Re: 399th martyrdom day of Guru Arjun Dev Jee Celeberated in Lahore
Sikh devotees to visit Pakistan June 28
By Indo-Asian News Service
Lahore, June 17 (IANS) A group of Sikh devotes from India will arrive in Pakistan June 28 to take part in the observance to mark the death anniversary of 19th century Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Meanwhile, a group of about 800 Sikh devotees from Indian Punjab on a nine-day visit to Pakistan will return to India Friday, reports Online news agency.
The Sikh jatha took part in the three-day Jorr Mela or martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev at the Gurdwara Dera Sahib here Thursday. The delegation will leave will leave for India by a special train.
Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru, compiled all the writings of past Gurus into the Holy book - the Guru Granth Sahib.
In 1606, he was tortured to death on the orders of Muslim Emperor Jahangir after he refused to remove all Islamic and Hindu references from the Holy book.
During their nine-day stay in Pakistan, the Sikhs visited various holy shrines including Guru Nanak's birthplace in Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Puja Sahib in Hassan Abdal, Gurdwara Sacha Sawda in Farooqabad, Gurdwara Rohri Sahib in Aimanabad and other places.
Four times a year - on Baisakhi (April), Jorr Mela, death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (June) and birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev (November), Pakistan allows Sikh jathas to visit shrines.