This year, Guru Arjun Dev Ji Martyrdom Day or ‘Shaheedi Diwas’ is on May 23. It occurs annually on the 24th day of Jeth, the third month of the Sikh calendar. This day has significant religious significance for Sikhs worldwide. Guru Arjun Dev Ji was the first Sikh martyr and is renowned for his great achievement. On this day, people organise religious events and peruse the “Sri Guru Granth Sahib.” They also distribute food in the ‘langars’ of the ‘gurudwara’, where all visitors receive complimentary food as part of a communal eating practise.
HISTORY OF MARTYRDOM DAY OF SRI GURU ARJUN DEV JI
Guru Arjun Dev Ji was born in Goindwal, India, in April 1563. His mother was Mata Bhani, and his father was Guru Ramdas. Guru Amardas and Guru Ramdas were his maternal grandfather and great-grandfather, respectively. In 1581, at the age of 18, he became the fifth of ten Sikh gurus following the demise of his father.
In 1606, after his untimely death at the hands of the Mughals, his son became the sixth Guru. The succession of his son was controversial. The selection of Arjan, his youngest son, as his successor resulted in numerous disagreements and divisions among the Sikhs. Prithi Chand opposed Guru Arjan vehemently and founded a faction. The disciples of Guru Arjan founded Minas, an alliance with the breakaway faction.
In 1604, he initiated the construction of the Golden Temple or Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. In addition, he designed the four portals of a gurdwara and declared that his faith was inclusive of all castes. In August of 1604, he compiled “Guru Granth Sahib,” a compilation of the writings of all previous Gurus. He adhered to Guru Ram Das’ Masands system, which suggested that Sikhs donate at least one-tenth of their income to the Sikh organisation ‘dasvand,’ which funded the construction of gurudwaras and langars. In 1606, he was imprisoned in Lahore Fort, tortured, and executed by the Mughal emperor Jahangir, who had imposed a fine and erased some objectionable hymns.
5 FACTS ABOUT GURU ARJUN DEV JI
- Arjun Dev Ji received instruction in Gurumukhi, Sanskrit, Devanagari, Mathematics, and meditation from Guru Amar Das and Guru Baba Budh Ji, as well as in Sanskrit, Devanagari, and Devanagari scripts.
- He married Mata Ganga, the daughter of Bhai Krishna Chand, who gave birth to Hargobind Singh, the sixth Sikh guru.
- Guru Arjun Dev Ji composed the Sukhmani Sahib Bani while compiling the Guru Granth Sahib, to which he added 2,000 hymns.
- After he finished compiling “Sri Guru Granth Sahib” in 1604, a light festival was conducted.
- People of diverse faiths and religions sought his blessings as he was a prominent spiritual leader.
MARTYRDOM DAY OF SRI GURU ARJUN DEV JI DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | June 3 | Friday |
| 2023 | May 23 | Tuesday |
| 2024 | June 10 | Monday |
| 2025 | May 30 | Friday |
| 2026 | June 18 | Thursday |
