The martyrdom day of the fifth Sikh Guru, Shri Arjun Dev ji was observed on Friday at several gurudwaras of the city with devotion.

The Sikhs thronged the Gurudwaras since early morning to listen to Shabad Kirtan and the discourses on the life and works of Guru Arjun Dev ji. The Guru Ka Langar, (community kitchen) and distribution of cold and sweetened water at various Gurudwaras was also arranged. All the 34 gurudwaras in the city had made special arrangements for the occasion.

“Today is the martyrdom day of Guru Arjun Dev and a historic day for us all. Our guru sacrificed his life for us and that is why, we have gathered at gurudwara to pay our respects. It was on this day in 1606 AD that the Guru was tortured to death at Lahore in Pakistan during the reign of Mugal Emperor Jahangir,” said Balbir Singh, a devotee at Bistupur gurudwara

“Our fifth guru sacrificed his life, attaining a unique and unparalleled martyrdom. Guru Arjun Dev was barely 43 years old at the time of his supreme sacrifice.Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth guru of the Sikhs, was the embodiment of godly devotion, selfless service and universal love,” said another devotee.

Addressing the gathering at Jugsalai gurudwara, Bhai Gurpratap Singh said that major contributions of Shri Guru Arjun Dev was compilation of the present Sikh Guru Granth Sahib and the construction of the holiest of the holy places, Shri Harminder Sahib in Amritsar.

Singh added that his most significant contribution was the compilation the Adi Granth in 1604 A.D. Equally significant was his inclusion in the Granth Sahib selections of verses by Hindu and Muslim saints.

The youngest son of the fourth Guru, Ram Das, Arjun Dev was born at Goindwal, near Amritsar, in 1563 A.D. Guru Arjun was the founder-builder of Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple. Guru Arjun Dev expanded the city of Amritsar and Kartarpur and founded the city of Tarn Taran too.

Guru Arjun Dev was arrested, and tortured for five days on the orders of Emperor Jehangir, who believed that the Guru had plotted against him and ordered his execution.

Apart from gurudwaras there were several other organisations that distribution of cold and sweetened water at various places of the city.