On June 16th, we ask that each of you pause for a few moments and, in a manner appropriate in your faith tradition and/or belief system, send thoughts of love and good will to our Sikh brothers and sisters as they gather to observe the anniversary of the martyrdom of their fifth Guru, Arjun Dev.
Shalom Salaam Peace
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