Guru Arjan Dev's subject to torture by the Mughals.

On 16 June of every year since 1606, the Sikhs have commemorated the martyrdom of their first martyr, the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev. Sikh history until then had been peaceful and non-violent.

All the Sikh Gurus had taught the message of compassion, love, dedication, hard work, worship of one God and the commitment to peace and harmony for all the peoples of the world. During the Guruship of Guru Arjan many thousands of the native people had began to follow the teachings of Sikhism and both the Hindus and Muslims were crowding to Govindwal, the centre of Sikhs during the late 1500's.

After the death of Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1605, his son Jahangir became the leader of India. Unlike his father, Jahagir was a fundamentalist Muslim, obsessed with turning the country into an Islamic state. Both Hindu and Muslim fundamentalists concerned at the rapid increase in the popularity of Guru Arjan, moved the new head of state Emperor Jahangir against the Guru. Jahangir himself was also jealous about Guru's propagation of Sikhism.

He promptly obliged the enemies of the Guru. Many baseless allegations were levelled against Guru Sahib, one of those was helping the rebellious Khusrau, who was Jahangir's son and the preferred choice of Akbar to be the next ruler of India rather than his son Jahangir, who was given to drinking wine and taking opium. .....More

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Water painting of a Sikh Women in Dastar (Turban)

Women in Sikhism In Sikhism, the Sikh women are regarded as equal with men and have all the rights and privileges enjoyed by men. The woman is considered to have the same soul as man and has equal right to grow spiritually. The Sikh woman is allowed to lead religious congregations, to take part in Akhand Path (the continuous recitation of the Holy Scriptures), to perform Kirtan, to work as Granthi (priest) or a preacher and to participate freely in all religious, cultural, social, political and secular activities......

Guru Har Gobind

Guru Har Gobind On 5 July 2006, the Sikhs celebrated the birthday of their sixth Guru, Guru Har Gobind (1595-1644). Guru Ji was born at village Guru Ki Wadali in district Amritsar on 19 June 1595 and was the only son of Mata Ganga and Guru Arjan, whom he succeeded on 11 June 1606 at the age of only 11 years old. The young Hargobind received his early education and training from the revered Sikhs leaders of the time Baba Buddha and Bhai Gurdas. Guru Hargobind was married in about 1610 to Mata Nanaki also known as Mata Marwahi or Mata Mahadevi. They were endowed by a large family of one daughter Bibi Viro and five sons: Baba Gurditta, Suraj Mal ji, Ani Rai ji, Atal Rai ji and Tegh Bahadar ji. Guru Hargobind was responsible for wearing two kirpans - one for Miri and one for Piri and began the rapid and irreversible militarization of the Sikh people......

Sketch of Bhagat Puran Singh

Bhagat Puran Singh

On 2 August this year, the Sikh community commemorate the fourth "Barsi" (Death Anniversary) of late Bhagat Puran Singh ji. Bhai Sahib who was born at Rajewal, in district Ludhiana, Punjab, India on June 4, 1904 to mother, Mehtab Kaur and father, Chaudhari Chibu Mal. Bhai Sahib was born into a Hindu family and his original name was Ramji Das. He started his education at Khanna, Punjab and then later joined Lahore's Khalsa High School. He used to perform "sewa" at Gurdwara Dera Sahib and Gurdwara Shahid Ganj of Lahore where he would help with cleaning, cooking and serving food; he also tended to the aged, infirm and sick who came to the Gurdwaras to pay their respect to Guru Granth Sahib.....

Bhai Kanhaiya giving water without Discrimination

BHAI KANHAIYA (1648-1718), was a Sikh of Guru Tegh Bahadur and was the founder of the Sevapanthi or Addanshahi sect of the Sikhs. Bhai Sahib was born in a Dhamman Khatri family of Sodhara near Waxirabad in Sialkot district (now in Pakistan). His father was a wealthy trader, but he himself being of a religious bent of mind left home when still very young and roamed about with saddhus and ascetics in search of spiritual peace.....

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