GURU ARJAN DEV JI

(1563-1606)

THE FIFTH GURU

Guru Arjan Dev, the Fifth Guru of Sikhs, was youngest son of Guru Ram Das ji, the Fourth Guru. Mata Bahani ji was his mother. He was born on April 15 1563 and designated as Fifth Guru in the year 1581 when he was only 18 years old. He led Sikhs for 25 years until he was martyred in 1606, when he was only 43 years old. Guru Arjan Dev ji finished work on the Tank(Sarovar) at city of Amritsar and built a beautiful Gurudwara, Harimandir Sahib (Temple of God) in the midst of the Sarovar. The foundation of the Harimandir Sahib was laid by Muslim Saint Mian Mir. Harimandir Sahib is also known as The Golden Temple because of its gold plated domes and outer walls. Harimandir Sahib has four doors signifying that it is open to all without any consideration of caste and creed.

Golden Temple soon became a very place of worship for people of all faiths. Guru ji helped in the establishment of various types of trades and professions in the city of Amritsar.  Some of these trades were banking, embroidery, carpentry, and horse trading. Sikhs were sent to Afghanistan and Central Asia to buy good horses. The trade in horses helped in developing interest of horseback riding among Sikhs.

Another place of worship was opened by Guru Sahib which is known by the name Taran Taaran, here also a big Temple and a Tank was built for the comfort of the devotees. The foundation stone for the Temple at Taran Taaran was laid by Guru ji himself. A house for lepers was also built near the Temple.

Guru Sahib compiled the Adi-Granth (the Sacred Sikh Scripture) by putting together the hymns of the first four Gurus, some of the Hindu and Muslim Bhagats and his own hymns too. The first version was completed in 1604 with assistance of Bhai Gurdas ji. Guru ji was a great poet. Sukhmani is one of the greatest compostion of his’.

Popularity and influence of Guru ji grew and spread all over. People of all faiths adored him. People came to take his blessings in large numbers from all over the country. This created tensions in among Mughal rulers. The then emperor Jahangir wanted to put end to this traffic.

Jahangir soon came to know that his own son Khusro, who had revolt against him, had also gone to Guru Arjan Dev to have blessings. This gave Jahangir an excuse to accuse Guru Sahib of helping enemy with money and moral support.

Deewan Chandu, a Hindu official in Jahangir’s court bore a grudge against Guru Sahib for rejecting his daughter’s hand in marriage for Guru Sahib’s son. He took the responsibility to torture Guru Sahib to death.

Guru ji was arrested by Mughals and taken to Lahore and tortured to death. He was made to sit on a red hot iron sheet and hot sand was poured over his body. Saint Mian Mir offered intervene and convince Emperor that nothing wrong was committed by Guru ji, but Guru ji politely refused the offer saying “Tera Bhana Meetha Laagey” meaning “Sweet is thy will, O beloved Lord”. After four days of brutal torturing, Guru ji’s half-baked and blistered body was thrown into the river Ravi to be washed away.

Today a beautiful Gurudwara called Dera Sahib stands at this place and thousands of devotees visit there every year to pay their homage to their beloved Guru Sahib~ an apostle of peace!

Guru Sahib’s martyrdom resulted in initiating the militarization of the Sikhs and turning them into one of the world’s greatest marshal races known as Sant Sipahi(Saint Soldiers)