Guru Arjan Dev Martyrdom Day 2023, History and Significance

Guru Arjan Dev Martyrdom Day 2023

The fifth Guru of the Sikhs is Guru Arjan Dev. He became the first Sikh martyr, and every year on June 16th, we remember Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom. Since 1606, this day has been observed as a day of remembrance for him. Read on to learn some fascinating details about Guru Arjan Dev

Guru Arjan Dev Martyrdom Day 2023 History

In April 1563, Guru Arjan Dev Ji was born in Goindwal, India. His father was Guru Ramdas, and his mother was Mata Bhani. His maternal grandpa and great-grandfather were Guru Amardas and Guru Ramdas, respectively. At the age of 18, he succeeded his father as the fifth of ten Sikh gurus in 1581.

His son succeeded him as the sixth Guru in 1606, following his untimely death at the hands of the Mughals. His son’s succession was contentious. There were many arguments and rifts among the Sikhs as a result of Arjan, his youngest son, being chosen as his successor. Prithi Chand started a faction and fiercely fought Guru Arjan. Minas was established by Guru Arjan’s followers as a coalition with the secessionist group.

He started work on the Golden Temple, also known as the Harmandir Sahib, in Amritsar in 1604. He also stated that his faith was open to people of all castes and created the four doors of a gurdwara. He created “Guru Granth Sahib,” a collection of all previous Gurus’ writings, in August of 1604.

He followed the Masands method of Guru Ram Das, which recommended that Sikhs give at least one-tenth of their income to the Sikh organisation known as “dasvand,” which paid for the building of gurudwaras and langars. The Mughal emperor Jahangir imprisoned him in Lahore Fort in 1606, tormented him, and then had him put to death after finding him and erasing several offensive hymns.

Guru Arjan Dev Diwas

People arrange devotional activities, readings of the Guru Granth Sahib, and Langars (a Sikh practise of communal feeding) on this day all across the world. Additionally, every year a group of Sikh pilgrims travels to Lahore, Pakistan, to the Gurdwara of Dehra Sahib. The collective is known as Jatha. The Jatha was slated for June 6 this year.

For Sikhs around the world, this year’s 417th martyrdom anniversary has significant religious significance. The holiday celebrates all forms of life and universal acceptance. It honours harmony and serenity. It honours Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji and his noble life, which placed a strong emphasis on societal peace and harmony.

About Guru Arjan Dev Martyrdom Day 2023

In Tarn Taran or the Goindwal district, Guru Arjan Dev was born in 1563. His paternal grandpa was Guru Ramdas, the fourth Sikh Guru, and his maternal grandfather was Guru Amardas, the third Sikh Guru. He was the first Sikh martyr and the fifth Guru of the Sikhs. Jehangir, the Mughal emperor, had him put to death. His most notable accomplishment was compiling the first version of the Guru Granth Sahib, or Adi Granth, a sacred text for Sikhs. The Adi Granth was later placed in Harmandir Sahib.

Sukhmani Sahib Bani was just one of several texts written by Guru Arjan Dev. One of the world’s largest collections of hymns, he authored 2000 of them himself. Additionally, he is reputed to have drawn the map of the Golden Temple himself, adding entrances to each corner to represent the Gurudwara’s welcoming of all castes and beliefs. He was the driving force for the Golden Temple’s construction at Amritsar. Guru Hargobind Singh, his son, succeeded him as the sixth guru of the Sikhs after his passing.

Guru Arjan Dev Diwas Achievement

He started the process of writing the current Guru Granth Sahib, the Holy Book. This is Guru Arjan Dev’s greatest accomplishment, which he accomplished with the aid of his brother Gurdas. In addition, he wrote the Sukhmani Sahib Bani and contributed more than 2,000 hymns personally. Do you know that the Guru Granth Sahib contains 5894 hymns in total, more than 2000 of which are composed by Guru Arjan Dev.  The hymns’ remaining verses are taken from the heavenly utterances of Sheikh Farid, Bhagat Kabir, Bhagat Ravi Das, Dhanna Namdev, Ramannand, Jai Dev, Trilochan, Beni, Pipa, and Surdas.

Guru Arjan Dev Death

The arrest of Guru Arjan Dev in the Fort of Lahore was mandated by Mughal emperor Jehangir in 1696. According to rumours, he was detained as a result of his growing influence over people and, by extension, Sikhism’s power over them.

Khusrau, Jehangir’s wayward son, received a blessing from Guru Arjan Dev, infuriating the Mughal emperor, who immediately ordered his execution. His dying was unbearably painful and horrible. Guru Arjan Dev was forced to endure being poured hot sand while being forced to sit on a flaming plate. He was then forced to take a river bath before continuing to be tormented for a further five days till his death. In essence, he was killed by burning because he supported the emperor’s disobedient son.

Guru Arjan Dev Martyrdom Day 2023 UPSC

May 23 is Guru Arjun Dev Ji Martyrdom Day, also known as “Shaheedi Diwas.” On the 24th day of Jeth, the third month of the Sikh calendar, it takes place every year. For Sikhs worldwide, today holds important religious importance. The first Sikh martyr, Guru Arjun Dev Ji, is revered for his outstanding accomplishment. People organise religious activities on this day and read from the “Sri Guru Granth Sahib.” Additionally, they provide food in the “langars” of the “gurudwara,” where all guests are given free meals as part of a custom of sharing meals.

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