The first week of June holds special significance for Sikhs as we commemorate the anniversaries of supreme sacrifice: of Guru Arjun in 1606, and of thousands of Sikhs in India in 1984. We honored these anniversaries with our third annual ride to remember these sacrifices.
This year is the 40th anniversary of the Operation Bluestar massacre. In 1984, the Indian military invaded Gurdwaras around India, including the Sikh world’s central Gurdwara, Harmandir Sahib (aka “the Golden Temple”) in Amritsar, India. The invasion, known as Operation Bluestar, was executed during the week that Sikhs were recognizing the martyrdom of Guru Arjan — the fifth Guru of the Sikhs — in 1606 at the hands of the reigning Mughal regime. The Indian military planned months ahead to execute this operation on this day. Large gatherings occur at Amritsar for this occasion each year, and it was on this day that the Indian army decided to invade.
Thousands were killed in the Harmandir Sahib complex during the Operation Bluestar massacre and the event triggered more than a decade of violence and turmoil in Punjab. The Sikh seat of authority, the Akal Takht, was also destroyed. Since 1984, Sikhs around the world remember each year this dark event in Sikh history that has since shaped our community for generations.
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of 1984 and Guru Arjan’s Shaheedi (martyrdom), we came together on June 8 to ride almost 50 miles round trip between Gurdwara Sahib Fremont and the Tri Valley Sikh Center in Livermore in California. Many of us wore our new gold and black cycling kits that were designed to commemorate this year.
We enjoyed a beautiful day riding between the two Gurdwaras. Over the past few weeks, our club members shared their memories of 1984, and so this was a poignant occasion to make sure we never forget.
View photos of our ride on our Instagram page.
Our next event is our Miri Piri Ride in Milpitas, CA on July 20. Look forward to seeing you there!
Fateh!
Sikh Cycling Club 